A return to the Isle of Mure with Flora and her family. Her boyfriend Joel is still distant, and if he can't open up about his past, do they have a future together?

Makes you want to visit Scotland and see the endless beaches for yourself.

On a cold January day, there is nothing quite like a Jenny Colgan book to transport you to another place, in this case, The Endless Beach on the Scottish island of Mure. The scenery is breath-taking and the community is as close-knit as it was in the first book of this series – The Summer Seaside Kitchen. The book focuses on Flora with her bakery and the emotions of falling in love with Joel, her brother Fintan and Saif the island’s GP who is waiting anxiously for news of his family in Syria. Jenny Colgan’s writing has a relaxed, natural flow which drew me instantly into the story and fall in love with Mure all over again. Her collection of characters are always memorable and mainly down to earth. I would have read it in one sitting if it was not for life getting in the way. Instead, I stayed up until the early hours to finish it. For all the ideas I had about where the story was leading, I was not expecting that ending.

It is the perfect book if you love light romantic books for wintery nights curled up near the fire or on a beach on a summer’s day.

As common in her books, Jenny Colgan writes a welcome which I appreciate these as they recap what has gone before which is always handy and I love the recipes inspired by the book at the back. One day, I may even try them.

This book encompasses such a lot - love, family, resettlement of refugees, island life, to mention just a few - and it's so well written you feel yourself being absorbed into the island of Mure and the endless beach.

The author includes a small section of information catching you up on who is who, what, where and why and this sets the scene beautifully. Instead of trying to work everyone out, I just sank into the story - and a wonderful story it is. Life is real on Mure, everyone has their everyday issues to deal with and while they spend their lives in an idyllic setting, very few have idyllic lives. Getting to know the inhabitants is a sheer delight, and it wasn't without a hint of sadness that I reached the final page. The characters are, without exception, very endearing and island life is clearly laid out for the reader. I've always enjoyed Jenny Colgan's novels but I think I have a new favourite in The Endless Beach.

My thanks to publishers Sphere for approving my copy via NetGalley. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.

Jenny Colgan is an amazing author and I’m always avidly waiting for her next release. She writes brilliantly, with her books always hooking me in from the first couple of pages. I always feel as if I’m there with the characters and I feel really sad when the book ends and I have to say goodbye to them.

However, I was able to say hello again to Flora and the island of Mure! I was very excited when I discovered that “The Endless Beach” was a sequel to “The Summer Seaside Kitchen” and I wasn’t disappointed.

Absolutely loved this book, didn’t want to put it down but needed a bit of beauty sleep at my age, and have my fingers crossed that we might return to Mure again in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for an ARC in return for a fair and honest review.

I will warn you now - my review of Jenny Colgan's new novel will not do the book justice in the slightest. The only way you're going to be able to appreciate such outstanding, literary craftsmanship, is by grabbing a copy for yourself, turning off every link to the outside world, and delve into a story which you will never want to leave.

I have been a huge fan of Jenny Colgan's novels for as long as I can remember, with every new release raising the bar just that little bit higher in terms of brilliance. Until now. 'The Endless Beach' hasn't just raised the bar of brilliance a smidge, no. It has completely sent the bar skyrocketing into space. 'What do you mean by that?', I hear you ask. Well my lovely readers, I mean that Jenny Colgan has written her best book ever with 'The Endless Beach', without a doubt.

Hand on heart, I have never read a book which I took me a couple of hours to read without stopping, due to me not wanting to break the hold which the author unknowingly had on me. The storyline pulled me in to a world I never knew existed. A place where friendships weren't just friendships, they were lifelines. A place where helping each other wasn't expected, yet the community helped those who needed it without question, or judgement. A place where a cafe wasn't just a place to grab a coffee and a quick bite to it, it was a place where the community could go whenever they felt lonely, knowing full well that someone would be willing to have a natter. A place where romance isn't determined by whats in your trousers, but what is in your heart.

Before starting 'The Endless Beach', I had absolutely no idea what sort of journey the book would take me on and, if I'm being totally honest, even after reading the book I couldn't even begin to tell you what sort of journey I went on. All I know is that it was a journey I had never been on before. A journey which I will be remembering for a very, very long time.

I wish I could go into detail about what I loved about this book, but because I don't want to give anything away, you're just going to have to trust me when I say that you need to read this book without stopping. Seriously. Ignore everyone. Ignore your bladder, and just read. This enchanting storyline needs to be cherished without the spell being broken.

