It’s such a pleasure today to be joining the blog tour for the latest book from Jessica Redland, A Breath of Fresh Air – the eagerly awaited (and not just by me…) second book in her new Escape to the Lakes series – and sharing my review. Published by Boldwood Books on 10th January, it’s now available as an ebook (free via Kindle Unlimited), in paperback, and as an audiobook. Many thanks, as always, to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my advance reading e-copy (provided via netgalley).
I had to include that footer that says “million-copy bestseller” – I know I look forward to every one of Jessica’s wonderful books, and it’s lovely to know there are so many others who feel the same. I can’t tell you how much I loved Christmas at the Cat Cafe – I did try though, and you’ll find my review here, as well (of course) as finding it among my 2023 Books of the Year. I’ve always associated her writing with the familiar Yorkshire settings, but after so enjoying The Start of Something Wonderful (you can read my review again here) I already feel as at home in Willowdale and on the shores of Derwent Water as I ever did at Hedgehog Hollow or the Starfish Cafe. But enough – let’s get to know Rosie and Alice a little better, and find out what’s going on at Willowdale Hall…
Rosie feels like there’s something missing in her life.
She loves her job as the manager of Willowdale Hall Riding Stables, caring for the horses and teaching children to ride, and she loves the home she shares with her mother in the beautiful Lake District. But she can’t help wondering how her life might look if things had been different. What if her father had been around to help care for her mother? And what if she’d found someone special herself?
When Hubert Cranleigh – the owner of Willowdale Hall – is taken ill, his son Oliver steps into the breach. Brooding and distant, Rosie is furious when he claims not to know who she is. Especially when they have a history.
Rosie’s life is about to be turned upside down, but with the New Year comes new opportunities. What Rosie feels is missing from her life might be closer than she thinks, and with more significant consequences than she could ever have imagined…
Take a breath of fresh air and escape to the Lake District with million-copy bestseller Jessica Redland, for an uplifting story of family, friendship and love.
With former penfriend Autumn now living nearby, Rosie has the support and friendship she’s always been lacking – although she has a particularly close relationship with her mother, unable to leave the Willowdale estate after a traumatic event that impacted her mental health. Although she’d like to know more, she’s never pushed her mother to reveal the identity of her father – for each other, they’re enough. And she has a real attachment to the horses she cares for at the stables and riding school – although its owner, Hubert Cranleigh, living in isolation at the Hall, can sometimes be both difficult and demanding. But they can live with that – he’s allowed them to live in their cottage on the estate, and Rosie is doing a job she loves.
The stability of their lives is disrupted by an unfortunate event, the arrival of Hubert’s son Oliver, and the possibility of change. He was once her childhood friend, but it’s a friendship that fell apart in their teens – when he became part of “the Populars” at school, and Rosie struggled with bullying and isolation. They became closer again, but he left for university in the wake of an argument, and hasn’t returned in the intervening years – and it’s particularly hurtful when he apparently doesn’t recognise her when they first meet again.
The story moves seamlessly backwards and forwards in time, as we discover what really went on in those childhood years – and a number of other dramatic secrets are uncovered, unsettling everyone while the uncertainties about the future remain ever present. It’s a particularly involving story, with a number of unfolding threads – and with the strong emotional content that the author always handles so very well. I really must mention the excellent sense of place throughout the story too – her love for the Lakes comes through in every setting and vista she describes so vividly.
Rosie and her mother are both sympathetic and likeable – but all the character development is really excellent, as truths are revealed and back stories explained. There’s a lovely focus on friendship – the warm support from Autumn (someone I already loved from the first book in the series, but this book can most certainly be read as a standalone), the tentative bridge-building with Oliver, and I really enjoyed the quiz nights at the local pub – and family, as Rosie seeks to protect her mother from the devastation that eviction from their home would cause.
There’s always a particular warmth about the author’s writing – her characters become friends, and you really grow to care about them. And she’s a wonderful storyteller, whether it’s life’s dramas or those special moments that touch you to the heart. A book I very much enjoyed – and I’m already looking forward to the next in the series.
About the author
Jessica Redland writes emotional but uplifting stories of love, friendship, family and community. Her Whitsborough Bay books transport readers to the stunning North Yorkshire Coast where she lives with her husband, daughter and sprocker spaniel. Her Hedgehog Hollow series, set in a hedgehog rescue centre, takes readers into the beautiful rolling countryside of the Yorkshire Wolds.
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What a lovely reviews, yet anoter book i must read…I love the ‘characters become friends’.
I loved this book too!
Aw, Anne, another amazing review from you. Thank you so much for your kind words about the story and about my writing. When I started out, I always wanted to write about characters who felt real and who readers felt they knew and recognised so it warms my heart so much when anyone mentions feeling like they are friends. As ever, so appreciative of your support x
As I’ve said on other occasions, I am in awe of Jessica’s writing speed. Not to mention the authenticity of her writing. She’s spurred me on to shrug off post-Christmas mallaise and to get down to my WIP.