Review: The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson

A broken family, a house of secrets—an entrancing tale of love and courage set during the Second World War.

After Rebecca’s mother dies, she must sort through her empty flat and come to terms with her loss. As she goes through her mother’s mail, she finds a handwritten envelope. In it is a letter that will change her life forever.

Olivia, her mother’s elderly cousin, needs help to save her beloved home. Rebecca immediately goes to visit Olivia in Cornwall only to find a house full of secrets—treasures in the attic and a mysterious tunnel leading from the cellar to the sea, and Olivia, nowhere to be found.

As it turns out, the old woman is stuck in hospital with no hope of being discharged until her house is made habitable again. Rebecca sets to work restoring the home to its former glory, but as she peels back the layers of paint and grime, she uncovers even more buried secrets—secrets from a time when the Second World War was raging, when Olivia was a young woman, and when both romance and danger lurked around every corner...

A sweeping and utterly spellbinding tale of a young woman’s courage in the face of war and the lengths to which she’ll go to protect those she loves against the most unexpected of enemies.

Paperback, 416 pages

Expected publication: November 17th 2020 

by Simon Schuster

4/5 stars

Right from the beginning I was draw in after being introduced to Rebecca. A sympathetic character mourning the loss of her mother. The old house overlooking the sea is one I would classify as a character, it had secrets to share because we all know secrets don’t stay hidden forever.

Jump over to a distant relative, Olivia, elderly and a force to be reckoned with. Her personality was not just nasty, her companion, Gabriel, well... lets just say they made a good pair. The past story line interested me, I was curious as to why Olivia was the way she was. What happened during WW2 in Cornwall?

This is my first time reading Jane Johnson (not for lack of desire, I have a couple books on my shelf). As the puzzle pieces clicked into place I find myself anxious to read more of her books. Her characters are authentic with issues relevant today as they were in the past. An interesting plot that kept me guessing

The Sea Gate is a story of the war that extends past Europe, it’s about discovering oneself and coming to terms with the past. New beginnings and heartache. While I am usually partial to the past story lines the present day one had me just as intrigued.

The Sea Gate releases next week and is available for preorder.

My thanks to Simon & Schuster for a print ARC in exchange for an honest review.