Christmas on Lily Pond Lane by Emily Harvale

Christmas on Lily Pond Lane

Emily Harvale

Rating: 4 stars

Amazon UK

Snow is falling in Little Pondale, lights are twinkling and the smell of pine trees and roasting chestnuts fills the air...

But Mia Ward is in a bit of a jam. She'd planned to rent out Corner Cottage for Christmas but thanks to her best friend, Ella Swann, it's double-booked. Now Mia's got to let one 'party' down, or find another cottage - fast.

Best friends and single mums, Cathy Cole and Christy Franks want their kids to have an old-fashioned Christmas. Ice-skating, carol singing, making decorations, and tobogganing are on their list of festive fun and Little Pondale is the perfect place. Especially as it has no mobile reception. That will make it harder for Cathy to be found.

City banker, Leo Hardman is wondering if renting a cottage for Christmas as an anniversary surprise for his parents, was such a good idea. Little Pondale may be where his parents met, but his mum doesn't seem pleased to be back, and his brother, Hal isn't happy that the village is so tiny and only has one pub.

Meanwhile, Jenny Lake is settling in at her cousin's bakery, having left her (broken) heart in Florence, but Christmas was never her favourite time of year. And Reverend Glen Fox has taken over at St Michael and All Angels. He's glad it's a temporary post because village life is not for him.

But luckily, for locals and visitors alike, there's a sleigh-load of Christmas magic heading for Lily Pond Lane; enough to put a spark in everyone's festive season. Although Christmas may not go quite as each of them has planned.

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I know this is probably the wrong time of year to be reading this particular type of novel, but I've been loving the Lily Pond Lane series so much that I simply didn't want the story to stop! I was a bit skeptical at first as to whether I would get into it, but once I got started I couldn't put it down! Once again I was drawn in. As always, the cover remains basically the same, but with little changes here and there. I love the bright red Christmas sky, the snow and of course all the pretty decorations! It all looks so festive and makes me want to visit a place like Little Pondale!

As always, the novels follow main characters Mia along with best friend Ella, mum Lori, neighbour Hettie and new boyfriend Jet. However, with this one we also read about some other characters point of view, such as Glen (the new vicar), Jenny (the new baker), Cathy (who was renting Corner Cottage for Christmas) and Leo (who ends up renting Sunbeam Cottage for Christmas). And as much as I loved reading about Glen and Jenny, I felt the storyline behind Cathy and Leo was a little bit rushed. If the novel had been a bit longer and it was drawn out over a space of time, I felt it would have been better, but it just kind of felt a bit rushed and all over the place.

I loved reading about Jenny's cakes and sweet treats and couldn't wait to see what love had in store for herself and for Glen. They seemed like such lovely people and I was hoping that everything turned out well for them. Hettie was another of my favourite characters and I'm pleased that she wasn't forgotten or left out of this Christmas novel - she has such a quirky nature that I love (even if I did suspect her in parts 1 to 4!!!). As I mentioned above, we also got to meet Cathy and Leo who both decided to visit Little Pondale for Christmas for different reasons. Cathy was escaping someone and Leo wanted to impress his mother and father. I just really felt that there was no build up to their relationship, I think they met about once and hardly spoke and after that they had fallen in love? Which is quite disappointing as I would have loved to have read more about their relationship building and growing.

I think, because of the Cathy and Leo storyline, that we didn't really get to read much about our other characters in the novel such as Ella and Gill. I'd love to read more about their relationship progressing, but I think Gill was mentioned once or twice and that's it - which is a shame as he was quite an important character in the last novella in the series. And I think maybe we didn't get to read too much about Mia either - and Mia's my favourite character!

As I say, it's a shame but at the same time it was nice to read about new members of the Little Pondale community. I loved the rest of the novel, just not Cathy and Leo's storylines as much! Which is why I could only rate this a 4 star, instead of the 5 I have usually given.

The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane, Part Four: Trick or Treat by Emily Harvale

The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane, Part Four: Trick or Treat

Emily Harvale

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

Escape to the seaside village of Little Pondale with Part Four of this heart-warming and romantic, four-part serial.

