Under a starry sky by Laura Kemp

A well written book however a word of warning, the beginning of it was a tad heavy going but I was a bit heavy going and didn’t expect that off bat. And the the next jumps a good number off years.

Once you get into the story it draws you right in with the compelling characters.

On the whole a very good read that gives the trauma, how they all handled the intervening years and then as adults must eventually lay it all to rest and try to be the friends they once were.

Great story, great characters and overall, really enjoyed this book.

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

This book was such a joy to read. I honestly loved everything about it, from the storyline to the unique qualities of all of the characters.
Following Wanda and Lew's story truly made my heart swell, and discovering the hidden secrets they had kept from one another for all these years just brought a whole new depth to the story. I also adored Annie, Spike and Arthur's story too... the troubles they all had to overcome and the discoveries they made about themselves along the way melted my heart.
I could quite honestly picture myself in the lovely Welsh village, as the author brought it all to life so wonderfully.
A definite must read!

I very much enjoyed this book. It has a good story and excellent main characters. I would defiately recommend this book.

I liked this novel but it wasn't my favourite, it took me a while to get into because I felt there were a lot of characters and the conversations felt a but stilted but the more I read I kind of put that to one side and in the end I enjoyed it. I liked the location and the overall storyline was gripping.

A feel good story. Friends old and new intermingle in a small close knit community. Feelings are hurt, love is found and lost, dreams are made and changed, reunions are made.

The. Sin story features around the. campsite and I loved the little campsite reviews that were added in every so often. So many looked like real reviews 😂. The world changes and moves on, but for this Welsh village and its inhabitants somethings have not changed and some still live under a cloud from a life-changing event 15 years ago.. 3 old friends find themselves back where they were, but not so friendly, can they turn this around, a campsite needs an overhaul and a hill an upgrade to a mountain. Read on to find out.

A well written and easy to read story which will delight the reader and make them feel part of the village and wanting to to keep reading to find out what is going to happen.

Beautiful cover, beautiful title, and a story that matches. However it didn’t quite match in the way I was expecting, and I’ll tell you why;

As beautiful as the storyline may be, each chapter seemed to remove a layer like a piece of wrapping paper, ready to showcase what truly lay beneath all of the layers, meaning that there was so much more to the book that meets the eye. Wanda has been dreaming of travelling for many years, yet something seemed to always hinder her plans. That said, I think she can be forgiven for a little grief holding her back…oh and the fact that her sister had some rock and roll in her future.

This storyline made me chuckle and made me gasp in equal measures. I wasn’t expecting the novel to have such a deep, dark undertone to it and, to be perfectly honest, I felt a little uncomfortable at times reading Annie’s situation. Now, don’t take that as a negative, because its not. I mean it in the way that nobody should feel comfortable by the thought of abuse in any form, and I felt that Annie’s story was so realistically portrayed that it didn’t feel like fiction. It felt real. It felt like it was happening right there and then, in front of my very eyes.

Wanda was a little bit of complicated personality. She didn’t seem entirely convinced by her choices in life, and I felt like she wasn’t confident in doing what was best for herself, which was a shame yet on the other hand, a lot of readers will be able to relate to the type of person she is.

I loved the sense of empowerment that was laced through the book, as well as the feeling of hope when things go wrong. All of the characters had been through so much in their own individual lives, yet they all still believed in hope and the ability to search for the stars in the sky to help them on their way.

Empowering, inspirational, moving and incredibly relatable; I know that whenever I look up at the sky, like Wanda, Annie and Lew, the sparkling stars in the sky will be there to give me hope.

Laura Kemp, please hold me!

In Under a Starry Sky, we meet the wonderful and adventurous, Wanda Williams, who has unfortunately had to put her travels on hold, as she navigates the family campsite and supports her family. The village of Gobaith has become all too claustrophobic for our leading lady, however, she is determined to just stick around for one more year, then her fifteen-year long wait for travelling can finally resume.

The beginning of this book was a lot more heavy and dramatic than I had been expecting and I loved every second of it. It set the scene perfectly for the time jump and obstacles Wanda is forced to face fifteen years later, piecing together a tragedy that shook Gobaith to it's core and finally giving closure to a time that has permanently scarred many of the villagers (physically and mentally). Laura offering us an insight in to Wanda's back story, really allowed me to appreciate the characters in a new light and had me feeling empathy/sympathy for those in all the right places.

Now, to the time jump - Wanda is finally back on track to resuming her travels, for her plans to fall through in one swift move, as family members are in need of help, the family campsite is in trouble and old faces return. It's clear to see that Wanda is the glue that holds her family together, despite their constant stubbornness and declarations that they don't need her to stick around. I found her mother and sister's attitude towards Wanda very dismissive, even though if Wanda wasn't around, their family campsite would have been left in shamble and on the verge of being closed down. They wasn't very thankful at the beginning and it irritated me because Wanda had given up so much, in order to enable her family a stable life. I really admired Wanda's love for those in Gobaith, but I was also so desperate for her to stand up and think about herself for once. After the loss of one of her parents, she hadn't been able to truly grieve for herself and she needed that time away to do so. That all being said, with the return of familiar faces and the welcome of new one's, inspiration struck Wanda quite hard, finally giving her a purpose and allowing her to look at opportunities she once wouldn't have thought of. I especially loved her story-line, in which she was tracking down the father of her sister's soon-to-be-born twins, as the sooner she pieced her family back together, the quicker they would realise they don't need to rely on Wanda anymore and she can finally start living.

With the return of two of Wanda's best friends - Annie and Lew, this year is not only for Wanda to rebuild her family and their home, it is also the year of possible forgiveness. Gobaith is a village that thrives off of the community the villagers have built together, so despite Wanda's hesitation with rebuilding old friendships, it's also pretty hard for her to avoid them. Under a Starry Sky allows us to not only explore Wanda's life, but also Annie's and I think her story was my favourite between the two. Returning to Gobaith in an attempt to hide from her abusive husband, she finds herself struggling to adapt to the life and people that had once been her home. The fire that had occurred fifteen years ago, also impacted heavily on Annie, as her brother had been involved, causing her welcome to not be as appreciated as she has hoped. Her broken friendship with Wanda was going to be hard to rebuild, but she was a determined woman and wouldn't give up. With Annie's heartbreaking backstory, returning to Gobaith couldn't have been a better decision to make. She allowed herself to embrace her love for the outdoors with gardening, which sometimes included teaching the troublesome youths, giving her a purpose to her new life. She is consumed with anxiety and fear, not only for herself, but also for her dog, Teg, and the story behind that can quite literally have the power to break your heart in to pieces. The bond between the two was so heartwarming, you could only wish for a miracle to happen to give them the happy ending they deserved.

Lucky for Annie, her miracle was in the form of two newcomers, Spike and his son, Arthur. The friendship between these three was so endearing - I loved how Annie became the woman figure the two needed, after Spike lost his wife, Arthur his mother. She especially had an impact on Arthur, as he was struggling to adapt to his new home and was in dire need of some love and attention from someone besides Spike. Although Annie didn't have to do much of that herself, as Teg grew very fond of Arthur and the two became inseparable. It seems that Annie has managed to get her life back to some sort of normality, with her new friends, however, with a husband like hers, it's unlikely he'll stay away forever, causing tension between her new friendship with Arthur and possible relationship with Spike. The last thing she wants is either of them getting hurt because of her... not again.

Lew was quite the mysterious man, as most are and had been holding on to a lot of secrets over the fifteen years he was away from Gobaith, however reconnecting with Wanda and Annie gave him a push to unleash those, in order to allow the three to truly heal from that one night. I really enjoyed seeing Lew and Wanda reconnect and rediscover their love for one another, although I wanted to see more!

Overall, this book was every type of cosy and wonderful, with the most delightful set of characters, all with fascinating stories behind them. Laura's writing was so descriptive, I felt like I was in Gobaith with everybody. The writing was also very gentle and enchanting, keeping you completely enthralled with both Wanda and Annie's stories. If you're looking for an escapism book, join Wanda, Annie and many more, Under a Starry Sky!

She had me when I realised this would be set in Wales. Not a usual location for a rom, but nice to be different. My first Laura Kemp novel, not my last! Beautifully written, great characters, romance, what more do you need?

