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Cliffehaven #9
Et glædeligt gensyn
Cliffehaven-serien er et levende og hjerteskærende portræt af tiden under 2. verdenskrig og de mange mennesker, hvis liv blev forandret af krigen. Rørende venskaber og betingelsesløs kærlighed opstår, mens grufuldhederne udfolder sig.
Efter Marys forældre er omkommet i et luftangreb, opdager hun en hemmelighed i sin fars dagbøger. Jagten på sandheden leder hende til Cliffehaven på den engelske sydkyst. Her får hun arbejde på Kodak-fabrikken, hvor hun sorterer de airgraphs, som bliver sendt af mænd og kvinder i de væbnede styrker – og deres kære – fra alle verdenshjørner. Alt imens hun længes efter nyheder om sin egen kæreste, der kæmper i Europa.
Med hjælp fra Peggy Reilly og hendes familie på Pensionat Havglimt begynder Mary at genopbygge et liv for sig selv. Men de hændelser, som udspillede sig for mere end atten år siden, er ikke glemt, og hvis Peggy bryder sit gamle løfte, vil det få katastrofale konsekvenser, ikke alene for Mary …
Efter Marys forældre er omkommet i et luftangreb, opdager hun en hemmelighed i sin fars dagbøger. Jagten på sandheden leder hende til Cliffehaven på den engelske sydkyst. Her får hun arbejde på Kodak-fabrikken, hvor hun sorterer de airgraphs, som bliver sendt af mænd og kvinder i de væbnede styrker – og deres kære – fra alle verdenshjørner. Alt imens hun længes efter nyheder om sin egen kæreste, der kæmper i Europa.
Med hjælp fra Peggy Reilly og hendes familie på Pensionat Havglimt begynder Mary at genopbygge et liv for sig selv. Men de hændelser, som udspillede sig for mere end atten år siden, er ikke glemt, og hvis Peggy bryder sit gamle løfte, vil det få katastrofale konsekvenser, ikke alene for Mary …
335 pages, Paperback
First published August 13, 2015
105 people are currently reading
220 people want to read
About the author
Ellie Dean
33 books137 followersEllie Dean lives in Eastbourne, which has been her home for many years and where she raised her three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
July 1, 2017
This is the best installment in this series in quite some time. Or more accurately, this book and the previous book are the best installment, as the two really should have been one book and I have no idea why the publisher decided to separate them. At long last the mysterious story line involving Peggy, Rosie and Eileen that has been brewing in the background for the past several books reached a conclusion, and while I had figured out most of it already by the time we got to the end, it was very satisfying to see it resolved. I loved that this novel did not devolve into just a sappy romance like a few in this series have done. The author finally seems to have found the right balance between wartime history and romance. Coming back to this series with its many quirky and familiar characters feels like coming back to old friends, and I'm so glad that the author seems to have the series back on track after a few hiccoughs.
May 26, 2019
Okay
First book was great however I have found this one to be a little bit of a let down. Good story just a little predictable.
First book was great however I have found this one to be a little bit of a let down. Good story just a little predictable.
March 9, 2019
Wonderful love Ellie Dean books makes you feel like your one of the family
November 20, 2022
Quand bien même j’ai découvert cette série en cours de route grâce à l’avant-dernier tome paru, Tant que nous sommes séparés, j’ai été plus que satisfait de ma découverte, mettant en scène une jeune femme en pleine quête d’identité au milieu d’un univers rythmé par les combats et autres conflits spécifiques à la seconde guerre mondiale. D’autant plus que Tamara McKinley laissait ses lecteurs sur une fin des plus alléchante et intrigante qui soit. C’est pourquoi, je n’ai pas hésité un seul instant à réaliser un nouveau partenariat avec les éditions de l’Archipel afin de connaître toute la vérité derrière l’adoption de Mary ainsi que les secrets qui l’entourent.
