Escape to Darling Cove by Holly Hepburn

I really enjoy Holly Hepburn’s books and I was really looking forward to reading her latest – Escape to Darling Cove. It also has a beautiful cover! This one is set in Northumberland, an area I have visited many times, so that added to the attraction of reading it too. I liked that Eve Darling is related here to the famous Grace Darling, as I’ve been to both the museum and her gravestone, as mentioned in the book. This meant I could easily picture the area, even though Ennisfarne itself is fictional.

Escape to Darling Cove tells the story of Eve and Logan and we read chapters from both their viewpoints. Eve Darling is 33 and has always lived on the island of Ennisfarne, whereas famous photographer Logan Silk comes to the island to escape, booking to stay at Dune Cottage for three months. The two of them meet unceremoniously as Eve’s dog Huxley runs into Logan, knocking him over and breaking his camera lens.

Eve runs Darling Cove (the café, bar and Dune Cottage) with her brother Aiden (29). Her best friend is Selina Heron, who she has known since being a young child.

There’s a great community in this book and I enjoyed seeing this and meeting the other characters, especially Freda, who runs the local shop with its surprising array of things to buy.

The story is written really well. Obstacles come up in the romance, as you would expect, but it all feels very natural and authentic. I loved how even though Logan was handsome and successful, it was his flaws that Eve notices first – how he says what he’s thinking, coming across as rather thoughtless and sexist at first, until she gets to know him. I liked how she had to know him before realising she liked him.

I have read Holly Hepburn’s books before and I really enjoy them. They are published as novellas first, then as one single volume and here too, the book is split into four parts of around a hundred pages per part.

My only one tiny criticism is that in places, I found the book a bit descriptive and felt the scenery was brought to life in a few more lines than it needed – but this is my personal taste and did not detract at all from what is a fabulous novel.

I loved all the characters in the book (except for Suki) and loved how all the villagers were really believable, even though they weren’t as important to the story as the main cast. Huxley the dog is a real star too! Overall this is another triumph for Holly Hepburn and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.