Sunday 18 February 2018

Book Review - The Year of Surprising Acts of Kindness by Laura Kemp

Amazon UK
Title: The Year of Surprising Acts of Kindness
Author: Laura Kemp
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Netgalley
Publisher: Orion
Publication Date: 22nd February 2018 
Rating: 3 Stars


When Ceri Price arrives in the small seaside village in West Wales, she only means to stay for a couple of nights - long enough to scatter her mother's ashes, and then go back to her life as a successful make-up entrepreneur.

But when a case of mistaken identities means she lands a job as the barmaid in the local pub, she unexpectedly finds friendship, and perhaps a chance at love.

But when the plans for a new housing estate put the local woodland under threat, she fears the way of life here could disappear.

Then mysterious acts of kindness start springing up around the village - a string of bunting adorns the streets, a new village signpost appears out of nowhere and someone provides paint to spruce up the houses on the seafront. Who is behind these acts of kindness and can they help in the race to save the village from the faceless developers...?

Welcome to the Village of Love. Where friendship flourishes and love blossoms...

Absolutely loved the idea of a year with surprising acts of kindness, and loved the setting of this book too, a small forgotten village in West Wales. 

The assorted villagers in Dwynwen soon crept into my hear, and I especially enjoyed Mel's story.  And although I appreciated what Ceri was trying to do for most of the book it took me a while to warm up to her, and even by the end I still wasn't sure. 

There are some good storylines in the book which did keep me reading, but having read other books by the author before, this one fell short for me.  The descriptions of the village in Wales were incredible and I loved the many many colours that Mel sees the world in. Ultimately I think it was me not the book that wasn't quite right, I can't put my finger on it, as there is nothing whatsoever wrong with the book,  it just didn't quite work for me. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Orion for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

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