What do you think?
Rate this book
St Felix
Solglimtar bland molnen
Meteorologen Sky tycker inte om överraskningar. Efter en längre tids sjukskrivning tar hon ett enkelt uppdrag på en ö utanför kuststaden St Felix i Cornwall. Där ska hon bevaka vädret efter att det inkommit en rad märkliga väderrapporter. Även om Sky egentligen är alldeles för överkvalificerad för jobbet ser hon fram emot att äntligen få börja arbeta igen. Vad hon inte har räknat med är att hon också måste samarbeta med Sonny Samuels - en självsäker och pladdrig väderpresentatör som knappt kan skilja på en storm och en tsunami.
Men snart inser Sky att det faktiskt är något skumt som pågår i St Felix. Och det handlar inte bara om vädret. Med hjälp av Sonny och Walter, en äldre amatörmeteorolog som har sina egna metoder, försöker Sky lösa mysteriet. Samtidigt måste hon hålla sin dolda sjukdom i schack och när de närmar sig gåtans lösning tvingas Sky ifrågasätta allt hon trodde att hon visste om vädret, sig själv...och Sonny.
Men snart inser Sky att det faktiskt är något skumt som pågår i St Felix. Och det handlar inte bara om vädret. Med hjälp av Sonny och Walter, en äldre amatörmeteorolog som har sina egna metoder, försöker Sky lösa mysteriet. Samtidigt måste hon hålla sin dolda sjukdom i schack och när de närmar sig gåtans lösning tvingas Sky ifrågasätta allt hon trodde att hon visste om vädret, sig själv...och Sonny.
398 pages, Hardcover
Published April 13, 2023
62 people are currently reading
583 people want to read
About the author
Ali McNamara
34 books1,273 followersAli McNamara is a writer and author.
Her debut novel, From Notting Hill with Love...Actually, the first of three 'Notting Hill' books, became an instant bestseller.
Ali has had much overseas success with her books - particularly Breakfast at Darcy's which was a Top Ten bestseller in Italy. Her novels Step Back in Time and Letters from Lighthouse Cottage were nominated for the Romantic Novel of the Year.
Ali lives in Cambridgeshire with her family and beloved dogs. In her spare time she likes to visit antique shops and people watch, more often than not accompanied by a good cup of coffee!
Ali suffers with two chronic illnesses: M.E./CFS and UCTD and is a disability and invisible disability advocate.
To find out more about Ali visit her website: www.alimcnamara.co.uk
or follow her on Twitter: @AliMcNamara, Facebook and Instagram.
Her debut novel, From Notting Hill with Love...Actually, the first of three 'Notting Hill' books, became an instant bestseller.
Ali has had much overseas success with her books - particularly Breakfast at Darcy's which was a Top Ten bestseller in Italy. Her novels Step Back in Time and Letters from Lighthouse Cottage were nominated for the Romantic Novel of the Year.
Ali lives in Cambridgeshire with her family and beloved dogs. In her spare time she likes to visit antique shops and people watch, more often than not accompanied by a good cup of coffee!
Ali suffers with two chronic illnesses: M.E./CFS and UCTD and is a disability and invisible disability advocate.
To find out more about Ali visit her website: www.alimcnamara.co.uk
or follow her on Twitter: @AliMcNamara, Facebook and Instagram.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
June 21, 2024
Meteorologist Sky Matthews is less than pleased when she misses out on the dream job abroad she wanted and is instead offered a position in Aurora, a tidal island off the Cornish harbour town of St Felix instead. She is even less impressed to find she is expected to work alongside Sonny Samuels , who is not a meteorologist but just a tv weather presenter. She does enjoy the young enthusiastic trainee Talia whose uncle lives on St Felix. Between the three of them they are to keep an eye on the local weather patterns. Add to this some strange legends regarding St Felix and the weather. And then there is Walter, a local whose views regarding weather forecasting are less than scientific. After a time Sky is forced to question everything she thought she knew about the weather. Suffering from ME, which is like chronic fatigue syndrome, she has to learn to deal with her health issues and listen to what her body is trying to tell her. She knows only too well what can happen if she doesn’t.
This is my fourth visit to the St Felix area, and I loved it. I found Sky very easy to sympathise with as she battles with her disease and the enforced changes in her life. Both the other main characters are interesting and one of them not without his own issues. I loved Walter and his nephew Fisher and Jack with his disability that keeps him in a wheelchair. Some great characters.
There is a lot about the weather that cannot be explained logically and it certainly adds to the plot. This story had me from the beginning. I wasn’t always reading fast but I was certainly turning pages quickly towards the end. I loved this novel from start to finish and would definitely recommend it as a thoughtful read dealing with the way disability are handled,a great setting and fantastic characters.
This is my fourth visit to the St Felix area, and I loved it. I found Sky very easy to sympathise with as she battles with her disease and the enforced changes in her life. Both the other main characters are interesting and one of them not without his own issues. I loved Walter and his nephew Fisher and Jack with his disability that keeps him in a wheelchair. Some great characters.
There is a lot about the weather that cannot be explained logically and it certainly adds to the plot. This story had me from the beginning. I wasn’t always reading fast but I was certainly turning pages quickly towards the end. I loved this novel from start to finish and would definitely recommend it as a thoughtful read dealing with the way disability are handled,a great setting and fantastic characters.
June 28, 2024
Cornish Clouds and Silver Lining Skies is a book in the St Felix series by British author, Ali McNamara. After almost two years of leave due to illness, meteorologist Sky Matthews is eager to get back to work, and is a bit put out when Met Central sends her to a tiny island near St Felix in Cornwall. On arrival, though, she finds Aurora, linked to the mainland at low tide by a causeway, to be quite lovely.
The house she’ll be sharing with meteorology student on work experience, Talia, is lovely: the place has been spruced up, the pantry has been stocked by the friendly caretaker, Fisher McMurray, and all the equipment she needs has been delivered. Her young Yorkie-Russell, Fitzy loves the place, and Sky decides it might all work out OK.
But then, collecting her assistant from St Felix station the next day brings an unwelcome surprise in the form of TV Weather presenter, Sonny Samuels (call me Jamie). Sharing the house with this admittedly-good-looking but way too flirty man puts her nose right out of joint. He’s supposed to help them collect data on a puzzling weather phenomenon, and he’s not even a meteorologist! Thank goodness Talia knows what she’s doing.
Sky finds the Sonny persona that Jameson Samuels projects when in public to be far too nosy, and irritating in the extreme. Jamie, she has to admit after a while, seems to be a nice guy, but she has no intention of telling him anything as he tries to probe into her life: if he or Talia know about her illness, they are sure to treat her differently. But is her insistence on keeping this secret fair? And will it backfire on her?