En ce sens, l’auteure a parfaitement répondu à mes attentes et autres questions. J’ai retrouvé ce que j’appréciais dans sa plume si entraînante et fluide malgré un volet bien moins rythmé et dynamique selon moi. Cette dernière prend le temps de développer les personnages précédemment dévoilés et offre une chasse au secrets merveilleusement orchestrée, qui est parvenue à toujours me donner envie de continuer cette lecture. Il faut dire que cette suite se dévoile facilement dévorante du fait de sa courte durée. En quelques centaines de pages, Tamara McKinley dévoile d’importantes révélations et se dessine peu avare en surprises. Mieux encore et pourtant bien loin d’être adorateur de ce genre de fiction historique, cette dernière étoffe son univers et j’apprécie toujours autant découvrir les conditions de vies de cette violence et sombre société en plein tourment. Néanmoins et malgré toute sa justesse et son contexte historique merveilleusement bien restitué, je regrette parfois ce léger manque de détails et d’approfondissement quant à celui-ci qui gagnerait davantage en immersion. Pour autant, c’est avec une certaine envie et débordant d’entrain et d’intérêt que j’ai parcouru cette douce et tendre histoire de vie. Bien plus encore qu’un récit de guerre et comme je l’avais déjà relevé, Avec mes tendres pensées se dessine aussi une véritable histoire familiale pleine de drames mais aussi de touchants et tendres moments d’espoir et d’amour, magnifiquement mis en exergue par Mary et Peggy.
Ce pétillant duo précédemment rencontré m’a de nouveau totalement charmé. J’ai pris plaisir à retrouver ces deux protagonistes féminins et en particulier Mary. Cette dernière se veut d’une volonté à toute épreuves et malgré les nombreux embûches qui se dresseront sur son chemin, celle-ci reste déterminée à découvrir les sombres secrets qui se cachent derrière ses origines. Accompagnée et soutenue tout le long de son chemin de vie, j’ai apprécié les moments où les sentiments humains étaient justement et finement mis en avant. C’est donc naturellement que mon attachement n’a cessé de grandir au fil des pages et je suis ravi de l’évolution de ce touchant personnage. Tout comme je suis toujours aussi sensible à l’ambiance chaleureuse et bienveillante de cette série, qui d’ailleurs est propre à la maison d’édition. Ce sont toujours de doux et tendres moments, riches de voyages et d’évasion qui accompagne mes lectures et ce malgré un contexte historique chaotique. Il faut dire que cette pension du bord de mer se dévoile un havre de paix que j’apprécie retrouver pour quelques instants et ce, grâce à ces merveilleux personnages emblématiques que j’espère retrouver lors d’un nouvel épisode.
Ainsi donc, j’ai adoré retrouvé notre héroïne en quête d’identité dont celle-ci cache bien des secrets et des conséquences. J’ai pris plaisir à réaliser ce jeu de piste et remonter sur ses traces dans un univers sombre mais majoritairement remplie de douceur et de chaleur. La plume de Tamara McKinley m’a de nouveau embarqué avec facilité et fluidité dans un univers dont je ne raffole pourtant pas et là contexte historique reste justement mené même si parfois encore assez faible.
Cette lecture a été réalisée à l’occasion de mon partenariat avec les Editions de L’Archipoche.
En ce sens, l’auteure a parfaitement répondu à mes attentes et autres questions. J’ai retrouvé ce que j’appréciais dans sa plume si entraînante et fluide malgré un volet bien moins rythmé et dynamique selon moi. Cette dernière prend le temps de développer les personnages précédemment dévoilés et offre une chasse au secrets merveilleusement orchestrée, qui est parvenue à toujours me donner envie de continuer cette lecture. Il faut dire que cette suite se dévoile facilement dévorante du fait de sa courte durée. En quelques centaines de pages, Tamara McKinley dévoile d’importantes révélations et se dessine peu avare en surprises. Mieux encore et pourtant bien loin d’être adorateur de ce genre de fiction historique, cette dernière étoffe son univers et j’apprécie toujours autant découvrir les conditions de vies de cette violence et sombre société en plein tourment. Néanmoins et malgré toute sa justesse et son contexte historique merveilleusement bien restitué, je regrette parfois ce léger manque de détails et d’approfondissement quant à celui-ci qui gagnerait davantage en immersion. Pour autant, c’est avec une certaine envie et débordant d’entrain et d’intérêt que j’ai parcouru cette douce et tendre histoire de vie. Bien plus encore qu’un récit de guerre et comme je l’avais déjà relevé, Avec mes tendres pensées se dessine aussi une véritable histoire familiale pleine de drames mais aussi de touchants et tendres moments d’espoir et d’amour, magnifiquement mis en exergue par Mary et Peggy.
