I must say that I first saw the cover, and that the synopsis seal the deal.

This was such a good book. It is not a fluff read, and I truly enjoed it.
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC

Grieving the loss of her husband, Jude Fitzgerald leaves Oxford and travels to Anglesey. She needs to soothe her soul and believes this is the place to do it.
Beautifully written with vivid descriptions of what sounds like a stunning island, we join Jude and feel her grief.
I found myself thoroughly invested in this book, it proved what I have always believed, there is no rhyme nor reason to grief and there is most certainly no time limit.
At many times sad, but also incredibly uplifting, this book focuses on the power of friendship, the need to be alone at times, the complicated relationships one may often encounter and hope.

This story dragged a bit but I enjoyed it nonetheless. It's an adjustment reading this author due to language, customs, and unfamiliar country traditions. I found myself checking the dictionary for meanings quite a bit which interrupted the flow. I felt that Owain was not given enough credit or opportunity to express his feelings. Assumptions were made about his circumstances that didn't seem realistic.

Although I received a free ARC ebook from Net Galley and the publisher, all thought and opinions expressed in the review are my own.

Secrets at the Cottage by the Sea is a very well written book. I throughly enjoyed the plot and setting. I look forward to reading more books by this author. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and Netgalley. This is my unbiased review.

Lovely to have a book set in a different location. This one ticks all the boxes for me and didn't disappoint.

A secret at the Cottage by the Sea is a lovely story about a young widow named Jude who goes to the island of Anglesey as a promise to her late husband. She finds a rundown cottage to live in by the ocean, and finds some friends, a dog and herself along the way. This book really made me feel for the characters and I could imagine myself living in that cottage by the sea and loving the island as Jude did. Kudos to Caroline Young for a heartwarming story and a new fan of your books! I can’t wait to read the next one.

Stepping out of my normal choice of crime/psychological thriller reads and reviews, Secrets at the Cottage by the Sea was a total breath of fresh air. Set between Oxford and Anglesey, it follows thirty something widow Jude Fitzgerald, whose husband Alex has died of cancer. Jude's world has been totally diminished by this event, her life now tied to a job she detests, and constant memories of the life and happiness she once had before Alex was so cruelly taken from her. Feeling the need to leave Oxford, if only for a while, she sells her house, puts her furniture into storage and decides to travel up to Anglesey, a place where she was probably the most happy on trips with Alex. Renting a cottage by the sea for a few months, she hopes she has found a place where she can heal.

This is such a wonderful story. The writer captures everything so well - the sense of loss Jude feels, the 'might have beens' and the uncertain future she faces. The description of Anglesey, it's residents (some of whom become close friends) and the weather, wrap themselves so well around her daily life on the island. Tom, Alex's best friend and local builder Owain provide the love interest in this hugely entertaining story, as Jude tries to find her way in a world without her soul mate, Alex.

As I mentioned earlier, this novel is a real breath of fresh air - I absolutely loved it and it gets a big five stars from me.

Highly recommended

I would like to thank Storm Publishing, the author and Netgalley for an ARC of Secrets at the Cottage by the Sea in exchange for an honest review.

Jude Fitzgerald had been shattered by her husband's death, only a few years after their wedding, and was still grieving. She knew Oxford wasn't helping her, so made the decision to head to where she and Alex were so happy; the small island of Anglesey. Renting the small cottage called Hedd, which she loved with a passion, she spent her days walking the beaches, long lonely nights, often crying herself to sleep - and gradually she made a few friends. A man who did some repairs on Hedd delivered her a gift - a tiny Jack Russell puppy she named Pip and they became close pals. Jude was sad at the estrangement with her mother, but couldn't see anything changing any time soon.

One of Jude's friends from Oxford, who'd just had a new baby and wasn't coping, arrived at Hedd and Jude welcomed her with open arms. Paula and baby Christos settled in and Jude took over Christos' care, while Paula rested and slept. Jude loved it. And Paula thrived. Jude could feel her life turning around, and while Alex was always there in her thoughts, she felt more at peace. Would Jude be able to make her new life in Anglesey, or would she return to Oxford?

