Sadie Forest had left her home in Rivers End after a particularly bad fight with her father. She was eighteen when she fled to Sydney and in the fifteen years since then, she'd carved out a successful career, always missing her mother Pam, but not receiving any replies to her constant emails. Now, with Sadie's father dead, she was back in Rivers End to help her mother with their aging Inn, work to bring the old home back up to scratch, then she'd return to Sydney. Her meeting with Rebecca, a reclusive woman living in a beautiful cottage overlooking Whisper Lake, set her investigative antennae jangling. Because Rebecca had wandered off, and her neighbour, construction company boss, Dan, helped Sadie search for Rebecca.

Sixty two years prior, Becky, her father and younger brother Charlie had moved to a little beachside town after their mother and wife had died, hoping for a new start. Charlie was only seven, while Becky was twelve, and the bullies who tormented both Charlie and Becky, drove her to anger. Charlie's friend Tim was his champion - but when tragedy struck, everyone's life changed forever...

The Cottage at Whisper Lake is the first in the Temple River series by Aussie author Phillipa Nefri Clark and I loved it, flying through, unable to put it down until I'd finished. Ms Clark is a very versatile and prolific author, with many genres to her name. Up there among my favourite authors, I'm looking forward to #2 already, and recommend The Cottage at Whisper Lake highly.

With thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and the author for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a lovely book. The Cottage at Whisper Lake by Phillipa Nefri Clark hurt my heart and made me cry copious amounts of tears. The beautiful description in this book is wonderful, and the story flows seamlessly. The cast of characters are beautifully depicted and carefully constructed, making me engage with them completely, and care about them. There is so much in this book, so much love, secrets and mystery. I was immediately immersed in the story, and literally couldn’t put it down. As the story unfolded I was drawn into the lives of the characters, and didn’t want to leave. This is a beautiful story, and is definitely one that I will go back to again. Highly recommended.

Sadie Foster is visiting her her home town of Rivers End for the first time in fifteen years. Not happy with the way her controlling father treated her mother, she fled to Sydney after finishing school and has become successful making documentaries about the socially disadvantaged in society. Now her father has died, and she’s returned to see how her mother is coping with the motel she ran with her husband.

Not long after she arrives, Sadie helps local man Dan look for Rebecca, an elderly woman who has wandered off from her cottage. Dan tells her she doesn’t have dementia but occasionally gets lost in the past looking for someone she lost. Sadie realises Rebecca has a sad mystery in her childhood and is resolved to help her solve it.

It was lovely to watch Sadie and her mother reconnecting and forgiving each other for the past. Sadie also comes to understand that her mother loved her father and that he loved her too but wasn’t able to express that at the time. With Sadie’s help her mother opens up and embraces new experiences and looks forward to making some changes in the future. Sadie also finds herself falling for Dan who is a lovely warm character and perhaps making some changes in her life too. She also helps Rebecca uncover what really happened when she was a child, resulting in a wonderful ending.

Set in Australia, this is a book about family relationships. When Sadie returns to her hometown after the death of her father, she has been away for 15 years. Her mother has been affected by her husbands death and is having to adjust to not having him around because they ran an inn together and what he said went. There had been a turning point in Sadie's life when the close relationship with her father changed.
Other storylines are told within the area about a widiwed father with children and a local builder .The strands do come together.
I loved the setting and the descriptions of the area.
Emotions are quite black and white though and there is a little too much jumping to rapid conclusions for me. I also didn't get Sadies mother trying to get Sadie and Dan together si quickly . Did people make the snap decisions in the 60s /70s ? Jury still out about thst.
An interesting read though & thanks to Net Galley. I wanted to like the book and the characters more

When the past meets the present. If you are looking for a good mystery, and some romance this book is for you. Sadie, a journalist returns home to Whisper Lake after fifteen years to be with her mother after the passing of Sadie’s father. She’s trying to heal after her estrangement from her parents. Will she be able to let go of the past? Can her and her mother get close again? Time to make changes. Sadie meets a neighbor named Rebecca, and she’s intrigued. Sadie knows there’s a story to be had. Will she get it, especially when Rebecca ask her to help find her family.? Is Rebecca having a moment or is she really looking for someone? Sadie also meets Dan, a very handsome contractor who is friends with her mother and Rebecca. Sadie isn’t looking for romance. She’s looking for her next documentary. Between Rebecca, her mother and Dan, Sadie is really enjoying being there at Whisper Lake. What’s not to love? It’s so tranquil, peaceful and has lots of memories. Even good ones. Now it’s time for Sadie to figure out what she really wants to do in her life. Will she stay and be with her mother? Will they become close? Will she discover Rebecca’s horrible secrets? What will happen between Dan and Sadie? The characters all need to heal, trust, love and let go of the past. Wonderful characters. This is a wonderful book. Worth the read. Phillipa Nefri Clark makes you feel like your in the story. I couldn’t put it down. I received this book for my honest review. I gave it voluntarily

