The sky is cornflower blue, the air is scented with the smell of fresh apple blossom and Lizzie Lovell can’t wait to start her new life in the mill on Magnolia Lane. But is she just about to fall in love with someone she shouldn’t?
When Lizzie loses her larger-than-life dad she doesn’t know how to move forward. Encouraged by a childhood dream she shared with her beloved father, she is determined to continue his legacy and moves to the old Mill on Magnolia lane, a place he had always longed to own.
Restoring the old windmill is a much bigger job than Lizzie bargained for, especially when she is distracted by her new next door neighbour Jude, who has temptingly twinkly eyes and a body to die for. But when Jude’s ex- girlfriend Harriet arrives back on the scene, Lizzie begins to wonder if life wasn’t far simpler before she moved to the mill. Especially when it emerges that Harriet knows something about Jude’s past, something that could shatter her new start and her heart into smithereens …
Review: I have been so looking forward to the new book by Tilly Tennant. She is one of my favourite authors; her books never fail to please. As I expected, as soon as I sat down to read this one, I was hooked and found it hard to put down. A lovely setting and marvellous characters - what more could you want?
The story has a cast of strong and interesting players, the central one being Lizzie Lovell. Her world is shattered when she loses her beloved dad, but she throws her energy as well as her savings into a project that she knows he would have loved - the restoration of an old windmill that sits on Magnolia Lane, near to the old fenland village of Piriwick. She soon realises that she has taken on a mammoth task, bigger and more expensive than she anticipated. However, it looks as though there may be some consolation in the shape of possible romance when she meets handsome neighbour Jude. Unfortunately, things are complicated there by the presence nearby of his ex-girlfriend and mother of his child. Lizzie is living in a caravan while the renovations are taking place, and is unexpectedly joined by her sister and then her stepmother. Things are getting pretty cramped, but Lizzie is beginning to realise that having family around her is really rather nice, in fact preferable to her idea of a quiet and solitary existence in her mill. However, with funds running low and a sudden tragedy in the family, Lizzie wonders if her dream of a new life in a beautifully working windmill will ever be realised.
I have really enjoyed this story and would wholeheartedly recommend it to others. I greatly admired the main character, Lizzie. Her determination to carry out her scheme to restore the old mill in spite of her family’s objections and the problems arising when the work begins is commendable to say the least. She also shows great strength in not allowing herself to fall right into Jude’s arms when she has doubts about where he stands with his ex; his attitude at times made me feel unsure of his motives. Lizzie‘ sister, Gracie, is also an interesting character. I thought she was going to be a hindrance to Lizzie, but she actually had hidden depths, and often added a touch of humour to the story. The whole situation of more and more women arriving in the caravan was quite comical and had me chuckling to myself. On the whole lighthearted, the story also had some tragic moments, as happens in any family. This book was another triumph for Tilly Tennant, and one which I’m sure her fans and new readers alike will enjoy.
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