Cornish Clouds and Silver Lining Skies by Ali McNamara – Book review

By Kimberly Foreman

Genre: Contemporary romance / magical realism

With summer drawing to a close, I thought this book — Cornish Clouds and Silver Lining Skies by Ali McNamara — was the perfect way to bring the season to an end. Think summer storms over pretty Cornish beaches, quaint towns with red and white bunting hanging everywhere, and a castle on an island, which can only be reached when the tide is out (unless you row yourself over)!

Sky Matthews, a well-known meteorologist, is sent to the small Cornish village of St Felix to monitor the strange weather patterns which have been plaguing the villagers recently. She’s not sure what she will find as she settles into the castle on the tidal island of Aurora for the summer months. But what she really doesn’t expect is to start falling for the charismatic weatherman (Jamie) who’s sent to help her with her meteorological studies. Even stranger than that are the messages she starts getting from the skies — strange shapes in the clouds — and it’s almost as if the heavens are trying to tell her something.

When Sky and Jamie stumble upon a secret cave on the island, they start following clues…not just from the clouds above, but from the locals in St Felix too. With their dogs in tow and another meteorologist, Talia, they try to solve the mystery surrounding the village.

But can Sky and Jamie uncover what’s really going on before their time on Aurora is over? And will their hearts discover something else in the process?

This book has convinced me I need to go to Cornwall one day! It all sounds so picturesque — an English coastal paradise. Cornish Clouds and Silver Lining Skies is like an adult version of The Famous Five by Enid Blyton. Hidden tunnels and smugglers, adventure and a little bit of romance thrown into the mix — what’s not to love?

I also appreciated the way McNamara portrays Sky’s ME, particularly through her flare-ups and the way they affect her everyday life. It felt like a thoughtful way of raising awareness of a condition that is often misunderstood.

This was a heartwarming and wholesome story and definitely a five-star read.

Read this book if you enjoyed Seven Summers by Paige Toon!

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