ABANDONED. book by a C19th author about a couple who open a guest house by the sea. The story is about all their regular guests similar to Paying Guests by EF Benson.

[Katherine]

Their guests include 2 girls who like to swim and a plain bespectacled girl and her fiancée who like to play golf.

They run the business successfully with recurring guests but then an aristocratic neighbour induces them to have her friend to stay. They are gratified at first but he is so awkward that he upsets the happy routine of their other guests most of whom leave and they have to shut down the business.

I read this book around 2016 but it’s by a C19th author. I wish I could remember who wrote it or what it’s called. It’s not Paying Guests by EF Benson but along similar lines.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

What's the tone? Quirky, comedic, wry, dry, dramatic, satirical, etc.?
Remember the cover?

[Katherine]

I don’t remember the cover, sadly. I did wonder if it might be a Persephone book (greycover) as I read a lot of these but I’m not at all sure.

I would say the book had a gently satirical tone.

[Kris]

Katherine, please post a new comment if you're still looking for this book - or if you found it.

Katherine (OP) was last active on the site in September 2019. Moving to Abandoned folder.