The Cottage of Curiosities

by Celia Anderson

Tucked away amongst the winding, cobbled streets of Pengelly in Cornwall, the old stone cottage on Memory Lane is full of secrets. Brimming with trinkets and treasures, there are thousands of stories hidden within its walls.

Fifty-four-year-old Grace Clarke arrives in Pengelly determined to uncover the secrets of her past. Standing outside the little cottage, she feels sure that the answers she craves lie inside. The truth about her mysterious long-lost mother and the even more mysterious gifts she was born with…

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Womens Fiction, Contemporary

464 pages, Paperback

Published July 13, 2021

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.

Reviews

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

1966 May Rosevere sees her new daughter handed over into the care of her adoptive parents, Audrey and a Harry Clarke. her name is change from Barbara to Grace. But Grace knows nothing about her adoption until after Audrey has died and Harry gives her a letter from her birth mother. Grace is upset that this secret has been kept from her and that her birth mother hoped one day they might be in touch. Now, fifty four years old, Grace is determined to uncover the secrets of her past and hopefully discover more about the talent she has of discerning and feeling other people’s memories. She sets out to Pengelly, Cornwall looking for answers to her questions about her mother and why she gave her up as well as her unnamed father. All Grace finds out about May and her father seems to raise more questions than answers. The cottage of curiosities where she has chosen to stay and Pengelly ends up changing her life in ways she had not imagined.
This sounded like a charming story and in many respects it is. however I had trouble with these characters and their supposed ages. Somehow they never seemed authentic. I could not believe in them which meant I never became emotionally involved with the characters but always seemed like I was kept outside the action. Now it may be just me and my frame of mind at present. I have no doubt there will be plenty of people who will enjoy this story,. Although it was a pleasant enough read, for me it never rang true.

[Joanna Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cottage Of Curiosity is an absolutely wonderful, heartwarming and uplifting read that I absolutely adored. It was the perfect book for curling up with and getting lost in on a cold rainy day!

I thought this was a beautiful story of friendship, new beginnings and finding yourself which I quickly got lost in. It was so nice to follow Grace on her journey of discovery and see her blossom in her new environment. I wasn’t too sure I liked her at the beginning as she seemed quite prickly but I warmed to her as the book went on. She changed so much and it was quite frankly a joy to see how she developed.

Pengelly sounds like an amazing place to live. Not only is it by the sea, a personal dream of mine is to live by the sea, but the community seemed like such an amazing and friendly one who just absorbed Grave into their lives. The fantastic descriptions of the area had me imagining the sand between my toes and I swear I heard waves crashing as I read. It’s definitely a place I’d love to visit in the future.

Grace’s unusual almost magical gift gives the story an original twist which I found very interesting. It was great to learn more about it and to see Grace finally come to accept it, even using it to her advantage at times which was nice to see.

The mystery surrounding Grace’s birth mum was cleverly done as I felt that the author slowly puts clues and insights about the mother’s life into the story in a realistic way which never seemed forced so the story felt more real. I really liked going on the journey alongside Grace, and I will be recommending this book to everyone!

Huge thanks to Jen Harlow for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Harper Collins for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

Celia Anderson's latest novel, The Cottage of Curiosities has inspired me to read the prequel to this, 59 Memory Lane.

Set in the Cornish village of Pengelly, The Cottage of Curiosities is a beautifully written story about family, love, loneliness and friendship. At 54, Grace Clarke is shocked to learn that she’s adopted and although she initially feels that her life has been a lie, some things such as her ability to feel other people’s memories start to make more sense, as she embarks on an adventure to find the answers to her questions.

Along with Pengelly's quirky inhabitants, there is also an intriguing mystery which really zhooshes up this compelling tale. Celia Anderson's writing style is a good fit for me and the way she brings her characters to life is delightful. By the end, I was sad to leave Pengelly. Charming, uplifting and very highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from HarperCollins via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story so much. I had read the first book some time ago but as soon as I started reading the characters came flooding back to me. This is mainly Grace’s story and her quest to find out more about her mother and possibly who her father was. However, it is so much more, it tackles the feeling of loneliness and memory loss and how that makes a person feel. Also that it is never too late to love. Grace has a gift and she is wondering how she can use it to help others. The writing just flows along and it makes an easy and delightful story to read. It could be read as a standalone but the reader will appreciate the characters more, if the first book is read. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Sandy McKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly delightful read.

After enjoying 59 Memory Lane, I was thrilled to return to coastal Cornwall for the sequel, to meet up with a lot of the old characters, and to meet some new ones.
Once again, Celia Anderson has woven a wonderful story with lots of magical moments, secrets to be discovered, and a touch of romance.
I enjoyed this story very much, and have no hesitation in recommending this fabulous read.

[Sharyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to reading this book having enjoyed 59 Memory Lane so much. But it disappointed. The idea behind the story was interesting but it seemed too long drawn out and repetitive. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review an e-ARC of this title.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's strange that I enjoyed Book 1 so much more than this followup story. Most of the same characters return and the writing is the same, but they were less interesting this time and it felt repetitive. Since at this time, it's receiving a higher rating than Book 1, I seem to be in the minority.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book- the title had me intrigued and the cover is one of the most beautiful. I tend to be drawn to books visually, initially. Anything set by the sea, especially in Cornwall is a winner!
Grace finds out that she is adopted in her fifties and travels back to Pengelly to find out more about her mum and whether she can find out who her dad was.
It was a lovely read- discovering more about her mother and the hidden gift that Grace has adds an unusual dimension to the story and I loved it.

[Annie Leadley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable light hearted look on life !

Like it's predecessor 59, Memory Lane this Book brings back many of the folk who live in a quaint seaside village , and who's permanent residents love to help one another out ! Grace joins them after finding out it's where her Birth Mother came from , and she embarked on a journey of memories , love plus new formed friendships

[Pamoliverio · Rating 4 out of 5]

The follow up to 59 Memory Lane, the Cottage of Curiosities, is more about the people who inhabit the small Cornwall town & less about the cottage itself. It adds a few more characters & entwines the lives in the 2 books. Secrets are revealed, memories are found, and love abounds.
I missed May from the first book because her story was so compelling, but the plots around Grace’s search for her father, her awakening of how her gift can help others, and her yearning to accept new friends into her life was a satisfying read.

[Ruth Halford · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sequel to 59 Memory Lane was utterly superb. Full of surprise s and continuing May’s story. So enjoyed both books, here’s Hopi g there is a third.

[Angie Barrile · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just didn't like this book.

[Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle" Laird · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an audiobook I received on NetGalley.
After not reading the first book, 59 Memory Lane but understanding the premise, I was really looking forward to diving into this one.
It follows Grace, a woman with a complicated talent for reading people's memories. I loved this idea, but I felt I needed to have read the first book in the series as I thought this sequel didn't develop the gift as much as I would have liked. The characters were strongly defined and had a great background which helped to understand the difficulties of the gift.

[Sarah Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sequel to 59 Memory Lane is as just as enjoyable. Setting out to discover who she really is, Grace goes to the Cornish village of Pengelly to try to find her birth mother. Her unusual gift of reading other people’s memories enables Grace to unlock secrets that have been buried for many years and enable her to form close friendships with the closely-knit residents of Pengelly.

[Eleni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rarher liked the first book better. I read them one straight after the other and found the second dragging on at some point with no purpose and then an abrupt fast ending. The plot wasn't well thought of. The first was more smooth and had a better flow.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for providing me with this free copy in exchange for a review!

I really, really loved this book. I had read Anderson's first book, 59 Memory Lane, on audiobook, which I enjoyed immensely and this one just felt like the mystery that is May Rosevere may always surprise me and never end. So when I learnt about Grace Clarke, a 54 year old woman who discovers after the death of her parents that she is adopted, I knew I had to read it.

This is a heartwarming and compelling story that sets you up for a good read, the plot is well written and flows beautifully through the book, the writing is superb and can be so descriptive that you feel you are in the pages, there with the characters in Pengelly and it leaves you wanting more, wanting to get to the end but not wanting to finish the book because it is so enjoyable. The characters are so well developed and I fell in love with them, highly enjoyable, The Cottage of Curiosities leaves you feeling cosy and dreaming of the days we can all go back to Cornwall.

I wished I could go to Pengelly which sounds like the perfect place by the sea, idillyic and a great community, it felt so real to be reading about a village like this in Cornwall, and made me feel fondly of the many holidays I have been there on, I knew as soon as Grace arrived she would fit in and feel right at home, some places have a way of doing that to you and any where in Cornwall could do that for me, but I felt also that she just seemed to improve in such a small amount of time, a little bit of friendship and belonging goes a long way!

I liked both books and thought that you could read this book as a standalone but I do think for readers who loved this book and wanted to find out more about Grace's Mom, should read the first book! It's just a great escape!

[Cardmaker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tucked away amongst the winding, cobbled streets of Pengelly in Cornwall, the old stone cottage on Memory Lane is full of secrets. Brimming with trinkets and treasures, there are thousands of stories hidden within its walls.

Fifty-four-year-old Grace Clarke arrives in Pengelly determined to uncover the secrets of her past. Standing outside the little cottage, she feels sure that the answers she craves lie inside. The truth about her mysterious long-lost mother and the even more mysterious gifts she was born with…

I didn't realize this was the second book in a series until I came here to write my opinion on it. I will definitely not be looking for any other books in this series. To my mind, the author must have a lot of very good friends who give her great 4 and 5 star writeups.

I found the story to be okay. It's a nice light Summer read but that's it. I really had to force myself to continue with this book because I found Grace, the main character, to be so boring and unlikeable. She moves to a small village to (secretly - WHY?!?) look for her birth mother. Lucky for her, every person in the village knew her mother. But, since she had no real reason for asking questions about this dead villager, everyone was a little hesitant to talk about her. So freaking stupid!

Anyway, like I said, it's an okay light Summer read. It's certainly not deep and won't keep you awake nights wondering about anything in it.

[Lucy-Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the Cornish coastal village of Pengelly, The Cottage of Curiosities centres round Grace, a 50-something single woman, adopted at birth, who has recently found out the identity of her birth mother. She travels to her mothers home village to try & find out more about her story and who her father might be.
As the story progresses, we see Grace change from quite a hard-shelled career woman to be more gentle & an integral part of the community. I was a bit confused by the memory loss storyline initially but as the book progresses, this becomes more relevant.

Overall, The Cottage Of Curiosities is a story of friendships, discovery and family. It's a heartwarming read perfect for a winter's evening with secrets to be uncovered & a gentle romance simmering.
This book certainly stands alone, I was not aware that it was the second in a series until after I'd finished it, though I do now want to go back & read book 1 as I hope it will give some background to the fascinating characters.

The narrator was very good, she has good diction and inflection in her voice and the way she had different "voices" for each character made it easy to follow.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this audiobook free from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my won.

#TheCottageofCuriosities #NetGalley

[Caroline Price · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Cottage of Curiosities by Celia Anderson is actually book two in her Pengelly series. I hadn't read book one but found that it still worked as a standalone novel. I listened to the audiobook with Annette Holland narrating.

This is the story of Grace who only discovered in middle age, that she was adopted when her father, on his deathbed, gave her a letter left for her by her birth mother. Grace has a very strange gift, she can see people's memories and this strange ability has kept her more or less solitary throughout her life. She decides to go to Pengelly, where her birth mother lived and try to find out more about her mother, the identity of her father and more about herself too.

I quite enjoyed this novel, I found Annette Holland 's narration a little disappointing as her range of voices wasn't extensive and I found myself confused on occasion as to who was speaking to whom. However the story was different and I think it would appeal to fans of Nadine Dorries and Rosamund Pilcher.

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

NetGalley

Member Review
Cover Image: The Cottage of Curiosities
The Cottage of Curiosities
by Celia Anderson
Pub Date: 17 Sep 2020
Review by

jeanie m, Reviewer
Last updated on 30 Jun 2020
My Recommendation
With thanks to netgalley and ceila Anderson for an early copy in return for an honest review.
Having just finished 59 memory lane before starting The cottage of curiosities what amazing books I feel as if I've been in some kind of vortex for the last few days reading these two books back to back totally OUTSTANDING is one word that comes to mind
The wonderful intriguing life of may Julia grace and Emily I really want to give nothing away it's been happy sad mystical and totally intriguing.
This is one of the best ever book I've read. I can't praise this book enough and deserves more stars than I can actually give it
A Total delight to read can't wait to read this author's next book.

[Alva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so glad this is a series now. 59 Memory Lane was a joy. The Cottage of Curiosities is a gorgeous sequel to May's unusual story. We meet Grace who comes to Pengelly to find her birth mother, and she finds so much more. The world of Pengelly is a warm, welcoming one, but also one which harbours secrets. Grace is determined to dig until she finds the truth. Is everyone happy about this? Of course not, but the truth is not always a bad thing, even when we are scared of it.
Settling into this story is like meeting up with a good friend for a natter and finding a torrent of emotions erupting inside. Old friends Andy, Emily, Julie, Tristram and the enigmatic mysterious Will return to the story to fill in the gaps. May Rosevere's presence in their lives will never be forgotten. It lives on in Grace. Memories are meant to be explored, shared and ultimately settled in peace.
Brava! Celia Anderson.

[Lynn P · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audio version of this book. I didn't like the narrators voice for some of the characters. At the times the book fell into descriptions of what was happening, this sounded like I was listening to the audio subtitles you find on TV. I think in this instance I would have preferred to read this book rather than listen to it.

The story itself was intriguing. Would Grace find her past in the village and how would the villagers react to her? It turned out that Grace found a lot more in the village and it was a nice gentle story to listen to. The subject of memory loss was dealt with very sympathetically and I liked how Grace used her gift in this respect.

I hadn't read the previous book in this series and at times did think maybe I was missing something. Perhaps the characters would have had more depth if I had read it. The village certainly felt like somewhere you would want to live and I did enjoy the descriptions of village life. Overall a nice cosy read.

[Jane Lomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a joy to return to Pengelly in Cornwall!

I enjoyed the first book set in Pengelly (59 Memory Lane), and although I realised there was more to explore, I wasn't prepared for the treasures within the pages of The Cottage of Curiosities. Celia Anderson is a master at pulling the reader in and uses the lightest of touches to bring her characters to life. This is a story about finding where you belong, reconciling the past, love, and relationships. Add in some intrigue, secrets, a village by the sea and you have the ingredients for a heart-warming story. And speaking of ingredients - Celia has thoughtfully added some of the recipes she mentions, at the end of the book. So after reading, you can still keep a taste of Pengelly life. Wonderful!

This is just the tonic to take you away from these worrying times.

[Chris Diesbergen]

A great read to cuddle up in bed with.

Missing my book clubs I was searching for something to hold my attention and had the good feel factor. I came across 59 Memory Lane and I was enchanted.The weird world we are inhabiting was left behind.The winter rains were shut out by a cosy shawl, a lamp and a dawn good story.
The plot flows, the characters are individuals who interact beautifully and the scenery abounds.
Before I had even finished the first book I bought book two. Sometimes a sequel disappoints - not this one! I don't have knicknacks but I do have a memory box and I have always made one for each member of my family. How lovely it would be to give back memories.
An excellent novel

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sequel to 59 Memory Lane. May died at the end of the first book, but her daughter Grace has just discovered that she was adopted and has come to Cornwall to find out more about her birth mother. Emily inherited May's cottage and has turned it into a small-scale B&B, renaming it Curiosity Cottage. Grace and James arrive together. Grace has a similar talent to May's ability to "harvest" memories; except she just picks them up randomly out of the air from people around her. She has learned a technique to keep them from being too intrusive but it doesn't always work. James is beginning to lose his memories. The relationships between Grace & James, Emily & Andy, and Julia & Tristram are all followed in this book. It was a very nice read.

[Ann Graves · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The different characters all had their strengths and areas that needed to be worked on. Kindness shone through them all in one way or another and in different quantities, except poor Charles who did not sound very nice but May identified in him a strength; that he could be witty!

I loved the way that the village came together and supported each other and made things happen. All the characters having something to give. Everyone was valued, especially James who was struggling with his memory. Grace through her search and her gift, was able to feel her mum’s warmth without ever meeting her and she gave a truly wonderful gift to little Tamsin who had never really known her mummy.

A truly inspiring read.

[Merrilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secrets and Life’s Challenges Make A Good Story

Grace Clarke is upset that her adoptive parents kept the secret of how she came to be with them a secret until right before her father died. She’s read a letter left to her from her birth mother and wants to meet her, but she finds out that she has passed away just months earlier. She embarks on a journey to stay at a vacation cottage by the sea which had been her mother’s home before she’d passed away. The people she meets in the town are welcoming and help her with the answers she’s looking for. I think you’ll enjoy this book.

[Corinne · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an interesting concept. I wish I could go back and help people remember. I have some very good memories that stick out in my mind and hope I never lose them.
This book was really wonderful. There are a lot of characters and at times I felt I needed a cheat sheet to keep them straight. All were characters that I would wish to know personally. People are so busy today that it is more difficult to find and maintain friends. In view of the current climate we live in due to the COVID virus, that is just more difficult.
Loved the story and was sad when I got to the end. A sign of a good book!

[Kita · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first book and was looking forward to this one so much that I even pre-ordered it! I have to say that I was disappointed. It’s so slow moving and the ‘twists’ are obvious and predictable from the start. I started reading in September and it took me to May to finish as I really struggled to keep going. However, I would not go as far as to say I didn’t enjoy it. I was charmed by the characters in Book 1 so it was nice to revisit them and continue their journey. I would recommend if you enjoyed 59 Memory Lane and are looking for an easy read, but just don’t expect it to blow your socks off.

[Lara Thorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite book of the year so far. Grace is an im inspirational character for me. Suffering from Misophonia myself it does make being around people (boyfriend/ family) very hard and anxiety about being with people: leaving the house. Grace was had memory powers where people’s memories she was near would jump into her head without warning and caused her a lot of problems. Yet she was able to learn to cope and live a happy life and eventually surround herself with people and live a happy life. Which inspires me it is possible.

The book was full with warm loveable characters and a gripping story !