Always guaranteed a great read from Katie and this one drew me in immediately. It was such an easy and sweet read and I curled up on the sofa and lost myself in it. Highly recommend any of her books. Perfect escapism.

Intrigue, adventure, mild peril, romance and an exciting location come together to make this a really good read. A bit of a departure from Katie Ffordes usual offering. I really enjoyed it. Well written and great characters. Cass goes to Dominica for her father..accompanied by the handsome Rannulph in order to photograph a hidden petroglyph.. They arrive in the aftermath of a hurricane and Cass finds she has hidden courage and is capable of more than she thought possible. They stay with Bastian an archaeologist who is writing an important paper.. for an award, as is Austin..a very unpleasant character.....who wants to win at all costs. Cass finds herself in some perilous situations......with a love interest that seems unreachable to her.
This book kept me hooked...loved the descriptions of the island and it's characters. A great read..highly recommend. More like this please!

Come and be transported to Dominica in this novel about realising one’s dreams. You are taken along on a wave of hope . A host of believable characters most of whom you will live but mix in the man who wants to win at all costs . Case wants to fulfil her dream of becoming an artist against her family’s hopes for her. Her father sends her to Dominica to complete his work there by finding a hidden ancient stone effigy and help his friend gain a coveted prize . Life does not go smoothly for Cass in her quest to help and in finding the love of her life.

I very much enjoyed this gentle read. Cass - the youngest child - is trying to prove her worth to her family so is eager to take on the photography project in Dominica for her father. But as the remote island is hit by a hurricane the mission changes. Cass travels with Ranulph to help in the recovery and try to find the rare stone carvings her father wants her to photograph. Nothing prepares her for the devastation they find on their arrival nor the resilience of the local inhabitants.

She finds she has a connection with Ranulph despite the age gap and has to use her drawing talents to help Bastien complete his research into the stone carvings.

An lovely read - a good mixture of adventure, romance and positive vibes!

Cass is a little lost in life, no particular job a love life that reduced her to living in a squat, so when her father reaches out from his remote Scottish Island Cass makes her way north, little realising that life is about to change. Howard is a famous photographer who’s in the midst of writing his next book but has been contacted by the son of a good friend. Bastian lives on a Caribbean island called Dominica and has entered an academic competition that involves writing about the Island’s history, many years before his father and Cass’s father heard tell of a petroglyph that will prove the earliest existence of people living on the island. At the time they had a hand drawn map with a possible location, only the map seems to have ended up with Howard a long way from Dominica. Tasked with taking the map to return it to Dominica, Cass sets out on the journey accompanied by Randolph a rather handsome journalist and neighbour of Howard’s.
Yet another thoroughly enjoyable read from Katie Fforde. This book has everything I’ve come to expect from this author, great writing, humour, love and a little suspense, all cleverly wrapped up in a fabulous book.

I get excited every, single time that Katie Fforde writes a new novel. In my opinion, she has consistently told involving stories that have heart. She is a go to author for me when I want to read a book that is “nice” and will leave me feeling satisified.

In this newest novel, Ms. Fforde goes a bit afield, to the island of Dominica. Cass is asked to go there by her photographer father when she visits him in Scotland. When Cass and Rannulph leave him with a petroglyph related mission, a hurricane has hit their destination island. The two make it to host Bastian’s where Cass delivers a map to him. Will Bastian find the petroglyph and will he win a contest in which the truly loathsome Austin is also a competitor? Will all be well…of course it will, this is Fforde country.

What I liked: the descriptions of the storms and the island of Dominica. many of the subsidiary characters. the chance to believe in a love story.

What I liked less: the plot seemed to lack in complexity. Cass could be naïve at times.

Verdict: Fans of Fforde will want to read this book. New readers of the author, if you don’t like this one, try some other books by the author.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for this title. All opinions are my own.

