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Exile
On a remote Shetland island, a mother and daughter’s strained relationship is tested as dark and long-hidden secrets are revealed . . .
Kirstie exiles herself to the small Shetland island of Yell after yet another torrid affair. She knows she went too far this time—her desperate behaviour caused the breakdown of her lover’s marriage. Taking up residence in her grandparents’ croft, which has lain empty since their deaths, and wanting time to reflect on her life and disastrous relationships, Kirstie begins to write about her obsessive ways.
What she hasn’t realised is that the island is full of relatives she never knew she had. Kirstie has spent her life feeling unloved, hurt, and angry, and has wondered what part this played in the all-consuming manner she is drawn into relationships.
As Kirstie allows some of the local people into her life, she learns of her mother Morag’s tragic history—and begins to reassess her mother’s behaviour. But as Kirstie grapples with her past and begins to settle into her present, Morag decides to visit, throwing Kirstie into turmoil once again—and revealing even more shocking truths . . .
Kirstie exiles herself to the small Shetland island of Yell after yet another torrid affair. She knows she went too far this time—her desperate behaviour caused the breakdown of her lover’s marriage. Taking up residence in her grandparents’ croft, which has lain empty since their deaths, and wanting time to reflect on her life and disastrous relationships, Kirstie begins to write about her obsessive ways.
What she hasn’t realised is that the island is full of relatives she never knew she had. Kirstie has spent her life feeling unloved, hurt, and angry, and has wondered what part this played in the all-consuming manner she is drawn into relationships.
As Kirstie allows some of the local people into her life, she learns of her mother Morag’s tragic history—and begins to reassess her mother’s behaviour. But as Kirstie grapples with her past and begins to settle into her present, Morag decides to visit, throwing Kirstie into turmoil once again—and revealing even more shocking truths . . .
296 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 23, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
March 23, 2022
Thank you Sarah Bourne for the advance copy in exchange for a honest review. Following a disasterous affair Kirstie exiles herself to the island of Yell in the Shetlands. She moves to the remote cottage that belonged to her grandparents where her mother grew up. Kirstie has never had a good relationship with her own mother. She starts to mingle with her family and neighbours and feels she belongs. Then her mother returns causing a strained atmosphere. Kirstie finds out the truth about why her mother left the island and hears shocking revelations.
March 9, 2022
What a wonderful story. It made me laugh, it also made me cry. Read it! The kind of book that you wished wouldn’t end and leaves you missing it.
March 9, 2022
This isn’t my usual genre of book but I quickly became engrossed in the story. It is narrated by Kirstie who has moved to a remote house on the Scottish island of Yell, it previously belonged to her grandparents and since they died it has been left empty. Selling her business and leaving nearly all her possessions behind she arrives to find no electricity, no running water and the cottage in a very poor state.
Kirstie takes us with her on this new journey whilst also letting us in on her past and how she came to be living here in exile. I often struggle with books that don’t have a lot of conversation between characters but this one was different, the way it was written, the conversations Kirstie had with herself kept me absolutely absorbed. The descriptions of the cottage and its surrounding area were at times bleak but wrote in a way that made me want to pack up and join her!
I don’t want to give any of the plot away but this is all about relationships, both romantic ones, which Kirstie has trouble with as she very quickly falls in love with being in love and also relationships with others such as friends and family. At times it is sad and moving and at others I was sat with a big smile on my face.
The characters are all beautifully written, Ishbel is a true delight and Duncan is what every good love story needs, totally adorable.
Although it touches on some hard subjects this book is a delight and a perfect piece of escapism.
Thank you to Bloodhound Books for the ARC
Kirstie takes us with her on this new journey whilst also letting us in on her past and how she came to be living here in exile. I often struggle with books that don’t have a lot of conversation between characters but this one was different, the way it was written, the conversations Kirstie had with herself kept me absolutely absorbed. The descriptions of the cottage and its surrounding area were at times bleak but wrote in a way that made me want to pack up and join her!
I don’t want to give any of the plot away but this is all about relationships, both romantic ones, which Kirstie has trouble with as she very quickly falls in love with being in love and also relationships with others such as friends and family. At times it is sad and moving and at others I was sat with a big smile on my face.
The characters are all beautifully written, Ishbel is a true delight and Duncan is what every good love story needs, totally adorable.
Although it touches on some hard subjects this book is a delight and a perfect piece of escapism.
Thank you to Bloodhound Books for the ARC
March 14, 2022
I became a huge fan of Sarah's after reading InVisible last year. It stuck with me and remained at the forefront on my mind when choosing my top 10 of 2021 and deservedly retained is place there.
This book will have the same impact for vastly different reasons.
This is a first person account of Kirstie, who after some personal issues decides to return to a small Scottish Island where her family originally hailed from, a self imposed exile where everyone would be safe.
The book flicks between Kirstie trying to find her feet whilst also battling the demons that followed her from Brighton in a confessional diary.
As the story unravels and she begins to make friends, particularly Ishabel and Duncan, you can feel the tension easing and she starts to learn more about her mother. They had a difficult relationship and she knows next to nothing about her.
In the diary entries you get the truth about Kirsties own neuroses that have led her to this point. Obsessive attachment to men, and desperate desire to be loved.
When Morag, Kirsties mother finally returns to the island, all the truths finally are revealed. I thought I suspected a twist and was way way off.
It hit particularly close to home in some areas as the mother/daughter relationship can at time reflect my own and its difficult.
I was left with tears streaming as I reached the final pages and I will be coming back to this book for some time in my mind. Its going to have a big and lasting impact.
This book will have the same impact for vastly different reasons.
This is a first person account of Kirstie, who after some personal issues decides to return to a small Scottish Island where her family originally hailed from, a self imposed exile where everyone would be safe.
The book flicks between Kirstie trying to find her feet whilst also battling the demons that followed her from Brighton in a confessional diary.
As the story unravels and she begins to make friends, particularly Ishabel and Duncan, you can feel the tension easing and she starts to learn more about her mother. They had a difficult relationship and she knows next to nothing about her.
In the diary entries you get the truth about Kirsties own neuroses that have led her to this point. Obsessive attachment to men, and desperate desire to be loved.
When Morag, Kirsties mother finally returns to the island, all the truths finally are revealed. I thought I suspected a twist and was way way off.
It hit particularly close to home in some areas as the mother/daughter relationship can at time reflect my own and its difficult.
I was left with tears streaming as I reached the final pages and I will be coming back to this book for some time in my mind. Its going to have a big and lasting impact.
March 10, 2022
Kirstie suddenly leaves he job and home in London and moves to Yell in the Shetland Islands. Her destination is an old croft left to her Mother when Kirstie's grandparents died. She never really knew anything about her Mother's past, only that her mother inherited the croft when Kirstie was ten years old and was reluctant to speak of her past.
As the story unfolds it appears that Kirstie is an exile from a disastrous love affair. All her past relationships have been one sided and have never fufilled her need to be loved. Her parents unhappy marriage left her feeling unwanted and unloved.
On arriving in Yell she does her utmost to keep herself aloof from all the local inhabitants but of course on a small island everyone wants to know more about her, especially the relatives who she never knew existed. Exile is a story about family relationships and is told from Kirstie's perspective both in the present and a look into her past through a diary she writes from her self imposed exile at the cottage. There are some interesting characters who all have a part in Kirstie's rehabilitation and re-emergence into the community. The descriptions of island life made the place come to life for me.
Exile is another great book by Sarah Bourne and I would like to thank Bloodhound books and the author for an ARC of this book.
As the story unfolds it appears that Kirstie is an exile from a disastrous love affair. All her past relationships have been one sided and have never fufilled her need to be loved. Her parents unhappy marriage left her feeling unwanted and unloved.
On arriving in Yell she does her utmost to keep herself aloof from all the local inhabitants but of course on a small island everyone wants to know more about her, especially the relatives who she never knew existed. Exile is a story about family relationships and is told from Kirstie's perspective both in the present and a look into her past through a diary she writes from her self imposed exile at the cottage. There are some interesting characters who all have a part in Kirstie's rehabilitation and re-emergence into the community. The descriptions of island life made the place come to life for me.
Exile is another great book by Sarah Bourne and I would like to thank Bloodhound books and the author for an ARC of this book.
March 18, 2022
Exile by Sarah Bourne.
Kirstie exiles herself to the small Shetland island of Yell after yet another torrid affair. She knows she went too far this time—her desperate behaviour caused the breakdown of her lover’s marriage. Taking up residence in her grandparents’ croft, which has lain empty since their deaths, and wanting time to reflect on her life and disastrous relationships, Kirstie begins to write about her obsessive ways.
What she hasn’t realised is that the island is full of relatives she never knew she had. Kirstie has spent her life feeling unloved, hurt, and angry, and has wondered what part this played in the all-consuming manner she is drawn into relationships.
As Kirstie allows some of the local people into her life, she learns of her mother Morag’s tragic history—and begins to reassess her mother’s behaviour. But as Kirstie grapples with her past and begins to settle into her present, Morag decides to visit, throwing Kirstie into turmoil once again—and revealing even more shocking truths . . .
A very very good read. Great story and characters. I liked kristie and Ishbel. 4*.
Kirstie exiles herself to the small Shetland island of Yell after yet another torrid affair. She knows she went too far this time—her desperate behaviour caused the breakdown of her lover’s marriage. Taking up residence in her grandparents’ croft, which has lain empty since their deaths, and wanting time to reflect on her life and disastrous relationships, Kirstie begins to write about her obsessive ways.
What she hasn’t realised is that the island is full of relatives she never knew she had. Kirstie has spent her life feeling unloved, hurt, and angry, and has wondered what part this played in the all-consuming manner she is drawn into relationships.
As Kirstie allows some of the local people into her life, she learns of her mother Morag’s tragic history—and begins to reassess her mother’s behaviour. But as Kirstie grapples with her past and begins to settle into her present, Morag decides to visit, throwing Kirstie into turmoil once again—and revealing even more shocking truths . . .
A very very good read. Great story and characters. I liked kristie and Ishbel. 4*.
March 9, 2022
I really enjoyed this book, an unusual story and a good family drama set on the island of Yell in the Shetlands. The main protagonist is well written, a very troubled woman who has exiled herself to this remote place to escape her past, and her mother, Morag, who she has become estranged from after an unhappy childhood.
Briefly, Kirstie is plagued by her obsessive behaviour around men she finds attractive and when one such relationship goes too far her only answer to the problems is to get as far away from everyone as she can. As a mean of exorcising her demons she starts to write a diary of her life and her obsessions. But one of her relatives Ishbel isn’t prepared to let her live a hermits life and gradually breaks through Kirstie’s barriers.
This is a book about emotions; love and hate, anger and forgiveness, secrets and revelations, truth and lies. The effect that a mother can have on a vulnerable child and how this treatment can affect the woman the child becomes. This is a slow moving tale and all the better for it as the layers that Kirstie and Morag have built around themselves are gradually unwrapped. A great read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Briefly, Kirstie is plagued by her obsessive behaviour around men she finds attractive and when one such relationship goes too far her only answer to the problems is to get as far away from everyone as she can. As a mean of exorcising her demons she starts to write a diary of her life and her obsessions. But one of her relatives Ishbel isn’t prepared to let her live a hermits life and gradually breaks through Kirstie’s barriers.
This is a book about emotions; love and hate, anger and forgiveness, secrets and revelations, truth and lies. The effect that a mother can have on a vulnerable child and how this treatment can affect the woman the child becomes. This is a slow moving tale and all the better for it as the layers that Kirstie and Morag have built around themselves are gradually unwrapped. A great read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 10, 2022
A beautifully written book exploring how people can reconcile a troubled past full of mistakes and forgive themselves and others in the process.
Kirstie exiles herself to a remote Shetland Island to escape her past. She tries to prevent herself from causing further damage to others by removing herself from society and lives in a cold and run down croft belonging to her family. Initially Kirstie punishes herself for past mistakes but, as she attempts to reconcile her relationship with her mother, Morag she starts to understand how her family history has impacted her life. The fraught relationship between mother and daughter and their flawed character traits make the story more believable for the telling and the book weaves in the present and the past creating an anticipation and desire for us to discover the secrets held by both Kirstie and her mother.
Kirstie exiles herself to a remote Shetland Island to escape her past. She tries to prevent herself from causing further damage to others by removing herself from society and lives in a cold and run down croft belonging to her family. Initially Kirstie punishes herself for past mistakes but, as she attempts to reconcile her relationship with her mother, Morag she starts to understand how her family history has impacted her life. The fraught relationship between mother and daughter and their flawed character traits make the story more believable for the telling and the book weaves in the present and the past creating an anticipation and desire for us to discover the secrets held by both Kirstie and her mother.
March 10, 2022
Beautifully written. Descriptions so vivid that you are swept up into the landscape and into the lives of the characters that abide there. Such gorgeous prose that I would slow down to savour some lines again.