My thanks to Netgalley and Orion for the reading copy!

I first discovered the writing of Laura Kemp last year when I read her wonderful book Bring Me Sunshine. If you haven’t read this brilliant story, make sure you do as soon as possible. Now she is back with another great read, Under a Starry Sky which has such a beautiful cover that really sums up the setting of the book to perfection. We meet Wanda Williams as she is just about to finish up her last shift at the family campsite before embarking on her gap year before starting university. She is going to spend six months working in a travel agency to save some money and then head away to follow her travel dreams. The small Welsh village of Gobaith has just become too claustrophobic for Wanda seeing the same people day in and day out and everyone knowing your business.

There is nothing to stay for and Wanda is ready to get out and explore the big bad world and all it has to offer. But Wanda’s dreams are cruelly snatched away from her as her family are torn apart with the loss of their father and the destruction of the campsite because of a fire that tore down the mountain and shattered their lives. I loved the dramatic opening to the book as it gave us a brief backstory on Wanda but also it set the scene for the various plots that would be developed throughout the rest of the book. It gave me an appreciation as to how certain characters acted and felt the way they did. Although, I can’t say I agreed with the stubbornness of a lot of them.

Fast forward fifteen years later and history is repeating itself. After being the stalwart of the family in their time of need, Wanda is finally escaping the village and has a fabulous trip meticulously planned. Get Lost travel agents has been sold and her boss has moved away so now is the time for Wanda to make her merry way off on her own travels. But the village and her family just have a way of putting obstacles in her way. Maybe she is meant to stay there and not go away? Her mother Lynn has a fall and has broken her hip meaning there is no one left to run the campsite and her sister Carys has just discovered she is pregnant with twins and the father, who was a one night guest, has left no trace and all attempts to find him online are to no avail.

Poor Wanda, an awful lot of the time she is stuck between a rock and a hard place. She has such devotion and loyalty to her family but you sense that they kind of expect her to fill the gaps and step in when needed. She is the reliable one but has she taken on this role herself ever since her father died in the fire? Maybe she has as she has been consumed by guilt that his loss was all her fault as he ran back to the house looking for her. She stayed to help her mother and sister with their grief and to get the campsite back up and running but now its time to spread her wings and even more so now that her former friends Annie and Lew are back in town. But things are conspiring against her and she needs to stay and turn the fortunes of the campsite around. She has what seems to her as very valid reasons for not wanting anything to do with them especially after the night of the fire. But has so much water flowed under the bridge and is now the time that when Wanda needs help will she be willing to accept it? After all Gobaith is known for its sense of community which oozes from every chapter but will Wanda be able to forgive and forget? Or will she remain stubborn and try to do too much on her own and at the same time her own life dreams and aspirations will once again be put to one side to be forgotten about?

Wanda soon discovers the campsite is not what it should be and that her mother has been hiding things and again she feels as if there is something inside of her daring her to leave that only leads to bad things happening in her life. She has so much to do to get things back in order and put Under a Starry Sky back on the tourist map but she has she burnt too many bridges with those who may be willing to help her? Wanda on the one hand was quite harsh on herself and I felt she really carried a burden from the major life changing event fifteen years ago. She had never put the demons to rest and the loss of her friendship with both Annie and Lew really ate away at her. Yet on the other hand she was so stubborn that if she had questioned things that little bit more and given both Annie and Lew a chance to make amends and speak, she might have had her eyes opened to some startling revelations. Surely everyone deserves a second chance?

I really thought that Wanda needed to move onwards and upwards and stop clinging to the past. Yes, the loss of a parent is a horrific thing to have to deal with, but she carried so much blame around with her that she was doing herself no favours. I seem to be making it out as if Wanda was all doom and gloom and couldn’t get on with people but that’s not the case at all. The more I read through the chapters I saw a transformation of sorts happening with Wanda. She was given lots of opportunities to make a new version of herself and starting with embracing forgiveness and understanding was one of them. Would she be strong enough to turn the fortunes of the campsite around? Will she be able to help Carys through her pregnancy and what about love can she admit that she has harboured feelings that haven’t left her and will she act upon them?

When reading the blurb for Under a Starry Sky I thought this story would just solely focus on Wanda and as much as I enjoyed reading about her character and what was happening with her it was a lovely surprise to see Annie get plenty of time to share her story. Annie has returned to the village after many years away. Her marriage to the awful Dean is over and she is doing her best to break free and start afresh. But as with Wanda the memories of the fire that night that led to such change still very much linger. Annie feels the community are constantly talking about her and the role her brother played will never be forgotten. It’s like she is tainted by association. The loss of her friendship with Wanda haunts Annie and she does her best to rekindle it, but Wanda was very stand offish at first. Annie harbours her own secrets and terrors, but one thing is for sure her love of the outdoors, gardening, flowers and their healing properties shines through from every page in which she is mentioned and that is what will possibly carry her through.

Annie’s relationship with her canine companion Teg was just wonderful to read about and it certainly made up for the way she was treated by Dean. I hadn’t expected to see such a serious issue being raised as if you were to judge the book upon its cover you would think it as being a lovely, nice, cosy read all of the time. I thought Laura Kemp wrote about the issue extremely well and I felt every bit of Annie’s anxiety, fear and unease but also her sense of courage and determination shone through too.
I loved the storyline that allowed Spike and his son Arthur to feature as it gave Annie a sense of purpose and also the grit and tenacity to face what has been threatening her in order to move on with her life and find happiness. I thought she was brave when she tried to make amends with Wanda and even though it took a bit of time theirs was friendship that could not be left lingering in the doldrums rather it was one where they were a great pair who could both help each other move forward and deal with unresolved trauma.

Lew featured to a lesser extent and to be honest I really wanted more of him. I felt he was very elusive and kept things close to his chest. He too was there the night of the fire but then had never came back to Gobaith until now. He is back to set up a hostel of sorts for walkers and mountain climbers. But I sensed as with Wanda and Annie he was clinging on to pain and until all their wounds and scars had been reopened could the trio ever move forward and find the happiness they so desperately deserved?

Overall I really enjoyed Under a Starry Sky, it gave me a lot more than I had bargained for and there was some real depth and emotion to both the characters and the plot. Yes, there was some repetition at times, I think I knew fairly early on that Wanda had a mountain to climb and that she still felt so guilty about everything, I didn’t need to be kept reminded of this several times over. She was slightly frustrating too as in she could never make her mind up as to whether to go off on her adventure. I know she had commitments but as these were being resolved she was still so indecisive. I did think the book was just that little bit too long and shortening it a little bit with just some more action or exciting events would have made it truly brilliant. But aside from those little issues I am once again reminded why I fell in love with Laura Kemps’s writing last year and Under a Starry Sky is a lovely story perfect for your summer reading.

This is a nice gentle easy read. The location, set in remote Wales was idyllic, and somewhere that I would certainly enjoy visiting.
The cast of characters were good, it was great to read about how the villagers all rallied round to help. The writing was very descriptive and realistic.
Athough Wanda was the main protagonist, I felt that Annie was just as much a main character, and her story was more interesting.
This is an enjoyable read, and I am looking forward to reading more books by Laura Kemp. I have also read and enjoyed her previous books. Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

I was enchanted by this story, completely addicted and absorbed from the start. It’s such a great, happy read. Full of Fun, it’s heartwarming, it has loss, love, friendship and family. Full of lovely characters who each add their own special additions to the story. The writing has a lovely ease of style to it, almost comforting and the romance wasn’t as much the focus as I expected, but the characters and the camp are the story here. Lovely heartwarming read.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

What a beautiful, lovely written book. It is set in Wales, which is different from the usual areas of Devon and Cornwall. It has a great story, some wonderful characters and romance.

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my netgalley copy to review .

I love Laura both as a person and a author, she always gives me that bit of welsh totty i need .

She is a beautiful writer and storyteller who with her descriptive words transports the reader to another place.

You always know you are in for a treat with her books And i always enjoy them.

This book is packed with warmth,humor,tragedy,'loss,friendship and love. Fantastic characters who all bring their own chapters to the story.

It captures the essence of endings and new beginnings if you are brave enough.

I wish her every success with this book.

Published 9th july

Wanda Williams has always dreamed of travelling the world, however, every time she was ready to departure and leave home, something wrong happened, keeping her in Wales. This time, when she’s about to travel, she discovers that her family business, the campsite, is in tatters and in financial troubles, so there is no other option for her, she must – again! – postpone the trip and try to put the campsite back on the track. But then not one, but two faces from Wanda’s past return to Gobaith, faces that she hoped she’ll never see again, and her life is turned upside down – what will she do? Escape or stay?

There is a vast array of characters in the book but it is totally easy to follow all of them, I have never felt confused. It is a community – centred story and all the characters support each other in a lovely, not too forced way, and all of them have their own story to tell and they play a huge and important part in the village’s life. The author has brilliantly captured the lovely sense of community here.

The blurb mentions Wanda, so Annie’s side of the story was a bonus point. However, personally, I think that it was Annie that really has stolen the show, there was much more depth to her history and background, and Wanda’s felt, in comparison, a bit flat and it started to be repetitive, whereas Annie’s tale was living and breathing. Nevertheless, don’t you worry, both stories are emotional rollercoaster journey, full of ups and downs, and sometimes you’ll feel like on a real rollercoaster, feeling your heart in your mouth, such poignant and moving are some of the events and things that happened in their lives. Maybe prepare a tissue or two, just to be on the safe side.

The descriptions were absolutely gorgeous and well, yes, I used to go camping, and even though now I’d rather go “hoteling”, the book made me feel nostalgic. The setting was wonderful, a perfect place to spent a few days, with the lakes, mountain that is not a mountain, food… I am really ready for my holidays after reading this book.

The writing style is so easy and approachable, and the storytelling is flowing effortlessly. The dialogues are natural and close to life and the banter between the characters is so real. I liked the interactions between Wanda’s family, and I loved seeing the campsite coming back to life, and the comments about it at the beginning of each chapter were priceless.

As much as I loved this book, there were things that didn’t sit with me so well and I have to mention them, apologies. I think that the book could be much shorter, cutting out some of the descriptions would do it really good as it slowed the pace down and the story felt too repetitive. The plot was crying out for more action and events – I loved the starry skies and the gorgeous setting but I wanted more, I wanted the plot to speed forward. And I also missed this brilliant and dry Laura Kemp’s humour, to be honest, I was really looking forward towards it.

“Under a Starry Sky” was a real escape, comforting and easy to read. While I liked other Laura Kemp’s novels better, I still really enjoyed it, as it was a beautiful, emotional read. There were some twists and turns and the characters really grew on me, I felt a part of their lives. And it was everything that I have expected from this book and from this author, a lovely and uplifting story, a perfect read for a summery evening.

An excellent story that made me smile and root for the characters. It's well written, engrossing and entertaining.
The story-line and the characters are great.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was a lovely, warm, romantic, comforting escape of a story. I fell in love with Gobaith and the campsite under the starry skies of Wales, the mountain, the lake and the feel of the place. And I finished the book and immediately started planning my next camping holiday, just hoping I can find somewhere as magical as Wanda's campsite.

Although the blurb to this book talks about Wanda, I felt this book was as much about Annie, her childhood friend who returns to the village. And personally, I enjoyed Annie's perspective more and felt more engaged in her story and her romance. I really felt for her and her battles with her past. I felt Wanda's journey stalled a little, and became a little bit repetitive whereas Annie's growth was more satisfying. That said, I did love Wanda and her get things done approach.

And I also loved the whole cast of characters in the village. I have a special place in my heart for Blod and for the adorable Spike and Arthur. This is the kind of book where you feel you've made friends as you read it, and by the end it's hard to say goodbye.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book! I liked how it featured many different characters stories. I loved Wanda and Annie. I’m glad that everything became clear in the end and they got what they deserved.

Really good read. Would recommend to friends and family. I could sympathise with characters (important for any fiction novel!) and looked forward to picking it up and reading the next few chapters! Interesting plot line and a good ending. Will look out for more novels by the author. Thank you.

Loved this book. Wonderful setting and realistic overview of running a business. Engaging characters with lists of unfortunate history but lots of friendship and romance all wrapped up in a delightful tale.