Summer at Croftwood Cinema

Croftwood #1

by Victoria Walker

Patsy Clements lives in Croftwood. It’s been her sanctuary for three years while she rebuilt a life for herself that is safe and happy. Out of necessity, she has learnt to live without ambitions or dreams, but she does have her best friend Oliver who means everything to her.

Oliver Jones owns the trendy local coffee shop and establishes himself as the town entrepreneur when he buys the derelict old cinema in the park. He wants his best friend Patsy to be his business partner, helping him with the challenge of bringing it back to life along with local architect Matt, and Ed, an amateur projectionist.

After lying low for three years is it a mistake for her to change the life that has kept her safe or is it time to start living again? Will stepping into the limelight tempt fate and mean her past catches up with her and can she survive if it does?

Join Patsy and Oliver in the small town of Croftwood for a summer where friendships are made, challenges are everywhere and romance blossoms at the cinema in the park.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

302 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 2, 2023

About the author

Victoria Walker has been writing romantic fiction since a visit to Iceland in 2014 inspired her first novel. As well as writing, she spends her free time dressmaking, knitting and reading an inordinate amount of contemporary romance, occasionally punctuated by the odd psychological thriller and saga.

In the past she has worked as a cinema projectionist, a knitting and sewing tutor and has owned a yarn store, all things which will no doubt appear in her books if they haven't already.

Victoria lives in the Malvern Hills.

Reviews

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ending did bring a tear to my eye! Loved this book 💕 defo one of my faves from Victoria, I loved the town of Croftwood and loved the guy Patsy ended up with (no spoilers here 😉), as soon as I opened the book I loved him hehe

[Karen Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Iceland to Croftwood, Victoria does it again with another wonderful read.
I've loved every second of Patsy's journey and it certainly was a journey. She is a lovely character who I really warmed to.

This is the 3rd book of Victoria's I've read now and with each book it ends with my heart feeling fluffy and warm and having loved every minute of the book.

Can't wait to read what comes next ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Katherine Hayward Pérez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very keen to review this, as if the title isn't original enough, the blurb is that plus nostalgic and realistic. I loved the idea of buying an old cinema and Croftwood is a lovely homely place.

Patsy, Oliver, Ed and Toby were all distinct characters and I liked Patsy and was keen to be on her journey. Oliver was a good person.

Real life, nostalgia, teamwork and romance collide in this novel with romance too.

Thanks to Victoria Walker, Ever After Books and Rachel's Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

5 stars.

[Kirsty (BookBlogger) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summer at Croftwood Cinema by Victoria Walker

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Patsy Clements lives in Croftwood. It’s been her sanctuary for three years while she rebuilt a life for herself that is safe and happy. Out of necessity, she has learnt to live without ambitions or dreams, but she does have her best friend Oliver who means everything to her.

Oliver Jones owns the trendy local coffee shop and establishes himself as the town entrepreneur when he buys the derelict old cinema in the park. He wants his best friend Patsy to be his business partner, helping him with the challenge of bringing it back to life along with local architect Matt, and Ed, an amateur projectionist.

After lying low for three years is it a mistake for her to change the life that has kept her safe or is it time to start living again? Will stepping into the limelight tempt fate and mean her past catches up with her and can she survive if it does?

Join Patsy and Oliver in the small town of Croftwood for a summer where friendships are made, challenges are everywhere and romance blossoms at the cinema in the park.

My Opinion

This was a wonderful book to read. This is only the second book I have read by Victoria Walker but both of them have been absolutely delightful. Patsy has some secrets but the past might be catching up with her.

I loved the idea of a cinema being brought back to life and it was nice to read all the details about restoring the projector. Croftwood seems like such a nice town with a lot of great characters. I am glad that this is the first book in the series as I would really like to know more about these characters.

Rating: 4/5

[thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first time reading a book by Victoria Walker, I was drawn in by the synopsis, yes and by the cover - I admit to judging a book by it’s cover , come on we all do ! I’m so glad I did, as this was a real treat to read.

The idea of an old cinema being brought back to life was such a gorgeous idea, I think as well it brought so much nostalgia back for me too, as there was a little cinema on the seafront I always went to as a child, sadly demolished and replaced with retirement apartment in the mid 90s. I guess this made me dream if someone had saved that little cinema I’d be so happy.

The point of my little nostalgia trip is exactly that, I think it reminds you so much of your past, your childhood, real life mixing in the pages of a book makes it so much more touching and relatable. Croftwood Cinema seems so like my childhood, the town is full of a great community, it’s full of lovely characters.

I am so looking forward to reading future books now (and going to the back catalogue), the feelings this book brought about in me, happy memories, so much connection to the characters and place, it really was a delight to read. Thank you Victoria for reminding me of so many happy times as I read this, looking forward to the next.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Marg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patsy Clements moved back to Croftwood three years ago. She has a job she enjoys working as a barista for her friend Oliver. She loves knitting with the local knitting club and she enjoys her very quiet, very single life. But this is not who Patsy was before she moved back. She has made every effort to be practically invisible, and for good reason.

When Oliver asks her to help him out with his new project, reinvigorating the derelict local cinema which has been closed for years, she agrees, not knowing that her life will be changed in many ways by the experience.

There are so many things that need to be done. There's changes to the building, interior design decisions to be made, the projector needs to be looked at, staff to be hired. The list is endless and Patsy shows time and again that she has the skills and attitude to get things done.

During the course of the renovations she comes into contact with Matt, the architect who is working on the cinema. Patsy and Matt clash from the beginning. And then there is Ed, who comes on board to help with getting the vintage film projector working.

I really loved all the details of the refurbishment of the cinema, and definitely had me wishing I could visit the cinema at Croftwood. The backstage area sounded like an amazing space!

To read more head to:

http://www.theintrepidreader.com/2023...

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would love to buy an old cinema, with a retro revamp, showing the old classics I've loved growing up...Jaws, Star Wars etc.

I've read several books by Walker and have found them all to be enjoyable.

Croftwood is the kind of place that you wish was real, as it sounds such a lovely place to be. And the characters who reside there are all so lovely, realistic and their sense of community and how they all help each other is amazing. It reminded me of being back home on the Isle of Wight as that's how we all are there.

This is the first in another new exciting series by Walker and I for one can't wait to read more of Patsy and her journey of self rediscovery.

Summer at Croftwood Cinema is highly enjoyable, heart-warming and the perfect read to take you into the summer months.

Many thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[mrsljgibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would firstly just like to say a big thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources who very kindly forwarded me an arc copy of this book, for my kindle, in return for my honest review.

This was a wonderful story and i loved getting immersed in Patsy’s journey.

Croftwood came across as such a wonderful and lovely place to live and honestly I would’ve loved to visit there! It had such a wonderful sense of community.

I loved all the details of the restoration at the cinema and bringing it back to life.

This os the first book in the series and I’m so happy because there will be more to come from this story in the future.

Summer At Croftwood Cinema was a wonderful, romantic, heartwarming, nostalgic read and after i had finished it, my heart was very warm and happy…….

[Carly Rushforth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to follow for the Blog Tour

[Ann Walton · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Victoria’s work for a while now although much to my shame I haven’t read one of her books lately. When I was invited to take part in the blog tour for ‘Summer At Croftwood Cinema’, I thought that I wouldn’t get a better opportunity to get to know Victoria’s work again. I read the synopsis of ‘Summer At Croftwood Cinema’ and it certainly sounded like my kind of read. I couldn’t wait to dive in and so without further ado, I grabbed a cup of tea, grabbed my Kindle and settled down for a fun afternoon of reading. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Summer At Croftwood Cinema’ but more about that in a bit.

I was drawn into this story from the very start. In fact as soon as I started reading it I knew that I was reading something special and that I wouldn’t be able to put the book down. I was correct on both counts. I picked the book up and didn’t put it down again until after I had read the very last word on the very last page. I was blown away by the story and by the characters, who ended up feeling more like friends rather than characters in a book. The more of the book that I read, the more I wanted to read and the quicker the page seemed to turn. This was one of those books that I had mixed feelings about finishing – I don’t mean that I was disappointed with how the story ended but I was enjoying the story and the characters so much that I just wanted the story to continue. I soon got to the end of ‘Summer At Croftwood Cinema’. I found ‘Summer At Croftwood Cinema’ to be a delight to read from start to finish. It had a bit of everything – comedy, drama and romance. I loved every single minute of ‘Summer At Croftwood Cinema’.

‘Summer At Croftwood Cinema’ is superbly written but then I have found that to be true of Victoria’s work in general. Victoria has an easy going writing style that is easy to get used and easy to get along with. In fact reading one of Victoria’s books feels more like a chat between friends rather than reading a book. I hope that makes sense. Victoria clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in the very vivid and realistic way in which she describes them. She makes her characters seem just as real as you and I. As I mentioned above, the characters ended up feeling more like friends rather than characters in a book. I love the way in which Victoria makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and at the heart of the action. That’s how I felt anyway. I loved the sound of Croftwood Cinema so much that I wish I could go there!

In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Summer At Croftwood Cinema’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Victoria’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[RomanceByTheBook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summer at Croftwood Cinema is a sweet and heartwarming love story.

Well, this was a fun and interesting book to sink into. There is a lot to like about this book. It has a great story, some unexpected twists, wonderful characters that you can help but root for, and a romance that keeps you on your toes. I loved this idea of breathing new life into an old, forgotten cinema. I worked at a movie theatre when I was a teenager and absolutely loved every day I worked there. Reading all the scenes that take place in the cinema had me remembering all the good times I had working at my local movie theatre. Watching Patsy and Oliver start making over this cinema was so cool and very interesting. I was surprised at how interested I was in learning more about movie projection and the history of film. If you love shows that focus on home makeovers, you will love this part of the story.

The story’s main focus is getting this cinema up and running again. But there are also plenty of side stories that are interesting and filled with lots of delicious drama that adds that extra hook to keep readers interested. There is lots of past and present relationship drama in this book. Patsy is finally ready to return to the dating world after being in a toxic relationship. I thought Victoria did a great job at talking about toxic/abusive relationships and how they can affect a person’s life. It was wonderful watching Patsy learn to spread her wings again. Her journey of finding herself is full of bumps, but she has a wonderful support system to help when needed.

I enjoyed the romance in this book because it kept me guessing. Patsy has a few love interests in this book. We have Ed, the projectionist geek, and Matt, the architect, and part of me also thought Oliver, her best friend, would be a good match for her. I usually know who I want the main heroine to end up with, but in this book, I didn’t know. All three men are good guys and, in their own way, a good match for Patsy. I liked who she ended up with and thought it was a believable match. I’m not going to tell you who it is, you will have to read the book to find out, but the grand gesture at the end was adorable and had my heart melting.

Summer at Croftwood Cinema is a fun and delightful pick-me-up read and perfect for anyone who enjoys those charming British romances.

Thank you, Ever After Books and Rachel Random Resources for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Click on the link to read more of our reviews on our blog: https://romancebythebook.com/book-rev...

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first read by Victoria Walker. I just love trying out new to me authors. Most of the time the books are great but sometimes not so much. This time it was a definite hit!
Taking place in Croftwood (I'm not sure if this is a real place or not) but it sounds so charming there. I want Croftwood to be my next travel vacation trip. With a trendy coffee shop owned by Oliver who is Patsy's best friend Oliver finds himself wanting to reopen an old derelict cinema in the park. He has such grand ideas for it. He's on his way to creating his dream with friends, local architect Matt, and Ed, an amateur projectionist.
Patsy is finally able to have a better life for herself now that she's lived in Croftwood for 3 years. She left a controlling marriage, and it's boosted her confidence. I really loved seeing how so many of the shop owners and townsfolks are such great friends. I also enjoyed seeing how many used the train as their main way of transportation. It sounds like such a fabulous way to see the sights and travel to work.
The renovation of the cinema sounded like so much fun. There are some surprising reveals but through highs and lows the pals support each other. Full of small-town charm, emotional, sharp, romance and an all over feel good happy book this is one to add to your reading list straight away.

First published May 2, 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[Frances Wilkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summer reading

This was a pleasant read, the storyline was ok, perhaps a bit too long because I got a bit bored about a third of the way through.
Initially it wasn’t clear why Patsy had returned to Croftwood, where she had spend her teenage years. For the last three years she had lived a small life, working in a coffee shop and living in a small flat and having no social life. Things started to change when Ollie, her boss and friend bought a small cinema and needed her help to get everything up and running.
It was a slow evolving story, I felt that other aspects of Patsy’s past could have been expanded upon which would have given her story more depth, rather than getting stuck in the minutiae of clearing out an old cinema. I thought it was light on the romance angle too but it overall it was a nice story.

[suzanne king · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyable

The cinema is a lovely backdrop to this story, as is the coffee house.
The characters are natural and very likeable in a simple way.

Really enjoyed this book and can't wait to find out what else happens in Croftwood

[Anthea Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok

Was ok but a bit slow at times needed to finish it though just to find out who patsey ended up with

[Denise Bonham · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely book can't wait to read book 2

[patti voss · Rating 5 out of 5]

fun, interesting book

This is a clean, well written and edited book. Interesting characters with a well developed storyline. Looking forward to reading more from Ms Walker

[Mrs MJH Compton-Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad read, nice to pass the time with.

[Pam]

Didn’t care for the story or the characters.no depth to either. Not sure why this was billed as “the perfect holiday read. I only read 63 pages.

[Jo Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since reading Victoria Walker’s debut novel, she has fast become one of my favourite contemporary authors. Summer at Croftwood Cinema, her latest novel, gave me a massive dose of nostalgia, because of the location.

Croftwood is a fictional village a short distance from Worcester, where I spent my teenage years attending high school. The Art Deco cinema that Patsy’s friend and employer Oliver buys at an auction reminded me of the Regal cinema in Evesham (where I spent many hours in the 1980s with my friends), although it also sounds so much more exciting with the additional venue space, located in the middle of a park in the village. I loved reading about the work that was done to update and improve the cinema ready for Patsy and Oliver’s new business venture, and it sounded so beautiful when the work was complete.

I liked Patsy’s friends, with Oliver, Toby, Ed and Matt all providing interesting characters within the story. I found it refreshing that she had a couple of male friends who were not love interests for her, and she did not have a close female friend to rely on, which made this quite unusual compared to other writers who rely heavily on female friendships.

When Patsy’s past catches up with her there are some tense moments, but from a place of insecurity and fear, Patsy has a support system around her that makes her realise that she is strong, and capable, and able to withstand the pressures from the past.

Summer at Croftwood Cinema was a wonderful summer read that was a story of new beginnings, second chances and the opportunity to move away from the wounds of the past.