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Wolken am Horizont
Schatten über dem Paradies
Die junge, frisch verheiratete Laura Haverstock verbringt den Sommer auf einem idyllischen Landsitz bei Verwandten ihres Mannes Alec. Eine Krankheit und die ständige Sorge, im Schatten von Alecs Exfrau zu stehen, haben ihr in den vergangenen Monaten zugesetzt. Das blauglitzernde Meer und die sattgrünen Hügel Cornwalls wirken wie ein Laura blüht auf, sie gewinnt neue Freunde.
Doch der Frieden trü ein anonymer Brief taucht auf, der sie einer Affäre bezichtigt. Wer möchte um jeden Preis Lauras Glück zerstören? Und welche Geheimnisse liegen in der Vergangenheit ihrer Familie verborgen?
Die junge, frisch verheiratete Laura Haverstock verbringt den Sommer auf einem idyllischen Landsitz bei Verwandten ihres Mannes Alec. Eine Krankheit und die ständige Sorge, im Schatten von Alecs Exfrau zu stehen, haben ihr in den vergangenen Monaten zugesetzt. Das blauglitzernde Meer und die sattgrünen Hügel Cornwalls wirken wie ein Laura blüht auf, sie gewinnt neue Freunde.
Doch der Frieden trü ein anonymer Brief taucht auf, der sie einer Affäre bezichtigt. Wer möchte um jeden Preis Lauras Glück zerstören? Und welche Geheimnisse liegen in der Vergangenheit ihrer Familie verborgen?
Paperback
First published July 15, 1984
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About the author
Rosamunde Pilcher
176 books3,144 followersRosamunde Scott was born on 22 September 1924 in Lelant, Cornwall, England, UK, daughter of Helen and Charles Scott, a British commander. Just before her birth her father was posted in Burma, her mother remained in England. She attended St. Clare's Polwithen and Howell's School Llandaff before going on to Miss Kerr-Sanders' Secretarial College. She began writing when she was seven and published her first short story when she was 18. From 1943 through 1946, Pilcher served with the Women's Naval Service. On 7 December 1946, she married Graham Hope Pilcher, a war hero and jute industry executive who died in March 2009. They moved to Dundee, Scotland, where she remained until her death in 2019. They had two daughters and two sons, and fourteen grandchildren. Her son, Robin Pilcher, is also a novelist.
In 1949, her first book, a romance novel, was published by Mills & Boon, under the pseudonym Jane Fraser. She published a further ten novels under that name. In 1955, she also began writing under her married name Rosamunde Pilcher, by 1965 she her own name to all of her novels. In 1996, her novel Coming Home won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by Romantic Novelists' Association. She retired from writing in 2000 following publication of Winter Solstice. Two years later, she was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
In 1949, her first book, a romance novel, was published by Mills & Boon, under the pseudonym Jane Fraser. She published a further ten novels under that name. In 1955, she also began writing under her married name Rosamunde Pilcher, by 1965 she her own name to all of her novels. In 1996, her novel Coming Home won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by Romantic Novelists' Association. She retired from writing in 2000 following publication of Winter Solstice. Two years later, she was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 398 reviews
January 4, 2017
What a refreshing read! At this time of the year my choice of read is as important as my reading experience, and I really enjoy my light and breezy reads which reflect the holiday vibe. This delivered in spades as I recalled my first book of this author, The Shell Seekers. Images of Cornwell come to life, the ocean and the countryside. This author has the knack of drawing you into her world. Who would have thought England was so nice in the summer! Characters were lovely, the storyline with a hint of mystery, but all in all a very enjoyable read that I did not want to put down. It was short, and I read it in two days.
Laura is a quiet but lovely lady in her late thirties that is the second wife of Alec, he has his baggage and we witness the way in which Laura finds her place in his world, and the new family becomes one. She isn’t well physically but she comes of age over a summer convalescent trip with an extended family she has never met. A lovely range of secondary characters that you want to meet; Eve the lady of the house who nurtures everyone and everything she comes across, Gerald the retired Admiral that runs his house in an orderly way but lots of love, Ivan his stepson who is a rogue but such a nice guy, Drusilla the flautist and her bare bummed chubby baby Lachlan. These characters form a little commune with their own stories that blend to form a very satisfying whole.