Not only did 'The Endless Beach' make me smile until my cheeks hurt, it made me cry tears of joy and tears of pain. I felt the pain which certain characters endured. I felt the joy within joyous situations. Everything about this book was perfection - I cannot recommend 'The Endless Beach' enough.

Never mind being a book about an 'Endless Beach', it's a storyline with 'endless' possibilities, 'endless' joy, with 'endless' reasons to keep fighting when life throws you sand balls.

'The Endless Beach' has blown me away and ignited the fire in my belly which has been hidden for a very, very long time. This is, without a doubt, Jenny Colgan's best book yet, and it deserves to be cherished like the magnificent book that it is.

Beautifully written, enchanting, heart stopping, and utterly poignant; 'The Endless Beach' will warm your heart like the sun on a summer's day - absolutely incredible.

Mure and its inhabitants have stolen my heart!

After a bit of a slow start, I really warmed up to this story and its characters. Set on a beautiful Scottish island called Mure, it's everything you could ever want from a peaceful island existence. Being a remote island though, it's all about knowing your neighbours and it's clear that your neighbours clearly know all about you, as Flora and the other characters in the story can attest to!

Having not read the start of Joel and Flora's journey together, I did find it a little difficult to connect with Joel and felt that I was missing much from when he and Flora initially got together. This book starts with them having some relationship problems and this gave me the immediate impression that Joel was cold and dismissive of poor Flora and her feelings. By the end of the story, it became clear that I couldn't have been more wrong about Joel, I’m pleased to say.

This book came across a little disjointed initially because it has two, very distinct, storylines both of which packed a powerful punch. First, we have Joel and Flora, and the problems they are facing in connection to Joel's boss, Coltan, the man due to marry Flora's brother Fintan. Then, we have the story of Saif, the island's refugee GP and his long-lost children which he is reunited with. My interest in the two storylines seemed to lean towards Saif and his struggles with being reunited with his children and suddenly becoming a single father in a strange country rather than Joel and Flora's issues but all the characters stories come together towards the end of the book, thanks in part to the close-knit community of Mure.

This is the first book of the author's that I've read in a long time. I was expecting a fluffy chick-lit storyline but this was altogether something more. It was a more rounded storyline, it had depth, possibilities, struggles, drama, and heartbreak. After struggling to embrace the story initially, it left me in tears, both from sadness and happiness, by the book's conclusion.

All of the characters in the story were almost rendered insignificant though but one little girl: Agot. Her passion for life was palpable and the way she immediately bonded with Saif's son, Ash, was incredibly sweet. As was the way she responded to the pain and suffering experienced by other characters.

If the story isn't enough, readers are also rewarded with some of the delicious recipes mentioned during the storyline but once again, Agot stole the show with the last inclusion in the book - the loyalty card that she designed is proudly displayed on the last page.

All in all, this is a highly recommended story and one which will take you on an emotional ride through the highs and lows of the characters of the tiny island of Mure.

Lovely book. Great story tho wish I had read The Summer Seaside Kitchen first as that was the prequel to the book I am reviewing. However didn't spoil the book for me at all. Such a lovely read, great characters with some tough themes running through the book. Will definitely be reading more Jenmy Colgan books. Thanks for letting me review this book

I was really looking forward to reading this follow on to the seaside kitchen and hearing more about the people who live there and it didn't let me down at all so well written and a simple read with great characters you can really imagine yourself there on the island as described it so well. It's romantic I'm places but upsetting in others as well and you are hooked from the first page. So readable I really do recommend you get it.
The book is still about flora in a big way as she rubs the seaside kitchen and is in a relationship with Joel but he's always away with work and very distant with her. Flora goes out to America to surprise her boyfriend is this the best move for her to do and does he slowly start to open up about his past as a child. Lorna is very keen on the dr but he is married but his wife and two young children are missing and he's about to get shocking news that will change his life and how does he and the people involved cope with this as its not an easy time for them all. As the winter turns to simmer can everyone be happy or is there more shocking news still to come with more of island people.
Great characters and I highly recommend reading as hooked from the first page.

Post coming to my blog 27/01 thecosiestcorner.blogspot.com

I haven't read much by Jenny Colgan before so wasn't sure exactly what to expect but I can say that I was pleasantly surprised. The title captured me, I thought it sounded charming and exciting so was keen to get stuck into it. It started off a bit slow if I'm 100% honest but as soon as you got into it it was really enjoyable.

