What do you think?
Rate this book
Devon and Hell: Four Seasons by the Sea
One woman, one dog… and a disastrous move to Devon. Throw in an estranged mother who has just been detained under the Mental Health Act and the result is a brilliantly written comic memoir with more ups and downs than the South West Coastal Path. Previously published as the four-part mini-series, Dream Four Seasons in Devon, this is not your usual tale of ‘I moved to a chocolate-box cottage by the sea and lived happily ever after’. Instead, it is a powerful and gripping story of relocation – and a mother-daughter relationship – gone wrong. Fans of Karen Wheeler's writing – and of Gail Honeyman's Elinor Oliphant – will love this unforgettable, superbly written and ultimately life-affirming memoir. If you've ever dreamed of moving to Devon, with its beautiful coastline, quaint thatched cottages and stunning sunsets, here's how not to do it...
367 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 28, 2019
4 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 31, 2019
Karen has bought a house in Devon and has been staying in a holiday let until contracts
can be exchanged. She then finds a worrying sign that there may be rats- one of her
major phobias and does everything she can to get out of the transaction but it is too late
and the house is hers. She refuses to stay in the house and whilst looking around for an
alternative, bearing in mind this is the few days before Christmas, luck strikes in the form
of a phone call from her brother who is flying back as he lives abroad. The news is that
their mother has been sectioned. A mother that never loved them and made their lives
rather difficult to say the least. I loved the line “ she is a black belt in verbal abuse” and
sympathised with many of the things Karen had experienced as a child. Despite this
Karen still wanted to right by her mother- something I admired. Meanwhile the house
needs work seemingly one thing after another, a court case is looming and not a word
has been written of her next book which her accountant is pressing her to do as the
finances won’t look after themselves. I really enjoyed this- a look at life with its ups
and downs, sorting out more trash than a dustman whilst being able to still smile
at the world even though wanting to scream and shout. A wonderful highly
enjoyable read with a smile.
can be exchanged. She then finds a worrying sign that there may be rats- one of her
major phobias and does everything she can to get out of the transaction but it is too late
and the house is hers. She refuses to stay in the house and whilst looking around for an
alternative, bearing in mind this is the few days before Christmas, luck strikes in the form
of a phone call from her brother who is flying back as he lives abroad. The news is that
their mother has been sectioned. A mother that never loved them and made their lives
rather difficult to say the least. I loved the line “ she is a black belt in verbal abuse” and
sympathised with many of the things Karen had experienced as a child. Despite this
Karen still wanted to right by her mother- something I admired. Meanwhile the house
needs work seemingly one thing after another, a court case is looming and not a word
has been written of her next book which her accountant is pressing her to do as the
finances won’t look after themselves. I really enjoyed this- a look at life with its ups
and downs, sorting out more trash than a dustman whilst being able to still smile
at the world even though wanting to scream and shout. A wonderful highly
enjoyable read with a smile.
November 1, 2019
Carrie has moved from France to Devon, she has bought the beautiful Plum Tree Cottage and is looking forward to moving in with her beloved little dog Biff…….but Rats put the kibosh on her plans….
Then she gets a call her mother has been sectioned…..and so the drama begins.
This is full of humour, hurt and chaos, it’s so funny in parts and then so emotional too.
This really struck a chord with me, as my childhood was similar and now my mother has dementia and is in a care home after breaking her hip….so I know the feelings Carrie was going through.
I loved the friendships she made, her flustered panic, flip flops and her paint dealer all brought to life by Karen Wheeler’s creative writing……lots of laughs and a few tears too. A very engaging, heartwarming read.
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free copy of the book. This is my honest, unbiased review.
Then she gets a call her mother has been sectioned…..and so the drama begins.
This is full of humour, hurt and chaos, it’s so funny in parts and then so emotional too.
This really struck a chord with me, as my childhood was similar and now my mother has dementia and is in a care home after breaking her hip….so I know the feelings Carrie was going through.
I loved the friendships she made, her flustered panic, flip flops and her paint dealer all brought to life by Karen Wheeler’s creative writing……lots of laughs and a few tears too. A very engaging, heartwarming read.
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free copy of the book. This is my honest, unbiased review.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews