When the end of one thing is the start of a whole new adventure.

Synopsis

Welcome to the idyllic country retreat of Christmas Steepleton, and let Jane Lovering whisk you away with the most heart-warming, romantic and comforting read of the year.

Leaving London and her ex-husband Luc behind, Katie and her 14-year-old daughter Poppy move into their very own, very ramshackle cottage near the village of Christmas Steepleton on the Dorset coast. 

Harvest Cottage has been unloved for many years, so the job of bringing it back to life is a slow and expensive one. So, with funds running low, Katie jumps at the chance when a film company asks to use the cottage as a location.  But even as things are looking up, as harvest time passes and autumn chill starts to bite, the prospect of a cold winter in the country is daunting.

Some light relief comes from new friend Gabriel, so different from Katie’s exuberant but arrogant ex Luc. Will their friendship blossom into something more romantic, or will the reality of a tough country winter send her and Poppy scurrying back to the comforts of town? 

Let Jane Lovering spirit you away to the perfect country escape, far away from the bustle of the city. Just right for fans of Emma Burstall, Fern Britton and Kate Forster.

My review

After divorcing Luc, Katie needs a whole new start. So she moves from London to a cottage in Christmas Steepleton with her 14 – year old daughter Poppy.
Yet starting over is not so easy… The cottage she bought is lovely, but it needs a lot of TLC. But with funds running low, having struggles to find a new job and Poppy being the cliché teenage daughter, it’s looking that Katie will have even more difficult times head. 

When suddenly a film company sees the cottage as the perfect setting for their ideas, Katie jumps at the opportunity to make some money for getting their lives back on track. And another benefit is that Gabriel is partly involved with the film company. Despite hitting on the wrong foot initially, he quickly becomes a new friend for Katie.  

But will Katie and Poppy manage surviving in a rural cottage with a life so different from what they know in London?  

How many story have any of you read about someone wanting a fresh start in a new place? Of course there are so many stories with this plot. But what this story makes it more different, is just everything that is going on… 

It already starts when suddenly a pony appears out of the blue. Yes A PONY!!! Only the great mind of an author could come up with something like that!
And the whole plot only thickens after this episode! 

Katie did what seemed best for her and her daughter, but quickly realizes that starting over isn’t always that easy. Buying a place is just the beginning, but when the place just needs everything redone, well, I wouldn’t want to be in Katie’s shoes. 

Yet I admire her determination to make the best of everything. When she finds herself having a camper in her garden, I wouldn’t be surprised if Katie would go all crazy and just pack and leave. Add a stubborn teenager and I would just give up…
Despite all the setbacks she tries to make the best of it.   

The most fun I had was whenever Granny Mary appeared in the story. She is so NOT your image of an granny!
Whenever she appears, you don’t know what to expect. Yet it’s obvious she is a caring person and she knows what people need. If it’s just some good advice or just a kick in the butt, whatever the characters needed, Granny Mary provided it!

For me, this story is about starting fresh, not giving up, but also about trusting people around you. Being afraid isn’t always the correct feeling and sometimes you just have to take that huge leap of faith. Allowing the past to put a hold on your present and future works only restricting.
With the right people at your side, with their trust and help, there is no problem you cannot overcome.