Set in Newfoundland, this light romantic comedy might be just the thing if you’re looking for pandemic escapism that is not demanding. It starts out very funny and ends up a bit banal (maybe because the author is used to writing flash fiction), but even so, the story is pleasant enough and the setting quite soothing. The charm of Newfoundland coves, small town life, and a tight knit community are undeniable. Damhnait (pronounced Downith) does communicate a love for place and its people–perfect for armchair travel (all we can do at the moment), which I think explains many of the five star reviews this book has received.
The title says it all. A new teacher has “come from away” to teach in a Catholic school in Little Cove, a tiny fishing village, and everything is challenging for her. She finds threatening anonymous notes on her windshield to ‘go home to the mainland’ and wonders if she will ever fit in and learn the local ways and language. As Rachel begins to bond with her students, her feelings for Doug, a fellow teacher, also begin to grow. Rachel tries to ignore her emotions because Doug is in a long-distance relationship with his high school sweetheart. Or is he? Eventually, Rachel’s beliefs clash with church and community, and she makes a decision that throws her career into jeopardy. In trying to help a student, has she gone too far?
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