The Cottage at Whisper Lake by Phillipa Nefri Clark is a heartfelt and emotional novel set in the tranquil town of River’s End, where journalist Sadie Forest returns after fifteen years away. Drawn back by her father’s passing and her family’s needs, Sadie plans for a brief visit but soon finds herself entangled in local mysteries and deeper connections. Her chance encounter with Rebecca, a reclusive older woman with her own tragic past, becomes the catalyst for a journey of healing and self-discovery. Together, Sadie and Rebecca delve into long-buried secrets, fostering a unique friendship that helps each confront lingering heartache and loss.

The narrative alternates between Sadie’s present-day challenges and Rebecca’s poignant past, gradually uncovering hidden truths. Readers are immersed in themes of forgiveness, acceptance, and the importance of family, all set against the scenic backdrop of Whisper Lake. The novel balances heavy emotional moments with lighter, hopeful ones, and includes a clean, slow-building romance between Sadie and local builder Dan, who provides gentle support as she processes her past.

This story is ideal for those who enjoy character-driven tales with strong themes of resilience, making it a moving and uplifting read that’s hard to put down. Fans of small-town settings and multilayered characters will find The Cottage at Whisper Lake a compelling journey of healing and renewal   .

This is my first book by this author and the start of a new series which I look forward to reading more by this author and more of the series. A book I really enjoyed and found it a great read.

I found myself swept away by this atmospheric story with well written characters and it's cleverly plotted design.

Well, you went and made me cry at work. This book is so beautifully written, with such wonderful descriptions of both characters and places. You will laugh, cry, rage, and feel all the emotions with this book. It was just amazing. I love how the back and forth between Sadie's story and Rebecca's combined perfectly at the end. Wow, just wow!

This was a truly emotional and beautiful story. I liked the parallel timeline, especially Rebecca’s past. I think Sadie and Dan’s romance was more like an addition to the story. I didn’t mind that, they made a great pair. The main focus was on Rebecca. I liked how Sadie committed herself to help Rebecca, which was quite a challenge since the woman was so mysterious. Rebecca’s childhood was in a way idyllic with her sweet brother and doting father until tragedy striked. It was devastating what happened, it was proof for how selfish and cruel people exist. When the truth was revealed I cried so much for the characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of the book.

Oh my. What a tearjerker. This book made me feel the full range of emotions. Happy, Sad, hopeful, dazed, frustrated. This book hooks you and doesn’t let you go until you finish it. What a ride. I can’t wait to check out more of this authors books as she is a new to me author.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. I enjoyed reading about the two families who had experienced difficulties, although many years apart. Sadie was a very professional presenter of documentaries who returns to her childhood home to see her mother after many years estranged. Rebecca is an elderly lady who lives a very reclusive life nearby. For them both memories run deep. How can they be resolved?
The story has been sensitively written. I found it very moving and made me quite tearful at the finish. Not all our memories are good ones, not all relationships can be repaired. It is a reminder that we should always look at both sides of a difficulty and not let time pass us by without repairing these issues.

I finished this book but definitely didn’t fully get into it. It was hard to keep up with the past and present times. It constantly changed.

Thanks to netgalley for giving me this arc in exchange for an honest review.

What a lovely book and read. It is emotional yest heart-warming and it shows how good friendship and talking can help heal old wounds and is good for not only the heart but the soul.

Rebecca and Sadie are perfect characters for this story and I did love them both. Love the Australian setting and the way the story flowed even though at times the conversations between these two friends was tough. The writing worked well and love that it is apparently the first in the new Temple River series so I now look forward to seeing what comes next.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I loved it. Couldn't hold back the tears when all was revealed. Sadie discovered Rebecca when she moved back to her childhood home which latterly didn't hold good memories for her. Her mother Pam was still running the inn after her husband's death and when Safie visited, they kindled their love for each other abd moved glfurward.

Dan sounds dishy and soon Sadie is smitten!

She befriends Rebecca who has a heartbreaking history of her own and eventually Sadie is able to coax her into confiding in her. Their tears flowed abd so did mine.

I adore these nooks abd look forward to book 2 in the series.

