Midsummer Magic at Midwynter Hall is the third in Lottie Cardew's Pebblestow series. One Last Dream for December by Lottie You can read my review of the first two, A Christmas Wish on a Carousel here and One Last Dream for December here.
An enchanting, standalone, modern rom-com inspired by Jane
Austen’s EMMA, about a matchmaking young woman whose heart may be in the
right place… some of the time.
Emmeline – Em to her friends – has very little to vex her, except
that she hasn’t left her beloved home, Midwynter Hall, in over two years.
But her isolation doesn’t stop her interfering in the lives of
others, particularly when it comes to love. As a romance writer, Emmeline
obviously knows what she’s doing, increasingly plotting real-life matches
rather than fictional ones.
When best friend Polly gets mixed up with the wrong sort of man,
Emmeline has no choice but to swoop to the rescue. And when old family friend
Jordi seeks solace after women and work troubles, Emmeline has the perfect
solution. You see, everything she’s written lately – pairing up lovelorn locals
– has somehow (maybe magically) come true. So, if she pens a tale about Polly
and Jordi despite their many protests, they’ll thank her eventually, once
they’re blissfully happy together.
But no one is more surprised than Emmeline when she finds she
wants to write herself into the story, especially if someone she cares about
may get hurt in the process.
Because as it turns out, believing you’ve never been in love,
doesn’t mean you’ve never (unknowingly) given your heart away…
My Thoughts
Once I realised that this third in the series was inspired by Jane Austen's Emma, I had great fun looking for any allusions I could find. Em shared with Emma a preference for observing those around her and trying to manoeuvre them along the lines she wants them to go. I think to call her manipulating would be too strong but she definitely has a yen for others to find romance. Em leads a rather curious life at the Hall and under the surface, there are some difficult issues that she is dealing with. Her panic attacks and agoraphobia have led to her retreating to her childhood home. She is a complex character who you cannot help but having sympathy for.
Isolated at home, Em is relying on her friends from the outside world. Polly is a lovely character, full of life and as for Jordi... he is patience personified! The Hall is a delightful setting which offers Em a safe living environment which never feels claustrophobic. Her parents have their own difficulties and her loyalty to them is obvious. In the end, this is an uplifting read with hints of magic at work.
In short: Can friends turn to lovers?
About the Author
Lottie Cardew writes uplifting, contemporary romcoms set
around the picturesque village of Pebblestow, and is an advocate for diversity
in fiction.
Regarded as the bossy one at Novelistas Ink, Lottie often
subdues the other members if they misbehave (they don't really) including the
popular authors Trisha Ashley and Sophie Claire. She is a longstanding member
of the Romantic Novelists' Association, scooping their New Writer's Award in
her twenties under a different pen-name. More recently, Lottie also joined the
Society of Authors where as an active participant in the ADCI group (Authors
with Disabilities and Chronic Illnesses) she interviewed bestselling author
Holly Smale in 2021 for the first ever Disability Issue of The Bookseller.
Lottie is diagnosed autistic with suspected ADHD. Her home
in North Wales is overrun by husband, not-very-small children, and a ball of
fluff masquerading as a Pomeranian, so Lottie frequently takes refuge at her
desk.
You can follow Lottie here: Twitter | Instagram | Newsletter sign up | Website | Facebook Author Page
Purchase links:
Thanks
to Lottie Cardew, Cloverdilli House and Rachel of Rachel's Random
Resoutces for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.
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