Meanwhile, both Sky and Jamie experience some unusual cloud formations that seem to be associated with things not weather-related; Fisher’s grandfather, known for his alternative, unscientific methods of weather prediction, tells them of the legend of Cornish sorceress, Zethar; and Jamie’s experience during a freak storm piques their interest in the tunnels once used for smuggling.
McNamara gives the reader a delightful little community of mostly friendly souls, some of whom are quick to recognise Sky’s situation, and have sound advice to offer about learning to accept help offered and being grateful that people care enough to offer it. It gives Sky a different perspective. The author’s own experience with Sky’s illness, ME (a form of chronic fatigue) lend her work an obvious authenticity. The weather aspect is kept fairly basic, and the tunnel mystery has the pages turning faster as the exciting climax approaches. Both informative and feelgood.
The house she’ll be sharing with meteorology student on work experience, Talia, is lovely: the place has been spruced up, the pantry has been stocked by the friendly caretaker, Fisher McMurray, and all the equipment she needs has been delivered. Her young Yorkie-Russell, Fitzy loves the place, and Sky decides it might all work out OK.
But then, collecting her assistant from St Felix station the next day brings an unwelcome surprise in the form of TV Weather presenter, Sonny Samuels (call me Jamie). Sharing the house with this admittedly-good-looking but way too flirty man puts her nose right out of joint. He’s supposed to help them collect data on a puzzling weather phenomenon, and he’s not even a meteorologist! Thank goodness Talia knows what she’s doing.
Sky finds the Sonny persona that Jameson Samuels projects when in public to be far too nosy, and irritating in the extreme. Jamie, she has to admit after a while, seems to be a nice guy, but she has no intention of telling him anything as he tries to probe into her life: if he or Talia know about her illness, they are sure to treat her differently. But is her insistence on keeping this secret fair? And will it backfire on her?
Meanwhile, both Sky and Jamie experience some unusual cloud formations that seem to be associated with things not weather-related; Fisher’s grandfather, known for his alternative, unscientific methods of weather prediction, tells them of the legend of Cornish sorceress, Zethar; and Jamie’s experience during a freak storm piques their interest in the tunnels once used for smuggling.
McNamara gives the reader a delightful little community of mostly friendly souls, some of whom are quick to recognise Sky’s situation, and have sound advice to offer about learning to accept help offered and being grateful that people care enough to offer it. It gives Sky a different perspective. The author’s own experience with Sky’s illness, ME (a form of chronic fatigue) lend her work an obvious authenticity. The weather aspect is kept fairly basic, and the tunnel mystery has the pages turning faster as the exciting climax approaches. Both informative and feelgood.
August 18, 2022
It’s been so long since I have read a book by Ali McNamara and after reading this brilliant new book, Cornish Clouds and Silver Lining Skies, I can’t for the life of me figure out why. I enjoyed her earlier books but for some reason she seemed to drop off my reading radar but now is very much firmly back on it. I adored every moment I spent reading this wonderful book which was full of raw emotion, romance and quite a bit of mystery along the way too. After reading this book, I discovered the setting of St. Felix and some of the characters that are mentioned here featured in several of the author’s latest books but I didn’t feel in any way that I had missed out in not reading these. In fact, it just made me want to go back and read more of this stunning and special setting and I am so glad I have a nice little back catalogue which allows me to do so. This is a book where I didn’t feel like leaving the characters or the setting of the tidal island Aurora behind once I had finished. Everything about it quickly gets under your skin and I found myself not wanting to set the book down for any reason so enraptured was I by the plot, the gently simmering romance and the fact that I felt that I had escaped from the real world for a pleasurable couple of hours in the company of Sky, Talia and Sonny and of course not forgetting their two canine companions.
Sky is a meteorologist, which was so refreshing to have a main character with such an interesting career, and the themes of weather and forecasting were intertwined with the main plot so perfectly throughout the entire book. I was fascinated by all the meteorological details and it was evident the author had done lots of research. Sky has been on extended leave due to ill health and now she has to prove herself to the bosses at Met Central that she is ready to come back to work. But in order to do this she has to take a temporary position on the island of Aurora just off the coast of the village of St.Felix. There have been lots of strange goings on with regard to the weather there and she needs to get to the bottom of it. She feels it’s a bit of a downgrade from the work she is used to but she understands she needs to prove that she can do her job or else her career will slowly start to slip away from her grasp.
The weather itself played such an important role throughout the story. It was like a separate character itself and I’ll say there were magical elements here where you need to suspend your disbelief and normally I would throw my eyes up to heaven and scoff at some of the things that happened throughout the book but the author really made it work. It felt believable and it was if everything that was occurring could happen in real life and without the presence of this element I don’t think Sky would have gone on the incredible journey that she undertook. It could have been laughable and made me want to skip over some parts of the book instead it was the complete opposite and I never thought I would be saying that.
Sky is very career driven and wants to be the best at everything in her field. She won’t stop until something is completed to the best of her ability. She knows every little detail when it comes to the weather and prides herself on always getting things right. Right from the start Sky’s dedication and passion shine through and never waver and due to her personal circumstances these traits are tested time and time again the further the book progresses. I loved Sky as a character, she was so perfectly written and I could definitely see characteristics of myself within her but at the same time the reader could see fairly early on that she is struggling with something. She doesn’t want to admit defeat or that she is flawed or weak in any way and will never accept help though it becomes fairly obvious that she will need to at some point as she learns to deal with her new situation and to come to know and embrace the new version of herself.
Sky has an illness, the details of which she is reluctant to share with anybody for she sees that as admitting that she is vulnerable. She comes across as being uptight and a perfectionist and unwilling to relent the reins of control over to anybody else. You could say she needs to loosen up but that’s easy enough to say but unless you have walked in her shoes. It’s not that straightforward especially when you are so accustomed to being in control of all aspects of your life. Her illness has made her weak, both physically and emotionally, and she does her best to hide it at all times but this new job will test her to her very limits and maybe now the time has come where she has to open up and admit that a problem shared is a problem solved and help is always out there if she needs it.
As Sky arrives in St.Felix, she knows she has been given another chance and she shouldn’t waste it. Life is for living not for worrying about what might happen. She is ready to embrace this attitude and enjoy her time on the island recording and predicting the forecast. It will give her time to think and heal and hopefully prove she is ready to go back to work full time. But all that is up scuttled when she discovers as well as having Talia as an assistant (which she didn’t mind at all) there is to be a new addition in the form of TV weatherman Sonny Samuels who arrives to join her and boy could she never have predicted this happening. How is Sky going to get through the next few months with such an arrogant man who is not even a qualified meteorologist and even worse that she will have to share the small house on the island with him? This was not in her plans at all and she can’t help but let her feelings be known through her thoughts and actions. It seems like she will just have to put up with him and make it through as best she can as well as keeping her weaknesses hidden as much as possible.
Until you get to know Sky as a character, and she reveals more about herself, you do think she overreacts big time when she meets Sonny. But then you slowly come to learn the reasons why she did so and you gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of her. Sonny, who prefers to be known as Jamie off screen, may have a brash and loud exterior when he is front of the camera or meeting fans but underneath it all he too is hiding something and hurting. He comes across as loud and energetic and eager to work alongside Sky observing the weather and trying to understand the strange weather patterns a phenomena. Whereas Sky feels like he sails through life with no problems at all and that he loves to antagonise her. Really she read him the wrong way completely and I think that’s because of the way she was feeling regarding her illness and what it meant for her life. She thinks the time spent on the island will be a battle and a fight between her and Jamie but I was hoping she would be proved wrong.
As well as the more personal side of both Sky and Jamie’s personal journey’s the author wove a fabulous mystery alongside their emotional issues and problems. I never expected to have a mystery/intrigue element in a book in this genre but boy was it welcome because it was so brilliantly connected to the overall storyline and I was as keen as Sky and Jamie to discover the truth behind what was going on in St.Felix. I found it worked perfectly alongside all the themes being explored in the story and I felt a bit like a super sleuth trying to decipher what little cues and titbits were actually relevant and would there be an actual concrete explanation for all the perplexing things going on?
I also loved trying to figure out who may have featured in previous books as there were quite a few characters who make appearances and I could sense that there was some backstory to some of them. I loved how they helped Sky and gave good advice when needed and slowly but surely she relinquishes her personal fight and starts to embrace her new life. At the same time she grows stronger in more ways than one and becomes determined to find the root cause of the unexplained events that are starting to cause anguish for some of the residents in St. Felix. A dramatic climax had me racing through to the final pages and the ending was deeply satisfying. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Cornish Clouds and Silver Lining Skies. It has been the highlight of my summer reading and I sincerely hope it finds its way to lots of readers as it was a highly impressive and entertaining read.
Sky is a meteorologist, which was so refreshing to have a main character with such an interesting career, and the themes of weather and forecasting were intertwined with the main plot so perfectly throughout the entire book. I was fascinated by all the meteorological details and it was evident the author had done lots of research. Sky has been on extended leave due to ill health and now she has to prove herself to the bosses at Met Central that she is ready to come back to work. But in order to do this she has to take a temporary position on the island of Aurora just off the coast of the village of St.Felix. There have been lots of strange goings on with regard to the weather there and she needs to get to the bottom of it. She feels it’s a bit of a downgrade from the work she is used to but she understands she needs to prove that she can do her job or else her career will slowly start to slip away from her grasp.
The weather itself played such an important role throughout the story. It was like a separate character itself and I’ll say there were magical elements here where you need to suspend your disbelief and normally I would throw my eyes up to heaven and scoff at some of the things that happened throughout the book but the author really made it work. It felt believable and it was if everything that was occurring could happen in real life and without the presence of this element I don’t think Sky would have gone on the incredible journey that she undertook. It could have been laughable and made me want to skip over some parts of the book instead it was the complete opposite and I never thought I would be saying that.
Sky is very career driven and wants to be the best at everything in her field. She won’t stop until something is completed to the best of her ability. She knows every little detail when it comes to the weather and prides herself on always getting things right. Right from the start Sky’s dedication and passion shine through and never waver and due to her personal circumstances these traits are tested time and time again the further the book progresses. I loved Sky as a character, she was so perfectly written and I could definitely see characteristics of myself within her but at the same time the reader could see fairly early on that she is struggling with something. She doesn’t want to admit defeat or that she is flawed or weak in any way and will never accept help though it becomes fairly obvious that she will need to at some point as she learns to deal with her new situation and to come to know and embrace the new version of herself.
Sky has an illness, the details of which she is reluctant to share with anybody for she sees that as admitting that she is vulnerable. She comes across as being uptight and a perfectionist and unwilling to relent the reins of control over to anybody else. You could say she needs to loosen up but that’s easy enough to say but unless you have walked in her shoes. It’s not that straightforward especially when you are so accustomed to being in control of all aspects of your life. Her illness has made her weak, both physically and emotionally, and she does her best to hide it at all times but this new job will test her to her very limits and maybe now the time has come where she has to open up and admit that a problem shared is a problem solved and help is always out there if she needs it.
As Sky arrives in St.Felix, she knows she has been given another chance and she shouldn’t waste it. Life is for living not for worrying about what might happen. She is ready to embrace this attitude and enjoy her time on the island recording and predicting the forecast. It will give her time to think and heal and hopefully prove she is ready to go back to work full time. But all that is up scuttled when she discovers as well as having Talia as an assistant (which she didn’t mind at all) there is to be a new addition in the form of TV weatherman Sonny Samuels who arrives to join her and boy could she never have predicted this happening. How is Sky going to get through the next few months with such an arrogant man who is not even a qualified meteorologist and even worse that she will have to share the small house on the island with him? This was not in her plans at all and she can’t help but let her feelings be known through her thoughts and actions. It seems like she will just have to put up with him and make it through as best she can as well as keeping her weaknesses hidden as much as possible.
Until you get to know Sky as a character, and she reveals more about herself, you do think she overreacts big time when she meets Sonny. But then you slowly come to learn the reasons why she did so and you gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of her. Sonny, who prefers to be known as Jamie off screen, may have a brash and loud exterior when he is front of the camera or meeting fans but underneath it all he too is hiding something and hurting. He comes across as loud and energetic and eager to work alongside Sky observing the weather and trying to understand the strange weather patterns a phenomena. Whereas Sky feels like he sails through life with no problems at all and that he loves to antagonise her. Really she read him the wrong way completely and I think that’s because of the way she was feeling regarding her illness and what it meant for her life. She thinks the time spent on the island will be a battle and a fight between her and Jamie but I was hoping she would be proved wrong.
As well as the more personal side of both Sky and Jamie’s personal journey’s the author wove a fabulous mystery alongside their emotional issues and problems. I never expected to have a mystery/intrigue element in a book in this genre but boy was it welcome because it was so brilliantly connected to the overall storyline and I was as keen as Sky and Jamie to discover the truth behind what was going on in St.Felix. I found it worked perfectly alongside all the themes being explored in the story and I felt a bit like a super sleuth trying to decipher what little cues and titbits were actually relevant and would there be an actual concrete explanation for all the perplexing things going on?
I also loved trying to figure out who may have featured in previous books as there were quite a few characters who make appearances and I could sense that there was some backstory to some of them. I loved how they helped Sky and gave good advice when needed and slowly but surely she relinquishes her personal fight and starts to embrace her new life. At the same time she grows stronger in more ways than one and becomes determined to find the root cause of the unexplained events that are starting to cause anguish for some of the residents in St. Felix. A dramatic climax had me racing through to the final pages and the ending was deeply satisfying. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Cornish Clouds and Silver Lining Skies. It has been the highlight of my summer reading and I sincerely hope it finds its way to lots of readers as it was a highly impressive and entertaining read.
July 31, 2022
I love this author and have read many books by her! They are all filled with a magical and mysterious element, and this book is no different! We meet Sky Matthews, a meteorologist who is sent to monitor the weather in the little Cornish seaside village of St Felix. Expecting to be living and working with trainee Talia, Sky also discovers that TV weatherman Sonny Samuels is also part of the weather monitoring group! Based in a house on Aurora Island, Sky watches strange goings-on with the clouds in the sky. Is she imagining it, or are the clouds trying to tell her something?
This was a delightful read! Firstly, the location was beautiful! Who couldn’t be captivated by the pretty little seaside village of St Felix! The author’s descriptions brought wonderful images to my mind as I read, and I honestly felt like I was right there by the harbour! The storyline was also captivating, grabbing my attention from the first page and not letting up until the very end! Sky Matthews is a likeable character, but it’s clear that there are things going on in her life which we don’t know about at the beginning of the book. Similarly with Sonny (or Jamie as he’s known off camera!) who also has many issues which we don’t get to find out about immediately! Sky, for me, took a little warming to though. She is lovely and a very dedicated meteorologist, but her health issues have obviously turned her into someone she doesn’t want to be. I loved Jamie though, he was so much nicer and genuine as Jamie, although I did enjoy the Sonny smile which he gave out for the camera!
The storyline was enchanting – there is obviously something mystical happening in St Felix, and it was wonderful to unravel what it was along with the characters. The weather topic was interesting, and I found myself caught up in the mysteries of clouds, wind and rain! All of the supporting characters played their role well within the storyline and there were some you were just meant to love and some you were meant to hate! It was lovely to see some characters from the other books back for a cameo role and it was particularly fun to catch up with Kate and Jack from one of the other books.
I loved everything about this book from the location and the characters, right through to the magic which is sprinkled throughout the pages! There’s not only lots of mystery, intrigue, romance and friendship, but a sensitive look at disabilities and in particular invisible illnesses. Wonderfully mind-opening, beautifully magical and hopelessly romantic! Would recommend!!
This was a delightful read! Firstly, the location was beautiful! Who couldn’t be captivated by the pretty little seaside village of St Felix! The author’s descriptions brought wonderful images to my mind as I read, and I honestly felt like I was right there by the harbour! The storyline was also captivating, grabbing my attention from the first page and not letting up until the very end! Sky Matthews is a likeable character, but it’s clear that there are things going on in her life which we don’t know about at the beginning of the book. Similarly with Sonny (or Jamie as he’s known off camera!) who also has many issues which we don’t get to find out about immediately! Sky, for me, took a little warming to though. She is lovely and a very dedicated meteorologist, but her health issues have obviously turned her into someone she doesn’t want to be. I loved Jamie though, he was so much nicer and genuine as Jamie, although I did enjoy the Sonny smile which he gave out for the camera!
The storyline was enchanting – there is obviously something mystical happening in St Felix, and it was wonderful to unravel what it was along with the characters. The weather topic was interesting, and I found myself caught up in the mysteries of clouds, wind and rain! All of the supporting characters played their role well within the storyline and there were some you were just meant to love and some you were meant to hate! It was lovely to see some characters from the other books back for a cameo role and it was particularly fun to catch up with Kate and Jack from one of the other books.
I loved everything about this book from the location and the characters, right through to the magic which is sprinkled throughout the pages! There’s not only lots of mystery, intrigue, romance and friendship, but a sensitive look at disabilities and in particular invisible illnesses. Wonderfully mind-opening, beautifully magical and hopelessly romantic! Would recommend!!
August 24, 2022
Never judge a book by its cover similar to the theme do not judge a person solely on their disability (hidden, visible and everything inbetween). It started a little slower for me than previous Ali McNamara books then got increasingly better and better. A light read highlighting disabilities faced everyday by real people. I loved how Jamie dealt with Sky's illness showing he is much more behind is ego of Sonny Samuel's.
January 26, 2023
I am so happy I read this book! It was so different from other chicklit books I have read so far. I was happy to be with the main characters on this little cornish island watching the weather. It was so relaxing! But not so relaxing in the end! There is so so much going on in this book (maybe a little too much and that's why I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5). There is a lot of mysterious things going on. The weather around the island is strange, the clouds can also be very strange, the inhabitants of the village on the coast are all mysterious. Because of all these mysteries, this book is a page-turner, you really want to know what's going on there! Also it's important to say that on this book, the main character is a strong woman who is living with a serious illness and I thought it was good to see a not so perfect main character for once! Now I can't wait to read another book by Ali McNamara!!!!!
September 14, 2022
Sometimes there is nothing better than a feel good romance. I managed to grab this cutie in Sainsbury’s and although I enjoyed the last half of the book and the premise sounded great I found the storyline very rushed and the main character way too uptight.
What I liked:
- St Felix, beautiful setting and I could just imagine walking down by the beach
- 'Sonny's character development
- Walter - beautiful character which every good feel good romance should have
- The mystery
What I disliked (prepare yourself for a bit of contradiction):
- Sky. The word "uptight" is too weak to describe the way she behaves. I understood Sky was dealing with trauma but the way she behaved towards people didn't really show her as an educated and particularly good person and I also didn't buy her jump from one extreme to the other
- "Sonny". I did enjoy the person Sonny became but I think there was too much left unanswered about his divorce and about his other personality. I also wish we were provided better closure regarding how his wife got away with sending him to Cornwall and what "negative newspapers stories" was he talking about when he was trying to explain himself to Sky.
- The unsolved mystery and lack of closure.
I normally love Ali McNamara stories but this unfortunately felt a bit rushed.
What I liked:
- St Felix, beautiful setting and I could just imagine walking down by the beach
- 'Sonny's character development
- Walter - beautiful character which every good feel good romance should have
- The mystery
What I disliked (prepare yourself for a bit of contradiction):
- Sky. The word "uptight" is too weak to describe the way she behaves. I understood Sky was dealing with trauma but the way she behaved towards people didn't really show her as an educated and particularly good person and I also didn't buy her jump from one extreme to the other
- "Sonny". I did enjoy the person Sonny became but I think there was too much left unanswered about his divorce and about his other personality. I also wish we were provided better closure regarding how his wife got away with sending him to Cornwall and what "negative newspapers stories" was he talking about when he was trying to explain himself to Sky.
- The unsolved mystery and lack of closure.
I normally love Ali McNamara stories but this unfortunately felt a bit rushed.
January 21, 2024
As light reads go this was enjoyable enough, and given the number of reviews saying this isn't one of the author's better books, I'd probably give another one a try .....
The characters were ok, although (as it looks like she did for a few readers) Sky's behaviour made me roll my eyes quite a lot.... there's a fine line between strong female lead and someone who frequently I found rude, ungracious, at times condescending, not to mention stubborn-minded to the point of being something of a liability ... which actually I suppose is fine if that's the character you want to portray, but I wasn't convinced that it was. I actually didn't mind the Sonny/Jamie character, whose dual persona I thought was believable ...... but was I the only person irked by the number of times he winks? Is winking at women making a comeback and I just didn't notice?
Seriously, and on the more positive side, unlike some I didn't have an issue with the sections explaining the character's disability or its impact; although ME has been a recognised condition for a long time, it's not a condition we hear much about and I suspect lots of people don't know much about it. I see that some people thought the focus on this got in the way of the story. Personally, I don't think it did, and plenty of authors have used their novels to address some pretty weighty issues; I actually thought the author handled this well, but I did think the main section on the issue was rather late in the book, by which point my main interest was in how the main mysteries would be resolved .... and that, sadly, is where I was a bit disappointed, and why my rating dropped to a 3-star.
At the end of the day, I was only looking for or expecting light reading, and I'd say it delivered as overall I did enjoy reading this book, but even so it seemed as though the two big storylines - the criminal activities and the weather anomalies - just sort of fizzled out, leaving lots of unanswered questions. I'm afraid I agree with the several reviewers who suggest that the end seemed perhaps a little rushed and maybe it needed just a bit better finishing off, which I think would have made for a more satisfying ending. However, the development of relationships and love stories, which I guess was the third big theme, set amidst the context of the various circumstances (Sky's ME, Jamie's divorce, the unfolding mysteries etc) was enjoyable, albeit it all ended fairly predictably .... but hey, apparently it was predicted in the clouds, and I'm all in for books sometimes giving us the happy endings life doesn't always deliver!
The characters were ok, although (as it looks like she did for a few readers) Sky's behaviour made me roll my eyes quite a lot.... there's a fine line between strong female lead and someone who frequently I found rude, ungracious, at times condescending, not to mention stubborn-minded to the point of being something of a liability ... which actually I suppose is fine if that's the character you want to portray, but I wasn't convinced that it was. I actually didn't mind the Sonny/Jamie character, whose dual persona I thought was believable ...... but was I the only person irked by the number of times he winks? Is winking at women making a comeback and I just didn't notice?
Seriously, and on the more positive side, unlike some I didn't have an issue with the sections explaining the character's disability or its impact; although ME has been a recognised condition for a long time, it's not a condition we hear much about and I suspect lots of people don't know much about it. I see that some people thought the focus on this got in the way of the story. Personally, I don't think it did, and plenty of authors have used their novels to address some pretty weighty issues; I actually thought the author handled this well, but I did think the main section on the issue was rather late in the book, by which point my main interest was in how the main mysteries would be resolved .... and that, sadly, is where I was a bit disappointed, and why my rating dropped to a 3-star.
At the end of the day, I was only looking for or expecting light reading, and I'd say it delivered as overall I did enjoy reading this book, but even so it seemed as though the two big storylines - the criminal activities and the weather anomalies - just sort of fizzled out, leaving lots of unanswered questions. I'm afraid I agree with the several reviewers who suggest that the end seemed perhaps a little rushed and maybe it needed just a bit better finishing off, which I think would have made for a more satisfying ending. However, the development of relationships and love stories, which I guess was the third big theme, set amidst the context of the various circumstances (Sky's ME, Jamie's divorce, the unfolding mysteries etc) was enjoyable, albeit it all ended fairly predictably .... but hey, apparently it was predicted in the clouds, and I'm all in for books sometimes giving us the happy endings life doesn't always deliver!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2023
Jag vet inte om det är översättningen eller författaren men nästa gång när säger att språket inte spelar roll i underhållningslitteratur ska jag tänka på den här och skratta mig till döds.
Read
May 14, 2023Jag älskar historierna om St.Felix! Denna fjärde bok, handlar om Sky, Jamie, Talia, Fisher och Walter och jag gillar dem alla. Tycker Ali hittar så fina karaktärer i sina böcker
August 23, 2022
CORNISH CLOUDS AND SILVER LINING SKIES
BY
ALI MCNAMARA.
It’s a happy time of year when a new Ali McNamara book is released. Always full of sunshine and a little magic, her books are reliably something special.
So, does Cornish Clouds And Silver Lining Skies live up to its predecessors?
Well, yes indeed it does.
Skye is a meteorologist, sent to St Felix in Cornwall, where she is stationed on the small island of Aurora to monitor some unusual weather patterns in the area.
Unexpectedly, and much to Sky’s irritation, she is joined by tv weatherman Sonny Samuels who needs to lie low for a while.
Sonny is a big personality who attracts attention. When he is not being Sonny, his real name is Jamie. Jamie is a completely different character, but even so, he has to work hard to prove himself to Sky.
Sky is very efficient and believes in science. As we know, science and logic don’t always apply in the town of St Felix, but can Sky accept what she is seeing with her own eyes? And can she accept that Jamie is not Sonny?
Sky is also trying to hide a chronic health condition from her new friends in St Felix. Of course, secrets don’t stay secret for long.
On top of all this, it seems that there is some foul play afoot in the town. When The Famous Five and Scooby-Doo are unavailable, can Sky, Jamie and their friends work out what’s going on? And consign this mystery to history.
This book is a lovely read. It has some endearing characters both old and new. Not forgetting those with four paws, who are adorable.
Ali McNamara has used her own experience well to incorporate ME into the story. It’s refreshing to see a main character with a chronic health condition. At several points in the book, I was so immersed in Sky’s story that I almost forgot the rest of the plot.
This book has a lot going on. It’s full of warmth, friendship and romance. It has a wonderful feel of community and one big mystery to solve. It also highlights some of the realities of living with a chronic illness.
Of course it wouldn’t be a trip to St Felix or indeed any book by Ali McNamara without a dusting of magic and unexplainable goings on.
This is a well crafted story and a true delight to read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Out now on all formats.
With grateful thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group Uk for a digital arc of this title.
August 4, 2022
Oh, how lovely it is to be back in St Felix again. I love this setting so much, and the little bits of magic that happen there. Each time it’s a little different, but it’s always wonderful!
This story focuses on Sky, a meteorologist who is sent there to study the peculiar weather patterns that sometimes occur. I loved the island of Aurora, what a wonderful (though slightly inconvenient) place to live!
It was great to see a main character who has my disability. It almost never comes up in happy, fictional books, and I’ve never read one where the main character had it before. I felt like it was a good and realistic portrayal of someone who has ME moderate/mildly (like many illnesses it varies a lot) and is not really comfortable with it, and trying to hide it from those around them.
I also loved that Sky is a meteorologist, weather physics was one of my favourite modules at university. It was so much fun to read a book that’s centred around a favourite topic.
I thought Jamie was a great character too, though I guessed he had dyslexia from pretty early on. The two main characters both hiding a disability in this way made a wonderful symmetry. I very much enjoyed their love story, and the way they struggled to find a balance between Jamie supporting Sky, but not taking decisions out of her hands. It’s a difficult balance to find, but I feel like there’s definitely hope that their relationship might last.
Other than the romance(s), this is rather an exciting plot, there’s even a secret tunnel! I can’t really say more without spoilers, but it was a lot of fun.
Overall, this was another brilliant, romantic, and magical story from a favourite author. I loved it.
TW: Chronic illness (ME).
I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own.
This story focuses on Sky, a meteorologist who is sent there to study the peculiar weather patterns that sometimes occur. I loved the island of Aurora, what a wonderful (though slightly inconvenient) place to live!
It was great to see a main character who has my disability. It almost never comes up in happy, fictional books, and I’ve never read one where the main character had it before. I felt like it was a good and realistic portrayal of someone who has ME moderate/mildly (like many illnesses it varies a lot) and is not really comfortable with it, and trying to hide it from those around them.
I also loved that Sky is a meteorologist, weather physics was one of my favourite modules at university. It was so much fun to read a book that’s centred around a favourite topic.
I thought Jamie was a great character too, though I guessed he had dyslexia from pretty early on. The two main characters both hiding a disability in this way made a wonderful symmetry. I very much enjoyed their love story, and the way they struggled to find a balance between Jamie supporting Sky, but not taking decisions out of her hands. It’s a difficult balance to find, but I feel like there’s definitely hope that their relationship might last.
Other than the romance(s), this is rather an exciting plot, there’s even a secret tunnel! I can’t really say more without spoilers, but it was a lot of fun.
Overall, this was another brilliant, romantic, and magical story from a favourite author. I loved it.
TW: Chronic illness (ME).
I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own.
August 21, 2022
Once again Ali McNamara brings her book to life and the reader goes on a heavenly journey. I could envisage the wonderful location of St Felix in Cornwall. Characters were so believable. Sky, the main character, is a meteorologist and due to ill health is sent to Cornwall to find out what is going on. There have been many strange weather happenings being recorded. The property is on a tidal island, Aurora, and the only access to the main land, when the tide is in, is by boat. Expecting a young girl to be helping her to collect the data she is rather thrown when she goes to meet her and there is a young man with her, who has been asked to help too. As she doesn’t take change very well, she is a little off with him. Once back at the property she phones her boss to find out why she hadn’t been informed of the change. Sonny Samuels, a TV presenter, comes across as a bit of a big head. When he reverts to the true him, Jamie, he completely changes and turns Sky into a whirl.
Walter is a typical Cornish old gentleman. Full of life and loves a good chit chat and spreading the past of St Felix. Such a loveable character.
Full of Cornish folklore and smuggling stories you will not be disappointed. Even a little bit of mystery. This is so well written and I can feel Sky’s pain when she has her really bad days, and unable to move. No-one is aware of the reason she is always so tired.
Ali McNamara has got the portrayal of ME down to a T. How people want to hide their disability from everyone, however things don’t always work out the way you want them to. Thank you NetGalley and Ali McNamara for allowing me to read this and to give an honest review.
Walter is a typical Cornish old gentleman. Full of life and loves a good chit chat and spreading the past of St Felix. Such a loveable character.
Full of Cornish folklore and smuggling stories you will not be disappointed. Even a little bit of mystery. This is so well written and I can feel Sky’s pain when she has her really bad days, and unable to move. No-one is aware of the reason she is always so tired.
Ali McNamara has got the portrayal of ME down to a T. How people want to hide their disability from everyone, however things don’t always work out the way you want them to. Thank you NetGalley and Ali McNamara for allowing me to read this and to give an honest review.
August 9, 2022
I've loved every one of Ali's books and this is another to add to the long line of wonderful reads. Enchanting, magical and with a little mystery to keep me guessing. The location is the beautiful fictional island of Aurora at St. Felix in Cornwall. The characters (with a very few exceptions) are all lovely. Sky, the meteorologist Jamie (aka Sammy - when he's on tv), Talia the young female meteorologist-in-training and wise old Walter. I loved every one of them. Not forgetting the two delightful dogs who I adored. The island of Aurora holds some very fascinating secrets and I loved the journey towards finding out what was going on in this pretty and unspoilt part of Cornwall. The magical skies that gave their own messages were a special part of the story. Another important aspect of the book is a subject that the author deals with in a very knowledgeable and sensitive manner and that involves what is often referred to as an 'invisible illness.' I found this most informative and enlightening. All in all this is yet another cracking story that I thoroughly enjoyed and will recommend to all fans of Ali Mcnamara both old and new. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
August 17, 2022
I really love Ali McNamara's books and I was delighted to receive an early preview copy of this book. In this book we return to St. Felix a fictional town in Cornwall where magical things happen. We meet up with some of the characters from the previous books, but this can be read as a standalone novel. The main characters in this book are Sky and Jamie who are new characters. This book highlights invisible illnesses and how they can affect someone. Sky has M.E. and is returning to work after a long absence. As someone who has an invisible illness I was able to relate to some of the difficulties that Sky faces and the ongoing challenges of living with pain and fatigue. I think that this is an important issue to right about as it is a subject that is often overlooked and misunderstood. I really enjoyed reading this book and revisiting St. Felix. It is a fun and entertaing read. The weather related storyline was interesting. I am looking forward to reading Ali McNamara's next book. Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.
