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Coming Home to Maple Lodge by Alison Sherlock #Review

  I am delighted to feature the first in Alison Sherlock's new series set in the Corswolds. Coming Home to Maple Tree Lodge was published by Boldwood Books on June 20th. A family and hotel in desperate need of help… Maple Tree Lodge has been the home of the Jackson family for over a century. But the hotel has never been a success and, following the sudden loss of his father, architect Ben Jackson soon discovers the hotel is close to financial ruin. Ben has to make some tough decisions if the hotel is to survive and his family are to keep a roof over their heads. With the hotel in urgent need of a renovation, Ben’s sister calls on the talents of her best friend, interior designer Lily Watson. Cash strapped Lily needs a successful project to prove to herself and her high-achieving parents that she can carve a successful career and Maple Tree Lodge sounds like just the place for Lily to showcase her talents. However, Lily’s vision for a cosy, country Cotswolds hotel is the com...
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Christmas at the Little Duck Pond Cafe by Rosie Green ** Blog Tour Review**


 We are back in the village of Sunnybrook for Rosie Green's Christmas at the Little Duck Pond Cafe.
 
Fen has always hated being the centre of attention.

She loves her new job, working behind the scenes at the Little Duck Pond Cafe and baking the scrumptious cakes that have helped its reputation soar. But frankly, she'd rather scrub the public toilet floor with a toothbrush than have to come out and talk to the customers.

She's always been happy to stay in the background as long as she has a good supply of books to escape into. That's her kind of romance - the fictional sort where she can read about other people taking a chance on love, but she doesn't have to risk her own heart.

But that was before Ethan Fox arrived in the village and turned her world upside down. Ethan is a leading light in the local amateur dramatics theatre company and Fen knows he's way out of her league. 

But when the popular village Christmas pantomime hits a crisis, Fen and Ethan find themselves thrown together. Can Fen overcome her shyness and find the courage to step on stage and save the day?


My Thoughts

What a great return to Sunnybrook for a really festive story. All the characters we met before are featured and the focus this time is on Fen who turns out to have hidden depths.  Held back all her life with shyness, she emerges as an engaging and sympathetic character, who you root for. You also find out more about her family members and the dynamics within the family. 

    The descriptions of the Amateur Dramatics Society meetings made me smile with some amusing and quirky participants. Jaz and Ellie have their own stories going on and in all, you pick up the growing excitement of the Christmas build-up. The scene sparkles like a snowy Christmas card scene. Rosie Green's little community is invitingand feels inclusive whilst the story is written with fluidity and pacing. All three of the Little Duck Pond novellas have been an enjoyable read and each one has shown us different aspects of the characters.

In short: festive romance amid a sparkling Christmas scene.

About the Author

Rosie Green has been scribbling stories ever since she was little.
Back then they were rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff or being tied up by ‘the baddies’. Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile, with really not much perilous danger involved at all, unless you count the heroine losing her heart in love.

    Rosie’s brand new series of novellas is centred on life in a village café. Summer at the Little Duck Pond Cafe, published on 18th June 2018, follows the first in the series, Spring at the Little Duck Pond Cafe.
You can follow Rosie here: Twitter 
Book link: Amazon UK    |  Amazon US
 
Thanks to Rosie Green and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources  for a copy of the book and a place on the Tour.  
 
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