The Cockles of Your Heart

On a beautiful September weekend, on the quiet coastal resort of Merebank, Amelia is about to get married in The Portland Arms; her family's luxurious hotel. No expense has been spared for this exciting event on the Merebank calendar. Everything has been planned to precision by Amelia's mum, Bryony, and it seems that this fairytale occasion is going to be on everyone's lips for many years to come. Unfortunately, however, for all the wrong reasons. Hundreds of inexperienced fishermen arrive to take advantage of the newly opened cockle beds in the bay and cause chaos getting in and out of Merebank. Very quickly, two naïve cockle pickers go missing at sea and all hell breaks loose. Meanwhile, Mother of the Bride, Bryony, is planning to sail off into the sunset with Greg, her long-term lover, and leave Colin (her poor, completely unaware and very inebriated husband). But her plans backfire when she blurts out a closely guarded secret that rocks everyone's world, including her daughter's. Tom and Sharon are visiting Merebank for the day, in the hope of spending some quality family time together with their young boys. Struggling to come to terms with Tom's recent redundancy they need all the strength and support they can find. But, sadly, this isn't to be. Tom's bad luck seems to be on a roll and he quickly rues the decision to go to the seaside. Will Amelia's wedding day be scarred forever as Bryony's confession ricochets around the hotel? Will Tom's bad luck ever improve? Will the cockle pickers be found? Discover all this and much more in this addictive, exciting contemporary novel that tests even the strongest of friendships and family relationships.