Book Review - Running Into Trouble by Elle Spellman

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Title: Running Into Trouble

Author: Elle Spellman

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Trapeze

Publication Date: 2nd April 2020

Rating: 4 Stars

With little over twelve weeks until race day, three women are trying their hardest to focus on their ultimate goal - to run 26.2 miles.

For Hannah, it seems near impossible, her first attempt leaving her pained, sweaty and full of regret. But intent on winning back her husband, Hannah is determined to at least try.

Malika signed up to the race after finding a running medal of her friend Abbie's, who died only a few weeks before. She once promised Abbie she would run a race with her, and she plans to keep that promise.

When an accident with an unruly dog brings Hannah and Malika together, they soon realise they're training for the same race, and experienced runner Cassie offers to help them out. But running becomes the last thing on their minds when life gets in the way...

A funny, uplifting and surprising novel about female friendship, motherhood, love and loss, and getting through a whole marathon.

What a journey these three ladies go through in this story, as they attempt to train to run a marathon. 

I mean it's exhausting just thinking about the concept of running 26.2 miles is tiring to someone like me, not to mention daunting, as it also is to Hannah and Malika.  Except unlike me these ladies have signed up to run a marathon with only 3 months to train. 

Hannah signed up while drunk, upset that her husband has left her for a younger sportier model, while Malika is mourning the death of her friend Abbie, and is regretting saying that she would run with Abbie one day, only that day never came, so she is running in her honour. 

They both meet each other in the park, and along with Cassie who is a more experienced runner, they end up forming a small club to help motivate each other with the training. 

What I loved wasn't just the training but the bits thrown in to help tone other parts of the body, or to have fun, so there is a memorable belly dancing class, and the run with the all the mud is definitely amusing and memorable! 

Then there is the emotional journeys all three characters go on throughout the book, where we see great character development, 

This was just a book I really enjoyed reading, from an author that I will definitely look out for again in the future, 

Thank you to Trapeze and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - One To Watch by Kate Stayman-London

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Title: One To Watch

Author: Kate Stayman-London

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Two Roads

Publication Date: 7th July 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

25 DATES. 8 MEN. A NATION WATCHING.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL SHE FALL IN LOVE.

OMBEA! Bea Schumacher is a devastatingly stylish plus-size fashion blogger with amazing friends, thousands of Insta followers - and a massively broken heart. Bea indulges in her weekly obsession: the hit reality show Main Squeeze. The fantasy dates! The kiss-off rejections! The surprising amount of guys named Ben! But Bea is sick and tired of the lack of body diversity on the show. Since whenis being a size zero a prerequisite for getting engaged on television?

Although Bea has sworn off men altogether, when Main Squeeze ask her to be its next star, she agrees on one condition: under no circumstances will she actually fall in love.

But when the cameras start rolling, Bea finds herself in a whirlwind of sumptuous couture, Twitter wars, sexy suitors, and an opportunity (or two, or five) to find messy, real-life love in the midst of a made-for-TV fairy tale. Bea has to decide whether it might just be worth trusting these men - and herself - for a chance at her own happily ever after.

Easily one of the my favourite books I've read this year so far!  You know you are reading a good book, when your first thought on waking in the morning, is what are the characters up to now, and just who is Bea going to pick! 

And what a wonderful character Bea is, and this is a book in part all about body positivity, and how it is very much possible be loved and fall in love when you are a larger woman, which as one myself is a message I can very much take to heart. 

Bea is a plus sized fashion blogger who after blasting reality show Main Squeeze for their lack of diversity, is asked to be the lead on the new series, and apprehensively she agrees. 

She has after all been in love with a man who clearly isn't interested for ages and thus this may give her a way of getting over him, or of finding new love, or just raising her profile and getting more followers.  All of which are outcomes that Bea would quite like! 

Between the main narrative we also see press reactions, public reactions to each episode, fan groups, pod casts discussing the programme and even transcripts of various conversations.  Everything seems like it moves at a really fast pace, and once the initial jerks have been kicked off the programme, I enjoy getting to know the main front runners for Bea's love and just how different the men all are. 

I could just imagine Main Squeeze as a real life dating programme, and I loved this look at how such a reality programme would be made with some of the ways it causes drama! 

This is a real celebration of learning to love yourself, and I loved every last moment of this book.  And I can't get over the fact its a debut! Can't wait to see what the author will write next. 

Thank you to Two Roads and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily, 

Book Review - Just Like In The Movies by Heidi Rice

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Title: Just Like in The Movies

Author: Heidi Rice

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 10th June 2021

Rating: 4 Stars

The late Matty Devlin was so much more than Ruby Graham’s boss. He was her best friend, her father-figure, and she is showcasing a series of his favourite classic movies at the independent cinema in Notting Hill which was his life’s work … and of which she is now part owner.

Matty left the other half of The Royale to his nephew, Luke,the elusive Manhattan property developer and rumoured son of a Hollywood icon.

It’s all beginning to sound like the plot of one of Ruby’s beloved films until it becomes clear Luke is no more interested in swooping in to save the crumbling Royale than he is in talking about his famous father. He’s bad-tempered, cynical, and he couldn’t care less about the cinema!

But saving The Royale is about far more than just Matty’s legacy. The Royale is the only place where Ruby gets to live in a world of dreams and happy endings, a place where there are no lost causes, and where falling in love is just like in the movies … or is Luke about to change all that?

This rom com featuring many movie references, would be perfect for the big screen itself, or at least some sort of Hallmark movie!  

It gave me warm fuzzy feelings towards the end, rather sexy ones at key points and I loved the all the movie references and the whole feel of the Notting Hill cinema that is at the heart of the story. 

For this cinema is a hub of the community and I loved the drag bar next door too. And Ruby is just one plucky character, trying to come to terms with her beloved Marty's lost and the fact that she has inherited half the cinema, along with the nephew that he had never met Luke Devlin. 

But Luke has grown up around the movie industry and is not a fan and certainly doesn't want anything to do with the cinema, nor does he really do emotions or feelings but yet somehow Ruby even on the first couple of meetings has affected him even if he won't quite admit it. 

There is a lot of family emotion to sort out from Luke over the course of the book and we discover why Marty fell out with his sister 30 years ago. 

I just really enjoyed everything about the book, it does exactly what it says in the title, and is another entertaining story from Heidi Rice.  Light hearted fun for a sunny escapist afternoon! 

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Summer at the Chateau by Jennifer Bohnet

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Title: Summer at the Chateau

Author: Jennifer Bohnet

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 13th May 2021

Rating: 4 Stars

When Pixie Sampson's husband tragically dies, she inherits the beautiful Château Quiltu in Brittany, Northern France.

But unbeknown to her, she also inherits a mysterious lodger, Justine Martin and her 4-year-old son Ferdie.

Heartbroken and with her adventurous Mum, Gwen in tow, they travel to France to put the Château on the market but are soon drawn into a quest to seek the Château's secrets.

Who is Justine? Why is she living at the Château? How did she know her husband?

Over the Summer months, the Château fills with family and laughter and secrets are discovered and old wounds begin to heal.

How I do love a Jennifer Bohnet novel, without fail I feel transported with a location in France, and feel as though I am really there. 

And with Summer at the Chateau, set in the Brittany countryside, I felt that with abundance.  We get to see the French markets, a gorgeous chateau, and get a feeling for the laidback pace of French country living. 

With Gwen and Pixie being our focal characters, but whether Pixie wants to live in the Chateau forever or just sell it on, now that her beloved Frank has died, is open for discussion. 

I love how Gwen is in her 80s and Pixie in her 60s as its rather refreshing to have two older characters as the leads, and leads to us having many generations of the family present, which really helped bring the story alive. 

And then there is the mystery behind just who Justine Martin is, and why she is living in the cottage in the Chateau's grounds. What was it that Frank had clearly been hiding from his witfe Pixie, while she was still alive.  

There is a whole lot going on in this story, but at the same time it felt like quite a gently paced story, that I was really enjoying.  Once Pixie's family come over to France for part of the summer, I felt the who book picked up a gear and from then on I think I read the second half in one sitting. 

It is just a really enjoyable slice of French life, perfect to have your dreaming of your own escape to the sun, from the comfort of your armchair while at the time of reading it is still impossible. 

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Book Review - The Old Duck's Club by Maddie Please

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Title: The Old Duck's Club

Author: Maddie Please

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 18th May 2021

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Sophia Gregory is fading away…

Recently split from her married lover and about to turn sixty, Sophia doesn’t recognise the old woman staring back at her in the mirror. Where has her life gone so wrong? How has it come to this? A quiet holiday in beautiful Rhodes is the perfect chance for her to find herself again.

Until she meets the Old Ducks!

Bold and brash, Juliette, Kim and Anita are three friends who are determined not to grow old gracefully – and they are Sophia’s worse nightmare! But when Sophia is made an honorary member of The Old Ducks’ Club, she begins to discover a new side to life. Dancing and drinking till dawn Sophia starts to shake off her grey, drab old life and finds the fun side to living again!

And when she meets her gorgeous Greek neighbour, Theo, she thinks that maybe, if she’s just a little braver, she can learn to spread her wings again....

It’s never too late to teach an Old Duck new tricks!

A rip-roaring, laugh out loud story about the importance of friendship and always, always having fun!

I really enjoyed The Old Duck's Club, especially the Rhodes setting and the Old Duck's themselves. 

On the other hand it took me a while to even remotely connect to Sophia, in part because of her initial responses to both meeting Theo, and to the group of women in the villa next to her, who wake her up on their first night with loud hot tub antics. 

Yet as she got to know them, she is shown a way of life that she never imagined possible for a woman of a certain age, of women just not caring what society may think of them. 

The two weeks she teams up with the Old Ducks are the most entertaining of the book,  as they get up to all sorts, there is even an incident in a night club involving the police, and its adds a life and soul to the book. 

And I really enjoyed the setting of Rhodes and various bits of sightseeing done, in addition to the mentions of delicious sounding Greek meals in restaurants and the spattering of Greek phrases included to add a bit of flavour to the book. 

But with Sophia, when she was by herself and also with any man, she just drove me a bit mad, I just struggled to connect with her, which i think is what contributed to this book taking me far longer than I would have thought to read it.  That, and I seemed to have no time to read over the past few days, and my concentration was all over the place, and it always drives me slightly demented when I can't read a book in sizeable portions at the very least. 

I will say I really loved, hating Lucian whenever he was present, either via phone or later in the book where we see a bit more of him, just after a rather amusing scene that involved paint! 

It's an enjoyable book and had I read it perhaps on holiday myself, I would have probably loved it a lot more.  The writing is good,  the plot interesting, and I did love the idea that life doesn't end at age 60, and seeing Sophia coming up with a plan for the rest of her life.  There is certainly some character development over the course of the book, and I was really happy for her and the changes she makes to her life, by the time the book reaches its conclusion. 

Thank to you Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Under The Italian Sun by Sue Moorcroft

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Title: Under The Italian Sun

Author: Sue Moorcroft

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: 13th May 2021

Rating: 5 Stars

A warm, sun-baked terrace.

The rustle of verdant green vines.

The sun slowly dipping behind the Umbrian mountains.

And the chink of wine glasses as the first cork of the evening is popped…

Welcome to Italy. A place that holds the answer to Zia-Lucia Costa Chalmers’ many questions. Not least, how she ended up with such a mouthful of a name.

When Zia discovers that her mother wasn’t who she thought she was, she realises the time has come to search out the Italian family she’s never known.

However, as she delves into the secrets of her past, she doesn’t bargain on having to think about her future too. But with local vineyard owner, Piero, living next door, Zia knows she has a serious distraction who may prove difficult to ignore…

This summer, join Zia as she sets out to uncover her past. But can she find the future she’s always dreamed of along the way?

I challenge you to read the first chapter of this book and not instantly be hooked in wanting a whole variety of answers, and a burning desire to read more. 

For that is exactly what happened to me, so in retrospect starting this just before I went to bed may not have been the smartest idea but at least it meant I knew the next day I was in for a treat of a book. 

And I was! I actually can't believe just how much has been jam packed into this story, there are so many threads, much is all interlinked and so many different topics covered.   It's probably Sue Moorcroft's most ambitious book to date. 

In fact I really don't know how on earth I can possibly talk about this book without potentially spoiling anything key, especially given the sheer quantity of secrets involved in this book, plus betrayals, back stabbing, friendship and potentially unexpected consequences.  

It is a story of Zia discovering the truth about herself, of Piero trying his hardest to save his home while keeping his own family happy.  It's a story of Ursula and Stefan's relationship and whether it is possible for it to be back on track.  It's a story that at times had me smiling and cheering with joy, but others were so emotional that I could feel an occasional tear trying to get out. 

And for the most part it is set in Umbria, to a fabulous Italian backdrop.  I couldn't' help but notice it was bang up to date and clearly set in a post Brexit world, with regards the new restrictions on how long you can stay in a EU country.  Despite that level of real worldliness, I'm also delighted to say that as this is fiction there were no mentions of Covid anywhere which heightened my enjoyment and allowed me to escape properly into the pages! 

I absolutely adored my trip to Umbria in this story and everything to do with Zia's search for truth gripped me entirely.  I loved all elements of this book and had to keep reading to see just what would happen next as it really kept me on my toes. 

Just wonderful escapist reading! 

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily, 

Book Review - Our Story by Miranda Dickinson

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Title: Our Story

Author: Miranda Dickinson

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: HQ

Publication Date: 25th August 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

Otty has just landed her dream job. She's about to join the writing team of one of the most respected showrunners in TV. And then the night before her first day, she's evicted from her flat.

Joe has been working with Russell for years. He's the best writer on his team, but lately something has been off. He's trying to get his mojo back, but when his flatmate moves out without warning he has other things to worry about.

Otty moving into Joe's house seems like the perfect solution to both their problems, but neither is prepared for what happens next. Paired together in the writing room, their obvious chemistry sparks from the page and they are the writing duo to beat. But their relationship off the page is an entirely different story, and neither of them can figure out why.

And suddenly the question isn't, will they, or won't they? It's why won't they?

An epic and modern love story for our times, we will all see ourselves reflected in Otty and Joe. We are our own biggest barriers and this novel explores what happens when we get out of our own way. And it is glorious.

Based on the last 5 mins, if not the whole book, I feel like I've just been on a rollercoaster of emotion, as to whether or not I would get the ending my heart desired... but I'm not going to tell you if I did or not! 

But wow, this is a book that was on my mind even when I wasn't reading it,

I just loved the story of Otty and Joe, who are clearly brilliant writing partners, great house mates, but my god when it comes to being truthful about their feelings, its ridiculous, especially for a pair of writers to be so stuck for words. 

It's a whole will they - won't they sort a book, but it also covers whether Otty's family will ever accept her new career move, let alone the fact she clearly doesn't want to be with the man that the family had been rooting for her to marry since childhood. 

The story is told in alternating viewpoints of Otty and Joe so we get to know both of them really well, and get a really rounded view of everything that is happening. 

I loved some of the banter and general dialogue between not only Otty and Joe, but also the words they were putting into their scripts.  The snippets that are given hooked me into wanting to watch the programme they were working on. 

This is Miranda Dickinson at her very best, it was compelling reading about characters I really cared for.  An absolutely pleasure to read. 

Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Borrow a Bookshop Holiday by Kiley Dunbar

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Title: The Borrow a Bookshop Holiday

Author: Kiley Dunbar

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Publisher supplied copy

Publisher: Hera Books

Publication Date: 5th May 2021

Rating: 5 Stars

The Borrow-a-Bookshop Bookshop Café invites literature lovers to run their very own bookshop … for a fortnight.

Spend your days talking books with customers in your own charming bookshop and serving up delicious cream teas in the cosy café.

Bookworms, what are you waiting for? Your holiday is going to be LIT(erary).

Apply to: The Borrow-a-Bookshop Bookshop Café, Down-a-long, Clove Lore, Devon.

Jude Crawley should be on top of the world. She’s just graduated as a mature student, so can finally go public about her relationship with Philosophy professor, Mack.

Until she sees Mack kissing another girl, and her dreams crumble. And worse, their dream holiday – running a tiny bookshop in the harbour village of Clove Lore for two weeks – is non-refundable.

Throwing caution to the winds, Jude heads down to Devon, eager to immerse herself in literature and heal her broken heart.

But there’s one problem – six foot tall, brooding (but gorgeous) Elliot, who’s also reserved the bookshop holiday for two weeks…

As Jude and Elliot put their differences aside to run the bookshop, it seems that Jude might be falling in love with more than just words. Until she discovers what Elliot is running from – and why he’s hiding out in Clove Lore.

