Emma's Review: The Midnight Bakery by Emma Davies

Nestled at the end of a tiny, cobbled backstreet, is a charming, careworn bakery, its doorstep scrubbed clean and pale green linen blinds neatly drawn. Every night, long after customers have gone and the last crumbs wiped from the shelves, a key turns in the lock. This is a haven, a place where a candle burns through the night for anyone feeling lost or lonely.

Frankie, kneading dough through the night and shaping croissants to bake for morning, hopes the bakery will keep her safe from the heartbreak of her past. But what she hasn’t expected is to meet others who need to heal as much as she does.

William appears one moonlit night. Forging his own new path following years of heartache, he begins to check in on Frankie nightly, his gentle smile letting her know he’s keeping an eye.

Tam, lost and alone, stumbles upon the bakery and it becomes the one place where he can be himself.

Beth, who nurses patients by night and her husband by day, is drawn in by the scent of freshly baked bread and warm sugar, with Frankie’s custard tarts the one bright spark in her long, lonely nights.

Each of them finds comfort, companionship, and hope, as they begin to reveal secrets they’ve kept hidden for so long.

But one night, Frankie finds a letter neatly folded on the countertop. As she unfolds the perfect creases, her heart plummets when she sees the scrawled writing: will everything she’s been working towards be undone in an instant?

Can the four new friends fight for the place they love? Or will they lose the midnight bakery just when they need it most?

Book Links: Kindle or Paperback

Emma's Books of the Year 2023

It’s hard to believe I am sitting down once again to write a books of the year post. It feels like only yesterday that I did my post for 2022 but yet 2023 is drawing to a close and it certainly was another very quick year. I reached my goal for my Goodreads Reading Challenge and read over 100 books although I would have loved to have read more. The last month of the year was extremely busy and I couldn’t seem to concentrate for long periods of time. None the less I have read some brilliant books this year and I have picked ten of my favourites to share with you. Thanks again to Sharon for hosting my reviews on the blog and for her friendship and all the chats throughout the year. So without further ado and in no particular order here are my books of the year for 2023.

Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent was published in March of this year but I had an early copy and couldn’t resist sneaking it in at the tail end of 2022. I’m sure this book will be on my readers books of the year because it was simple phenomenal ad Liz is certainly at the top of her game. With the killer opening line that she is famous for this book sucks you in from the very first word and it is impossible to leave out of your hands. It’s dark and twisted and just what we have all come to expect and love from this author and Sally Diamond has most definitely been a talking point this year earning widespread acclaim and critical success. 

Sally becomes the centre of attention for an act that is abhorrent to many but beneath it all there is a painful past to share as she steps out into the world for the first time making new friends. She is not a conventional character by any means and the further the story develops the more your mind is blown.I can’t really say much about it except to say that is a disturbing read packed full of fear, trauma, manipulation, damage and mistreatment with a central character who will affect you in so many ways. Its an outstanding read which if you haven’t already discovered make sure you get a copy as soon as possible. You can read my full review here. 

I’ve been a fan of Emma Davies since I first read her novella Merry Mistletoe many years ago. She took a break from her usual women’s fiction to write in the cosy murder mystery genre but this year made a welcome return with the first in the Clearwater series - Secrets of Clearwater Castle. This is a feel-good romantic tale with lots of trials and tribulations along the way and I adored every minute of it. It follows Lowri who is widowed with a young daughter as she has inherited some land that her husband had kept secret from her. The setting is just gorgeous and the plot wonderfully written with a wide variety of characters that capture a piece of your heart. It’s a real page turner of a book which reminded me just how much I love reading. It was an absolute pleasure to accompany Lowri on her journey as she tries to heal but she also has to try and save Clearwater. My full review can be found here. I hope it won’t be too long until book two in the series is published as this is one that has stayed on long in my mind since I finished reading it.

