A warm brilliant read, the characters brought a smile to my face. The plot had a few twists but it was Heidi's talent as a storyteller brought out the richness of the tale.
A feel good book, a perfect route to escape.

OMG I absolutely loved this story.
Heidi has a wonderful way of telling a story, she sucks you right in.
Tess needs a break from her hectic job and working for her father so she books a cottage in Wynmouth the seaside town that brings back wonderful childhood memories.
She meets Sam the pub owner who also owns the cottage she has rented.
Lots of twists and turns, but so many times I escaped to Wynmouth and have to say was so sad when the story ended.

I've read a few of the authors books previously so had high hopes for this one and wasn't disappointed. As the blurb says we follow Tess as she realises that she needs to have a break and look after herself and also, gets a shock about her past. These two events make her head to Wynmouth for a break to reassess what she thought she knew and to take stock of her life.

Much as I enjoyed the whole book it was the little things that really made it work for me. The cottage Heidi rents was lovely and I could see myself staying in it, the fact that she holed up for a few days when she didn't feel like meeting people was so realistic to me as that's what I do and it was nice to see that reflected in a book. She also rediscovered her what she had previously enjoyed like rock pools, and made the effort to spend time just watching them. It was good to see a character who had decided they needed to escape from their life, actually do that. Tess couldn't seem to resist getting involved in the town and helping out but it was good to see that that didn't overtake everything and she actually spent time reflecting and reacting as a real person would. It irritates me to see people in films and books decide to change their lives and then all of a sudden do it and it's a complete success with little effort. That is so far removed from reality it's ridiculous and that's why I really liked that in this book we saw Tess's struggles and doubts about things.

The town was lovely, it made me want to go and stay and spend some time wandering along the beach and visiting the coffee shop. The descriptions of the place, the people and everything else were spot on and although it's actually been a little while since I read it, writing this is making me want to go back and read it again.  This story is focused on Tess and what she is doing but along the way we meet a few other important characters and learn that not everything in Wynmouth is as picture postcard perfect as it looks, however, that again makes it more realistic and just adds another layer of depth to the story.

If you want a summer, or anytime of year, read that is realistic but also an escape from the world then this is definitely a good choice. Equally if you've read any of Heidi Swain's other books then you'll love this one. More please!

This is such a lovely book - the perfect antidote to the crazy goings on in the world at the moment!

I really loved the setting, Heidi Swain builds a gorgeous picture of Wynmouth - from the small village amenities and the beach to the rugged coastal farm.

The characters are really well developed and likeable, again from the main characters to the villagers such as George.

The storyline itself has plenty twists and turns, of course the path of true love never runs smoothly, but there are deeper revelations than just romantic ones. Some of the plot twists I saw coming, but there was still plenty to keep me hooked. I also really liked the wee eco angle of a beach clean and the discussions that raised.

Can't wait to read more of Heidi's books.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this fab book.

Wow! This was my first Heidi Swain book and certainly won't be the last! I fell in love with the seaside town and all of the characters too, definitely a must read. Thank you for the opportunity to review this amazing book :)

Ooh, there's such a lot going on in this story. It starts of gently enough, but the pace and the complexity of the plot ramps up until it's positively racing and tangled as the end grows near. I didn't see some of it coming (quite a bit of it, actually), so for me it was full of jaw-dropping surprises. Excellent plotting, and some deeper issues touched upon with gave the book an added depth.

I knew I was going to enjoy this before I started it (I always do when it comes to Ms Swain's stories) and this one certainly didn't disappoint.

3.5 stars
I'm a big Heidi Swain fan – a total sucker for her style of escapism – so I was delighted to receive an e-copy in exchange for an honest review. And while this was good, and I enjoyed it, it definitely wasn't my favourite of her work and I would recommend new readers start with one of her other books first. I'm sure other fans will love it.
I look forward to her next book.

Loved this book! Well written, great characters, plenty of twists and turns to the story that the reader cannot guess. The location makes you want to go there on holiday!
This book draws the reader in from the start and you don’t want to put it down ,
A fantastic read, I didn’t want it to end ! And I would recommend this book to anyone
Thank you to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster, and Heidi Swain for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review

Tess has fled work and home for Wynmouth. She feels at home there, even though it is years since she last visited.
She soon makes friends with Sam, landlord of her holiday cottage and the local pub. She thinks he likes her, but then she meets his girlfriend Hope. She also meets Joe again, who she remembers from her childhood visits to the town.

But things aren't as they seem. everyone seems to be keeping secrets from Tess and each other, so what will happen the secrets are revealed.

I think this is my favourite Heidi Swain yet! The location is absolutely beautiful and the lovely residents of Wynmouth make me want to pack up and move there at once! Tess's story is really quite moving and the fallout as the secrets of the past are revealed is so beautifully and sensitively written I'd have the tissues handy just in case. A perfect escape in such troubling times.

Tess, a successful business woman running the family pa business decides she needs a holiday.
After working her way to the top, suffering the sudden death of her mother and realising that it is impacting her health she decides to go on holiday to the seaside setting of family summer holidays.
So she heads to Wynmouth where she meets Sam the owner of the cottage she rents and Sophie, the owner of the local cafe.
While she is there she gets involved in publicising both those businesses and arranging events to bring people into the village.
Then she meets her first kiss. The first kiss that happened behind the beach huts. He does not remember her!
She also finds her mum's diaries in which she finds out that things were not what they seemed as a child.
She spends the summer making friends and relationships which will last for ever....just not always in the way you expect.
Really good read with a few twists.

We had a lovely break in a cottage just like the one in Wynmouth and I was picturing that as I read. Tess is escaping her high powered job and returning to the place she spent happy family holidays. She's hoping to destress and enjoy a break. She is attracted to Sam , who runs the pub and owns the cottage she is staying in. She also loves visiting the café on the beach.
This is such a heart warming book. You can imagine being in Wynmouth and making friends with the characters and finding out more about them. There is a hint of romance, unearthing family secrets and just a sense of magic in having escaped the 'real world' and landing in your idea of a heavenly seaside town, without your phone and inbox.
Heidi Swain's books are always a delight to read and make the ideal holiday read- especially for those of us who probably won't get their seaside break this year.

What a gorgeous new setting from Heidi Swain, in this delightful story, filled with secrets, misunderstandings, great events and the possibility that summer could change lives.

Tess is feeling overwhelmed by her high pressured job, its making her ill, and she keeps dreaming of her childhood holidays to Wynmouth. She is still grieving for her mum, and when she discovers that not everything was as seemed in her parents marriage, she takes off for a break to Wynbridge without telling anyone where she's going.

She also has memories of the most spectacular first kiss of her life behind the beach huts when she was a teen there, and a small part of her is hoping to see if that man is still there or generally see if there are any familiar faces still to her.

The town really isn't as she remembered it, but she also isn't one to sit back and do nothing on her break, so she soon gets involved with some of the local businesses and their owners. She makes friends, and there are some gorgeous men about too.

I loved the descriptions of Wynmouth,I could picture the beach, and Sophie's fusion cafe so well, as well as Sam's pub. And the thoughts of rock pooling and the beach huts and fish and chips are just typical of an English seaside break.

I love this authors writing style, her way with words, and storytelling ability. As the book progressed I was drawn into it more and more and was incredibly curious as to how some of the plots would turn out. Seeing how Tess changes over the course of the book and the way her new friendships developed was really great to see.

I just really enjoyed everything about this book.

Tess Tyler needs to escape from her job and her life, so heads to the seaside town of Wynmouth, location of many childhood holidays and fond memories. But can the memories live up to Tess' expectations and help her to come to terms with changes in her life?

As always, Heidi's book provides the opportunity to get lost in the vivid locations and characters. You can feel yourself on the Norfolk coast, in among the seaside cottages or walking along the beach. The characters range from caring older ladies who look out for Tess' wellbeing, to the local with stories that stretch back years and, of course, the resident love interests.

But this story also brings a hint of mystery. What is the family secret that Tess is escaping from? And will Wynmouth provide the answers?

A perfect summer read that sweeps you along with the tide to enjoy the ride.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing this copy.

This was a lovely book to read. As I read it I could picture the beach, pub and the cafe with it’s wonderful meals and people walking on the windswept beach.
This was the first time I’d read this author’s book and I was enthralled by it. It was warm and entertaining and I read it very quickly. I was so pleased that it had a happy ending, just what I needed. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This is a lovely read for the summer and I have since looked for other books by the same author.
Tess does what we all want - leaves her job and escapes from the World and mobile phones!
The story of Tess and Sam and Tess and her father are well described and the book turns into a page-turner. I loved all the characters in the local community.
This was a lovely, happy summer book and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to escape!

I just couldn’t get into this one and that’s a shame because I’ve moved all of this authors other books. I just found it a bit of a tedious read and not very exciting.

What a great story that I throughly enjoyed!
It's well written with a well thought and interesting cast of characters and a lovely setting that made me wish to be there.
The author is a talented storyteller and this well plotted story kept me hooked till the end.
I can't wait to read the next book by this author.
I strongly recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

The Secret Seaside Escape is the perfect book to read outside in the sunshine and that is exactly where I read this book. I could have easily read it in one sitting but I wanted to make it last as I loved it.
With the warm sunshine and the birds all around me it was not hard to relax but with The Secret Seaside Escape it felt like I could relax to a whole other level. I may have been sitting in my backyard but Heidi took me to the Norfolk Coast and to the little seaside town, Wynmouth. By the time I closed the book I felt like I has been on holiday.
The story follows Tess. Tess is overworked and in need of a break and some self care before she becomes ill. Yet, it takes a shocking discovering to put her thoughts into action and make her childhood memories of a beautiful seaside town reality. Once there she finds hope, friendship and love with some brilliant small town drama too.
The idea for this story and plot were amazing and I loved all the characters. The setting for me has completely captured me and I think that this is Heidi at her best! I really hope we return to Wynmouth in another of her books.
The Secret Seaside Escape is the read of Summer 2020! One I will treasure and re-read again and again.

Several times in a reader’s life, they feel the need to read something that cleanses all that came before and also to submerge into something happy and predictable for a while. The situation was not as dramatic as my description might lead one to believe, but when I saw that there was a lighter book scheduled to release in the first week of June, I thought it served multiple purposes simultaneously, so I picked it out of my own arbitrary queue and completed it from cover to cover in two sittings.

I say predictable not in a deprecating way, it should be noted. Just because I saw the ‘twists’ coming (except one which did surprise me), my enjoyment of the time I spent in this little seaside town did not diminish. Our overworked and extremely emotional leading lady works for her father’s company, and she is daydreaming of her childhood haunt and hidden memories. On an impulse fueled by things she finds in her late mother’s belongings and a chance acceptance, she runs away. Hidden away in a cottage, things do not necessarily go the way she imagines, but that is not completely bad. The events that follow involve a lot of interesting local characters who have their own quirks and backstories. The author narrated the entire thing in a straightforward and appealing manner. There are many happily-ever-afters, but the journey to them is fraught with many misunderstandings and jumping to conclusions that any average person would do making the narrative more believable.

I received the ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience