Een nieuwe kans in Cockleberry Bay

Cockleberry Bay #3

by Nicola May

Alle favoriete karakters (natuurlijk inclusief hond Hot) van de Cockleberry Bay-serie keren nog een laatste keer terug in Een nieuwe kans in Cockleberry Bay, het slot van de populaire serie van Nicola May. Rosa runt een succesvol café en ze wil graag een eigen gezinnetje beginnen. Ze denkt er daarom over na om haar geërfde winkeltje te verkopen, maar dat gaat niet zomaar. In het contract is een clausule opgenomen dat ze de winkel alleen mag nalaten aan iemand die het verdient. Wie kan ze kiezen? En hoe weet ze of het de juiste beslissing zal zijn?

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Chick Lit, Humor, Fiction, Contemporary, Roman

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 2, 2020

About the author

Hello, I'm Nicola May, author of 18 romantic comedy novels.

I look forward to sharing all my heartfelt and fun books with you.

For further information on me, my books and to read reviews please do go to www.nicolamay.com.

Happy Reading!

Reviews

[DJ Sakata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favorite Quotes:

‘It always seems to be loving families who lose a parent or a child. I do believe the good die young. ’‘My mum wasn’t that young.’ ‘She wasn’t that good either.’ ‘Oi.’ They both then laughed nervously.

‘I’m internet dating, you see, and there are very few handsome men to be found in this area, as you can imagine.’ She picked up a thick church candle from the shelf and held it at the base with both hands. Danny blinked and cleared his throat.

‘Show me again.’ Rosa held up the grey and white picture. ‘Aw. That’s our baby, that is.’ Josh was beaming. ‘Look to the right, I’m sure I can see a willy.’ Rosa laughed. ‘I don’t ever want to see one of those again if it makes me feel this sick.’

Christmas Eve and the Cockleberry Bay Village Hall had not seen so much activity since the adult version of the nativity play twenty-five years ago, when Joseph had outed his wife for having an affair with the Angel Gabriel; in his hurry to escape the humiliation, the latter got his wings caught in a wise man’s stick and fell off the stage, breaking his ankle.

My Review:

I enjoy Ms. May’s wry comedic humor and she is a wily one as her amusing levity kept my lips twitching with a ready smirk. She is rather sneaky and slipped in jocularity in the midst of other scenes in unexpected places such as when a character was adding their coins to the café’s communal gratuities jar, which was described as “a ceramic burlesque dancer money box that held a sign saying Nice Tips.”

In addition to her clever and playful use of wit, several hefty social and personal issues were tapped and used as a positive platform for dispersal of thoughtful information and awareness, which I always appreciate. Ms. May’s characters tend to be diverse, quirky, deeply flawed, and uniquely intriguing. And despite his stinky breath and proprietary barking, I adore that little Hot Dog, AKA, Mr. Sausage to “where the sky touches the sea.”

[Berit☀️✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet and satisfying. Once again Nicola May seamlessly weaves together romance, humor, and Mystery. This is the third and sadly the last installment in this delightful series. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time spent in Cockleberry Bay with these engaging and quirky characters. The highlight of the series for me really has been watching Rosa grow as a character. The road hasnt always been easy and there were quite a few speed bumps along the way, but I was so thrilled with her in this book (after being a little disappointed with her in the previous book). Now that Rosa and Josh are happily married and thinking of starting a family, Rosa is beginning to contemplate who she should give her beloved store to. I love the clever way Rosa decided to figure this out. There was also a mysterious stranger and a mystery involving a crime that Rosa has been accused of. Just as in the previous books in the series this story was full of charm, wit, and humor. My review would not be complete if I did not mention the star of the book, once again Hot🐾 and this time he is accompanied by his adorable puppies. Sad to say goodbye to Cockleberry Bay but excited to see what is next from Nicola May.

This book and emojis 🐶 🏖 🌊 👫

*** Big thank you to the author for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

[Dash fan · Rating 5 out of 5]

5☆ The Perfect End, To A Perfect Must Read Trilogy! I can't Recommend Enough!


The Gift of Cockleberry Bay is the third but final book in this gorgeous trilogy. I'm not sure it can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend you read all three books. So you can fall in love with Cockleberry Bay just as much as I have.

As always it was simply a joy to be back in the charming Cockleberry Bay, it's like I never left.

I don't want to go into too much detail with my Review as I don't want to risk spoiling it if your yet to catch up.
But what I will say is this book ended absolutely perfectly, although I'm truly gutted it's come to an end.
The story ties up all the unanswered questions and lose ends, and the gift of who gets Cockleberry Bay shop, now that's something you will just have to discover for yourself, but I really wasn't disappointed as to who got it 🙊

Once again there is the adorable addition to a few new fur babies, which melted my heart. I'm a sucker for animal's in books especially dogs 🐶

This final book has a lil bit of everything, it was heart warming, light hearted, emotional, witty, romantic, a lil dash of mystery and intrigue and then there is the setting, ambiance and community Spirit of Cockleberry Bay that simply shines through. Making this one place I would love to visit.

The Gift of Cockleberry Bay as I said before is the perfect end to a perfect series.
From the very first book I knew this trilogy was going to be something special and I wasn't disappointed.
Nicola May has written another gem, her characters are superbly written they have stopped becoming characters are more like friends. When that happens you know a book is special!


Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.




My Review is also on my Blog Website :-

https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2020/0...


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[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book #3 in the Cockleberry Bay series. It can be read as a standalone, but I would advise to read the books in series order to fully understand the characters stories! We are back in Cockleberry Bay with Rosa, Josh and Hot the Dog for the final instalment of the series. How sad that we have come to the end of what has been a lovely series following these and the other inhabitants of Cockleberry Bay. Rosa is left with a dilemma of what to do with the corner shop that she inherited. She feels it’s time to let it go, but under the rules of her inheritance she cannot sell it, only give it away to someone who truly needs it.

This is a wonderful final instalment from the seaside village that we have come to know so well. It starts with plenty of oohs and aahs when the patter of multiple pairs of tiny feet are on the horizon when Hot the Dog is about to become a father! That isn’t the only thing on the horizon though with the arrival of a fierce storm, newcomers to the village, accusations and future life plans to be made. Rosa is a lovely character, and proves this with her daring rescue early on, but I do feel sorry for her as the book continues with some of the things she has to deal with and decisions she needs to make.

The author’s writing of this series has always conjured up great images of the seaside village and you hear, see and smell the sea as you read! I’d love to browse through Rosa’s shop and could quite easily settle with an ice cream and a coffee overlooking the sea! This story takes us on a journey of love, family and friendships with plenty of humour and a little bit of mystery thrown in for good measures. This was the perfect book to mark the end of the series, and whilst it is sad to think there will be no more Cockleberry Bay, it was such a heart-warming and enjoyable read to finish on! Would definitely recommend!

[Jypsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Rachel's Random Resources and the author for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Gift Of Cockleberry Bay
By: Nicola May

REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
I'm going about this backwards, but oh, well! I haven't read the first two books in the series, but I have read this, the third, The Gift Of Cockleberry Bay. Knowing the ending is not a big deal to me, so I intend to read the other books next. This is a charming place for a story to occur, and I wish it were real. I like the premise of this story and found it interesting, light and refreshing to read. Rosa is a warm hearted sweet character with a big decision to make. Everything about the story is really delightful, and it's just what I needed to read. I highly recommend reading Nicola May if you need a smile or a feel good moment!

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

How wonderful it was to be back in Cockleberry Bay with all my favourite characters. Although I'm sad that this is the last instalment in this trilogy, equally this is a perfect last book for the series.

All loose ends are wrapped up, in a book that starts with high drama that I couldn't tear my eyes away from, assorted secrets and at times I wasn't even completely sure who would be gifted the shop in the end, although I'm ecstatic with the decision Rosa made.

I recall when I started the second book, I just couldn't quite connect with it instantly, so i was nervous going into this one, worried that I'd not remember the characters or just feel not quite right with it. Thankfully I had no such qualms this time, I jumped straight into the action and read the whole book far too fast.

I just couldn't get enough of it, and there are so many story lines, deeper issues, funny moments, and heart warming moments, that had me on the edge of my seat and kept me reading continually.

If you haven't read anything from this series yet, well I'm sure this could be read as a standalone but honestly go back and read from the first one, all three books are incredibly strong, and just really impressive.

I loved the way Rosa decides to work out who to gift the shop to, it's inspired! And then there are the new puppies who are adorable and i loved their names, not to mention Hot the Dog is back, I love that little sausage dog!

This really is everything I could have hoped for in a book, written in an engaging way that had me hooked, and well I don't want to spoil anything about the details for you, rest assured if the blurb and this review has even slightly piqued your interest, then you really should read it. It's that great.

I loved every single word of this book, it took me on a bit of a roller coaster of ups and downs, not just for Rosa but other recurring characters, and I am gutted that I have to now say goodbye to the residents of Cockleberry Bay.

I'm now waiting impatiently already to see what Nicola May will write next as I know I will be wanting to read it!

Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,

[Willemijn jufwillemijnopallstars · Rating 4 out of 5]

Het laatste deel van de Cockleberry Bay serie is een fijn boek! Veel personages komen weer terug en we leren ook nieuwe mensen kennen. Het verhaal was een beetje voorspelbaar, maar het verhaal wordt mooi afgesloten.

[Izidora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prije svega, moram priznati da mrzim i volim knjige u nastavcima. Mrzim ih jer znam da ih moram sve procitati, a volim zbog onog osjecaja kao kad se vracas necem poznatome. Kao sto se svako ljeto vracam svom mjestu za ljetovanje i tom istom krajoliku i ljudima i usput upoznajem nove ljude i otkrivam nova mjesta u okolici, tako se osjecam s ovim knjigama u nastavcima.

Konkretno, ovaj serijal mi je jedan od drazih u nastavcima jer mi je svaka knjiga sve draza. Kako Rosa uspjesno savladava svoje demone i puno se lakse bori s nedacama, tako su knjige veselije, mirnije i pune situacija od kojih ti se topi srce. Svaki problem je s lakocom rjesen i nije navukao tmurne oblake nad stanovnike ovog simpaticnog mjesta. Nakon zadnjih stranica ostaje mi gorko-slatki okus zbog zadnje knjige koja mi dolazi na red....

[Floor tussendeboeken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dit deel vond ik gelukkig weer beter. In dit boek maakt Rosa ook aardig wat karakterontwikkeling door op basis van wat er in deel 2 is gebeurd. Het irritante van deel 2 vond ik de bad communication trope en dat gebeurde in dit deel gelukkig niet meer. Ook worden er een aantal dingen bekend gemaakt en wordt het winkeltje geschonken aan de nieuwe eigenaar. Ik ben benieuwd wat me nog te wachten staat in deel 4, het kerstboek dat ik in december zal gaan lezen.

[Jessica Dillema · Rating 3 out of 5]

Een nieuwe kans in Cockleberry Bay is het derde deel in een trilogie die mij simpelweg gewoon niet ligt. De schrijfstijl en diepgang is wat mij betreft te oppervlakkig en ze mist in mijn ogen nog enkele belangrijke schrijf skills. Desalniettemin hebben de boeken wel potentie en lezen ze makkelijk weg. En zoveel mensen, zoveel meningen, want in deze blogtour ben ik één van de weinigen die niet gek is op deze boekenserie. Laat je je door mijn recensie die vooral niet weerhouden om zelf te kijken of de Cockleberry Bay-serie iets voor jou is. Misschien vind je mijn genoemde minpunten juist wel pluspunten en is dit precies het boek dat je zoekt deze zomer. In dat geval wens ik je heel veel lees plezier toe. Maar ik weet wel dat ikzelf niet snel weer een boek van Nicola May zal oppakken. Sorry Zomer & Keuning, voor het eerst in jaren is er dan toch een boek(enserie) in jullie fonds waar ik niet lovend over ben.

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Tsjah, deze serie is het gewoon echt niet voor mij. Meer dan 'oké' wordt het niet. Recensie volgt.

[Medusa Bren De wit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daar was dan het derde en tevens laatste deel in deze geweldige feelgood serie! Wat keek ik hier naar uit zeg. Rosa en haar hondje Hot (dog), Josh en nog vele personages weer hebben echt een plek in mijn bookish hart gekregen. Dus natuurlijk begon ik al snel met het lezen ervan. En ja hoor, vanaf de allereerste bladzijde waande ik mij weer in dat prachtige kustplaatsje Cockleberry Bay. Ook deze keer was het de ene keer al lezend met een lach en dan weer met een traan, want als Nicola ergens wel goed in is, dan is het je echt te raken met deze oh zo fijne boekenreeks.

Rosa worstelt met het idee of ze de Corner Shop zal gaan houden of niet, nu ze er ook het café ‘Rosa’s’ bij heeft waar ze over een tijdje fulltime zal gaan werken en met Josh maar wat graag een gezin wil stichten. Aan de ene kant wil ze het namelijk niet echt, want ja de shop is wel echt iets wat nog van haar alleen is, maar aan de andere kant weet ze ook dat het er toch wel makkelijker op zal worden als ze het wel zou doen. Maar verkopen van haar winkeltje zit er niet in, want haar overgrootvader had in het contract opgesteld dat ze de winkel alleen weg mocht doen aan iemand die het daadwerkelijk echt verdiend. Aan Rosa de taak om dit te gaan uitzoeken dus en Rosa zou zichzelf niet zijn als ze hier niet een hele unieke manier voor zou verzinnen.

“Hoewel ze met heel haar hart en ziel van de winkel hield en ze er nog helemaal niet zo lang werkte, wist Rosa dat het tijd was voor een nieuwe fase in haar leven. En dus was het tijd om de winkel door te geven aan iemand die hem oprecht verdiende.” -blz.42

Nadat het nieuws zich heeft verspreid dienen verschillende geïnteresseerden zich aan voor geliefde winkeltje, maar lang niet elke belangstellende heeft daar ook echt goede bedoelingen bij. Gaat het Rosa lukken om het goede van het slechte te onderscheiden en vindt ze uiteindelijk de enige echte juiste persoon voor haar oh zo geliefde Corner Shop? Rosa kijkt enorm uit naar het stichten van een eigen gezinnetje met Josh, maar hoeveel mooier zou dat zijn met dat ene beetje extra wat ze stiekem al zo lang hoopt te vinden.

“Vertel je geheim aan de wind, maar verwijt hem dan niet dat hij het aan de bomen doorverteld.” -blz.74-

Wederom gebeurt er van alles in het leven van de bewoners van Cockleberry Bay, er komen flink wat levens op hun kop te staan, wat bij mij soms voor aardig wat tranen zorgde. Maar toch is dit laatste verhaal in de Cockleberry Bay serie weer net zo hartverwarmend en mooi als de delen hiervoor. Want als ik een serie wel in mijn hart gesloten heb, dan is het deze wel. De personages zijn (op een aantal na dan) gewoon zo leuk en lief dat je wel van ze moet gaan houden hoe verder je in de boeken vordert. Een nieuwe kans in Cockleberry Bay neemt je voor de laatste keer mee naar dit prachtige idyllische kustplaatsje en zijn bewoners. Wat ga ik ze missen… Dit is absoluut een trilogie die ik zeker meerdere keren zal gaan lezen. Gewoon omdat je dat soms nodig hebt in je leven 😀 Ik hoop dat Nicola May nog lang zal blijven schrijven, want boeken als dit heeft een mens nooit genoeg! Aan mij heeft ze er in ieder geval een absolute fan bij 🙂

Hou jij ook van een feelgood met een echt goed, mooi en hartverwarmend verhaal, geweldige personages en een kustplaatsje waar je niets liever van zou willen dan dat je er echt heen kon gaan, dan is deze trilogie het absoluut voor jou!

www.thebookdragonsnook.com

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is set over the second half of the year so we get to enjoy summer, autumn and winter in Cockleberry Bay. Being a dog lover, I especially couldn’t wait to read this book to catch up with Hot, the sausage dog, as well as his pups. I love how even the animals are characters in their own rights and I’m glad that the author gives them some spotlight time.

