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The Picture House by the Sea #1
Brief Encounter
Met een betoverend uitzicht over de glinsterende zee van Cornwall was de lokale bioscoop ooit de place to be . Maar die gloriedagen zijn al lang voorbij. Wanneer Gina terugverhuist naar haar geboorteplaats besluit ze het filmhuis in zijn oude luster te herstellen. Ze gaat samenwerken met Ben, de plaatselijke restaurateur met wie ze een verleden deelt, en oude gevoelens komen weer boven. Maar ze ontdekt dat de toekomst van de bioscoop wordt bedreigd door een vastgoedontwikkelaar – en dan beseffen Gina en Ben zich dat er meer nodig is dan een likje verf om De Bioscoop aan Zee te redden...
111 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 23, 2023
50 people are currently reading
347 people want to read
About the author
Holly Hepburn
97 books403 followersI’ve wanted to write books for adults for as long as I can remember but I was too scared to try. One day I decided to be brave and dipped a toe into the bubble bath of romantic comedy with my first novella, Cupidity, and I’ve never looked back. I often try to be funny to be funny, except for when faced with traffic wardens and border control staff. My favourite thing is making people smile.
I’ve tried many jobs over the years, from barmaid to market researcher and I even had a brief flirtation with modelling. These days I am mostly found writing.
I live near London with my grey tabby cat, Portia. We both have an unhealthy obsession with Marmite.
I’ve tried many jobs over the years, from barmaid to market researcher and I even had a brief flirtation with modelling. These days I am mostly found writing.
I live near London with my grey tabby cat, Portia. We both have an unhealthy obsession with Marmite.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
October 30, 2017
Oh my. How I love a book by Holly Hepburn. They never fail to be anything other than awesome. They always leave me smiling from ear to ear and leave me wanting more. If you haven't read anything by Holly yet. You really should. A year at the star and sixpence is an excellent book. I read it as a series in the different parts and loved it. The picturehouse by the sea I shaping up to be just as good.
I love old fashioned movies, I love going to the theatre and to the movies, I love ice cream, I love the seaside, I love dressing up, I love the 30's and I love a bit of romance. So this book is absolutely perfect imho.
I have been waiting to award a book with five stars for a while now, and this is my first one of the year. I now cannot wait to read the next in the series.
In this book we meet Gina, who has come to Polwhipple to help out her Nonna and Nonno ice cream making business after her nonno has fallen and broken his leg, and a desperate plea went out to the family from her nonna for help. At first her Nonno is angry that help has been arranged behind his back, because he is a proud man and thinks he can get on with things fine by himself. But he soon realises that he does need the help that he is offered in order to keep his business running.
We meet Ben who is a surfer, builder and renovator of old buildings to their form glory. Ben is an old friend of Ginas from when she used to live in Polwhipple as a child before moving to London as an adult. They haven't spoken in a long time but it doesn't take long for their friendship to blossom again.
We meet Gorran who runs the picture house. He has sadly lost his way with inspiration and the picture house is looking all sad and forlorn. But not for long once Gina comes along.
We also meet Max who is Gina's boyfriend. Who is a high flying business man. Who tears down old loved and historic buildings and puts a new ones in its place. He is a massive socialite who is out partying all the time. Who in mho I don't like him. He isn't right for Gina one little bit. She needs to be with Ben. I'm looking forward to this relationship blossoming and growing.
We also meet two other ladies who I think will be important. One lady runs the families ice cream stand at the picture house and the other lady owns the vintage clothes shop in the town. I'm looking forward to them hopefully becoming more integral to the story as it unfolds.
I really, really loved this book and it was exactly what I needed to as I don't feel very well. I hope you all enjoy this as much as me and I simply cannot wait for the next book in the series.
Happy reading everyone
I love old fashioned movies, I love going to the theatre and to the movies, I love ice cream, I love the seaside, I love dressing up, I love the 30's and I love a bit of romance. So this book is absolutely perfect imho.
I have been waiting to award a book with five stars for a while now, and this is my first one of the year. I now cannot wait to read the next in the series.
In this book we meet Gina, who has come to Polwhipple to help out her Nonna and Nonno ice cream making business after her nonno has fallen and broken his leg, and a desperate plea went out to the family from her nonna for help. At first her Nonno is angry that help has been arranged behind his back, because he is a proud man and thinks he can get on with things fine by himself. But he soon realises that he does need the help that he is offered in order to keep his business running.
We meet Ben who is a surfer, builder and renovator of old buildings to their form glory. Ben is an old friend of Ginas from when she used to live in Polwhipple as a child before moving to London as an adult. They haven't spoken in a long time but it doesn't take long for their friendship to blossom again.
We meet Gorran who runs the picture house. He has sadly lost his way with inspiration and the picture house is looking all sad and forlorn. But not for long once Gina comes along.
We also meet Max who is Gina's boyfriend. Who is a high flying business man. Who tears down old loved and historic buildings and puts a new ones in its place. He is a massive socialite who is out partying all the time. Who in mho I don't like him. He isn't right for Gina one little bit. She needs to be with Ben. I'm looking forward to this relationship blossoming and growing.
We also meet two other ladies who I think will be important. One lady runs the families ice cream stand at the picture house and the other lady owns the vintage clothes shop in the town. I'm looking forward to them hopefully becoming more integral to the story as it unfolds.
I really, really loved this book and it was exactly what I needed to as I don't feel very well. I hope you all enjoy this as much as me and I simply cannot wait for the next book in the series.
Happy reading everyone
February 8, 2020
Easy to get into and you can read at such a fast pace as it's a gripping story. Plays into the next story nicely.
February 14, 2020
A light, contemporary women’s fiction story of a daughter’s return home to help her aging father with his gelato business. Light romance. Protagonist helps the local cinema to get a boost in business.
August 15, 2023
The Picture House by the Sea - #1 Brief Encounter
Sweet! 5🌟
Sweet! 5🌟
January 3, 2025
Leuk, maar gewoon tussendoor.
June 10, 2018
Oh I do love a good will they won’t they love story (they have to otherwise what is the point) and that is exactly what I got with the first part o the Picture House by the Sea series. When Gina returns to Cornwall to help her grandparents with their gelato business she is welcomed back to the fold by people that she knows and loves and is returned to a world that is completely comforting to her. However, she is leaving behind her real life in London and with that comes some big questions.
I really enjoyed Brief Encounter at the Picture House by the Sea. There is a bit of a trend at the moment for nostalgia in stories. Several series have seen people going to cafes or bookshops or – in this case – cinemas to try and regain a sense of comfort in the old rather than bask in the new and trendy. Brief Encounter at the Picture House by the Sea is definitely one that will warm your hear when you read it and after such a cracking opening I cannot wait to read part two.
Brief Encounter at the Picture House by the Sea by Holly Hepburn is available now.
For more information regarding Holly Hepburn (@HollyH_Author) please visit www.hollyhepburn.com.
For more information regarding Simon & Schuster (@simonschusterUK) please visit www.simonandschuster.co.uk.
I really enjoyed Brief Encounter at the Picture House by the Sea. There is a bit of a trend at the moment for nostalgia in stories. Several series have seen people going to cafes or bookshops or – in this case – cinemas to try and regain a sense of comfort in the old rather than bask in the new and trendy. Brief Encounter at the Picture House by the Sea is definitely one that will warm your hear when you read it and after such a cracking opening I cannot wait to read part two.
Brief Encounter at the Picture House by the Sea by Holly Hepburn is available now.
For more information regarding Holly Hepburn (@HollyH_Author) please visit www.hollyhepburn.com.
For more information regarding Simon & Schuster (@simonschusterUK) please visit www.simonandschuster.co.uk.
August 13, 2023
3,5 ⭐️
February 17, 2017
great first part
December 30, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this, the first instalment to this four part series.
It was a great introduction to the main characters, all of whom were well written and you really get a feel for them.
Thoroughly enjoyed the storyplot and I can't wait to see how this developes and evolves in books 2, 3 and 4.
As for all the different flavours of ice cream, oh some of them sounded absolutely devine, lush and yummy. It made me want to eat ice cream a lot whilst reading this book.
Right I'm off to start book 2 now.
It was a great introduction to the main characters, all of whom were well written and you really get a feel for them.
Thoroughly enjoyed the storyplot and I can't wait to see how this developes and evolves in books 2, 3 and 4.
As for all the different flavours of ice cream, oh some of them sounded absolutely devine, lush and yummy. It made me want to eat ice cream a lot whilst reading this book.
Right I'm off to start book 2 now.
August 17, 2023
Eine sehr nette, süße Geschichte für Zwischendurch
November 5, 2023
Oplæser: Randi Winther. God oplæsning - som altid.
En hyggelig lille roman (kun små 3 timer).
Vi skal en tur til Cornwalls kyst, hvor der ligger en skøn art deco biograf. Eller det er i hvert fald det barndomsminde Gina har fra biografen. Men ved et besøg i byen mange år senere, viser det sig at biografen er i forfald. Ejeren har opgivet at annoncere for filmene og sommetider spilles filmen først flere timer efter den egentlig er programsat til. Og så er det de særeste film der vises. Intet under at kunderne bliver væk.
Gina er fyldt med gåpå-mod og kaster sig ud i en kamp for biografens overlevelse.
Er nødt til at læse næste fortælling fra biografen, for at se om hun får held med sig.
En hyggelig lille roman (kun små 3 timer).
Vi skal en tur til Cornwalls kyst, hvor der ligger en skøn art deco biograf. Eller det er i hvert fald det barndomsminde Gina har fra biografen. Men ved et besøg i byen mange år senere, viser det sig at biografen er i forfald. Ejeren har opgivet at annoncere for filmene og sommetider spilles filmen først flere timer efter den egentlig er programsat til. Og så er det de særeste film der vises. Intet under at kunderne bliver væk.
Gina er fyldt med gåpå-mod og kaster sig ud i en kamp for biografens overlevelse.
Er nødt til at læse næste fortælling fra biografen, for at se om hun får held med sig.
November 1, 2021
Dieses Buch hab ich wegen des Covers “gekauft” (war gratis) und irgendwie hatte der Titel mich angesprochen, aber mehr auch nicht. Es ist ein 4-Teiler und in meinen Augen hätte man ruhig ein komplettes Buch daraus machen sollen.
Der Geschichte fehlt es an Spannung. Man hat das Gefühl, dass sie einfach nur so niedergeschrieben worden ist, damit sie niedergeschrieben ist. Irgendwie mangelt es an Recherche, was man sehr gut beim alten Kino merkt.
Diese Reihe werde ich leider nicht weiter verfolgen, denn je 3€ für knappe 100 langweilige Seiten sind mir dann doch zu viel.
Der Geschichte fehlt es an Spannung. Man hat das Gefühl, dass sie einfach nur so niedergeschrieben worden ist, damit sie niedergeschrieben ist. Irgendwie mangelt es an Recherche, was man sehr gut beim alten Kino merkt.
Diese Reihe werde ich leider nicht weiter verfolgen, denn je 3€ für knappe 100 langweilige Seiten sind mir dann doch zu viel.
December 23, 2017
Part one of a series of books for sure. Lovely feel good book where Gina goes back to Polywaple to help her Nonno who’s broken his leg. He makes gilato and is well known for it. Gina bumps into an d friend Ben and a return visit to the picture house has made her sad to see it in a bad way. So with a bunch of people she organised a special showing of Brief Encounter which is a great start to it’s transformation
June 30, 2017
Great
A fun light hearted read that is just perfect if you want to get lost in a book for a while. It is a relatively short read so is ideal for reading in one sitting. I will definitely be downloading the rest of the series.
A fun light hearted read that is just perfect if you want to get lost in a book for a while. It is a relatively short read so is ideal for reading in one sitting. I will definitely be downloading the rest of the series.
August 17, 2017
Fun lighthearted quick read. The problem with the four parters is that I can't stop reading the lot!
February 1, 2018
Ended too soon
Storyline line excellent. Only problem is left me waiting for the next chapter or book.When will I get it I wonder?
Storyline line excellent. Only problem is left me waiting for the next chapter or book.When will I get it I wonder?
July 29, 2019
Easy read
This is an easy book to read with a good story. Looking forward to the next follow up and how Gina and Bens friendship progresses.
This is an easy book to read with a good story. Looking forward to the next follow up and how Gina and Bens friendship progresses.
January 7, 2021
I enjoyed this book. Nice easy reading. Short and sweet. Hope I’ll be able to find the others to read.
March 21, 2021
What a delightful story. Looking forward to reading further installments.
July 29, 2023
Erg van genoten op naar de volgende delen
Read
March 16, 2024✅
Read
December 23, 2024Audio
4.5⭐️
4.5⭐️
April 21, 2025
Leuk boek, maar pakte me niet helemaal. Ben wel benieuwd naar het vervolg van het verhaal.
February 10, 2017
I was so excited for this new series and as soon as I started reading this first installment, I knew my excitement was entirely appropriate. For a novella that I thought was going to be about a picture house, this book started off being far more about ice cream than anything else so this one definitely comes with a warning-reading this will make you hungry! I loved the premise behind this first installment though. Gina travels down to Cornwall to help out with her grandparents' gelato business and ever the events planner, gets sucked into planning something with the dilapidated cinema in the town.
I loved Gina as a character, she is independent and forward thinking, and like may of us, she can't seem to leave her job behind. I liked that she was able to sort herself out with somewhere to stay, I admired her organisation. I also liked the fact that she is so loyal to her family, there isn't enough of that in books these days! Her grandparents are also excellent characters. I know there are going to be more fun times with them around and they certainly know how to make a good cappuccino! And then we have Ben, old childhood friend of Gina's. There is so much more to Ben than meets the eye and he is definitely shaping up to be a mystery man that we are all going to fall in love with.
What is great about this first installment is that there is so much history that is alluded to that is obviously going to re-surface as the series goes on, but there are also other characters that are introduced that are going to take the story in another direction. I loved meeting Carrie in this first part, she seems like she's definitely going to be a keeper and an asset to Gina. Max is definitely the villain of the piece and so I'm looking forward to hearing how his story line develops.
Obviously brief encounter is also featured in the storyline and so now I am going to go and check this out from the library so I can have my own magical moment with it, just like Gina planned. I loved this read, not only does it have my favourite flavour of ice cream in it, it finishes at the perfect point, leaving me wanting more. I so cannot wait for the next installment. Definitely get this one downloaded and spend an afternoon with Gina, Ben and a big bowl of ice cream!
I loved Gina as a character, she is independent and forward thinking, and like may of us, she can't seem to leave her job behind. I liked that she was able to sort herself out with somewhere to stay, I admired her organisation. I also liked the fact that she is so loyal to her family, there isn't enough of that in books these days! Her grandparents are also excellent characters. I know there are going to be more fun times with them around and they certainly know how to make a good cappuccino! And then we have Ben, old childhood friend of Gina's. There is so much more to Ben than meets the eye and he is definitely shaping up to be a mystery man that we are all going to fall in love with.
What is great about this first installment is that there is so much history that is alluded to that is obviously going to re-surface as the series goes on, but there are also other characters that are introduced that are going to take the story in another direction. I loved meeting Carrie in this first part, she seems like she's definitely going to be a keeper and an asset to Gina. Max is definitely the villain of the piece and so I'm looking forward to hearing how his story line develops.
Obviously brief encounter is also featured in the storyline and so now I am going to go and check this out from the library so I can have my own magical moment with it, just like Gina planned. I loved this read, not only does it have my favourite flavour of ice cream in it, it finishes at the perfect point, leaving me wanting more. I so cannot wait for the next installment. Definitely get this one downloaded and spend an afternoon with Gina, Ben and a big bowl of ice cream!
February 23, 2017
Finished too quickly
Yet again another enjoyable read and can't wait for the second part. Really felt I was in Cornwall and wanted to taste the ice cream!
Yet again another enjoyable read and can't wait for the second part. Really felt I was in Cornwall and wanted to taste the ice cream!
February 16, 2017
Thank you
Holly does it again another warm hearted story that was so enjoyable l didn't want it to end.Thank you again Holly can't wait for the next one x
Holly does it again another warm hearted story that was so enjoyable l didn't want it to end.Thank you again Holly can't wait for the next one x
February 17, 2017
This is pretty cute but I didn't realise when I started it that it was a 2 part thing.
And while I don't mind influence from films or other stories, when they hit you over the head with it, it's kinda groan worthy.
And while I don't mind influence from films or other stories, when they hit you over the head with it, it's kinda groan worthy.
February 14, 2017
I really like to read authors I have not read before and this was a lovely book with great characters and the home town feel of community spirit. Having read this not realising that it is part of a series, I was disappointed to see I have to wait for the next book along. But never mind I await in anticipation. A really good feel book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews