2* Not a hit with me. Not enough detail about the life with her husband or friend to make it believable. Sorry, but this one should go back to the drawing book. Requires too much suspension of disbelief.

This isn't a very engrossing or believable tale. I think if it hadn't had Bailey the rescue dog in it, I'd have bailed on it, no pun intended. There's no detail of Harper's life with her late husband - other than a work paper diary showing black spaces on the nights he told her he was working late, discovered far too late in the tale - and nothing with her friend that he was supposedly with when he died.

For her to keep having date after date when the first experience was so poor, required too much suspension of disbelief. The Adrian issue that was hinted at came to nothing but injected a hint of potential danger. Everything else was a damp squib, unfortunately.

ARC courtesy of Boldwood Books and NetGalley for my reading pleasure.

This was an enjoyable book for me. It was easy to read and I finished it rather quickly. The characters were well developed and easy to relate to. I did guess the ending a little early so that was a bit disappointing but overall it was a good read. I would definitely recommend it to others!

The Cottage by the Sea
By: Keri Beevis
Pub date: October 14, 2024
Publisher: Boldwood Books



A nail-bitter into the world of online dating. Harper’s husband was killed in a car crash a couple of years ago with her best friend. She suspected them of an affair. She has been unable to move on and is going through the motions of daily life.
A friend convinces her to give on-line dating a try. She picks a local pub to meet dates. Let’s just say not all her dates are successful. As with online profiles, the details are not always 100% and can be deceiving. After one particular date goes bad, she starts to feel like she is being watched…

Two years ago Harper's world was shattered when her husband Charlie, and best friend Alicia were killed in a road traffic accident. Why were they even in the car together and how did the accident happen.

Harper has now become isolated, lonely and wrapped up in anxiety. At the suggestion of her friend, Harper decides to join an online data agency and try move on with her life. This becomes difficult after some unsuccessful dates and then a series of events make Harper suspect she is being watched. Could any of this be somehow related to the death of her husband.

I thought this was an excellent storyline with many twists, and an ending to get your heart racing. Rarely does a book make me nervous and edgy when reading it, but this certainly did. The style of writing was very clever, especially the chapters detailing the stalkers thoughts.

I have read most books that Keri Beevis has written and they are all fast paced thrillers that keep you enthralled and on the edge of your seat. This is no different. I highly recommend this book, though beware, once started you will find it extremely difficult to put down.

Two years ago, Harpers world was struck by a tragedy that left her shattered. The unexpected loss of both her husband and best friend in a car accident plunged her into a chasm of despair. The heart-wrenching event ignited a relentless battle with grief.
She became a prisoner in her home, the once vibrant life she led was replaced by a reclusive lifestyle where she hid from the world within the walls of her home.
Encouraged by her friend Megan, Harper took a brave step forward by signing up to a dating site. To her surprise, she quickly received a match, and for the first time in a long while, she felt a flicker of hope.
As she dove deeper into this new world of digital connections, she realised that anonymity of the internet can be a double-edged sword, allowing people to curate the best versions of themselves while also hiding darker intentions.
Unfortunately, it seemed that by exposing her vulnerability, she had inadvertently attracted the wrong kind of attention.
Strange occurrences began to punctuate her daily life, leaving her anxious and unsettled. Whispers of secrets from her past began to surface. As the tension mounted and the danger loomed closer, she found herself at a crossroads. Would she be able to see the warning signs before it was too late?

Keri Beevis has an undeniable talent for crafting narratives that captivate readers from the very first page. Her ability to draw readers into her stories as evidenced in her latest work, which is nothing short of brilliant.
From the outset, the story unfolded with an intensity that gripped me, delivering a masterclass in suspense that kept me page turning throughout. The clever construction of the plot, weaved a web of tension, twists and thought-provoking elements.
This book stands up there as one of the best I've read, and it is clear that Keri deserves every one of those 5 stars. For anyone looking for a gripping story that will keep them guessing until the very end, this book is an absolute must-read.

Beevis certainly outdid herself with this one! This terrifying, nail-biter of a thriller is a MUST read. It wasn't at all what I expected yet it ended up being so much more. I feel like every woman's worst nightmare of online dating was brought to life in this book. I wanted to scream at Harper to just STOP already! Readers will probably think twice about meeting others online again. I know I wouldn't. The story unfolds in POVs from Harper and... I'll call him Mr. Creepy. At first, his POV seemed a little over the top and repetitive to me, but as soon as I thought this, I completely changed my tune. It became quite clear that all of it was necessary to establish this crazy man's actions. Beevis will give you several red herrings and will keep you guessing until the very end. I love that in a thriller, the not knowing. I want to be surprised, and she completely laid me out with her wrecking ball. Kudos to the author on another well-written, fast-paced, psychotic thrill ride that I could not put down! I loved every minute and will be looking forward to her next novel. I highly recommend this to all of my psychological thriller fans! This twisted story is one you won't want to miss.

Thank you to Boldwood Books for granting me early digital access via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

Would i keep going on disastrous dates? Would i be checking out creepy places? The answer is no but Harper did and thank goodness she did.
This enables the reader to enjoy the edge of your seat read and what a fabulous one it was.
I really did not guess the villain until a page or two before the reveal.
Wonderful and clever writing from this talented author.
Highly recommend The Cottage by the Sea.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

Harper was widowed two years ago. She is convinced her husband was having an affair with her best friend, who was in the car accident with him.
Her friend, Megan, convinces her to sign up to a dating site.
Then she discovers she has a stalker - is it one of her dates that she rejected?

I could write a book about dating sites! Lol. But I won't - Ms Beevis has done it for me, and much better than I could have done.
I must say, the stalker's identity was not one that I would have predicted. That was a huge surprise to me.
The book is gripping, and unpredictable, except for the instances of bad dates, I expected those - and the characters are believable.
I enjoyed this page turner, and can recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this book.

How well do you really know your husband? Two years ago, my whole world was ripped apart when my husband and best friend were killed in a car accident in Norfolk. Since then, I've struggled to come to terms with my overwhelming grief and to understand why they were together in Charlie’s car that fateful day. Wow!! That was a bit shocking!! In a good way!! This book had some really crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and a bit gruesome! It had suspense, intriguing, action, murder, mystery, serial killers, and a bit of a who done it! I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood books for sharing this book with me!