Emma's Review: Secrets of Clearwater Castle by Emma Davies

Reviewed by Emma Crowley 

Heartbroken Lowri Morgan, a young Welsh widow, is finally packing up her beloved husband’s belongings, her young daughter Wren asleep at her side. Then, hidden amongst the very last pile of papers, Lowri finds an official-looking letter – and her whole world shifts…

Her husband had a secret inheritance, one he’d never mentioned or done anything about. And now, it seemed, somewhere called Clearwater Castle was hers – and, in time, little Wren’s. How could he have hidden this from her and why? And what on earth was she going to do?

Arriving in Clearwater village, Lowri doesn’t find the fairy-tale home she’d pictured. The castle is near-derelict, a tiny cottage in the grounds barely liveable, and her responsibilities – as outlined by the ruggedly handsome but prickly local stonemason Huw – are overwhelming. This is not the future she’d imagined for her and Wren, but as the only link left to her husband, she’s determined to make the best of it.

Lowri never asked for a new start, but it seems fate has decided she needed one. As she and Huw reluctantly begin to work together, sparks start to fly between them. Can they find a way to save Clearwater Castle and bring life back to the village? What will they find out about themselves – and the mystery of the hidden inheritance – in the process? And will Lowri, heartbroken once already, find the courage to give love one more chance?

Book Links: Kindle or Paperback

Emma's Review: The Little Island Secret by Emma Davies

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

When Abby steps off the ferry and onto the isle of Kinlossay, she squeezes her daughter’s hand and prays this trip was not a mistake. For the last year she has been receiving letters from a mysterious stranger detailing every moment of his life on this rugged little island. Swept away by descriptions of buttercups dancing on rolling fields, his words were a lifeline to Abby, filling her grey life with colour. But then, one day, the messages stopped.

Perhaps Abby should have forgotten about the man who gave her hope again, but she’s learned the hard way that she needs to make her own luck in life. She knows what she felt as she read those letters and she owes it to herself and her daughter to find out the truth.

But what if the truth means discovering that nothing about the man you thought you knew is real? When the secret of the island is revealed, will Abby run home to safety, or stay and fight for the life her daughter deserves?

Book Links: Kindle or Paperback

Emma's Review: The Beekeeper's Cottage by Emma Davies

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Beekeeper Grace thought throwing out her cheating husband would be the hardest thing she ever did. But when she opens the door to a property developer one morning, it’s clear that keeping her beautiful home and garden – her only sanctuary throughout her miserable marriage – will be the greatest challenge of all…

Fleeing to her best friend at the farm next door, Grace blurts out all her problems, only to be overheard by Amos, a handsome, free-spirited visitor with a twinkle in his eye. Fascinated by Grace and her bees, Amos offers to stay in the village of Hope Corner, to help turn her home into a guest house in return for lessons on beekeeping.

As Grace shows Amos how to nurture a hive and harvest honeycomb without getting stung, he is charming but secretive. He never stays long in the same place after an incident in his past involving a mysterious woman named Maria. But as their eyes lock over a jar of homemade honey, Grace can’t help feeling that she’d really like him to stay…

Determined to dispel her growing suspicion that Amos is running from something serious, Grace goes in search of the truth about Maria. But when she finds it, will she still want Amos to put down roots in Hope Corner, and will they still have a house to return to? 

No matter how far they travel, bees will always find their way home…

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Emma's Review: The House at Hope Corner by Emma Davies

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Free-spirited Flora Dunbar is heartbroken at the news that she must close down her beloved little flower shop on the high-street. As she packs away her pretty pots and vases and locks the door for the very last time, the only spark of hope is an offer from Ned, a gorgeous farmer with an irresistible twinkle in his eye, to come and start a new life on his family farm.

Arriving at Hope Corner, Flora’s heart sings as she takes in the stunning landscape that surrounds her new home. But it’s not long before she realises that her creative, romantic thinking has no place in a household built on tradition and strict routine.

Pulling up her signature striped socks and throwing herself into her chores, little by little Flora blossoms as she learns to love the order and patterns of life on the land, feeding the chickens every morning and checking on the cows at night. But the more she understands about her new home, the more she suspects it’s under threat, and worse, that Ned is hiding something from her…

But this time, Flora’s not going to run from her problems, especially not when she was just beginning to let herself believe that Ned could really be The One. Can she find a way to save her relationship AND the first house she’s ever truly called home?

