Coming Home to Sturcombe Bay by Susanne McCarthy
published 4 June 2025
PUBLISHER: Joffe Books
FOMAT: Digital
PAGES: 275
Find the book on Amazon, Goodreads and Storygraph
🌟 Review Note:
This review is provided as part of the Virtual Book Tour hosted by Zooloo’s Book Tours which runs 4 – 10 June 2025. Follow along, with the Book Tour Schedule. Thank you to the author Susanne McCarthy, publisher Joffe Books and, of course Zooloo’s Book Tours for including me on this book tour and for providing a copy of the digital edition of this new novel to read and review.
I am already keen to read the next in this series!
As always, this review reflects my honest thoughts.
About the book
They were never truly over — and this time love might just get it right.
After ten years of globe-trotting, Cassie Channing returns to Sturcombe Bay to care for her ailing grandmother. Only to find herself face-to-face with Liam Ellis — the man she once loved and left behind.
A devoted single dad and vet, Liam has moved on since the day Cassie left, or so he tells himself. But the moment she steps back into the village, old feelings come rushing back.
Liam’s determined to keep his distance — but the spark between them is impossible to ignore. And, as Cassie settles into village life and grows close to his daughter, staying away gets harder.
The more time Cassie and Liam spend together, the more the heat between them intensifies — but so do the unresolved tensions from the past.
With Cassie’s flight booked to leave in six weeks, they both must decide if the love they never really got over is worth a second chance.
About the Author
I’m a Londoner, though I haven’t lived there for many years. But if you’re born a Londoner you’re always a Londoner. And what could be better than growing up in London in the 60s? The clubs, the live music, the shops – all now passed into legend.
I got fed up with school and left before taking my A levels. Over the next few years I had lots of jobs – measuring fabric in Jones and Higgins in Peckham, cleaning chalets at Butlins Bognor Regis, even a short stint in the Civil Service. Then I decided it was time to grow up, so I went to Liverpool to train as a teacher. I loved life at University, but I wasn’t so keen on teaching, so I switched to adult education, which suited me fine.
Shortly after I met my husband we moved to Shropshire, where we lived on the side of a hill with a series of rescued Afghan Hounds, a couple of small terriers, some cats, some birds, some fish, and an iguana called Spike.
A few years ago we decided to move to Devon. My husband is a Devonian, and had always wanted to come home. And me… I wanted to live near the sea. So now we are settled here in South Devon, a twenty minute stroll from the beach. And I love it!
Susanne’s Social Media
X / Twitter: @McCarthySusanne
Instagram: @susannemccarthyauthor
Website: susannemccarthy.com
My Five Star Review
If book one was a warm hug in story form, then book two felt like coming back to that same cosy embrace—only this time, with an even deeper sense of comfort and belonging.
I adored Coming Home to Sturcombe Bay just as much as A Fresh Start at Bramble Cottage. In fact, reading the two books back-to-back made the whole experience even more special. I’d been saving the first book on my TBR for a while, and I’m so glad I waited. It felt like stepping into a familiar village where everyone knows your name, and the kettle is always on.
Susanne McCarthy has a writing style that’s both gentle and emotionally rich. Her descriptions are so vivid and immersive that I genuinely felt like I was there—standing on the clifftops, wandering through the village, or curled up in a cosy cottage with the scent of sea salt and home baking in the air. She paints the setting with such affection that Sturcombe Bay feels like a real place—one I’d move to in a heartbeat.
What really shines in this story is the kindness and quiet strength of the characters. There’s a real sense of community—of people looking out for one another, even through misunderstandings and heartaches. The plot itself is sweet, emotional, and full of moments that made me smile. It’s a story about second chances, finding where you belong, and the kind of love that creeps up on you when you least expect it.
Coming Home to Sturcombe Bay is the kind of book that leaves your heart just a little lighter than it was before. Uplifting, tender, and beautifully written. I was genuinely sad to leave this world behind when I turned the final page.
Here’s hoping there’s more to come from this delightful seaside village, because I am already missing Sturcombe Bay and its lovely cast of characters. 💖🏡🌊
This review may also appear on my social media and selected book platforms. All links are correct at the time of posting.
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