The Sea Gate

Jane Johnson

Nov 2020 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this eBook

A broken family, a house of secrets—an entrancing tale of love and courage set during the Second World War.

After Rebecca’s mother dies, she must sort through her empty flat and come to terms with her loss. As she goes through her mother’s mail, she finds a handwritten envelope. In it is a letter that will change her life forever.

Olivia, her mother’s elderly cousin, needs help to save her beloved home. Rebecca immediately goes to visit Olivia in Cornwall only to find a house full of secrets—treasures in the attic and a mysterious tunnel leading from the cellar to the sea, and Olivia, nowhere to be found.

As it turns out, the old woman is stuck in hospital with no hope of being discharged until her house is made habitable again. Rebecca sets to work restoring the home to its former glory, but as she peels back the layers of paint and grime, she uncovers even more buried secrets—secrets from a time when the Second World War was raging, when Olivia was a young woman, and when both romance and danger lurked around every corner...

A sweeping and utterly spellbinding tale of a young woman’s courage in the face of war and the lengths to which she’ll go to protect those she loves against the most unexpected of enemies.

Ratings and reviews

Who is cousin Olivia? Rebecca remembered visiting her a few times when she was a child, but her mother didn’t mention her too often. Finding letters from cousin Olivia addressed to her mother pleading for help had Rebecca on her way to Olivia’s house. What a mess she found. The house was in shambles, Olivia wasn’t there, her finances were very bad, and Rebecca finds a hidden tunnel in the basement which had been used during the war along with other secrets from WWII. We go back and forth from present day to 1943 and find out about Olivia...she is some character. The bird she has is even more upsetting than what Rebecca found out about Olivia. It took a few chapters to get into the book, but it’s worth the wait. I loved all the secrets of the house and Olivia’s life, and I loved Rebecca’s perseverance. THE SEA GATE has great characters, pull-you-in writing, and a story line that will keep you turning the pages to a marvelous revelation of the secrets and an unraveling of Olivia and her life. 4/5 This book was given to me by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson takes readers to Cornwall where Becky Young sets out to help her elderly relative, Olivia Kitto. It is a dual timeline novel that takes readers from the present day back to World War II. I thought The Sea Gate was well-written with developed characters and a complex storyline. The author is extremely detailed in her descriptions. While this allows readers to visualize the scenes, I did find it to be too much information because it greatly slowed down the pacing of the story (needed a better balance). I liked how the past storyline provided details on Olivia and what happened in the house. World War II was a dangerous time in Cornwall. There was fear that the Germans would try to invade and there was the constant threat of bombings. The mystery was quite intriguing and multifaceted. There were some unique characters in this story. Olivia is a cantankerous woman who has been shaped by the past. She is quite a character along with her parrot, Gabriel. I liked seeing Becky develop as the book progressed. The ending nicely wrapped up the novel. There is foul language as well as intimate situations in the novel. The Sea Gate has a mysterious artist, beautiful paintings, a lovely bracelet, a hidden tunnel, and much more. A few little tweaks, and The Sea Gate would have been a home run for me. The Sea Gate is a fascinating story about courage, secrets, war, forbidden love, danger, and perilous secrets.

About the author

Jane Johnson is a novelist, historian, and publisher. She is the UK publisher of many bestselling authors, including George R.R. Martin. She has written for both adults and children, including the bestselling novels The Tenth Gift and The Salt Road. Jane is married to a Berber chef she met while climbing in Morocco. She divides her time between London, Cornwall, and the Anti-Atlas Mountains. Connect with her on Twitter @JaneJohnsonBakr, on Facebook @Jane-Johnson-Writer, on Instagram @JaneJohnsonBakrim, or visit her website at JaneJohnsonBooks.com.