Kirsty is fascinating on so many levels. Deeply flawed, perhaps even unlikeable but you can't help but want the best for her. This is due to Bourne's expertise in storytelling and her ability to evoke strong emotions in the reader.
Set in the present and past - both timelines entranced me equally. Which is a difficult thing to do but points of tension and mystery kept me hooked.
A great host of female characters but I also adored Duncan and could see him so easily strolling along the cliffs to the puffins.
The narrative deals with some serious themes, but ultimately this is a life affirming book. A gorgeous and poignant read.
Kirsty is fascinating on so many levels. Deeply flawed, perhaps even unlikeable but you can't help but want the best for her. This is due to Bourne's expertise in storytelling and her ability to evoke strong emotions in the reader.
Set in the present and past - both timelines entranced me equally. Which is a difficult thing to do but points of tension and mystery kept me hooked.
A great host of female characters but I also adored Duncan and could see him so easily strolling along the cliffs to the puffins.
The narrative deals with some serious themes, but ultimately this is a life affirming book. A gorgeous and poignant read.
March 19, 2022
The Shetlands with its cliffs, wild landscape and unpredictable weather makes the perfect backdrop for this family drama and the mysteries surrounding Kirstie’s exile to and her mother’s exile from the island of Yell.
The back and forth approach between Kirstie’s current situation and the telling of her past life enables the plot to jog along nicely with enough drip-fed information to keep you hooked and to want to turn the pages. And despite Kirstie’s skin-crawlingly obsessive behaviour, I found I was rooting for her throughout.
A well-rounded and satisfying conclusion made this a 5 star read for me.
Exile would appeal to those who like to see a mystery unravel without a whole heap of blood being shed.
The back and forth approach between Kirstie’s current situation and the telling of her past life enables the plot to jog along nicely with enough drip-fed information to keep you hooked and to want to turn the pages. And despite Kirstie’s skin-crawlingly obsessive behaviour, I found I was rooting for her throughout.
A well-rounded and satisfying conclusion made this a 5 star read for me.
Exile would appeal to those who like to see a mystery unravel without a whole heap of blood being shed.
April 4, 2022
I so enjoyed this book - it’s one of those books you don’t want to end but would read in one sitting! I loved the contrasting elements of the story, hearing the confession of the obsessive Kirsten in London and then reading about Kirsten and her self-exile to Yell, an island in the Shetlands where she learns some truths and anger is replaced with forgiveness and compassion. Thanks to Pigeonhole and Sarah Bourne for the opportunity of reading this book, one stave per day over 10 days.
March 11, 2022
I was engrossed in this novel. I loved the confession that Kirsty was writing as she was rebuilding her life on the island.
The story was told beautifully, especially as family secrets came out. I loved that it was slowly coming out. This gave the characters the time to build up.
I loved all of the characters, and missed them when the book was finished.
The story was told beautifully, especially as family secrets came out. I loved that it was slowly coming out. This gave the characters the time to build up.
I loved all of the characters, and missed them when the book was finished.
March 5, 2022
Kirstie finds herself in a self imposed exile after leaving her home, business and life behind after the failure of yet another live affair. She moves to Yell, a remote Shetland island, where her mother Morag lived as a child. Will she be able to resolve her inner turmoil, alongside finding out more about her mother's past?
A very interesting book, written with chapters set both in the present and in Kirstie's confessional past. Through the different points of view, we learn about what left Kirstie feeling as if she had no choice but to totally isolate herself, as well as why her mother never revealed her past to her daughter.
I really enjoyed this story, it was very different to anything I've read before.
A very interesting book, written with chapters set both in the present and in Kirstie's confessional past. Through the different points of view, we learn about what left Kirstie feeling as if she had no choice but to totally isolate herself, as well as why her mother never revealed her past to her daughter.
I really enjoyed this story, it was very different to anything I've read before.
April 4, 2022
Absolutely fantastic book, heartbreaking at times but I’m so glad they had a happy ending. Morag was certainly a complicated lady.
Now I just need to move to Yell!!
Now I just need to move to Yell!!
March 5, 2022
This book is quite the slow burn. Set on a remote Shetland Island, it follows Kirstie, who has come to the island to escape something. The chapters alternate between present day and her history that brought her to the island. She is quite an interesting, although flawed character. This is a story about hidden secrets and miscommunication.