There is a novel set before this one with the same kinda characters (which I did not know until I started reading) but this doesn't actually matter because there are a few pages at the beginning where Jenny explains everything major that occurred in the first novel. At first I was worried that I wouldn't understand what was going on and as a result not enjoy reading it but in actual fact it was easy to get into (once the initial slow part was over) and I found myself eager to read on and find out more.

The characters are all really lovely and it's nice again to see a community where everyone wants to help each other out and where everyone is so close. It was really lovely to read and not for the first time wishing that I could live somewhere like this. The characters are all where you would fully relate to them as a person and what they're going through, their stories all being really intriguing and gripping. I enjoyed reading about Flora, but really enjoyed reading about all the other characters on Mure as well. There are some parts in the book about Joel, whom Flora is starting a relationship with, that I didn't see coming! It was excellent writing.

Overall, I found this book by Jenny Colgan to be written beautifully and was really interesting and gripping. I will definitely be looking into reading more by Jenny Colgan in the future. It was heart-warming and emotional and just genuinely really lovely. This story didn't disappoint and will pull at your heartstrings for sure.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

The Endless Beach by jenny Colgan a refreshing five-star read. I will be honest and admit it took me two attempts to start this book, but I think it’s me as it’s the second book in as many weeks that I have been salivating to read and then when I’ve started it I can’t sink my teeth into it. But I’m so glad I kept with it, it turned into what I’m sure will be one of the best reads this year. You always see words like ‘Charming’ ‘Witty’ ‘Funny’ associated with this author but there should be so much more, it’s a heart-warming read filled with characters that you won’t want to put down, although Flora is the main character and we are told the story of her relationship with Joel, there are so many other stories told and the characters in this story are plentiful and strong. The secondary characters will make you think and also have you questioning plenty, they are wide and varied, from Fiona’s brothers, a four-year old and a refugee doctor named Saif as well as many, many others including in some ways the island of Mure. They all have their own story to tell and it’s a compelling and heart-rending story. This does follow on from The Summer Seaside Kitchen but you don’t have to have read that one first as the author has kindly included a re-cap at the front of the book in the form of a letter from the author and also a handy guide on pronunciations of some more traditional names. (I found this so helpful as I deal with some people with these names on occasion with work and its nice knowing I can pronounce them right after all) Overall a great read, and I am so glad I got the opportunity to read this great story.

I couldn’t have picked a better book than Jenny Colgan’s The Endless Beach to kick off the New Year.
Romantic, emotional, poignant, I could go on and on with a long list of all the things that make it amazing but I won’t.
What I will say is that while I was already a fan of Jenny’s work, this one is now my absolute favourite.
I like books set in shops (anything to do with food/chocolate, really) and I thought I had a good idea of what to expect but it completely blew that out of the water.
With a cast of characters who quickly got under my skin, I read well into the night, got up early to continue – and even read in the car (as a passenger) and made myself feel a bit ill but it was all worth it.
The quality of the writing meant I felt Flora’s frustration and loneliness at Joel’s distance and Saif’s story actually had me in tears but I was heavily invested in all of them, including Flora’s brothers.
It was one of those books where I couldn't wait to see how things turned out but then, when it was finished, I was sad it was over so soon.
As Jenny explains at the start, she first wrote about the tiny island of Mure (where I now want to live) and its residents in A distant Shore, part of the Quick Reads series, but I hadn’t read it and didn’t have any trouble keeping up with this follow on.
I’m hoping there might be another book or three in this series, there is so much potential.
If there isn’t one already being written I’m going to start a petition to set Jenny to work.
As soon as you’ve read this one, I think you’ll join me.

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Without doubt The Endless Beach is the best book Jenny Colgan has ever written. Once I started this brilliant read, I easily finished it within a couple of hours as I became so entranced by the magic of the island of Mure and by the astonishingly excellent storylines and characters. This books packs a real emotional punch and readers would be forgiven that they weren't going to find such emotions and feelings running through what many would term a 'chick-lit' book. No this goes way beyond that, dealing with plot lines that would in the most recent past never have been dared to be mentioned in books in this genre. Not once did Jenny shy away from her subject matter but in fact the male characters really come to prominence in this book and that was so refreshing. To get the male perspective of things, although in this case one or two are hiding things with what they think is good reason, rarely if ever happens in most of the books I read. The women weren't forgotten but I sensed we had come to know both Flora and Lorna previously and although we see how they are feeling as well the men get their chance to step into the spotlight and in doing so provided a really well rounded view of all the characters and the ups and downs they are experiencing on the tiny island of Mure in Scotland.



