More of a novella than an actual novel, and unfortunately - like most of Rosamunde Pilcher's novellas - neither very realistic nor very engaging. I think Rosamunde Pilcher meant for this to be a quick, feel-good read, but while she definitely succeeded with the former, it was less so with the latter...
I can't remember why it didn't grab me, but it seemed thin compared to my favorites: The Shell Seekers, September, and Coming Home.