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Ben Coverdale #1
Sanctuary
The Ben Coverdale Trilogy – Part One 'Sanctuary'.
A Story of Mystery and Romance.
When Ben receives a garbled email message, he knows that the idyllic lifestyle he had hoped for by moving to France is about to end.
Ben Coverdale has lived happily with Mary Willson for the past five years but on the fifth anniversary of their moving in together, Mary announces that she is leaving him to live with Donald, a man many years her senior.
Distraught, Ben now takes the opportunity to fulfil a dream that he has had for many years and move to France and start a new life there.
Mary becomes increasingly puzzled by Donald's behaviour; doing his best to keep her away from her friends, insisting that she change her hairstyle and buying strange, outagaeous clothes for her. Things are made much worse when she discovers that she is carrying Ben's child.
As things rapidly deteriorate, Mary and her baby are taken, with the help of an old friend, to meet up with Ben, only to find that her old adversary, Katie Forrester, is there before her.
At first glance, 'Sanctuary' may appear to be a romantic novel, but it isn't. Nothing is quite as it seems.
'Sanctuary is a well written, first novel for our author. I loved the development of the characters, they are charming. The quirky, best friend Georgina "Grunge" and the implementation of Madam Delphine was genius. The story line is concise and there are twists and turns that keep your attention. I found myself laughing or saying 'Oh no' out loud. This is a great weekend/rainy day/beach read and I cannot wait to read the sequel "Repercussions".' - Amazon.com Review.
A Story of Mystery and Romance.
When Ben receives a garbled email message, he knows that the idyllic lifestyle he had hoped for by moving to France is about to end.
Ben Coverdale has lived happily with Mary Willson for the past five years but on the fifth anniversary of their moving in together, Mary announces that she is leaving him to live with Donald, a man many years her senior.
Distraught, Ben now takes the opportunity to fulfil a dream that he has had for many years and move to France and start a new life there.
Mary becomes increasingly puzzled by Donald's behaviour; doing his best to keep her away from her friends, insisting that she change her hairstyle and buying strange, outagaeous clothes for her. Things are made much worse when she discovers that she is carrying Ben's child.
As things rapidly deteriorate, Mary and her baby are taken, with the help of an old friend, to meet up with Ben, only to find that her old adversary, Katie Forrester, is there before her.
At first glance, 'Sanctuary' may appear to be a romantic novel, but it isn't. Nothing is quite as it seems.
'Sanctuary is a well written, first novel for our author. I loved the development of the characters, they are charming. The quirky, best friend Georgina "Grunge" and the implementation of Madam Delphine was genius. The story line is concise and there are twists and turns that keep your attention. I found myself laughing or saying 'Oh no' out loud. This is a great weekend/rainy day/beach read and I cannot wait to read the sequel "Repercussions".' - Amazon.com Review.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 20, 2012
12 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
About the author
Glyn Smith-Wild
3 books11 followers I’m a British novelist. I was born in a large army camp in Yorkshire. My father spent thirty four years of his life in the Royal Tank Regiment, and he happened to be stationed in Catterick when I made my entrance.
Most of my formative years were spent in London where I attended Emanuel School which was much too good a school, and was utterly wasted on me much to my father’s chagrin.
I moved from London to England’s West Country when my first marriage fell apart, and have been there ever since. I currently livewith my wife, Sue, my son ()and a great mate) Stephen, and a somewhat neurotic border collie called Faith.
I started writing very late in life. After I retired from a busy life helping small and medium size businesses with their finances, I found myself at a very loose end. A fellow dog-walker suggested I try something artistic, but artistic prowess was zilcho. I could hardly draw a bath! Next she suggested writing. Writing what?
But I gave it a go. Facing a blank screen was daunting in the extreme, but then my characters arrived on the scene, and suddenly I was writing – and couldn’t stop. I had a new parallel existence and I loved it. Many was the time that I was woken during the night and told by one or other of my characters “I wouldn’t have said that” or “I would never do that!” and when I went back to the script, I realised that they were almost always right.
I never plan a book, I let it run with the story, and the people concerned in it. It seems to work for me. The only exception to that statement is the final part of the Ben Coverdale Trilogy. This time I had to work towards a suitable ending, but even so, I was taken by surprise by how it actually ended.
All three books have been self-published by a business that I owned - OBS Publishers.
