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rute_cuca's review against another edition
4.0
A wonderful, special book. It’s full of magic, love, hope and second chances.
I absolutely loved this story! Seren and Jack are both struggling after the loss of
someone close to them.
Jack is fighting to give his daughter Nessie a better life, Seren is trying to save her late
father's business and fighting his last battle to save an old building.
Without knowing they bring magic into each other's life and give the other the hope
they need to go on.
This is another wonderful book by Miranda Dickinson, and is perfect for those long
lazy summer evenings, wishing you were in Cornwall!
4,7 Stars
__________________________
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I absolutely loved this story! Seren and Jack are both struggling after the loss of
someone close to them.
Jack is fighting to give his daughter Nessie a better life, Seren is trying to save her late
father's business and fighting his last battle to save an old building.
Without knowing they bring magic into each other's life and give the other the hope
they need to go on.
This is another wonderful book by Miranda Dickinson, and is perfect for those long
lazy summer evenings, wishing you were in Cornwall!
4,7 Stars
__________________________
#mybookfeatures #book #bookphotography #booksgram #bookstagrammer #bookstagram
#bookrecommendation #bookreview #booknerd #bookworm #bookaesthetic #bookfeature
#read #readeveryday #reader
dotscribbles's review
5.0
I completely loved this book! Somewhere Beyond the Sea is a delight from beginning to end. I have a huge desire to visit Cornwall but Miranda Dickinson created such vivid images with her descriptions that I feel like I have already been.
Seren MacArthur is trying to keep her father’s ailing art gallery going after his death but it is a huge struggle. Jack Dixon is struggling too, he has lost his wife and is doing everything he can to support his young daughter Nessie. He and Nessie begin to make beautiful stars on the beach made from seaglass. Seren finds them and begins adding to them. For both parties it becomes the highlight of their day and they have no idea about each other.
Seren and Jack’s paths cross when he is the lead on a new building project that Seren and the community are opposing. They are on such different pages yet there is an undeniable connection between them. Can it ever come right and is there a solution that would make them both happy?
Miranda Dickinson gets the tone just right within the book. I loved the romantic element but she makes it realistic too by exploring the many issues that Seren and Jack have independently.
The Cornish setting is beautiful and lends itself perfectly to the story. I really enjoyed reading about the community that Seren lives in and how it has both helped and hindered her.
Somewhere Beyond the Sea made me smile and feel hopeful for life changes and new opportunities, it’s a lovely read.
Seren MacArthur is trying to keep her father’s ailing art gallery going after his death but it is a huge struggle. Jack Dixon is struggling too, he has lost his wife and is doing everything he can to support his young daughter Nessie. He and Nessie begin to make beautiful stars on the beach made from seaglass. Seren finds them and begins adding to them. For both parties it becomes the highlight of their day and they have no idea about each other.
Seren and Jack’s paths cross when he is the lead on a new building project that Seren and the community are opposing. They are on such different pages yet there is an undeniable connection between them. Can it ever come right and is there a solution that would make them both happy?
Miranda Dickinson gets the tone just right within the book. I loved the romantic element but she makes it realistic too by exploring the many issues that Seren and Jack have independently.
The Cornish setting is beautiful and lends itself perfectly to the story. I really enjoyed reading about the community that Seren lives in and how it has both helped and hindered her.
Somewhere Beyond the Sea made me smile and feel hopeful for life changes and new opportunities, it’s a lovely read.
gemmiejewel's review against another edition
5.0
This book is one of the most beautiful pieces of work I have ever read. I was lucky enough to be sent a copy by the author herself - go Team Sparkley! - and devoured the whole thing within a few days. The setting is beautiful, the characters are so real its easy to get invested in their lives. Everything about this book is perfect and Miranda Dickinson remains the queen of fiction in my world.
tabsdab's review
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
kj_hollow3's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The best book I've ever read, perfect. I rooted for, laughed and cried with the wonderful characters and waited with bated breath to see what the outcome would be. Absolutely wonderful and now I have the need to visit St Ives.
catprice's review
2.0
I'd probably give this 2.5 stars. It's not that I didn't enjoy it, but I just felt it wasn't the right type of novel for me. Would be a good holiday read I think
katheastman's review
5.0
One of the reasons Miranda Dickinson’s books appeal to me so much is that she builds such complete worlds in her novels and then fills them with characters who feel real. Characters who you feel certain are all still going about their lives in St Ives long after you finish the book and shelve it.