This was the best 5 star holiday summer read that I could have asked for. I've got lots more of hers to read, too. I've found a new favourite!
Laura is a quiet but lovely lady in her late thirties that is the second wife of Alec, he has his baggage and we witness the way in which Laura finds her place in his world, and the new family becomes one. She isn’t well physically but she comes of age over a summer convalescent trip with an extended family she has never met. A lovely range of secondary characters that you want to meet; Eve the lady of the house who nurtures everyone and everything she comes across, Gerald the retired Admiral that runs his house in an orderly way but lots of love, Ivan his stepson who is a rogue but such a nice guy, Drusilla the flautist and her bare bummed chubby baby Lachlan. These characters form a little commune with their own stories that blend to form a very satisfying whole.
This was the best 5 star holiday summer read that I could have asked for. I've got lots more of hers to read, too. I've found a new favourite!
June 12, 2016
Rosamunde Pilcher writes in a way that is so comfortable you feel you have come home after time away and your mother is catching you up on all the shenanigans of your sisters while you were gone. She describes Cornwall, a world in which everyone gardens, lives comfortably, dips in the ocean, builds comfy fires in the evening, and knows the neighbors, and she does it in a way that makes you feel you belong to this place where you have never been.
The weather was changing, the barometer dropping. A wind had risen, flowing in from the southwest, warm and blustery. On the horizon, clouds banked in dark billows, but the sky remained blue, crossed by banks of white cumulus. The sea, observed from the gardens of Tremenheere, no longer lay blue and flat as silk, but was whipped into flecks of surf. Doors slammed and windows rattled, and sheets and pillowcases and Joshua’s nappies flapped and bellied on the washing line, making a noise like badly set sails.
I can see the wash on the line and feel the wind whipping the sea, and I want to go stand outside and catch the breeze on my face and smell the salt in the air.
I knew who the culprit was going to be (although I got the reason wrong), and I figured on the slight romantic twist, but it didn’t matter at all. It was a story told for the joy of the experience, for the knowing of the people, for the visit to Cornwall. It was like a tiny vacation...and what better time to take a vacation than summer?
The weather was changing, the barometer dropping. A wind had risen, flowing in from the southwest, warm and blustery. On the horizon, clouds banked in dark billows, but the sky remained blue, crossed by banks of white cumulus. The sea, observed from the gardens of Tremenheere, no longer lay blue and flat as silk, but was whipped into flecks of surf. Doors slammed and windows rattled, and sheets and pillowcases and Joshua’s nappies flapped and bellied on the washing line, making a noise like badly set sails.
I can see the wash on the line and feel the wind whipping the sea, and I want to go stand outside and catch the breeze on my face and smell the salt in the air.
I knew who the culprit was going to be (although I got the reason wrong), and I figured on the slight romantic twist, but it didn’t matter at all. It was a story told for the joy of the experience, for the knowing of the people, for the visit to Cornwall. It was like a tiny vacation...and what better time to take a vacation than summer?
August 9, 2010
Rosamunde Pilcher's shorter books are like curling up on the couch with your favorite blanket--A bit predictable maybe but you won't be disappointed, you know there will be a happy ending, and it won't take you forever to read it! They are just comfort-reads to me. I gave this 4 stars because of this!
June 8, 2022
Ah! Lovely to immerse in another Rosamunde Pilcher Cornwall book that I somehow overlooked. Beautiful descriptive settings and great family relationships!
January 14, 2023
Simply lovely read, and just what I needed at this time. A perfect escape.
April 16, 2010
Like Nicholas Sparks, Rosamunde Pilcher stories are all formed from a predetermined list of setting, character types, and events--not a bad thing, as both authors' success shows.
If you're still reading, here are the ingredients for any charming Rosamunde Pilcher story: 1)Cornwall or Scotland, sometimes both. 2)Female orphan at center of story, who has no money worries (and neither does anyone else). 3)Multiple generations, often bohemians among the younger folks. 4)An impromptu house party at the modest ancestral home. 5)Long-lost relatives and/or childhood friends reunited. 6)Everyone neatly paired off at the story's end.
