Description

‘A beautifully written and intriguing story that stayed with me long after I had turned the last page’ Santa Montefiore.
‘I wanted to live in this story. Jane Johnson writes with such grace and ease’ Carol Drinkwater.
One house, two women, a lifetime of secrets…

Following the death of her mother, Becky begins the sad task of sorting through her empty flat. Starting with the letters piling up on the doormat, she finds an envelope post-marked from Cornwall. In it is a letter that will change her life forever. A desperate plea from her mother’s elderly cousin, Olivia, to help save her beloved home.

Becky arrives at Chynalls to find the beautiful old house crumbling into the ground, and Olivia stuck in hospital with no hope of being discharged until her home is made habitable.

Though daunted by the enormity of the task, Becky sets to work. But as she peels back the layers of paint, plaster and grime, she uncovers secrets buried for more than seventy years. Secrets from a time when Olivia was young, the Second World War was raging, and danger and romance lurked round every corner…

The Sea Gate is a sweeping, spellbinding novel about the lives of two very different women, and the secrets that bind them together.

‘I was completely swept up in this… Quite magical’ Rachel Hore.

‘I can’t recommend it highly enough’ Katie Fforde.

‘I so enjoyed this. It’s a treat!’ Amanda Craig.

‘A beautiful, evocative story… This had me in tears’ Liz Fenwick.

Publisher Review

From the moment I gazed at the beautiful jacket, I wanted to live this story. Jane Johnson writes with such grace and ease. The tale brings together two fascinating women from different generations who have much to give to one another, so many secrets to reveal. This novel is rich in intrigue and compassion. At its heart two delicate love stories intertwine. I loved The Sea Gate and highly recommend it -- Carol Drinkwater I've so enjoyed the hours I've spent reading the novel. I loved the warm, vivid characters, especially salty Olivia, and was completely swept up in this intriguing and beautifully researched mystery of wartime Cornwall. It was quite magical -- Rachel Hore Full of secrets, passion, and with two strong heroines, this book satisfies every need. It's utterly romantic and and page-turningly exciting. I can't recommend it highly enough -- Katie Fforde I so enjoyed this. The relationship between the two women of such very different generations, the parallel love affairs, the feeling of place are all so well done. It's a treat! -- Amanda Craig A beautiful evocative story capturing the darkness of Cornwall and its piercing beauty... This had me in tears' -- Liz Fenwick A beautifully written and intriguing story that stayed with me long after I had turned the last page -- Santa Montefiore The Sea Gate just blew me away. Utterly compelling and one of the few books for a long time that kept me reading deep into the night -- Barbara Erskine Delving into Olivia's past in war-torn Cornwall, this transports you back in time * Woman & Home * I relished this dual timeframe story pulled together with unexpected threads against a vivid Cornish backdrop. Olivia is an endearingly idiosyncratic character in her youth and old age and there are some deliciously sexy and romantic moments * The Literary Sofa. * A fast-paced twisty tale with lashings of drama, menace, bad deeds and romance * Saga. * It is rare to find a dual narrative novel in which both strands of the narrative are equally compelling. Often the present day strand exists as a rather pallid framework for the epic narrative from the past. The Sea Gate is a remarkable exception... Each strand of the narrative is both a love story and a thriller in its own right... Dual narrative at its very best' * Historical Novels Review * A beautiful generational story... A perfect fusion of history, romance and mystery, The Sea Gate is an atmospheric and heart-warming novel that's easy to lose yourself in' * CultureFly * [A] sweeping story... Powerful' * Best * Set across two time-lines, this engaging adventure story is brimming with atmosphere and romance * Sunday Mirror * A romantic novel, with suspense, crime, history and mystery... Intriguing... A holiday read, easy and undemanding from a writer I have always enjoyed' * NB Magazine * Johnson's powers of description evoke the setting's living history and brings it to brilliant life. This sweeping saga is a must-read * Publishers Weekly * Hidden bones, buried love, a house with a hidden passage to the sea and even a foul-mouthed parrot promises to make this tale from the Second World War [a] page-turner * Sunday Post *