The book is written very well, although slightly anti climatic. Thank you to Bloodhound Books for the ARC.
The book is written very well, although slightly anti climatic. Thank you to Bloodhound Books for the ARC.
March 23, 2022
In the midst of other chaos going on, I embarked on reading this novel and so glad that I did. Kirstie, the main character who exlies herself to the Shetland island of Yell, is a formidable and vulnerable person. Her own issues and events in her life given her pause to muse on her previous actions and past relationships. She has her foibles but is genuine in spirit and in character. How she relates to her various cousins and her own mother is a fluid work in progress. There are many humorous bits throughout the novel which makes for a pleasant reading experience. I want to read more by this author.
March 25, 2022
The Descriptions so vivid that you are drawn into the landscape of island of Yell in the Shetlands
The characters are likable, and you care what happens to them
The book I found a slow burn and a duel timeline which works well and the author keeps the tension between both times
Kirsty is the main character and has placed herself in self-isolation on Shetland and there are family secrets to discover and I found myself saying one more page
The storytelling is rich and vivid, and I will be looking at other books by this author
I thank the author for an ARC copy of this book
The characters are likable, and you care what happens to them
The book I found a slow burn and a duel timeline which works well and the author keeps the tension between both times
Kirsty is the main character and has placed herself in self-isolation on Shetland and there are family secrets to discover and I found myself saying one more page
The storytelling is rich and vivid, and I will be looking at other books by this author
I thank the author for an ARC copy of this book
March 18, 2022
Exile is another compelling and emotional read by Sarah Bourne.
The story had me gripped from the beginning and will stay with me for a long time.
Sarah has a brilliant way of engaging you and detailing the settings so that you actually feel like you are in Yell with them.
It was full of intrigue and secrets and I particularly liked the characters Duncan and Ishbel.
I would totally recommend this book and definitely worthy of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The story had me gripped from the beginning and will stay with me for a long time.
Sarah has a brilliant way of engaging you and detailing the settings so that you actually feel like you are in Yell with them.
It was full of intrigue and secrets and I particularly liked the characters Duncan and Ishbel.
I would totally recommend this book and definitely worthy of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 4, 2022
None of us know what someone else's life is really like.
Kirstie and Morag couldn't be further apart. One running from Yell and the other running to Yell.
There are so many parallels in their lives, but they simply can't, or won't see them.
However Yell helps them both to grow and understand themselves and each other.
This book is mostly slow and gentle, apart from the sex scenes, and I enjoyed seeing the characters develop. There was humour and pathos, but it was all handled sensitively.
Thanks to Pigeonhole and Sarah for the opportunity to read this.
Kirstie and Morag couldn't be further apart. One running from Yell and the other running to Yell.
There are so many parallels in their lives, but they simply can't, or won't see them.
However Yell helps them both to grow and understand themselves and each other.
This book is mostly slow and gentle, apart from the sex scenes, and I enjoyed seeing the characters develop. There was humour and pathos, but it was all handled sensitively.
Thanks to Pigeonhole and Sarah for the opportunity to read this.
April 4, 2022
Not my usual read, but this was a well written heart breaking and heart mending type of book. After living a horrid life, Kirstie makes her way to the island of Yell in the Shetland Islands. She moves into the remote and abandoned cottage previously lived in by her grandparents and her mother as she was growing up. Kirstie doesn’t have a good relationship with her mother who is currently on a cruise, far away as usual.
Kirstie is surprised to find a large number of relatives still living on Yell. People she has never met before. Kirstie slowly starts mingling with her neighbours and extended family members. Eventually this leads to her finding out why exactly her mother left Yell as an older teenager.
As Kirstie transforms the abandoned cottage to a more liveable space, we find out what happened in Kirstie’s life that led her to placing herself in exile. Told in alternate chapters, we find out Kirstie’s back story. We find out exactly how her own despicable behaviour led to Kirstie running away to Yell. Kirstie has spent her life feeling alone and unloved, not knowing there was a place where she could find her extended family, waiting to love her.
The characters on the island are beautifully drawn and do so much to bring this story to life. Exile is a book about relationships and family. The book becomes richer the more that relationships play a part in the life of Kirstie and her family. Her new best friend, Ishbel, is also a wonderfully rounded character who enables Kirstie to grow and develop. This is a beautiful book and a must read for those readers of a romantic persuasion.