Ce pétillant duo précédemment rencontré m’a de nouveau totalement charmé. J’ai pris plaisir à retrouver ces deux protagonistes féminins et en particulier Mary. Cette dernière se veut d’une volonté à toute épreuves et malgré les nombreux embûches qui se dresseront sur son chemin, celle-ci reste déterminée à découvrir les sombres secrets qui se cachent derrière ses origines. Accompagnée et soutenue tout le long de son chemin de vie, j’ai apprécié les moments où les sentiments humains étaient justement et finement mis en avant. C’est donc naturellement que mon attachement n’a cessé de grandir au fil des pages et je suis ravi de l’évolution de ce touchant personnage. Tout comme je suis toujours aussi sensible à l’ambiance chaleureuse et bienveillante de cette série, qui d’ailleurs est propre à la maison d’édition. Ce sont toujours de doux et tendres moments, riches de voyages et d’évasion qui accompagne mes lectures et ce malgré un contexte historique chaotique. Il faut dire que cette pension du bord de mer se dévoile un havre de paix que j’apprécie retrouver pour quelques instants et ce, grâce à ces merveilleux personnages emblématiques que j’espère retrouver lors d’un nouvel épisode.
Ainsi donc, j’ai adoré retrouvé notre héroïne en quête d’identité dont celle-ci cache bien des secrets et des conséquences. J’ai pris plaisir à réaliser ce jeu de piste et remonter sur ses traces dans un univers sombre mais majoritairement remplie de douceur et de chaleur. La plume de Tamara McKinley m’a de nouveau embarqué avec facilité et fluidité dans un univers dont je ne raffole pourtant pas et là contexte historique reste justement mené même si parfois encore assez faible.
Cette lecture a été réalisée à l’occasion de mon partenariat avec les Editions de L’Archipoche.
November 8, 2022
QUELLE DECEPTION !!
J'apprécie en règle générale les romans de Tamara McKinley c'est donc avec plaisir que j'ai ouvert son dernier roman paru aux éditions de l'Archipel , son éditeur habituel.
Un roman historique, la côte sud-est anglaise, été 1942, des jeunes femmes venues de toute l'Angleterre y ont trouvé un toit, un abri, un travail et participent à l'effort de guerre. Mary est arrivée à Cliffehaven en quête d'informations sur ses parents biologiques. Elle a trouvé auprès de Peggy Reilly une oreille attentive, chaleur et affection. Peggy est une femme lumineuse et accueillante, difficile de dire la même chose de sa soeur Doris ..Tout se met en place, bon an mal an, le premier chapitre fourmille d'informations, les personnages nous sont présentés en rafale. Surprenante introduction.
La vie s'organise, les militaires sont nombreux, les jeunes femmes aussi .. les ragots fusent , le pub se remplit chaque soir et dans l'ombre de Rosie, la tenancière du pub, rode Tommy ,son frère,, un vaurien en liberté conditionnelle. Quel rapport avec Mary?
Un roman qui aurait pu se révéler plaisant à lire , la vie de la communauté de Cliffehaven, les amours des unes, les espoirs des autres, les coups bas et les actes héroiques. Mais c'était sans compter sur le final mélodramatique à souhait, destiné à faire pleurer dans les chaumières, un registre larmoyant qui m'exaspère au plus haut point.
Je me dois de remercier Mylène des éditions de l'archipel pour sa confiance via Netgalley france
#AVECMESTENDRESPENSÉES #NetGalleyFrance !
J'apprécie en règle générale les romans de Tamara McKinley c'est donc avec plaisir que j'ai ouvert son dernier roman paru aux éditions de l'Archipel , son éditeur habituel.
Un roman historique, la côte sud-est anglaise, été 1942, des jeunes femmes venues de toute l'Angleterre y ont trouvé un toit, un abri, un travail et participent à l'effort de guerre. Mary est arrivée à Cliffehaven en quête d'informations sur ses parents biologiques. Elle a trouvé auprès de Peggy Reilly une oreille attentive, chaleur et affection. Peggy est une femme lumineuse et accueillante, difficile de dire la même chose de sa soeur Doris ..Tout se met en place, bon an mal an, le premier chapitre fourmille d'informations, les personnages nous sont présentés en rafale. Surprenante introduction.
La vie s'organise, les militaires sont nombreux, les jeunes femmes aussi .. les ragots fusent , le pub se remplit chaque soir et dans l'ombre de Rosie, la tenancière du pub, rode Tommy ,son frère,, un vaurien en liberté conditionnelle. Quel rapport avec Mary?
Un roman qui aurait pu se révéler plaisant à lire , la vie de la communauté de Cliffehaven, les amours des unes, les espoirs des autres, les coups bas et les actes héroiques. Mais c'était sans compter sur le final mélodramatique à souhait, destiné à faire pleurer dans les chaumières, un registre larmoyant qui m'exaspère au plus haut point.
Je me dois de remercier Mylène des éditions de l'archipel pour sa confiance via Netgalley france
#AVECMESTENDRESPENSÉES #NetGalleyFrance !
