Sunny Days and Sea Breezes

by Carole Matthews

Winner of the RNA Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year Award, this book introduces us to Jodie Jackson who boards a ferry to the Isle of Wight, leaving behind her career, husband and busy life in London. Life has dealt her some blows, so to get away for some much-needed peace, quiet and time to think, she flees to her brother’s beautifully renovated houseboat (Sunny Days) without telling anyone where she is going. She desperately needs time off grid.

Peace and quiet, however, are not quite what Jodie gets! The colourful, chatty and very noisy cleaner Marilyn, who has been given strict instructions to ‘look after’ Jodie, soon makes her presence known and there is also Ned, the rather noisy sculptor who resides on the houseboat next door (Sea Breezes). Wood carving does disturb the peace, though it helps that he is rather easy on the eye!

As Jodie is encouraged to leave the confines of her new home, she begins to explore her new surroundings and delight in new found freedoms. At last she is able to free herself from the shackles of her past life, until that past life comes knocking on the door!

What will Jodie do? Which life will win? It isn’t perhaps as clear cut as she might think.

This is a lovely gentle read in a beautiful setting, where the sun shines, the sea is bracing and life seems to be more easy going. A great summer read.