Every now and again a book comes along which leaves you wondering how on earth can I possibly review this book to give it the praise it deserves without spoiling. This is one of those books! I have to try though, so here goes.
Libby is a young mum who has run away from a difficult relationship with her ex and the father of her now two year old daughter. She is doing the best she can, but it is hard to move forward when you are forever looking over your shoulder, worried that you may be being followed or that you will be found. She is, however, determined that she will get to a point where she will be able to provide a stable home for Tilly and herself. She does whatever odd jobs she can to make money during the hours that Tilly is at nursery.
When Ross, a local architect with big dreams, asks her to make sure that the cottage at the edge of the woods is empty before he gets it knocked down, Libby agrees. However, on her first visit, she is attacked by birds. It is normal to be scared when you visit a house that is nearly falling down, but it is terrifying for Libby as she has an extreme fear of birds. She runs away screaming and has no intention of going back again.
Ross needs to know that the house is empty, so he implores her to go back and offers her a decent amount of money to do so. It's the kind of money that could at least get Libby and Tilly out of the hostel they currently live in. Returning to the cottage, she meets eccentric mute Isobel who lives in the tumbledown cottage, looking after injured birds.
Slowly each of the characters begin to open up to each other but not without asking some questions which might lead to some tough answers. Why does Isobel live out here by herself? Is Ross a decent man as he seems? Can Libby trust him? Is she in danger of being found? Are things really as they seem?
I have read five of Jane Lovering's books now. While they all tend to be set in Yorkshire, they are all different from each other, and I think this is her best one yet. It touches on a heartbreakingly serious subject but does so with so much grace and empathy. I felt the tension building for each of the main characters as they each faced their own issue. For Isobel, the question is where could she and her birds live if they have to move the cottage. For Ross, what will happen if he can't get the cottage clear in time for his big potentially life changing TV project, and for Libby, how can she outrun her past, without continuing to actually run.
This is an exceptional read from Jane Lovering, with some unexpected outcomes for everyone concerned. Once I read past the first couple of chapters, I really struggled to put it down. It was that good!
I am sharing this review with New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Review Blog. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. Be sure to check out other stops on the blog tour below.
Rating 4.5/5
The Cottage at the Edge of the Woods
Some houses won’t let go of the past. Some people won’t, either…
When single mum Libby is offered a life-changing sum of money to clear out an old cottage in the woods, she expects dust and decay. She doesn’t expect a house full of secrets, a room full of birds, and a woman who refuses to leave.
The handsome but stressed architect who hired Libby is also a puzzle. Why can't Ross empty Elm Cottage himself? What can he possibly see in Libby, who has been burned by love and is wary of attachment? How can they persuade the mysterious but kindly Isobel to move on?
As Libby is pulled into the cottage's story, she must face up to her own deepest fears. Can she help Isobel, fight the past that haunts her, and learn to open her own heart to love once more?
Jane Lovering’s new novel is a delicious, romantic mystery where secrets, love and healing weave through every page.
Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/CottageattheEdge
About the Author
Jane Lovering is the bestselling and award-winning romantic comedy writer who won the RNA Contemporary Romantic Novel Award in 2023 with A Cottage Full of Secrets. She lives in Yorkshire and has a cat and a bonkers terrier, as well as five children who have now left home.
Social Media Links –
Facebook: @jane.lovering
Twitter: @janelovering
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/JaneLoveringNews
Bookbub profile: @janelovering
No comments:
Post a Comment