Returning to the childhood home after fifteen years away. There is a mystery to solve, can Sadie help. 4 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

Sadie left home many years ago. Now she is back to help her mother run the inn. She meets an elderly woman named Rebecca that she is determined to help.

As we learn more about why Sadie left, the story becomes more interesting. Rebecca's story is great also. Between the two there is much heartbreak, betrayal and many other emotions. I loved getting to know the characters and their history.

It is an emotional story, but a good one. I love when a book gives you all the feels. This is the first in a series and I am anxiously awaiting the next one.

Thanks to Storm Publishing for the advance copy via netgalley.

Keep your tissue box handy for when you read The Cottage At Whisper Lake by Phillipa Nefri Clark as it won't disappoint. With love, loss and many things in between you won't want to put the book down until you've turned the very last page.

Sadie Forest has returned home to Rivers End to see her Mum Pam and try to re-establish their relationship after the passing of her father and her absence for many years.

Meanwhile Rebecca relives her life as a young Becky with glimpses of her childhood emerging into specific times in her current life.

Sadie and Rebecca have an instant connection and Sadie's journalistic instinct kicks in with the need to help Rebecca to find peace with parts of her life that keep coming up and haunting her.

The story wouldn't be complete without a little bit of a spark emerging for Sadie when she meets Dan a developer who is involved in both Pam and Rebecca's live too.

Could Sadie finally let go of her demons and come home to Rivers End to live?

Thanks to Phillipa Nefri Clark for writing this story and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy.

Sadie comes home to stay with her Mom. While there she meets Dan and then Rebecca. Sadie, her Mom and Rebecca all have past hurts to work through.
I thought this was a really good book. It deals with some family drama and secrets come to light. You won’t be able to put it down. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

The start of a new series by this prolific author. She is writing them faster than I can read them!

Sadie returns to her hometown to help her mother after the death of her father. She meets Rebecca, an older lady, who in a moment of confusion asks Sadie to help her find someone. Later she takes this back but the journalist in Sadie is alerted and she begins to seek for the answer to this mystery.

As the story progresses we see episodes from Rebecca's past, we meet many interesting characters from the town, and Sadie is begins to discover new things about her mother and herself. She also begins a very promising romance.

This is a very enjoyable and entertaining book. There are teary moments but it builds to a very satisfactory conclusion. I look forward to continuing this series in the future.

The Cottage at Whisper Lake is an incredibly fascinating mystery story that kept me up to the wee hours of the morning reading it. This novel is filled with intriguing clues, numerous secrets and lovely descriptions of a haunting and scenic Australian location. The alluring plot held my interest and with the two timelines I was able to get the backstory of Rebecca or at least a glimpse of her past life and the heartaches she experienced. Then we see in the current day how much those events affected her long term. And yes, Ms Clark really winds up the tension and it’s an emotional roller coaster ride through this woman’s life. Pacing is a thoughtful meander, not rushed or too slow. It unfolds like a flower—a rose with its thorns that can lift you up in excitement one minute, then prick you and leave you in a puddle of tears. This story resonates with authentic pain and, as a result, draws out the empathy from our hearts as we care about Rebecca and hope she is going to be okay. And Sadie, too.

Our major character, Sadie Forest, has a passion for helping the unfortunate and aged, she is drawn to Rebecca and the mystery that surrounds her. Maybe it is her journalist senses that keeps her interest on high alert but events begin to happen once she accidentally meets Rebecca through a strange way. They become friends: the older woman and the younger. When Rebecca briefly lets down her guard while lost in her memories and during a glimmer of grief, she asks Sadie to help her find someone. But before saying a name, she pulls back. Sadie wonders: who is she trying to locate? Over the days, bits of truth unveil, while Sadie’s curiosity increases. She needs to know the story behind the sad eyes, the wandering behaviour and even the cat named Percy.