January 23, 2023
Je tiens à spécifier en préambule que ce tome est selon moi le premier de la série qui nécessite vraiment d'avoir lu les précédents pour saisir les ramifications de l'intrigue centrale. Nous retrouvons donc Mary, l'héroïne de l'opus précédent qui a cessé sa quête de ses origines. Toutefois, sachant qu'elle a décidé de rester à Cliffhaven, il est évident que les secrets vont sortir du puit. On se laisse bercer par l'ambiance inimitable de la pension et son quotidien routinier même si de nombreux personnages sont au loin, ce qui ne cesse de faire souffrir Peggy. Cependant, elle continue à se montrer généreuse envers son entourage et c'est agréable de voir les pensionnaires prendre leur envol. A commencer par Fran qui se révèle surprenante dans ce tome. On s'intéresse également de plus en plus à Rosie et à Ron dont la relation est de plus en plus "intime". Et bien sûr on suit avec plaisir les remarques acides de l'ampoulée Doris et les plans machiavélique de Tommy. Ce tome clôture joliment l'arc de Mary.
Ce que j'aime : l'ambiance de la pension, le talent caché de Fran, les remarques de Doris, la relation de Ron et Rosie
Ce que j'aime moins : la décision finale de Mary
Pour résumer
Un tome riche en émotions diverses et en rebondissements, on tremble pour certains personnages et on se surprend à souhaiter qu'il ne leur arrive rien de mal
Ma note
8,5/10
Ce que j'aime : l'ambiance de la pension, le talent caché de Fran, les remarques de Doris, la relation de Ron et Rosie
Ce que j'aime moins : la décision finale de Mary
Pour résumer
Un tome riche en émotions diverses et en rebondissements, on tremble pour certains personnages et on se surprend à souhaiter qu'il ne leur arrive rien de mal
Ma note
8,5/10
April 13, 2022
I think these two books on Mary's story could've worked better as one book, as it felt stretched out longer than it needed to be. The pacing was maddening. You'd get so far in learning more only for that to be shelved when it switched to another character. During the back & forth it was easy to figure out most of the full story based on what was written in book 4. The ending felt rushed & then not rushed enough as the intrinsic characters shared their pov's with many interruptions. For me, the highlight of the book was a bit reference to a character from book 2 near the ending.
March 15, 2023
Un très beau roman. Cela se passe en Angleterre pendant la 2eme guerre mondiale dans un village où les femmes subissent l'éloignement de leurs maris, beau-fils, ou fiancés. Les habitants doivent rendre l'accueil des Américains dans les meilleures conditions surtout à l'approche de Noël. Bombardements, faim et fatigue font le quotidien de chacune. Dans cette période de guère, une des héroïnes recherchent ses racines, ayant appris qu'elle avait été adoptée après le décès de ses parents adoptifs morts dans un bombardement.
Je le recommande
Je le recommande
March 8, 2020
Fabulous read yet again!
I absolutely loved reading this book. It was intriguing as I could feel things falling into place to reveal the answers to the secrets I had previously read about in the earlier books. I set myself a challenge to read 32 books this year, but I think the majority of my reading will be the Cliffehaven Series. Well done Ellie Dean!!
I absolutely loved reading this book. It was intriguing as I could feel things falling into place to reveal the answers to the secrets I had previously read about in the earlier books. I set myself a challenge to read 32 books this year, but I think the majority of my reading will be the Cliffehaven Series. Well done Ellie Dean!!
July 27, 2023
[2.5]Déçue par la fin. J’avais l’impression en lisant le résumé qu’il y avait un secret destructeur mais dans la réalité, il n’est pas aussi dévastateur que ça. En gros, trop de bla-bla-bla pour rien au final
August 26, 2019
Cliffehaven Series
Excellent read equally as good as the rest . one that you just can,t put down , beautiful and relaxing 😃
Excellent read equally as good as the rest . one that you just can,t put down , beautiful and relaxing 😃
October 24, 2019
Another good read
Another good read,Ellie Dean makes you laugh and cry,such a well written book the characters come to life looking forward to the next book
Another good read,Ellie Dean makes you laugh and cry,such a well written book the characters come to life looking forward to the next book
June 1, 2022
and so the saga goes on
And so the saga goes on. Another wonderful story of the twists and turns of wartime Britain. Love the helping each other during trying times.
And so the saga goes on. Another wonderful story of the twists and turns of wartime Britain. Love the helping each other during trying times.
September 11, 2015
Sealed with a Loving Kiss written by Ellie Dean is the ninth book in this wonderful series and once again the author Ellie Dean did not disappoint.