I love where I live on the Jurassic coast , close to the coastlines of Devon and Cornwall, and I spend as much time as I can just walking and taking in the beauty of this area.
Most of my formative years were spent in London where I attended Emanuel School which was much too good a school, and was utterly wasted on me much to my father’s chagrin.
I moved from London to England’s West Country when my first marriage fell apart, and have been there ever since. I currently livewith my wife, Sue, my son ()and a great mate) Stephen, and a somewhat neurotic border collie called Faith.
I started writing very late in life. After I retired from a busy life helping small and medium size businesses with their finances, I found myself at a very loose end. A fellow dog-walker suggested I try something artistic, but artistic prowess was zilcho. I could hardly draw a bath! Next she suggested writing. Writing what?
But I gave it a go. Facing a blank screen was daunting in the extreme, but then my characters arrived on the scene, and suddenly I was writing – and couldn’t stop. I had a new parallel existence and I loved it. Many was the time that I was woken during the night and told by one or other of my characters “I wouldn’t have said that” or “I would never do that!” and when I went back to the script, I realised that they were almost always right.
I never plan a book, I let it run with the story, and the people concerned in it. It seems to work for me. The only exception to that statement is the final part of the Ben Coverdale Trilogy. This time I had to work towards a suitable ending, but even so, I was taken by surprise by how it actually ended.
All three books have been self-published by a business that I owned - OBS Publishers.
I love where I live on the Jurassic coast , close to the coastlines of Devon and Cornwall, and I spend as much time as I can just walking and taking in the beauty of this area.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 20, 2016
March 2014 Update: I hear there's a brandspanking new second edition in circulation now, and that some or all of my original review may not apply to the new edition, since Sanctuary has undergone some rewrites. I hope to give the new version a peek when I have the time, but that could be a while. This review is for the original edition, not the second edition.
Aside from some rough spots in the writing (Using the passive voice really excessively, the very occasional typo or error, or dialogue that felt stilted because of the passive voice or because it made the character too transparent by telling something transparently, rather than sketching the overall picture.), this was a pretty fun read. I enjoyed the beginning moreso than the end, because of the humor underlying the romance or drama.
There were a few elements to the tone that felt mismatched. The beginning of the book was fairly flirtatious and sexual, and much lighter in tone and content the latter half of the book. I didn't mind it, but it did amplify some spots where the pacing felt rushed or transparent. It felt like Smith-Wild was trying to work in too many themes or ideas to give any of them the detail and time they needed to be fully realized. So some characters (such as Grunge/Georgina) or plot lines (Mary's arc during the last act) suffered, as they went through substantial changes without really having much screen-time to show reason, reaction, or nuance, or as they had to react too fast to give it the depth of their earlier arcs. Even the main character, Ben, lost a lot of depth in the last act, because Smith-Wild was focusing on the subplots around him. Towards the end, Ben seemed to be basically a hero-man standee, rather than a flawed but good-hearted individual, as he was in the beginning.
The last act felt rushed, compared to the pacing of the first 2/3 of the book. It also meant that the ending wasn't entirely satisfying, since it was clear that we were seguing directly into the next book, without a real pause. Despite the uneven spots in the pacing, the characters were well fleshed out and well written, though sometimes Smith-Wild veered fairly far into the whole "showing" end of the "showing vs. telling" writers' dilemma.
My favorite things in Sanctuary were the humor and the crisp details of the French lifestyle. There were a few spots where there was a language barrier, where something provided something in French and no translation was provided, and it was difficult to deduce from the surrounding scene what meaning was intended. I'm awful with foreign languages though, and I tried to channel the feeling of confusion into the main character, who seemed to feel similarly, when he was not using those foreign phrases.
There were a fair amount of those little flaws, but the overall book was entertaining, humorous, and the characters had enough nuance to engage with. The beginning of Mary's relationship with Donald going south was particularly well done, and the starts of emotional abuse are often hard to get across with readers who have little experience with it. It's easy to say "Urgh. Why doesn't she argue back?" when it's poorly written or fleshed out, and Smith-Wild did an excellent job of showing those early stages in a relatable manner. I kind of worry that he'll become a bit too cartoonish in the sequel; he seemed to be heading that way, and it would be a shame to spoil the excellent and realistic beginnings of his unhealthy character.
Aside from some rough spots in the writing (Using the passive voice really excessively, the very occasional typo or error, or dialogue that felt stilted because of the passive voice or because it made the character too transparent by telling something transparently, rather than sketching the overall picture.), this was a pretty fun read. I enjoyed the beginning moreso than the end, because of the humor underlying the romance or drama.
