The final day of the blog tour, but it’s such a pleasure today to share my review of the latest book from Jessica Redland, Sunshine After the Rain, the fourth book in her Escape to the Lakes series. Published by Boldwood Books on 15th May, it’s now available as an ebook (free via Kindle Unlimited), in paperback, and as an audiobook. Many thanks, as ever, 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).
This series is rapidly becoming a real personal favourite – I was initially a little reluctant to embrace the Lakes setting, but now love it just as much as the Yorkshire coast and wolds of Jessica’s earlier books. The Start of Something Wonderful (you can read my review again here) was one of those perfect introductions to a new cast of characters and the beautiful setting on the shores of Derwent Water – the second book, A Breath of Fresh Air, was even better, a really emotional and involving story, as beautifully told and filled with warmth as always (you’ll find my review here). And then there was The Best is Yet to Come, perhaps my favourite so far (you’ll find my review here) – such a well-drawn cast of characters, a sure hand when dealing with life’s many issues, and the most perfect emotional touch with every relationship (plus, of course, in-depth research into caring for alpacas – I learned so much!). I was very much looking forward to returning to Willowdale and meeting Mel…
Melanie knows she’s been running away…
For the last seven years Mel has been hiding; from life, from her friends and from those who love her the most – her family. But being at home in her beloved Lake District has been far too painful for Mel to contemplate. Because seven years ago, Mel lost everything and she’s never been able to banish the dark clouds that follow her.
But maybe there really is no place like home?
When Mel returns to Willowdale for a family event, she has no intention of staying. But surrounded by her family she begins to realise just how much she’s been missing and also, how much healing she still needs to do.
Starting a dream job at Willowdale Hall, going on walks with Emma and her funny alpacas and reconnecting with those she loves, Mel slowly begins to see chinks of light and a more hopeful and happier future ahead.
And as Mel begins to feel stronger, she also feels brave enough to face the most painful part of leaving home…the one man she has always loved. With his help, can she finally banish the dark clouds forever and see the sunshine after the rain?
Seven years have passed since Mel fled from her home in Willowdale – but her new life in Newcastle hasn’t healed the emptiness inside her. A rare return for a family occasion makes her realise that her relationships will need rebuilding, but she knows in her heart that this is where she feels at home – and when offered the job of her dreams, helping with the remodelling of Willowdale Hall, she makes the difficult decision to return. The sorrow that drove her away slowly becomes clear, and we share her pain as she faces up to her past – but we also share in the slow rebuilding of her life, the mending of those family ties, the support to be found through friendships.
It’s a particularly emotional story, but so beautifully told – I really ached for everything Mel had lost, and was frequently moved to tears, but admired her tremendously as she found new reserves of strength to embrace what her future might bring. Her parental relationship was, I thought, particularly well-handled – laced with misunderstandings, but with love finding its way to help in the healing. And then there’s her former husband – so much hurt on both sides – and that’s perhaps the most difficult relationship to repair, especially when she’s aware there’s the same pull between them that there always was, but that the mistakes of the past need to be acknowledged.
But it’s certainly not all pain and anguish – the friendships are really special, and there’s joy to be found in small things like walking the alpacas, or when solving some of the knottier problems around renovating the hall. And those friends are people we know well from the earlier books – they’ve been through their own difficult times, and are always there to understand her struggles and to hold her up when it’s most needed. There might be moments that throw things off course – life’s sadly like that, but Mel’s heart will slowly mend. And as well as the people, she draws strength from her surroundings – the descriptions are quite wonderful, and the natural world proves to be a balm to the soul.
Read as part of a series, there’s the opportunity to revisit the lives of other characters whose stories have equally touched the heart – but the author has made this a book that would be entirely readable as a standalone, with gentle catch-ups on the earlier stories. And it’s a book I’d thoroughly recommend to others – as engaging and beautifully written as the author’s books always are, emotional and ultimately uplifting, and entirely filled with love.
About the author
Jessica Redland is the million-copy bestselling author of novels, including the Hedgehog Hollow and Escape to the Lakes series. Inspired by her hometown of Scarborough and the Lake District, she writes uplifting women’s fiction of love, friendship and community.
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