Mia Ward was amazed to inherit her great-aunt Matilda's thatched cottage in the tiny seaside village of Little Pondale - especially as Mia didn't know she had a great-aunt Matilda. She was even more astonished to discover she'd only inherit the place if she lives there for a year.

But a lot can happen in a very short time, and life in Little Pondale is not going quite as Mia hoped. She may have finally beaten one fear, but now heartbreak threatens to drown her.

And when at last, she starts to unravel the mystery of Matilda's past, she uncovers an extraordinary plan for her own future. Now just who can Mia trust?

As the nights draw in and cold winds steal through Sunbeam Cottage, she turns to an unlikely source for comfort and support. But with the fortune teller's warning still ringing in her ears, is Mia about to make the biggest mistake of her life?

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I'm nearing the end of the series now and I have to say I'm really disappointed that it's coming to an end! I've absolutely loved every part in this series and I love Emily Harvale's easy style of writing. It's uplifting, lighthearted and easy to read which is what makes it so enjoyable. I know I've said this in all of my other reviews on this series but I love that the cover changes slightly with each new novella. This one has a beautiful, deep purple sky with cute little pumpkin bunting hanging along the top! Each cover gives you a clear idea as to what that particular novella is going to be about.

In this novella, we learn possibly the most we have ever known about Mattie. Some of the things that come out about her are really unbelievable but it goes with the story really well, it makes everything fall into place and make so much more sense. One thing I did find a little bit unbelievable was when Gill came to visit Mia, to talk about the letters that Mattie used to send to his grandfather, and Mia invited him to stay for as long as he wanted in the cottage. Don't get me wrong it's a lovely thought and Mia does come across as really selfless throughout the whole series but I just felt this was going a bit too far.

Mia had been through so much throughout this series, what with Garrick and Fiona, her secrets coming out about her inheritance, the fortune teller and of course the little messages someone has been secretly leaving on Mia's front porch warning her leave. I am so so eager to find out who has been leaving these messages! As they seem to be getting more and more aggressive. I was so hoping that in this novella we would find out. I love the characters in this series too. I really like Mia's mum Lori and was happy when she found love. I also really like Ella's way and felt that I was going to be saying 'Bloody Nora' soon too!

It's funny how your opinion can change of a character. Throughout the series, I loved Garrick and also Tom and wasn't too keen on Jet. But as the story has gone on, I dislike Garrick for what he's done to Mia, and Tom has gone way down in my estimations - I felt as though he was hiding something and I wanted to desperately know what it is! He was constantly shifty and being a bit funny when Mia mentioned Mattie's diaries so I knew something was going on with him!

I'll let you know how I get on with the rest of the novella's in the story!

The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane, Part Three: Autumn Leaves by Emily Harvale

The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane, Part Three: Autumn Leaves

Emily Harvale

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

Escape to the seaside village of Little Pondale with Part Three of this heart-warming and romantic, four-part serial.

Mia Ward was amazed to inherit her great-aunt Matilda's thatched cottage in the tiny seaside village of Little Pondale - especially as Mia didn't know she had a great-aunt Matilda. She was equally astonished to discover she'd only inherit the place if she lives there for a year.

But it didn't take long for Mia and her friends, Ella and Garrick to settle in. Now Mia's mum, Lori has joined them, and they're all enjoying village life. Mia's keen to overcome her fear of water and with Garrick by her side, she's confident about the future.

Until a fortune teller's predictions give everyone cause for concern. Now Mia's not so sure of anything, except that someone still wants her to leave. That makes her more determined to learn all she can about Matilda - and the codicil.

But as the mists roll in over the sea, are autumn winds making passions cool? And when more than one unexpected visitor gives Mia a shocking surprise, is everything about to change?

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When Part Two of this series finished, I grabbed Part Three so quick as it was left on such an amazing cliffhanger and I just couldn't wait to hear what happened next! This cover is probably my favourite so far, I love the orange sky lit up with fireworks. It's cosy and makes you think of warm nights snuggled up reading!

