A Secret Cornish Wish by Ali McNamaraSynopsis: “What if one summer could change your life? For Frankie and her five best friends growing up on the glorious beaches of Cornwall’s St Felix, life couldn’t get any better. Late one night, the friends discover an old box washed up on the shores and they learn the tale of the St Felix mermaid who grants wishes to those who find her treasure. Even though they know it’s just Cornish folklore, the friends decide to make a wish for what they each want out of life – most importantly, they want to always be together . . . Over the course of the next few decades, as weddings, funerals, birthdays and more bring the friends back together, lost loves, broken promises and buried secrets just as quickly tear them apart. But when they reunite one last time in St Felix, will it be for good? And will their wishes finally be revealed?”

 My Review

This was a enjoyable contemporary fiction, peppered with magical realism, by an author that I’ve only read once before. I loved Joanne’s review and bought a kindle copy when it was only 99p.

As the synopsis above states it’s set in the fictional Cornish town of St. Felix, and follows Frankie and her friends through the decades, from 1989 to 2024.

I enjoyed getting to know Frankie, Mandy, Suzy, Eddie, Claire and Rob and following  them as they grew up and as life threw different things at them. They tried to stay in contact with one another but we all know it’s not that easy unless you really make the effort to keep in touch. Of course it’s much easier now with WhatsApp and social media, but back in the 80s it wasn’t so simple.

I loved all the culture references throughout the book, especially as one of the characters is really into technology and hints at what’s to come with something called Email and the internet.

I loved the magic realism which was subtle, but great fun. There’s also a ‘will they won’t they’ romance that I really hoped would work out between two of the friends. As well as the fun and romance there are also some very sad and serious moments, making it feel like the characters were real people.

I loved spending time in St. Felix, so will definitely look out for the author’s other books set there.

Book 16 of 20 Books of Summer 2024