The House Beneath the Cliffs

by Sharon Gosling

A remote yet beautiful village. A tiny kitchen lunch club. The perfect place to start again.

Anna moves to Crovie, a tiny fishing village on the Moray Firth, for a fresh start. But when she arrives, she realises her new home is really no more than a shed, and the village itself sits beneath a cliff right on the edge of the sea, in constant danger of storms and landslides. Has she made a terrible mistake?

Yet as she begins to learn about the Scottish coast and its people, something she thought she’d lost reawakens in her. She rediscovers her love of cooking, and turns her kitchen into a pop-up lunch club. But not all the locals are delighted about her arrival, and some are keen to see her plans fail.

Will Anna really be able to put down roots in this remote and wild village? Or will her fragile new beginning start to crumble with the cliffs . . . ?

Beautiful, moving and utterly absorbing, The House Beneath the Cliffs is a novel of friendship and food, storms and secrets, and the beauty of second chances

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Roman, Romance, Scotland, Ebooks, Adult

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

Sharon Gosling began her career in entertainment journalism, writing for magazines in the science fiction and fantasy genre, before moving on to write tie-in books for TV shows such as "Stargate" and the 'reimagined' "Battlestar Galactica."

Reviews

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna moves to Crovie, a tiny fishing village on the Moray Firth, for a fresh start. But when she arrives, she realises her new home is no more than a shed, and the village itself sits beneath a cliff right on the edge of the sea, in constant danger of storms and landslides. Has she made a terrible mistake? Yet as she learns about the Scottish coast and it's people, something she thought she'd lost reawakens in her. She rediscovers her love for cooking and turns her kitchen into a pop-up lunch club. But not all the locals are delighted about her arrival, some are keen to see her fail.

Village life is portrayed just as I imagined it would be like living in a tight knit community and being and outsider. Anna's new neighbours, Frank and Pat, try to make her feel welcome. Anna had moved to Corvie after an unhappy relationship. The story is descriptively written. It's an easy book to read that covers grief and manipulation. Of course there's a new love interest for Anna. This is a heart-warming and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #SimopnSchuster and the author #SharonGosling for my ARC of #TheHouseBeneathTheCliffs in exchange for an honest review.

[Sonja Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eine schöne Geschichte über einen Neuanfang, Freundschaft, toxische Beziehungen, die Liebe zum Kochen und das man nie alleine ist, auch wenn es sich manchmal so anfühlt.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d never heard of the author or book before, so I had no expectations and not a lot of knowledge on the premise. I very quickly became absorbed in the story and I was reading every spare second I had. Almost all of the characters in this book are wholesome, I loved so many of them including the protagonist, Anna. Village life is portrayed beautifully, and as the reader I was made to feel a part of their tight-knit community. Why can’t we all have neighbours like Pat and Frank?! The setting and descriptions of the Scottish scenery makes you want to snuggle under a blanket with a hot chocolate, it’s the perfect Autumn read. It made me feel a lot of emotions, I shed a lonely tear but overall it’s a really heartwarming story that will bring you a lot of joy.

[Buchdoktor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anna Campbell hat sich nach 20 Jahren von ihrem Partner Geoff getrennt, der als prominenter Sternekoch stets auch ihr Chef im gemeinsamen Restaurant war. Den schnellen Entschluss, in Crovie im Norden Schottlands das winzige Haus „Fishergirl’s Luck“ mit Blick aufs Meer zu kaufen, bereut sie jedoch, als sie vor Ort realisiert, wir klein ihr Häuschen tatsächlich ist. Ihre Eltern waren auf ihrer Hochzeitsreise nach Schottland auch in Crovie in der Nähe von Fraserburgh gewesen, und ihr damaliges Glück will Anna mit dem Hauskauf festhalten.

