First Line Fridays: Set the Stars Alight by Amanda Dykes

How long has it been since I last did one of these posts, months? I know. 

I'm featuring a book which has been getting a lot of popular acclaim recently. I've got to confess, I picked it out on Netgalley because of the blurb. 

 Lucy Clairmont's family treasured the magic of the past, and her childhood fascination with stories of the high seas led her to become a marine archaeologist. But when tragedy strikes, it's Dashel, an American forensic astronomer, and his knowledge of the stars that may help her unearth the truth behind the puzzle she's discovered in her family home.

Two hundred years earlier, the seeds of love are sown between a boy and a girl who spend their days playing in a secret sea cave, while the privileged young son of the estate looks on, wishing to join. As the children grow and war leads to unthinkable heartbreak, a story of love, betrayal, sacrifice, and redemption unfolds, held secret by the passage of time.

As Lucy and Dash journey to a mysterious old estate on the East Sussex coast, their search leads them to a community of souls and a long-hidden tale that may hold the answers--and the healing--they so desperately seek.

  

I have relatives who live in East Sussex and quite a strong familial connection to the county. Which can be a bit of a double edged sword, because if a book inaccurately describes a place you know (especially a place that is close to your heart) it can be annoying. 

So far, thankfully it's all OK. I don't know that particular area too well, and can't see any howlers.

So my first line today is from Chapter 16. 

So there we are, its from where I am in the book (or the audiobook). 

Once again, do join in and comment with your own First Line, or click the Meme to see what others are reading.