There were a few elements to the tone that felt mismatched. The beginning of the book was fairly flirtatious and sexual, and much lighter in tone and content the latter half of the book. I didn't mind it, but it did amplify some spots where the pacing felt rushed or transparent. It felt like Smith-Wild was trying to work in too many themes or ideas to give any of them the detail and time they needed to be fully realized. So some characters (such as Grunge/Georgina) or plot lines (Mary's arc during the last act) suffered, as they went through substantial changes without really having much screen-time to show reason, reaction, or nuance, or as they had to react too fast to give it the depth of their earlier arcs. Even the main character, Ben, lost a lot of depth in the last act, because Smith-Wild was focusing on the subplots around him. Towards the end, Ben seemed to be basically a hero-man standee, rather than a flawed but good-hearted individual, as he was in the beginning.
The last act felt rushed, compared to the pacing of the first 2/3 of the book. It also meant that the ending wasn't entirely satisfying, since it was clear that we were seguing directly into the next book, without a real pause. Despite the uneven spots in the pacing, the characters were well fleshed out and well written, though sometimes Smith-Wild veered fairly far into the whole "showing" end of the "showing vs. telling" writers' dilemma.
My favorite things in Sanctuary were the humor and the crisp details of the French lifestyle. There were a few spots where there was a language barrier, where something provided something in French and no translation was provided, and it was difficult to deduce from the surrounding scene what meaning was intended. I'm awful with foreign languages though, and I tried to channel the feeling of confusion into the main character, who seemed to feel similarly, when he was not using those foreign phrases.
There were a fair amount of those little flaws, but the overall book was entertaining, humorous, and the characters had enough nuance to engage with. The beginning of Mary's relationship with Donald going south was particularly well done, and the starts of emotional abuse are often hard to get across with readers who have little experience with it. It's easy to say "Urgh. Why doesn't she argue back?" when it's poorly written or fleshed out, and Smith-Wild did an excellent job of showing those early stages in a relatable manner. I kind of worry that he'll become a bit too cartoonish in the sequel; he seemed to be heading that way, and it would be a shame to spoil the excellent and realistic beginnings of his unhealthy character.
June 7, 2013
I can safely say that from the first to the very last page, I had no idea where the story was going, which is great testimony to the writer and the writing. As the story began and I had been introduced to all the main players, I found myself trying to second guess exactly where the suspense was going to come from and which character or characters, the plot twists were going to emanate from. As it transpired, I never would have guessed as the story initially concerned itself with what seemed like normal relationship issues which I found to be interesting and very realistic and relaxing into the story and the dilemmas of the main characters, I let go of all my second-guessing and sat back to enjoy the ride, which, despite the fact that this is part one of a larger story, was very rewarding and I did not feel cheated at the end when everything was not tied up neatly with a pink ribbon and party streamers. A bit like real life, I imagine:)
July 4, 2012
[2012-07-03] Yay!! my book arrived today - with a lovely bookmark :-) I couldn't resist and so started the book when I got home. It's a lovely story, well written.
[2012-07-04] I finished this book sitting in the car after my hospital appointment! A fuller review will follow, when real life lets me, so ust to say now how much I enjoyed the story, with just a few niggles about plot holes and daft character reactions (the German Police would have contacted British Police & Interpol, so a link would have been made earlier). Now I need to read the second in series, which is due out soon....
Thanks to Glyn and Goodreads Giveaways for the copy of the book and the opportunity to discover a new author :-)
[2012-07-04] I finished this book sitting in the car after my hospital appointment! A fuller review will follow, when real life lets me, so ust to say now how much I enjoyed the story, with just a few niggles about plot holes and daft character reactions (the German Police would have contacted British Police & Interpol, so a link would have been made earlier). Now I need to read the second in series, which is due out soon....
Thanks to Glyn and Goodreads Giveaways for the copy of the book and the opportunity to discover a new author :-)
July 3, 2012
This is one of the most well written books I have read this year. The characters were realistic and interesting. The story was unpredictable which made it fun to read. The author clearly has a lot of knowledge about the settings he writes about which he passes on to his readers. I picked up a few things in the story which may be useful in the future. Our protagonist Ben is an unlikely hero, who probably surprises himself as his story unfolds. I really loved this story, and I am looking forward to reading the sequel. I highly recommend this book.
