The Sapphire Cove: An absolutely heartbreaking and gripping page-turner by Sophie Anderson
Book Description
My mother kept me. But she let my only sister go… Flora has fled from her broken marriage to take care of her sick mother, in an isolated farmhouse with ice on its windows. She is shaken by her mother’s pale worn face and is determined to make her feel safe and looked after. But as she draws heavy curtains and lights fires, she makes a shocking discovery. Hidden at the bottom of a drawer lies a crumpled photo of a smiling baby girl she doesn’t recognise. A photo her mother refuses to talk about… As Flora delves into the story behind her mother’s secret photograph, begging her for details, she is devastated to uncover a hidden teenage love affair, a dark betrayal and two little girls tragically split apart. Flora’s childhood was lonely and quiet, and she is shocked to learn things should have been very different. As the world Flora knows crumbles around her ears, she is rescued from darkness by Joseph, a man she has never met, who has travelled from his far-away home above a sapphire cove in the Philippines. As they sip tea at Flora’s battered kitchen table Joseph begs Flora for her help. The baby in the picture is someone from Flora’s past, and she is dying. With the clock ticking, Flora boards a plane, desperate to meet the girl from the photograph. But nobody gets to decide who dies and who stays alive. Will she arrive in time, or is she too late to find out why two innocent little girls were forced to live on opposite sides of the world? And will finding the truth about her real family free her from the pain of her past? A heartbreaking and emotional read about love, letting go and a family torn apart in the saddest of circumstances. Fans of Jodi Picoult, Lucinda Riley and Jojo Moyes will never forget The Sapphire Cove.
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The Sapphire Cove' by Sophie Anderson.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Sophie Anderson, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 18th February 2022.
This is the second book I have read by this author. I have also read her debut novel 'The Butterfly Garden' which I highly recommend!!
I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching and gorgeous cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. I am also a HUGE fan of Sophie Anderson after falling in love with her 'The Butterfly Garden'. If this is half as good as that was it is sure to be a page turner!! The synopsis stated that 'Fans of Jodi Picoult, Lucinda Riley and Jojo Moyes will never forget The Sapphire Cove'. I am a huge fan of JoJo Moyes and Jodi Picoult so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of a prologue, 28 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based The Philippines 🇵🇭 and Dorset, England 🏴, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited and holidayed in Dorset on many occasions so it will be intriguing to see if I do actually recognise any places mentioned.
This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonists are Roma, Flora and Lizzie. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.
'Sapphire Cove' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Sophie discusses/includes attempted/suicide, hospitals and depression.
Wow!!! What an absolutely devastatingly gorgeous heartbreaking stunning book!!! An absolutely HUGE congratulations Sophie on one of the best debut novels I've ever read. You should be mega proud of yourself!!!!
A beautifully written book whose descriptions are vivid and gorgeous and highlights the beauty of the Philippines and Dorset perfectly. The synopsis, title and cover work perfectly with the storyline.
The storyline itself is unique and just absolutely gorgeous. I loved that we got to visit not only the Phillipines but also Dorset and Sophie has done both places justice. I was devastated by the end as it genuinely felt that I had come to the end of one of the most beautiful holidays I've ever had. The storyline is filled with love, loss, family, secrets, friendship, beauty, sadness, happiness and so much more!! It is a true rollercoaster of emotions!!! I was not expecting the twists at all and this is unlike any holiday fiction or romance I've ever read. This did not end like I expected and I LOVE the fact that this book was not predictable. It is so easy to fall into the web of predictability so a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Sophie who did not do this!!! I LOVED that I didn't guess the ending which is getting harder and harder the more books I read. Sophie covers the topics of depression, alcoholism, attempted/suicide/ HIV/kidney failure and sexuality perfectly. Although this book is not set in the past it is a sad fact that homosexuality is still a "taboo" subject especially in certain areas and that even now people frown upon it. Congratulations Sophie you did a fantastic job working with all of these subjects and all in one gorgeous storyline. I am a believer in the fact that all the topics mentioned above should be written about more as there are so many people out there struggling with their sexuality or with depression or alcoholism and they could just be picking up a book life this and it changes their lives for the better. There was so much going on in this book covered by 3 different protagonists that it just kept me constantly sucked into the pages and intrigued throughout. The story lines are all woven together beautifully and by the end everything is explained with no loose ends which is one of my pet hates.
This would make an absolutely stunning movie which I would love to watch ♥
It is set over/includes multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture
I was completely invested in the characters. I loved all their unique and eclectic personalities. I really enjoyed watching Romy grow and develop as well as mature as a person throughout the book. It was intriguing watching her relationship with Flora, start and develop throughout the storyline. It wasn't just Romy and Flora's relationships I enjoyed watching develop but also her relationship with Angel, Joseph and others but I won't mention who as I don't want to spoil it for future readers. Lizzie absolutely intrigued me and I loved getting to know her although I had mixed feelings for both her and Edward which changed throughout the book. I loved meeting Flora and really felt for her on so many occasions especially when she found out certain things. I thought she was such a. strong, independent woman along with being a fantastic role model and amazing mum. A beautiful mix of characters that all worked perfectly together to make this gorgeous page turner. These are characters who will stay with me for a long time.
If you are going to read this book then you need to clear your diaries as once it sucks you in then your not coming out until the very last page. Absolutely unputdownable!!!
Another congratulations to Sophie on this stunning debut novel. I for one would love to visit the Philippines and Dorset all these amazing characters again and see where their lives lead!! This would make a stunning series and I'm sure I'm not the only person who wants this. If not a series then I still cannot wait to read your next gem of a novel!!! This is exactly why you are on my favourite authors list!! I most definitely will be recommending this to everyone and anyone.
Overall an absolutely stunning unputdownable unique story that will whisk you to the beautiful Dorset and Philippines.
Genres covered in this book include Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Romance and Gay Fiction amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of JoJo Moyes,. Nicholas Sparks, Jodi Picoult and anyone looking for an absolutely stunning getaway
385 pages.
This book is just 99p to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited (at time of review) which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
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@SophieAnderson @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
About the author
Sophie Anderson is an author of contemporary women's fiction. She writes emotional stories about families and their secrets, friendship, forgiveness and personal growth. Her second novel 'The Sapphire Cove' is due to released on 18th February 2022 and her first novel 'The Butterfly Garden' came out in June in 2021. Sophie lives in East Sussex with her husband, four children and several animals. When she is not writing or ferrying her children around the countryside she enjoys travelling, delicious food, yoga, playing the piano, walking in the South Downs, binging on box sets and curling up with a good book!
Author social media
Twitter: (@MSophieanderson) https://twitter.com/MSophieanderson
Instagram: @sophieandersonfiction
Buy link
Amazon: https://geni.us/B09LD9T3WPsocial
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