As painful circumstances unfold in the past timeline, the answers are revealed in the present. But not without extensive research and numerous roadblocks, does Sadie discover the truth. And it is not just about Rebecca. Our reporter protagonist makes known her own family heartache and soiled memories. Her father has died but his presence lingers in the legacies he has left behind. Their relationship was a difficult one and it has left emotional scars. It caused her to leave home fifteen years earlier and never look back. But now she returns to help her grieving mother who is struggling with the family business. As unfortunate as circumstances are, Sadie feels her mother is free now from the man who dominated and controlled every aspect of her life. She tries to help her mother have some fun: do things she was not allowed to do before. There are some conflicting emotional responses during this time.

And in the midst of it all she meets a builder who is friends with both her mother and Rebecca. Sadie and Dan come together when Rebecca goes missing. He is nothing like she expects (nor his home) and she gets pleasantly surprised by his generous heart and her rising feelings towards him. Is there an unexpected romance on the horizon?

Perspective is a big part of this story. Some people speak of Sadie’s father ‘as if he was a different man from the one she remembered..’ As Rebecca noted: he was ‘a little possessive perhaps, but love was evident.’ This confuses Sadie as what she remembers is a very different picture. Was her father different at the end of his life than when she was at home? By staying away, did she miss some vital changes?

Sadie and Rebecca have an unusual kinship. They carry their heart-breaking memories close but have touched ‘deep seated pain in each other.’ As Rebecca states, everyone experiences some tragedy in their lives. But the differences are in how they handle it. Some people are able to put it behind them while others ‘with the gift and curse of empathy—are never the same.’ To the onlooker, people like Sadie and Rebecca may seem ‘strong and industrious’ and not show signs of struggle within. But it is this struggle that fuels their actions—the power behind the purpose of everything they do. This may seem like a bleak thought but it is profound and clearly observant. This is one of many deep truths in this novel—especially in the psychological aspects of the characters. And as we know from the historical thread, some terrible things happen to Rebecca by a family member that are so awful, the scars run deep.

I can say without giving anything away, there is a happy ending. Sadie finds her ‘home’ and where she belongs. It is quite different from what she expected. Going home can shake one’s foundation. But love can sweep in and smash those self-made walls to allow light and healing into the bruised and broken areas. Rebecca gets a surprise, too, that will alter her last years.

This is an amazing story I highly recommend. Yes, your heart will be knocked around a bit and tears may ease down your cheeks but it is worth it to get to the pages of hope and restoration. Like Sadie you may might run to the ‘hollowed tree of your childhood’ and give in to the grief but later you will look up at the sky and see ‘a shrine of a trillion stars.’

Dan recognises in Sadie her deep compassion and empathy. This is something that resounds through this novel over and over. Sadie definitely takes on ‘the pain of those who matter to her…And their joy.’ Rebecca shares this ability, too. And The Cottage at Whisper Lake holds many secrets that unlock the mystery. Sadie gets her answers and during her journey home she also finds her place. This novel carries a strong message that we should never waste time or opportunities. Mermaids and stars. Hope and expectations. Seize the day. And read this profound novel. 5 Stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for my review copy.

What a story, truly I finished this one last night and I am writing the review this morning and I am still teary as I type, again Phillipa Nefri Clark has taken us back to the wonderful town of River’s End and introduced us to wonderful characters, the emotions flow in this one and you will need tissues when you read this awesome duel timeline, this is one not to be missed, come along and meet Sadie and Rebecca.

Sadie Forest has returned home to River’s End, she ran eighteen years ago when things got too hard to stay with her father, but now her father has died and it is time to return to her mother, Pam and help settle things with the family business, she should be here for only a couple of weeks, that was her thoughts until she meets Rebecca a neighbour of her mother's.

The town has changed and when on a walk she is greeted by a cat and a cottage by a lake, with a bike out the front and no one home Sadie is worried and soon is meeting Dan who runs a building business and they are out searching for the owner of the home.

Rebecca Myers moved to River’s End three years ago trying to find closure on what happened to her family sixty two years ago, when she was twelve years old something is drawing her to the beach, will she ever be able to find the peace she needs?

When Rebecca and Sadie meet on the bench, Rebecca asks for help to find them and with Sadie’s journalistic skills and her empathy and the need she has to help, she will never give up until she gets to the bottom of the mystery, along the way Rebecca and Sadie become very close, two people who are empathetic, loving and caring.

This is a story that it heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time, it is so beautifully written, emotions run high and I loved Sadie and Rebecca, will they both find the peace that they need, will Sadie stay in River’s End and go into the future with a weight lifted from her shoulders and find the happiness she deserves? And will Rebecca find answers to the questions she has and find her peace?

I loved this one so very much and I do highly recommend it, I loved being back in River’s End and I am really looking forward to more in this series, you made me cry Phillipa Nefri Clark always a good sign for a great story, one for the keeper shelf.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my digital copy to read and review.

The Cottage at Whisper Lake is such a heartfelt book. Truly shows you how a situation can look so different to each person involved. You never truly know what it’s like to be that other person, even when they are family. And that sometimes it’s not too late to change the way things are.

I received a free copy of this book, from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my! What a suspenseful, dual timeline tear-jerker. The Cottage at Whisper Lake by Phillipa Nefri Clark kept me turning pages as I traveled back in time to learn Rebecca's (Becky's) story and back to the present to have the past revealed. As Sadie travels back home following her father's death, she encounters Rebecca. Her investigative nature senses a story in Rebecca's past and slowly unravels it. Sadie had discovered love, tragedy, lies, and heartbreak. Through discovering Rebecca's story, Sadie found peace and forgiveness in her own life.

I stayed on the edge of my seat as the story unraveled. Definitely a new to me author and one I would read again.

A copy was provided for me to review, but all opinions are my own.

Good Australian drama focusing on family🌊🚣

The Cottage at Whisper Lake was a good story, set in coastal Victoria State, Australia, built around two alternating time periods and two families transitioning after the death of a parent. Pre-teen Becky's story starting in the 1960's after the death of her mother was the most moving and hard to put down but Sadie, the documentary producer who turns up to help her mother settle her father's estate, tackles a mystery and ends up rediscovering the delights of country living, brings the past and present together for a bittersweet ending that includes romance, self discovery and enduring family devotion. It was a bit inspiration, a bit romance and definitely appealing.

Once or twice I felt the cut to a different time or character was distracting, but overall the dual timeline worked really well.

Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the novel; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Jumping into 2 timelines, one in the present and one in the past, is one of my favorite things to read. This book follows the story of Sadie (present) and Rebecca (past), uncovering their family mysteries and healing through their journey.
While I enjoyed this book, it was mostly due to the ending, when the action picked up and the waterfalls started falling as it was quite emotional. Throughout the book, I felt that sometimes I was guessing what will happen next and didn’t really have that mind blown moment. This is why this is mostly rated 3,5 ⭐️ for me
A huge thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC! All thoughts in this review are honest and my own.

Absolutely brilliant. Returning to Rivers End is like reuniting with an old friend. Favorite characters from the past pop up in the background to elicit a smile, but don't overwhelm the story. And what a story it is! I can't remember the last book that made me cry from sadness and joy. Love this new series and can't wait for more! (If you haven't read the earlier books, this one stands alone, so no worries there. But really, go read the other books too because they are excellent.)

A little mystery, a little romance and a whole lot of forgiveness in this story.

Dual timeline - that intersect in a beautiful story. Told in current time line by Sadie Forest - documentary maker that is back in town, after missing her father's funeral, to reconnect with her mother. The second time line is set 62 years in the past by Rebecca/Becky - a young girl who's lost her mother and her father moved the family to a small cottage on Whisper Lake. There is so much going on in both timelines, and as Sadie figures out what happened Becky's family, she learns more about her own family.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

The Cottage at Whisper Lake was full of mixed emotions from Sad to Angry and Happy. The book is another book like every other book that I’ve read of Phillipa’s you just can’t put it down. I loved how Sadie and Rebecca had so much in common. I felt sorry for Rebecca and the life of seclusion she was made to live. The unknown of what had happened that day at the lighthouse. I felt so angry toward the Aunty and what she did to the whole family she was so selfish. I would highly recommend reading this story.

I found this book touched on many issues and family circumstances. The dual timeline fed us tidbits of information to keep us guessing and wondering how Rebecca's story was going to end. I like how Sadie faced many truths and found her peace.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author and publisher for a temporary copy in exchange for an honest review.