Book Review: Snowdrops on Rosemary Lane by Ellen Berry

I am pleased to be welcoming Ellen Berry and the blog tour for her new novel, Snowdrops on Rosemary Lane.

Last winter she had a plan.

Lucy fell in love with tumbledown Rosemary Cottage as a child. So thirty years on, when she loses her city job and discovers the cottage is for sale, it feels like fate. She’ll raise her children in Burley Bridge and transform the cottage into a B&B with her husband.

But a year can change everything . . .

Now Lucy is juggling two children and a B&B, but on her own. Christmas looks set to be their last on Rosemary Lane – until she meets James, a face from her past and someone who might offer a different kind of future . . .

Should Lucy leave the cottage behind? Or could this winter on Rosemary Lane be the start of something new?

I am not crying, I have something in my eye…. OK, I am crying.

It was hard not to reach for the tissues with the latest book by Ellen Berry.

It focuses on Lucy, who after losing her job in Manchester, makes the decision with her husband Ivan to move to the picturesque village of Burley Bridge. It is not all plain sailing for Lucy and her family and there are many ups and downs along the way. Lucy wonders whether Rosemary Cottage is her forever home after all?

It’s not hard to feel love and empathy for Lucy especially as things happen for her pretty early on in the novel.

James, like Lucy is dealing with issues that I think a lot of people would be able to relate to. He and Lucy have many layers to them. I liked them both a lot.

The supporting characters are wonderful and it was such a pleasure to be back in Burley Bridge (the previous novels being The Bookshop on Rosemary Lane and The Little Bakery on Rosemary Lane.) It was lovely to have cameos from previous characters.

You don’t need to have read the previous novels though to enjoy this book. It can be read as a standalone novel. However, once you’ve read this, you may want to go back and read the first two in the series. I am hoping this is not the last we see of Burley Bridge and its inhabitants.

I love the idea of the plot overall; to buy a cottage in the country. That is all I am saying about the story as I don’t want to be giving away any spoilers. I am hoping that you will discover this book for yourself.

This book is an enchanting, warm novel full of delightful characters. Ellen Berry tackles some quite sensitive subjects, including grief, with lots of care.

Snowdrops on Rosemary Lane has a rollercoaster of emotions and is perfect company for the cold evenings as we head toward the festive season.

About Ellen: 

Ellen Berry is a pen name of romantic comedy author Fiona Gibson, who lives in Glasgow.

Her Rosemary Lane series is set in a Yorkshire village and was sparked by her deep love of cookbooks and bookshops.

Fiona grew up in West Yorkshire, and spent her heady late teens and twenties working on teenage magazines such as Jackie, Just Seventeen and more!, before turning to writing novels in her thirties.

When she’s not writing she loves to draw, paint, run, and hang out with her family and their beloved collie cross, Jack.

Say hi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FionaGibson

Snowdrops on Rosemary Lane was released on eBook by Avon Books UK on 11th November 2019 with a paperback release due on 26th December. Click to view the Rosemary Lane series on Amazon UK.

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Laura

I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.