July 31, 2022
A pleasant and much welcome return to the Cornish seaside and the town of St Felix. With a few characters from previous books making a guest appearance!
Sky is a meteorologist and has been sent to Aurora, a tidal island, off the coast of St Felix to monitor the weather as some strange readings have been recorded there. She is accompanied by her small dog Fitz. She is expecting a student to hell her but is completely thrown when weather personality, Sonny Samuels, is thrown into the mix! Sonny is a presenter of the weather but has no qualifications etc with regards to the warmer much to Sky’s disgust!
During their time on the island they witness some strange goings-on and this freaks Sky out as she thinks there should be a scientific explanation for everything.
Once again St Felix weaves it’s magical powers.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Sky is a meteorologist and has been sent to Aurora, a tidal island, off the coast of St Felix to monitor the weather as some strange readings have been recorded there. She is accompanied by her small dog Fitz. She is expecting a student to hell her but is completely thrown when weather personality, Sonny Samuels, is thrown into the mix! Sonny is a presenter of the weather but has no qualifications etc with regards to the warmer much to Sky’s disgust!
During their time on the island they witness some strange goings-on and this freaks Sky out as she thinks there should be a scientific explanation for everything.
Once again St Felix weaves it’s magical powers.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2022
Another wonderful trip to St Felix in Cornwall and the fabulous community there, from Ali McNamara. Great to hear about a couple of characters from previous St Felix books!!
Sky has had a difficult time, but is set to prove herself in a new job just offshore in St Felix. As a meteorologist she has been sent to check out the weird weather patterns, but finds and discovers so much more!!
Brilliant read, learnt alot about weather, but more importantly about invisible disability. Well written, great story, great romance, great history and of course weather!! The characters are wonderful, easy to recognise and to be transported to this amazing place.
Thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended!!! Easy 5 star read!!
Thank you NetGalley for the early read!! Loved it!!!
Sky has had a difficult time, but is set to prove herself in a new job just offshore in St Felix. As a meteorologist she has been sent to check out the weird weather patterns, but finds and discovers so much more!!
Brilliant read, learnt alot about weather, but more importantly about invisible disability. Well written, great story, great romance, great history and of course weather!! The characters are wonderful, easy to recognise and to be transported to this amazing place.
Thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended!!! Easy 5 star read!!
Thank you NetGalley for the early read!! Loved it!!!
August 11, 2022
Ali McNamara has excelled again! Every book that I’ve read of hers has me engrossed after the first page and I find it hard to put down, this book was no exception! This book explores difficulties that people face in their daily living. I’m looking forward to reading her next book!
Another great read by Ali McNamara.
Fabulous portrayal of hidden difficulties people face in every day life. Really enjoyed reading it
Another great read by Ali McNamara.
Fabulous portrayal of hidden difficulties people face in every day life. Really enjoyed reading it
August 19, 2022
We are back in St Felix in the beautiful Cornwall. This book we meet Sky who is hiding a secret from everyone and is there to complete work based on the weather.
Jamie a weather presenter is thrown into the mix and their friendship begins to form.
Imagine discovering that you've got more in common than you thought.
A beautiful book and a lovely escape to Cornwall with characters you fall in love with.
Jamie a weather presenter is thrown into the mix and their friendship begins to form.
Imagine discovering that you've got more in common than you thought.
A beautiful book and a lovely escape to Cornwall with characters you fall in love with.
June 14, 2023
I normally enjoy books by Ali McNamara but this book just made me angry. Sky, one of the main characters, was just so dull and full of self-pity, and it just spoilt the whole book. Between her 'big secret' and Jamie's, it was just boring. Neither of their secrets were a big deal and it took up the whole book .
I was also sick of how Sky treated people, and how she spoke to them, like she was more important and their problems didn't matter because her was bigger !
I was also sick of how Sky treated people, and how she spoke to them, like she was more important and their problems didn't matter because her was bigger !
September 1, 2022
Another gorgeous summer read from Ali McNamara. I was particularly delighted to see the main character's disability handled so sensitively. Disabled characters will help increase people's awareness and make us feel more 'mainstream'.
October 31, 2022
Couldn’t get into this I read the first chapter and lost interest.
February 22, 2025
Ok. It was a good book, entertaining with its fair love and magic quota but it was nothing compared to the first one I have read of the series (the Kate and Clara’s craft shop one).
I love how Ali McNamara can be so simple and human in her books, so I do review this books as an “approved” one but I don’t feel it was “spectacular”.
I couldn’t relate much to Sky, the protagonist, not because I considered her different from me (all the contrary, I think I have much in common with her), I just couldn’t get past her stubbornness. I didn’t like how she acted sometimes, specially toward Jamie, and even tho she has some development as character I think it was really vague. She keeps making the same mistakes (such as not communicating properly and making unnecessary drama) and being sometimes really insensitive. So she, as the protagonist, was reason enough to leave out a star from the book.
I loved Jamie as romantic interest, I like how he was portrayed and his backstory. I feel he needed to have some better monologue about his “Sonny” persona and how does that impact on him. I hated that everyone kept saying they didn’t like Sonny, when Sonny was him but as a public persona. I mean, famous people have this “mask” for the public, but they’re still themselves. So I didn’t like this dilemma much. Especially when Jamie hadn’t said much about this.
Nonetheless, the story was great, it was interesting tho a little intricate. The magic simple but awesome. The other characters were as lovable as many others. I LOVED THE APPEARANCE OF JACK AND KATE!!! and especially how Jack helps Sky somehow to her character development.
Anyway. It was a good book, maybe I’m just reading to much into the psychological aspects of its characters (Jamie especially) but it was entertaining and cute most of it. I think Ali McNamara (and St Felix) has a way to get into your heart, one way or another.
I love how Ali McNamara can be so simple and human in her books, so I do review this books as an “approved” one but I don’t feel it was “spectacular”.
I couldn’t relate much to Sky, the protagonist, not because I considered her different from me (all the contrary, I think I have much in common with her), I just couldn’t get past her stubbornness. I didn’t like how she acted sometimes, specially toward Jamie, and even tho she has some development as character I think it was really vague. She keeps making the same mistakes (such as not communicating properly and making unnecessary drama) and being sometimes really insensitive. So she, as the protagonist, was reason enough to leave out a star from the book.
I loved Jamie as romantic interest, I like how he was portrayed and his backstory. I feel he needed to have some better monologue about his “Sonny” persona and how does that impact on him. I hated that everyone kept saying they didn’t like Sonny, when Sonny was him but as a public persona. I mean, famous people have this “mask” for the public, but they’re still themselves. So I didn’t like this dilemma much. Especially when Jamie hadn’t said much about this.
Nonetheless, the story was great, it was interesting tho a little intricate. The magic simple but awesome. The other characters were as lovable as many others. I LOVED THE APPEARANCE OF JACK AND KATE!!! and especially how Jack helps Sky somehow to her character development.
Anyway. It was a good book, maybe I’m just reading to much into the psychological aspects of its characters (Jamie especially) but it was entertaining and cute most of it. I think Ali McNamara (and St Felix) has a way to get into your heart, one way or another.
August 8, 2024
Вторая книга у автора, такой же простенький чиклит, но её вытянули несколько фишек, так что, в отличие от Магазинчика, Облака я дочитала, но с автором всё равно завязываю - слишком уж просто пишет.
Герои вполне симпатичные и не слишком раздражающие. Она пытается жить с миалгическим энцефаломиелитом, также известным как синдром повышенной усталости, и он показан как настоящая инвалидность, из-за которой героине приходится пропустить чуть ли не весь финал, потому что у неё нет на него сил, и характер у неё выписан неплохо, чувствуется вот эта вспыльчивость из-за отсутствия сил на общение. Герой живёт с дислексией, которая хоть и кажется не самой большой проблемой, тоже солидно повлияла на его жизнь и выбор карьеры.
Но я совсем не уверена, насколько хорошо автор показала эти проблемы, потому что тот кусочек, в котором я понимаю чуть больше, работа героини метеорологом, выписана очень слабенько - только немного забавный неймдроппинг облаков, самых простых приборов, и описания снятия показаниями буквально словами “я снимала показания, они были странными”, а заявленнные погодные странности - словами “погода была странная, не такая, как должна была бы быть!” Жаль автор не сходила на экскурсию на станцию, чуть больше производственного романа - и стало бы намного приятнее.
А так в целом вполне симпатично - Корнуолл, маленький уютный городок, жизнь на острове, пара весёлых собакенов, местные пирожки, загадочные легенды, даже контрабандисты (очень опасные - перевозят жуткую марихуану!), вполне хватает для одноразового развлечения.
Герои вполне симпатичные и не слишком раздражающие. Она пытается жить с миалгическим энцефаломиелитом, также известным как синдром повышенной усталости, и он показан как настоящая инвалидность, из-за которой героине приходится пропустить чуть ли не весь финал, потому что у неё нет на него сил, и характер у неё выписан неплохо, чувствуется вот эта вспыльчивость из-за отсутствия сил на общение. Герой живёт с дислексией, которая хоть и кажется не самой большой проблемой, тоже солидно повлияла на его жизнь и выбор карьеры.
Но я совсем не уверена, насколько хорошо автор показала эти проблемы, потому что тот кусочек, в котором я понимаю чуть больше, работа героини метеорологом, выписана очень слабенько - только немного забавный неймдроппинг облаков, самых простых приборов, и описания снятия показаниями буквально словами “я снимала показания, они были странными”, а заявленнные погодные странности - словами “погода была странная, не такая, как должна была бы быть!” Жаль автор не сходила на экскурсию на станцию, чуть больше производственного романа - и стало бы намного приятнее.
А так в целом вполне симпатично - Корнуолл, маленький уютный городок, жизнь на острове, пара весёлых собакенов, местные пирожки, загадочные легенды, даже контрабандисты (очень опасные - перевозят жуткую марихуану!), вполне хватает для одноразового развлечения.
August 21, 2022
This is one of the books the Author has set in St Felix, a fictional Cornish town. You do not have to have read any of the others as they all read as stand alone books. However you will see some characters from previous books in this one.
I found this a lovely light hearted read as all of this Authors books are, yes I have read the previous ones.
However it does have some gravitas with our female lead having ME. The books describes it so well which is not a surprise when you know that the Author also suffers from the same condition.
I enjoyed the love story that played out and the magical elements that Ali always puts into her books.
I enjoyed reading about the weather elements and of course that age old institution in Cornwall, smuggling!
A lovely uplifting summers read to take you away from all that is not so good in our real world at the moment.
I found this a lovely light hearted read as all of this Authors books are, yes I have read the previous ones.
However it does have some gravitas with our female lead having ME. The books describes it so well which is not a surprise when you know that the Author also suffers from the same condition.
I enjoyed the love story that played out and the magical elements that Ali always puts into her books.
I enjoyed reading about the weather elements and of course that age old institution in Cornwall, smuggling!
A lovely uplifting summers read to take you away from all that is not so good in our real world at the moment.
September 17, 2022
I really enjoy Ali McNamara books and this one did not disappoint! There was a lot of story and background to establish in this story so it felt like the beginning took a while, but once it go going this was a lovely story. I liked all the characters and their own journeys. The reference to ‘silent disability’s’ was thoughtful, with Skys’ condition, and a nod to other disabilities that people suffer that are not always immediately apparent. I recommend this highly as a fun, uplifting pick-me-up story!
April 18, 2023
A light read with a good story. There are some unnecessary L**T and climate change references (for example, the scientifically-impossible snowfall on a hot July day is partly blamed on global warming!) If you're a normal person, who embraces the new sexual mores and imbibes state narratives, these small details won't put you off. The book won't win any awards for literature. (I wish people who don't know the difference between imply and infer would use neither.) Still, if you want to switch off for a few days with a good story which doesn't require much brain-energy, it's worth a go.
December 20, 2024
I love ali McNamara and her St. felix collection, but this is my least favourite of them so far. Don't get me wrong, it's still a great read 3 1/2 * for me. There is a lot to this book, and I like that it highlights the authors personal experience with illness. I just feel this is less magical than the others iv read.
January 19, 2025
The magic of the St. Felix series continued to lose its charm in this one. Heavy on miscommunication by omission of information and a FMC who was ungracious in the face of adversity, this one missed the mark for me. The romance element felt rushed and forced, and even for magical realism, the plot seemed a little silly. It intentionally called back to previous main characters in other installments, but in a way that also felt forced. Read this one only if you've read other books in the series, because you may be lost otherwise, or if you have a personal connection to ME and want to read a story that deals heavily with the challenges that condition presents.
July 9, 2022
I received an ARC of, Cornish Clouds and Silver Linings by Ali McNamara. This is a lovely book, with lovely characters. I loved getting to know Sky, with her scientific mind, and invisible illness. St. Felix seems to be a wonderful town, with mysterious weather.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews