An Ocean Apart

by Robin Pilcher

David Corstorphine is a man in despair. His young wife has died tragically from cancer and he is devastated. Searching for relief from his memories, he gives up working in the family business and takes it upon himself to restore the rose garden of his ancestral home. His children and his parents can only stand back and let him come to terms with the loss, which they too share. By using the driving physical toil of gardening he is able to lose himself. The family-owned whisky distillery becomes the catalyst that moves him from his secure routine back into the real world, and a business meeting in the USA shocks him into making some decisions about the rest of his life. His rehabilitation begins when he gets a job as a handyman/gardener to a single mother, Jennifer. He develops a rewarding relationship with her and her son, Benji, which restores his faith in human nature. Strengthened, he returns to Scotland and saves the family business from the villains who were trying to take it over...

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Scotland, Grief, Contemporary, Adult Fiction, Novels

546 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Robin Pilcher was born on 10 August 1950, the eldest son of author Rosamunde Pilcher, née Scott (aka Jane Fraser) and Graham Hope Pilcher.
He has been a cameraman, a songwriter, and a farmer, co-managed a mail order business, and has had numerous other jobs.
He lives with his wife and children near Dundee, Scotland, and in the Sierra de Aracena mountain area of Andalusia, Spain, where he plans to establish a writing institute supported by the Pilcher Foundation of Creative Writing.

Reviews

[Francene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had such a tough time getting into this book. It just doesn't start with a bang but just as a story. Nothing spectacular to get you pulled into the story. Just a story.

As I kept reading I wanted to know what was going to happen to this family. Especially David! Poor man had so much going for him to have the anchor in his life ripped away.

I loved the fact that it had no sex, no violence, no swearing (well a little but nothing eye popping), just a story. I can actually tell people without an apology that I read this book and I liked it and I would recommend it to others. Wow now that is something!

They even spoke highly of the state of marriage. Yes, it was published in 1999 but that is only 10 years old. Yes, they had the gay couple so it was modern. The author just happened to have a healthy opinion of marriage and the whole loving each other part.

Anyway, I recommend it to one and all! Thanks Linda for lending it to me!

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the debut novel for Robin Pilcher, son of the better-known writer Rosamunde Pilcher.

David, a businessman who has been grieving and depressed, flies to America for an important meeting. Then he realises he has to start moving on for the sake of his children in Scotland...

Clever plotting as a business thread alternates with David's personal story. While some of the scenes relating to the business went a little over my head, it didn’t matter. David, who is an extremely likeable person, discovers that he can make a difference in the lives of some lonely people. The bulk of the story takes place over about a month, and the pace works well.

The writing is excellent, particularly the characterisation; the author evidently inherited his mother's gift in that respect. There's believable dialogue and some strong emotion, with one particularly moving scene, towards the end. The romance, inevitable from fairly early on, is low-key, only coming to resolution in the final chapter.

I enjoyed this very much both on first reading, on re-reading nearly sixteen years later, and again another five years after that. Highly recommended.

Latest review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...

[Rrshively · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Rosamunde Pilcher, so when I saw this book by her son in the used book store, I bought it. He seems to be as talented an author as his mother, but has a more masculine and modern style. This book is as much about overcoming grief as anything else. Also, being a gardener in another country incognito is also an interesting slant. The interactions between the characters give the book depth. There is also another theme of an attempted takeover of a small community company by a larger corporation that wants to keep it only as long as it makes a profit. I only have two negatives to state. In the earlier parts of the book, I sometimes wondered if I could keep reading the 503 pages of the paperback. However, as it neared its end, I stayed up an hour late to finish the book. The other is the same with all British authors writing about Americans and Americans writing about British. Sometimes the Americans say something which would be more likely to be said by the British. The same is true when American authors have the British say something more likely to be said by Americans. One example is a British author having an American say,"I'll give it a go" rather than "I'll try it".

[JayeL · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this while traveling and found it to be well written and enjoyable. It is a good story and reminiscent of Rosamunde Pilcher's September. One thing that I really liked about this book was the relative timelessness. I kept wondering why they didn't just send an email or call on their mobile phones. When one of the characters pulled out a floppy disk, I had to look at the copyright date. I didn't realize it was written in 1999 until I actually looked at that date.

This is well written and good entertainment.

[Debbie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I stopped reading when Jesus name was used as a curse word. That's where I draw the line.

[Kshydog · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice light read. Liked that it was a story about love without all the sexual scenes, business ethics without being boring. Amazed at how all around talented David was to the point that it became unbelievable. Enjoyed the housekeeper with her humor as well as compassion. Glad to see his comments to Jennifer to not give up on her marriage immediately.

[Belinda Vlasbaard · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 sterren - Nederlandse paperback

Na het overlijden van zijn vrouw blijft David Corstorphine achter met drie jonge kinderen. Hij kan de realiteit moeilijk onder ogen komen, rust in zijn hoofd heeft hij evenmin. In de tuin van zijn ouders op het Schotse platteland vindt hij bezinning.

