When a fresh start doesn’t turn out as expected

Synopsis

🍂 Sparks are flying in more ways than one…

After years of juggling teaching with volunteering, Polly is finally ready for a change. When she lands her dream job at Meadowfield Nature Reserve – with the promise of a promotion in three months’ time – she trades in the stress of the classroom for the beautiful autumn days of the Cotswolds countryside.

Pennycress Inn is the perfect base for her fresh start: charming, cosy and filled with friendly faces. But everything changes when Zac, her attractive but infuriating ex-colleague, arrives. He’s here to take up a post at the reserve too – and is also staying at the inn! Worse still, the promotion Polly was counting on is suddenly up for grabs – and Zac’s her biggest rival.

With three months to prove herself, Polly must navigate village life, unexpected emotions and a career-defining challenge. As tension simmers and fireworks fly, will Meadowfield become the place she truly finds where she belongs – or will she be forced to walk away from everything she’s dreamed of?

My review

Polly is ready for the job she has been dreaming of. No longer teaching and volunteering, because not only did she manage to get the job at Meadowfield Nature Reserve, but she has also been promised a promotion in three months’ time. Momentarily staying at Pennycress Inn is just perfect for her, as she also get to know the community. However, what Polly didn’t expect is that Zac, her ex – colleague, has also applied for a job at the Reserve and is also staying at the inn. And to make things even worse, the promotion Polly was promised, isn’t a given anymore… Now Polly has to fight for the promotion, in a job that is not what was agreed earlier. And Zac being her biggest rival, especially as Polly hasn’t forgotten how he has been giving her a cold shoulder after her farewell party at their previous school. Three months for Polly to prove her worth, three months where tensions are building, but also three months where fireworks are flying around. But what will happen after those three months?

When I started with this book, I had already a smile on my face, just because I was so happy to return to a place that feels so warm, lovely and welcoming.

I am not the kind of person that can make life – altering decisions. Even changing a job for me means applying internally because I am a bit afraid of where I will end up. Yet I admired Polly with her choice and decision to not only go for a anew job, but also make an actual move.

Of course, as she is already a volunteer, it is obvious that her new job is something Polly is truly passionate about. I could understand that it would make all those changes easier, even if there is always and understandably a little bit of trepidation and a little bit of fear.

Now, wherever you work, there are always colleagues that you like more and some that you like less. But I couldn’t understand what has happened between Polly and Zac, because before the party, they seemed to get along pretty well. And yes, I could comprehend in a way that things would be a bit awkward. But that Zac would be totally ignoring Polly, that I couldn’t understand. That also made me rather dislike Zac…

And yes, I admit, that I was rooting for Polly all throughout the story. I wanted her to get the promotion, to come up with the best ideas to not only get more donations but also more visitors.

Not only because I am rooting for women all the time, but mainly because Polly deserves it. She needs this fresh start, she needs to feel home somewhere new. She hasn’t had the easiest times, and it’s clear that she is still hurt over the losses. So of course she deserves to be happy!

To only have Zac appearing and ruining everything! 😊

To start liking Zac, it wasn’t easy… He isn’t a bad man, not at all. But because we have only one side of the story, we don’t know what Zac has been and still is thinking. And we don’t know his struggles. What I can say is that Zac for sure can play a part, as he makes it all seem so easy what he is doing, but is hiding what is troubling him…

And once we start to see the real Zac, how could I not like him? It starts with little things, things he initially may seem to be doing reluctantly. And then we see the caring side of Zac, the Zac that sees more than Polly makes him believe. And the more we see the Zac that starts to open to Polly, admitting his own fears, doubts and struggles. But also his feelings and emotions…

And seeing Polly and Zac joining forces, understanding each other a lot better, was so heartwarming. Seeing them growing closer, admitting their real feelings shows us that in fact, how someone acts, doesn’t always represent their emotions or inner turmoil.

I also have to say that, how lovely was it to see my old friends again, and see how they are thriving!😊 Seeing them all again, and seeing how welcoming and accepting they are towards both Polly and Zac made me even more wanting to stay at Pennycress Inn myself! 😊

Sarah Hope wrote a beautiful story, about how starting over perhaps doesn’t always go as expected. But even if things go differently, it doesn’t mean it goes exactly how it needs to go. Starting over yet the recent past resurfacing can make you understand previous behaviours and make you see what you didn’t understand or comprehend. And starting over with someone ‘old’ can perhaps bring you what you never thought could be happen to you…

This author made me feel not so terrified anymore about a fresh start, as long as there is heart and love involved!