Jeanne Le Page, arrives in Guernsey on a ferry and has a panic attack. She hasn't been back for fifteen years, since she was the only survivor of a boating accident which involved her parents. Her grandmother has also now died and she has returned to the island because she has inherited her cottage.
Jeanne has to make a decision as to whether she should sell the cottage, do it up and sell it, or do it up and live in it herself. It is the latter that she decides and as she has just come out of a relationship along with its associated memories, she makes new friends and meets up with old friends in her efforts to build a new life in the place that she grew up in.
She does however, get an 'odd' feeling in a certain part of the cottage and while looking for some old recipes of her Grandmother's, she finally uncovers a very old secret which goes back to the time of the German Occupation. She becomes drawn into solving not one but two old mysteries, and while also trying to overcome her fears of the water, and get back the memories that she has lost, she finds that she is the star witness in one of them and for the second time in her life, she finds that her life is in danger.
I loved reading this book. It took me back to years ago when I visited Guernsey and thought it was one of the most beautiful places ever! Anne's writing made it so easy to conjure up pictures of a very green and beautifully sunny island, with some very cosmopolitan places to visit and enjoy.
Part of the book talks about her Grandmother's recipes and they try to recreate them using modern measures and ovens. I was literally salivating at some of the descriptions and a lot of the book is also based around eating out, and I found myself constantly craving all of this gorgeous food that was being described and wanting to visit all of the restaurants. Anne has done a fabulous job on behalf of the Guernsey Tourist Board as after reading this book, it has really picqued my interest in going there again as soon as possible.
I found that I couldn't put the book down, it was a mixture of mystery and romance, which was a great combination. She became an integral part of a group of friends, and her relationships that developed within the group were wonderful and she handled one of the group who was getting way too friendly really well. I read the book in two sittings, finishing it last night and I really couldn't wait to get back to it.
Jeanne was a lovely character and I found myself wanting to be her, making a new life for herself in a beautiful country, living by the beach, having lots of time and enough money to be able to do up the cottage exactly as she wanted to before she found out that her life was in danger. It really was written in a delightful way and was a thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable read.
Find out more about Anne Allen at her website www.anneallen.co.uk
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2 comments:
Mind blowing! I was lost in thought when I was going through your review of this book, I guess this book straightway takes us to the Guernsey. I had been there (St peter port) couple of time, being a lover of food I have tried many cuisines but this time I want to taste island cuisine, I know many restaurants in Guernsey are offer brilliant seafood. Wanna go and taste the food of island.
Thank you Donald! You're right about the great restaurants in Guernsey - there are so many to choose from.
And thanks Kim for the lovely review! I'm so glad that you enjoyed Dangerous Waters. My second book, Finding Mother, which I hope to publish this year, is also set mainly on Guernsey.
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