Everything is going to ‘bee’ allright

Synopsis

Her new start is about to bee-gin!

Having moved into her mum’s spare room after a disastrous break-up, Kayleigh Harwood is desperate for a fresh start. When she sees an opening for a new beekeeper at the old manor house at Elderflower Grove she jumps at the chance – despite not knowing a thing about bees…

The abandoned house holds a mystery of its own – the previous owner vanished years ago – and locals have been inventing stories about the manor ever since. Unable to resist the urge to look around, Kayleigh is shocked to find drop-dead-gorgeous gardener Carey living inside!

Carey explains that the house and surrounding land is at risk of being demolished, endangering the bees, and he has been staying there to protect it. Convinced the secret of the house holds the key to saving Elderflower Grove’s bees, Kayleigh is prepared to do everything she can to help. But is she ready to find her own happy-ever-after too…?

My review

Kayleigh Harwood recently moved back to her mum after breaking up with her boyfriend. Crashing in the spare bedroom is okay for a short period, but Kayleigh wants to have her fresh start as soon as possible.
So when she sees an opening position as beekeeper at Elderflower Grove, she applies for the job and surprisingly is hired even if she lied during the interview and doesn’t actual know one thing about bees…
However, her only task is to look after the bees, and she may never enter the mansion. Not only because after a fire several years ago, it’s dangerous, but also because the owner just disappeared after that.
Add the tales of the villagers of the mansion being haunted, it would be smart to not enter the house. But curious as Kayleigh is, she enters anyway and is shocked to find gardener Carey living there!
As the mansion and its land and bees are  at risk of getting demolished, together with Carey, Kayleigh starts to make plans to save the mansion that starts to mean so much to her, and Kayleigh even starts to care about the bees.
Can the mansion be saved? And will the found letters be the solution Kayleigh and Carey were looking for? 

I am not particularly a fan of bees. Of course I appreciate the honey they make and I know that they are important in nature. But, my apologies, if a bee comes too close to my liking, I will go all crazy and it will be a case of survival of the strongest…
So you can see that I would never do what Kayleigh did, and apply for a job as beekeeper. 

Yet I admired Kayleigh, even if I do not agree with her lying about her ‘bee-ing’ a beekeeper. But she wants to get her life back on track and it all starts with finding a job.
I found it sweet to see how there was even somehow a link between Kayleigh and the mansion, as she was the one who spotted the fire several years ago.
And seeing how her confidence and appreciation for the bees grows more during the story, was juts lovely.
I don’t know for a fact if bees can actual understand us, but I think it’s a very sweet thought, that even with bees you get what you deserve. 

When Kayleigh meets Carey, it is not in an usual way. Kayleigh is doing something she shouldn’t be doing (being inside the mansion) and get the shock of her life seeing Carey.
But quickly they bond, and as both having had their heart broken, have no intention then being more than just friends.

There is also a bit of a mystery to solve in this wonderful book. Because what happened truly to the owner? She disappeared after the fire. While it would be easy to assume she has become victim of the fire too, is that truly what happened?
Together, Kayleigh and Carey want to find out what happened and with the help of the house itself, slowly we also get to learn what happened. And I found the revelations bittersweet…
And with Carey being so reluctant to ‘bee’ seen, made me for a moment even believe that he was just a ghost, like the tales would make you believe. 

I have to say, I just ADORED the fact that Kayleigh is a Pride & Prejudice fan just like me. And the references to this classic and even one specific event made me love this book even more!
And the ‘bee’ and ‘well’ intended puns made me laugh out loud, making me to make up some of my own, ‘beeing’ up to standard with the ones the characters make up so ‘well’.  

While even after this story, I won’t ‘bee’ a Bees’ Fan Number 1, I for sure appreciate them a little bit more.
This story was so easy to read and to love, as it shows us both people’s and bees’ resilience and strength. And when people are passionate for the right cause, a way will ‘bee’ found and in the end, maybe you will find more than expected and you can ‘bee’ courageous, face your fears and even find love…