Welcome Me to Willoughby Close

I had enjoyed the original ‘Willoughby Close‘ series so much that heading into another, ‘Return to Willoughby Close‘ felt as natural as riding a bike. ‘Welcome Me to Willoughby Close‘ quickly grabbed my interest and my emotions from the start. Emily is a complex woman even though she sees herself as rather simple, almost invisible by choice. She has her reasons for keeping out of the spotlight, living quietly with her necessary routines but all that is about to change as her boss inherits Willoughby Close and intends to set up a charitable foundation – and he wants Emily to move as well. Emily’s quiet existence is about to undergo a drastic change as the residents of the town and Willoughby Close aren’t about to let her fade into the woodwork any longer – and perhaps love is waiting here for her as well, should she be brave enough to take the risks needed.

I enjoyed ‘Welcome Me to Willoughby Close‘ so much, and loved being back in this world (although a bit different this time around, enough remains the same). You could say that Owen and Emily experienced love at first sight yet neither really trusts love so in some ways they felt like instant love and in others a slow burn – to me, at least. Yet they always felt like they belonged together, that never changed no matter what issues or obstacles were tossed in their way, sometimes themselves in reality. I loved watching Emily come out of her shell, for the townsfolk to sort of taking her under their wing, encouraging her to experience life. She’ll learn that everyone has issues, and deals with life’s challenges in their own unique ways. Owen has his own issues that come to light, and how this couple deals with them will map out their future.

I simply loved being back in Willoughby Close once again, and even if this is your first trip, I’m pretty certain that you’ll want to return for another visit soon – thankfully there are more stories to come to bring us back once again. If you enjoy a good, solid love story with engaging characters, secondary characters who bring the story to life, and a second chance to experience all that life has to offer… then you’d feel right at home in ‘Welcome Me to Willoughby Close‘. I’m already anticipating my next visit.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, Tule Publishing. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Welcome Me to Willoughby Close (Return to Willoughby Close #2) by Kate Hewitt is a captivating story of people who consider themselves broken but are far more resilient then they give themselves credit. This entire series has been about that such people. Still they are able with love, compassion and grace made the transition to being so much more than they ever hoped to be. Transition for Ms. Hewitt’s characters always has elements of uncertainty, fear and insecurities.

The plot is smoothly pace with the romance a slow burn. Many might think it is too slow of a pace but anything else wouldn’t fit these characters who are always a cautious lot. I thought it was just right, being exactly how I would expect them to act. I will say the solution to Owen’s work was wonderful and creative.

If you are looking for a story with genuine characters with real problems then this is the book for you. Family is important to these characters but so is growth and love and feral kittens.

