Synopsis
No matter how far you go, home is where the heart is…
Beth Williams hasn’t been home for ten years. After falling pregnant at sixteen, she ran away from the imposing Scottish estate where she grew up rather than risk her family’s disapproval, working hard to build a life for herself and daughter Isabelle – but now she’s finally returning to Glendale Hall.
As Beth tries to mend her broken family ties, and fights to bring the community of Glendale back together, she realises that the story she has told herself for a decade might well be a very different one from the truth. Even though she ran from Glendale it has never left her heart. And, she soon realises, neither has Drew – Beth’s first love.
Will Beth be able to forgive her mother and grandmother (and herself) for what happened ten years ago? What will Drew say when he discovers the secret she’s been keeping from him for so long? Can a festive trail bring the village back together?
Will Christmas work its magic on Glendale – or will Beth be forced to run away from it all over again?
A charming, uplifting novel that will warm your heart – the perfect read to curl up with this autumn. Fans of Trisha Ashley, Debbie Johnson and Cathy Bramley will love this gorgeously romantic read.
My review
This is very Christmassy, festive novel, but it has a gritty edge. Teenage pregnancy is a bit of a prickly issue and it’s one that features in this story. Beth ran away at sixteen when expecting her baby and she stays away for ten years before returning with daughter Isabelle. Beth had her reasons and some of those aren’t easy to overcome. There’s challenge alongside the charm in the story.
Beth isn’t the only one who has altered during that time: her hometown has as well. Glendale is in a downward spiral, perhaps reflecting her grandmother’s serious illness. However, Beth isn’t running away again. She decides to tackle things and make life better.
As she tries to give Glendale a second chance, she herself gets one too. Her first love, Drew, appears on the scene.
Victoria Walters creates some wonderful characters for us to meet, and her clever plot has them interacting in fascinating ways.
The seasonal events, activities and settings in this story are very atmospheric, and also magical. This book is a great one to start your Christmas reading season with.
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Author Bio –
Victoria Walters writes up-lifting and inspiring stories. Her moving debut novel THE SECOND LOVE OF MY LIFE was chosen for WHSmith Fresh Talent and shortlisted for an RNA award. Victoria was also picked as an Amazon Rising Star. Her heart-warming new novel SUMMER AT THE KINDNESS CAFE is available to download now.
As well as being an author, Victoria also works as a Waterstones bookseller and buys far too many books there. She lives in Surrey with her cat Harry (named after Harry Potter). Victoria is not only obsessed with books but loves buying slogan tops, mugs and notebooks, and posting them all on Instagram.
You can discover more about Victoria – and find pictures of Harry the cat – by following her on Instagram at @vickyjwalters, on Twitter at @Vicky_Walters or by visiting her blog at:https://victoria-writes.com/.