I think I enjoyed this novella the most out of the whole series so far! There was just so much drama from start to finish and I was so intrigued to find out what was going on in the little village. Who knew so much could happen in one tiny village?! I've been going through these novella's like there's no tomorrow and I've been loving every single page. I can't believe I hadn't read these before - I don't know what's taken me so long!

In this novella, we learn more about Mattie than we ever did before and there's so much happening for poor Mia, I don't know how she's still standing! I loved the mystery behind the fortune teller, and how everyone was shifty about what was said. It makes you want to read on so much more! I also loved the fact that it was autumn but it was described as still quite warm, so it was nice to read about the events still despite the time of year.

I still have part four to read, and I believe another two after that so watch this space! The speed I'm getting through these I'll have a review up once a week next week at this point! All I can say for now is that they're definitely worth the read. I'm loving this author so far and her style of writing is so easy to read and lighthearted so it makes it so much more enjoyable.

The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane, Part Two: Summer Secrets by Emily Harvale

The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane, Part Two: Summer Secrets

Emily Harvale

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

Escape to the seaside village of Little Pondale with Part Two of this heart-warming and romantic, four-part serial.

Mia Ward was amazed to inherit her great-aunt Matilda's thatched cottage in the tiny seaside village of Little Pondale - especially as Mia didn't know she had a great-aunt Matilda. She was even more astonished to discover she'd only inherit the place if she lives there for a year.

Now Mia and her friends, Ella and Garrick are embracing village life, Garrick's also embracing someone in The Frog and Lily, so Mia turns her attention to one or two of her sexy, single neighbours. But great-aunt Matilda remains an enigma and Mia's still determined to discover who she was.

When Mia's mum, Lori, arrives she's eager to see what the summer has to offer. There's the Kite Festival, the Fete, the Frog Hill Run, but what really appeals to Lori, much to Mia's horror, is the Midsummer Night's naked bathing in the pond at Frog's Hollow.

As sweltering days surrender to sultry nights, love is definitely in the air. And when an incident means Mia has to face her greatest fear, help arrives from a surprising source. But one thing is clear... someone is trying to make sure Mia doesn't stay in Little Pondale...

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I was really excited to read the second instalment in this wonderful series. I was so looking forward to reading more about Mia's great-aunt Matilda and finding out the mystery about her and also getting to meet Mia's mum Lori. I love the setting of Little Pondale so was also excited to read about the community events that are taking place! I also love the slight changes which have took place on the cover, the darker coloured sky, the bunting and the change in flowers all look really warm and inviting.

I am completely and utterly obsessed with this series! I just want to read and read and read until I've finished every one! They are so easy to read and you'll want to devour each one in much the same way as I am right now! In this novella, we get to know Mia a whole lot more and we also get to learn quite a lot about the mysterious Jet too. There's definitely a sense of mystery within this novella, for example, who is leaving the items in front of their door?! I'm so eager to find out who it is. I have my suspicions but I'm really not sure who it could be, everyone seems a little mysterious so every time I think I've realised who it is, I change my mind again!

We also see Mia and Garrick's relationship blossom, which I had been wondering about throughout the first two in the series. Mia came across as though she really liked him but as I neared the end of this one in the series, I was a bit unsure as to whether they would last! Garrick, at first, comes across as the perfect partner and I'm so happy for them to finally realise their love for each other. However, as the book goes on Mia starts to want to get to know Jet a whole lot more and Garrick himself seems like he's hiding some sort of secret... Ella seems to be the only one without a secret at this point, but I've come to learn that that can all suddenly change!

Once again, I just want to praise just how much I'm loving this series so far. I'll post my reviews daily so you don't miss out or be kept in suspense but I can definitely recommend you pick them up today! You won't regret it!!

The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane, Part One: New Beginnings by Emily Harvale

The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane, Part One: New Beginnings

Emily Harvale

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

Escape to the seaside village of Little Pondale with Part One of this heart-warming and romantic, four-part serial and the additional books in this series.

Mia Ward is amazed to be told she has inherited her great-aunt Matilda's thatched cottage in the tiny seaside village of Little Pondale - especially as Mia didn't know she had a great-aunt Matilda.

She's even more astonished to discover she'll only inherit the place if she actually lives there for one year. Mia's a city girl at heart, not to mention she's afraid of water, so the fact the cottage backs on to a sandy beach, is not, in her opinion, a bonus.

But Mia's struggling to pay her rent since being fired for inappropriate behaviour at the office party, and her boyfriend's also dumped her. When her best friend, Ella and Ella's brother, Garrick offer to help her move and settle in, Mia decides to see this as a new beginning.

It may also be the start of an exciting adventure because now Mia wants to know just who, exactly, was great-aunt Matilda. And she's determined to find out. But it soon becomes clear that someone is trying to make sure Mia doesn't stay in Little Pondale...

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I have been wanting to read this series for so long now, and when I won a Kindle Unlimited voucher I jumped at the chance to download these onto my Kindle! I love the pretty, simple cover. I love the sea glittering away in the background, the pond in the centre, and the cute little cottages with beautiful flowers all over the cover. It gives you a great view into Little Pondale and I couldn't wait to get stuck in!

It starts with Mia moving into Sunbeam Cottage and there's quite of bit of drama to start with. With a tractor blocking the way, and then mad neighbour Hettie arriving and stirring trouble, Mia wonders if she bit off more than she can chew. There's also a bit of mystery involved with the move, as Mia had never heard not met her great-aunt Matilda (or Mattie) but the villagers all seem to know her really well and keep telling Mia that Mattie always spoke highly of her despite them not being in contact.

I found with this novel, that it concentrates on a couple of days at a time, and I found myself half way through still reading about the move in day. However, I really liked this because there was so much description and so much going on that it really didn't feel like it had been dragged out at all. I loved the other villagers we got to meet and was really looking forward to reading more about what Mia got up to in Little Pondale, and I couldn't wait to unravel some of those mysteries that seemed to be hanging around...

I'll let you know how I get on with the rest of the novellas in the series - watch this space!

Blog Tour: Spring Skies over Bluebell Castle by Sarah Bennett

Spring Skies over Bluebell Castle

Sarah Bennett

Rating: 4 stars

Amazon UK

She wasn't looking for love...

When Lucie Kennington flees the bright lights of London for the quiet Derbyshire countryside, she's shocked to discover that the heir to the Bluebell Castle estate is far from the wizened employer she expected.

In fact, Arthur Ludworth might just be the most handsome man Lucie's ever laid eyes on - and a terrible distraction! So when she stumbles across a legendary painting feared lost for centuries, she can't believe her luck - perhaps this is the hidden treasure to save Arthur and his family from ruin?

But it's only a matter of time before Lucie's past catches up with her and by then it's too late, she's falling for him...

Perfect for fans of Trisha Ashley, Rachael Lucas and Hilary Boyd.

Book 1: Spring Skies Over Bluebell Castle
Book 2: Sunshine Over Bluebell Castle
Book 3: Starlight Over Bluebell Castle

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Sarah Bennett has been reading for as long as she can remember. Raised in a family of bookworms, her love affair with books of all genres has culminated in the ultimate Happy Ever After - getting to write her own stories to share with others.

Born and raised in a military family, she is happily married to her own Officer (who is sometimes even A Gentleman). Home is wherever he lays his hat, and life has taught them both that the best family is the one you create from friends as well as relatives.

When not reading or writing, Sarah is a devotee of afternoon naps and sailing the high seas, but only on vessels large enough to accommodate a casino and a choice of restaurants.

Sarah is the author of the Butterfly Cove, Lavender Bay and the forthcoming Bluebell Castle trilogies, published by HQ Digital UK.

Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

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This is the first novel in a new series for Sarah Bennett and I can honestly say that it was every bit as enjoyable as I thought it was going to be. The cover is so cute and pretty, I love the light blue sky, the purple flowers surrounding the cover and of course the big manor house that takes pride of place in the centre of the cover. I also love the font, it's just so cheerful and pretty and finishes off the cover nicely.

I really enjoyed the way the novel started, as I feel we got a real insight into the characters and Arthur's family as well. I enjoyed getting to know each character in turn and I liked that we got to know them separately, ie we read about Arthur and then we read about Lucie. It was nice to see both points of view. I also really loved the setting of the novel. It all sounded so magical and so grand! It definitely made me think about going up to that neck of the woods and exploring a little!

This was a heartwarming novel, and although I feel it took me a little while to get into it, once I got into the flow of the story I couldn't put it down! It was so enjoyable and for me I kept searching for times during my day where I could read more. The blossoming relationship between Arthur and Lucie was lovely to read and I really felt a connection between the two of them. The ending made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I can't wait to read the next one in the series!

This novel was lighthearted and easy to read. It'll leave you longing to learn more about the other characters and more of course about Bluebell Castle. Thank you to the publisher and Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

The Little Guesthouse of New Beginnings by Donna Ashcroft

The Little Guesthouse of New Beginnings

Donna Ashcroft

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

The Sunshine Hideaway, with its big windows, fresh-baked scones, and stunning view of Sunflower Island's golden beaches, is the only place Madison Skylar has ever truly thought of as home. But returning to the guesthouse might not be as easy as she first thought...

Twenty-three-year-old Madison has been running away from the pain in her past, travelling all over the world trying to find happiness, yet her heart leads her back to her childhood home. When she arrives at The Sunshine Hideaway, she discovers the beautiful old building on the tiny island falling into disrepair. So Madison throws herself into transforming it into a stunning wellness retreat. Will this be enough to save the guesthouse, before it's too late?

Handsome and mysterious Connor has lived on Sunflower Island his whole life. He works hard as a builder, with his faithful dog Jaws by his side, but something is missing and he dreams of bigger things. As Connor helps to revamp the guesthouse, he wonders if this could be his opportunity to tell the woman he's secretly been in love with for years how he really feels...

As Madison embraces life on the close-knit island, sharing wine with old friends and ice-cream with quirky new neighbours, she also finds herself being drawn to shy Connor. Despite their clashes on how to paint the rooms and get ready for the grand re-opening, a heat is building between them.

But can opposites attract and find true love this summer? Or will their different personalities bring them heartache... and risk the future of the little guesthouse?

An utterly perfect, feel-good romance about the power of friendship, the meaning of home and the joy of falling in love in the sunshine. Perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Milly Johnson and Debbie Macomber.

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I've always enjoyed Donna Ashcroft's novels, so was excited when I saw this beautiful cover pop up. I love the pale, pastel colours used throughout the cover, the red gingham table cloth, the cute little cupcake and of course the glittering, bright blue sea in the background! It looks so summery and happy and just automatically draws you in to wonder what the story could be about. I also really love the title of this novel, it's quaint and cute and I love reading about Guesthouses!!!

This novel in particular followed main character Madison as she journeyed home after travelling for 5 years to finally settle down on Sunflower Island, a place she has always thought of as home. However, when she arrives, the family guesthouse isn't as she thought it was. Everything has changed and she's worried that she won't have a place at The Sunshine Hideaway any longer. The story then follows Madison on her attempt to make The Sunshine Hideaway great again and also shows builder Connor, who is struggling to hide his feelings from Madison.

I'll be honest and say I couldn't relate to the characters straight away. At first I really liked Madison but then she started to grate on me a little with her ways, she came across as really hippy and kind of looked down on people who did eat meat and didn't drink camomile tea, or practice yoga etc. Connor as also another one who I couldn't relate to straight away, he seemed so moody and quite angry all of the time and I just couldn't see how someone couldn't actually ever smile! I know this type of thing is meant to be like opposites attract but they really did seem like the complete opposite to one another! Luckily, the more I read on the more I started to understand why each character was acting like how they was and it made me relax into the story a little bit more and as it went on I started to enjoy it more and enjoy reading about their relationship.

The book really did surpass my expectations and I found myself really enjoying it much more as the story went on. As I mentioned the setting sounded ideal and I loved the community feel between the characters. It had a wonderful ending and I'm so glad that Connor and Madison finally found their way to one another. Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read this book via Netgalley, which I have reviewed honestly.