I’m so thrilled today to be joining the blog tour for the latest book from Jaimie Admans, An Enchanted Moment on Ever After Street, the second in her lovely new series, and sharing my review. Published on 11th January, this gorgeous-looking book is now available as an e-book (free via Kindle Unlimited), in paperback and as an audiobook. My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my advance reading ecopy (provided via netgalley).
I’ve been prefacing my reviews of Jaimie’s books by confessing that it took me much longer than it should have done to discover her writing. But with The Beekeeper at Elderflower Grove – such a perfect summer read, should you have missed it! – featuring among my 2022 Books of the Year (you’ll find my review here), and The Gingerbread House in Mistletoe Gardens (review here) in my Books of the Year 2023, I think you can probably guess that I’ve found an author I really love. In fact, I did have a bit of a tussle with myself – A Midnight Kiss on Ever After Street should really have been on this year’s list too, but fell foul of my “one author, one book” rule (and you can read my review of that one again here). That book was just wonderful – the Cinderella story so cleverly given a modern twist, and with a romance at its centre that was absolute perfection. And this time, it’s “a tale as old as time” – so I think I can guess a little about the story we’ll be enjoying…
A picture-perfect town, a place where dreams come true. Welcome to Ever After Street…
A tale as old as time…
Since her mum’s death, Marnie Platt has shut herself away from everyone who cares about her. Worse, her beloved bookshop on Ever After Street is suffering too. With sales down and the shop’s garden falling into disrepair, Marnie risks losing the very last thing she loves. Until a chance encounter with her surly and reclusive neighbour….
Dark and brooding, Darcy O’Connell likes to keep himself to himself. But when he hears Marnie needs help, he can’t turn his back on her. Soon they are spending most evenings together in her enchanted garden and a friendship starts to bloom…
With the help of old and new friends on Ever After Street, Marnie’s bookshop begins to thrive again, and with Darcy’s kindness, she starts to get her sparkle back too. She just can’t understand why Darcy continues to shut himself away – especially from her. Can she convince him it isn’t too late to embrace life, and maybe love, again?
Because every story, even theirs, deserves a happy ending….
Since losing her beloved mum, Marnie’s life hasn’t been easy – as well as struggling with grief, the customers just aren’t spending time or money in her bookshop, A Tale as Old as Time, and she has no idea what to do about it. And then there’s the ex who showed his true colours refusing to take “no” for an answer – and the threat of eviction because of the now overgrown garden and the failing business has made the possibility of carrying on look impossible.
Crying her heart out in the garden, her distress is heard by her “scary neighbour” – the reclusive and rarely seen owner of the flower shop next door, The Beast’s Enchanted Rose Garden. They begin to talk through the overgrown hedge, and he shows her real kindness – and helped by tea and biscuits with gifts of roses in return, his help becomes more practical, although his face always remains covered. And, with his support, the ideas begin to flow and the customers start to reappear – and if the one big event she’s planning can succeed, it might just give her a brighter future.
I’m very deliberately not going to tell any more of the story – you’ll have realised, I’m sure, that it’s a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast – because I really want every reader who picks it up to be as enchanted by it as I was. The bookshop setting is inspired – Marnie’s passion for the books she sells is something you can really feel, and I found myself urging her on and hoping her every new idea would be a success. She’s also a really sympathetic and loveable character – easy to identify with, hurting when she hurts, sharing her moments of joy, and feeling the growing attraction to her mysterious neighbour. And his full story very slowly emerges too – entirely heartbreaking, with some real surprises along the way as his true character is gradually uncovered.
The romance in the story provides – quite honestly – some of the loveliest moments I’ve ever read, so perfectly written and intensely moving. There’s one particular moment… and no, I really mustn’t, but I could feel every second of it, aching inside, hardly breathing, and with tears in my eyes. That’s such special writing – and I’d defy anyone not to feel the same. And, as well as the wonderful couple at the heart of the story who I grew to love beyond measure, there’s the warm community of Ever After Street offering their friendship and support – and there were times when that filled my heart and moved me to tears too.
This might just be a tale as old as time, but the author’s storytelling has raised it into a class of its own. This was a book I entirely adored – but I suspect you can probably tell. If you love romance, you really must add it to your reading list now – I promise you’ll feel exactly the same as I did.
About the author
Jaimie Admans is the bestselling author of several romantic comedies – including The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane and The Chateau of Happily-Ever-Afters. She lives in South Wales and was previously published by HQ Digital. Her new work for Boldwood, The Ever After Street Series, is based on the magical world of fairytales, the first title of which was released in Spring 2023.
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Annoyed with myself that I couldn’t fit this one in! I do enjoy Jaimie’s books.