I was so excited to see this book come up for request on Netgalley, I was even more excited to find out I had been approved, and I could not wait to get straight into reading it. 
Tess Tyler works hard at her job. She does enjoy her job a lot but lately the pressure is beginning to pull her down and she is desperate for a break and to get away from it all for a while. 
Tess finds a cottage available to rent in the pretty seaside town of Wynmouth. It is a place that Tess visited as a child and has many happy memories for her. She tells no one of her plans as she wants to get away from it all especially after the secret she revealed.
Tess begins to feel herself relaxing the minute the sea air surrounds her. It does not take Tess long to visit all of the places she remembers. She is soon getting to know the residents including the handsome barman Sam and the lovely Sophie that cooks some amazing and delicious sounding Caribbean food.
The longer that Tess spends in Wynmouth the more she does not go back to her normal life, she is enjoying becoming part of the small community and helping at all of the events they are putting on, but when a surprise visitor comes to the town with more secrets to reveal Tess realises that maybe you can't run away from your life after all.
This is such a wonderful read that you will love from beginning to end. I love the writing style of Heidi Swain, she has a way of really drawing you into the story and making you feel as if you are part of the story too. The character of Tess is great to get to know. You get a good sense of ow stressful her life is, you can almost feel her relax as the story unfolds.
There is a great cast of supporting characters within the book which provide a great support to Tess and she does build a strong bond with Hope.
The cover of this book is beautiful and really gives you a hint at the sunshine filled pages within the book.
If you are looking for a story full of friendship,
romance and the seaside then you are really in for a treat with this new release.


Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK for my advanced copy of this book.

This was a lovely bit of sunny seaside escapism with a few twists to keep me on my toes! It follows the story of Tess, an employee at her father's PR company who finds herself suddenly needing a break from it all. On a whim she decides to revisit her favourite seaside resort from when she was a child, but when she gets there she learns that not everything is quite how she remembers it.
It was a nice, easy read with fun characters, potential love interests and a lot of idealic scenary. I also loved all the talk of food - it made me hungry reading some of the delicious sounding meals on the menu at Sophie's cafe! Having read this during lockdown it's exactly the sort of warm, summery read you don't even realise you're craving! 
Thankyou to netgalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my review.

I'm packing up now and ready to move into Crow's Nest Cottage in Wynmouth and hopefully become part of this wonderful, friendly, seaside community.
The twists and turns of the different relationships, make for an entertaining read, which was very difficult to put down. At the same time I did not want it to end!
I thoroughly recommend this book.

We might not be able to physically go on holiday to the seaside just now but we can live vicariously and take a trip to beautiful Wynmouth with Tess Tyler, in Heidi Swain’s newest book which is published today.

Tess works in the family firm and after a particularly pressured time plus an upsetting discovery, she decides to take a break in the little Norfolk town of Wynmouth where she spent many a happy holiday as a child. As she begins to rest and recover, she soon finds herself becoming involved in the life of the town and putting her planning skills to good use. But there is always a sense that there is some sort of secret just waiting to come to the fore…

I love the settings that Heidi Swain creates. Despite the typical British ‘summer’ weather Tess experiences for much of her stay, Wynmouth sounds like an idyllic place, not just for a holiday, but to live. I could easily picture Crow’s Nest cottage next to the pub, and Sophie’s cafe, the beach huts and so on. There is quite a sense of community too and with Tess’s help and encouragement, I felt this grew stronger throughout the book. I enjoyed watching Tess start to blossom again through helping others and discovering the things that really mattered to her. With two men vying for her attention (not that Tess seems to notice this!) it’s a gorgeously romantic read too.

And the food, oh the food! This is definitely not a book to read if you are remotely hungry as the descriptions of Sophie’s creations will have your stomach rumbling, your mouth watering and you running off to find the recipes.

The Secret Seaside Escape is perfect reading for just now (or any time) offering the reader a real escape from the worry and stress of everyday life. A great book to curl up with and imagine those holidays that we will one day be able to enjoy again. With lots of secrets waiting to be uncovered, new friendships, community spirit, a gorgeous setting, some surprises and a beautiful love story or two, this is a joyously, uplifting, feel-good book.

This book was exactly what I needed right now - beautiful escapism to a place that made me feel happy and relaxed.
I loved everything about Wynmouth - Tess, all the locals, the places they gathered and the memories they had - and it was easy to visualise it all as I read.
Such a lovely, easy read, with a few little surprising twists, that kept me wanting to pick it back up until I had finished. I hope we get to visit Wynmouth and the gang again soon!