If you're still reading, here are the ingredients for any charming Rosamunde Pilcher story: 1)Cornwall or Scotland, sometimes both. 2)Female orphan at center of story, who has no money worries (and neither does anyone else). 3)Multiple generations, often bohemians among the younger folks. 4)An impromptu house party at the modest ancestral home. 5)Long-lost relatives and/or childhood friends reunited. 6)Everyone neatly paired off at the story's end.
October 8, 2021
Pilcher novels seem to be hit or miss, with a wide variance on the misses. While Voices in Summer had what I have come to expect from a Pilcher novel in some ways, in many other ways it paled in comparison. It was rather pale standing alone, for that matter.
More melodrama and cliché than I like in any novel, Pilcher still had wonderful descriptions that peeped out now and again. Her characters were partially developed, smudgy and inconsistent. The catalyst character, Laura, who goes to visit the Cornwall country house, Tremenheere (which, incidentally, was read as 'trim an' hair,' and I found it charmingly amusing), goes to recuperate from an operation due to 'women's things.' Laura, who has had this surgery before, never names her condition or her surgery or anything other than saying that sometimes her "insides go mad" and she has to get this procedure done. What a disservice to the story, the character, and women in general. Shh, don't talk about it. Regardless, the plot largely consisted of stale situations (one prevalent theme was miscommunication), only to devolve in the end to near absurdity, teetering on silliness.
Audiobook, as narrated by Jilly Bond: Bond, once again, did a fine job here. She has such a warm reading voice. I always feel, no matter the particular book, that she will at least hold up her end of the bargain and deliver a great performance.
More melodrama and cliché than I like in any novel, Pilcher still had wonderful descriptions that peeped out now and again. Her characters were partially developed, smudgy and inconsistent. The catalyst character, Laura, who goes to visit the Cornwall country house, Tremenheere (which, incidentally, was read as 'trim an' hair,' and I found it charmingly amusing), goes to recuperate from an operation due to 'women's things.' Laura, who has had this surgery before, never names her condition or her surgery or anything other than saying that sometimes her "insides go mad" and she has to get this procedure done. What a disservice to the story, the character, and women in general. Shh, don't talk about it. Regardless, the plot largely consisted of stale situations (one prevalent theme was miscommunication), only to devolve in the end to near absurdity, teetering on silliness.
Audiobook, as narrated by Jilly Bond: Bond, once again, did a fine job here. She has such a warm reading voice. I always feel, no matter the particular book, that she will at least hold up her end of the bargain and deliver a great performance.
October 21, 2010
By the time I finished reading this book for a second time, I felt like I had enjoyed a wonderful holiday in Cornwall. Rosamunde Pilcher had the ability, with all the details and great characters, of absorbing you right into the scene. I particularly loved her "bigger" novels, Shell Seekers, Winter Solstice, Coming Home and September, but the earlier "smaller" books are also a treat to read and withstand subsequent readings beautifully.
July 15, 2025
What can I say? I love Rosamunde Pilcher. This isn't 'The Shell Seekers' nor 'Coming Home' but it is a nice in between story when you just need a bit of Cornwall.
March 18, 2016
A delightful little novel by a wonderful author about family, relationships, friendships, the making and breaking of them and second chances. Set mostly in Pilcher's Cornwall, with her splendid descriptions, this is not a soppy or hot romance but a very pleasant, light and easy read.
August 19, 2025
This is my current favorite of Rosamunde Pilcher’s shorter novels. This is the perfect book to read on a lazy summer afternoon. I love that I can always count on everything turning out alright at the end of Pilcher’s books.
October 30, 2024
Rosamunde Pilcher is usually a comfort read for me. This is not a comfort read. Fairly bizarre and dark turn of events. I do not recommend it for Pilcher fans.
(PS: I usually don't post negative reviews, but a) Pilcher is not longer with us, RIP, and b) it's so far outside of the feeling I/readers usually get from her books, I wanted to flag it.
(PS: I usually don't post negative reviews, but a) Pilcher is not longer with us, RIP, and b) it's so far outside of the feeling I/readers usually get from her books, I wanted to flag it.
