Katie May – Steph's Book Blog

About the Book

THE WHITSTABLE HIGH TIDE SWIMMING CLUB is a serialized novel told in three parts – taking you through a year in the life of Deb (ageing bikini, sunglasses) and Maisie (black wetsuit, swimming shoes, goggles) and the other high tide swimmers. This is Part Two.
Deb has finally cut her feckless husband loose, but in many other ways her life is spiralling out of control. With no home, no money, and a chaotic love life, she finds an unusual way to keep both body and soul together.
She’s not even sure of her friendship with Maisie anymore. But there’s still something that bonds the two women together: their determination to stop anyone building on their beloved West Beach. And yet, as they begin to mount their protest, they find themselves threatened and ridiculed, and must fall back on every ounce of their resourcefulness to keep going.
What would they do without the High Tide Swimming Club, whose intrigues, dramas and escapades keep them afloat in troubled waters?

My Review

When I read the first part of this trilogy a few months ago I was surprised how much I liked it and I have been waiting impatiently ever since for part two. I placed it on pre -order and it arrived on my kindle on publication day.
It picks up exactly where it left off. The fight has increased between the developers and the swimming club regarding the building of bars and restaurants on the quieter area of the beach that the friends use. After a debate on the local radio station the knives are out between the local MP and Deb who refuses to back down.
But Maisie has other things on her mind and can’t give her full commitment to the fight. When she confides in Deb though she realises that she has more help than she thought.Deb’s life is still in a downturn, she needs somewhere to live and a job, has a very ungrateful daughter and a relationship that everybody else feels is unsuitable.
It is about as far removed from my usual choice of fiction as you can get and if it had been published in the usual format I probably wouldn’t have even noticed it. But the power of social media in regards to the publishing world brought it to my attention. It is a novel that makes you feel good about the world while you are reading it. There is the fight to protect what is important but it is all light-hearted. There is also poignancy and I feel that in part three I may need tissues. I hope I don’t have to wait long to read it.

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About the Book

In the gorgeous seaside town of Whitstable, broken-hearted Deb begins to swim each day and gathers a new group of friends around her. But can the magic of sea heal the hurt of the past? Or will family ties drag her underwater again?
A heart-warming, funny and poignant story of romance, friendship and second chances. It’s also a song to the author’s home town of Whitstable, where the sea is smooth, the shingle is painful on bare feet, and the air is full of possibilities.

My Review

The Whitstable High Tide Swimming Club – Diving In is the first part of a trilogy that will be released over the next few months. I have only ever seen something like this once before and liked the idea then.
After reading this delightful novella I am eagerly looking forward to part two. I liked Debs very much, and had a lot of sympathy for her and the way she felt she was treated by her estranged husband and adult children. I can see some great friendships form between all the women, even though they don’t initially have much in common. Part one focused mainly on Debs and Marcie, I feel that each of the women will be focused on in the rest of the series. One of them I wasn’t keen on but if we do get to know more about her later my feeling may change.
It’s not an area I know but I could picture it clearly. A quieter area of a seaside town that has the usual beach huts and bars that the little club wanted to protect. They all get pleasure from the club and all use it for different reasons.
There is poignancy and loneliness, humour and loss. And an overwhelming unity to keep the club going. Bring on Part Two.
With thanks for the publisher for the copy received for review.

Cocktail Hour

Cocktail inspired by The Whitstable High Tide Swimming Club from Katie May.

My Instagram feed is testimony to the fact that I’m a bit of a cocktail fiend. Here is a cocktail to sip while you read.
West Beach Martini
A fragrant dry martini that reminds me of the beach in high summer.
50 ml gin (I love Bombay Sapphire in this)
I tsp white vermouth
1 strip orange zest
1 sprig rosemary
1 pinch sea salt

Half-fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
Add all the ingredients, crushing the rosemary between your fingers as you put it in (this releases the oils).
Shake very well, and strain into a martini glass.
Garnish with another shred of orange zest, or an olive

28775 Whitstable blog tour landscape