This book is a ray of sunshine, set in the Norfolk town of Wynmouth. It focuses on workaholic Tess Tyler. After the death of her mother, Tess has thrown herself into a life of non stop work at her fathers PR firm for the last  2 years. Determined to prove herself to her like minded father, Tess has forfeited her own needs and private life to live up to his expectations. But after the discovery of shocking diaries amongst her mothers personnel effects Tess begins to question everything and needs to escape to clear her head.
So she heads for the seaside town of wynmouth where she spent happy times as a child on holiday and where she had her first kiss. 
Here she blends with the locals especially pub land lord Sam and cafe owner Sophie and her daughter hope. 
As she throws herself into organising village events and the life of others, the longer she’s away the more she wants to forget and hide from her own life. But at some point she is going to have to face up to it. 
I loved this book as I have loved all the other Heidi swain books I have read. 
Pure escapism in a beautiful summer setting. I would highly recommend.

What a fabulous summer book! It was just the tonic for the strange way life is at the moment (lockdown). I’ve read & enjoyed a couple of Heidi’s Christmassy books before and this was just as good if not my favourite. I loved the seaside town of Wynmouth & could almost smell the seaside and feel the sunshine from the descriptions. It reminded a lot of a place where we used to holiday when I was a child. 
All the characters were so likeable & all had an intriguing storyline that kept you guessing right to the end. 

Thank you to the publisher & Netgalley for the opportunity to read this fabulous novel. I will be recommending it to everyone this summer!

"The Secret Seaside Escape" introduces us to Tess Tyler, working for her father's PR firm really hard - she has to prove to him and to the others that she's worth his trust. It also helps her - or at least is supposed to help - to get over death of her beloved mother. And so, for over two years she actually doesn't have a private life and hasn't been on holidays... To say that she lives under pressure would be an understatement. So it's no wonder that she catches herself thinking back to the better times, when they, as family, spent some of the best holidays in the seaside village of Wynmouth in Norfolk. When going through her mum's possessions she finds a photo of Crows Nest Cottage, and also a printed diary that puts her parents' relationship in a completely different perspective, Tess decides it's time for a break - from work, from her father, from life. She hopes that returning to a place that made her happy so many years ago will help her and will bring her so much needed joy. But will it?

The book has a wonderful setting, with a very picturesque location in Norfolk, at the seaside, with a cosy pub Smuggler's Inn, with its moody owner Sam, where you can play Scrabble and listen to some spooky stories, and lovely beach cafe where you can taste some brilliant and unusual recipes of Caribbean fusions. The author can easily transport you to her setting, she has a way with words and her descriptions are vivid and reach. I also do have such a place of my many happy childhood memories, where I spent the best time during my summer holidays, and I could truly relate to Tess's need to travel to Wynmouth, to try and bring back this small bit of happiness back and thanks to Heidi's writing I could really see why she loved this place so much, and why she felt like at home there.

As much as the story was light and undemanding, I simply wanted to bang the characters' heads either together or on the wall - they were desperately immature, jumping to the worst kinds of conclusions immediately and offended at anything and everything at the word go. I know that you can't always communicate with each other, that it's hard to talk, but please, get a little depth, be more real and genuine, you the characters from "The Secret seaside Escape".

It was a very easy and lightly predictable read, and everything happened as it should happen, you could easily just tick all the boxes. I would call this book "chick lit for beginners", as there is really everything you should expect from this genre.

The family related twists at the end turned out really well. It was a thing you could see coming but the outcome was totally different to what I was expecting, and I liked it, this bit different view at the family.

As usual, the author also touched upon some heavier issues in her book, softening them through the lovely setting and light overall tone, but altogether, this book truly felt slightly heavier. And while Ms Swain has managed some of the heavier issues, the others dragged on as if they overwhelmed her? I would really love to read Tess's mother's diary, there was so much told about it, and it took ages before Tess even read one page, even though it was so important to her, and I must admit, I've lost my interest before it even picked up pace. Nevertheless, kudos to the author for trying to make the book this little bit more ambitious by adding mystery and intrigue to the plot.
There is, of course, everything you can expect from Heidi Swain: gorgeous food, friendship, romance and she, as usual, highlights the importance of community. If you're in a need of a fresh, light and relaxing read then look no further - you've found your book!

It’s no secret that I’m a self-confessed Swainette, and love her worlds so much that I really wish I could head off to Wynbridge without a moment’s notice. I have loved the journeys she has taken us on to Wynbridge, Wynthorpe Hall, Nightingale Square and now she has widened her world to take us to the seaside, namely Wynmouth. I just adore the worlds she has created and the wonderful characters who have inhabited those worlds.

I fell in love with Wynmouth, and the holiday cottage that Tess rented for her stay. It was picture perfect, and a fabulous place for her to unwind. Tess worked in the full-on world of PR, and it was lovely to see her take a moment, switch off her phone and disconnect from her crazy world. Although she was unable to hide her talents for PR, it was lovely to see her become involved with the community, helping to organise a beach clean up operation, and helping with other social events in Wynmouth.

The additional characters were lovely, and although the burgeoning romance with the delectable Sam was clear to see, this book was more about emotional growth than it was about romance. There were some unpredictable twists and turns along the way, and the value of community shone through, as it always does in a novel by Heidi Swain.

In this time of lockdown, this book is the perfect escape, and although I desperately want to head to the Norfolk coast, I am quite happy to content myself with this visit to Wynmouth. I look forward to finding out more about the characters in Wynmouth, and will patiently wait for a return to this idyllic secret seaside escape!

I just adored this book. It was warm and charming with true to life characters and some clever twists and turns many of which I never saw coming. There was a bit of everything in the story including romance, new beginnings, family secrets, misunderstandings, falling outs and rifts among some of the villagers that have gone on way too long and need to be resolved. All of this is set in the delightful coastal village of Wynmouth. Who wouldn't want to live here or stay in the pretty cottage where Tess, the main character, moved to in order to take a break from the stresses of her job? Heidi's vivid descriptions of the seaside village and the pub and cottage were so realistic I could almost believe that I HAD been there for a holiday at some point. I love Heidi Swain's books. They are easy to read, the prose flows  beautifully and the stories are so engaging that it's almost impossible to put them down once started.  I do hope that there will be a future book set in wonderful Wynmouth as I really fell in love with the place and the characters who live there. Looking forward to the next book by Heidi and meanwhile, I heartily recommend this one. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a pre release copy in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this book and really struggled to put it down. I wanted to finish it and see what happened but at the same time I didn’t want it to end. I am so glad on how the book finished but I don’t really want to ruin it but following the story of Tess on her ‘holiday’. 
I really enjoy books by Heidi Swain and this certainly wasn’t a let down. Would highly recommend this for a feel good read this summer.

As a child, Tess Tyler used to holiday in the seaside town Weymouth with her Mum and dad. That’s when her family were happy. Now grown up, Tess is a high – flyer in the family’s PR business. Her dad is her boss, her mother having died years previously and Tess still hasn’t come to terms with her death. The stress of her job, together with the discovery of her mother’s diary leaves her reeling. Tess decides to take a break and without letting her dad know of her plans she finds herself heading to Weymouth where she rents a cottage for a few weeks. But circumstances change for the better and she gets close to the locals showing her skills by helping them find ways to bring more tourism to the town. Whilst there she meets past loves and finds things that changes her life forever.

Another good book by Heidi Swain! This one is a page-turner! I read it in no time! This book is full of mystery, secrets but also friendship, romance and make you understand that you always should think twice before judging someone or a situation! This is a very very goog chick-lit book very well written! I loved reading it from first to last page and I was surprised by the ending! I couldn't have predict it! Very good book!!!!

This was the second book by this author that I have had the pleasure of reading.

It was a lovely summer read, not too taxing on the brain but with enough twists and turns to keep me, as the reader, intrigued. By half way through the book I was willing the main character, Tess, to get her happy ending. I won't spoil it for you by telling you if she does.

The characters are well written and developed, not just one dimensional as can often be the way with light hearted romantic books. I have discovered that this is something that Heidi Swain does well, she makes you believe in the characters and you find yourself wishing you were friends with them. I'd definitely want to live in Wynmouth, if it was a real coastal town.

Would definitely recommend this book as an easy read whilst lazing by the pool on your holiday. Or to pass the time whilst were all on lockdown. It left me with a smile and I definitely laughed out loud on several occasions.

Can;t wait to read more books by this author, rapidly becoming 0ne of my new favourite authors.

What a lovely book! I had started to lose my reading mojo, and this has brought it back. Brilliant storyline, beautifully written with lots of descriptive scenery which really does make you feel like you are there. The characters are wonderful, even when they get a bit grumpy! Surprisingly lots of plot twist! Also, with lots of valuable lessons in life made. My first by this author and I will be reading more. Oh, and amazing use of the word gargantuan! I loved every bit of this book and would highly recommend. 

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. Lovely story and characters and set in a perfect seaside location, it was ideal for losing yourself in a book in the current lockdown situation we are in. It was a story about learning what’s important, finding new friends with a few twists and turns. Well worth a read. Thank you for letting me review this book.

Although a typically easy read story with a happy ending and all loose ends nicely tied up, it is nonetheless a very therapeutic way to spend a day. It is easy to see why Heidi is a Sunday Times bestseller and I hope to be able to read more of her work, it is as therapeutic as a mix between a counselling session and a yoga class....and cheaper! 
The story is about an escape from the realities of a busy and demanding life, one I have often dreamed of myself but never undertaken....lack of money, cowardice or responsibility to others, who knows! But more than lovely to read about, the escapist being called Tess, my own name, made me feel.. very briefly.. that it could be possible.
I would highly recommend this novel, read it on a low day, a sunny day, a rainy day and whenever you need to escape but can’t for many practical reasons. But don’t rule the possibility of escape out as many have been able to prioritise a more relaxed life, this could also be seen as inspirational. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC...much needed in these uncertain times.