Even though the author gives enough background to the previous novels in this series, I do think it would be best to read in order still. The businesses in the area play a big part in the story, more so the shop that Rosa was gifted and is now time for her to pass onto another deserving person. Whilst there are some new characters in this book, the majority of them are ones we have already gotten to know over the course of the other books in the series and they are very much integral to the storyline.

Life is never dull in the bay with someone always being in need or the residents rallying around each other. I do love this part of a small community. Things are far from straight forward though with certain characters keeping secrets or telling lies. All in all though it makes for an enthralling read.

The Gift of Cockleberry Bay was a heart-warming read and one I enjoyed immensely with characters who I have become to know well and love. I’m happy yet sad that there is only one more book in the series yet for me to read. Whilst there may not be anymore books after the fourth in the series, the author has a great backlist of novels that I will be able to dive into which I look forward to. This series in particular stood out to me as the characters are ones that readers can relate to. They have their flaws as at the end of the day, none of us are perfect. Some are overcoming losses as well as addiction and I have to applaud the author for writing about it so well. A novel that ultimately will leave you feeling uplifted and want to do something nice for someone else!

[Elaine - Splashes Into Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so sorry that this is the last book in this endearing trilogy but it a great finale with so many discoveries, decisions and events. It was great to catch up on the so familiar characters and read how their lives progressed. There are more dilemmas, some fears, new puppies and life events in this dramatic conclusion. I suspect you need to have read other two books in the series to truly appreciate this one but  would still enjoy it if you read it as a standalone.

This story has everything you'd expect from a small, close knit seaside community - including unexpected storms, great folk and all the trials and tribulations, life and death, fireworks and fun, grief and tragedy, celebrations and joy - everything you'd anticipate being there somewhere in real life. Most of the story centres around Rosa Smith who is running the Cockleberry Café and corner shop and this time she's considering passing it on to someone else.....  

Sometimes it takes a while to reconnect with everything in a series, but that certainly wasn't the case when I read this I was back in Cockleberry Bay from the very first pages. The characters are so easy to relate to - especially Rosa. There are many different threads running through this story and the final chapters bring it all to a heartwarming, brilliant conclusion. I've really enjoyed this series and am sorry to reach its end but I have to admit I'm looking forward to discovering where Nicola May will take me in her next books and look forward to reading them in future!

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.

[Femke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zeker weten beter dan deel 2! Waar het daar veel herhaling was en weinig gebeurtenissen, is deel 3 wel vol leuke gebeurtenissen. Leest vlotter en fijner, meer spanning. Mooi einde van een leuke en fijne serie.

[Ellen Bossink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heerlijke feelgood Roman. Geluisterd via Storytel.

[Celine · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐ 3,5

[Kim Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woohoo! I’m back in Cockleberry Bay with a cast of wonderful characters who have become my friends over the last couple of years.

The Gift of Cockleberry Bay is another completely adorable, brilliantly written book, full of energy and fabulous characters, both new and old with a gorgeous plot and a perfect ending to this wonderful series.

Rosa is one of my favourite characters in a book – full stop. She’s relatable, flawed and fantastic. She doesn’t always get everything right, but she has a heart as big as the universe. Her insecurities and her troubled past, make her the fabulous person she is today. She is someone you want to be, or if you can’t be her, you want to be her best friend.

From the very first page of this book, I was quickly immersed back into the daily life of Cockleberry Bay with it’s quirky residents and businesses and couldn’t stop turning the pages. You can almost smell the salty sea air, and the delicious aromas that emanate from Rosa’s cafe down on the beach front. At one point I felt myself wanting to volunteer to look after Titch’s little boy and help her out. You feel like you are browsing the shelves in The Corner Shop, before popping up the steep staircase to the inviting flat above.

I absolutely LOVED being back in Cockleberry Bay. The series comes to a wonderful conclusion with what I consider to be the perfect ending. While I’m sad to see these characters depart from my life, maybe we’ll see another in the future at some point, but I am so interested to find out and eager to read what Nicola writes next.

This book is a brilliant read, heartwarming, feel-good, full of depth and totally and utterly full of heart.

[Deanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed in this. Quite liked the first 2. Ncie easy reads, done in a day books, but god this was boring.

The plot was bad, tying up ends that didn't need tying up, with a lot of excess drama. It was all very unbelievable. How convinient that the baby's father is the child of the newcomer, who just happens to be in town... Like you'd leave your shop with a stranger, with access to your flat and money, and just run off... Said stranger then has sex in the kitchen and you don't even mention it to him... Ritchie and Titch relationship, and Rosa and Josh come to think of it, make me sick, no-one is that sickly sweet to each other.

The narrative was the worst though. The author tried to recap the first 2 books using the characters narrative too often. No-one speaks to their best friend using full names. No-one in their 30s speaks like Rosa or Josh, or any of the other characters for that matter. No one brings up the past as often as Cockleberry bay residents.

I finished this a few days ago and have read 3 other books since then but I can't get how bad this book was out of my head so I had to come back to review it.

Oh and Alec is called Alex at one point too. Very sloppy.

[Inger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wat een fijne serie! Heerlijk leesvoer!

[Evelyn Evertsen-Romp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wat een fijne serie is dit toch, het gaat over echte mensen, met echte fouten en echte problemen en echte gouden hartjes.

Maar eh... dit omslag slaat echt helemaal nergens op, dit deel speelt zich af van oktober tot en met december :D

[Kimberley Scheenstra-Berger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Een goede afsluiter van de serie. Veel is voorspelbaar. Leuke elementen, maar kan beter uitgewerkt worden. Eigenlijk bijna zonde.

https://youtu.be/0hzOCk2nOGU

[Misfits farm · Rating 5 out of 5]

“With the revelation of more secrets from Rosa's family heritage, a new journey of unpredictable and life-changing events begins to unfold”
Rosa is heading to her shop during a storm when a woman says her grandson has been swept away. Rosa dashes and wades and rescues the child and thinks little of it. The storm has done some damage and everyone's first thoughts are to put things back to normal. Rosa is now settled into both the cafe and the shop and as starting a family with her husband Josh is on the horizon so she is wondering if it is time to pass on the shop. She was left it on the condition that it must never be sold but passed on to the right person. But who is the right person? She comes up with a novel method of doing this. Meanwhile following the storm there are charity workers clearing the beach, one of whom inveigles himself into Rosa’s life and she is not sure why, especially when some takings go missing. Josh is in America and then Rosa is a suspect in a crime. Argh! How will she sort it all out? I enjoyed this as it's far far more than the average romcom. there is a little mystery, a little romance and a smile along the way. I like Rosa as she is down to earth and tenacious. A wonderful easy read to restore your faith in human nature and leave you with a smile.
For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/
or follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog

[dorothy cannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit disappointing!

This is the third book in the trilogy. It was a bit disappointing to read as I felt that the author had fun out of plots!
I enjoyed the other books but not this one😐

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Nicola's work for a fair while now. I haven't actually managed to read every single book that she has written but I keep pace with each new book that she releases and I read her earlier work as and when I can. I love the Cockleberry Bay series and I couldn't wait to get hold of a copy of 'The Gift Of Cockleberry Bay', which is the third book in the series. 'The Gift Of Cockleberry Bay' is another amazing read from Nicola May, which I thoroughly enjoyed but more about that in a bit.
'The Gift Of Cockleberry Bay' was the sort of read that came along at the right time for me. I was in need of a fun, light hearted distraction that would whisk me away from my current worries. Well distract me it did and then some. It didn't take me long at all to get into this book. In fact by the time I got to the end of the synopsis, I knew I was going to be in for one hell of a read and that I would find it nigh on impossible to put the book to one side for any length of time. I was right on both counts. I initially picked the book up only intending to read a couple of chapters to fill in the odd half an hour, but I was still sat there reading well over 90 minutes later. I just couldn't bear to tear myself away from the story for any length of time. It was as if the book had developed a hold over me and it was a hold that I wasn't willing to break. Despite my attempts to delay how quickly I was getting through the book, I finished the book in just over 24 hours which is good going for me.
'The Gift Of Cockleberry Bay' is really well written but then I think that to be true of all of Nicola's books. Nicola grabs your attention from the start and draws you into the story. Nicola has a writing style that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact reading one of her books feels much more like a chat between friends rather than a book. I hope that makes sense. She has a way of creating lovable characters, who are impossible to dislike and who seem like friends by the time you get so far through the story. I genuinely cared about what happened to them and I had to keep reading to see what happened to them. I must admit that I had a particular fondness for Rosa's adorable Dachshund called Hot.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Gift Of Cockleberry Bay' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will definitely be reading more of Nicola's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[Nicola Parkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been everywhere with me, the living room,  kitchen, garden and even the bedroom…… thank heavens for this book at this time when everything has stopped!