They’re not simply people who you understand or chime with, either. These are people you wish you knew, some of whom you feel certain you’d be friends with, if only you met. And this is precisely how it feels here with Seren, Jack, Aggie, Kieran and Becca. There’s such warmth and a genuine concern for others in their exchanges, even those between Seren and Jack, that you sense these are good people, ones you’d like to bump into at Aggie’s coffee hut or in Becca’s pub.
Alongside all the potential for romance among the friends and rivals, there’s also a great local campaign running throughout the book. It feels important and so genuine that I googled the existence of Seren’s dad’s local luminary and was ready to champion its cause. In addition to this, Somewhere Beyond the Sea is also a moving and rather beautiful father and daughter story. Or two father and daughter stories.
There’s Jack and Nessie’s storyline where Jack is struggling to bring up his plucky little daughter, Nessie, and provide for them both. Jack always tries to do what’s best for both of them, and more particularly Nessie, spending time with his daughter on the beach, and learning with her help to see that magic and wonder still exist in the world.
Then there’s Seren who’s struggling too, but in a different way. She’s grieving her amateur astronomer Dad, while running his failing art & craft gallery and shop, MacArthur’s, and taking on his personal crusade. It’s a bittersweet time for her: she feels close to him while star-gazing and when she first takes over his campaign but it exhausts her trying to keep his business afloat while doing battle with the contractor, knowing that she’s not doing what makes her happy. My heart went out to her, still trying to make her Dad proud and honour his memory, while fighting the need to break free and lead her own life.
Miranda Dickinson’s wonderful world-building, characters and storytelling all make Somewhere Beyond the Stars a pretty special book, so it’s only natural she brings it all together with some everyday magic and kindness in the shape of seaglass stars and friends being there for each other when it matters. I think this is her best book yet and I would give it all the (seaglass) stars on Gwithian Beach. Pretty sure its marshmallow-mad mermaids would too. (You’ll have to read it to find out more about those.)
They’re not simply people who you understand or chime with, either. These are people you wish you knew, some of whom you feel certain you’d be friends with, if only you met. And this is precisely how it feels here with Seren, Jack, Aggie, Kieran and Becca. There’s such warmth and a genuine concern for others in their exchanges, even those between Seren and Jack, that you sense these are good people, ones you’d like to bump into at Aggie’s coffee hut or in Becca’s pub.
Alongside all the potential for romance among the friends and rivals, there’s also a great local campaign running throughout the book. It feels important and so genuine that I googled the existence of Seren’s dad’s local luminary and was ready to champion its cause. In addition to this, Somewhere Beyond the Sea is also a moving and rather beautiful father and daughter story. Or two father and daughter stories.
There’s Jack and Nessie’s storyline where Jack is struggling to bring up his plucky little daughter, Nessie, and provide for them both. Jack always tries to do what’s best for both of them, and more particularly Nessie, spending time with his daughter on the beach, and learning with her help to see that magic and wonder still exist in the world.
Then there’s Seren who’s struggling too, but in a different way. She’s grieving her amateur astronomer Dad, while running his failing art & craft gallery and shop, MacArthur’s, and taking on his personal crusade. It’s a bittersweet time for her: she feels close to him while star-gazing and when she first takes over his campaign but it exhausts her trying to keep his business afloat while doing battle with the contractor, knowing that she’s not doing what makes her happy. My heart went out to her, still trying to make her Dad proud and honour his memory, while fighting the need to break free and lead her own life.
Miranda Dickinson’s wonderful world-building, characters and storytelling all make Somewhere Beyond the Stars a pretty special book, so it’s only natural she brings it all together with some everyday magic and kindness in the shape of seaglass stars and friends being there for each other when it matters. I think this is her best book yet and I would give it all the (seaglass) stars on Gwithian Beach. Pretty sure its marshmallow-mad mermaids would too. (You’ll have to read it to find out more about those.)
completelynovel_'s review
emotional
funny
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
3.0
natalieabigail's review
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5