Een moeizame zakenreis in New York brengt hem uiteindelijk op een nieuw carrièrespoor: David begint als tuinman langs de kust van Long Island.

Op onverwachtse wijze raakt hij daar ontroerd door de dagelijkse gesprekken met plaatselijke bewoners. Zijn gevoelens worden opnieuw aangewakkerd, evenals hoop voor de toekomst.

De herontdekking van jezelf. En andere kant laten schijnen uit de as van verdriet en hopeloosheid. Mooi verwoord in deze roman.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed thit book. Robin Pilcher writes in the same style as his Mother and I really enjoyed all of her books that I could get at the library. The characters become friends and very much like your own family. This book was very hard for me to put down, I wanted to just keep on reading. Loved the contrast of atmosphere between Long Island, NY and Scotland. Can't wait to get started on the next book.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think Robin Pilcher is a good solid writer in his own right, regardless of who his famous mother is. She has passed her talent down to her son in buckets. I have waited for a long time for his next book, only to learn that, for various reasons, there may not be another one, so everyone please email this author and encourage him to keep writing. I want more! His words are always comfortable and cosy, like an old favourite sweater on a winter evening.

[Franci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this book and once again I didn't want it to end. I have decided that Robin Pilcher and his mother Rosamunde are at the top of my list of favorite authors. I find myself wishing for sequels whenever I finish one of their books because the characters have all become so special to me. I know that Rosamune is no longer writing, but Robin is and I hope he continues for a long time.

[Donna Mcnab · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book takes us from the business world in Scotland to Long Island in New York, as David attempts to recover from the loss of his beloved wife and mother of his three children. Perhaps I was just ready for a feel-good book, but I thoroughly enjoyed Robin Pilcher's An Ocean Apart. He is following in the foot steps of his mother, Rosamunde, who was one of my favourite authors.

[Jolanda Roelofsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kon er eerst moeilijk in komen

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story! U've always been a dan of Rosamunde Pilcher, and her son doesn't disappoint.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy read Robin Pilcher's work. It is refreshing to read the point of view of a man about his everyday problems, their love, losses, and finding a new path.

David Corstorphine cannot seem to come to terms of the death of his treasured wife. He finds it difficult to function in his family business in Scottland and with his three small children. The only comfort David seems to be able to find is working in the family garden.Sent on business to New york, David suffers a complete brake down. he ends up taking on a job as a gardener which proves to be his redemption.
I enjoyed this story. I like some of Pilcher's other work better. It makes me wonder how the story would go if David had been a woman. Would people be so understanding and forgiving? Pilcher writes an intriguing story with great detail.

[Merrill Medansky · Rating 3 out of 5]

If the author and main character were women instead of men, this book would be characterized as women's fiction. The focus on relationships and emotions, especially between parents and children, is not surprising coming from the son of author Rosamunde Pilcher.
New widower David struggles with grief and finds refuge in gardening, away from family corporate responsibilities. While visiting a coastal village on Long Island, he takes a temp job as an estate gardener that results in healing friendships with the owner's young son and housekeeper. In only a few weeks, David finally becomes able to share his story and to welcome his own children for a visit from Scotland, only to be called home when his father becomes gravely ill. An intriguing sub-plot involving the family's whisky distillery adds color and contrast to the easy going, summer setting.

[Elsa DeGelder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read books by his Mum, Rosamunde Pilcher, and thought that, if nothing else, if he wrote anything like her, this'd be a pleasant read.
Expectations that were more than met; Robin is very much a writer in his own right, and this story--one that could've descended into typical cheesy romantic cliches--doesn't.
Sure, there are misunderstandings, and secrets that could've been dealt with earlier, but in Pilcher's hand they seem less like plot contrivances than they do the natural and simple unfolding of a story about a grief-stricken man trying to navigate Life.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Pilcher. This was his first novel and while it didn't wow me as others of his, it was a passable read. The storyline was a bit shallow and the characters were close to being multi-dimensional, but fell short. The story is set between the UK and the U.S.; Pilcher's dialog delivery of U.S. characters is painful to read. It's a crazy mix of U.K.-speak and U.S.-speak and not realistic.

However, we do feel the pain of loss and the promise of surviving without a loved one and making progress in life. Read his other books before this one.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting how his subject matter was very similar to his mom's. It definitely had more of a male outlook. The only quibble I have was the American characters speaking (and thinking) in British idioms. Is there really not one American person in Britain who can proofread books for these kinds of errors?

[Suzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am enjoying Robin Pilcher's books. AS an author, his style is not unlike his mother's, and I have enjoyed Rosamunde Pilcher's books for years. So happy to find well-written novels that are not gruesome or over-infused with sex. Just a good story line with well-developed characters and enough local detail to help you to imagine where you are. Highly recommended.

[Janne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book - a story about dealing with grief and how one man overcomes it. The story was in some ways very predictable, but I still really enjoyed reading it - there was romance, business dishonesty, multiple family dynamics - all in all a nice read.

[Trina Hollis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real lovely story about a man coming to terms with his grief for the death of his wife and eventually finding love again. I love Rosamond Pilcher and this is written by her son definitely a chip off the block.

[Monica · Rating 1 out of 5]

tedious. at least 2/3 of the book is endless minutia. seriously, can we assume people wear clean underwear? must I suffer through a description of it? do I need to know the entire route the cab took down Long Island? sheesh.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book a little slow and without the depth of some of his other books. I enjoyed his professional side that he had abandoned because of his deep grief. I was glad that he eventually found himself. His time in America seemed shallow. It was still very good.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice summer read. Light but a good story.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked it better than the last. Think I will move on to another author next for my Scotland challenge book.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid 4 star. Lovely, descriptive writing combined with a solid plot.. kept me reading.

[Claire Connors · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this very slow reading. The storyline was interesting but I feel it was overly descriptive causing my interest to wander.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

That's a very shaky three-star rating, would only be 2.5 if half stars were possible. This is an overly long book with a rather clever inverse-Cinderella story aspect to it, but that devise alone is not enough to carry it through some 470 pages. Also, a large portion of the book takes place in America, where the author clearly hasn't spent enough time to familiarize himself with American idioms and customs to bring that off. Some of the most glaring cases in point: "Mohican haircut" for "Mohawk," people "ringing" for "calling" and "calling" for visiting. Also, no American school is going to be in regular session after June 15! However these are just cultural nuances which can be overlooked. What is more difficult to overlook is the unreality of the premise.
David Corstorphine (aka: Lord Inchelvie) of the Highlands of Scotland and co-owner of the Glendurnich Distillery, has lost his beloved wife to cancer. As the story opens, he has quit going to his corporate job and spends all day working in the grounds of his family's mansion in an attempt to numb his grief. His elderly father has been forced to come out of retirement to pick up the slack and his elderly mother is understandably concerned that David shows no signs of picking up the pieces of his life. He also has three children, ranging from 16 down to 9, whom he has sent back to boarding school. Against his better judgment, David is sent to New York in an ostensibly emergency effort to connect the distillery with a new distributor in the U.S. He becomes ill and incoherent and takes to the bed his army friend has provided. About a week later, he gets up from his sickbed intent on not returning to Scotland but seeks employment as a gardener on Long Island. From this point on out, it just becomes more and more ludicrous! He is cast as a kind of miracle-man (in fact, he is referred to as "Superman!") and shows off more talents and skills than anyone this side of Mary Poppins!
The reason I find the premise so insulting is that millions of people face this type of grief, or worse, every day and yet, they can't just run off to another country, leaving their parents and children holding the bag. And even wealthy people with large staffs, probably wouldn't act like some kind of hard-done-by melodrama queen!
After a while, I stayed with the book just to see how ridiculous and sappy it could get! Robin Pilcher owes his name recognition to his famous mother, Rosamund Pilcher, but his syrupy style is all his own!

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished this book. I've read most of Rosamund Pilcher's books and love them. I knew she had a child who also wrote, but I was avoiding reading them. I didn't want to be disappointed because I enjoyed Rosamund's books so much. And I thought Robin was a daughter but turns out it is a son. What a pleasant surprise, I enjoyed this book just about as much as his Mom's. Very engaging, feel good story with a happy ending. My favorite kind of book. Life is very stressful and disturbing. I read to get a break from all that and this definitely fit the bill.

I found nothing to complain about. The story line was interesting. The pacing was spot on. I liked all the characters except the few who were supposed to be villains. The setting was pleasant and the descriptions well done. He included gardens in his book. The main character turns to gardening to get over a loss. I could relate to that. the dialogue was satisfying. I found the way he allowed this man to become a friend to an entire family from the housekeeper, to the child, to the married Mom without it causing a huge issue within the marriage. Very easily resolved that issue by the end of the book without a lot of drama. I loved the way he quickly just became part of this family and eventually they made a very easy blending of two families. I know it's not realistic and can that happen in real life? Probably rare if it does. I don't care. This type of story is the way we all want things to turn out.

The aspect of the book that most impressed me, was that I was so happy with all the choices and decisions that the characters made in the story. That rarely happens. And secondly that he didn't drag out long periods of nothing happening. He kept the story moving along.

Well, I just thought of one complaint, just like his Mother, he writes stand alone books and I love a good series and I wish he had written about 30 novels.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, and I did not realize that it was the author's debut novel until I had finished. Though it had a slow start for me, I thought the writing was excellent, and when I finished it, I checked to if there would be a sequel.

It is a story about a family in Scotland, and David, the main character, is having a difficult time overcoming the intense grief of losing his wife to cancer. He basically stops living, takes an extended leave from work (the family business), and eventually goes to New York on business and has a breakdown. His job as a gardener there allows him to escape the complications of being a Lord in Scotland and part owner of the family's whiskey business. Likewise, he becomes a catalyst in helping another family with their relationship issues which, in turn, is a factor in his coming to terms with his personal grief and responsibilities to his own three children and the family business.