Phillipa is a brilliant writer. In glad I have discovered her.

For an accomplished journalist Sadie certainly did not follow leads and question her own life. She also underestimated her own mother and Dan on several occasions. Not sure about her father and his sudden change in behaviours with Sadie. It did not make sense that a caring father becomes hostile overnight. The story about Becky and Charlie was sad but again unbelievable that her dad didn’t make attempts to connect with her. The book had just too many events that were not explained . Not sure why the cottage was abandoned being one of them .

A very emotional and enjoyable read all at the same time!
I'm so glad that I picked this book up. I had no idea what I was getting into when I opened it.
There was just so much going on that I liked.
The family dynamics and secrets and second chances are all rolled into one to make a great read! Fantabulous!
Rebecca and Sadie will grab your heart the moment you open this story. My heart hurt for both of them.
I really loved the dual timeline. I felt that the author has done a remarkable job without missing a beat of these women's story.
The cover of the book is perfect for the story inside. It was what made me grab it in the first place! I was NOT one bit disappointed.
I wanted something different and this was perfect especially for a rainy day!
I believe that the message of this book is to forgive someone for their wrongs and try to make it right. Only then would we be able to truly heal from our pasts whatever and wherever you may be.
5 stars for a well written novel that I very much enjoyed and appreciated.
I highly recommend.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

3.7 Stars
One Liner: Heartwarming

Sadie Forest is back in River End after fifteen years. She wouldn’t have been here if not for her mother’s call to sort out the family business and house after her father’s death. Back in the town, Sadie feels familiar yet different. She is still haunted by the bittersweet and painful memories of her childhood.
One day, Sadie chances upon a lovely cottage near Whisper Lake. She also meets the reclusive owner, Rebecca Meyers. The old lady is intriguing and has a troubled past of her own. When she asks for help, Sadie knows she will do what she can. Maybe this could be her chance to finally lay her demons to rest.
Of course, there’s Dan, the builder, a handsome and kind man liked by many. Sadie needs to make a lot of decisions!
The story comes in the third-person POV of Sadie Forest and the first-person POV of young Becky (past timeline).

My Thoughts:
This is an Australian small-town book set around the fictitious Temple River, in the coastal Victoria state. The setting is beautiful, with cliffs, jetty, lake, hill slopes, and open lands. Though there isn’t much about the town, we get to see a few local stores and briefly meet their owners.
Sadie is a documentary producer who tackles serious topics like the impact of finances on seniors, etc. Though she claims to have gotten over her past issues with her father, we see that’s not the case. All those years of therapy didn’t help for sure.
It takes a while to get used to the interactions between Sadie and her mother, Pam. That’s because Sadie hasn’t really kept in touch with her. Both women have changed, and this makes things a bit tentative. I like how they continue to support each other despite the uncertainty. Their relationship strengthens as they start to heal.
Sadie is easy enough to like, though she willingly does/ says a few things that put her in a not-so-good light. The narrative keeps things clear, so it is easy to see her thoughts and the reason for her actions, even if we don’t always agree with them.
Rebecca, aka Becky, is another complex character. Her older self is different yet the same as her younger version. I admit to being confused about her age in the past timeline. The first-person narrative doesn’t reveal her age (we get a clue after a couple of chapters) for a long time. And given how Becky is literally cooking and cleaning like a grownup, I had a little tough time trying picturing her age. (Thanks for your help when I tried to figure it out, Rosh.)
The book is heavy on emotions, acceptance, forgiveness, and healing. While this doesn’t make it a light read, it also doesn’t get too overwhelming. We get some lighter and gentler moments, too. Percy, the black cat, helps a lot. Little Charles, too, is an adorable young boy.
The love track between Sadie and Dan is well done. It’s there but not too evident. The connection feels realistic enough, mainly because Dan is composed, assertive, and stable. He has already healed himself, so he is patient with Sadie as she tries to sort through her issues. And this is a clean romance.
crucial element relies on a minor character we aren’t familiar with. This makes it hard to understand their motivations and actions. It’s almost like we need to accept certain things at face value and go with the flow. I wish this was better handled.
However, Sadie’s inquisitive nature plays a role in connecting the dots. We do see a hopeful ending (or a new beginning) for the main characters. There isn’t an epilogue, but we have an HFN. Since this is a standalone series, I’m hopeful Sadie and Dan will be recurring characters.

