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Title: Family Secrets at Hedgehog HollowAuthor: Jessica RedlandFormat reviewed: EbookSource: NetgalleyPublisher: Boldwood BooksPublication Date: 4th May 2021Rating: 5 Stars
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| Amazon UK |
Title: Family Secrets at Hedgehog Hollow
Every family has its secrets, and at Hedgehog Hollow there is no exception...
It was always Samantha's dream to run her beautiful rescue centre, Hedgehog Hollow, full-time. But just as her wish comes true, she becomes a victim of her own kindness when she finds herself with a house full of guests - all with their own problems and secrets - looking to her for support.
When her self-absorbed cousin, Chloe, unexpectedly turns up at the farm - swiftly handing over her baby to Samantha to care for – trouble is definitely brewing. Especially as Chloe won’t tell anyone why she’s left her husband, James...
As Samantha juggles new hedgehog arrivals, family dramas and her own health challenges, it soon becomes clear that she needs to start putting herself first for once. Little does she know that life-changing secrets from the past are about to unravel and turn their lives upside down...
Return to glorious Hedgehog Hollow with top 10 bestseller Jessica Redland for a heartwarming, emotional but uplifting story of family, friendship and moving on from the past.
Where on earth do I start? I am reeling from that ending but already excited and impatient to read book 4 even if i do have to wait for Jessica Redland to write it first. However even before that I was reeling from various revelations.
I mean Family Secrets is such an apt title for this book, as we finally get to understand so much more about Chloe, and just what makes her tick.
For this book is written in two perspectives, alternating between Samantha and Chloe. And with Chloe we see her latest impulsive decision which seems completely irrational very early into the book, and she and her baby Sam, arrive at Hedgehog Hollow desperate to stay a while after she runs out on James without warning and giving absolutely no one any logical reason why.
The sheer amount of character development over the case of the book and series so far, for Chloe is impressive and unlike the first two books in the series where I really disliked her, I went through all manner of emotions and feelings towards her and her true backstory. It's eye opening and no matter what I guessed I wasn't quite close to the truth!
Then there is Samantha and wow she has a full house at Hedgehog Hollow and I'm not talking about the hogs, although there are many cute hoglets needing feeding at all hours, and the rescue centre is finally starting to come into its own, and she is even taking on work experience placements and doing school visits.
But the stresses from the previous troubles in previous book are still present and clearly affecting her. I'm trying my hardest not to spoil either this book or book two if you haven't already read it.
For this is one seriously impressive and addictive series. I do though feel that Family Secrets at Hedgehog Hollow although perhaps you will enjoy it as a standalone, that its best to have read at least one if not both the first two books in the series in order to have a full emotional connection to the characters and thus really understand the complicated family dynamics that are in play.
There are a good amount of reminders though to help you along the way though which will help new readers to the series too.
I tend to open and read my books at random on my kindle, and had my eyes closed when my fingers opened this one for me, without knowing what I was reading, even before I got to the end of the first page I recognised it to be a Hedgehog Hollow book and it felt like coming home and I instantly felt very calm and happy. Believe it or not it wasn't a hedgehog that clued me in either but a bench!
With its mix of more serious subjects dealt with in Jessica Redland's trademark sensitive and compassionate way, this is one impressive heart-warming and incredibly hard to put down story that has completely absorbed me over the past 24 hours.
Or as I said at the start of this review, Jessica Redland please write faster I don't want to wait for more from Hedgehog Hollow! I need my next fix sooner than later, for with a series this addictive, it really is a fix!
Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Thank you so much for your gorgeous review, Rachel. So delighted you loved your 3rd trip to Hedgehog Hollow. Writing the 4th one as fast as I can! There are flames coming off my keyboard!!!
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