Secrets at the Cottage by the Sea is the 2nd in the Welcome to Angelsey series by Caroline Young and I absolutely loved it! This is my first by this author, and she writes beautifully. Such description, such emotion, such passion - I was there in Wales with the difficult Welsh language as Jude tried to learn it. I could envision the waves, the birds, the different treasures that Jude collected from the beach. A divine, heartfelt and emotional read, I have no hesitation in recommending Secrets at the Cottage by the Sea highly.

With thanks to Storm Publishing via NetGalley for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

A beautiful read set in a beautiful place.
When Jude’s heart is broken by the death of her beloved husband Alex, it's all she can do to get out of bed.
A trip to Anglesey proves the balm for her troubled soul, but she comes away from her visit with much more than she bargained for.
An emotional, sad, yet uplifting read, about grief, forgiveness, friendships, hope and above all love.

Really enjoyed this book. The setting was beautiful and made me want to visit.sucha heartwarming read. Thank you

This is a story of heartwrenching loss, recovery and hope. A carefully woven emotional canvas of relationships and love.
An unforgettable tale.

This was a beautifully told story. It starts out slow but builds as the book goes on. I came to really like where Jude moved to and the friends she made.
It’s a nice romantic book perfect for your next beach read. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

This is a lovely, touching story. Jude is completely devastated after her husband's death and eventually escapes to a little cottage in Anglesey, right on the shore. Slowly, she gives vent to her grief and despair and makes new friends. After a bit of back and forth she tries to settle with Tom, her late husband's best friend, in Oxford. Things don't work out as expected and she ends up going back to Anglesey, where she finally gets the happy ever after she deserves. A good, enjoyable read.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I had a very late night as I lay in bed reading this. Very well done and a real pleasure to have read it. 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley, author and publisher for this ARC

What an utterly, gorgeous read, this story had all the feels from Jude losing her wonderful husband to cancer to finding Owain so willing to give her love and have it returned in full and the two of them to be surrounded by warmth and love from beautiful friendships old and new, not forgetting Jonathan of course!

After the love of her life dies, Jude sells her house and moves to the small seaside town she and her husband had spent their honeymoon.

Over the course of her time in the cottage by the sea, we are witness to the seasons of grief and the beginning of new friendships (and more!)

Very sweet story that felt realistic.

This is such a lovely endearing book. I hope you love it as much as I did. Thank you to the publisher to Net Galley and to the author for the opportunity for review. My review opinions are my own.

This is a charming story of a young widown traumatized by the death of her beloved husband. She moves to a seaside cottage in England with her cat to experience the place they visited on her honeymoon. Among the seaside walks, friendly locals and determination to change she begins a new life anew. The characters are richly drawn as is the atmospheric description of the seaside in England and the charming cottage. I loved reading about her independence and being willing to make friends and allow new people into her life. This is utterly emotional, sweet and charming throughout the story. The reader will be pleased for the ending as you will fall for the story. Well done to the author., I look forwad to further works by the author. I highly recommend this book for all women's fiction readers.

First time reading this author and loved it. The story centres around Jude, who is just about existing following the death of her beloved husband Alex. Jude decides she needs to get away from her mundane and depressing city life and she heads off to spend a few months on the Island of Anglesy, a place Alex loved and where they had holidayed together. Despite the worries of her friends she takes on the little basic cottage "Hedd" it may be run down but it's perfect for Jude, overlooking the beach, and she hopes it may awaken back up her love of painting. Jude hadn't quite realised how bad the weather in the island could get, but she feels settled, and when a local builder Owain gifts her a puppy to care for she instantly bonds with her new best friend Pip. Long walks on the beach and a basic course in Welsh find Jude making new friends and she finds it impossible to leave the Island just yet. When Tom, Alex's best friend and long admirer of Jude comes to visit, one drunken night leads to more than Jude bargained for, and he leaves knowing his love can never be reciprocated. When local builder Owain is hired to carry out works on the cottage, there's a deep connection and a special friendship develops but Owain's life is complicated and the locals warn Jude about getting too close. As Judes new life takes an unexpected turn, will she be able to stay on Anglesey or is she destined to life back in Oxford?

