I can't get over how phenomenal Amanda Jennings books are! So captivating and just so emotionally driven. This story of obsession and secrets got me and drew me in. I loved it!

Please note that this book is not for me - I have read the book, However I had to DNF and because i do not like to give negative reviews I will not review this book fully - there is no specific reason for not liking this book. I found it a struggle to read and did not enjoy trying to force myself to read this book.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused and thank you for the opportunity to read this book

The Cliff House by Amanda Jennings is a wonderfully haunting and evocative tale of love, friendship, loss, and obsession.

The reader is introduced to the Davenports - a family of privilege, with their fast cars and glamorous clothes, living the dream in their breathtaking house overlooking the sea, known as the Cliff House.

Then there's Tamsyn, sixteen years old and living in a modest house with her mum, brother and grandfather, her dad having died at sea six years ago. Tamsyn hates her life and is completely obsessed with the Davenport family, particularly Edie, the Davenport's daughter. Tamsyn has fond memories of illicit visits to Cliff House with her dad on their frequent cliff-top walks or more recently, her own covert trips to the swimming pool whilst the house is unoccupied, unbeknown to her mum who cleans the luxurious property. Being of similiar age, the two teenagers, Tamsyn and Edie become friends and there begins a spectacular tale of events as the idyllic lifestyle of the Davenports starts to implode.

The story is set in Cornwall during the Summer of 1986. I was completely wowed by Amanda Jennings entertaining and well drawn, if less than perfect, characters. This was the first novel I've read by Amanda Jennings, and I was really impressed at the way that she created such a fabulous sense of time and place, as well as evoking the drama, chaos and strife that the Davenports created all around them. The characters in this story were a real hotch-potch; the difficult and demanding, personality of Evelyn Davenport was masterfully contrasted with Tamsyn's own poor mum; Tamsyn and Edie were also polar opposites in many ways, too. I liked the complexities of all of the characters; they all had their own issues and less-than-desirable traits, and even so, for me they still made for fascinating reading. Throughout the novel I could almost feel the beauty of the Cornish coast as the strong sense of trouble and impending doom gradually gathered momentum.

To conclude, The Cliff House is a stunning novel that puts Amanda Jennings firmly on my list of go-to authors.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my request, from HQ via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Really enjoyable read. Good characters and a Good story. Well worth a read. Think others will enjoy.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy. I couldn't get into this book. I lost interest after a couple chapters and stopped reading.

A tale of obsession, fraught with tension, tightly woven into this masterful plot.

Tamsyn has coveted The Cliff House for as long as she can remember, it is somewhere that was special between her and her father as well as the embodiment of everything she could wish for in life. As she watches the family that live there from her perch up on the cliffs, she imagines their perfect life and how happy they must be, how happy she would be if only she lived there in their world, where money isn’t a daily worry and everything is good. But things very rarely are as clear cut as they seem.

A chance encounter with the owner’s daughter opens up a doorway for Tamsyn into that world and into the house which she grabs with both hands. As a friendship blooms between herself and Edie, both Edie’s parents welcome her into their home and for once she feels like she belongs. But not everything that glitters is gold as the saying goes and piece by piece the glitter from the world, she has longed to be a part of starts to fade and the cracks begin to appear.

This may not be the fastest paced book in the world, and action packed it’s not, but it delivers a ratcheting feeling of unease, a building tension that just keeps on growing alongside the page numbers. This is a character driven novel with a protagonist that many will be able to relate to in some way and others that will exasperate you but inevitably they will all entertain you from the first page to the very last.

The Cliff House has been out for a while now but if like me you have had this buried in your to be read pile for ages I can’t recommend bringing it to the top of your pile straight away! It is worthy of being top of the pile!

5 Stars from me

Oh my, the aching beauty that spills from these pages is just breath taking.

At 11% I adored the book, by 60% it made me cry and I simply didn't ever want it to end.

I know of no other author who can create the emotive resonance that Amanda Jennings brings to life within the pages of a book: much like in her other excellent books Sworn Secret, The Judas Scar and In Her Wake.

All the characters (and there are only a handful) are utterly credible and I felt their emotions, their fragility their realness is if it were my own.

My favourite character? Probably Jago, although poor old Angie wins the sympathy vote. The rest of the characters weren't particularly likeable but it was their flaws which made them so defined.

The setting and the era are flawlessly described. Who wouldn't covet the lifestyle of the Davenports? The agony and deprivation of life for poor Angie is sensitively accurate - the grief, the loneliness, the worry are all spot on. 

As for Tamsyn, the innocent mixed up teenage whose life has been turned inside out by grief, her portrayal is particularly raw and exposed - Jennings knack for honing in on the feelings of teenagers is uncanny.