I absolutely love this series and I’m sad to see it end, but all good things must come to an end and Rosa’s story has been amazing!
Like the two previous books, the third starts off with a bang! Will Rosa ever have a quiet life? She has been through so much but always finds a way, even if she take the long way round to getting there.

Now I will confess, at the start of this series I wanted to shake and slap Rosa, she always seemed set on destroying her own happiness BUT I think she needed to do that to realise that she deserves happiness. I’ve laughed and cried with this series, I’ve had to put it down at the points of Rosa’s distruction and then pick it back up once I’ve finished shaking my head.

This book wraps up all the loose ends into a nice bow. It’s full of all the emotions that I’ve grown used to with Nicola May’s writing style and the way she tells the story has you believing that you’re there with them at Cockleberry Bay.

I’ve loved guessing who gets the gift *smug grin* and I’ve loves watching the gang grow and evolve into grown ups, I’m really going to miss grabbing my coffee and catching up with the shenanigans of the Bay.

Nicola, I have loved this journey you have taken us on (and that’s from a guts and gore lover!) I look forward to seeing what you pen next, please don’t leave it for too long.

[Karen Mace · Rating 5 out of 5]

The gang are back! And I couldn’t be happier to spend time in the company of these wonderful characters and in the charming Cockleberry Bay area! Their daily goings on and drama have delighted me over the previous 2 books, and this is a fitting end to the series and left me with all the feels…. and more!

If you’ve not read the series before – why not??!!! – this can be read as a standalone, but it’s always good to know a little bit about the background of the dynamics of the characters so I’d highly recommend reading books 1 and 2 as well, so you can get the full enjoyment of the latest installment!

There’s a storm approaching the Bay in this book, and for a close knit community they are really tested with dealing with the aftermath. But it’s not all doom and gloom as there is plenty going on with the inhabitants, mainly Rosa and her husband Josh, who have big decisions ahead of them – not so easy either when Josh is having to work away in another country so often. There’s also puppies!!!

Rosa turns into a bit of a wonderwoman in this story, and I have loved seeing how her character has progressed over the books. Her relationship is always her anchor but it is never without problems – it shows her maturity in how she resolves such issues!

Having to decide on who to leave the shop to is a huge dilemma for Rosa, and I loved trying to work out who I thought would be the best new owner! This was a wonderful story that I didn’t want to end! Thank you Nicola and thank you Cockleberry Bay for keeping me so entertained throughout this series!!

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a great fan of the Cockleberry Series from Nicola May since the first book was published. I love the excellent storytelling and stunning location but my absolute favourite part of the books is the main character Rosa who always has her loyal companion Hot the Dachshund by her side.

Rosa has overcome so much in her life. Underneath her streetwise and straight-talking exterior there is a heart of gold. She doesn’t suffer fools but will go the extra mile for anyone in need of help.

In The Gift of Cockleberry Bay, we meet up again with Rosa and all the other familiar characters. Rosa’s life has improved immeasurably since she arrived in Cockleberry Bay but she still has trials and tribulations which keep you guessing. Her main problem is who to choose to take over the little shop which she inherited from her grandfather. She comes up with an ingenious and charitable way to keep the shop going whilst she concentrates on the cafe and looks forward to starting a family. Unfortunately, some people will jump at the chance to take advantage and Rosa needs to use all her skills to work out who is genuine.