Nachdem Anna im Häuschen den Staub von Jahren beseitigt hat, lässt sie sich von der Geschichte der Vorbewohnerin fesseln, der „Fishergirl’s Luck“ bis ins hohe Alter Glück gebracht hatte. Brenda Mackenzie hinterließ auf einem Regal zwischen den Dachbalken ihr handgeschriebenes Kochbuch, das für Anna auch zur Ortschronik von Crovie wird. Der kleine Ort hat seit einer verheerenden Sturmflut in den 50ern keinen Fischereihafen mehr und scheint hauptsächlich von älteren Paaren bewohnt zu sein. In langen Telefongesprächen, unterstützt von ihrer Freundin Cathy, blüht Anna fern von Geoffs ständiger Kritik wieder auf. Mit einem Menü aus ihrer Winzlingsküche erlebt sie einen sensationellen Erfolg bei ihren Nachbarn. Die Idee, praktisch auf dem Terrassentisch ein Pop-Up-Restaurant zu eröffnen, erweist sich jedoch als leichter gedacht als getan. Anna erkennt, dass das wirtschaftliche Überleben der Region dem Domino-Effekt unterliegt. Zimmervermieter, Ladeninhaber, Boots- und Restaurant-Besitzer hängen voneinander ab. Ein Restaurant im Ort (und dass Anna in Crovie bleibt) würde nicht nur die Existenz von Bed&Breakfast-Vermietern im Ort sichern.

Entscheidenden Anteil an Sharon Goslings atmosphärischem Roman für Erwachsene hat die ungewöhnliche Lage des Dorfs zwischen Berg und Meer. Annas Geschäftsidee, gleich zwei attraktive Männer an diesem entlegenen Ort und die Gewalten der Natur fügen sich zu einer spannenden Sommerlektüre.

[Gitti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna zieht nach Crovie an die Küste von Schottland, nachdem sie ihre langjährige Beziehung beendet hat und versucht ihr Leben neu zu ordnen. Sie hat sich dort ein winziges Häuschen namens Fishergirl’s Luck gekauft und entdeckt dort unerwartet ihre Liebe zum Kochen neu. Sie wird Teil der Gemeinschaft von Crovie und lernt wieder auf sich selbst zu vertrauen.

Sharon Gosling liefert hier einen Wohlfühlroman, der trotz allem seine Ecken und Kanten hat. Es gibt auch eine Liebesgeschichte, die nicht ganz so geradlinig verläuft, wie man es sonst aus solchen Büchern gewohnt ist. Die Beschreibung von Crovie und der Bucht in der es liegt, ist lebhaft und man kann sich alles gut vorstellen und so manchen Sturm auch wüten hören. Die Charaktere haben alle ihre eigene Geschichte und die Autorin schafft es die Beziehungen zueinander sehr gut zu beschreiben. Ich fand es schön dass nicht einfach immer alles glatt läuft und manche Dinge einen Umweg gehen müssen, bevor sie sich fügen.

Ich hätte gerne noch weiter gelesen und das Schicksal der Bewohner Crovies verfolgt. Das Ende war mir tatsächlich ein wenig zu kurz abgehandelt, da wären hundert Seiten mehr noch schön gewesen.

Trotzdem kann ich das Buch empfehlen, es hat mir gut gefallen und angenehme Lesestunden beschert.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet story filled with the type of characters I would love to have as friends. The location on the Scottish shore with its rugged landscape and its dramatic weather were mesmerizing. They made me long for a simple seaside life. Some things in the book felt idyllic and over simplified, but overall it was a delightful story, and exactly what I needed to read right now.

[faanielibri · Rating 4 out of 5]

War eine richtig nette Geschichte, die mich vor allem mit Empowerment, gegenseitiger Unterstützung und dem richtigen Maß an Tiefgang überrascht hat. Ein Twist hat mir anfangs nicht so gefallen, wurde dann aber doch toll umgesetzt. Und ja, es wurde gekocht und gegessen, Delphine beobachtet und schottisches Flair versprüht. Hab es wirklich gerne gelesen und kann es bedenkenlos empfehlen.

[Elke Eelbode · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een leuk verhaal dat zich vlot laat lezen. Er gebeurt voldoende om het spannend te houden. Ideaal boek voor een namiddagje ontspannen.

[Melanie’s reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anna is starting over, away from everything she knows, after the death of her father and split from celebrity chef Geoff. Turning up at her recently purchased house to find it is more a dusty, tiny shed and wondering what on earth she has done.

Anna is a remarkable protagonist showing both bravery and vulnerability and I don’t think I’ve ever been so invested in a fictional character. I felt like her personal cheerleader rooting her on from the sidelines and I really did not like Geoff!

The inclusion of letters to ‘Selkie lass’ touched me with the romance of normalcy especially when I realised who they were to and from. Those weren’t tears it was the onions. Talking of onions if this beautiful story doesn’t get you salivating the descriptions of food will.

The characters are as well written as the surroundings, what a wonderful community Anna has found herself in. Although not everyone makes her feel welcome, but as is the case with many a good book, there is almost always a reason why.

I adored this beautiful book and everything about it captured my heart and soul. In fact I’m left wondering if inside me is a little bit of selkie. The author describes the setting with such deft skill that I was secretly hoping Anna would decide to leave so I could buy her cottage Fishergirl’s Luck. I can almost picture myself on that tattered couch with a steaming mug of tea and a book while the waves crash outside, knowing that the lovely Pat and Frank are just next door.

Incredibly this is a debut novel and I can only hope there will be plenty more to come as I may have fallen a little bit in love with her writing. I can only apologise for my incoherence with this review as when I really love a book my brain and words tend to go off in separate directions.

[AdiTurbo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main character in this novel is its location, the remote Scottish village of Crovie. I enjoyed reading about the village residents' unique way of life and strong sense of community, so lacking in the lives of most modern city people like me. I found the characters likeable, but unfortunately, somewhat weak and unoriginal. The same goes for the plot - all conflicts and problems solved a little bit too easily and conveniently, and the romance bits were not very convincing. The storm scene proves that this author has more potential than this, though, and I hope she ups her game in her next novels. Even with these points of critique, I had fun reading this book and felt transported by it to another place and life. A cozy and heart-warming read.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book,

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una chicca che aspettava da un po di essere letta.
Il precedente del autrice mi aveva stregato e questo non è da meno.
Un mix tra i passaggi incontaminati della Scozia e la cucina che non mi aspettavo, ma mi ha incuriosito subito.
Un bel gruppo di personaggi (alcuni anche insopportabili eh) che mi hanno incollata alle pagine.
I colpi di scena non mancano, anzi, ma il finale si.
Best personaggio : il giovane Robbie

[i-Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Als het over lekker eten gaat is het altijd goed, klassieke roman maar leest heerlijk weg.

[Melisa Broadbent · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a perfect book!

I absolutely devoured this book and became completely entranced with the wonderful array of characters and beautiful surroundings, described so richly by Sharon Gosling.

I always really enjoy books where a character starts over in a completely new place and this is probably one of my favourites as we follow Anna on her purchase of an old cottage in the small village of Crovie in Scotland where her parents had once holidayed. Having lost both her parents, you get the sense that it is in some way a way of replicating their happiness and getting closer to their memories.

Despite the fact that cottage is more like a shed and a dusty sounding one at that, I loved the sound of it and can imagine getting all cosy next to a logburner whilst the storm rages outside.

Although Anna immediately regrets her purchase, the village and its inhabitants slowly work their magic on her as she becomes an important part of the tiny fishing village.

I could go on forever.

Absolutely beautiful - I will be recommending to everyone and anyone!

[Malin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Efter ca tjugo år som sambo är nu Anna ensam - och hon vill aldrig mer se ett restaurangkök inifrån - och flyttar från London till en liten stuga i en by som klamrar sig fast vid klipporna vid den skotska kusten. Det är inte vad hon hade tänkt sig, men hon ska ge stugan någon tid.
När hon bjuder grannarna på middag, som tack för hjälpen, föreslår någon att hon borde göra det mot en slant. Trots att ex'et fått henne att tro att hon inte kan försöker hon lite smått och blir glatt överraskad över gensvaret. Kanske är det ändå nåt hon ska satsa på? Och kanske ska hon ändå stanna - hon trivs ju med folket, speciellt Auld Robbie... Men så slår naturen till...
***
Den var väldigt svår att släppa! Jag älskade personerna och miljön. Och jag var tvungen att få veta hur det skulle gå!
Jag hoppas det blir fler feelgood-böcker från Gosling!