I’m sorry to say I did not get on with this story. It reads more like a YA title, with a very juvenile, immature 25 year old Cass. The start of it fairly galloped along, with Cass going from Bristol, to the Scottish islands, then hearing of her father’s plan for her to visit Dominica, all within 24 hours. The reason for this world- famous photographer sending his childlike daughter was implausible in the extreme. When I read that she had to single- handedly seek out, find, photograph and bring back safely, a precious map of the whereabouts of something called a petroglyph, my heart sank. Within the next 24 hours, Dad’s new partner had arranged flights to a newly hurricane- hit small island in the Caribbean, arranged for jabs, a specialist medical kit, supplies, suitable clothing, rescue items et al, with just a few clicks of her mouse.
I gave up after the first leg of their journey, Cass having fallen instantly in lust with her companion, a tall, good looking thirty- something guy, entrusted to save lives, help the rescue effort and look out for Cass, who was too busy swooning to take any important information on board.
I have read and enjoyed other titles by this author, but this comes nowhere close to the quality of those in terms of a good reading experience. A DNF for me, a serious let-down.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.

I really enjoyed reading this book whilst sailing in the Leeward islands. You got the feel of the Caribbean and their people.

Cass visits her photographer father on a remote Scottish island. Where her father asks her to go to Dominica to deliver a map showing the location of a long lost petroglyph. Shortly before she is due to go a hurricane hits Dominica so Ranulph, a friend of her dad joins her to take emergency supplies. Cass falls in love with Ran but thinks he is not interested. They stay at Bastian’s and help with the relief effort when the American Austin arrives who is there to disproof the existence of the petroglyph and causes mayhem.

Enjoyable lighthearted read.

Well, where do I begin...
First off, I've never despised a character so much as I did Austin, man that guy got under my skin!
Second, I adored Cass, but so wanted to give her a shake sometimes, but then she is 25 and grew up massively through the story. But communication is key!!
Thirdly, I loved the plot line and the rest of the characters, I felt like I was on the island and it all sounded like such a beautiful community. Great friendships and support.
But that Austin, I have to mention him again, such a great bad guy to have! Amazing.
I loved this story.
Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this latest from Katie Fforde. Quite a change from the usual books all based in the uk, this tale is based on the island of Dominica. Fascinating history and life on the island, located with the Atlantic on one side and the Caribbean Sea the other, inspiring and beautiful.
Cass has been asked by her dad to go back to Dominica to help his old friend, Bastian, along with Ranulph one of her dad’s neighbours who is a journalist and very used to travelling. Hurricanes, photography, drawing and painting, romance, friendships, love and support, it’s all here!! Courage survival and coming into your own!! It’s just lovely.
Some unexpected drama and very interesting history unfolds in this heart warming and brilliant story.
Really enjoyed reading this, and can wholeheartedly recommend as classic reading!
Thank you NetGalley and Century for the early read, such a treat and very much appreciated.

I really enjoyed this romantic novel by Katie Fforde. The story is based around two islands, one in Scotland and the other, Dominica in the Caribbean. The descriptions of both islands are delightful and can transport you there in a flash. The description of Dominica after a hurricane brings home how fragile things can be. Typically neither of the two main characters explain their feelings to each other with results in the usual misunderstandings, but this just adds to the story. An easy to read novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advance copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this. I felt I could identify with Cass and I really got to see her grow and mature throughout the book. Ranulph was a great character, I liked how he stepped back and let Cass choose her own path and tried to support her. Being slightly older I would have expected him to be able to talk to Cass more openly about his feelings so there wasn’t that miss-understanding but then it wouldn’t have been such great reading.

The descriptions of the Dominican were awesome and the descriptions of the hurricane and how the island pulls together were totally amazing and still made the whole place seem appealing. The descriptions of Cass’s dad’s home on the Scottish Island was also amazing and I really felt I was there. The pictures that Cass drew were described in such detail, how she could doubt her ability beggars belief but her talent is amazing and gets noticed.

Katie Fford always writes a great moving story about love and friendship and self discovery and inner strength. This is a great read and the perfect read for a winters weekend.

Woke fairytale for age group ten to twelve

Cass, 25 years old, has two minijobs and still lives with her mum. Her divorced father, a famous photographer, resides on a small Scottish island. He sends Cass, chaperoned by thirtysomething archeologist Ranulph, to the Caribbean island of Dominica in order to repatriate there an ancient handdrawn map showing the location of a lost petroglyph.

Over some months of unrealistic, heroic adventures in hurricane season, Cass and Ranulph fancy each other rotten, of course without admitting that fact to each other.

Eventually, towards the very end of this woke fairytale, something outrageously shocking happens, verbatim in chapter 31: „He took her by the hand. ‚Oh, my goodness, what an enormous bed!‘ she said. […] A moment later, she was naked in lying on very good-quality sheets. Then she forgot about the sheets…“

Katie obviously wrote this story for her seven grandchildren as a sort of memento of their recent family trip to Dominica?

Cass has agreed to help her father out by taking on a photography project in the Caribbean Island of Dominica -- the 'simple' mission is to to use an old, hand-drawn map to find a rare stone carving, and to take photos of it.

The island has recently been hit be a severe hurricane, leaving destruction in its wake and Cass find herself part of the rescue mission.

She creates close bonds with some of the other members of the rescue mission, including her father's contact Ranulph who she travelled to the island with.

In true "romance novel tactic" they both doubt that the other ones is interested and misunderstandings develop to later be resolved.

Entertaining, uplifting story of finding courage and love, with the added benefit of getting to know Dominica and life there - and finding out Fforde's connection to the island.

Thanks to NetGalley, Cornerstone and Katie Fforde for this copy of the book in return for an honest review.

This was my first time reading a Katie Fforde book and it didn't disappoint.

The book is about Cass, (the youngest sibling of the family who has always felt like a disappointment), who is asked by her father to deliver something important to his friend who lives in the Caribbean island of Dominica. She jumps at the chance to prove her worth as well as re-visit one of her favourite places. She is, however, accompanied by Ranulph during the journey and they arrive on the island in the aftermath of a hurricane, forcing them to help and spend time with some of the locals. Along the way, she develops feelings for older man Ranulph - the book centres around their romance…

An easy-to-read romance story which is light-hearted and enjoyable.

Free courtesy of Netgalley

It is no secret that I love Katie Fforde's books and this one was no exception.

The book's main character is Cass who is the youngest sibling and is thought of as a bit feckless by her siblings, who all have steady jobs. When Cass travels to a remote island in Scotland to visit her dad, he asks her to deliver a very important map to his friend Bastian, in Dominica, she is to be accompanied by her dad's friend Randulph, but before they leave a hurricane hits the Island. They decide to leave straight away to see if they can help and get the Map to Bastian so he can complete his paper to enter a competition which will raise money for the island.

With many twists and turns, this book is about courage, following your dreams and love.

I learnt a lot about Dominica, and as I didn't really know it existed, I now want to go there, as it sounds beautiful, but maybe not in hurricane season

I would recommend this book as it is a wonderful story built on a real place with a nod to Katie's Family who live on the Island

A bit different from Katie Fforde's usual books, a bit slow moving at points but still an enjoyable read overall. Also interesting to read the afterword and see the author's personal connection to the island where it was mainly set.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

When Cass visits her father who lives on a remote Scottish island, he asks her to visit the Caribbean island of Dominica to help Bastian (an old friend) to find an archaeological artifact. Travelling with Ranulph, she becomes attracted to him as they explore the island together.

They reach the island just after a hurricane, and the harsh conditions are described so graphically you feel you are there. As both begin to help the islanders, you realise there is more to Cass than first thought. Her confidence grows, she is caring, helpful and resilient determined to do all she can. I also liked Ranulph whose character develops as the story unfolds.

With Katie Fforde books you know you are in for an enjoyable immersive experience, and this book is no exception. Although I found the romance element between Cass and Ranulph slowly developing, there were parts when I felt Cass had reacted unfairly.

However, with vivid descriptions of the islands and wonderfully drawn characters, I became completely engrossed in the story.

An easy to read romance with the usual crossed wires.
Cass' father asks her to go to Dominica to take photographs accompanied by Ranulph, neighbour, friend and his would be biographer, but before she leaves, a hurricane hits the island leaving a trail of destruction. Her trip turns into something more for Cass as Ranulph travels with her and her feelings for him develop. Throw in a dodgy character with an ulterior motive giving another facet to this story and it is a light, enjoyable read.
Thank you to Netgalley for this reader's ARC in exchange for my honest review

Thank you so much to the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book! I was so excited to read an arc from Katie Fforde! I really enjoyed the change of scenery from what I expected! I really enjoyed the plot and romance and especially fell in love with the characters! Really made for a cosy and enjoyable read!