July 5, 2012
Really pleased to receive this book from the author as a first reads giveaway. I enjoyed reading this book. It is a well written love story with a twist. The story was a little slow to begin with but improved as soon as the hero moved to France. The author gives the reader a real flavour of life living in rural France. Ben is quite an endearing sort of chap who is in love with Mary, (originally his house mate and later his lover). The only downside for me was that Mary’s character did not appeal however there is another book to follow and I look forward to seeing how the story develops.
July 2, 2012
This was a deviation from my usual reading and a very pleasant one at that. Well written characters you can relate too, lovely descriptions of places and settings to fuel your mental images of the story. And leaves you wanting to know more, so can't wait for the next book.
July 8, 2012
Brilliant book. Loved it. Lots of very interesting and different stuff in this and the mystery element fit well will the romance. Well written and highly recommended!
June 26, 2013
Glyn Smith-Wild's book The Sanctuary is a soft and cozy book until you get midway. Then the drama spills onto the pages, picking up the pace of the story almost instantly. It wasn't a shock when things suddenly unraveled for the characters, clues had been set in place so I was appropriately suspicious that this wasn't just a love story. (of couse I could have read the synopsis, but where's the adventure in that?) I've never been one for spoilers and the synopsis is there for anyone who wants to learn the plot, so I'll just tell you my take like I always do. I feel the secondary characters were inconsistent with their personalities, but still did a decent job; the main character was well developed and charming. The story itself was entertaing even before the pace picked up, so I would gladly read it again. But the thing that nags at me is the ending. Either the author is very evil in finding a way to get you to buy the next book, or he is a marketing genius. Not sure yet, but I am sure that I wasn't satisfied with the place he ended it and thanks to his carrying the story past one possible ending and begining the next phase-and then adding a sample of the following book to dig you in even farther- I'm simply going to have to choose between buying the next book or dying of frustration. I really want to know Donald's motives, especially since it was the clues about him that got the mystery started for me.
November 16, 2012
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and if i'm honest I wasn't sure i'd enjoy it as it really isn't my usual genre however I was wrong. The author paints such vivid and bright pictures of all the scenery particularly in France. His love of France and the French way of life is very clear and I wanted to move to France too!
The storyline is unusual as it isn't a clear cut romance as there is a daliance into people-trafficking and kidnapping but it is primarily a romance story.
I have to say I really did enjoy the story once I got into it and I would recommend it to others as the storyline is unpredictable and keeps you hooked!
The storyline is unusual as it isn't a clear cut romance as there is a daliance into people-trafficking and kidnapping but it is primarily a romance story.
I have to say I really did enjoy the story once I got into it and I would recommend it to others as the storyline is unpredictable and keeps you hooked!
September 2, 2012
I won this book through the goodreads giveaways and was so happy when I won it. It arrived within a couple of days and I couldn't wait to start reading it!
A fantastic book! I can only say positive things about this read, its beautifully written, engages the reader into the lives of the characters and I cannot wait for the sequel to find out what happens to Ben and Mary! I would reccommmend this book if you have a few hours to spare because you will not want to put it down!
A fantastic book! I can only say positive things about this read, its beautifully written, engages the reader into the lives of the characters and I cannot wait for the sequel to find out what happens to Ben and Mary! I would reccommmend this book if you have a few hours to spare because you will not want to put it down!
January 13, 2013
Conned! I got to the last page only to discover that I would have to buy the author's second book to find out how the story ends. The book wasn't that good so I won't be buying it. A predictable read.
July 26, 2013
This book has everything. Romance, suspense, travel, buying a house in a unique place and fixing it up, interesting people, action, even a little sex. You name it, it was there. The moment I might have lost interest, something new and interesting came up. Well done.
Want to read
August 29, 2012This looks a little too busy for me, but whatevs.
February 19, 2013
Bought this book as I had won the sequel but felt it sensible to read this first. Pleased I did. Enjoyed the story and found the characters very real. Looking forward to beginning the sequel.
January 8, 2017
Loved the story, but was disappointed to see it had a sequel, which of course I have to read to find out what happens to Ben & Mary and the rest of the charactors.
August 18, 2018
Enjoyable read
I love the thought of living in France and enjoyed this book. I liked the depth of the characters and can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
I love the thought of living in France and enjoyed this book. I liked the depth of the characters and can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews