A Home in Sunset Bay by Rebecca Pugh

There’s no place like home… 
Enough is enough! The always perfect Laurie Chapman had jumped in her car and raced as fast as she could from London heading to Sunset Bay and (she hopes!) the open arms of her estranged sister… 

Mia Chapman loves running Dolly’s Diner in the picture-perfect coastal Cornish town of Sunset Bay. Now that her and Grandma Dolly’s dream is finally a reality Mia has never been prouder! Until Laurie suddenly turns up on her doorstep… How can she forgive the sister who walked away?

Once upon a time Mia and Laurie were best friends. Back together after so long, the time has come for the sisters to figure out what went so wrong all those years ago – and whether they can ever put it right!

A Home in Sunset Bay is Rebecca Pugh’s second novel, I brought her first novel Return to Bluebell Hill last year but typically my review books have got in the way so it is still nestled on my kindle but after now finishing A Home in Sunset Bay I am eager to make time to read her debut.

The storyline is set in the idyllic summery setting of Sunset Bay which Rebecca brings to life with her beautiful, skilled descriptive writing. Mia runs the buzzing Doly’s Diner which she inherited from her Grandma and it seems like all work no play for Mia as she throws herself into work each day. 

Laurie has reached a point in her life where she doesn’t know where to turn as everything begins to crumble around her, she just needs time away to clear her head and where better to go than the comfort of Sunset Bay to see her sister Mia. But will Mia be there with open arms to comfort her?

For those who are unaware Rebecca Pugh is also a book blogger, I have followed her reviews for some time now and reading her reviews themselves sometimes feel like reading a book as she has such skill in descriptive writing and bringing things to life and that is exactly what she has perfected in this book. The author not only brings alive the perfect surroundings and the delicious food and milkshakes that are on offer but she also brings the characters alive by showing the emotion and characteristics of both Mia and Laurie. The storyline doesn’t get lost in the descriptions which can often happen, the author managed to get the balance just right.

We have a lovely splash of blossoming romance in this book which brought an uplifting feel to the storyline but we also see the difficulties that families face and also the love and strong bond between sisters. My one little niggle and frustration ( and I have to be careful here as I do not want to give a spoiler away) was that Laurie for the majority of the second half of the book really didn’t want to return to her old life and I was getting frustrated and just wanted to rattle her and say “ don’t blooming well go then there is nothing there for you”!

I really did enjoy my trip to Sunset Bay and I think fans of Heidi Swain and Fiona Valpy would love this authors writing style. I am excited to see how Rebecca Pugh’s storytelling develops in her next book.

Kindle