A lovely cosy & inspiring read, with some beautiful descriptions of Anglesey, nods to the Welsh language and the beauty of friendships old and new.

I received an ARC of this book from Netfalley and Storm Publishing in return for an honest review.

What an inspiring story! I was overwhelmed with emotions while reading Secrets at the Cottage by the Sea. Once I dove into this novel, I could not stop. My heart was caught in its grips until the end and beyond.

I felt such compassion for Jude (and her animals) and was torn by the choices this woman had to make. She was trapped in a cycle of grief and fear haunted by the memory of her late husband, Alex, who was the love of her life. When trying to move forward with all the reminders surrounding her (including her husband’s Harley Davidson motorcycle), it seemed an impossible task. So, she fled to Anglesey, a special place they had shared for their honeymoon a few years earlier. She needed to heal and figure out how to go forward.

Jude has some wonderful support, including her husband’s best friend. He tries to help but there are complications. He has carried a torch for her for many years and this creates some awkward moments: especially now that Alex is gone. Yet, knowing this, Jude still turns to him for comfort as he is a kind shoulder to cry on. But we learn he has his own lessons to learn and what he thinks he wants, may not be right for him at all. His journey is an interesting one with many twists and turns. But the truth will make itself known while rendering some unexpected emotions and outcomes.

It is easy to see that this beautiful and sensitively written heart-jarring novel was created with great insight and care by the author. She covers some difficult topics such as infertility through incompatibility and grief from loss of loved ones to cancer. This is not a light story as there are many psychological and emotional layers built into it. There are numerous sad and anguished moments but also joyful and uplifting ones. Especially when Jude experiences freedom and learns to trust in her instincts. She also realises another kindred spirit can come into her life, if she’s open to the possibility.

This is a story about relationships—romantic ones, parent and child types and friendships. There’s also a healthy dose of community spirit. And we get to see the differences between city and country life. But at the start, it is about a husband and wife torn apart by cancer. Yet the story does not end there. In fact, it just begins at this point and carries us through the trauma, the indecision, the ‘figuring out what to do now’, making mistakes and how to rectify them. It offers a pathway back to happiness, wholeness and new beginnings— presenting second chances with substance. Wrong couples paired initially, eventually find their way to the right partners for them but only after much trial and error.

Relatable characters (all excellently portrayed), realistic scenarios, authentic problems and challenging decisions fill this life-affirming story. And I cannot forget the exquisite setting that shines like gold as a backdrop across these pages. I felt I was there walking on the beaches, admiring the sunsets and breathing the salt air. I could even feel the damp cold and soaking rain at times. This atmospheric location played such a vital part in this story: it became a character of great influence on the actions and reactions of the humans and animals involved. The natural elements felt totally intertwined and inseparable from the human story.

I have to say my heart really ached for the little dog (and you will see why) and I relate to the love Jude had for him plus the longing she had for children. I was so happy things worked out positively, as it should have. True to the quote from Ecclesiastes: “For everything there is a season, a time under heaven” which is the heartbeat of this novel. This woman, like many of us, have entered the tomb of grief and battled some horrific things but managed to grasp on to the lifeline of hope. In Secrets at the Cottage by the Sea we learn that from the ashes of loss, love can blossom. When Jude begins to heal and embrace her new life, wonderful things happen.

I won’t ever forget this beautiful story that moved me to tears and then made my heart sing. It left quite an impression on me and even entered my dreams. I totally recommend this exceptional novel. 5 Exquisite Stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for a review copy.

I struggled to get into the book at the start but it soon gained momentum. Jude is recently widowed and heads off to Wales a place that meant a lot to Alex her husband. Lots of different relationships which come and go and interact with each other. Thanks to Caroline and her publisher. Thanks also to NetGalley