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The Spotted Cottage #1
The Spotted Cottage by the Sea
Her ex-husband said she’d be nothing without him. Her movie star neighbor disagreed.
Sheila had dreams of where she’d be at fifty, and none of them included being broke, divorced, and running a seaside shop. But when her scheming ex-husband threatened to sell the place out from under her beloved mother-in-law, she had no choice. She had to help.
Russell Westwood wasn’t looking for trouble – or romance – when he left Hollywood. All he wanted was peace and quiet after his messy divorce. Falling for his sweet and determined neighbor was not part of his plan. But nothing else in his life had gone according to plan lately. Why should this?
After Sheila’s decades-old secret comes to the surface, she has to decide if righting a wrong from her past is worth destroying her future with Russell. Will they find a way through, or is their second chance at a happily ever after too good to be true?
Sheila had dreams of where she’d be at fifty, and none of them included being broke, divorced, and running a seaside shop. But when her scheming ex-husband threatened to sell the place out from under her beloved mother-in-law, she had no choice. She had to help.
Russell Westwood wasn’t looking for trouble – or romance – when he left Hollywood. All he wanted was peace and quiet after his messy divorce. Falling for his sweet and determined neighbor was not part of his plan. But nothing else in his life had gone according to plan lately. Why should this?
After Sheila’s decades-old secret comes to the surface, she has to decide if righting a wrong from her past is worth destroying her future with Russell. Will they find a way through, or is their second chance at a happily ever after too good to be true?
214 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 19, 2024
1205 people are currently reading
448 people want to read
About the author
Amelia Addler
27 books199 followersAmelia Addler is an author of feel-good romantic women's fiction stories. Her books focus on the importance of family, love and hope - all intermingled with romance and mystery. Her popular Westcott Bay series takes place on beautiful San Juan Island, just off the coast of Washington State, and offers an escape for readers and arm-chair travelers alike.
Amelia lives in Pittsburgh with her husband and little dog. When she's not writing, she's busy plotting trips to San Juan Island to see the killer whales, or explaining to people on hikes that her dog is not, in fact, a coyote.
You can join her reader's email list for updates, catch pictures of her dog on Instagram, or ask her a question here on Goodreads!
Amelia lives in Pittsburgh with her husband and little dog. When she's not writing, she's busy plotting trips to San Juan Island to see the killer whales, or explaining to people on hikes that her dog is not, in fact, a coyote.
You can join her reader's email list for updates, catch pictures of her dog on Instagram, or ask her a question here on Goodreads!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
September 21, 2025
Good storyline but just a little slow. There should have been one or two more chapters to include
There should have been one or two more chapters with some detail about pie at Russell's and his introduction of Sheila as his girlfriend. Also more detail about Lottie being reunited with her mother.
There should have been one or two more chapters with some detail about pie at Russell's and his introduction of Sheila as his girlfriend. Also more detail about Lottie being reunited with her mother.
September 23, 2025
When Sheila is fired from her accounting position and receives a call from her ex-mother-in-law about adopting her dog, she decides it would be a good time to visit. The last of her four daughters has left for college but one of them decides to join her mother and grandmother on the island off Seattle.
Russell Westwood, a famous and good-looking actor, has purchased the house next door and just happens to find Sheila attractive. His divorce and career have left him untrusting of others though.
The storyline intersects romance between the two, a captured whale from 40 years previously, and the refurbishing of the tearoom business that grandma has let deteriorate since her hip surgery.
This is the second book I have read in the last few months where a woman and her mother-in-law end up living together and have a better relationship with each other than they do with the ex-husband and son. Is that a thing now? I haven't seen that particular dynamic out in the real world. This was the first of a series. Liked the characters OK but not sure I will proceed with reading subsequent chapters of their lives.
Russell Westwood, a famous and good-looking actor, has purchased the house next door and just happens to find Sheila attractive. His divorce and career have left him untrusting of others though.
The storyline intersects romance between the two, a captured whale from 40 years previously, and the refurbishing of the tearoom business that grandma has let deteriorate since her hip surgery.