Kirstie is surprised to find a large number of relatives still living on Yell. People she has never met before. Kirstie slowly starts mingling with her neighbours and extended family members. Eventually this leads to her finding out why exactly her mother left Yell as an older teenager.
As Kirstie transforms the abandoned cottage to a more liveable space, we find out what happened in Kirstie’s life that led her to placing herself in exile. Told in alternate chapters, we find out Kirstie’s back story. We find out exactly how her own despicable behaviour led to Kirstie running away to Yell. Kirstie has spent her life feeling alone and unloved, not knowing there was a place where she could find her extended family, waiting to love her.
The characters on the island are beautifully drawn and do so much to bring this story to life. Exile is a book about relationships and family. The book becomes richer the more that relationships play a part in the life of Kirstie and her family. Her new best friend, Ishbel, is also a wonderfully rounded character who enables Kirstie to grow and develop. This is a beautiful book and a must read for those readers of a romantic persuasion.
March 23, 2025
I loved this book about relationships and family secrets. Told through the main character, Kirstie, we slowly discover the reason for her exile to Yell, a small island off the coast of Scotland, and her initial desire to live a reclusive life in an abandoned property once owned by her grandparents. She keeps herself to herself for only a short time before relatives want to meet her and she crosses paths with the locals. Two of these people, Ishabel and Duncan, are a delight and gently prize her out of her home and her hermit-like existence. As her horizons expand she begins to write a confessional, which describes her disastrous romantic relationships and the guilt and shame she bears for her behaviour.
From the very beginning of the book, we know she has a difficult relationship with her mother, Morag – a woman she feels she could never please and who didn’t love her. Morag grew up on Yell but left suddenly in her teens and never returned. When Duncan reveals a secret he has kept for Morag for decades, it cracks open a door into her mother’s past. But, when Morag announces her intention to visit, Kirstie’s curiosity is balanced by dread. In the last chapters of the story we witness their time together and experience the intense emotions raised by their own and each other’s histories.
These people felt so real to me and the tension between characters was deftly and credibly handled. An unexpected twist at the very end, provided an additional punch to the ending. If you love character driven stories set in a wild but beautiful setting, this is for you. Highly recommended.
From the very beginning of the book, we know she has a difficult relationship with her mother, Morag – a woman she feels she could never please and who didn’t love her. Morag grew up on Yell but left suddenly in her teens and never returned. When Duncan reveals a secret he has kept for Morag for decades, it cracks open a door into her mother’s past. But, when Morag announces her intention to visit, Kirstie’s curiosity is balanced by dread. In the last chapters of the story we witness their time together and experience the intense emotions raised by their own and each other’s histories.
These people felt so real to me and the tension between characters was deftly and credibly handled. An unexpected twist at the very end, provided an additional punch to the ending. If you love character driven stories set in a wild but beautiful setting, this is for you. Highly recommended.
March 22, 2022
HEART WRENCHING AND HEART WARMING
I have to begin by saying that this type of book is not my usual read, but I could not put this down. The story revolves around the self-imposed exile of Kristen. She exiles herself to her family’s cottage on the island of Yell, a part of the Shetland islands off the northern coast of Scotland. The self-imposed exile happens after Kristen has several disastrous relationships. The heart wrenching part of this is that her emotional issues stem out her parents’ own disastrous marriage and her mother’s own emotional issues which stem from her own past on Yell which she has hidden from Kristen.
The heartwarming part of this is the bond which Kristen is able to form with all of the Scottish relatives who she never knew existed and eventually with her own mother. Kristen also forms close friendships with the villagers who also played a role in her mother’s past.
I don’t want to give much of the story away because it develops so beautifully throughout the book. The characters were so well developed that I felt that I knew them by the time that I was finished with the book. I highly recommend this book to all.
I have to begin by saying that this type of book is not my usual read, but I could not put this down. The story revolves around the self-imposed exile of Kristen. She exiles herself to her family’s cottage on the island of Yell, a part of the Shetland islands off the northern coast of Scotland. The self-imposed exile happens after Kristen has several disastrous relationships. The heart wrenching part of this is that her emotional issues stem out her parents’ own disastrous marriage and her mother’s own emotional issues which stem from her own past on Yell which she has hidden from Kristen.
The heartwarming part of this is the bond which Kristen is able to form with all of the Scottish relatives who she never knew existed and eventually with her own mother. Kristen also forms close friendships with the villagers who also played a role in her mother’s past.
I don’t want to give much of the story away because it develops so beautifully throughout the book. The characters were so well developed that I felt that I knew them by the time that I was finished with the book. I highly recommend this book to all.
April 8, 2022
Kirstie Bligh has felt unloved since she was a young girl living in Brighton with a cold hearted mother and a frequently absent father. She obsessively searches for love causing havoc wherever she goes. She runs a successful business which caters for meetings, weddings, conferences etc but frequently disappears from everyday life to follow her current beau leaving her staff to manage alone.
After an affair with a married man Kirstie decides she needs to go into exile to avoid any more disastrous affairs. She travels to the Shetlands and arrives on the island of Yell to stay in an old rundown Croft that her grandparents lived in and where her mother Morag was born. She lives for several months with no social interaction with the locals. Can she start her life again on this island surrounded by relations she was unaware of until she arrived on Yell?
Meanwhile Kirstie’s mother Morag who left Yell suddenly at 16 years old and has never returned writes to Kirstie to tell her that her father has died and she is coming to Yell.
How will mother and daughter who have hardly spoken for years get on living in the tiny Croft?
I enjoyed this book which is written In two timelines the present and the past. In the past is where Kirstie writes her ‘Confession’ of what she has done as a way of cleansing herself. These Confessions are sometimes difficult to read but are an important part of the storyline.
Thank you PH & Sarah Bourne for the opportunity to read this book.
After an affair with a married man Kirstie decides she needs to go into exile to avoid any more disastrous affairs. She travels to the Shetlands and arrives on the island of Yell to stay in an old rundown Croft that her grandparents lived in and where her mother Morag was born. She lives for several months with no social interaction with the locals. Can she start her life again on this island surrounded by relations she was unaware of until she arrived on Yell?
Meanwhile Kirstie’s mother Morag who left Yell suddenly at 16 years old and has never returned writes to Kirstie to tell her that her father has died and she is coming to Yell.
How will mother and daughter who have hardly spoken for years get on living in the tiny Croft?
I enjoyed this book which is written In two timelines the present and the past. In the past is where Kirstie writes her ‘Confession’ of what she has done as a way of cleansing herself. These Confessions are sometimes difficult to read but are an important part of the storyline.
Thank you PH & Sarah Bourne for the opportunity to read this book.
April 5, 2022
Kirstie has exiled herself on Yell, one of the Shetland Islands, after a distrastrous affair with a married man which ended in difficult circumstances. She’s living in a croft which once belonged to her grandparents and where her estranged mother, Morag, grew up. She starts to learn about her mother’s history and tries to come to terms with her own childhood. Then Morag decides to return to Yell. Will there be a reconciliation?
I enjoyed this story. It’s quite a slow burner where the reader is gradually drawn in and fed small pieces of information, building up to a twist in the end. There are some interesting and complex characters. I didn’t particularly like Kirstie and Morag, but Ishbel and Duncan more than made up for them. It’s a tale of guilty secrets, misunderstandings and forgiveness. It’s about how the past comes back to haunt us and can make us behave in irrational and unfathomable ways. A well written, thought provoking tale and a great analysis of human nature. A worthwhile read.
I enjoyed this story. It’s quite a slow burner where the reader is gradually drawn in and fed small pieces of information, building up to a twist in the end. There are some interesting and complex characters. I didn’t particularly like Kirstie and Morag, but Ishbel and Duncan more than made up for them. It’s a tale of guilty secrets, misunderstandings and forgiveness. It’s about how the past comes back to haunt us and can make us behave in irrational and unfathomable ways. A well written, thought provoking tale and a great analysis of human nature. A worthwhile read.
March 23, 2022
I enjoyed this suspensful story. This is not my first book by this author but it is one of my favorites by this author yet. I enjoyed being pulld into the story by the author's writing skills as well as her attention to details. This is a well written story about a mother, daughter, relationship and secrets that are dark and most of all hidden. I enjoyed how the characters were able to pull me into the story. They are creative and supportive to each other. They bring the story to life on each page which made the story easy and entertaining to read. I enjoyed their growth as well as the growth of the plot throughout the story. This is a great story that has twists and turns that you won't see coming. They had me coming back for more. This is a fast paced story that is hard to put down. A great story that filled my afternoon with suspense and action. I highly recommend this book.
April 27, 2022
Exile by Sarah Bourne tells the story of Kirstie, a woman so traumatised by her life choices that she removes herself from a career she has built in London to instead live on a remote Scottish island in almost complete seclusion. We are taken on a journey of self-discovery and it is almost impossible not to feel part of the outer Hebridean community that Bourne describes so vividly. The beauty and harshness of the island acts as a perfect setting for this visceral story, which is raw and painful to read at times but, woven throughout the narrative, are glimpses of great tenderness and humanity. There is, of course, a reason for Kirstie’s self-imposed isolation and this mystery is revealed gradually so that the reader is enticed on. I found myself reading the book in a couple of sittings and two days after, I am still walking the barren coastline with Kirstie and tasting the salt on my lips. An absolute triumph of a book. If you enjoyed Where The Crawdads Sing, this is for you.
April 4, 2022
This was a fascinating story of Kirstie, who has decided to move to Yell in the Shetland Islands to her grandparents' croft, now in need of repair. It is also the story of Kirstie's mother, who left Yell and that same croft while still a teenager. Kirstie and her mother have a strained relationship to put it mildly. Up on Yell there are people still who remember Kirstie's mother, and are happy to welcome Kirstie once she feels able to relax and join their community. Then her mother decides to travel to Yell too...
This is such an interesting read, the descriptions of the island are fantastic, I was able to feel that I was there with them. Also the gradual blossoming of Kirstie's character was so good to see, and I loved the local islanders!
Thanks to Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read this engrossing book.
This is such an interesting read, the descriptions of the island are fantastic, I was able to feel that I was there with them. Also the gradual blossoming of Kirstie's character was so good to see, and I loved the local islanders!
Thanks to Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read this engrossing book.
April 6, 2022
I read the book via online book group The Pigeonhole. It was probably not something I would have chosen to read otherwise and I found the first chapter a little slow. However once the story got going I found it compulsive reading.
Set in three different places and times (the island of Yell that Kirstie exiles herself to, flashbacks to London and the events that led to her exiling herself, and Brighton in the late 50's as Kirstie's mother moves there and sets up a new life), each section has a different pace and voice, which although integral to the plot can feel a little jarring in places. The part set in Yell was the most atmospheric and had some beautifully descriptive writing.
By the end we understood much more of what Kirstie had done and why and despite the actions being really quite awful we still empathised with her and hoped for her conciliation.
Set in three different places and times (the island of Yell that Kirstie exiles herself to, flashbacks to London and the events that led to her exiling herself, and Brighton in the late 50's as Kirstie's mother moves there and sets up a new life), each section has a different pace and voice, which although integral to the plot can feel a little jarring in places. The part set in Yell was the most atmospheric and had some beautifully descriptive writing.
By the end we understood much more of what Kirstie had done and why and despite the actions being really quite awful we still empathised with her and hoped for her conciliation.
April 13, 2022
After a disastrous affair which resulted in the break up of her lover's marriage, Kirstie leaves her catering business and goes to live in her grandparents abandoned croft on the Shetland Island of Yell. Here she keeps to herself even getting groceries delivered so she doesn't have to meet any of the locals. However the island has many of her relatives still living there and one of them Ishbel comes to visit and gradually brings Kirstie out of her shell. She also learns about her mother's early life on Yell and the reasons why she left.
Kirstie starts to write about her life in England and what happened to make her leave her successful business.
I preferred the parts of the book set on Yell rather than those depicted in the Confession. However it was a very enjoyable read.
Thanks to the Pigeonhole and the author for the opportunity of reading this book.
Kirstie starts to write about her life in England and what happened to make her leave her successful business.
I preferred the parts of the book set on Yell rather than those depicted in the Confession. However it was a very enjoyable read.
Thanks to the Pigeonhole and the author for the opportunity of reading this book.
March 22, 2022
This story is coming out March 23. This book is about a woman name Kirstie she moved to her grandparent's old cottage, Jimmy and Alieen. She was the daughter of Morag her mother. Kirstie and her mother had an intense relationship. This is a story about secrets, family, and life situations. I enjoyed this story about Kirstie and also other characters inside. It is a great spring reading book. I also enjoyed other books by Sarah Bourne, Ella's War, The Train, and now Exile. This is a story worth reading, I don't want to give out too much detail. The words and how the flow off the pages, she wonderful author, this story is so entertaining that it's makes a worthwhile reading. I believe you will enjoy this one.
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