Searching for one thing, but finding so much more

Synopsis

Marion Miller needs a fresh start.

Her childhood in Northern Ireland wasn’t easy, with a father who passed away when she was young and a mother who got lost in grief. Now grown-up and with family relations as tense as ever, Marion heads to England, to find out the truth about her father’s mysterious past – and hopefully an extended family who will love her as much as he did.

Scarlett Obermann runs a holiday park in Sherwood Forest with her daughter Grace, but what’s she’s best at is making people feel like they belong. With her merry band of waifs and strays, Scarlett welcomes Marion with open arms, and it isn’t long before Marion finally understands what it means to find a home. 

As she tries to uncover her father’s story, Marion slowly blossoms, even daring to indulge in her crush on Reuben, the son of the Lord of the Manor, but she hasn’t quite out-run her past. And as Scarlett faces her own tragedy, it’s Marion’s turn to take care of everyone. 

Because you can’t choose your family, but you can make your friends the family you choose. 

This novel was first published as Making Marion.

My review

Marion want to know more about her father’s past and that’s why she is going to Sherwood Forest in England, hoping to find all the answers to her questions.
With a difficult childhood in Northern Ireland, losing her father too young and the difficult relationship with her own mother, she hopes that in Sherwood Forest she will find new family members that will love her as much as her own father did.
Little does Marion know that her meeting Scarlett Obermann, who runs a holiday park and welcomes Marion with open arms, will bring Marion everything and more than she wanted, just not in the way she expected… 

I have read several books by this author, and have loved reading them. So I was looking forward to devour this one.
However, this story was not what I expected it to be… it turned out this book and its characters touched me on a deeper and more emotional way than I thought it would be. 

With my mind initially set on a different kind of book, it took me a while to get into it completely. But once my mind made the switch, I could see and appreciate the beauty of it. 

Reading about Marion’s past was heart-breaking. Losing her father at a young age is already a traumatic experience, yet things only are getting worse. It made me want to jump into the book and help out Marion… And it made me understand why Marion was such a grey mouse and acted the way she did. 

But while it broke my heart to read about it, it was also wonderful to see how Marion found a place where she could be herself. Seeing her blossoming and seeing how she herself confirmed to me how lovely she was, was just amazing.
This shows us that with loving and supporting people around us, related or not, will allow us to open up and be the best version of ourselves. 

Having this story taking place in Sherwood Forest, with so many references to the tale of Robin Hood, was a nice and funny addition.
And with an amazing community, all also ready to jump in and play along with the myth, put a smile on my face. 

But also reading how welcoming and accepting the whole community was towards Marion, was just so sweet. Not only Scarlett, but everyone at Pigs and Peace, are allowing Marion to get out of her shell. Marion is turning into a strong woman, finding herself again and finding her own self – chosen family. 

This is a wonderful, heart – breaking and heart – warming story about feeling lost, but finding a place to call home, feeling alone but finding a whole new family, feeling weak but becoming strong, feeling misunderstood and silent but finding your courage and your own voice. And yes, why not, also about finding love…