The story includes details of a time I didn't know much about in France - 1968
The book contained lots of y twists and turns and kept you guessing until the very end which is great

Carol Drinkwater is still probably best known for her portrayal of Helen in BBC Television’s “All Creatures Great And Small”. After going on to write the critically acclaimed series of Olive Farm books, Carol has shown a natural ability to grip her readers in the subsequent releases of the fictional The Forgotten Summer and The Lost Girl. In her latest book, The House On The Edge Of The Cliff, she continues a love affair with France but adds a dark undercurrent of murder and misadventure.

The House On The Edge Of The Cliff is unmistakably the work of a trained actress with its cinematic quality conjuring up settings and situations. From the taste of blood to the feel of sexual intimacy, Carol Drinkwater takes the reader on a nail-biting journey that isn’t resolved until the final pages. When emotions get tied up with political unrest it is never going to end well, especially when the lead girl is torn between two lovers.

The House On The Edge Of The Cliff is cinematic, expansive, intimate, heart-stopping, and absolutely gripping.

Although beautifully set this book was a little slow at times. I think maybe the history and politics dragged the story down sometimes. About midway through the story did pick up pace and ended quite well.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy of this title in exchange for an unbiased review

I really enjoyed this novel, the first I have read by Carol Drinkwater, but probably not the last. The narrative which links past and present through the arrival of a mysterious stranger to Grace's house on the coast of Provence is interesting and well-told and the characters are sympathetic and well-drawn including the minor characters like Peter's aunt, the original owner of the House on the Cliff. The author creates evocative backdrops for her story during the heady days of student protest in 1960s Paris and in 21st century Provence, mixed with just enough tension to keep you on the edge of your seat. A good summer read. Highly recommended.

Thank you to the publisher for making a copy of this book available to me on NetGalley.

I enjoyed this read, the timelines kept me interested and the story had enough intrigue to keep me wanting to read on - despite a bit of a lull in the middle during the political unrest, Im not a huge fan of the 'big secret' between supposed soulmates, they always end up as dead ends and a little unbelievable for me personally, but overall it was a good holiday read.

Grace meets Peter when she takes a gap holiday in France before going to theatre school. She doesn't realise that he is in love with her, but it is all difficult because he is involved with the student protests, and his father is an ambassador.
Then Grace meets Pierre, who is a very bad influence on her life - he takes drugs, gets drunk, and leads her astray They are at a beach party one night when they both nearly drown, but Peter rescues both of them, although Grace thinks Pierre has drowned.
Years later Peter and Grace have married, he has two daughters from a previous marriage, and they inherit a cliff-top house from his painter aunt. Their grandchildren are staying with them, and on a trip to the beach, the youngest little boy goes missing.A strange man appears, helps grace find the little boy, and then starts to demand that she go with him - that he is Pierre, come back to claim what he beieves is his. Grace is very anxious, as Peter is waiting for a heart operation and she tries to hide all the details from him.
The resolution of this novel is superb, it leaves you breathless, and wanting to read on and on. I would recommend this book wholeheartedly.

This book would make an ideal holiday read, especially anyone visiting the South of France. It is a rather unusual story, albeit with the usual format of dual timelines. A story of romance, lost love and mystery. The location sounds stunning and very romantic, however dark clouds loom as they always do. However it is a good story that will keep a reader occupied fir a considerable time. I enjoyed it

I’m sorry to say that I will not be posting a review or this book to my blog. It’s drained me reading it and not in a good way. There is too much over the top language and too many reminders about how bad each of the characters had been in their past. These are the small points. There are much larger problems but I won’t go into these. I’m sorry it’s a no from me.

The House On The Edge Of The Cliff is a book like no other I’ve read, it made me take my time and completely immerse myself in it, yes at times it’s slow going, especially at the start as you get your head round the dual timeline which does work well with this book, yes it features for the first half quite heavily history and politics, neither of which I am fond of but for some reason I liked it in this book.
Grace is the main character and we meet her when she is just 16, wanting a summer before college of freedom and discovery away from her loving mother and her dads overactive fists. So off she sets to Paris in 1968, when there was huge political unrest and she meets Peter who she stays with during riots but having been arrested they move away from Paris to his aunts house, Heron House and the story gets tangled and for Grace, messy with the drug peddling Pierre. The story bounces to present time that sees Grace and Peter in their sixties, Peter waiting for a heart operation and for Grace a visit from the past.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin UK- Michael Joseph for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

thank you for allowing me to read this book. it was very easy to read. i enjoyed the story line and the characters. look forward to reading more from this author.

This book is a love story plain and simple or is it?
Peter and Grace meet in Paris two very different people in a time when people were unhappy with their president, grace was just 16 straight from an unhappy London home. Peter was studying law at the Sorbonne but during their first summer together grace follows him like a love sick puppy, getting involved in protests and barricades. She is almost arrested
Peter tells her they can get away to his aunt's house in the south so that is where they go to the house on the edge of the cliff, the stunning whitewashed house of his artist aunt Agnes
Grace loves it there but then meets Pierre and falls deeply in love
This book does change from present day to back in the day a lot but you can see how the young naive English girl might get swallowed up by this handsome Pierre but whilst swimming one day with him grace gets into difficulties and Peter comes to her rescue but what has happened to Pierre?
Is he dead ? Grace goes back to London and Peter to become a lawyer will they ever meet again?
Beautifully written I felt I was in the house on the edge of the cliff

This is an enjoyable read. Grace lives with her husband Peter in a house on the edge of a cliff in Provence. One day a strange man arrives on the scene and claims to be someone Grace had a fling with in the late sixties when she first came to France as a 16 year old. She had always believed him to have drowned. The story is told in 2 time frames - 1968 Paris and the student riots, followed by a summer in Provence, and present day in the south of France. It's an easy read mystery which will keep you guessing to the end. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

I’m not rating this book as I didn’t finish it but I had to give up at 40%. I’ve tried to stick with it but I’ve decided life is too short and I have many other books I would rather be reading. It’s a shame as I loved “The Lost Girl” but this is far too historical, political and unfortunately boring for me.

I did enjoy this book but only in parts. I found that I much preferred to read about the present rather than the past as I found the past parts a bit long and boring. I found that I could skim read those parts which I never have done before with a book so that I could get to the present much quicker.
It held my interest enough to want to read it to the end to find out what happens but just didn't appeal 100% to me.

An original, romantic tale set mostly in France. Enjoyable, but not sure if I liked the way it alternated between the past and the present.

Hidden secrets and an exotic setting kept me intrigued and gripped. A great book. About to raid her backlist.

Opening chapter is immediately tense, sucks you straight into the story . I loved the air of mystery at the setting is beautifully described. A good read, one for taking on holiday I would recommend.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. This a story of love and betrayal and ranges through the decades. A really enjoyable read.

The house in the title is in the most stunning setting in southern France. Grace first visits the house in 1968, after being caught up in the student riots in Paris. Something happens that summer that comes back to haunt her years later when she and her husband are living in the same house. This is the perfect escapist holiday read!