Reviewed by Emma Crowley
‘A letter, a goodbye, and a baby girl whose name will begin with “L”…’
When Heartcross’ resident clairvoyant tells Molly McKendrick to expect a whole lot of scandal and upset to blow in with the approaching winter storm, Molly doesn’t know what to think.
With a baby on the way any week now, and Christmas not far off, the last thing Molly needs is drama, but when she crosses paths with Bree, a sixteen-year-old homeless girl, and takes her in from the cold, secrets from the past flood the present and Molly, her partner Cam, and their son George, are soon experiencing a holiday season filled with unexpected festive surprises…
Many thanks to Harper Collins UK via NetGalley for my copy of New Beginnings at the Old Bakehouse to review and to Sharon for having my review on the blog.
I couldn’t have been happier to discover that publication of the latest instalment of Christie Barlow’s Love Heart Lane series had been brought forward as I have been a huge fan since book one. It felt like Christmas had come early and a wonderful gift awaited me. There was no way I was going to leave New Beginnings at the Old Bakehouse languishing on my kindle until nearer to publication. So I dove straight in and within that very first chapter I was completely engrossed in and delighted to once again catch up with Molly and Cam whose story had previously featured in Primrose Park.
Of course there are some new characters introduced but as always returning to Heartcross feels like catching up with old friends and the warm, vibrant and solid community that Christie has established within these books always shines through so perfectly. This may be book nine in the series but as I always say, and I wouldn’t say it if it weren’t true, this new story can easily be read as a standalone. But really if you haven’t read any of the Love Heart Lane books yet then why haven’t you? They are all fabulous reads where you will devour each story in short order and just desperately wish that Heartcross and all the characters you meet are real so you could one day visit.
I read this book in early summer not realising it was set in winter and snow, blizzards and ice feature a bit and cause several problems but it only served to remind me of the good things about the winter season. I felt I settled easily into the story as I had read about Molly and Cam before and I was so glad they featured again because I had always thought that there was much more to unfold with regard to their story. Molly and Cam now run and live in the old Bakehouse which was founded by his Great Uncle Ted. They have a young son George and baby number two is on the way. Molly is a vet but taking things at a slower pace as the due date for the new arrival is fast approaching.
Straight away, the reader can sense that Cam is very much off form and he remains so for quite the majority of the story. The reasons for his behaviour are drip fed to the reader and when things are revealed you can see why he didn’t say anything to Molly as I think a lot of people would have done the same if in the same situation. It made me for a time kind of be against Cam as I hated seeing Molly anxious about her relationship when she should have felt safe and secure. I did feel sorry for Molly because she felt like she had done something wrong and that she couldn’t get through to Cam in order to get him to open up. She didn’t need any extra stress at that point in her pregnancy with him being so evasive and him also being so reluctant to participate in the Baker of the Year Competition where he could showcase his incredible talents. I felt Molly had an unnecessary burden on her shoulders. Cam was running himself into the ground working all available hours at the bakery and if he didn’t acknowledge that an extra pair of hands would be welcome I could see himself and Molly’s relationship venturing down a tricky path. Which I really didn’t want to see happen at all.
Molly is a fabulous character who does so much for all those around her. She is kind, caring, considerate and supportive and this is highlighted as every day she brings the unsold goods from the bakery to the local homeless shelter. I have to say Christie did such a brilliant job of describing all the various delectable treats that Cam whips up in the bakery. They really made my mouth water especially the Layers Treats. The descriptions only added to the warm and cosy feeling that is exuded throughout the story alongside the weather that causes some havoc. I felt wrapped up and embraced by the plot, the characters and the setting and that’s what a very good book in this genre should do and time and time again this brilliant author achieves it. Serious issues are always explored in this series alongside more light-hearted and fun moments and here the topics of homelessness, grief and abandonment are focused on. Weaving the humour alongside sombre and thoughtful problems takes skill and effort but Christie has this unique knack of blending the two strands together seamlessly and that’s another feature of what makes these books so successful and readable.
Molly alongside her friends Isla, Allie and Felicity have a night out where Martha (Isla’s grandmother) does readings. Molly is surprised by what Martha tells her and that she has a gut feeling that things aren’t right in the village and that changes might be ahead for Molly. As a reader, I desperately didn’t want anything to happen to Molly or her family as they have been characters who have found a firm place in my heart but I suppose without a little angst and some trying times there wouldn’t be much of a story to tell in the first place.
Molly always has such good intentions and when she meets a young girl named Bree at the homeless shelter she feels an unexpected connection to her. Like she has seen her somewhere before or had something to do with her. But that’s not possible. Molly is gentle and kind and always there to lend a hand. She is good natured and always has the best of intentions as demonstrated when she offers Bree a place to stay for the night when the shelter is full but Cam being the way he is isn’t best pleased. I think people who are homeless for whatever reasons, we do learn the background to Bree’s situation pretty quickly, and are judged far too rashly and here it was shown that not all people would have chosen that path. Bree’s vulnerability was highlighted. Bree is closed down, guarded and defensive and you couldn’t blame her. She has become very streetwise and has to fend for herself. It was sad to see someone so young in such a desperate situation and I think Molly’s heart went out to her and she wanted to do the best she could for her. There a lot of twists and turns and misunderstandings that occur regarding Bree and all these make for a well developed and a great paced plot. She has unexpected talents that could prove very fruitful if she was only give the chance and the benefit of the doubt. Only time will tell if things can fall into place for her.
New Beginnings at the Old Bakehouse is a warm hug of a book that encircles you from the very first page. I loved the familiarity of returning to the same setting which I adore so much. The fact there is recurring characters provides familiarity but the books are kept new and fresh with new and interesting characters introduced. My only disappointment is that Christie can’t write the books as fast as I read them. I hope she continues to write this series for as long as possible because nine books down the line it is still as strong as ever and one of my all time favourites. This book is a charming, engaging, warm hearted and feel good read that I lapped up and finished in one sitting which is a rarity for me these days. Book ten, The Hidden Secrets of Bumblebee Cottage, publishes at the end of the year and I’m eagerly awaiting that point until I can get my hands on it to return to the fantastic Heartcross and all the wonderful characters that live there.
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