The brand new romantic comedy from bestselling author Christie Barlow! ‘Full of warmth, fun and feel-good factor’ Sunday Times bestseller Katie Fforde A family secret One shocking argument and ten-year-old Alice Parker’s world was turned upside down. Her peaceful life at Honeysuckle Farm in the quiet rural village of Brook Bridge swapped for the bustling metropolis of New York City. Alice’s life … York City. Alice’s life was changed forever…
A second chance
Now, thirteen years later, Alice’s American dream is over. With her life in tatters, there is only one place Alice wants to be… home at Honeysuckle Farm. So, when Alice learns her beloved Grandie is ill, she knows this is her last chance to heal the family rift.
A forever home?
But secrets still swirl in Brook Bridge, and Alice is no closer to discovering the truth. And for some reason her new friendship with local heartthrob Sam Reid seems to be making the locals tense.
Sick of the lies Alice knows it’s time to lay the past to rest once and for all. But could the truth ruin her hopes of ever calling Honeysuckle Farm home again?
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I enjoyed it very different. Than my usual pick of book. A little long winded in places.
Cute read.
It was okay. A little slow in places to me
Favorite Quotes:
‘Gosh, they used these things back in the days of the dinosaurs,’ I said with amazement, taking out the cassette tape and flipping it over.
But you never know, she has the habit of popping up when you least expect it. She gave me that look …you know, when I left the house… The look where she narrows her eyes and I feel guilty for even breathing… Do you know how difficult it is to sneak out, even at my age? That woman must have some sort of psychic powers, knowing when I’m up to something.
I thought today was just another day, but it turned out it was the day I found out what my father looked like for the very first time.
My Review:
I had a problem settling myself to pen a review for this book, as for one, I couldn’t decide how to categorize the genre. There were several mysteries, loads of family drama, grief, small-town issues of pettiness and long-held feuds, a slowly developing yet sweet romance, frequent licks of amusing humor, and a main character in agitation and tumult. I landed on the broad category of women’s fiction, as I so frequently do since most women face all of these thorny issues on a daily basis. The story was easy to follow and held my interest and kept me curious while taunting me by withholding critical information and causing rampant speculation on my part.
But my main consternation seemed to be that I couldn’t fully connect or empathize with the main character of Alice, who often annoyed me with her indecisive waffling, lack of backbone, and proclivity for fabrication – although her obstinate mother also seemed to have mastered the art of deceit as well. I was increasingly frustrated with Alice and had developed a steadily growing resentment of her mother who was the epicenter of the majority of Alice’s turmoil, although I enjoyed Alice’s friends and adored the sexy Sam. I was beginning to despair of the truth remaining undisclosed while I was running out of pages when the closely held secret was finally unwound. Sigh, thankfully I held on for that HEA and was rewarded for my patience. Christie Barlow can certainly spin a tale.
Oh, my goodness, what a heartwarming and charming read by Christie Barlow!
As a child, Alice, adored Honeysuckle Farm. She lived there with her mother and her Grandie, her grandfather. Her childhood was idyllic even though it was just the three of them. When she is 10-years-old, her life drastically changes. She overhears an argument between her mother and Grandie. Before she knows it, her mother takes her away to New York.
Thirteen years have passed, and Alice is about ready to give up her dream of success on Broadway. The rejection letters keep piling up while her money dries up. When she discovers her grandfather is ill, she jumps at the chance to return back to England.
Alice is glad to be back in England with her grandfather, and Brook Bridge does bring her a sense of calmness. She loves reconnecting with her childhood friend, and she has met a man, Sam, that she feels a connection with. However, there are secrets just beneath the surface. When people in town don’t really like her being with Sam, she has just about had her fill. She is determined once and for all to discover what those secrets are.
I simply LOVE the way Christie Barlow writes. She has a special way of writing that transported me to Honeysuckle Farm. I could clearly see the thatched roofs, the shops, and historic pubs. I literally felt like I was there, and I love when an author is able to do that.
The characters were also very well-developed and complex, not just Alice but also her mother, Rose, and her Grandie. For a writer to create such complex secondary characters takes great talent, and Barlow has plenty of it.
Yes, there is a romance between Alice and Sam, but this is truly Alice’s story. She isn’t the same woman she was at the beginning. She grows so much and realizes exactly who she is. She discovers just as one dream may die, another, more important one is just on the horizon. She and Sam are perfect for one another!
I fell in love with Brook Bridge from the very beginning. I could very easily see everything in my mind. I definitely understood why she missed it. Thank you, Christie Barlow for giving me a wonderful way to spend my afternoon. I’m looking forward to reading more from her.
Thank you to the publisher and author for this eARC. Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for letting me participate on this blog tour. The following is my honest opinion.
Let me preface this by saying I don’t know what I am going to rate this book. While reading this book, I was annoyed, I cried, I laughed, and I couldn’t put it down. The story is about a long lost English girl who has moved to New York, but once she finds her grandfather is sick goes to England to see him. While there she uncovers a bunch of mysteries from the past that are affecting the present.
This story ended up being a feel good happy story. I like those as real life isn’t always sunshine and roses. The MC, Alice, overcomes some obstacles and ends up happy. I did enjoy the overall story line. There were parts that pulled on my heartstrings and made me tear up. There were parts that I was happy for her. The story itself flowed well and was a quick read. The author did a fantastic job describing the people and settings. I especially loved the ending and wish it was longer.
As for how I was annoyed, it was little things in the story line. In New York, Alice was broke. She didn’t have any money for food, rent, or utilities, yet she had a smart phone, a Kindle, a laptop, ipad, and internet. I have been broke, and I did not have all the latest gadgets. She also didn’t go through security before she got on the plane to England but when she did when she landed. Also, her mom gave her an old bank book, but then it wasn’t mentioned again. These were just in the first couple of paragraphs. I also found certain parts of the story to be clichéd. Like falling for the guy from the wrong family and having a long standing family feud. Did it affect the overall story? No. Where any of the details that important? Not really. Did they affect my enjoyment of the story? No. It just bothered my OCD of details, which is a personal problem.
Tank and I give this a 4 paws. It was a nice light hearted read that ended well.