Samphire Coast

A real magical mystery tour of Roberts journey through life and his pre-ordained arrival to the 18th century B&B heap - Holly Lodge, set in rural North Norfolk.The highs and lows of turning this bedraggled building into the best B&B/Guesthouse in the British Isles.Upping sticks from his glam London lifestyle as a leading fashion designer,following a dream alongside partner Mike and eventually Barnaby Boo their adorable whippet.Their story will have you howling with laughter one minute and crying buckets the next,willing them to carry on and fulfill that dream.The renovation itself was a total nightmare yet alone the BLACKLISTED guests and the dreaded Hotel Inspectors,moments of utter despair and loss of a loved one (which many of us can relate to) but still having to find the strength to keep smiling and cary on.I howled with laughter reading the piece about the photo shoot in the garden and the total shock and horror experienced by the local WI lady , upon opening the gate , was tranfsfixed by a scene of semi-nude models draped around the pond!Anyone who has visited this part of the country will appreciate Rob's description of the beautiful wild Norfolk landscape and the peace it resonates.We(myself,husband Paul and cocker spaniel Meg) were lucky enough to have the pleasure of meeting Rob,Mike and Barnaby Boo whilst staying in one of their holiday lets (their new venture) a truly magical cottage. They made us so welcome and feel truly blessed with the lifestyle in which they worked so hard to achieve.Anyone who needs a lift, a laugh and a little weep read this book.

I loved this book! It brought back memories of visiting the truly lovely North Norfolk coast and my years in hotels and catering, so I could relate a great deal to what the author writes about. Samphire Coast follows the colourful story of Robert and his partner Mike as they up sticks from their home in London, dreaming of a better life for themselves by the sea and creating an upscale b&b. They accomplish both with great aplomb and success. Before long they transform a somewhat unloved and slightly spooky house into a stunning home and business, all the time falling deeper in love with their new environment. The b&b achieves heady heights, scooping up plaudits and awards and the book takes you with them and their adorable dog Barnaby Boo on their rollercoaster journey. It's quite a romp, there are plenty of chuckles en route but sadness too as Robert writes frankly about his painful childhood and it becomes apparent that this journey is one of healing too. I can't imagine anyone not enjoying this charming and delightful book. If you remember Peter Mayle's Year in Provence and subsequent books, I would say this sits in that genre.

Just finished reading this book, and I enjoyed every minute. Apparently it is the author's first book - and it was such a joy to read! The author Robert comes over as a really lovely and fun guy - his personality shines through. The way he describes him and his partner Mike, taking a chance, moving up from London to a place they'd never been to before - falling in love with the area - and creating a wonderful place to stay - really tempts you to follow suit. Take a chance in life and try something completely different! And the way he has described North Norfolk, it is now down as a place I'd like to visit real soon, it's not somewhere I'd even thought of visiting before this book! But after reading the author's description - it just sounds amazing... I'm sure this book will do well, it is full of charm, with many parts funny, and some sad - it has the full range of life going on between it's covers. Please write your next one soon, can't wait to read it!!

Samphire Coast was a very entertaining read. I bought it before actually going on holiday to the North Norfolk coast and used a lot of the information in the book to give us ideas for our stay. I would also recommend it to anyone thinking of opening a B & B as there is a lot Robert and his partner approached their new venture with boundless enthusiasm and, very importantly, a great sense of humour. Read it and enjoy!

This book is many things, an autobiography, a travel guide, a tale of love... all in one. I really enjoyed this glimpse of what it took to Robert and his partner Mike to turn their place into the very top B&B of England. This is a book that I read with Post-it notes at the ready to mark all the beautiful and worth visiting places mentioned . Be aware that you will be heading out to Norfolk as soon as you finish it!

I wanted to love this because it has seaside and a whippet in it, and I love both. However, the writing style was distracting and uncomfortable for me. I never 'lost myself' in the book. It was hard going.

We stayed at Robert’s place in Salthouse just before lockdown. We saw this book and bought it as wanted to learn more about their venture! You won’t be disappointed! It’s a rollercoaster of emotions! So many funny stories. Perfect feel good lockdown reading!

What can I say? I really loved this book and read it all in one go, I couldn't put it down. I would really recommend it to people who love Norfolk and love a good story. I can't wait to read his next book. I'll be following Robert's career as a writer and a designer with much interest. He has so much talent and I can't wait to see what he gets up to next. Best wishes to Robert, Mike and Barnaby!