The Guestbook by Holly Martin: Annie Butterworth has gone through a lot in her young life. She was in love with two men in her life, brothers. Unsure of who 
she would pick or even how she would pick one, the men and the community even would laugh and say they ought to go move somewhere where they could all get married and it wouldn’t be abnormal. The choice was taken out of Annie’s hands though and she married her Nick. While she loved him, he was taken from her. So what does she do? Opens up a little B&B and dreams of a man she shouldn’t be dreaming of.
The story takes the reader through the happenings at Willow Cottage. Using an interesting writing style of back and forth through the cottage’s guest book readers are granted a look at the different comings and goings of the tenants.
Ms. Martin’s writing allows us to see different perspectives on the main story characters and reveal a depth within them while still keeping the readers in the dark about their overall purpose. This is not a writing style I’m very familiar with and does take some getting used to, but leads to an entirely different take on the story.
Book Info:
Publication: February 14th 2014 by Carina (Harlequin)
Welcome to Willow Cottage – throw open the shutters, let in the sea breeze and make yourself completely at home. Oh, and please do leave a comment in the Guestbook!
As landlady of Willow Cottage, the young widow Annie Butterworth is always on hand with tea, sympathy or strong Norfolk cider – whatever her colourful array of guests require. A flick through the messages in the leather-bound cottage guestbook gives a tantalizing glimpse into the lives of everyone who passes through her doors.
This includes Annie herself – especially now celebrity crime writer Oliver Black, is back in town. He might grace the covers of gossip magazines with a different glamorous supermodel draped on his arm every week, but to Annie, he’s always just been Olly, the man who Annie shared her first kiss with.
Through the pages of the Guestbook Annie and Olly, along with all the guests that arrive at the seaside retreat, struggle with love, loss, mystery, joy, happiness, guilt…and the odd spot of naked rambling!
Forget sending postcards saying ‘wish you were here’ – one visit to Willow Cottage and you’ll wish you could stay forever