June 14, 2016
Rosamunde Pilcher can write! If you are headed to the beach or the pool this summer, consider tucking this little gem in your tote bag. Pilcher's simple, yet elegant writing style makes for an easy and relaxing read. Pilcher's beautiful descriptions will make you wish you were in Cornwall visiting the very gracious, Eve at Tremenheere, an Elizabethan manor.
The heroine of the story, Laura Haverstock, takes a detour from her original summer plans and discovers the delights of Tremenheere instead. There is a bit of romance here and also a splash of gentle suspense, not to mention a wonderful cast of characters.
I will definitely be reading more of what Rosamunde Pilcher has to offer; just as soon as I have a bowl of raspberries in the closest thing to Cornish cream I can get my hands on! This book gets four stars from me!
The heroine of the story, Laura Haverstock, takes a detour from her original summer plans and discovers the delights of Tremenheere instead. There is a bit of romance here and also a splash of gentle suspense, not to mention a wonderful cast of characters.
I will definitely be reading more of what Rosamunde Pilcher has to offer; just as soon as I have a bowl of raspberries in the closest thing to Cornish cream I can get my hands on! This book gets four stars from me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2021
I would never have picked up this book for its cover, or for its inside-the-flap description, for that matter. But a friend spoke well of the author and, thankfully, I trusted that recommendation more than the book jacket.
The story is lovely, descriptive without ever gushing, romantic without ever being a romance, simple without ever being trite. It’s not any more complicated than real life is: real family, real friends, real worries, real joy.
I’m a pushover for any writer who seems to understand the intense pangs of parenting. Pilcher gave me this almost right off, when Alec stopped in to say goodnight to Gabriel: “At ten she was neither as pretty as she had been or as beautiful as she would become, but to Alec she seemed so precious, so vulnerable, that his heart turned over at the thought of what might lie ahead for her.”
Pilcher is wisely restrained about most of the details that date a story quickly, prices, for example, or brands. But her occasional descriptions of clothing did remind me that I wasn’t in the 21st century. “He wore a maroon gabardine jacket, brass buttoned, smoothly tailored; a pale blue polo-necked sweater; and a pair of maroon and pale blue plaid slacks.” I actually sat for a minute, trying to picture the wonder of that outfit.
Eve is delightful, from her love of pretty dinner tables to her take on being close to 60. She savors the “really marvelous moments that still came one’s way. They weren’t happiness, exactly. Years ago, happiness had ceased to pounce, unawares, with the reasonless ecstasy of youth. They were something better. Eve had never much liked being pounced on, by happiness or anything else.”
Her husband, Gerald, “never pottered. Some husbands Eve knew pottered the day away, always apparently on the go, but never actually achieving anything. Gerald was always either intensely busy or intensely idle.”
Pilcher gives all the right details to make a moment precisely believable. When Ivan and Laura came back from a swim, “he emptied the haversack and took the damp swimming things and slung them over the washing line, where they hung, sandy and unpegged, in the gathering mist.” Of course he did. That’s exactly how he would have done it.
Here’s a measure of how good the writing is: Even though the story arc is so gently sloped, I cared deeply. I cared about their ordinary lives and ordinary problems and ordinary moments of joy. Reading this book was like sitting on the patio at Tremenheere, having tea and ginger biscuits with Eve and Laura. A perfect way to spend an afternoon.
The story is lovely, descriptive without ever gushing, romantic without ever being a romance, simple without ever being trite. It’s not any more complicated than real life is: real family, real friends, real worries, real joy.
I’m a pushover for any writer who seems to understand the intense pangs of parenting. Pilcher gave me this almost right off, when Alec stopped in to say goodnight to Gabriel: “At ten she was neither as pretty as she had been or as beautiful as she would become, but to Alec she seemed so precious, so vulnerable, that his heart turned over at the thought of what might lie ahead for her.”
Pilcher is wisely restrained about most of the details that date a story quickly, prices, for example, or brands. But her occasional descriptions of clothing did remind me that I wasn’t in the 21st century. “He wore a maroon gabardine jacket, brass buttoned, smoothly tailored; a pale blue polo-necked sweater; and a pair of maroon and pale blue plaid slacks.” I actually sat for a minute, trying to picture the wonder of that outfit.
Eve is delightful, from her love of pretty dinner tables to her take on being close to 60. She savors the “really marvelous moments that still came one’s way. They weren’t happiness, exactly. Years ago, happiness had ceased to pounce, unawares, with the reasonless ecstasy of youth. They were something better. Eve had never much liked being pounced on, by happiness or anything else.”
Her husband, Gerald, “never pottered. Some husbands Eve knew pottered the day away, always apparently on the go, but never actually achieving anything. Gerald was always either intensely busy or intensely idle.”
Pilcher gives all the right details to make a moment precisely believable. When Ivan and Laura came back from a swim, “he emptied the haversack and took the damp swimming things and slung them over the washing line, where they hung, sandy and unpegged, in the gathering mist.” Of course he did. That’s exactly how he would have done it.
Here’s a measure of how good the writing is: Even though the story arc is so gently sloped, I cared deeply. I cared about their ordinary lives and ordinary problems and ordinary moments of joy. Reading this book was like sitting on the patio at Tremenheere, having tea and ginger biscuits with Eve and Laura. A perfect way to spend an afternoon.
April 25, 2019
Τα βιβλία της Ρόζαμουντ Πιλτσερ είναι σαν μια ήσυχη εκδρομή στην εξοχή με πουλάκια να τιτιβιζουν,ρυάκια να αργοκυλανε,ανέμελους άνθρωπους να κάνουν πικνικ στα καταπράσινα δέντρα και τις εξοχές της Κορνουάλης .Άλλο ένα τέτοιο βιβλίο είναι "οι φωνές το καλοκαίρι".Ένα μυθιστόρημα με όλα τα χρώματα του καλοκαιριού,θάλασσα,εξοχή,πράσινο και γαλήνη.Η ιστορία από μόνη της δεν λέει και πολλά,μια νεαρή σύζυγος που βρίσκεται στη σκιά της πρώην συζύγου του άντρα της.Μια ανασφαλής 36αρα ,η οποία στην Κορνουάλη βρίσκει τον εαυτό της.Οι αναφορές της Πιλτσερ στη Ρεβέκκα της Δάφνης Ντι Μωριε και στην Τζέιν Ευρ της Μπροντέ είναι προφανείς,ωστόσο η οποιαδήποτε σύγκριση σταματά εκεί.Η ηρωίδα μας,η Λώρα,δεν είναι ούτε η Τζέιν Ευρ,την οποία σκιάζει η κα Ρότσεστερ πάνω στη σοφίτα,ούτε και η ανώνυμη ανασφαλής ηρωίδα της Ντι Μωριε την οποία στοιχειώνει η νεκρή πρώτη σύζυγος του άντρα της,η Ρεβέκκα.Προκειται για ένα βιβλίο που ηρεμεί και γαληνευει τον αναγνώστη,σαν ένας όμορφος πίνακας κρεμασμένος στο σαλόνι του σπιτιού μας,απλά βυθίζεσαι στις σελίδες του και απολαμβάνεις.3μισι αστεράκια!
July 30, 2021
4.5 Stars! I really loved this book! Rosamunde Pilcher's books have been saving me all summer long. The story and the characters in this book reminded me so much of Winter Solstice, though I'm not sure why. It's a completely different season, but it had the same feeling.
I loved the setting, the characters (especially Eve, the Admiral and their home) and everything else about it. My only wish was that this story was big family saga like some of her other books. I can't wait to read this again!
Going on to another right now and hoping I love it as much. I miss the characters already and it's one of those stories that you hope everyone is okay and wishing you could catch up with them in a month or two and see how they're doing. lol. A joy to read!
I loved the setting, the characters (especially Eve, the Admiral and their home) and everything else about it. My only wish was that this story was big family saga like some of her other books. I can't wait to read this again!
Going on to another right now and hoping I love it as much. I miss the characters already and it's one of those stories that you hope everyone is okay and wishing you could catch up with them in a month or two and see how they're doing. lol. A joy to read!
August 24, 2021
This was a splendid treat of a story. I agree with my friend on Bookstagram; I would have been happy to read 300 more pages of this story! There are so many characters to love in this: Laura, Alec, Ivan, Eve, Gerald, Gabriel, May, Drusilla. Rosamunde Pilcher is just so good at making characters lovable and almost alive. This was also a perfect end-of-summer read. What I wouldn’t give for a bathing spot as sunny and summery as Gwenvoe.
July 11, 2023
A nice, simple family drama with a twist of a mystery. Not only did I enjoy it, but I was fooled on who the culprit was! I listened to the audio version and found the narrator to be likeable too.
September 1, 2018
3.5 stars. Pilcher writes some of the most endearing books that I have read. She has a penchant for drawing you into her stories~ they are quiet, charming, and her characters feel like close friends by the end of the novel. Voices in Summer is a shorter novel, and it is here we are introduced to Laura Haverstock. She is the second wife of Alec Haverstock, a successful businessman. Laura must bow out of an annual summer getaway to Scotland with her husband and two other couples due to minor surgery. Alec arranges for her to stay with a wealthy uncle and his wife in Cornwall to recover.
Pilcher breaks up this story into sections based on the homes that Alec and Laura have lived in or visited. Each name is charming, and we learn a little more about the different characters as they appear throughout the book. My favourite home was Tremenheere ( where Laura recovered)~ it was a charming, warm, cozy atmosphere. It certainly made me wish that I could spend my summer afternoons under a mulberry tree with a glass of lemonade in my hands! A truly delightful story, and I highly recommend it!
Pilcher breaks up this story into sections based on the homes that Alec and Laura have lived in or visited. Each name is charming, and we learn a little more about the different characters as they appear throughout the book. My favourite home was Tremenheere ( where Laura recovered)~ it was a charming, warm, cozy atmosphere. It certainly made me wish that I could spend my summer afternoons under a mulberry tree with a glass of lemonade in my hands! A truly delightful story, and I highly recommend it!
April 2, 2024
Rosamunde Pilcher’s writing is like a tonic.
Comfort reading at its finest with likeable characters and the odd rogue to keep things real.
This story takes us to Cornwall where Laura goes to convalesce, after surgery, with her new husband’s family.
It’s an idyllic setting and Laura’s recovery goes well under the good care of Gerald and Eve until a twist of events leaves everyone feeling unsettled.
A brilliantly orchestrated story.
A highly recommended read.
Comfort reading at its finest with likeable characters and the odd rogue to keep things real.
This story takes us to Cornwall where Laura goes to convalesce, after surgery, with her new husband’s family.
It’s an idyllic setting and Laura’s recovery goes well under the good care of Gerald and Eve until a twist of events leaves everyone feeling unsettled.
A brilliantly orchestrated story.
A highly recommended read.
June 9, 2021
The Gist
After I finished Another View by Pilcher I was ready to dive into another one of her books.
It is a bit difficult to find a good, reliable listing of her publications, the year of publication and a synopsis that isn’t misleading. It took me a bit of time, but I finally settled on Voices in Summer based on the little book blurb I found.
The Details
Sadly, I found the synopsis for this story very misleading, which impacted my opinion of the story while I was reading it. I kept waiting for the thing to happen that was alluded to in the synopsis. So, one could say I was slightly distracted in my reading.
Nevertheless, as soon as I had finished Voices in Summer all I could say was “phft…?!”.
What the heck did I just read?
I felt this story just threw everything at the wall and saw what would stick. We got an unhappy marriage, divorce, a child, a second marriage, some sort of illness, a mystery, the beginnings of an important discussion on care for the elderly, murder, and some elements of chauvinistic behaviours.
Parts of this story really did not age well at all either. I had a strong impression that this story meant to show where a woman’s place is supposed to be and what the proper opinion regarding abortion should be.
I know, I understand that this story was written in the mid-80’s, but it almost felt like some situations and scenarios were created specifically to bring forth said opinions, even though they had little to nothing to do with the actual plot of the story.
Throw in Pilcher’s great talent for describing the beautiful English scenery and I’m at a complete loss at to how to feel about this story.
On the one hand, I was deeply disappointed by Voices in Summer. On the other hand, I couldn’t get enough of its scenery and the fuzzy, happy feelings it gave me at times.
The Verdict
Overall, I’m at a loss. I loved it and I hated it. I am taking a break from reading Pilcher’s stories, but I cannot wait to read another one of her books.
I have never been so torn.
November 6, 2022
Other people's memories are hard to take
This novel by Mrs Pilcher has its place next to her Winter Solstice and The Shell Seekers (although, it wasn't as long as the last two).
happiness was a strange thing, at times as uncontrollable as grief
In this piece, Rosamunde Pilcher captured wonderfully e.g. a topic of second families (second chances for happiness) and that sometimes, when you must change your life against your wishes, when you must adapt, the only way to survive it is to cut old life/beloved people. There were also some other issues but these two were the most heart-squeezing.
I simply love Pilcher's characters and how she told their stories and relationships.
June 28, 2019
Lovely!
I must rant a bit about
This was read by Jilly Bond. Her reading of male voices was very irritating. Probably one of the worst readers I've listened to in a very long time. However, It didn't prevent me from enjoying Pilchers beautiful thoughtful passages and descriptions. Her character development was as affecting and complex as usual. Her writing is just so evocative. I think this is my favorite Pilcher I've read in my re-read project so far. Really sweet plot.
I must rant a bit about
This was read by Jilly Bond. Her reading of male voices was very irritating. Probably one of the worst readers I've listened to in a very long time. However, It didn't prevent me from enjoying Pilchers beautiful thoughtful passages and descriptions. Her character development was as affecting and complex as usual. Her writing is just so evocative. I think this is my favorite Pilcher I've read in my re-read project so far. Really sweet plot.
August 29, 2015
Newlywed Laura Haverstock goes to Cornwall to convalesce after an operation. She stays with her new husband's relatives while he is away fishing in Scotland. Laura is Alec's second wife and has had trouble fitting in with his group of lifelong friends, feeling a little bit like the second Mrs. deWinter. As she regains her health she also strengthens her resolve to solve the problems in her marriage. As usual, Rosamunde Pilcher draws her readers into her beautiful settings and into the lives of her charming characters with her magical descriptive prose. Reading about the stunning beaches and picturesque countryside makes me want to visit Cornwall.
April 10, 2016
This book was too light and unbelievable for me. Maybe I could settle in and just go for the ride if I was of a different generation? The characters did things that did not stay true to their characters. They were flat and underdeveloped. The characters' lives were so completely soap opera like and scandalous, i couldn't get past it. Things became slightly more bearable when they got to Cornwall, because the setting was so charming and picturesque. Read this for book club, and it was a fast read, or i wouldn't have read it. Just not my cup of tea, I guess.
June 16, 2016
Very enjoyable. Review to follow.
September 8, 2023
"Oh gosh, you ARE an angel!"
"The food tasted tremendous"
If you want a lesson in how to use British superlative, read a book by Rosamund Pilcher!
In comparison to books that I usually dive into, this is like eating cotton candy on a perfect summers day w just the right amount of wind rustling the green leaves in the trees.....a bit too perfect!
BUT I do admire and enjoy the way Pilcher paints the picture down to the fine details. So, in between hard boiled crime and somewhat alcoholic detectives in love with classical music (or jazz!), I find it refreshing to indulge in high tea, Pim's cups, green lawns cut to perfection and the pomp and circumstanced use of the English language !
"The food tasted tremendous"
If you want a lesson in how to use British superlative, read a book by Rosamund Pilcher!
In comparison to books that I usually dive into, this is like eating cotton candy on a perfect summers day w just the right amount of wind rustling the green leaves in the trees.....a bit too perfect!
BUT I do admire and enjoy the way Pilcher paints the picture down to the fine details. So, in between hard boiled crime and somewhat alcoholic detectives in love with classical music (or jazz!), I find it refreshing to indulge in high tea, Pim's cups, green lawns cut to perfection and the pomp and circumstanced use of the English language !
March 2, 2022
First time reading Pilcher, and wow, what a snoozeworthy (not swoonworthy!) story!
Younger wife Laura recovering from undefined (and undisclosed) "women's problems" goes to recupperate at her distant, boring husband Alec's uncle's house in Cornwall. Her husband is salmon fishing in Scotland with his sophisticated friends. In Cornwall, someone is sending poison-pen letters to the husband's family accusing the wife of being a cheater.
Who is the culprit?
This wannabe Rebecca style plot was silly, tedious and unintentionally funny in parts. This gave me more laughs then it should have, probably because Pilcher was trying so hard to make it shocking/dramatic, but it came off as ridiculous. Kind of like watching an episode of Midsommer Murders.
Despite the upper-middle class characters having endless picnics and stiff drinks and the dated attitudes and customs, I thought it was kinda amusing. Boring, but amusing. Despite this being published in the 1980s (not 1950s) Prepare for a casual dose of chauvinism and traditional gender roles ('hysterical women' and 'strong men'). Some of the male povs were interesting though, since their thoughts actually sounded different to the female characters. Other characters don't add much, but are just there like that random musician and her baby. The culprit took me by surprise, so there's that. And I liked how dark said character's motivation was, even though the tonal shift was jarring lol.
I thought the chapters were too long though, so, as I was reading, I had to keep taking short breaks.
I don't know what I expected from this novel. But it could have been more... sexier? Exciting? In the hands of another writer this material could have been memorable, even great! Instead it was boring and meh.
An odd blend of holiday read and cosy mystery for those who don't mind following the lives of too-perfect characters and an uncomplicated plot where loose ends are neatly tied up.
Younger wife Laura recovering from undefined (and undisclosed) "women's problems" goes to recupperate at her distant, boring husband Alec's uncle's house in Cornwall. Her husband is salmon fishing in Scotland with his sophisticated friends. In Cornwall, someone is sending poison-pen letters to the husband's family accusing the wife of being a cheater.
Who is the culprit?
This wannabe Rebecca style plot was silly, tedious and unintentionally funny in parts. This gave me more laughs then it should have, probably because Pilcher was trying so hard to make it shocking/dramatic, but it came off as ridiculous. Kind of like watching an episode of Midsommer Murders.
Despite the upper-middle class characters having endless picnics and stiff drinks and the dated attitudes and customs, I thought it was kinda amusing. Boring, but amusing. Despite this being published in the 1980s (not 1950s) Prepare for a casual dose of chauvinism and traditional gender roles ('hysterical women' and 'strong men'). Some of the male povs were interesting though, since their thoughts actually sounded different to the female characters. Other characters don't add much, but are just there like that random musician and her baby. The culprit took me by surprise, so there's that. And I liked how dark said character's motivation was, even though the tonal shift was jarring lol.
I thought the chapters were too long though, so, as I was reading, I had to keep taking short breaks.
I don't know what I expected from this novel. But it could have been more... sexier? Exciting? In the hands of another writer this material could have been memorable, even great! Instead it was boring and meh.
An odd blend of holiday read and cosy mystery for those who don't mind following the lives of too-perfect characters and an uncomplicated plot where loose ends are neatly tied up.
July 8, 2013
This book is about Laura and Alec, a married couple very different in backgrounds. Laura has some health problems and cannot go on an already planned trip with her husband. So her husband takes the trip and takes Laura to his brothers home in Tremeheree. Here Laura learns a great deal about herself and has the time of her life. She learns she is stronger than she ever thought and how very much family and friends mean to one another.
Noteworthy moments and quotes from the book:
"The difficult we can do at once, the impossible may take a little longer."
Noteworthy moments and quotes from the book:
"The difficult we can do at once, the impossible may take a little longer."
February 6, 2017
The first page of any Rosamunde Pilcher is akin to settling yourself into the comfiest of arm chairs. Her writing is so very readable, especially if you love Cornwall, & I was hooked after one paragraph. This was a quickie, read in two sessions with Pilcher's characterisations at their best and Cornwall coming to life through her descriptions. The 'whodunnit' aspect was slightly irritating though,with a predictable outcome, but otherwise a relaxing, thoroughly enjoyable, light read.
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