Peggy Reilly is still the main stay of this wonderful read and we are brought back into the lives of those who lodge in her home in the year 1942, rationing is holding on tight but that does not stop Peggy opening not only her home to those in need but her heart is filled for those she counts as her friends, especially the very talented yet still very timid Mary who has arrived in the previous book in this wonderful series [[ASIN:0099585324 While We're Apart: Beach View Boarding House 8]]. With the help of her new friends as the book continued I loved how Mary learned to trust her own feelings and at last she allows her confidence to grow. This was made quite evident as Doris the formidable sister of Peggy stretches her snobbish power throughout the seaside town of Cliffehaven.
This book was extra special for me as Rosie Braithwaite the landlady of the Anchor also starred hugely in this brilliant read and at last the author finally lets us get to know the real Rosie behind the made up face and the platinum hair which she uses as a mask against the world, of course her brother Tommy is doing what he does best and if you have followed the series of books which I loved and also highly recommend, you will know what he is known for throughout each of the nine books.
There is so much I love about this book, my main love has to be the characters and how the author brought the history of each of the characters alive allowing the past still controlling each of the main characters in the most unexpected ways.
Ellie Dean has a wonderful gift and as she mixes fiction with historical facts she certainly has written a brilliant read which had me gripped from the first page.
Sealed With A Loving Kiss written by Ellie Dean is one read I am happy to recommend to all readers of historical fiction especially those who love books based on the era of the Second World War.
The full series is as follows
1. [[ASIN:B005E87WPY There'll Be Blue Skies (Beach View Boarding House Book 1)]]
2. [[ASIN:B006K21HYU Far From Home (Beach View Boarding House Book 2)]]
3. [[ASIN:B008DTYLH8 Keep Smiling Through (Beach View Boarding House Book 3)]]
4. [[ASIN:B009A94170 Where the Heart Lies (Beach View Boarding House Book 4)]]
5. [[ASIN:B00CQ1DLCU Always in my Heart (Beach View Boarding House Book 5)]]
6. [[ASIN:B00F9FBE0Q All My Tomorrows (Beach View Boarding House Book 6)]]
7. [[ASIN:B00J4V1W12 Some Lucky Day: Beach View Boarding House 7]]
8. [[ASIN:B00NOPQULQ While We're Apart: Beach View Boarding House 8]]
9. [[ASIN:B00W0P9TNW Sealed With a Loving Kiss (Beach View Boarding House 9)]]
10. Sweet Memories of You Published January 2016
Ellie Dean also writes under the name of Tamara McKinley which, I love these books too though very different as these are based around Australia, this is where she grew up in.
Peggy Reilly is still the main stay of this wonderful read and we are brought back into the lives of those who lodge in her home in the year 1942, rationing is holding on tight but that does not stop Peggy opening not only her home to those in need but her heart is filled for those she counts as her friends, especially the very talented yet still very timid Mary who has arrived in the previous book in this wonderful series [[ASIN:0099585324 While We're Apart: Beach View Boarding House 8]]. With the help of her new friends as the book continued I loved how Mary learned to trust her own feelings and at last she allows her confidence to grow. This was made quite evident as Doris the formidable sister of Peggy stretches her snobbish power throughout the seaside town of Cliffehaven.
This book was extra special for me as Rosie Braithwaite the landlady of the Anchor also starred hugely in this brilliant read and at last the author finally lets us get to know the real Rosie behind the made up face and the platinum hair which she uses as a mask against the world, of course her brother Tommy is doing what he does best and if you have followed the series of books which I loved and also highly recommend, you will know what he is known for throughout each of the nine books.
There is so much I love about this book, my main love has to be the characters and how the author brought the history of each of the characters alive allowing the past still controlling each of the main characters in the most unexpected ways.
Ellie Dean has a wonderful gift and as she mixes fiction with historical facts she certainly has written a brilliant read which had me gripped from the first page.
Sealed With A Loving Kiss written by Ellie Dean is one read I am happy to recommend to all readers of historical fiction especially those who love books based on the era of the Second World War.
The full series is as follows
1. [[ASIN:B005E87WPY There'll Be Blue Skies (Beach View Boarding House Book 1)]]
2. [[ASIN:B006K21HYU Far From Home (Beach View Boarding House Book 2)]]
3. [[ASIN:B008DTYLH8 Keep Smiling Through (Beach View Boarding House Book 3)]]
4. [[ASIN:B009A94170 Where the Heart Lies (Beach View Boarding House Book 4)]]
5. [[ASIN:B00CQ1DLCU Always in my Heart (Beach View Boarding House Book 5)]]
6. [[ASIN:B00F9FBE0Q All My Tomorrows (Beach View Boarding House Book 6)]]
7. [[ASIN:B00J4V1W12 Some Lucky Day: Beach View Boarding House 7]]
8. [[ASIN:B00NOPQULQ While We're Apart: Beach View Boarding House 8]]
9. [[ASIN:B00W0P9TNW Sealed With a Loving Kiss (Beach View Boarding House 9)]]
10. Sweet Memories of You Published January 2016
Ellie Dean also writes under the name of Tamara McKinley which, I love these books too though very different as these are based around Australia, this is where she grew up in.
