BENEATH CORNISH SKIES by KATE RYDER

 BENEATH CORNISH SKIES

BY

KATE RYDER

THE BLURB:-

When Cassandra Shaw answers an advert for a live-in nanny, dog walker, cook and all-round “Superhuman” for a family who lives in a manor house on the rugged North Cornish coast, she knows she's taking a risk.

Anyone looking at her life would think she had it all: she lives in a beautiful house with her handsome and wealthy partner. But with her boyfriend becoming colder and more controlling, she decided to put her insecurities to one side and take a chance on a new beginning.

As Cassie learns to connect with the natural beauty unfolding around her, she's left wondering if she was drawn here for a reason. Why was she guided to Foxcombe Manor and what secrets of Cornwall will she uncover?

THE REALITY:-

I picked up this book from the book exchange shelf at Southend Railway Station, and it didn't disappoint! I was attracted by the North Cornwall location- I haven't been; although I have been to South Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly so understand the rugged beauty and mystique of that location. This book also hooked me from page one, as Cassie and I shared similar circumstances. Like her, I was the afterthought daughter of parents who thought that their only parental duties were feeding and clothing your child, and putting a roof over its head. No attempt at an emotional connection was made, and my dad thought that if you were getting the three aforementioned things (which, to my mind, is the barest minimum) and were unhappy, then you were “not right.” Cassie also has a much older brother, as have I (although mine was interested in me- or so my mother kept reminding me), whom she later became estranged from (ditto with that, too).

Enough of the sad family circumstances! I was intrigued by the supernatural element to this book; with its time-slip ghosts, and the descriptions of parts of land that have been here for aeons, and the question of whether they retain energy from the past or not. I think they do and, as a lover of history, I enjoyed the new information I learnt regarding this subject. The writer wrote in such a descriptive way that I really got a good sense of location with both Cassie's South Downs and Cornish dwellings.

I have to say, I did love the business-like, money-obsessed villains in this book (David, Denise and Amanda, for your information), although they were a tad stereotyped (well, stereotypes exist for a reason!) By the way, when I read David's new numberplate- ASH1- I automatically thought “arsehole 1” and perhaps that was the intention. I adored this unexplained subtlety!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Cassie's (spoiler alert!) relationship breakdown; her life with her new “family;” and liked their manor house setting and all of the individual personalities involved. I also savoured learning a few things about horse husbandry (something I'm unfamiliar with) and I enjoyed the way the story evolved. Ultimately, this was a book about Cassie finding herself, and I'm glad she did. The storyline was compelling enough to keep me turning the pages, and I flattened the book within a few days. But my favourite character was Hunter/ Luke, and I loved reading about his home, his writing career (I wish I could be as lucky as to have his success and lifestyle) and his musings. It was also not difficult to work out that he was going to end up becoming Cassie's (spoiler alert!) new love interest. On a final note, the twist at the end regarding David's involvement with (another spoiler alert!) the deaths of Cassandra's parents was most unexpected...

I will search out further books by Kate Ryder.