What a lovely surprise this little novel turned out to be! Warm escapist fiction with enough literary references to satisfy anyone who appreciates the written word. Those who follow my blog will know that romance is not my usual genre of choice, but I found this book ticked all the boxes for me just now. It made me escape into the charming Devon village of Middlemass for a time.

Though as with most romance fiction, I knew from the onset that things would end on a positive note, the journey was an enjoyable one with characters that were easily imagined and extremely sympathetic. Jess Metcalfe was a woman whom I would like to meet, so living her life for a few hours was indeed a pleasure. Her charming picture-postcard cottage, her new friends, her handsome neighbour Aidan, and even her two kittens made for a welcome escapist read. The author even references one of my childhood favourite books “Tom’s Midnight Garden” and my favourite classic “Jane Eyre“.

This romance novel contains themes of starting over, overcoming insecurities, forging friendships, community spirit, and of course the healing power of books.

Highly recommended to those readers who want to get away from real life for awhile, especially those who are ardent book lovers.

This review was written voluntarily and my rating was in no way influenced by the fact that I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from Avon/Harper Collins via NetGalley.
ISBN: 9780063216938 — ASIN: B09FLR5W3H— 336 pages
Publication Date: July 19, 2022
Poppy Alexander (pseudonym for Sarah Waights) wrote her first book when she was five. There was a long gap in her writing career while she was at school, and after studying classical music at university, she decided the world of music was better off without her and took up public relations, campaigning, political lobbying, and a bit of journalism instead. She takes an anthropological interest in family, friends, and life in her West Sussex village (think The Archers crossed with Twin Peaks), where she lives with her husband, children, and various other pets.

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