When you manifest your perfect man, and then you get…

Synopsis

Willow asks the universe to find her The One, but will she recognise him when he appears?

When Willow moved back to the village she grew up in for a new start, she was ready for a new way of life too. Now happily settled in her dream cottage with her beloved dog Spud, Willow enjoys the peace and sense of community country living brings.

That is until her quiet is shattered by her new neighbour. Sure brooding Henry Darcy, or Doctor Dishy as Willow’s best friend Abby calls him, may be easy on the eye, but it doesn’t take long for the new neighbours to discover that they don’t agree on anything.

Where Henry does science, Willow does nature. Where Henry does minimalism, Willow does multicolour. When Willow asked the universe to manifest her perfect man, either she wasn’t specific enough, or Henry isn’t it.

But when Willow tries again and a new man arrives in the village, has fate got it right this time and delivered her The One, or does she need to look closer to home…

‘Read yourself happy’ with Maxine Morrey’s latest comforting and utterly uplifting love story. Perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane, Catherine Walsh and Sophie Kinsella.

My review

After a failed marriage, Willow gladly returned back to the village she grew up in. With her fresh start, she also adapted a new kind of life. She loves living in her cottage with her lovely dog Spud, surrounded by plants and flowers that bring her peace. In the village where everyone knows everyone and everything, she has found the calmness that she needed.
But when Willow asked nature to manifest her perfect man, she didn’t expect that her new neighbour, Henry Darcy, would be the complete opposite from what she wants.
Because with his artificial grass, his minimalistic ideas and him not being a dog – person, Willow and Henry just clash over everything.
Yet a good neighbour is worth more than a distant friend, and Willow is ready to bury the hatchet. While slowly a friendship grows, a new arrival in the village makes Willow wonder if he may the perfect man. But perhaps the perfect man doesn’t come in the shape Willow expected him to be?

I am always curious reading stories with fresh starts, neighbours that are total opposites and clash, to see an evolution taking place slowly. Or in this book’s case, very very slowly 😊

Now, I must admit, I am not a nature person. Or at least, not as Willow is. But I know the wonders plants and herbs can have and how they can help. I understand it, but I don’t think I have the patience of taking care of them, giving them the needed love, and my hay fever also doesn’t help! 😊

But even if I don’t share Willow’s passion and heart for nature, there is still a lot of love to give her! First of all, the relationship with Spud, just amazing! At moments I was even doubting that Spud was a real dog, there is so much love between the two of them! And he for sure is an exceptional little dog, who truly understands what Willow says, and even more, he is great at sensing someone’s character!
To make things even better for Willow’s case: is there a cuter, more lovable job than Willow’s? I never heard of it before, but I can absolutely understand that she has too many customers! The bears I had to say goodbye to just because it was better for them… If I had a Willow then, I knew where I would go with my lovely bears!

The difference with her new neighbour couldn’t be bigger… and even just after moving, Willow clashes with Henry. While I could understand that Henry wants to make the house his home, the way he likes it, I could also understand Willow, the way she is she doesn’t want to tear nature away for human personal preferences.
Obviously the relationship starts on the wrong foot, and I was ready to make some popcorn while reading the drama unfolding! 😊

Henry’s character doesn’t give the best impression, by often saying the wrong thing. But the more into the story, the more it’s clear that it’s not that Henry is a bad character, but he has so much going on in his own head, that he doesn’t always think before talking.
But once Willow and Henry decide to be good neighbours, we see the real Henry, and we see what a lovely character he is. And that he is doing his best to make his own fresh start work out for the best.

Even if Willow at times still disliked Henry, I have to admit I had a soft spot for him, even at moments when he frustrated me. Because no matter what he says, his actions speak so much louder. And for him, it’s also a case of unknown makes unloved. Not only how we see him, but also how he sees the world!

I found it sweet and heart – warming seeing the friendship grow between Willow and Henry, despite their many differences. We see how wonderful and eye – opening it can be to have someone who doesn’t see the things like you do. 
Willow and Henry learn from each other, and even when they don’t agree, they accept each other’s opinions.

Obviously I wanted the story to go in a certain direction, so when a new character entered the scene, well, I wasn’t a fan. But it wasn’t just because I wanted Willow to go another way, but there was just something about the new doctor in town that made me feel uncomfortable…

So even if Willow was taken away by the new doctor, and it hurt Henry, and it caused the biggest drift between them, I loved it to see how he still wants to protect her. And it broke my heart to see the decisions Henry makes for his own sake…

Nevertheless, as I know this author, I was 100% sure that in the end, Willow would have her happily ever after, one way or another! 

I truly found this an amazing story, showing us that first impressions or even first actions aren’t always the complete picture we see of a person. And it also takes time for a person to feel comfortable enough to open up completely. But also the right person will widen your world, make you love new thing and will agree to disagree!