I was delighted to be given the chance to review this book for netgalley and the publishers as I am a massive fan of Heidi Swain's books. I wondered if this book would be as good as Heidi's previous ones as it had a brand new setting and characters.
However, I was not disappointed, the story flowed beautifully and I was transported to the lovely seaside town of Wynmouth in Norfolk. The descriptions and style of writing made me feel like I was right there and I had a clear image in my mind of the whole town.
This book is another 5 star book by Heidi, and I would definitely recommend it to all my book friends.

'The Secret Seaside Escape' by Heidi Swain is a jolly-jaunt of a novel, marvellously uplifting & joyfully warm, much in-keeping with the previous books by this author I've had the pleasure of reading. Combining friendship & relationships, family & self-discovery, dreams and hopes and wishes, this is an inspiring story, encouraging readers to take control of their lives and go after whatever it is that makes their hearts happy, no matter how hard the decisions that need to be made along the way.

In Swain's 'The Secret Seaside Escape', readers are introduced to Tess Tyler, a bonafide workaholic, with the most abysmal work and life balance known to man. Since the sudden death of her mother, Tess has found that the only way to cope is to work, work, work, and then some. Her boss is no other than her very own father, a man who, Tess feels, has changed immeasurably in the years since their shared loss. Following by her father's example, Tess knows of no other way of life besides the Tyler way, which is to work tirelessly until the job is done, and then repeat once more.

"You're a Tyler, Tess. We don't give up, remember? We thrive on stress. Our ability to power through is what keeps us one step ahead of the competition."

What quickly becomes apparent is that Tess Tyler needs a break, and sharpish. There's a place she holds dear in her memory and has done since she was younger. A seaside town where she remembers being completely and utterly content, where life moved at a snail's pace yet everyday still felt full of love and joy. It's a place that Tess Tyler thinks about often, and it might just be the place that will help Tess to figure out what it really is that she wants from life, and what it is that makes her truly happy.

Swain truly takes her readers away with her latest novel, and it was a gloriously charming and most-welcome break from real life. From the moment Tess arrives in Wynmouth and settles down to enjoy her new, if only temporary, life in Crow's Nest Cottage at a slower, more easy-going pace, I was more than ready to settle down beside her and figure out how we were going to spend our time while in the seaside town.
 
This isn't simply a lovely little trip to the seaside for Tess, though. There are far deeper, more personal reasons for Tess's escape to Wynmouth, and it's not only to be rid of the hold that her job has over her every hour of every day. Although Tess is more than aware that she mentally and physically deserves a break, after discovering the pages of her late mother's diary while going through her mother's things, this time away is also time to read and absorb the secrets within the pages, to find out what was going on in her mother's head before she passed away, and to figure out if there was anything else going on within her parents' marriage. She needs space and time, to figure out who she is, and what she wants.

I found this tale to be one of those which was incredibly easy to become lost in. Swain's leading lady, Tess, felt rather relatable. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her, and what it was that made her tick. Swain creates such lovable and friendly characters, people who you'd feel very lucky to know, from all walks of life. During her time in Wynmouth, Tess meets Sophie and Hope, Sam and Joe, each of them unique and important to the lessons that Tess will learn before her time in the town is up. 

From the first page to the very last, Tess is taken on a whirlwind adventure and I loved every moment of it. There was so much going on in this book, I was constantly entertained and kept wondering what would happen next. With so many gorgeous characters to get to know, so many exciting events to be witness to, and plenty of surprises in Tess's journey towards self-discovery, 'The Secret Seaside Escape' was absolutely bloody lovely and left me feeling the same way Heidi's previous books have left me feeling once finished, and that is simply happy.

If you're partial to quaint seaside getaways, sprinkled with the most warm and welcoming of characters, and family-focused stories with a whole lot of heart and warmth, then 'The Secret Seaside Escape' by Heidi Swain is perfect for you. If you enjoy novels based around tight-knit communities and people each other out in their time of need then, again, this will be right up your street. Heidi Swain writes straight from the heart and it shows within her books. I already can't wait for the next one.

This was a very welcome escape from reality amid the chaos we are experiencing at the moment, and I'm sure it will give many readers the same much-needed escape as it gifted me. The Book Babe is giving 'The Secret Seaside Escape' by Heidi Swain a rating of four out of five. I'd like to thank Simon & Schuster UK for the advanced reading copy of this book, that of which has no reflection my giving a fair and honest review.

Another great book by Heidi Swann. Tess Tyler has been under so much pressure working in her father's firm that she takes ill. After a terrible secret she decides to go back to Wynmouth where she had wonderful holidays as a child.