The Endless Beach can easily be read as a standalone as Jenny has written an authors note bringing readers up to date with the characters. We first met Lorna and Saif in the Quick Reads novella A Very Distant Shore and then last year we made our acquaintance with Flora and Joel in The Summer Seaside Kitchen. But I think if you read this on its own although you would love it as much as I did I feel you would be missing out on what makes this series so compulsive and you would want to fully understand why said characters act the way do. So do indulge yourself and read all three books preferably one after the other without any interruptions.



As I was already familiar with the characters I felt I wasn't looking out for hints as to their previous stories and I could just launch straight into the story and see what was going on now. Admittedly I was reading along and at first I wasn't finding Jenny's writing as gripping as I usually do, there was nothing wrong with the story per se it's just that compulsive urge to keep turning the pages wasn't there. At this stage I was getting slightly worried as this has never happened to me when reading a book by this author before. Then all of a sudden everything started happening and I couldn't get enough. There was no way I was going to bed until I had finished this captivating book which provided so much more than your usual run of the mill boy meets girl story. It was great to discover what happens next to the characters after we have left them behind in the previous books so the reader is not left wondering 'is it all plain sailing in a bed of roses or are you meant to work at things to keep the romance alive?' 'What happens when obstacles are sent to try and test your relationship to it's very limits?' In this case Flora and Joel will certainly find out if their romance can go the distance through tough and turbulent times.



The setting for The Endless Beach was just perfect, the wild and rugged island of Mure which I had fallen in love with when reading Flora's story. All the characters I had come to know were once again present and I am glad there wasn't that many new characters bar maybe Mark and Marsha introduced. This allowed us to get to know the ins and outs of the small rural community even more, Island living is all about community and sharing. Gossip is the lifeblood of so many residents and where better to indulge in the latest goings on than in Flora's seaside café which is going through its own ups and downs businesswise. Not partly due to the fact Flora is that bit too generous especially when it comes to the boys who visit thanks to Charlie and Jan's outward bound charity. Flora has such a good heart and I was pleased to see her romance with Joel was in the beginning very much on an even keel. You could see the passion, love and deep appreciation they had for each other. Flora had battled for her man and won and she wasn't going to let him go that easily even if his city colleagues wonder what he is doing with her and the islanders question whether Joel is really suited to small island life. Joel is a lawyer and a very busy one at that. Colton, a billionaire who hopes to open The Rock hotel, has employed him to do some work as a matter of great urgency. This in turn takes Joel away from the island and there in lies the problem for the majority of the novel.



Flora feels Joel slipping away from her, the longer he is away from the island working. Initially I thought woah hold on Flora you are totally over acting. if a man has to go away to work let him be. If he is busy of course he can't answer every time you ring. I thought she was reading far too much into things and should just enjoy the relationship and hang on until Joel could return. Colton seemed to have some sort of hold over Joel and I was worried that something nasty was afoot. Things seemed to spiral out of control fairly rapidly and maybe Flora had been intuitive enough to see her worries at such a distance may have been justified. I wanted everything to be OK for the pair, for them just to enjoy being together, but as is true to life things have to be worked at and some times distance and time may help to put things right. But still at the back of my mind I wanted to know the underlying things going on. Surely behind all this stress and worry was a very valid reason for Joel remaining so shut off and aloof, for that was what he was for most of the time. When the reasons become clear I understood Joel so much more. It was lovely too to see things between Colton and Fintan, Flora's brother, stepping up a gear and also the author acknowledged the fact that in such a small community where narrow minded views could abound especially in a traditional family that maybe people were starting to became more open and understanding.



The other male getting more of a storyline was Saif, the Syrian doctor not long on the island. Oh how I felt for Saif, his feelings of utter desolation and hopelessness. He feels like a fish out of water in this alien community. Yes he goes through the motions of doing his job caring for the sick and for those who claim to have an illness but just really need a chat. He may be present in body on the island but his mind is firmly rooted with his wife and two children whom he left behind in Syria several years ago. He has heard nothing from them and as each day passes he never gives up hope that they will all be reunited. Again the author was highlighting a modern day crisis which all too often tends to be brushed under the carpet and never gets explored in books. Saif is living a daily hell full of nightmares and although early morning walks on the endless beach and bumping into Lorna every now and again soothe his soul momentarily, the thoughts and horrors soon come rushing back into his heart and mind. Saif keeps himself distant and separate from the islanders bar treating them when necessary as he continues to wait on news. But all the islanders want to do is help to show their community spirit is alive and well and sincere not fake or false. Will Saif see a change in fortune or are things going to get much more challenging before any hope is in sight? I couldn't begin to understand what Saif was experiencing but the author certainly did a remarkable job of conveying what turmoil he was going though on a daily basis. I hoped Saif would eventually find some comfort.



The Endless Beach provides comfort and escape for the reader. It felt like returning to old familiar friends and for several hours the real world remained at bay whilst I enjoyed everything the island of Mure and its residents were offering me. This was certainly an emotional roller coaster which offered numerous laugh out loud moments ( Agot springs to mind – I think she now rivals Neil the puffin for my affections) but at the same time a deeper more hidden depth of feelings were explored mainly from the men's side and for this I applaud Jenny Colgan. There were two crucial points where I exclaimed oh no out loud because I couldn't believe what I was reading. I was saddened and disheartened and then several pages later hopeful. The islanders and Flora, Joel, Saif, Lorna and co are resilient but times are testing them. The way the book ended I felt left room for another story and I do hope Jenny has more in the pipeline. I loved this book and am gutted it had to end if only it could have been as endless just like the beach in the title.

Easily without a doubt in my mind, the best book Jenny Colgan has ever written. My only regret was that I hadn't started it earlier in the day so that I could have read it in one sitting.

In fact, please don't waste your time reading this review, just go buy the book now, settle down in your comfy reading spot and read that instead, it will be a far better and more enjoyable use of your time.

Why?

Well that's because the book is brilliant. It is heartwarming, it is emotional and I just didn't want to put it down at any point. I adored being back on the island of Mure with Flora and her family, and although Flora is arguably the main character, I found it was all the other storylines that I was loving even more.

I loved catching up with Fintan, one of Flora's brother, and seeing how his relationship was progressing. In fact Coltan is pivotal throughout the book, and yet although you know he is up to something, I was open mouthed in shock when his big secret was finally revealed.

Then there is Saif, the refugee doctor on the island, who has been working hard to be accepted by the islanders, while continually awaiting for news of his family. Saif's story was gripping, I absolutely loved him so much, especially when seeing what he had to cope with in this story.

Joel who we got to know quite well in The Summer Seaside Kitchen is also full of surprises and we finally get to find out more about his background, as well as him being responsible for some of the rather shocking bits of the book.

This book is a sequel to The Summer Seaside Kitchen, but it could be read as a standalone. There are a good reminder in Jenny Colgan's ever present, and always useful letter to her readers at the start of the book, that even as someone who had read the first book, brought my mind right back to Mure and the story before it even got going.

Such wonderful writing, it draws you in and won't let you go, I really cared about every last character, and the children that are present in the book are fabulous too - including Agot who has such a great personality for a 4 year old and is a real tonic for any scene she is in.

I found the first bit of the book started slightly slowly, as it took a bit longer than I would have expected to be completely engrossed, but once I had a grip on the new characters, and recalled Mure fully, I had to keep reading and reading it. The many storylines are fantastic, and I really wouldn't have predicted a fair amount of the book.

The Endless Beach is already one of my favourite books of the year, I think this may be they start of a slight change in the writing from the author, as I don't recall feeling this emotional and churned up after other books by her in the past, and if that is the case then I am incredibly excited for the next releases.

Thank you so much to Sphere and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I get really excited when a new Jenny Colgan book is coming out as I know it’s going to be a great read. Fantastic to be back in Mure with Flora and all her family and friends and Joel. I have to mention Agot at this point as she is fantastic. I always feel like I’ve been to Scotland and walkedthe beaches and eaten the food as you are transported there so well. Such a lovely read that I finished in one sitting.

Jenny Colgan doesn’t disappoint.
In this we have a wonderfully warm ensemble of characters and it’s a real feel-good story.
The story of Flora and the other characters who make their way to this remote island is one that touches your heartstrings. Humorous, loving and a genuine fondness for these characters is on every page.