When you are finally settling in, the past resurfaces…

Synopsis

With help from the Little Duck Pond Café girls, Rosie’s Spice Kitchen is becoming a firm favourite at the Lockley Meadow farmers’ market. But when shocking things start happening and a face from the past stirs up memories she would rather forget, widow Rosie’s hopes for a better future for her and her little daughter, Amelie, are suddenly dashed. Has someone discovered her devastating secret? The secret that is preventing her from moving on and finding love again?
Meanwhile, new mum Ellie and step-daughter Maisie are both hiding emotional secrets of their own . . .

My review

After a year, Rosie is slowly getting over the loss of the love of her life. And with her little girl Amelie settling in, and Rosie’s Spice Kitchen is becoming a favourite stop at the market, Rosie feels that her life is falling back into place. It helps of course she has the support of the Little Duck Pond Café girls, who are always there for not only a cup of tea, but also a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on. But when Rosie sees a face from her past, and strange things start to happen, she is afraid that her one dark secret, isn’t so secret at all. However, that doesn’t stop her from helping out Ellie and Maisie, who are adapting to their changed lives and relationships now that baby Isla has arrived.

There are books or series that make you happy. And then there is this series, that just make me ecstatic to return for a new adventure!

Obviously, my heart went out to Rosie and Amelie. Rosie had found the love of her life with Mark, only to lose him way too early, and Amelie will never have the chance to truly get to know her father?

I cannot imagine how difficult it must be to move on after such a great loss, yet I had to admire Rosie and her determination to start again. Yet it is also clear that while she tries to move on, the past is always in the back of her head, never letting her forget what she has lost.

It was bittersweet to see Rosie finding her feet again, because it all is because of what she has lost. And it is not only her lovely mark that she lost, with her moving, the contact with her friends, the Famous Five – or what is left of them – is not what is used to be.

I could understand the shock Rosie has when she sees her past catching up on her. Not only is it because her old friends suddenly reappear, but there are also some strange things happening. And while it may appear as a big secret that Rosie is carrying around, I already had an idea what that was. Not that it take any joy away while reading though!

And even the discovery of who is behind all those acts and messages, I wasn’t truly surprised. But once again, it didn’t bother me that I had it all figured out before the revelation.

In this book, it isn’t only about Rosie and her taking back charge of her life. But it is also about Maisie and Ellie.

While I was delighted for Ellie to finally having Isla previously, I was also eager to see how she would be managing at being a mum. Because we all know that Ellie has a lot on her plates, and being a mum is never turning out as expected.

So I was a bit surprised to see how Ellie apparently has it all together. Not that I didn’t believe in her capabilities, but I can imagine that having a baby would cause some chaos somehow?

And my heart just went out to Maisie, as we get to see life behind the scenes through her eyes. We all know how delightful Maisie is, yet seeing all those doubts and insecurities are seeping in this beautiful character.

It just broke my heart to read how not only is she struggling with her first crush, but most important, how small she feels with the arrival of Isla. It is very mature of her, how she behaves. Yet it was so sad to read what she thinks Ellie feels now… While in fact, we know better and that Ellie is hiding her struggles…

Of course there are several ray of lights for both Rosie and Maisie. But it is clear what the message of this book is: that it takes time to let go of the past. That it isn’t easy to forgive yourself for any kind of mistake you may have made. That you are allowed to find happiness again, even love.

Rosie Green wrote another marvellous chapter in an amazing series. She still has to find the “ability” to become repetitive in this series, something I hope she never does! 😊 Once again I was swept off my feet, finding it impossible to put this book away, as not only it was great to return to such a wonderful place, but to get to know new lovely people who stole another piece of my heart!