To summarize, The Cottage at Whisper Lake is a heartwarming story on the heavier side. It deals with various themes, though they are all centered around family and relationships.
Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

This was such a good read. Yes it was an emotional Rollercoaster but so worth it!! I was hooked from the beginning. I loved this so much!!
I just reviewed The Cottage at Whisper Lake by Phillipa Nefri Clark. #TheCottageatWhisperLake #NetGalley
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This book touched my heart.  It was an emotional and heart wrenching story.  It was a story of family, the past, lies, and truth.  I could not believe the story as it unfolded.  I was crying as I heard Rebecca's story.  I really liked the characters and how they grew and I was so glad Sadie saw something in Rebecca and had to help her.  It was an amazing story!  I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

Phillipa Nefri Clark is one of my authors that I will read every book she writes! This story is heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time and it is beautifully written. The Cottage at Whisper Lake is the first in the Temple River series and I can't wait to read the next book! You will fall in love with these characters. I couldn't stop listening to this book. I definitely recommend this book!!

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC in advance for my honest opinion.

A new author for me who I will continue to read. What a marvelous story of life, loss and second chances. I laughed and cried along with Sadie, Rebecca, and Pam as the faced insurmountable grief in their lives.

The author captured their life stories, alternating chapters between current days and 60+ years ago. A tragedy occurred that altered a family and Sadie, with the help of Dan, A local builder unearths a mystery that forever altered a family. The book is full of heartbreak, mystery, and healing. I couldn't put it down and highly recommend the book: A 5 star read in my opinion.

Although I received a free ARC , all thoughts and opinions ate my own.

This book contained a heartwarming, lovely story. I think it can best be described as women's fiction. It drew me in right away, and I experienced a whole range of emotions while reading it, including happiness and sadness. The story follows Sadie Forest as she returns to her Australian hometown after her father's death to help her mother arrange his affairs. Sadie meets new people in town, including an older woman named Rebecca, who seems to have had great sorrow in her life. Sadie becomes her friend and tries to discover what secrets she is keeping, so that she can help her get some closure in her life. Find out the story of Rebecca's sorrow and if Sadie is able to help her get closure. I highly recommend this book to other women's fiction readers. I received an ARC of this book, and the opinion expressed is strictly my own.

When a reviewer said this story had left her with tears in her eyes, I had no idea I would have a very similar experience. Books don’t normally make me emotional, but The Cottage on Whisper Lake turned out to be the exception.
It’s so many different things: a gentle love story, a dual time line tale, linking both Sadie and Rebecca's lives. In the present, documentary maker Sadie Forest returns home following her father’s death. There are ghosts of her past to face and when she accidentally becomes involved in a search for elderly Rebecca Myers, she meets builder Daniel and is drawn to both him and the mystery surrounding this woman.
Rebecca’s childhood story is told separately. The family have moved from Melbourne following her mother’s tragic drowning and follows twelve year old Becky, as she is called, who together with her father and brother Charlie, begin to make a new life in Driftwood Cove. Becky is a strong and determined character, but even she cannot stop what fate has in store for her.
Through Sadie’s quiet investigation, the pieces of Rebecca’s past life slowly come together, resulting in a conclusion which, I have to confess, did give me an emotional few moments. It’s a lovely read with an interesting story and a fabulous coastal backdrop. And even better that, it is book one of a series. I can’t wait for the next instalment.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Phillipa Nefri Clark and Storm Publishing for an ARC of The Cottage at Whisper Lake in exchange for an honest review.

A haunting tale across the decades is revealed when Sadie returns to her childhood home and becomes friends with Rebecca, an older lady who seems at times confused and reticent to allow people near her.
Rebecca is a particularly beautiful character, both in her flashback chapters and in the time the story is told. The tragedy she suffers is at first hinted at and then gradually revealed in both time lines and the ending is just lovely.
Nothing not to enjoy.