January 2, 2016
Gloriously addictive, wonderfully moving and absolutely impossible to put down, Ellie Dean‘s Beach View Boarding House series continues to thrill and enchant readers with its captivating blend of humour, drama, pathos and heart. Sealed With a Loving Kiss is the ninth fantastic installment of this fabulous series which just keeps on getting better and better!
The bottom had fallen out of Mary Jones’ world when her parents had died in a bombing raid. Heartbroken, alone and determined never to forget her dead relatives, Mary begins looking through their belongings to feel closer to them. When she finds her father’s diaries, she is absolutely stunned when she discovers a secret hidden between the pages of her dad’s trusty journal. Desperate to find out the truth behind this shocking revelation, Mary vows to uncover the secrets and lies that have lain hidden for so long. Her search takes her away from her home and to Cliffehaven, in the South Coast of England, where she finds lodgings at big-hearted Peggy Reilly’s Beach View Boarding House.
Having been accepted by Peggy and her family and treated as one of their own, Mary gets a new lease of life and begins to slowly but surely come out of her shell. After securing a job at the Kodak factory, Mary’s days are spent sifting through the Airgraphs men and women across the world send to one another. With her own sweetheart fighting for his country, her job constantly reminds Mary of the man she has grown to love with all of her heart. Will she ever see him again? Or will the war claim once more someone who has come to mean the world to her?
Despite her worries about her sweetheart, Mary is the happiest she has been in a long time. However, she hasn’t forgotten about her quest to uncover her father’s secret. Echoes of the past still resonate eighteen years later and as Mary begins to get closer and closer to the truth, she is stunned when she realises that Peggy, her landlady, could be the one who holds the key to the answers she has been desperately seeking…
Will Peggy break the promise she made years ago? And is Cliffehaven prepared for the shocking repercussions which will follow should Peggy reveal the secret which she has kept hidden for so long?
Ellie Dean knows how to tell a rattling good story and I found myself completely entranced by the trials and tribulations of her characters, who leap off the pages and linger in the reader’s mind and heart long after the last page is turned. Sealed With a Loving Kiss is a fantastic saga that keeps readers effortlessly turning the pages late into the night. Fast-paced, poignant and impossible to resist, readers old and new are sure to enjoy this outstanding tale of family, friendship, secrets and romance.
A must-read for saga fans everywhere, I cannot wait for the next captivating installment of Ellie Dean’s sensational Beach View Boarding House series!
The bottom had fallen out of Mary Jones’ world when her parents had died in a bombing raid. Heartbroken, alone and determined never to forget her dead relatives, Mary begins looking through their belongings to feel closer to them. When she finds her father’s diaries, she is absolutely stunned when she discovers a secret hidden between the pages of her dad’s trusty journal. Desperate to find out the truth behind this shocking revelation, Mary vows to uncover the secrets and lies that have lain hidden for so long. Her search takes her away from her home and to Cliffehaven, in the South Coast of England, where she finds lodgings at big-hearted Peggy Reilly’s Beach View Boarding House.
Having been accepted by Peggy and her family and treated as one of their own, Mary gets a new lease of life and begins to slowly but surely come out of her shell. After securing a job at the Kodak factory, Mary’s days are spent sifting through the Airgraphs men and women across the world send to one another. With her own sweetheart fighting for his country, her job constantly reminds Mary of the man she has grown to love with all of her heart. Will she ever see him again? Or will the war claim once more someone who has come to mean the world to her?
Despite her worries about her sweetheart, Mary is the happiest she has been in a long time. However, she hasn’t forgotten about her quest to uncover her father’s secret. Echoes of the past still resonate eighteen years later and as Mary begins to get closer and closer to the truth, she is stunned when she realises that Peggy, her landlady, could be the one who holds the key to the answers she has been desperately seeking…
Will Peggy break the promise she made years ago? And is Cliffehaven prepared for the shocking repercussions which will follow should Peggy reveal the secret which she has kept hidden for so long?
Ellie Dean knows how to tell a rattling good story and I found myself completely entranced by the trials and tribulations of her characters, who leap off the pages and linger in the reader’s mind and heart long after the last page is turned. Sealed With a Loving Kiss is a fantastic saga that keeps readers effortlessly turning the pages late into the night. Fast-paced, poignant and impossible to resist, readers old and new are sure to enjoy this outstanding tale of family, friendship, secrets and romance.
A must-read for saga fans everywhere, I cannot wait for the next captivating installment of Ellie Dean’s sensational Beach View Boarding House series!
December 8, 2021
This novel is a continuation of Mary's story from While We're Apart, which ended on a cliffhanger.After the death of her parents in a bombing raid, Mary Jones discovers a secret in the pages of her father's diaries. Her search for the truth brings her to Cliffehaven on the English south coast. Here, she finds work at the Kodak factory, sifting through the Airgraphs which are being sent all over the world by the men and women in the armed forces, and the home front everywhere. All the while she longs for news of her own sweetheart,Jack Boniface,who is fighting in Europe.Airgraphs were a system devised in World War Two in which letters were photographed in miniature and sent by airmail. The Victory Mail process in America was based on the earlier British Airgraph process.The basic concept was simple.Letters were photographed on the sending end, then the negatives were sent by air to the destination end, where they were printed and delivered. The volume and weight of the film were less than that of the actual letters themselves, so a large number of letters could be transported quickly at a relatively small cost. The Airgraph was invented in the 1930s by the Eastman Kodak Company in conjunction with Imperial Airways and Pan Am Airways as a means of reducing the weight and bulk of mail carried by air. With the help of Peggy Reilly and her family at Beach View Boardinghouse, Mary starts to build a new life for herself. But events that happened eighteen years ago still echo, and should a promise Peggy made then be broken, it will have a devastating effect not only on Mary, but them all..is it possible to forgive and forget in wartime? What will Mary do when she finds out the complete truth? Is there still a future for her at Cliffehaven? Or will she discover that what she really needed was there all along closer to home?WWII postal acronyms were first used to convey messages between servicemen and their sweethearts back home. They were usually written on the back of an envelope.S.W.A.L.K. — Sealed With A Loving Kiss. A variant is S.W.A.K. ("Sealed With A Kiss").
October 1, 2015
This was my first encounter with the Beach View Boarding House series by British author, Ellie Dean and I absolutely loved it! Set within England during the tumultuous period of WW II, Ellie Dean has created an emotionally gripping story with endearing characters that quickly captured my heart. As an American reader new to this particular genre of British sagas, I was immediately drawn into the daily impact WWII had on the British people; Black Outs, Air Raids and personal Gas Masks quickly became a way of life during this period, as well as food rations and everyone serving the war efforts in anyway possible. Peggy Reilly's Beach View Boarding House quickly becomes a refuge for those being evacuated from the bombings of London and serves as the heart of this series. In this particular installment young Mary Jones arrives in Cliffehaven in search of a long hidden truth revealed within the pages of her father's diary. Filled with unexpected twists and turns throughout, I found myself unable to put this book down and found myself wanting more! Ellie Dean is a wonderfully talented story teller and one that had me reaching for the box of tissue on more than one occasion. As an American reader, I must admit some of the wartime acronyms were unfamiliar to me but didn't affect the overall story in anyway, in fact, I found myself googling and researching a bit and learning a great deal. And although this is the ninth installment in this series, it reads quite well as a stand alone novel but if you're like me you'll certainly want to read the remaining books in this endearing series. I highly recommend this with FIVE stars!
Disclaimer: In accordance with current FTC Guidelines, please let it be known this book was received from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Disclaimer: In accordance with current FTC Guidelines, please let it be known this book was received from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
November 11, 2019
When I picked up this book I was surprised to realize it had been two years since I last read this series. Normally it wouldn't matter but this book was technically a two parter along with the previous book so at first I was a bit lost. In book one we meet Mary Jones who was orphaned after her family home was bombed. She discovers her father's diaries and learns she was adopted. She heads to Cliffehaven to discover her parents and opens a whole new can of worms. Book two picks up just moments after book one left off after Mary and Peggy spoke about Mary's real father. Peggy frets about what will happen when people discover who Mary really is. The story is mostly about old feuds and the mystery surrounding Mary's past. Rosie continues to put up with her brother Tommy who appears to be up to his old criminal ways, Suzy gets married to Anthony, while Doris tries to impress her wealthy parents unsuccessfully. Fran finds some romance, other romances begin to grow closer. I eventually caught up with what was going on in the series and the characters. This was another lovely addition to the Cliffehaven series. Like catching up with old friends. It made me laugh and cry, I felt fearful for poor Cordelia who goes through some things in the story, I also felt frustrated with Daisy screaming her head off on Boxing Day much as Peggy and everyone else in the house did, and as always my favourites were Harvey and Monty who stole the show as they always do and Flora and Dora the ferrets make an amusing chaotic appearance. I look forward to the next in the series hopefully it won't be another two years before I read it and might actually catch up.
August 7, 2020
My advice is do not read this book until you have read the book that comes BEFORE IT in the series. So I read this during the coronavirus and couldn't actually go INTO the library and pick this book. I had the staff get it to me curbside, but I missed a book. I was ready for book 8, not 9, and so then I just read it, of course, because I was going to anyway, but I wish I had read 8 first. So I will read 8, but now I know how it ends up, because this one picks right up and then solves some more mystery. It was good. I love this series. It's my fault I didn't enjoy it more, because I did it in the wrong order. I really like to not know stuff until I'm supposed to know it. I read these books without reading a speck of preview or review or whatever. Peggy is my favorite. I also can't wait to read about Daisy when she's older and is talking and everything. Great crew in this book. I'll keep reading this series.
September 15, 2015
Another great book in the Beach View Boarding House series. I have loved following the characters during the war years. Whilst her own children are far away during the war- she is providing a motherly eye over her charges.
Mary has come to Cliffehaven looking for news about her real parents. She hears some news about her father suggesting that it would be best not to persue the matter- but will that be enough for her?
I love the way the stories unfurl and you get to know all the main characters better aswell.
The rationing issues around weddings and Christmas were interesting.
Would highly recommend this series.
With many thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book.
Mary has come to Cliffehaven looking for news about her real parents. She hears some news about her father suggesting that it would be best not to persue the matter- but will that be enough for her?
I love the way the stories unfurl and you get to know all the main characters better aswell.
The rationing issues around weddings and Christmas were interesting.
Would highly recommend this series.
With many thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book.
August 27, 2019
This series just gets better & better; I've now taken to keeping one or two of the books in reserve, as, sometimes when wondering what to read next, I find myself thinking: "Ooh, I wonder how Peggy & Ron & the rest of them are getting on?" (yes, I know, how sad am I?!), and it's always good at such times to have another Beach View novel to reach for. I dread the end of the war, as presumably that means the end of the series ....
November 22, 2019
Excellent book to cover the rest of Mary Jones's story - still loved the characters (NOT Tommy - Rosie Braithwaite's brother) and even could put up with Doris and her foibles.
So many interesting characters it was hard to choose who was the best - although I have a 'soft spot' for Peggy Reilly.
Tells of the destruction of lives, loves and the sadness of war.
Thank you [author: [authorimage:Ellie Dean|
So many interesting characters it was hard to choose who was the best - although I have a 'soft spot' for Peggy Reilly.
Tells of the destruction of lives, loves and the sadness of war.
Thank you [author: [authorimage:Ellie Dean|
May 22, 2023
C'est toujours avec bonheur que je retrouve les personnages de la "Pension de bord de mer". 1943, la guerre est toujours là et ce roman-ci vient conclure l'histoire de Mary qui cherchait à retrouver ses parents. Peggy est toujours aussi sympathique et on aimerait faire partie de cette joyeuse bande. Après 8 tomes de cette série, ces personnages sont vraiment devenus mes amis et c'est toujours une joie de les retrouver. Déjà hâte au prochain.
February 25, 2016
This book follows straight on from where While we're apart finishes. You get the usual trails and tribulations of Peggy and co throughout the book, and we finally find out why there are such bad feelings between Rosie and Eileen. I love this series and Ellie writes in such a way that you get drawn in to the book feeling part of the family.
September 10, 2019
Another enthralling story set in the Second World War from bestselling author Ellie Dean. Her splendid characters, particularly the heroine Mary Jones, make this a joy to read. - Heather Flood, author of fantasy adventure Purple Mist, the Mousey Mousey series and Giant Sticker Monster and Other Children's Stories.
February 20, 2016
A Really Good Read
Ellie Dean maintains her usual high standard with this book. It is Lacey but still has pathos and humour to keep ones attention. All in all it is a really good read, which I can thoroughly recommend.
Ellie Dean maintains her usual high standard with this book. It is Lacey but still has pathos and humour to keep ones attention. All in all it is a really good read, which I can thoroughly recommend.
December 27, 2015
loved it, one of my favourites of hers
September 30, 2016
Gorgeous as always but I'd definitely recommend you read this series in order ('There'll be Blue Skies' is first.)
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