[Eygló Karlsdóttir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Det här är den perfekta sommar läsningen. Jag grät och jag våndades och jag suckade av glädje. Vilken fantastisk plats som beskrivs, varma karaktärer och spänning. Jag kunde inte lägga ner den här boken. Varmt rekommenderad.

[Veerle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wat een leuk verhaal om te lezen. Op een zonnige vakantie of thuis in de winter in je zetel. Paar losse eindjes en gemakkelijkheden die de auteur zich permitteert, maar je zou zo in Covie willen wonen en daar gaat het boek vooral om.

[Ina Vainohullu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nach der Trennung ihres langjährigen Partners braucht Köchin Anna dringend einen Neuanfang und so verschlägt es sie an die raue schottische Küste, nach Crovie, in ein an die Klippen geschmiegtes Häuschen namens Fishergirl's Luck.

Als Anna ihr neu-, aber blinderworbenes Häuschen dann zum ersten Mal sieht, möchte sie am liebsten direkt zurück nach London, denn Fishergirl's Luck ist nicht mehr als Schuhkarton. Entmutigt, aber entschlossen nimmt sie sich vor, es wenigstens für ein paar Wochen zu versuchen und als sie erst einmal Freundschaften schließt und ihr die Idee für ein Pop-Up Restaurant kommt, da will sie irgendwann nicht mehr weg...

Ich fand den Klappentext und auch das Cover unglaublich verlockend und habe mich sehr auf eine schöne Wohlfühlgeschichte vor wilder Kulisse gefreut, von der ich dann jedoch enttäuscht wurde.

Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist sehr einfach gehalten, was mich eigentlich schnell hätte voranbringen müssen, doch der Inhalt hat mich immer wieder ausgebremst, weshalb ich an dem Buch jetzt fast 14 Tage immer mal wieder gelesen habe. Es passiert in der ersten Hälfte einfach sehr wenig Aufregendes. Dafür im letzten Drittel so viel, dass man kaum mitkommt. Ich könnte über die Langatmigkeit hinwegsehen, wenn die Handlung und auch die Charaktere dabei nicht so wahnsinnig blass und flach gewesen wären. Anna ist zwar sympathisch, ebenso wie die anderen Einwohner von Crovie, aber trotzdem blieben sie alle so vage.

Und die Handlung ? Wäre auch gut gewesen, wenn sie eben nicht so oberflächlich gewesen wäre. Ich kann tatsächlich nicht benennen, was genau mich so gestört hat, aber es gab immer wieder so Zeitsprünge, alles wurde irgendwie angerissen und dann schnell und platt abgehandelt, was ich superschade finde.

Vor allem weil die Kulisse so toll ist und auch Annas Leidenschaft fürs Kochen so viel Spaß beim Lesen gemacht hat. Zu Ersterem hat die Autorin sogar einen persönlichen Bezug, wie sie im Nachwort erklärt und sie baut auch wahre Ereignisse aus Crovie mit ein. Und trotzdem hat mich dieser Roman nicht zufriedengestellt.

[Joanne D'Arcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anna is having to start again, and she ends up in Crovie a small fishing village in Scotland. Buying a property sight unseen might not be the wisest thing she has ever done, but there is something about the place that gets into Anna’s soul.

The property known as Fishergirl’s Luck is little more than a stone shed on the edge of a cliff. Perhaps the place to hide away and restart something, but not a home for forever. Anna finds this place the best to reset. Her neighbours and the majority of the locals are welcoming and warm. Embracing her into village life and friendship, apart from one who thinks his birth right has been taken away from him again.

As Anna stays longer, she starts to use the fresh ingredients to cook to help heal her soul and work out what she intends to do next. Through the cooking and the descriptions are mouth watering, she finds setting up a little lunch club is the prefects way to make some money until she can really decide what to do next.

However events take a different turn and there are many opportunities that Anna is presented with, not all of them to her liking and some that involve going backwards and not forwards. Surely the landscape and the community of Crovie will give her the answers.

Then on one fateful day, the elements decide to take the future and very much the present into its own hands. The community are effected, the future is now changing for a number of them and Anna really needs to decide where she wants to continue her life.

If you want a book full of descriptions of appealing food, wonderful scenery, epic weather events and a mix of wonderful quirky characters who all have their place it the community then this is the book for you. It has found a place in my heart as it was not wrapped up in providing the happy ever after that perhaps you think as the story progresses but focuses on the ups and downs of real life.

A beautiful read to be devoured just as the descriptive food within the pages, on a sofa as the elements batter your window but the heat of the fire and the heart of the story,warm you forever.

I look forward to reading more from Sharon Gosling and if this is the standard of work to except then I will not be disappointed.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna Campbell is looking for a fresh start when she buys Fishergirl’s Luck, a tiny cottage in Crovie on the north coast of Aberdeenshire, despite only having seen it in photographs. Freed from a long and emotionally abusive relationship with her celebrity chef partner, and coping with the grief following the recent death of her father, she needs time and space to work out what she wants to do next.
At first she is unsure whether she has made the right decision in moving to this isolated village at the foot of the cliffs, but decides to at least stay long enough to smarten the house up with a view to renting it out later. As she gets to know the locals, and is accepted into this close-knit community, her decision becomes much harder.
The characters are well drawn and relatable, the setting is atmospheric and beautifully described, and the descriptions of the food Anna cooks will make your mouth water. It’s probably best not to read this on an empty stomach. She slowly regains faith in herself and her abilities, culinary and otherwise, and begins to feel hopeful about her future.
I am always interested in reading books set in Scotland, particularly if I know the area. While living in Aberdeenshire many years ago, we took a trip to this part of the country lured by the prospect of visiting Pennan, just along the coast, where they filmed scenes for Local Hero, a popular movie at the time. The rugged coastline is magnificent on a bright summer’s day, but quite precarious, not to mention scary, in the middle of a winter storm, and Sharon Gosling really captures this in her writing.
This is Sharon Gosling’s debut adult novel though she has previously written books aimed at young adults. I really enjoyed The House Beneath the Cliffs and will be on the lookout for her books in the future. Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.

[Lovrenc · Rating 5 out of 5]

It really nice story about the dream of all of us at some point in life to move somewhere remote and to start life at new.

Story is amazing and the books easy to read. When I took it in my hand and start reading it I couldn't stop.

I love it.

[Vanessa-Ann Dowsett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended

[Benkan · Rating 4 out of 5]

En feel good bok.

[Jennifer Bibby · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful story about a small community which I felt completely enveloped into.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tyckte mkt om boken.

[Jennifer Andersson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man hatar ju inte en bra feelgood!!

[angela wall · Rating 4 out of 5]

En underbar bok om en hel by som tar hand om varandra i alla väder även nykomlingar som flyr en separation och köper sig ett litet hus i samhället .och hur dom överlever mot och med gångar .En bladvändare som man inte vill ska ta slut .

[Daphne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A joy to read. Uplifting, the right amount of detail, about a woman who rebuilds her life, the romance is more a logical consequence than the forced trap it sometimes can be in feelgood stories.

[Lucy C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore Scotland, and Crovie just sounds magical a perfect escape.

The characters are fun, relatable and interesting, the story is engaging and entertaining.

A story about a leaving everything behind and making a fresh new start, it's never too late.

You won’t be disappointed!

[Sharon Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised by just how much I connected with this story. It was so easy to feel as if I belonged with the community at Crovie.

Anna is a fabulous lead. Despite having lived under someone else’s shadow for so many years, her strength and determination shone through. I’ve adopted her mantra “say yes to as many things as you can” :)

I loved the history of the Fishergirl’s Luck and how a find from the past is used in the present. It felt like Bren was reaching through time and she still managed to influence the present (the epilogue! loved this).

The setting is magnificent and the volatile climate is a character in its own right. At one point I was sat on the edge of my seat as I read, willing the community to make it through. Having an emotional connection with all the characters (yes, even Douglas) meant tears but also in the aftermath, glimmers of hope and love.

The House Beneath the Cliffs was a quick read for me, those pages turning themselves. I can't wait to see what adventure Sharon Gosling will take us on next.