I Will Find You

Seal Island #2

by Daniela Sacerdoti

A woman on the run. An island of secrets. A love to defy all odds...

Two different women, divided by time, bound by fate...

Two different women, divided by time, bound by fate.

After her mother dies, grief-stricken Cora discovers she has been left a cottage, a crumbling shelter on a mysterious Scottish island. The moment Cora arrives on the windswept isle of Seal, she falls under its spell and is drawn to brooding Innes, back on the island to confront his past.

As Cora begins to trace her mother's roots, she learns Gealach Cottage has a dark, turbulent history. Another young woman has sought refuge here, fleeing terrible danger, and waiting for her lover to return. What became of her? Only by unravelling a forgotten story of passion and courage can Cora understand what has pulled her to Seal...and led her to a man of many secrets.

Genres: Historical Romance, Fiction, Mystery, Adventure, Romance

313 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 17, 2018

About the author

Daniela Sacerdoti is a mother and a writer. Born in Naples, but brought up in a small village in the Italian Alps, she lives near Glasgow with her husband and sons. She steals time to write when everyone has gone to bed, or before they wake up. She’s a Primary teacher, but she chose to be at home with her children. She loves being with her boys, reading anything she can get her hands on and chatting with her girlfriends. But she also adores being on her own, free to daydream and make up stories.

Reviews

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daniela Sacerdoti is one of my favourite authors and I was delighted to receive a copy of I Will Find You, the sequel to Keep Me Safe. After her mothers death Cora travels to Seal Island when she finds a key to a cottage in her mothers belongings. Cora immediately feels at home on the island and starts to have visions and memories of the past and a woman called Margaret. I really loved the description of the island and felt that I was there. I liked Cora and most of the main characters in this book. Towards the end of the book the similarities in the story put me off a little. I would like to thank NetGalley and Headline for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the death of her mother Cora learns she has been left a cottage on Seal Island that she knew nothing about. How did her mother come to own the cottage and why had she never mentioned it? Cora heads off to check out her inheritance hoping at the same time she will be inspired to get back to the book she is supposed to be working on. She learns that Gealach cottage has a dark history. Many years earlier another woman had sought refuge there, while waiting for her lover to return and find her as he promised. So the two stories weave together. One is of Cora and Innes, the man she is attracted to who has his own demons and tragic past. The other is of Margaret Mc Crimmon and the Duncan, the younger son of Lord Innes. It is a time of turbulence in Scottish history.
Often in dual story lines one stands out more than the other. In this case I found Cora’s story more interesting than the older one of Margaret. The setting is very atmospheric and lends itself to aspects of the supernatural. Some scenes are chilling in their violence. I was quite interested to begin with but as it went along I thought it got a bit over the top. As for the ending and those last couple of chapters, that absolutely pulled my rating back. Just seemed a pointless inclusion.
I had read the first book in this series of three books and quite enjoyed it. There is a third book in this series set on Seal Island but I doubt I will bother reading it. I am sure a lot of people are going to love this book. But for me it became too far-fetched. And the last couple of chapters just killed off my interest. So what I thought may have been a four star read came back to three.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! What a roller coaster ride of emotions this book is! Every feeling you've ever had is here. It'a a very intense read and you have to concentrate on it to get the full benefit of the story.
There are three main characters to follow, Cora, Innes and Margaret. The past story is Margaret's but there wasn't a whole lot of it. Everything is supposed to stem from her but it fell a bit flat for me. Innes is a tortured soul. He's a very deep character who you will sympathise with or not like at all. The writing is wonderful but there was a lot of their thoughts and lots of descriptive passages. I would have liked a bit more dialogue between the characters.
That's one reason it's a four star read for me, also Margaret's part of the story didn't quite grab me.
All in all an excellent read.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following the death of her mother, Cora and her brother, Stephen, discover they didn’t know everything about their mother. A box containing a key leads them to discover that their mother owned a cottage on the remote Scottish island of Seal. For Cora, handling the key evokes a strange sense of yearning, a feeling a little like déjà vu. Already with her mother’s death, she feels a sense of displacement from her current life – feeling like ‘a stranger in a strange land’. No longer do the busy streets of London fill her with excitement: ‘I’d begin to feel overwhelmed by the noise and the smells if the city.’ Something has changed for Cora. ‘My mum’s death had been like that – a tiny event in the big picture of things, no more than a minute shift of the axis, and yet it had brought a monumental change in my life, a change to everything I was, everything I loved, everything I’d built up to then....I existed in a world that had changed all its rules.’

The cottage offers the prospect of a new start, leaving behind her grief at her mother’s death, failed relationships, a struggle to make progress with the book she has been working on and a feeling that maybe her heart is ‘asleep’. Don’t worry; it won’t be long before it is awoken.

