Tell it to the Bees

Pinewood Retreat #2

by Zoë Richards

Chosen as a Good Housekeeping Magazine Autumn Good Books Reader Favourite.

Pinewoods Retreat is in trouble. With repairs to be done, rising costs, and not enough guests, owner Lorraine attempts to fix everything herself. Then, wealthy and successful businesswoman Georgie books herself in. And she isn't there for relaxation. As everything that Lorraine has created starts to fall apart, Georgie sets out to deliver on the mission she's been sent on by a ruthless local developer. But when she tells her troubles to the bees in the retreat’s kitchen garden, will she get more from Pinewoods than she expects?

Praise for Garden of her

"Reading this thoughtful, uplifting novel was like doing a really good yoga class – it left me feeling calm." - Good Housekeeping

“A heart-warming story about hope and second chances.” - Nicola Gill

“A book about finding connection with others but most importantly about finding connection with ourselves, even when life feels impossible. Garden of her Heart is a warm snuggle of a book that will soothe and comfort (and have you Googling to check if you can book your own stay at Pinewoods. sadly not, I tried)." - Carlone Corcoran

Genres: Fiction

368 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 7, 2025

About the author

Zoë Richards was inspired to write Garden of Her Heart by being a suicide survivor from which she learned the healing that worked best for her, which is not the same for everyone. Dog walks around the Formby pinewoods, not far from her home, gave her the location, in an area known locally as The Lost Resort, a town that never came into existence, close to the sea. In the woods there is a sole Victorian house, standing alone on a cinder track, and this is the inspiration for the location of Pinewoods Retreat. She lives in Southport, near Liverpool, has been married to Rob for 34 years, and they have a grown-up daughter and a cockapoo who will never grow up. She worked for the NHS as an improvement programme manager, reforming how children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities are supported in healthcare. Writing gives her an escape from the intensity of work and from caring for her elderly mother.

Reviews

[Annette Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tell it to the Bees by Zoe Richards is the follow up to her wonderful book, Garden of Her Heart, and if you have not already read that I would recommend picking it up before this one, not just because this book revisits many of the characters but also because it is a really good book. That being said this book can absolutely be read as a stand alone.
We return to Pinewood Retreat which is facing some significant financial difficulties and a not insignificant repair bill despite the best efforts of the owners and staff. It seems primed for a takeover and a local developer sends in Georgie, a successful businesswoman, undercover to scope out the weaknesses of the business so that he can offer the lowest possible price, but as is often the case a stay at Pinewood Retreat turns out to be exactly what Georgie needed to take stock of her life, both personal and professional and she soon finds herself reassessing her priorities.
I knew going into this book that it was going to be a feel good read, and it did not disappoint. Seeing all the familiar faces at the retreat felt like reuniting with old friends and I could empathise with Georgie even if she seemed thoroughly unlikeable at first and I struggled to understand some of her decisions at times. Her growth over the course of the book was beautiful to see and I wanted to stand up and cheer her on at certain points. This is a book that feels like a warm hug, one that I would recommend to readers looking for something cosy and feel good, with a lot of heart. I wish I could book myself into the Pinewood Retreat but for now I will just have to hope for more tales of those who find their way there.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

[Sara Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was such a joy to return to the wonderful fictional (but oh-so-should-be-real) Pinewoods Retreat in Formby 🌿. I actually lived close to the Pinewoods back in 2006–7 when our son was a baby and I still visit often as my husband’s amazing family live nearby. It’s such a beautiful place to spend time — and reading this book had me craving a real-life retreat just like it yet again 🏡.

Zoë, you’ve once again restored my heart and soul 💛. This sequel is every bit as soothing, hopeful, and heartwarming as Garden of Her Heart. I don’t want to give too much away, because this is a story best experienced as it gently unfolds— but let’s just say Georgie’s arrival at the retreat brings drama, secrets, and unexpected connections. There are also fascinating facts about bees 🌸🐝 (which I loved), and Ed the yoga teacher… well, you’ll just have to read to find out! 🧘🏼‍♂️

Catching up with Lorraine, Dee, Holly, Hunter, and Moose the dachshund 🐾 felt like being back with old friends. This series has the same effect as curling up in your favourite chair under the softest blanket. If it were a drink, it would be a lovingly crafted rich hot chocolate ☕🍫, spiced with cinnamon and ginger to warm you from within.

I’m keeping everything crossed for book three in the series 🤞🏼📖

✨ Highly recommend this novel if you’re looking for pure escapism and the feeling of coming out of a wellness retreat yourself 🌺.

🙏🏼 Huge thanks to @netgalley, @foxandinkbooks and @zoerichardsuk for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tell It To The Bees
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I bought this book not knowing that there was one before, however I didn't find that a problem as this book had me hooked from the first page.

So for me it was my first visit to Pinewoods Retreat and all the fabulous characters that Zoè has weaved all together in a beautiful story of friendship, hurt, love and starting again.

Georgie is one half of a company called Quinn Essentials her husband Ryan being that other half who has been tasked by a big wig property developer to carry out a secret visit at Pinewoods Retreat which Georgie is only happy to do to get the ball rolling for it to be bought and redeveloped by the big wig developer. However Georgie didn't plan for the Retreat to help heal her and really find the person she was before she married Ryan.

After being married for twenty five years and standing by Ryan through a very long affair and some bad decisions George finally decides that life is now behind her and she wants more for herself.

After talking to the Bees 🐝 at Pinewood Retreat everything slowly falls into place for Georgie....

What will happen with Pinewood Retreat? Will Georgie find a new happiness? Do the bees really listen?

This book has been a real pleasure to read a super cosy hug of a books with characters you can't help but fall in love with and route for!

