Sunday 23 August 2015

Book Review - A Time For Living by Ruth Saberton - Cornish Week


Amazon UK
Title:  A Time For Living: Polwenna Bay 2
Author: Ruth Saberton
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: ARC supplied by Ruth Saberton
Publisher: Notting Hill Press
Publication Date: 17th August 2015
Rating: 5 Stars


Is there ever a right time for love? 

Feisty horsewoman, Morwenna Tremaine, has always known what she wants from life and success as a three day event rider is all she’s ever dreamed of. Mo has neither the time nor the inclination for love. Even if she did it wouldn’t be with a man who stands for everything she despises… 

Beneath a tough and determined exterior, businessman Ashley Carstairs harbours a dark secret that threatens to destroy everything he holds dear. Although aware that he is heading for trouble, he finds himself increasingly drawn to the one woman he knows he should stay away from – for both their sakes. 

As the autumn nights draw in and the trickling sands of time gather speed, emotions run higher than the tides and Mo finds herself unable to step away. What is Ashley hiding? Is there more to him that meets the eye? And will his secret destroy everything she now holds dear? 

I hadn't really given the title of this book much thought, referring to it continually in my mind as Polwenna Bay 2. It wasn't until I have just started this review that I can see just how apt and fitting this title is, to this particular book. 

I am not sure that I have the words to do justice to A Time For Living, it is a wonderful story, filled with heavily charged emotion, and a glorious romance. I have spent the majority of the second half of the book on the verge of tears, in a mix of sadness and complete happiness. There was even a very tender moment about a quarter of the way through the book, that touched me, and was almost my undoing. 

Ashley Carstairs is hiding a deep secret from Morwenna, one that he alternates between thinking he should reveal, and wanting to keep it hidden. As a reader we are let into the secret quite early on, and all I will say is its a health issue, so be prepared to have the tissues handy. 

There are times I just wanted to shake Ashley, and the rest of it, I was falling in love with him myself. Morwenna is a fiesty lady, who normally prefers the company of horses to men. But yet she can't get Ashley out of her head, and as it was said by Ashley, in the first book - "There is a fine line between love and hate", and it is so true. 

It was brilliant to return to Polwenna Bay, there is something about the place and the families that live there, that is so real, so community minded and very picturesque. As this features a different main characters to Runaway Summer I believe it can be read as a stand alone should you chose to. There are of course recurring characters between the books, which I always love to see. 

This book doesn't just focus on the story between Mo and Ashley, but also on the survival of the church in the village, and lets just say the fund raising efforts are some of the funniest bits in the book.. much to Jules the vicar's dismay!

Towards the end you start getting hints as to who book three may focus on, and I did guess before it was properly hinted at in the epilogue, and all I can say is I can't wait. I am so excited to know this is not the last we will be seeing of Polwenna Bay, 

My only small problem with A Time For Living is that it had to end. It was such an enjoyable emotional roller coaster ride of a book, that I didn't want to put it down. Very pleasurable reading experience, and anything that makes you have a reaction is always a great thing for me. 

Thank you so much to Ruth Saberton for this review copy, in time for Cornish Week!. This was my honest opinion. 

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