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A Perfect Devon Farmhouse: Escape to the coastal village of Brambleton with this heartwarming love story filled with intrigue and rural charm.
Clare loves her job as a busy lawyer in the city of London. So when her mother dies and she is forced to return home to the family farm in Devon, all she can think about is how quickly she can sell it and return to civilization.
But as Clare gradually learns how to collect eggs from flighty chickens, make apple cider in the freezing cold, and feed her mother's tearaway dog, she begins to fall under the spell of the village of Brambleton. When the local landlord tries to enrich himself at the expense of the villagers, Clare decides to stay put, and use her legal skills to fight for the underdog.
She's only planning to stay until she's won the battle. But she doesn't count on falling in love....
352 pages, Paperback
Published January 28, 2025
426 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Debbie Morrison
5 books7 followersOnce upon a time, I was a perfectly respectable London professional — a chartered accountant with a law degree, a Blackberry (remember those?), and too many sensible shoes. Then common sense prevailed, romance called, and I swapped London’s Zone One for Devon’s zero signal. I still wonder if leaving the City was brave or simply plot research taken to a reckless extreme.
Now my “head office” is a polytunnel: no Wi-Fi, but plenty of fresh air and flourishing tomatoes. The plants photosynthesise while I draft havoc; technically off-grid, creatively on fire.
Meanwhile, the dogs run the editorial obstruction department. They possess zero publishing experience yet veto scenes with a single raised paw — their union insists on edible compensation only.
These days, I know the real price of life’s essentials: a good haircut, a great friend, and the joy of a proper night’s sleep.
I write love stories for grown-ups — warm, witty, stuffed with second chances and that peculiar dynamic where affection and exasperation create irresistible chemistry – for better for worse...
Think of my indie “publishing house” as one woman, no award-strewn empire, no two-legged staff — just me, two obstinate dogs, and a biscuit budget.
I’ve tried not writing. It didn’t go well so I need readers. Not many, just the excellent sort who laugh in the right places.
Now my “head office” is a polytunnel: no Wi-Fi, but plenty of fresh air and flourishing tomatoes. The plants photosynthesise while I draft havoc; technically off-grid, creatively on fire.
Meanwhile, the dogs run the editorial obstruction department. They possess zero publishing experience yet veto scenes with a single raised paw — their union insists on edible compensation only.
These days, I know the real price of life’s essentials: a good haircut, a great friend, and the joy of a proper night’s sleep.
I write love stories for grown-ups — warm, witty, stuffed with second chances and that peculiar dynamic where affection and exasperation create irresistible chemistry – for better for worse...
Think of my indie “publishing house” as one woman, no award-strewn empire, no two-legged staff — just me, two obstinate dogs, and a biscuit budget.
I’ve tried not writing. It didn’t go well so I need readers. Not many, just the excellent sort who laugh in the right places.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 4, 2025
A Perfect Devon Farmhouse is the first book by Debbie Morrison that I have read and I am now a massive fan! As soon as I read the first page, I knew I was going to really enjoy this book and I couldn’t put it down once I had started. Luckily I started reading over the weekend so I was able to read at my leisure.
We follow Clare, an employment lawyer living in London and preparing for a sabbatical from work whilst travelling around Europe. Recently becoming a widow has made Clare want to take some time away from the daily grind of work and she is looking forward to having some time away from her routine. Unfortunately, things don’t go to plan when she receives an unexpected phone call from her mum’s friend Ivy in Devon – her mum has sadly and unexpectedly passed away and Clare is needed at the family farm in Devon.
Stunned she makes her way there and is a bit shocked about what she finds – previously a thriving dairy farm, Clare is stunned to find the fields empty and quiet. She quickly learns that her mum had had to sell a lot of the land and not for the price it was worth by local landowner Richard Hastings. Despite having a history with Sam, the younger Hastings brother, Clare is determined the farm back on an even keel for when she eventually sells it. Having not spoken to her mum for several years over some comments about Clare’s late husband, mother and daughter had never managed to patch things up.
The longer Clare stays and begins to remember her happy childhood at the farm and with her mum’s dog ‘Stop It’ for company, Clare begins to relax in the surroundings of her home, despite the endless tasks that need doing. As a list maker myself, I could sympathise with Clare’s endless lists of how to make the farm profitable again and when Richard Hastings decides he is going to set up a battery chicken factory in the heart of the village, Clare and her friends can’t stand for it. Despite the Hastings family owning a lot of the houses the villagers live in, they are all determined to band together and stop the plans – Clare’s day job as a lawyer, definitely comes in handy!
A Perfect Devon Farmhouse was a really perfect read for me, light hearted but also dealing with some ugly truths that Clare discovers about her late husband just makes her sad that she never patched things up with her mum before her death but also determined to keep the farm and make her parents proud. Very enjoyable with some welcoming characters that shows how small villages band together when they need to.
Looking forward to discovering some more books by the author!
We follow Clare, an employment lawyer living in London and preparing for a sabbatical from work whilst travelling around Europe. Recently becoming a widow has made Clare want to take some time away from the daily grind of work and she is looking forward to having some time away from her routine. Unfortunately, things don’t go to plan when she receives an unexpected phone call from her mum’s friend Ivy in Devon – her mum has sadly and unexpectedly passed away and Clare is needed at the family farm in Devon.
Stunned she makes her way there and is a bit shocked about what she finds – previously a thriving dairy farm, Clare is stunned to find the fields empty and quiet. She quickly learns that her mum had had to sell a lot of the land and not for the price it was worth by local landowner Richard Hastings. Despite having a history with Sam, the younger Hastings brother, Clare is determined the farm back on an even keel for when she eventually sells it. Having not spoken to her mum for several years over some comments about Clare’s late husband, mother and daughter had never managed to patch things up.
The longer Clare stays and begins to remember her happy childhood at the farm and with her mum’s dog ‘Stop It’ for company, Clare begins to relax in the surroundings of her home, despite the endless tasks that need doing. As a list maker myself, I could sympathise with Clare’s endless lists of how to make the farm profitable again and when Richard Hastings decides he is going to set up a battery chicken factory in the heart of the village, Clare and her friends can’t stand for it. Despite the Hastings family owning a lot of the houses the villagers live in, they are all determined to band together and stop the plans – Clare’s day job as a lawyer, definitely comes in handy!
A Perfect Devon Farmhouse was a really perfect read for me, light hearted but also dealing with some ugly truths that Clare discovers about her late husband just makes her sad that she never patched things up with her mum before her death but also determined to keep the farm and make her parents proud. Very enjoyable with some welcoming characters that shows how small villages band together when they need to.
Looking forward to discovering some more books by the author!
February 9, 2025
I'm reviewing this as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.
When her mother passes away, Clare leaves her flat in London and returns to the farmhouse where she grew up, in the village of Brambleton. I warmed to Clare straight away, and I was touched by her backstory. She had already experienced grief and heartache, and I felt that she deserved to be happy.
The author created a cosy, inviting atmosphere, and I felt that remained throughout the whole story. As the story progressed, I connected more with Clare as a protagonist, and I enjoyed seeing her confidence grow. This was a lovely, lighthearted read with a few tearjerker moments, and I enjoyed my visit to the Devon farmhouse.
Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources, and to the author and publisher, for the opportunity to read and review this.
When her mother passes away, Clare leaves her flat in London and returns to the farmhouse where she grew up, in the village of Brambleton. I warmed to Clare straight away, and I was touched by her backstory. She had already experienced grief and heartache, and I felt that she deserved to be happy.
The author created a cosy, inviting atmosphere, and I felt that remained throughout the whole story. As the story progressed, I connected more with Clare as a protagonist, and I enjoyed seeing her confidence grow. This was a lovely, lighthearted read with a few tearjerker moments, and I enjoyed my visit to the Devon farmhouse.
Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources, and to the author and publisher, for the opportunity to read and review this.
February 9, 2025
Clara returns to her childhood home in Devon. Her mother had recently died and left her a message with a family friend.
It was a quick book that kept my attention from page one. It was filled with some town drama and second chance romance. I will definitely be checking out other books by this author.
It was a quick book that kept my attention from page one. It was filled with some town drama and second chance romance. I will definitely be checking out other books by this author.
February 10, 2025
This book really felt like I was getting a huge hug, I read it at exactly the right time.
The whole story is so comforting even though it deals with tough subjects such as grief and family rifts.
Brambleton sounds like a place I’d really want to live, especially on the farm.
Claire really went a journey throughout this book and I’m so glad she finally got what she was looking for after all the heartbreak and upheaval she’s had in her life.
It’s a book filled with real life situations that readers can relate too, funny moments to make you smile and heartwarming scenes to make your heart full.
The whole story is so comforting even though it deals with tough subjects such as grief and family rifts.
Brambleton sounds like a place I’d really want to live, especially on the farm.
Claire really went a journey throughout this book and I’m so glad she finally got what she was looking for after all the heartbreak and upheaval she’s had in her life.
It’s a book filled with real life situations that readers can relate too, funny moments to make you smile and heartwarming scenes to make your heart full.
February 9, 2025
Clare is getting ready to go on a round the world trip as she takes a sabbatical from her job as a London employment lawyer when she unexpectedly gets a phone call to say her mother has died. Returning home to the Devonshire village of Brambleton and her family’s farmhouse for the first time in seven years things aren’t as she thought. Despite wanting to make a quick escape Clare finds herself taking on farming life as well as fighting for the village against a greedy landowner. The more time she spends in Brambleton the more she’s getting involved in this new life, including spending time with the former flame she wanted to leave in the past.
A Perfect Devon Farmhouse is the first book in a new series by Debbie Morrison, and the first book I have read by her. I really enjoyed escaping to the village of Brambleton and spending time with Clare on her family farm.
Clare I think is a relatable characters for many. Having thrown herself into work, after the death of her husband she is now about take an earned sabbatical when she learns of her mother’s unexpected death. Returning to the farm we see Clare have to battle with learning how things had changed after seven years of not returning home, and discovering things weren’t as they seemed in her marriage. Clare goes through a lot on her return to Brambleton but we see her get drawn into the rural life she had tried to escape from.
I’m a sucker for a book that has a rural setting, especially one that is set around a farm. I loved escaping with Clare looking after the chickens, the orchard and her mum’s dog.
This was a lovely, light, easy read. I will definitely be looking to read more Debbie Morrison books, especially this new series.
A Perfect Devon Farmhouse is the first book in a new series by Debbie Morrison, and the first book I have read by her. I really enjoyed escaping to the village of Brambleton and spending time with Clare on her family farm.
Clare I think is a relatable characters for many. Having thrown herself into work, after the death of her husband she is now about take an earned sabbatical when she learns of her mother’s unexpected death. Returning to the farm we see Clare have to battle with learning how things had changed after seven years of not returning home, and discovering things weren’t as they seemed in her marriage. Clare goes through a lot on her return to Brambleton but we see her get drawn into the rural life she had tried to escape from.
I’m a sucker for a book that has a rural setting, especially one that is set around a farm. I loved escaping with Clare looking after the chickens, the orchard and her mum’s dog.
This was a lovely, light, easy read. I will definitely be looking to read more Debbie Morrison books, especially this new series.
February 3, 2025
A Perfect Devon Farmhouse by Debbie Morrison
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Blurb
Clare loves her job as a busy lawyer in the city of London. So when her mother dies and she is forced to return home to the family farm in Devon, all she can think about is how quickly she can sell it and return to civilization.
But as Clare gradually learns how to collect eggs from flighty chickens, make apple cider in the freezing cold, and feed her mother's tearaway dog, she begins to fall under the spell of the village of Brambleton. When the local landlord tries to enrich himself at the expense of the villagers, Clare decides to stay put, and use her legal skills to fight for the underdog.
She's only planning to stay until she's won the battle. But she doesn't count on falling in love....
My Opinion
This was my first book by Debbie Morrison and it was such a sweet read, I will definitely be back for more in the future. Debbie has written a book full of ups and downs, very quickly it was difficult not to feel sorry for Clare. Clare is only planning on return to Devon for a few weeks but unfortunately life and the villagers have other plans. This was such a delightful read.
Rating 4/5
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Blurb
Clare loves her job as a busy lawyer in the city of London. So when her mother dies and she is forced to return home to the family farm in Devon, all she can think about is how quickly she can sell it and return to civilization.
But as Clare gradually learns how to collect eggs from flighty chickens, make apple cider in the freezing cold, and feed her mother's tearaway dog, she begins to fall under the spell of the village of Brambleton. When the local landlord tries to enrich himself at the expense of the villagers, Clare decides to stay put, and use her legal skills to fight for the underdog.
She's only planning to stay until she's won the battle. But she doesn't count on falling in love....
My Opinion
This was my first book by Debbie Morrison and it was such a sweet read, I will definitely be back for more in the future. Debbie has written a book full of ups and downs, very quickly it was difficult not to feel sorry for Clare. Clare is only planning on return to Devon for a few weeks but unfortunately life and the villagers have other plans. This was such a delightful read.
Rating 4/5
February 9, 2025
It was great to travel to Devon for a heart-warming story. Clare's life seems to be mapped out for her and she has a schedule to prove it. However, a devastating event thwats her plans and brings her back to her childhood home. Once there, she realises that she has some challenges to face, a lot to sort out. Furthermore, she finds she cannot resist getting involved in a major dispute in the village. Many memories are brought back to the surface and she has issues with her relationship with her mother to work through.
There are some lively characters in the story who bring humour as well as warmth to Clare's life. Community values, family and friendship are all central to her life. Added to this, the setting sounds stunning and picture perfect. How long it will stay like that remains to be seem. This is a lovely read for a cold winter's day.
In short: secrets of the past and a new future
Thanls to the publisher for a copy of the book
There are some lively characters in the story who bring humour as well as warmth to Clare's life. Community values, family and friendship are all central to her life. Added to this, the setting sounds stunning and picture perfect. How long it will stay like that remains to be seem. This is a lovely read for a cold winter's day.
In short: secrets of the past and a new future
Thanls to the publisher for a copy of the book
March 8, 2025
Clare, the lawyer from London returns to the kind of life I really love to read about in an area of England that excites me even more. Devon is one of many favourite counties I like to visit, the countryside, the coast and the village lifestyle. I felt a great deal of hurt as I read this story and it seemed to take forever before my feelings turned back to fully enjoy the moment when Richard got his comeuppance and Clare realised that love had been waiting for her in her childhood village all the time. There are plenty of characters to bring the village life into focus and I can’t wait to move on to the next story, “A perfect Devon Pub” which I believe I already know as part of Brambleton’s social scene.
January 31, 2025
Clare has returned home after the unexpected passing of her mother. Clare doesn't intend to stay long but life has other plans. I felt like the authors writing style made a fast paced story that held my attention. It has small town drama and a blossoming romance on the horizon. The cute and quirky animals had me laughing especially the dog and his name is a riot. I can imagine myself yelling "stop it" quite a lot much to the annoyance of the neighbours. It's a nice book to read on any day to lift your spirits!
December 7, 2025
Clare enjoys her job and city lifestyle but since the death of her husband, she has done nothing but work. Taking a year sabbatical, she is all set to go on a long trip around the world. Plans change though when she unexpectedly receives a call, advising that her estranged mum has passed away. Now back in Devon, trying to sort the mess and deal with everything, slowly she sees things differently. Helping the town, reconnecting with friends, meeting new friends and Sam. They had a brief moment years ago but was it all just a game
An enjoyable read
Xx
An enjoyable read
Xx
February 8, 2025
Clare enjoys her job as a lawyer in London but when her mum dies she finds herself back at the family farmhouse in Devon. Although she has reconnected with friends and old acquaintances she is only planning on staying in Brambleton until she has sorted out her mum’s estate. Events in the village, mainly instigated by local landowner Richard, soon have her using her legal skills and becoming very much involved in village politics. This is a lovely easy to follow read with a few twists. Even though Clare is the main character all the others get their fair share of attention. With a beautiful setting, community spirit and a little dog who knows his own mind this is a great read.
February 7, 2025
Part of the 'Perfect' series, Devon Farmhouse was my first foray into a book by Morrison and let me tell you, I have been missing out!
I loved my visit to the little village of Brambleton and I do hope this isn't the only time we get to visit. It was charming and home to a whole host of likeable characters.
Lighthearted and tinged with sadness, The Perfect Devon Farmhouse is an enjoyable easy read, has an easy to invest in plot and I found it immensely enjoyable.
I loved my visit to the little village of Brambleton and I do hope this isn't the only time we get to visit. It was charming and home to a whole host of likeable characters.
Lighthearted and tinged with sadness, The Perfect Devon Farmhouse is an enjoyable easy read, has an easy to invest in plot and I found it immensely enjoyable.
January 15, 2026
Every now and then I love a good cozy mystery. This is refreshing because the mystery isn’t murder (which most cosy mysteries are). It’s about righting a wrong, victory over the bullies, with romance thrown in. The characters are not young people, but people with a few years behind them. The characters bring their own unique stories to the plot. A good feel good read.
July 5, 2025
Perfectly delightful read
I could smell the orchard. I loved the dog and the chickens. The villagers were very entertaining characters. A very enjoyable read including the author's final thank you
I could smell the orchard. I loved the dog and the chickens. The villagers were very entertaining characters. A very enjoyable read including the author's final thank you
February 16, 2025
The first book I read by this author and it won’t be the last. A lovely read and sad when it finished. Can’t wait for the rest being published.
March 4, 2025
brilliant writer, cannot wait for next book.
July 15, 2025
Loved it
Recovering from a sudden illness this book helped me so much. I knew the area, people and !oved them. But if course I am North Devonian.
Recovering from a sudden illness this book helped me so much. I knew the area, people and !oved them. But if course I am North Devonian.
September 19, 2025
brave story and heroine
Loved this book. I like a heroine with a big pinch braveness. I will continue to read your books. Thank you very much
Loved this book. I like a heroine with a big pinch braveness. I will continue to read your books. Thank you very much
September 29, 2025
2.75 ⭐️
This book had a good premise but for me as the story progressed went downhill.
This book had a good premise but for me as the story progressed went downhill.
January 9, 2026
an easy read
Good book for relaxing, engaging storyline with gentle characters. Ideal holiday book as you can pick up and put down and still follow the story.
Good book for relaxing, engaging storyline with gentle characters. Ideal holiday book as you can pick up and put down and still follow the story.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews