The Diary from the Cottage by the Loch by Kennedy Kerr

 

PROLOGUE

 

Carrie would always remember the song playing on the radio.

Turn it up, she’d said.

Her sister had refused.

The weather’s terrible. I can’t see through this rain.

I don’t know if anyone’s ever told you, but your ears don’t affect your ability to see, Carrie had replied, twisting the dial so that the music filled the car. How she regretted that flippancy now.

Smartass ,her sister had snapped. It affects my perception. We’ll never get to this bloody wedding at this rate. And when you need me in the dead of night, she’d sung, turning to perform to her sister, as if she held a microphone, I’m just a minute away...ooh,ooh.

Carrie. Turn it off. I need to concentrate. Her sister had frowned, leaning forward to peer out of the rain-lashed wind‐screen. The air con isn’t working. The screen’s fogging up. Don’t be scared of the night...Carrie had sung along, making a face at Claire…

 

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Sitting in the purple heather, Carrie carefully opens the tattered cover of the journal, the gold-edged pages catching the sunlight shimmering off the surface of the loch. The handwriting is unmistakable. The words inside will shatter everything she thought she knew about her family…

Carrie Anderson searches under the flowerpot by the bright blue door and finds the keys to the little whitewashed cottage. Still recovering from the heart-wrenching loss of her beautiful sister, Carrie hopes that staying on the edge of the glittering loch, where the siblings used to spend summers with their great-aunt Maud, will help her heal from her grief.

On a trip to the tiny village store, Carrie literally bumps into ex-Navy officer turned chef Rory McRae. Tall and broad shouldered, at first Rory is infuriatingly distant, but his enthusiasm for his farm-to-table restaurant lights up his rich brown eyes. When he tells Carrie that he’s understaffed, she is quick to offer help. She soon finds Rory’s warm smile and playful jokes are a balm to her heart. Suddenly, Carrie begins to feel less alone.

But then she discovers a diary her aunt Maud kept as a young woman after World War Two. The faded sepia photograph of a baby boy tucked into the back reveals a heartbreaking secret about her family she can scarcely believe. Opening up to Rory, could the discovery of a long-lost relative finally heal the loneliness that has been plaguing Carrie’s heart? Or will the secrets the diary unravels destroy her hope for a new future in Loch Cameron?

Get ready to fall in love with the Scottish Highlands in this stunning, heartbreaking and uplifting read by USA Today bestselling author Kennedy Kerr. For fans of Susanne O’Leary, Debbie Macomber and Pamela Kelley.

What did I think?

This is the third book in the Loch Cameron series - although the location is fictional I am lucky enough to live in the Highlands and know a few locations nearby where this book could have been set.

 

If you haven't read the first two books don't worry as I think each book works well as a standalone book in it's own right.

Carrie comes to Loch Cameron after a terrible car accident which killed her sister. She has come to heal and to reconnect with her sister as it is a place that they visited and holds lots of happy memories. This turns out to be an emotional journey for Carrie especially when she finds her aunts diary.

I loved the way the community came together to help Carrie on her emotional journey to rebuild her life without her sister. Yes there is sadness in this story but overall I felt it was an uplifting story - a bit like the phoenix rising from the ashes - Carrie finds her new normal.

 

Author Bio

Kennedy Kerr is a USA Today Bestselling fiction author. She adores beaches, lochs and stone circles, and loves writing about small communities, mysteries and family secrets. She has a very cuddly cat called Twinkle who spends her days sleeping: Kennedy aspires to having Twinkle's nap schedule one day.

Kennedy also loves cooking and baking all types of food, which is almost as much fun as eating it. Her favourite foods include (but are not limited to) Indian food, Victoria sponge, breakfast pastries with coffee and sushi. The only thing she's not particularly keen on is artichoke, and she'd eat it, anyway. 

 

Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kennedykerrauthor

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KennedyKerr5

Instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/kennedykerrauthor/

Bookouture Email Sign Up: https://www.bookouture.com/kennedy-kerr

 

A Secret at the Cottage by the Loch by Kennedy Kerr

 

The endless green and purple of the Scottish hills stretch as far as Liz can see, curving up around the loch to meet the wide blue sky. She takes a deep breath and hopes this beautiful place will help hide her secrets…

When thirty-seven-year-old Liz Parsons first sets eyes on the cosy, whitewashed cottage perched on the edge of the loch, she feels the knot in her chest begin to unwind. After a terrible tragedy and sudden break-up, she’s looking forward to putting the past behind her and focusing on her new job running the tiny Loch Cameron Whisky Distillery, nestled between the highland hills.