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Emma's Review: Summer at the Little Cottage on the Hill by Emma Davies

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Take an endless stroll through wild meadows and breathe in the sweet aroma of flowers in full bloom. The first ever guest at the little cottage on the hill is looking for an escape, but her past is not far behind her… 

Thirty-two-year-old ‘ice queen’ Isobel slams the cottage door and pulls the curtains shut. She has just six weeks to practise for a secret project that could save her career and no one must know she is here. 

When Tom, the local thatcher with eyes as blue and deep as the ocean, hears the sound of her violin on the breeze he feels a tug at his heart-strings that reminds him of happier times. Who is this mysterious new lodger, and why does she look so familiar? 

Desperate to find out more, Tom is devastated when Isobel refuses to enjoy everything the farm has to offer. He won’t give in, but just when it looks like Isobel is coming out of her shell, someone recognises her and the troubles from her past threaten to take away everything she has been working towards. 

Will the lessons Isobel learned at the little cottage help her to stand up and face the music? Will Tom ever find a way to unlock the emotion she needs to move on? 

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Emma's Review: The Little Cottage on the Hill by Emma Davies

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

There’s blossom in the trees and daffodils as far as the eye can see. Maddie is looking forward to a fresh start in the countryside, but there’s just one little problem…

Following a scandal at her high-flying PR agency, twenty-six-year-old Maddie flees London to help promote what she thinks is going to be a luxurious holiday retreat in the countryside. Everything is riding on her making a success of this new job…

Yet when she arrives, Maddie is horrified to find a rundown old farm in a terrible state. The brooding and secretive owner, Seth, spent all his money on leasing the land when he fell in love with the beautiful, dishevelled farm cottages and the very romantic story behind them.

When Maddie discovers an old oil painting by the original owner’s wife, she unlocks the secret of the farm’s history and quickly realises she must start getting her hands dirty if this very special place is going to have any chance of survival. As she and Seth begin working together, the stunning view from the top of the hill is not the only thing that’s leaving her breathless…

After weeks of hard work the dream looks like it might become a reality, until a secret from Maddie’s past threatens to snatch it all away again. Can Maddie find a way to save the business and herself? Will she finally find a place to keep her heart within the crumbling walls of the little cottage on the hill?

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Emma's Review: Lucy's Book Club for the Lost and Found by Emma Davies

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Sometimes you’ve got to run away to find yourself… 

Twenty-four-year-old Lucy needs a fresh start. Forever single and frustrated with her studies she gives up everything to run a little library in the leafy village of Tilley Moreton. 

Lucy loves reading almost as much as she loves fixing other people’s problems, so starting a book club seems like the perfect opportunity to do both. As she meets her new members, it’s clear she’s going to have her work cut out for her. Handsome but silent Callum is the biggest puzzle of them all... 

But Lucy’s meddling begins to cause more problems than it solves, and no one is more surprised than Lucy when Callum steps in to help. Could there be more to him than people think? 

As Callum and Lucy start working together to fix the broken hearts of the library’s most loyal customers, the first sparks of romance begin to fly.

Can they right all the trouble Lucy has created, and might there be a chance for a happy ending of their own?

Amazon Affiliate Link: Kindle 

Emma's Review: Turn Towards the Sun by Emma Davies

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Lizzie wants nothing more than to start over and put the past behind her. So when she is offered the chance to live and work at Rowan Hill, a beautiful country estate and bustling community of artists, it feels like a dream come true.

But soon after her arrival a series of accidents and misunderstandings begins to threaten the happiness and livelihoods of everyone at Rowan Hill. And when suspicion quickly falls on Lizzie, she discovers that the past is not so easily forgotten.

To keep the life she has just begun to build, Lizzie will have to race to uncover the truth before there are disastrous repercussions for everyone involved. In this heartwarming story of friendship, loss and love, the stakes are high but so are the rewards. If Lizzie can find a way to stay true to herself, she might have a chance at something she has always wanted: a place to call home. 

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

Emma's Review: Spring Fever by Emma Davies

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Life is about to get very exciting for Merry and Tom – a new baby, a wonderful new home, and a fresh business venture to get off the ground. Five Penny House is just the place to make their dreams come true, and so what if the locals think the place is cursed? Merry’s not about to let a little thing like that bother her…

For Freya and Sam too, spring heralds the beginning of their new life together at her beloved Appleyard orchard. There are plans to make and a lot of hard work needed if they’re ever to reverse its failing fortunes, but as long as they have each other, what could possibly go wrong? 

Then the rain starts to fall – and keeps on falling – and the new beginning both couples dream of begins to slip from their grasp. For Merry and Tom it now looks like the start of their worst nightmare. But sometimes help can arrive from the most unexpected places…

Amazon link: Kindle

Emma's Review: Letting in Light by Emma Davies

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Rowan Hill means many things to many people, but to Ellie Hesketh it represents new beginnings. Putting her life back together after a break-up is going to take time, but the crumbling country estate—as much in need of TLC as she is—seems the perfect place to do it.

But Ellie is not the only person for whom Rowan Hill is a refuge. There’s Will, damaged and complicated, whose secrets almost nobody knows. And Finn, his brother, who’s finally decided to stop running from his own past. As Ellie is drawn further into saving the estate, she can’t help but try saving the brothers too—and she’s sure she knows just how to go about it. The trouble is, she’s been accused of meddling before…

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

Giveaway: Win a signed copy of Letting in Light by Emma Davies

To help celebrate the republication of her novel Letting in Light earlier this week author Emma Davies has kindly offered me the chance to run a giveaway for a follower of the blog to win a prize package which will include a signed copy of the book, some hot chocolate to enjoy drinking whilst reading plus a magnetic bookmark to help you keep track of your place. 

Rowan Hill means many things to many people, but to Ellie Hesketh it represents new beginnings. Putting her life back together after a break-up is going to take time, but the crumbling country estate—as much in need of TLC as she is—seems the perfect place to do it.

But Ellie is not the only person for whom Rowan Hill is a refuge. There’s Will, damaged and complicated, whose secrets almost nobody knows. And Finn, his brother, who’s finally decided to stop running from his own past. As Ellie is drawn further into saving the estate, she can’t help but try saving the brothers too—and she’s sure she knows just how to go about it. The trouble is, she’s been accused of meddling before…

Emma's Guest Review: Emma Davies - Merry Mistletoe

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Sherbourne Mistletoe has been prized and sold at the annual Mistletoe Fair for over a hundred years; but could this year possibly be the last? With her father’s sudden death and debts mounting up it looks as though Freya’s only hope for the future is to sell her beloved family home. And to make matters worse, the only contenders to buy Appleyard Farm, are the people she’d least like to sell it to – her rival growers, the Henderson brothers, who seem always to make life so difficult for her. 

It’s magical stuff though, mistletoe, and the arrival of the mysterious Amos Fry, brings a glimmer of hope that might just mean Freya can fall in love with Christmas all over again. 

Amazon link: Kindle

Fictional Characters in Panto: Robin Hood with a sprinkling of Cinderella …

This morning I have another fabulous festive feature for you from Emma Davies, author of Letting in Light, or in a seasonal variation, Robin Hood with a sprinkling of Cinderella …

This is so difficult, putting your book characters into a pantomime, but I think in my case it had to be Robin Hood, seeing as a large part of Letting in Light is set at Rowan Hill, a woodland estate.

So that must make Will, the lead male character, Robin Hood? Erm, well no actually. You see Will is not your typical dashing hero, never really pictured him in tights somehow (too short), but I think he'd make a good Will Scarlett, grumpy (but with good reason), brooding, but a good man, misunderstood, and just needing the love of a good woman, which brings me to Ellie …

Now Ellie is definitely a Maid Marion type, looks good in autumn colours, teeny bit feisty, and not adverse to a bit of ‘theres a bear behind you’ … ‘A bare behind, where?!’ She's no slouch when it comes to fighting for her man either, and I think if pushed would definitely buckle her swash!