A beautiful book - it literally is the perfect summer read - I want to dive into that pool and I want to go to one of the Davenport's parties!




Synopsis: Some friendships are made to be broken.

Cornwall, summer of 1986.

The Davenports, with their fast cars and glamorous clothes, living the dream in a breathtaking house overlooking the sea.

If only… thinks sixteen-year-old Tamsyn, her binoculars trained on the perfect family in their perfect home.

If only her life was as perfect as theirs.

If only Edie Davenport would be her friend.

If only she lived at The Cliff House…

Amanda Jennings weaves a haunting tale of obsession, loss and longing, set against the brooding North Cornish coastline, destined to stay with readers long after the final page is turned.

‘A beautiful, stirring story of loss and obsession’ Lisa Jewell

I found this book very slow and repetitive.
The story is a book about loss, obsession and longing.
I had previously read a book by the same author so I felt let down and disappointed

Firstly many thanks to Netgalley and HQ for my copy of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Having read and loved In Her Wake, I was excited to read this one and it didn't disappoint. Lovely sense of place, great characters and a real page turner.

A beautiful written story about the Cornish place with all the delightful description that will make you feel there or just vision the place with your eyes opened.

The story's unsettling, it's said from more points of view which I'm always looking forward in my books, it's heart breaking at times, it shows that not everything is so sparkling as we see or other people make us see either persons or their glamorous life, That are always more layers to everyone, no matter if they are rich or poor , it talks about dreams and aspirations and also about loss and grief.
There are a few twists that I didn't see them coming my way, but overall I don't know how I feel, to be honest.
Even if it was my first read by the author, I'll be checking out her other books as well.

loved reading this book by amanda. good characters and story line. look forward to reading more from this author

This book is set in Cornwall during the summer of 1986. After the death of her father Tamsyn, a sixteen year old girl, becomes obsessed with The Cliff House and it’s occupants, the Davenport family.

The Davenports seem to have the perfect life. Max and Eleanor are the perfect couple and their daughter Edie completes their perfect family. Whereas Tamsyn lives with her Mum, who cleans for the Davenports, her brother, who is struggling for work, and her Grandfather, who had a terminal illness. Tamsyn watches the Davenports from a far until one day she meets Edie and all of their lives change.

This is a story of love, loss, obsession and much much more, set in a spectacular area of the world. Some of the characters you will dislike and some you will envy but not all is as it seems and plenty of secrets are being kept in both families.

Thank you to HQ and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

The story is set in the 1980's in Cornwall. Sixteen year old Tamsyn is obessed with the Cliff House and the Davenport family. Tamsyn's family struggle while the Davenport's seem to have it all. Tamsyn becomes friends with Evie Davenport and Tamsyn gets a chance to see what life is like at the Cliff Nouse. Tamsyn's family are close but money is tight. Her father had been lost at sea six years ago. Evie is the black sheep,of her family.

None of the characters in this storyline are likeable but it's easy to see why they act the way they do. In parts, Tamsyn is quite a sweet girl in other parts she's quite the menace. I've been to Cornwalland this story drew me in that much that I felt I was actually there, especially as I know exactly where there is a Cliff House. The Davenport's have secrets and tragedy. The story is dark and has a bit of a gothic feel to it. It's quite a chilling slow burner that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

I would like to thank NetGalley, HQ and the author Amanda Jennings for my ARC in exchange for an honest e.

This ARC was courtesy of netgalley - the thoughts and opinions are mine and unbiased

I really enjoyed this and would recommend as a great holiday / beach read

I have looked at other reviews posted here and am a bit surprised that others were not so impressed - I found the intrigue was there for me and though psychological thrillers are not my go to genre, am reading more and more of these courtesy of netgalley and this more than compares to others I have been reading.

I've not read any of Amanda Jennings work before but will certainly be looking out for her in the future. I found this well written, tense with a great ending I didn't see coming

2.5 stars

For me,a lot of build up,to not very much anything.
I have no problem with a long build up,but I found it a little ordinary,not enough tension.
It happily killed a few hours on a train for me

An interesting story that kept me gripped through out. A few twists and turns. Perfect for psychological thriller fans xx

Enjoyed this book and was surprised to see other reviewers found it average. I personally found it pretty gripping. Amanda Jennings is a new name to me but I'll look out for more from her in the future!

Sorry but this wasn't for me, couldn't draw me into the story line or the characters and gave up at about 25%.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

A little disappointed with this one I have to be honest. Quite straight forward and clinically written. I cannot feel the passion behind the words with this story.