A Cottage by the Sea, by Ciji Ware

A COTTAGE BY THE SEA
by Ciji Ware
Sourcebooks Landmark
9781402222702
June 2010
$15.99US/$18.99CAN
544 pages



Blythe Barton, desperate and mortified following her highly publicized Hollywood divorce from the flamboyant director Christopher Stowe, flees to England, the land of her ancestors for solitude and rest. Even the millions that become hers in the settlement will not assuage the humiliation she suffered when she discovered the steamy affair between her husband and sister. To add salt to the festering wound, upon leaving court she learns with added embarrassment that the two have wed.

Arriving at Barton Hall in Cornwall, she meets the owner, her landlord Lucas Teague. He informs her that her attorney Lisa, has extended her lease by three months. When she calls Lisa she is told that the media is in a frenzy after the announcement that her sister is pregnant and it would be best for her to stay put.

Resigned to her fate she begins to build a new life, with hope of erasing her past. She settles into Painter’s Cottage by the sea surrounded by lush plantings and incredible views of the sea. Lucas, she admits When she meets her landlord and the owner of Barton Hall she notes how attractive and British he is and her curiosity rises, but with reserved caution she maintains her distance. Lucas shares his recent financial troubles with Blythe and she uses her skills as a production designer to generate a business plan that she hopes will make Barton Hall solvent.

She falls in love with Lucas, but his inability to share his life with his son disturbs her. Through some anomaly in the Barton genealogy chart, she discovers the linkage between her present and ancestral past life. She has vivid visions that uncover the buried history of her namesake leaving her confused with many unanswered questions. Then an unwelcome surprise visit by her ex-husband infuriates her as she is forced to deal with her psychologically unbalanced sister and a life changing plea from her remorseful ex.

With a mystical allure, the story slowly teases the reader as the present, past and future are plaited together. Through the lives of Blythe Barton and her forbears who lived in the 18th century, the history of Barton Hall emerges with a surprising twist. Blythe and Lucas are sensually hot, passionate lovers who were destined for each other. Each character is so compellingly real and touchable the story breathes believability. Once again, Ciji Ware has written an absorbing romance of historical fiction. Cottage by the Sea is a scintillating summer read offering pure enchantment.

This book was sent by Sourcebooks, Inc in exchange for a review.