Can Jude find her own happy ending in a tiny, tumbledown bookshop? Or is she about to find out that her bookish holiday might have an unexpected twist in the tale…

The perfect cosy, romantic read for any bookworm! Fans of Jenny Colgan, Cressida McLaughlin and Philippa Ashley will love this feelgood romcom.

I have to say that I loved this book so much,  I mean it features a small community in Devon, a bookshop that you can run as your own for a two week holiday, a gorgeous man, character growth, baking, and a rather unusual dog. 

I mean what's not to love! This was a story that captured my imagination from the moment I saw the title and blurb and the cover is just stunning too.  You can't help but feel sorry for and empathise with Jude from the start, and I was rooting for her the whole way through, even when her confidence was floundering .

Her friendship with the boy next door Daniel is wonderful, and I'd love a Daniel in my own life. Then again I'd quite like an Elliot too! 

And Jude is a massive booklover, she is rather caring but has lived a rather sheltered life and has no idea what direction her life should take next. So is hoping the two weeks on this bookshop holiday will help her come up with some ideas. 

I just really enjoyed everything about this book, Clove Lore sounds like a lovely place to live, and the fledgling connection between Jude and Elliot is good to see grow- even if you are pretty positive Elliot is hiding things.  And well I must say I wouldn't have guessed the truth behind Elliot.  

And we slowly get to know the locals of Clove Lore, and their own stories are all so interesting too, I would have happily read even more about all the characters. And I loved Jude's gran too, she doesn't feature much but you get great feelings from her whenever she does appear. 

It's just another really lovely book, which is what I have come to expect from Kiley Dunbar. 

Thank you to Hera Books for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Italy Ever After by Leonie Mack

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Title: Italy Ever After

Author: Leonie Mack

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 11th May 2021

Rating: 5 Stars

TV journalist Lou feels battered and bruised after her divorce from Phil, the father of her daughter Edie. Her confidence and sense of fun have steadily been drained away, and she isn’t sure who she is any more.

When the opportunity arises to accompany Edie on a music camp in Italy for a month in the summer, Lou jumps at the chance for new adventures, new horizons and new friends. The hazy warmth of the summer sun, shining brightly over the stunning Lake Garda, slowly brings Lou back to life.

Nick Romano, Edie’s music teacher, loves being home in Italy, but coaching his students for their concert in Milan, is bringing back difficult memories. His blossoming friendship with Lou is the perfect distraction, although a summer fling would be easier to conduct without the scrutiny of his mother Greta, not to mention the interference of his extended Italian family.

As the summer passes, full of sunshine and breath-taking scenery, gelato and delicious feasts, Lou and Nick get ever closer. But as the time for farewell creeps up on them, will they be able to say goodbye and leave their memories behind in the Italian sun, or can a summer romance last a lifetime?

I felt drawn into this story from the first few pages and the book didn't let go of his hold on me until I reached the end.   I felt instantly at home with these characters, and they are all brand new to the reader, it's just the writing is so comfortable that you can't help but feel you knew these characters. 

And Lou and Nick are both flawed characters, they aren't the most confident in their own abilities, or elements of their personalities, and as a result they are very relatable to them. 

And Edie what a star she is, central to the book, to how Lou and Nick respond to things but also not the most vocal of children, but just when she is in a scene she adds a lot. 

And the trip to Italy, accompanying a music camp is a new situation for me which I loved.  I enjoyed seeing how Lou is keen amongst all these talented children to try to find her own talent and thus takes part in various workshops with differing degrees of success. 

I enjoyed the setting so much and the simmering chemistry between Lou and Nick even if for large amounts of the book they were both trying to ignore it. 

I enjoyed the occasional bits of Italian being spoken, to add to the flavour of the setting, and meeting Nick's grandparents was really lovely too. 

It's a story that I just thoroughly enjoyed reading and this book cements my opinion that Leonie Mack's a fabulous writer who seems to love all elements of music and stunning settings.  If she keeps up like this she will be a must read author for me, without even looking at the blurbs.   I'm enjoying her writing that much. 

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Family Secrets at Hedgehog Hollow by Jessica Redland

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Title: Family Secrets at Hedgehog Hollow

Author: Jessica Redland

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 4th May 2021

Rating: 5 Stars

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.