With the villagers welcoming her with open arms, she meets ruggedly handsome distillery owner Ben Douglas and feels inspired by his passion for the history of the local area. Although Liz and Ben have very different ideas for the future of the business, their hectic days spill over into long walks exploring the wild landscape, and Liz feels lighter for the first time in months.

When Ben confesses he is considering selling his family’s legacy, Liz is desperate to change his mind. The small community relies on the distillery for jobs and tourism, and she can’t let her newfound friends lose their livelihoods.

But just as she hears whispers in town that there’s more to Ben’s story, she receives a letter at the cottage that could change her future. The thick paper and faded postmark are a heart-wrenching reminder of the life she left behind.

Can she trust Ben with the shocking truth about her past? Or will she be forced to pick up the pieces of her broken heart and run away from Loch Cameron forever?

A gorgeous page-turner from USA Today bestselling author Kennedy Kerr that will sweep you away to the Scottish Highlands. Fans of Susanne O’Leary, Debbie Macomber and Mary Alice Monroe will love this emotional and gripping read about second chances and finding where you truly belong.

 What did I think?

This is the second book in the Loch Cameron series.

I could understand if some people find this a difficult read as it deals with the very sensitive subject of infertility.  But it truly is an uplifting story of hope. I will admit I don't know too much about infertility treatments but the story reveals what it does to the woman and her body, the couple and their families. You might need to keep the box of tissues handy. I really think it was very brave of the author to tackle this subject matter - but she handled it with sensitivity.

The Scottish landscape sounded gorgeous but then I am biased as I live in the Highlands of Scotland. 

What stood out for me were the strong female characters and the real sense of community. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series already.

Author Bio

Kennedy Kerr is a USA Today Bestselling fiction author. She adores beaches, lochs and stone circles, and loves writing about small communities, mysteries and family secrets. She has a very cuddly cat called Twinkle who spends her days sleeping: Kennedy aspires to having Twinkle's nap schedule one day.

Kennedy also loves cooking and baking all types of food, which is almost as much fun as eating it. Her favourite foods include (but are not limited to) Indian food, Victoria sponge, breakfast pastries with coffee and sushi. The only thing she's not particularly keen on is artichoke, and she'd eat it, anyway. 

 

Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kennedykerrauthor

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KennedyKerr5

Instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/kennedykerrauthor/

Bookouture Email Sign Up: https://www.bookouture.com/kennedy-kerr

The Cottage by the Loch by Kennedy Kerr

The cottage stood alone on a rocky outcropping at the edge of the loch. Standing in the garden amongst the wildflowers, she felt the weight of the tattered envelope in her hands. Maybe there was something keeping her here in Scotland, a secret waiting to be uncovered…

 

New Yorker Zelda Hicks has just lost her mother, and the only thing she knows about her father is that he was from Scotland. So a work trip to the Scottish village of Loch Cameron couldn’t be better timed. Maybe a break in the beautiful rolling hills of heather will help her reconnect with her roots and recover from her grief.

 

Then, on a walk around the loch one bright morning, she comes across a tiny, tumbledown cottage, nestled on the edge of the forest. The elderly owner, Gretchen Ross, invites her in for buttery shortbread, and after learning that Gretchen might lose the cottage that has been in her family forever, Zelda vows to help her. She didn’t bargain on butting heads with the handsome, blue-eyed laird Hal Cameron in the process. Zelda can’t seem to forget Hal’s shy smile and she soon learns they might have more in common than she first thought.

 

But when Zelda discovers a bundle of old letters hidden in the back of an antique wardrobe at the cottage, they lead her back to the mysterious Hal. Pushing Zelda to examine her own family history, the letters reveal a secret that the community has kept hidden for over a generation. Hal says he wants to help Zelda, but just as she begins to open up, she learns he isn’t being entirely honest either… Can Zelda trust him, and finally come to terms with her own past, or will uncovering this secret force her to leave Loch Cameron for good?

 

Fans of Susanne O’Leary, Debbie Macomber and Pamela Kelley will adore this page-turning read set in the Scottish Highlands about family secrets and starting over, from USA Today bestselling author Kennedy Kerr. 

What did I think?

I have a soft spot for a story set in the Highlands of Scotland - probably because the area is right on my doorstep so it really does bring the story to life.

This is a sweet romance about finding your roots. Zelda ( I cannot stop thinking about the character in the Playstation game I used to play many moons ago!!) has recently lost her mother.  Although she is grieving she is offered a work trip to Scotland which she accepts - all she knows about her father is that he was from Scotland and this might give her the opportunity to find out more about him.

But she didn't factor in falling for the gorgeous laird (are there really still lairds in Scotland??) 

It was an uplifting story of family secrets, finding your roots and new beginnings - all with a smattering of romance thrown in for good measure.

A lovely light read - curl up with a cuppa and enjoy.

Author Bio

Kennedy Kerr is a USA Today Bestselling fiction author. She adores beaches, lochs and stone circles, and loves writing about small communities, mysteries and family secrets. She has a very cuddly cat called Twinkle who spends her days sleeping: Kennedy aspires to having Twinkle's nap schedule one day.

Kennedy also loves cooking and baking all types of food, which is almost as much fun as eating it. Her favourite foods include (but are not limited to) Indian food, Victoria sponge, breakfast pastries with coffee and sushi. The only thing she's not particularly keen on is artichoke, and she'd eat it, anyway.

 

Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kennedykerrauthor

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KennedyKerr5

Instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/kennedykerrauthor/

Bookouture Email Sign Up: https://www.bookouture.com/kennedy-kerr

Dreams of Magpie Cove by Kennedy Kerr

 

The cove itself was small, but beautiful, filled with fine golden sand. Ellie had always heard that Cornwall was romantic, and now she could see why. There was something wild and magical about the turquoise blue sea and the grey-black cliffs that hinted at the shadows of caves under the tide line. Shading her eyes from the sun, Ellie wondered if it would be enough to make her forget what had brought her here…

Ellie McTavish’s world turns upside down when a deadly diagnosis comes out of nowhere. Feeling adrift as she recovers from life-saving surgery at home, she impulsively bids on a vintage caravan, only to discover the next day that she’s won it. So she grabs her friend Fee and takes it on an impromptu road trip…well, that’s the plan, until it breaks down outside the tiny village of Magpie Cove in Cornwall.

Unexpectedly stranded, the two women don’t have much choice but to stay there until it’s fixed. At least the local mechanic, Mark, is distractingly handsome. Not that Ellie would ever act on her feelings – after the surgery she’s not sure she’ll ever feel beautiful again. If only she’d stop running into him everywhere in town…

As Ellie settles into life in the cove – even daring to swim in the icy sea with a group of local women each morning – she can feel herself slowly healing. But just as she begins to let herself grow closer to Mark, a midnight attack on her rented beach house once more puts Ellie’s fragile courage to the test. Sometimes the deepest scars are on the inside – will Magpie Cove be able to mend Ellie once and for all?

A perfect, feel-good page-turner about friendship, love and the power of starting over, set in gorgeous Cornwall. Perfect for fans of Shari Low, Veronica Henry and Heidi Swain.

What did I think?

This is the 4th book in the Magpie Cove series and although I think it works well as a standalone book I think it would be better to read them in order as the same characters appear through all the books.

 The inhabitants of Magpie Cove are an interesting lot and I felt like I was returning to a loved holiday destination when I started reading.

I always love a book set in Cornwall - maybe because I live the at the opposite end of the country. Loved the descriptions of the sights and sounds of the county.

It was an uplifting series and I really hope there will be more books in the series.

Daughters of Magpie Cove by Kennedy Kerr

 

Connie stared out at the quiet Cornish sea as the hazy early morning light bathed the horizon in a beautiful golden glow. She inhaled the salty, cleansing ocean air, looked down at the handwritten note and wiped away the lone tear that had started to fall…

When Connie Christie’s mother summons her home from the city to Magpie Cove to take over the family business – a quaint, charming museum – Connie is reluctant. The cove holds nothing more than bad memories for Connie, memories she’d rather leave buried…

The tiny coastal museum is a hub for the local community but it is struggling to survive, and despite herself, Connie is determined to save the business that has been in her family for generations. Discovering her great-grandmother’s diary tucked away in a dusty box in the attic – which reveals her struggles as a young woman – gives Connie a surprising clue to unlocking the secrets in her own past. Maybe what happened to her all those years ago wasn’t her fault after all?