This is the second book I have read in the last few months where a woman and her mother-in-law end up living together and have a better relationship with each other than they do with the ex-husband and son. Is that a thing now? I haven't seen that particular dynamic out in the real world. This was the first of a series. Liked the characters OK but not sure I will proceed with reading subsequent chapters of their lives.
March 20, 2024
The Spotted Cottage By the Sea is about new beginnings, family, friendship, old promises kept and new love. I love Ms. Addler’s books. Her characters are always so well portrayed that I want to meet and hang out with them - especially in the reopened tea shop! The part about Lottie the whale is a real bonus. I love that the main character was middle aged and how determined she was to get her new beginning. When I finished I wanted to start reading again. I do not want to let these characters go!
November 5, 2025
loved this
December 28, 2025
light read
March 13, 2024
The Spotted Cottage By The Sea has Sheila, the main character, on a roller coaster in her life as she has just been fired from her CPA job, her payments on the house is behind and may be put into foreclosure, and she is putting her 4 girls through college on her own as her ex-husband Brian stopped paying child support. When she heard that her ex-mother in law Patty was about to have her cottage and tea shop sold by her son Brian and her put in a old folks home, Sheila takes off to San Juan Island. She loves her ex-mother in law as if she was her mother. And she knows from Patty's background she would never be happy in a old folks home. Brian had tried to sell Patty's property to her neighbor so Sheila goes next door to tell them the offer is off and the neighbor is actor Russell Westwood. She tells him Patty is not leaving. They were going to get the tea shop up and running again and she was going to see if she could get some accounts to do from home. But she has a plan to try to release Lottie, as she had promised her when she was just a child that she would get her back to her mother and she found out Lottie is on San Juan Island! She thought her life was in turmoil, however, now she may be arrested.
March 2, 2024
Sheila and Russell have and interesting meeting, but she is in too much of a mess to stop and dream about him. Enter her feisty ex-mother-in-law!
They all form a bit of a friendship before things go wonky.
The story was well written. It introduces many characters but only a few stay for this story. I love the way Sheila's family interacts. They don't seem to have a good sense of boundaries, but in a loving supportive way.
This is my voluntary review of a copy I received from the author.
They all form a bit of a friendship before things go wonky.
The story was well written. It introduces many characters but only a few stay for this story. I love the way Sheila's family interacts. They don't seem to have a good sense of boundaries, but in a loving supportive way.
This is my voluntary review of a copy I received from the author.
July 3, 2024
Sheila retreats to her mother-in-law’s home and tea shop. She discovers that her ex-husband is trying to force his mother into leaving her home. Sheila is determined to not let that happen. Her daughter, Eliza, comes too, and together they move in with Granny, spruce up the tea shop and open it again. Sheila also remembers a baby whale her father caught and sold to a park. Granny’s neighbor, Russell, is an actor who is also divorced. Lots going on in this delightful story!
March 19, 2024
When Sheila loses her job, and her husband, on a whim she travels to visit her ex-mother-in-law Patty who lives by the sea and runs a little tea shop. When Sheila arrives, she is surprised by the state of the unkept tea house which has now been shut down. Not only that but her ex-husband wants to move his mother to an old age home close to where he lives. Sheila knowing Patty does not want to move, offers to stay and help her around the house and convinces her to reopen the tea shop. When Patty tells her the neighbour has offered to purchase her land, Sheila stomps right over to his house to tell him it is no longer for sale. That’s when she meets the movie star Russell Westwood who seems to have made himself right at home in the small sea side town. What will happen when Sheila and her daughter Eliza take the reins to reinvent the tea house? How does Russell fit into their plans and their new lives?
This new novel by Amelia Addler was full of family, friendship, and new beginnings. I loved that Sheila was entering middle age and was an empty nester. Love can enter our lives at any age, and it was refreshing to see a mid life romance blossom. I also enjoyed the family dynamics especially the fun spirited Patty. I adored this novel about new beginnings and love how Ms. Addler told the story even including a little plot twist that includes a whale! My sincere thanks to Amelia Addler for my advanced copy which I read and reviewed voluntarily. A perfect spring novel.
This new novel by Amelia Addler was full of family, friendship, and new beginnings. I loved that Sheila was entering middle age and was an empty nester. Love can enter our lives at any age, and it was refreshing to see a mid life romance blossom. I also enjoyed the family dynamics especially the fun spirited Patty. I adored this novel about new beginnings and love how Ms. Addler told the story even including a little plot twist that includes a whale! My sincere thanks to Amelia Addler for my advanced copy which I read and reviewed voluntarily. A perfect spring novel.
January 11, 2026
Sheila a 50 year old recently (6 years) divorced woman walks into work to do a presentation and opens a box with ski mask ropes hooks and other dodgy equipment. She’s fired. She goes to San Juan island to her ex MIL where they renovate her closed cafe and Sheila becomes friendly with the famous actor next door. I waited and waited and waited and waited some more to find out about the box of dangerous stuff she’d been fired for and still the conclusion of that wasnt satisfaction. I like the Whale storyline in the book and hopefully they got to free the whale and return her to her pod but that isn’t concluded I liked the setting of the book the renovation of the tea room and success of that. I enjoyed the storylines about her husband who sounds not a good match for and that she may find love again with the famous actor Russell next door. The characters were well rounded and the story rolled along at a good pace just would have liked more conclusions maybe there is a book two?
If I was a character I’d I like be granny Patty or Eliza the daughter or sheila all tge female characters were good
If I was a character I’d I like be granny Patty or Eliza the daughter or sheila all tge female characters were good
February 3, 2026
Loved it.
My usual go to is a fantasy or sci fi novel. This book ended up on my Kindle, and as I scrolled through my to read list (of around 23,000 titles), I was drawn to the cover. I’ve had a rough time lately and needed something comfortable to sink into. Drawn in by the idyllic image of a cottage on the coast, almost off grid (where I wanted to be), I committed to absorbing myself into the lives of Sheila and her family. This was so well written I felt like I was actually in the scenes watching it all play out before me. There were highs and lows that rolled into each other seamlessly, and even with an obligatory movie star thrown into the mix, it all felt believable. Thank you.
My usual go to is a fantasy or sci fi novel. This book ended up on my Kindle, and as I scrolled through my to read list (of around 23,000 titles), I was drawn to the cover. I’ve had a rough time lately and needed something comfortable to sink into. Drawn in by the idyllic image of a cottage on the coast, almost off grid (where I wanted to be), I committed to absorbing myself into the lives of Sheila and her family. This was so well written I felt like I was actually in the scenes watching it all play out before me. There were highs and lows that rolled into each other seamlessly, and even with an obligatory movie star thrown into the mix, it all felt believable. Thank you.
September 30, 2025
3.5*...Sheila has lost her husband and is about to lose her home. She turns to her ex-mother in law who she has an excellent relationship with. This was a lovely story involving whales, wolves, an A-lister actor and a teashop. It did feel a little unfinished as I reached the end but I think that's due to the fact that this is the first in a series of books.
October 4, 2025
A sweet beach read
I really enjoyed this introduction to the Dennet Family, Patty, Sheila and her daughters. I'm definitely not a fan of Sheila's ex Brian. She is better off without him regardless of the challenges that life as a single parent brings. How the women come together and support each other through upheaval is delightful. I would happily read more.
I really enjoyed this introduction to the Dennet Family, Patty, Sheila and her daughters. I'm definitely not a fan of Sheila's ex Brian. She is better off without him regardless of the challenges that life as a single parent brings. How the women come together and support each other through upheaval is delightful. I would happily read more.
November 6, 2025
Wonderful
Oh what a great book this is! I enjoyed every minute reading it! Amelia Addled is a really good author. This is one of several books written by her, that I have read and I definitely was really pleased with each one. It's so refreshing to read a nice 'clean' romance. I can hardly wait to start reading another one of her books!
Oh what a great book this is! I enjoyed every minute reading it! Amelia Addled is a really good author. This is one of several books written by her, that I have read and I definitely was really pleased with each one. It's so refreshing to read a nice 'clean' romance. I can hardly wait to start reading another one of her books!
April 4, 2024
I love reading stories set in the San Juan islands!
Visiting the San Juan islands is like coming home. After living in Washington and boating in the San Juans, it's fun to visit again via Amelia Add let's books. The characters are well developed as is the setting.
Visiting the San Juan islands is like coming home. After living in Washington and boating in the San Juans, it's fun to visit again via Amelia Add let's books. The characters are well developed as is the setting.
September 15, 2025
Wolves, Whales, and Romance
I loved the story! Bringing in information about wolves and whales made it more interesting than just a routine romance. And it was great there were no steamy scenes. As a senior citizen, I appreciate that.
I loved the story! Bringing in information about wolves and whales made it more interesting than just a routine romance. And it was great there were no steamy scenes. As a senior citizen, I appreciate that.
September 24, 2025
Granny
Feisty women in crisis. Each woman has her problem, but they don't give up. As with so many of these books, really needs some good editing. Therefore, only four stars. Otherwise a good story worth reading
Feisty women in crisis. Each woman has her problem, but they don't give up. As with so many of these books, really needs some good editing. Therefore, only four stars. Otherwise a good story worth reading
September 28, 2025
Mesmerizing
Great book. Kept me reading much longer than I planned on.
kept me up and reading until late into the night. I love a book that holds my interest.
This one did it. Thankyou
Great book. Kept me reading much longer than I planned on.
kept me up and reading until late into the night. I love a book that holds my interest.
This one did it. Thankyou
September 29, 2025
Oh dear! I’m sorry but this novel was not for me, set in the USA, written by a lady novelist it really was very light and of course American English isn’t the same as U.K. English, in places quite unbelievable sorry but I skipped most of it
September 29, 2025
This was a great book. One twist after another. It gets so bad for the main character that you don't think a happy ending is possible. However, a happy ending did happen. I loved it, and promptly ordered book 2.
October 4, 2025
3.5 This was a nice family story including wolves, whales and life changing events.
It was obvious as I started reading this book that it would be a series. The characters well developed and the story was fun. Kobo
It was obvious as I started reading this book that it would be a series. The characters well developed and the story was fun. Kobo
December 28, 2025
interesting story
A story about midlife, divorce and new starts. This was a quick read with an unexpected second story line. I liked the unexpected added component of the story of the orca.
A story about midlife, divorce and new starts. This was a quick read with an unexpected second story line. I liked the unexpected added component of the story of the orca.
May 29, 2024
Cute, light, a little predictable but I enjoyed this book
January 22, 2025
Super fun and easy read. Can't wait to read #2
September 9, 2025
Such a humble and cosy read! I really needed this book, it got me out of my reading slump. I loved every single character and I am so excited to read the next one!
September 10, 2025
Sweet story
Interesting characters and storyline. Some loose ends about story but I guess a book 2 is in works. Enjoyable read overall.
Interesting characters and storyline. Some loose ends about story but I guess a book 2 is in works. Enjoyable read overall.
September 14, 2025
Great story line
The spotted cottage by the sea was a great 2nd chance at romance. It includes building your own true family. Couldn't put it down loved the bit of mystery.
The spotted cottage by the sea was a great 2nd chance at romance. It includes building your own true family. Couldn't put it down loved the bit of mystery.
September 16, 2025
Lovely, sweet story.
A quick, easy, and delightful read with lovable characters! I am looking forward to the next books in the series!
A quick, easy, and delightful read with lovable characters! I am looking forward to the next books in the series!
September 19, 2025
Fun read
This was a fun, easy read. I especially enjoyed the intergenerational interplay between the characters. Fun dialog. I am going to go look for Eliza's book now.
This was a fun, easy read. I especially enjoyed the intergenerational interplay between the characters. Fun dialog. I am going to go look for Eliza's book now.
September 27, 2025
A Spot of Tea
A very good must read book, it has a light feel good factor that captivates you from the start, making you want to continue reading. I highly recommend it.
A very good must read book, it has a light feel good factor that captivates you from the start, making you want to continue reading. I highly recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews