Review: A Seaside Affair by Fern Britton

Wednesday 29 April 2015
Title: A Seaside Affair
Author: Fern Britton
Publisher: HarperCollins
Format: Paperback
Publication Date: 26th March 2015
Pages: 448
ISBN: 9780007468577
Source: Lovereading Review Panel
Rating: 4/5
Purchase: Amazon
When the residents of the Cornish seaside town of Trevay discover that their much-loved theatre is about to be taken over by a coffee chain, they are up in arms. It is up to Penny Leighton, hotshot producer and the vicar’s wife, to come up with a rescue plan. Armed with only her mobile phone, she starts to pull in some serious favours.

The town is soon deluged by actors, all keen to show their support and take part in a charity season at the theatre. One of the arrivals is Jess Tate, girlfriend of TV heartthrob Ryan Hearst. His career is on the rise while her own is in the doldrums. But everything is about to change. Trevay must put on the show of its life – but can the villagers, and Jess, hold on to the thing they love the most?
Reviewed for Lovereading.co.uk

A coffee chain is moving to the Cornish town of Trevay, their plan to take over the residents' much-loved theatre not going down well in the town. Penny Leighton, hotshot producer is tasked with coming up with a rescue plan. With help from a host of famous faces, not all of them fictional, actors soon start arriving in the town, keen to show their support and save the theatre.

You know when the setting of a book is everything? That. I finished this book and wanted to pack up my things and set up home in Trevay. Fern captures the setting beautifully and brilliantly, completely bringing it to life and allowing it to become a character in itself, along with the myriad of other characters that make up the story. I love reading stories where the author includes their own passions, and draws on their own knowledge when writing. Fern's love for Cornwall shines through, as does her experience and knowledge of theatre life.

The actual idea behind A Seaside Affair isn't entirely unique, the saving of a much-loved icon being done often in the past, but the way in which it is written, and the sheer number of characters that make up the story allow Fern to make it that little bit different from books similar to it in this genre and I loved the inclusion of celebrities, as said earlier, not all of them fictional! To list the characters that make up A Seaside Affair would fill a review in itself, yet it really is such a varied mix and I felt all the emotions whilst reading this book. A slow start builds up to a brilliant second half that will have every reader cheering the characters and story on.

If you are looking for a book with characters, a setting, and a story that you will just fall in love with, then look no further, you've found it with A Seaside Affair and I will definitely be looking to read more of Fern Britton's books in the future.

4/5

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