Connie starts to relish her work at the museum and the beautiful, calm surroundings of Magpie Cove. A chance encounter with handsome local entrepreneur, Alex Gordon, leaves her with more than just butterflies. Perhaps embracing a new start in her old home maybe isn’t the worst idea she’s ever had.

But just as Connie starts to feel like she finally belongs somewhere, the peace she has found crumbles when the one person she has tried for years to forget resurfaces… Can Connie finally find her home, and herself, in Magpie Cove, or will her painful past force her to run away again, this time for good?

From USA Today bestselling author Kennedy Kerr comes a heartfelt, emotional read, set on the beautiful coast of Cornwall. Fans of Sheila O’Flanagan, Mary Alice Monroe and Pamela Kelley will adore it.

What did I think?

This is the third book in the Magpie Cove series.

The book is filled with the most wonderful characters and the most gorgeous setting. Once I started reading this book I really didn't want to put it down. The characters feel like old friends and it was great to meet up with them again. This book will transport you to the wild and windswept coast of Cornwall

 

Kennedy Kerr has written and published poetry, children's and adult books. She lives in London and is originally from the West Country, which gave her accent a subtle (yet noticeable) pirate twang as well as a love of cream teas and all things mystical.

Kennedy loves mythology, magic, tarot, pretty much most music, fantasy and sci-fi novels, luxury skincare products, spas, candlelight and stormy beaches. She is the proud owner of a cuddly black cat called Twinkle, who evidently believes she is a princess. Kennedy also loves cooking and baking all types of food, which is almost as much fun as eating it.

Secrets of Magpie Cove by Kennedy Kerr

 

Lila had a favourite rock to sit on towards the back of the cove, where she often ate her breakfast, gazing out at the tumbling Cornish sea. As the sun rose that morning, Lila wished with all her heart that the grey-green waves could wash away her old life. That Magpie Cove would help her move on, and to forget…

When aspiring pastry chef Lila Bridges flees her life in the city after a heartbreaking tragedy, she finds herself working behind the counter at Magpie Cove’s most beloved local establishment – Serafina’s Café. The sweet, buttery aroma of freshly baked chocolate croissants, the cheerful gossip of the regulars and the elderly owner Serafina’s feisty humour are a much-needed balm to Lila’s broken heart. For the first time since it happened, Lila is beginning to laugh again…

But when Serafina unexpectedly passes away, the future of the café looks bleak. Nathan Da Costa, Serafina’s estranged son, inherits, and returns to Magpie Cove determined to inject some big-city glamour into the place. To Lila, it seems impossible that dour, money-obsessed Nathan could be related to dear Serafina. He may have his mother’s mop of curly dark hair and deep brown eyes, but he has none of her warmth or heart.

Lila needs this job and the sense of peace the town has brought her, so she’s determined to make it work with Nathan as her new boss. But her resolution is tested when the secret Lila has been keeping about what brought her to the cove begins to unravel, just as she discovers an unexpected, sweeter side to Nathan. Will trusting Nathan Da Costa with her long-held secret be Lila’s new beginning in Magpie Cove, or her emotional undoing?

Be totally transported to the windswept beaches of Cornwall with this heart-warming and unputdownable story that will leave a huge smile on your face. Perfect for fans of Shari Low, Veronica Henry and Heidi Swain.

What did I think?

When I read this book I didn't realise it was the second book in a series.  But when I checked my kindle I discovered that I had bought the first book back in November last year - but hadn't read it!! saying that I found this book worked well as a standalone title - but I will be going back to read the first one.

This is a delightful story set in a beautiful small seaside community. I felt to sorry for Lila and all that she had been through and this book sensitively dealt with the issues of miscarriage and death.

Lila and Nathan (her bosses son) have a certain chemistry between them which is central to the story. But there are lots of other characters in the village - and their stories all dovetail in nicely with the main story.

This book was a delightful summery feel good read and I would definitely recommend it.

Author Bio:

Kennedy Kerr is a British fiction author. She adores beaches, lochs and stone circles, and loves writing about small communities, mysteries and family secrets. She has a very cuddly cat called Twinkle who spends her days sleeping: Kennedy aspires to having Twinkle's nap schedule one day.

Kennedy also loves cooking and baking all types of food, which is almost as much fun as eating it. Her favourite foods include (but are not limited to) Indian food, Victoria sponge, breakfast pastries with coffee and sushi. The only thing she's not particularly keen on is artichoke, and she'd eat it, anyway

Author Social Media Links

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/kennedykerrauthor/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/KennedyKerr5

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