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| Boldwood Books 17 July 2023 My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book and to Rachel's Random Resources for the invitation to the blog tour |
Autumn Laine has lost her creative sparkle. After losing her grandad and her job as an illustrator in quick succession, she is at a crossroads in life and needs a break. Spending time with her parents in Paris, even in the artistic community of Montmartre, doesn't appear to be the answer.
So when her penpal, Rosie, invites her to stay in the Lake District, Autumn jumps at the chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of Paris. After all, where better to re-discover her creativity than the place which inspired her heroine, Beatrix Potter?
Arriving at the picturesque lakeside village of Willowdale, Autumn is swept up by the beauty and magic of the stunning landscape. Welcomed into the community with open arms, she slowly starts to feel like herself again as her creative instincts re-ignite.
But when she meets Dane, who has escaped to the Lakes for his own reasons, will Autumn's walls come down to let someone in again after so long? Or will the secrets of her past continue to hold her back?
📖 My Review..
Autumn Laine's life is at something of a crossroads and so it is with trepidation that she leaves her worries behind and heads for the Lake District to stay with her pen pal, Rosie and although they have exchanged lots of letters over the years Autumn and Rosie have never met in person. However, Rosie makes Autumn feel very welcome and soon the tranquility of the beautiful place, and its people, help to give Autumn some perspective on her life, especially when she meets Dane, another lost soul, who has also settled in the area for complicated reasons of his own.
With imaginative ease this lovely story takes us on a picturesque journey around the area around Derwent Water, and from the wonderful way in which the author describes everything it is obvious that she knows, and loves, this beautiful place very well. From the charm and quirkiness of Hill Top, Beatrix Potter's home, to the majestic beauty of the Lakeland fells there is never a moment when the story fails to engage with the reader. I was soon enchanted by Autumn, by her exceptional artistic talent, to her quest for fulfillment and her quiet determination to take her life in an altogether different direction.
Filled with the joy of friendships, old and new, the excitement of finding real purpose in life and the simple pleasure of being able to live in such a beautiful part of the world, this first book in the series really is The Start of Something Wonderful and I can't wait to see where this talented author takes us next on our journey to the English Lake District.
About the Author
Jessica Redland writes emotional but uplifting stories of love, friendship, family and community. Her Whitsborough Bay books transport readers to the stunning North Yorkshire Coast where she lives with her husband, daughter and sprocker spaniel. Her Hedgehog Hollow series, set in a hedgehog rescue centre, takes readers into the beautiful rolling countryside of the Yorkshire Wolds.
Twitter @JessicaRedland
@BoldwoodBooks #BoldwoodBloggers
@rararesources
Thanks for joining in the blog tour for The Start of Something Wonderful and for your lovely review. Really glad you felt such a strong sense of place from it. You're right that I do know and love this part of the world so well. Really wish I could live there! Really appreciate your kind comments x
ReplyDeleteIt's always a pleasure to read one of your lovely stories and no better setting than the Lake District. Looking forward to more !
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