The Gin Shack On The Beach - Catherine Miller || Netgalley Review

You’re never too old to try something new!

 When octogenarian Olive Turner is persuaded by her son to move into a retirement home, she congratulates herself on finding the secret to an easy life: no washing up, cooking or cleaning. But Olive isn’t one for mindless bingo with her fellow residents, and before the first day is over she's already hatching a plan to escape back to her beloved beach hut and indulge in her secret passion for a very good gin & tonic.

 Before long Olive’s secret is out and turning into something wonderful and new. Only a select few are invited, but word spreads quickly about the weekly meetings of The Gin Shack Club. Soon everybody on the beach wants to become a gin connoisseur and join Olive on her journey to never being forced to grow older than you feel.

 A journey of friendship, defiance and a quest for the perfect G&T.

Review

Sometimes the search for the perfect G&T can lead you to all sorts of places. The Beach, The Retirement home or even the bar. Olive is a larger than life, gin loving, sea dipping elder who is persuaded by her son to move into a retirement home and despite beileveing he had it wrong, maybe Olive has found the key to an easy life after all - she doesn't have to cook, clean or wash up and has a wonderful view of the coastline.

The only downside is she can't visit her beloved beach hut - that has never stopped Olive though, she is already working out the best way to get down to the beach for her gin ( a woman after my own heart ) With the help of her new found friends it isn't long before more than Olive want in on the action. What starts as something small for a bit of fun leads us into all sorts of situations.

The Gin Shack On The Beach is a full of life and zesty read perfect whilst sampling a G&T. Olive is a wonderful character - alot older than the MC i usually read about but had me laughing out loud, she is the sort of woman that everyone wants to be friends with no matter what the age. She has a wonderful group of friends around her, each as mischievous as the others.

Her son however was a different kettle of fish, and i felt for a while he was cold, selfish and beileved his mum was past it - yet as i spent time getting to know him my feelings changed, i think he just hadn't spent time learning about his mum instead just focusing on what he felt was right and wrong. Matron was a whole other ballpark and if i start my thoughts on her ill never finish.

The narrative was steadily paced, and was filled with moments of warmth, love and drama. Gin, we cannot forget to mention the wondrous gin - as soon as i started this i was craving a gin & hit up the pub in search of my own perfect G&T - im not quite there yet, but i am enjoying Sipsmith and fever tree tonic (in case you wondered!)

I would whole heartily recommend a visit to the Gin Shack and i cannot wait to stop by for Christmas. 

Rating

5/5

Author Info

When Catherine Miller became a mum to twins, she decided her hands weren't full enough so wrote a novel with every spare moment she managed to find. By the time the twins were two, Catherine had a two-book deal with Carina UK. There is a possibility she has aged remarkably in that time. Her debut novel, Waiting For You, came out in March 2016, and her latest, All That is Left of Us, is out now.

Catherine was a NHS physiotherapist, but for health reasons (Uveitis and Sarcoidosis) she retired early from this career. As she loved her physiotherapy job, she decided if she couldn't do that she would pursue her writing dream. It took a few years and a couple of babies, but in 2015 she won the Katie Fforde bursary, was a finalist in the London Book Fair Write Stuff Competition and highly commended in Woman magazine's writing competition. Soon afterwards she signed with Carina. Soon after that, she collapsed in a heap and was eventually revived by chocolate.

Purchase Here