An ARC of the book was given to me by Tule Publishing which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Welcome Me to Willoughby Close by Kate Hewitt
Welcome back to Willoughby Close, with four new residents and happy endings to deliver…
Emily David didn’t want to move to Willoughby Close. She was perfectly content in London, but when her boss, Henry Trent, asks her to relocate, she’s left with little choice. Emily prefers living on her own and finds comfort in her routines. But the well-meaning residents of Wychwood-on-Lea are determined to include her in their friendly circle—a prospect Emily finds utterly alarming.
When sparks fly with local pub owner Owen Jones, Emily’s safe and fragile world threatens to shatter. She has too many secrets to keep, and Owen’s gentle understanding could be her undoing. But as Owen persists, Emily’s heart softens, and she begins to discover the wonder of trusting friends—and falling in love. That is, until she discovers Owen has a secret of his own…
Can Willoughby Close work its charm and magic once more? And can someone who has been determined to stay lonely find—and trust—love right on her doorstep?
Discover the heartwarming magic of Willoughby Close once more… with three new stories of hope and happily-ever-afters to look forward to.
This is Emily David and Owen Jones’s story.
It wasn’t London. Emily David stood in the doorway of the cottage, part of a converted stables, and told herself to keep calm. The place was clean, everything bright and sparkling and looking quite new. That was something, at least.
She took a step inside, doing her best to admire the wood-burning stove, the granite counters and chrome fixtures in the kitchen, the French windows overlooking an overgrown postage stamp of garden, a tangle of wood beyond. Really, it was all wonderfully quaint.
So what if it wasn’t London? It wasn’t her flat in a modern, anonymous building where no one knew her name and she preferred it that way. It wasn’t London, where people kept their heads down, mobiles clamped to their ears, and did their best not to make eye contact. It wasn’t London, where she could melt into a crowd, where her office environment was safe and controlled, where she’d developed a routine that worked.
“May I have a word?” Owen Jones looked up from the till receipts he’d been going through on top of the bar to see a woman he’d never clapped eyes on before cautiously inching her way into the pub on a pair of steel-grey stilettos, her pert nose wrinkled in wary distaste. She was dressed like a city barrister, in a black pencil skirt and grey silk blouse, both items highlighting a figure that was blow-away-in-the-breeze slender, and yet, Owen couldn’t help but notice., still in possession of a few rather
Her hair, a deep, glossy chestnut, was pulled back into an elegant chignon, with only a few wisps framing a delicate, heart-shaped face. In short, she was a stunner, and Owen, who had always enjoyed looking upon a lovely lady, noticed— just as he noticed the slight curl of her lip as she met his gaze.
“You can have several, if you like,” he told her cheerfully. “How about a whole dozen? That’s twelve right there, I’ve just said.” He grinned, enjoying the startled look on her face.
I highly recommend reading.
Welcome Me to Willoughby Close by Kate Hewitt is a 5 star book.
“I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.”
Kate’s Books with Tule:
A Yorkshire Christmas
Christmas Around the World
Falling for Christmas
Falling for the Freemans
Falling Hard
Falling for the Freemans
A Cotswold Christmas
Willoughby Close.
Meet Me At Willoughby Close
Willoughby Close
A Cotswold Christmas
Willoughby Close.
Meet Me At Willoughby Close
Willoughby Close
Find Me at Willoughby Close
Willoughby Close
Kiss Me at Willoughby Close
Willoughby Close
Marry Me at Willoughby Close
Willoughby Close.
A Vicarage Christmas
The Holley Sisters of Thornthwaite
A Vicarage Reunion
The Holley Sisters of Thornthwaite
A Vicarage Wedding
The Holley Sisters of Thornthwaite
Cupcakes for Christmas
Return to Willoughby Close
A Vicarage Homecoming
The Holley Sisters of Thornthwaite
Christmas at the Edge of the World
Welcome Me to Willoughby Close
Return to Willoughby Close
Christmas at Willoughby Close
Return to Willoughby Close

I recently had the lovely privilege of reading an advanced copy of Kate Hewitt’s Welcome Me to Willoughby Close, her Book #2 in the Return to Willoughby Close series. First, I must admit reading stories set in rural towns in England, Scotland, Ireland, or Wales is one of my most enjoyable guilty pleasures. I believe it comes from a childhood filled with tales of Sherlock Holmes, King Arthur, Robin Hood, and King Richard the Lionhearted. Willoughby close is a small rural town near Oxford. The main female protagonist, Emily, relocates to the town because of a job change. Everyone in the town is overly kind and friendly, except for Owen, the owner of a small, working class bar. There’s too many sparks flying between Emily and Owen… they skip right over the friendly part. Emily has spent a lifetime, sequestered in self-isolation, which was her way of protecting herself and her mentally ill mom. Emily is pushed and prodded by her new friends to open up and live, but this effort is sidelined by her mom’s untimely relapse. Further complications arise when Owen’s bar is destroyed and he turns inside his own barriers, in his attempt to be honorable, even noble. Emily, like the abandoned kitten that she rescues, begins to flourish and open up. Will she be strong enough to stand on her own, and to convince Owen to stand with her?

This story was so easy to read. I couldn’t put it down. I didn’t want to put it down. It was my first trip to Willoughby Close. It will not be my last. I’m booking more trips immediately! You should too!