This is the last in the trilogy but I can see scope for another episode at least. The characters are so entertaining and it would be lovely to see what happens next in Cockleberry Bay.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so good to journey back to Cockleberry Bay and catch up with the old faces from previous books in this series. The Gift of Cockleberry Bay is the third and final book in the series which I am absolutely gutted about, I hadn’t realised this was a trilogy.. The author does fill in some details from past books, but you really do want to read them all.

The main character is Rosa, she owns the local pet shop and also works in the cafe and the story opens with a sudden storm, a rescue and the arrival of puppies.

Cockleberry Bay also has some new arrivals and of those not all make a very good first impression. They do add a dash of colour as well as intrigue to the story. There is also various revelations and one involves a surprise from the past.

I adore this series and this latest book is one that I was eager to read. The author has pulled together a story that does have some mystery and drama and poor Rosa does have a right old time of things. She juggles so much and is pulled from pillar to post as she deals with one thing only to find herself getting her head around another.

By the end of the book I was sad to be saying goodbye to the residents of Cockleberry Bay and it did have a feeling of finality to it. I will miss the characters, but things in the story have come full circle in some ways. The shop Rosa was gifted has done its job and helped her overcome various things, it has helped to ground her and now it is time for Rosa to pay it forward.

This is such a fabulous series and this final book was a wonderful read. It is a story and series that has friendship, second chances, drama, mystery, family, secrets and truth. A book and series I would definitely recommend.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I finished this book, I had mixed feelings. I was thrilled with the way it ended and so happy for all the many characters that I have gotten to know over reading this trilogy, but sad that I will no longer get to visit Cockleberry Bay and spend time with Rosa, Titch and all the other residents. In the first book of this series, Rosa is gifted with The Corner Shop, but the proviso is that she can't sell it, but must gift it to someone worthy when she is ready to move on. In this book, we find out who will be the new owner of The Corner Shop. There are other loosed ends that are tied up and I was very pleased with how this book played out. I loved all the characters that I met along the way and the new ones that we meet in this book. It is amazing how Rosa is able to bring out the best in everyone. The same humour, sarcasm and wit is present in this book that I have come to expect in this trilogy. I also love the dogs, all the dogs. There were even a few new ones in this story, and they are all a hoot. I love their antics as well as how they complete their owners. I do not want to give away the plot of this book, but suffice it to say, that I loved this story. You will fall in love with the characters and Cockleberry Bay and I hope you all get the chance to read, not just this book, but the whole trilogy. I was gifted a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinons shared are my own.

[Janne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alustuseks ütlen, et mu meelest sarja parim osa. Rosa on lõpuks ometi suuremas jaos oma deemonid seljatanud ja suudab olla õnnelik ning Josh’i usaldada.

Mis mind veidi häiris, aga see on puhtalt tõlke teema, oli see, et ma ikka ei saa aru, mis värk nende nimedega on. Tavaliselt nimesid pigem ju ei tõlgita, aga siin olid koerad Kole, Mehine ja Kuum (Ugly, Bongo ja Hot), aga koer Brown oli ikka Brown, mitte Pruun. Aga see mu enda kiiks ilmselt ja lugu see ei muuda 😅

Ma vist ei oskagi ilma spoileriteta rohkem kirjutada midagi. Aga mõni tore üllatus oli selles raamatus küll ja mu meelest oleks see sarjale väga armas lõpp olnud. Ootan huviga, mis sinna neljandasse kirjutatakse.
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Rosa Smith, kes juhib nüüd ka edukat rannaäärset kohvikut, tunneb, et on viimaks ometi oma elu rööpasse saanud ja on aeg pärandiks saadud nurgapood edasi kinkida. Kui liikvele lähevad jutud, et Nurgapood peagi ära kingitakse, ilmub Cockleberry Bay’sse uustulnukaid, kellest mõni pole üldse usaldusväärne ja paneb ka Rosa kahtlema. Tasapisi hakkavad hargnema sündmused, mis muudavad selles mereäärses külakeses kõikide asjaosaliste elu.