For those familiar with Daniela Sacerdoti’s books, it won’t be a surprise to learn that along with the romantic storyline there is an underlying sense of the mystical or supernatural, a strong element of folklore and an atmospheric sense of place. The location, on a remote Scottish island at the mercy of the wind and weather, is the perfect place for these different strands to come together.

There is also a strong sense of the past and present intertwining as the present day story of Cora is interspersed with a complementary story from 1745 recounting the experiences of Margaret McCrimmon, caught up in the climax of the Jacobite risings. The narrative moves seamlessly between the two stories with the two women’s lives follow a similar trajectory that involves love and hope for the future, but not before very real dangers have been navigated.

I’ll confess that I sometimes struggle with books that have dual time narratives, often finding the story set in the past more compelling than that set in the present. I’m pleased to say I Will Find You was an exception. I think this is because the main characters in the present day storyline, Cora and Innes, felt absolutely believable as characters. In particular, Innes, for whom the author creates a complex and traumatic back story. His memories of deeply unsettling events from his childhood help to explain his restless spirit, his history of failed relationships and his feeling that he is ‘tainted’.

By the way, I loved the way the book is structured with a Prologue and (sort of) Epilogue framing three sections, appropriately titled (because of the role the sea plays in the book) ‘Low Tide’, ‘Flood Tide’ and ‘High Tide’. For those who don’t know (and I had to look it up), a flood tide is the incoming or rising tide that occurs between the time when the tide is lowest and the time when the following tide is highest.

For those who have read the first book in the series (although this isn’t essential, as I Will Find You works perfectly well as a standalone), there are walk on parts for a couple of the characters from Keep Me Safe. Finally, I need to mention the final section of the book, entitled ‘Book of Souls’ which addresses another theme common to the author’s books, that of the past repeating itself – or perhaps, echoing is a more apt word – down the years.

If you’re a reader looking for a compelling, emotional story with an atmospheric setting and who has a few tissues handy for the end, then there’s good news - I Will Find You has found you!

I received an advance review copy courtesy of publishers, Headline, and NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a throwback to the old romantic suspense novels popular in the 1970s, Sacerdoti writes a book in which Cora finds a mysterious key among her mother's possessions. She puzzles out the clues and discovers she inherited a cottage on Seal Island in the Hebrides. From the moment she approaches the island, she feels she knows the place and some of its people although she's never been there before. She meets an old friend who is photographing a documentary on the island. She meets the other documentary photographer and finds herself attracted to him. There's also an older story line accompanying much of the narrative which ties into the main modern day story. It explains how Cora's mother came to be in possession of the cottage. I did not like the way the main story ended. At the end of the novel were several chapters which had little to do with the two stories and which I felt weakened it. I won this through a GoodReads Giveaway with the hope, but not requirement, of a review.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Daniela’s books for quite a while now and I eagerly read each new book that she releases. I had high hopes for ‘I Will Find You’ and I was not to be disappointed because I totally loved it but more about that in a bit.
Cora loses her beloved mother and grief has hit her hard, as you might expect. Whilst clearing her mother’s stuff she comes across a key. The mystery of this key intrigues her and when she discovers that the key opens a box, she eagerly opens it. Inside is a photo of her mother, who is stood in front of a house with a friend. The photo was taken on Seal Island and Cora later discovers that her mother owned a house on Seal Island. To satisfy her own curiosity and because she feels drawn to Seal Island, Cora resolves to go and visit the island. Cora is a strong and determined woman and by looking into the mystery, she hopes that she will feel even closer to her mother. The other main character is called Margaret and her story takes part in times gone by. She was a servant, who fell for the Laird’s son and despite the vast gulf in social standing, she becomes involved with him. Will Cora find the answers she is looking for? Will Margaret find happiness and love with the Laird’s son or will too many obstacles be put in the way? Are Cora and Margaret’s stories connected and if so how? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves as I am not going to tell you.
The author’s writing style is such that you can’t fail to be drawn in from the first word on the first page and it is almost as if the book has a hold over you. The author made Seal Island sound idyllic and I was almost tempted to pack my bags and go for a visit. Seal Island sounds like the perfect place to go when you just need to get away from it all or you need time to heal from some great emotional trauma. The descriptions of the area are so vivid that if I closed my eyes, I could almost imagine that I was there on the island with the wind whipping into my face. What I like about this author is the fact that she writes about difficult topics with great sensitivity and in a sympathetic manner. I couldn’t help but feel for both Cora and Margaret as regards some of the problems that they came across.
Once I started reading ‘I will Find You’, I was hooked and I just needed to feed my addiction of just one more page, just one more chapter and so on and so forth. I was so gripped by the story that I totally immersed myself in it and it was almost as if I was actually there with Cora and Margaret and witnessing how their stories turned out. I guess in a way that’s exactly what I was doing. Reading ‘I Will Find You’ was like being on an emotional rollercoaster ride with all the twists and turns and moments where my stomach felt as though it had tied itself up in knots. The characters are so well described that I almost felt that they were friends of mine and I genuinely cared about what was happening to them.
‘I Will Find You’ works perfectly well as a standalone but because I am a bit OCD, I would advise that you read the first book in the Seal Island series, which is called ‘Keep Me Safe’ and was released in April 2017.
To conclude, I would have to say that I really did enjoy reading ‘I Will Find You’ even if it did turn me into an emotional wreck and I would wholeheartedly recommend this book and this author to other readers. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 4* out of 5*.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ending seemed incredibly tragic and inconclusive. Why the death? And what about Cora, is she back in London for good now?

This storyline is gripping and full of potential, yet it’s conclusion is completely dissatisfactory.

As the novel progressed, I found that the storyline lost its direction and some elements were quite unrealistic/far-fetched (see: the incredibly dramatic storm and rescue).

All that said, I adored the first part of the story and feel the story as a whole could have been much greater than it was (particularly if the latter half was worked on a bit).

[Sarah Goodfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! What an amazing book! So we'll written I couldn't put it down. I can't understand why I have not seen more of her books in shops / on best seller lists.
I read one of hers a couple of years ago and enjoyed it, but not seen anything else by her since. Until about a week ago, which is this one. I've read it in about 5 days!
A beautiful story about a young woman who meets a man on a ferry to Scotland, but it seems they met before. 100's years ago.....
This book will get deep into your soul!! I can't wait to read her other books now!!!!

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Will Find You is the second in the Seal Island series but the story stands perfectly well on its own. If you have read the first book, Keep Me Safe, you will spot pleasing references to that story. There is also more than a passing reference to Glen Avich, the setting for many of this author's other books.

There are two stories running in parallel throughout this book and often mirroring each other. In the present Cora, grieving the death of her mother, discovers a key to an box containing an old photograph of her mother, laughing with a friend in front of an unknown house. She is a very intrigued to learn that her mother owned this isolated cottage on the beautiful Seal Island, off the west coast of Scotland. Cora doesn't know why, but the photo stirs strong emotions in herself and she feels an emotional connection to the island. When she goes there to investigate more, she finds herself drawn to Innes, the bad boy of the island, badly damaged by his childhood experiences. In the historical strand of the story, Margaret is a servant to Lady Dolina and, despite the difference in their social standings, becomes involved with the Laird's son, Duncan Innes.

There's something magical about islands and the author conveys this beautifully again in this book. There is the idea of escape as in many of her books, a simpler way of living, away from the rat race of a busy city. There is also the draw, the pull of and connection to the past. Through the stories, the author suggest we are all more strongly linked to our ancestors than we realise, that the past can shape us in the present. Her characters are drawn to places, to people, to their soulmates who keep meeting and parting. There is a call throughout the years.

This author never disappoints, never fails to provide a book to get completely lost in and usually to emerge from with a satisfied and glad heart. However, this time, I couldn't help but have a bit of melancholy feeling too, as the history of the lovers, the soulmates, kept repeating itself down through the years. You'll understand what I mean when you read it but I can't say too much more without giving things away.  Despite this, it's a book I recommend for its beautiful island imagery, its love stories and its haunting and atmospheric  writing.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book as a FirstRead.

After Cora's mother dies, she is surprised to learn that she and her brother have inherited a house on Seal Island that neither of them knew their mother owned. When Cora touches the key to the house, Gealach, she has visions and dreams that she doesn't know how to interpret. Cora decides to go to Seal Island to try to figure out how her mom came to own the place. While there, she will also learn some about a woman named Margaret from the time of the Jacobite uprising who also had ties to the place. Margaret has to ask clan Innes to take her in as a servant, and there she falls in love with the laird's son, Duncan. They have to keep their love a secret, though, because his dad would not approve.

This book is the second in a series but can easily be read as a standalone. As one might expect from a book set in Scotland, this book has traces of magic/the supernatural in it. In most books with a dual timeline, I tend to feel more drawn to the historical part of the story. In this one, the current story held my attention but not the historical story. That said, I really don't like stories where the woman needs to save the man like the bad parts of him will disappear once he is with the right woman. If you see a man beating another man up to the point of breaking bones just because he didn't like something the other man said, that should be all you need to see to know you shouldn't be with him. I liked the first half of the book better than the second half.

[Vickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sequel to Daniela Sacerdoti’s first Seal Island book does not include the same characters, so that was a disappointment to me. However, this book could have been a standalone, so anyone can read it. This is a tale of two siblings, Cora and Stephen who have just lost their mother and discover a key to a cottage on Seal Island. Cora feels a pull to go to the island and once there meets Innes and is drawn into the story of the past, involving a woman named Margaret. This was a good, romantic story with a lot of historical references. I found the journeys into the past a little off-putting, but the author is a master at drawing the reader with her wherever the tale takes her. The story is well-written and includes realistic characters who call to the reader to empathize with their plight. I enjoyed the book overall, and I think that fans of Sacerdoti will definitely recognize her style of weaving the past and the present together to make one beautiful tapestry of a story.

I won a copy of this book from Goodreads.

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to thank Daniela Sacerdoti, author and Goodreads First Reads Giveaway for the eBook Kindle copy I won of I Will Find You in the Giveaway.

Cora lives in London, is a writer and a very crafty person. When her mother dies she finds a key to a Gealach Cottage on Seal Island that she inherited from her mother, although they didn't know her mother had ever been to Scotland.

After some very strange dreams, she goes to the cottage on Seal Island, meets a variety of interesting people and continues to have vision about Margaret McCrimmon, a woman that died on the island over three hundred years ago. She also finds the love of her life, a man named Innes with a troubled past that grew up on Seal Island. She is also attracted to a ruins of a church that was destroyed by waves when it was full.

The story is full of danger, time changes from Margaret's to Cora's story and the beauty of the Island of Seal and Gealach Cottage that is cut off from the main island by the tides every six hours.

I Will Find You is full of mystery but it starts slow as all the different characters and time lapse come together to make an interesting story.

[Sapphire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read the first Seal Island book and enjoying it, although not my usual genre, I immediately moved on to this one, the next in the series - although I must add that both books work well as standalones.

This time, the story is about Cora, who loses her mother and when going through her possessions, finds something which opens the door to a mystery, drawing her to Seal Island.

Again, the vivid descriptions and characters are as good and well-written as the first book. The story draws you in for an emotional ride and without wanting to outline the plot, had many turns that I did not expect.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be looking out for more books by this author in the future.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rather trite novel of re-incarnated doomed lovers meeting up again, on a remote Scottish island. Not helped by the last chapter, which consists of brief stories about the times they met between the 18th and 21st centuries, and might have been more effective interspersed through the book. Heavier editing would have been good, too. I won't be bothering to read anything else by this author.

[Lucy Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly hauntingly beautiful story ...

A wonderful tale taking the reader on a journey full of emotion after Cora inherits an old cottage on the Scottish island of Seal. As Cora begins to uncover secrets from the past you will find yourself eagerly turning the pages with your heart in your mouth... emotional and intriguing - a beautiful read!

[Janey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful book, with believable and engaging characters and an interesting story line (well, at least two story lines.) Loved listening to this, except the last chapter or so which seemed just "tacked on" and, while it kind of completed the family tree, it didn't grab me. Still, the rest was so good I didn't mind.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

So sad!

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review..

It's a wonderfully written story that weaves between past and present. Very moving and interesting, but so incredibly sad!

[Janice Tolmie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enchanting read

Another beautiful and haunting story cannot wait for the next Daniela Sacerdoti novel . Like all of her other novels it sends you on a journey that makes you laugh then cry , I could not put it down.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the Cora and Innes storyline. While I typically enjoy stories that weave past and present - that part of this book didn't appeal to me.

I received an e-version of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

[Zoë Braycotton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully written stories combining the past and present. Daniela’s books always have a magical mystery about them, this is no different. A mixture of emotions: happiness, sadness, emptiness, frustration, willing the book not to be coming to the end. Quite a journey.

[Deborah Lampard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful love story filled with intrigue and mysticism. Enchanting. I was captivated by the sense of history and the family entanglements. Fascinating.
I look forward top more of the same.

[Kathy Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good tragic love story

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great story of Seal... Its history and present. I did like book 1 better but this was a good story as well. It is book 2 but can be read as a standalone also!

[Mrs Barbara Cunliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Once again, this book had me spell bound from the start. Wonderful characters, really gets into your soul. Wonderful writer

[patricia carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful and unusual story

A story you can't put down. I !oved it and want to read more . Must find the first book.

[Pallavi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book as a whole was good but the end stories felt little misfit.That makes it a 3 star otherwise its a 4 star.

[Jo L Caunt]

7

[Rachel Ben-eliezer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite good. After Cora's mother dies she discovers a cottage has been left her on a Scottish island. She traces her roots and discovers a dark history and secrets. Its very sad and tragic.

[Becki szymczak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this author

Love this book. Love this author. U just fall right into her stories and they take u wherever she's going.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't read to be depressed, and that is what I felt at the end of this book. I'm sorry to say that I won't be reading anymore of this author's books.