Somewhere Beyond the Sea by A.K. James

Release: 1st August 2022
Format: Ebook
Publisher: SpellBound Books
Source: ZooloosBook Tours
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon

If a marriage is based on secrets and lies – can love survive?

Doctor Tristan Ainsworth has returned to his beloved Cornwall with his family. The past has taught him some hard lessons, some of which he’s keeping to himself, but he’s hoping to put it all behind him and make a fresh start with his wife, Karen. He longs to see her happy, as she’s been struggling with her mental health.

However, Karen Ainsworth isn’t telling Tristan the whole story because she has a past that she’d instead leave behind her too. Apart from her family, Karen’s big passion is singing, and a chance to use her extraordinary voice would mean the world to her, so why shouldn’t she take it? Surely her past can’t hurt her now?

As a tide of blackmail and betrayal threatens the foundations of their marriage, Karen and Tristan face a tricky question. Is their love strong enough to face the truth when it might cost them everything?

About the Author:

Amanda James has written since she was a child, and as an eight-year-old, she asked her parents for a typewriter for Christmas. She never imagined her words would ever be published, however. Then in 2010, after many twists and turns, the dream of becoming a writer came true when she had her first short story published for a Born Free anthology. She left teaching in 2013 to pursue her dream full-time.

Originally from Sheffield, Amanda now lives in Cornwall and is inspired daily by the wild and beautiful coastline near her home. Amanda writes more suspenseful novels also set in Cornwall, under the name A.K. James, but her last few books have been uplifting in nature with a twist of magic. She loves writing feel-good reads, as she thinks the world needs more joy in it right now. Amanda can usually be found playing on the beach with her family or walking the cliff paths planning her next book.

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Somewhere Beyond the Sea Review:

Firstly, I enjoyed the way the author wrote the story. Initially, the chapter alternates between a mystery character’s present storyline and journal entries. I liked both the storylines and wondered how they would interconnect. The journal entries were probably the story’s highlight, and some scenes were so intense and eerie that they gave me goosebumps, especially the mother. The author maintains a level of mystery and suspense, and you root for the core characters. Although the story moves to another tangent from what I expected later, I still enjoyed discovering what happened to Karen and the cast.

Also, the author writes the characters convincingly. Right from the beginning, I enjoyed Karen and Tristan as a couple. Karen has some secrets from her past, and it was intriguing to see how the author uncovered them. Similarly, I also liked Tristan, his insecurities, and learning about his childhood. Both of them mesh well with the supporting cast. There are quite a few antagonists, like Linda and a person from Karen’s past, and you wonder how they will torture her. Similarly, I adored Jenny, who became Karen’s close friend. On a side note, I also enjoyed the light comedy the author adds in between, for instance, when Tristan treats one of his patients, Mr. Babcock.

However, the second half turned out to be a tad predictable, where you anticipate what would happen. Moreover, the story wraps around pretty early on, and the author continues the chapters with the post events, which sometimes felt too convenient, particularly surrounding Bob and Maureen.

Overall, “Somewhere Beyond the Sea” is an intriguing story with a likable character in the lead, and I enjoyed reading it.