I'm now off to read the Garden Of Her Heart, yes a little backwards but I'll still enjoy it 😉

[Helen Haythornthwaite · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an absolute delight it was to return to Pinewoods Retreat! This was such a lovely, heart-warming read and I felt a sense of calm myself when I’d finished it.

I adore the characters living and working at the retreat, and it was so lovely to spend time in their company again. They’re people who think more about others than of themselves, they’re always there to lend a hand or a listening ear. They’re the sort of people you’d love to be friends with.

In this one we meet Georgie who visits Pinewoods retreat with an ulterior motive. A lot of the story is told from her POV, alongside that of Lorraine who is one of the owners of the retreat. I grew to love Georgie’s character too, and rooted for her to make choices which would bring her and the Pinewoods family greater happiness.

Pinewoods Retreat is something else, and I still wish it were a real place. It has such a welcoming vibe and I love reading about all the activities they do there throughout the day. The food sounds amazing, and there’s nothing I’d like better than to join them in the kitchen for a meal - followed by one of Dee’s cookies!

This book follows on from Zoe’s first one - Garden of her Heart - but could be read as a standalone. I’ve loved both of them. I love the warmth of Zoe’s writing style, and the goodness simmering at the heart of this novel. It’s such an uplifting read!

[Books By Your Bedside · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Fox and Ink for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.

It's fair to say that Zoë's previous book, Garden of Her Heart, was one of my favourite books of 2024 and I have since bought about 12 copies to give to family and friends. I read it as an e-arc but then bought myself a copy once it was out. The same goes for this one. I've already pre-ordered this title but I will keep the pre-order even though I have this e-arc.

This is such a difficult book for me to review properly because this book, and the previous one, are about how the book makes you feel rather than what I liked or disliked about it.

I worried I wouldn't like this one as much as the first one because it truly meant so much to me, but it completely enveloped me in the same way.

We've got all the old characters we fell in love with in the first book, and we've got the new ones, and they're instantly likeable. The old characters are almost like our friends or family, and it can be jarring when new ones get added to that pack, but it completely works here. And of course we've got our 'villains' who, whilst unlikeable, are still brilliant characters.

I am so sad that Pinewoods isn't a real place because I can promise you I'd be the first booked in.

Again, I loved the love and respect that nature is given in this book. Not in a pushy 'tree-hugger' type way that gets a lot of negativity, but in a natural, realistic, honest, important way.

I recommended Garden Of Her Heart as a tonic, I wanted it to on prescription to anyone who was dealing with anything bad, troubling, sad, or bad mental health, and I will do the same with this.

[Nessa’s Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was like a warm cup of tea on a rainy day! But with a sting or two from the bees when you least expect it.

We’ve got Pinewoods Retreat, which should be a peaceful little haven… except it’s falling apart.

Lorraine, the owner, is juggling repairs, rising costs, and a serious lack of guests. She’s determined to fix it all herself …..because what could possibly go wrong when you’re trying to do everything solo?

Enter Georgie. She’s not there for the yoga, herbal tea, or woodland walks …nope, she’s on a mission from a ruthless local developer to deliver some bad news.
But then she starts talking to the bees in the retreat’s kitchen garden… and let’s just say, Pinewoods has a way of giving you more than you bargained for.

This was heartwarming, uplifting, and had me rooting for both women in very different ways.

It’s about hope, second chances, and finding connection with others and with yourself, even when life feels impossible.

Also, yes, I did Google “Pinewoods Retreat” to see if it was real. Sadly, it’s not. (And I’m still sad about it.)

Perfect for anyone who loves a cosy read with a side of drama and a sprinkle of unexpected magic from nature.

[Haxxunne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A warm comforting hug
—
In Richards’s second Pinewoods book, we are introduced to Georgie, booked into the healing retreat for a week of rest and revitalisation, or so she tells her lovely hosts. In reality, Georgie is in cahoots with an unscrupulous developer who wants ammunition for his hostile purchase of the homely site, ready to raze it to the ground and build a modern spa. But of course Georgie hasn’t reckoned on the warm welcome and supportive atmosphere of Pinewoods, and the complication on old school friend, now yummy yoga teacher, who has most definitely had a glow up. Will Georgie be able to fulfil her secret mission or will her new friends discover who she really is in time to save Pinewoods?

I haven’t read the first one but this was a warm comforting hug, and yes, I would have loved to have booked my own slot at the fictional Pinewoods, or failing that, start up my own. But it’s the characters you come for: Georgie is a prickly madam but the gentle and disarming residents of Pinewoods make it all worthwhile. More please!

[Jackiesreadingcorner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t realise this was the second book featuring some of the characters, but it works perfectly well as a stand-alone. Set in the warm and welcoming Pinewoods Retreat, this story blends friendship, heartbreak, fresh starts, and a touch of deception.

Georgie arrives at the retreat on a job for her company, QuinnEssentials, hoping to gather information for a property developer. But instead of just doing her job, she finds herself slowly healing after years in a difficult marriage. At first, I didn’t warm to her—she seemed out of place, overly polished, and a bit judgmental—but as her backstory unfolds, she becomes incredibly relatable.

The cast at Pinewoods—Lorraine, Dee, Morgan, Hunter, Holly, and Ed—bring charm and warmth, each contributing to the retreat’s blend of fitness, yoga, and spiritual healing. Even the bees become part of Georgie’s journey!

It’s a comforting, uplifting read that leaves you smiling and rooting for everyone involved. Perfect for a cosy day with a hot chocolate.

[Nicola Mackenzie-Smaller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been reading this book in Liverpool, and was very tempted once more, to divert myself to the lovely Pinewoods Retreat, to see if I can get some of its restorative happiness for myself!
As in Zoe’s previous book, Garden of Her Heart, we have a female protagonist having a tough time, who ends up at the retreat. Georgie is originally there for nefarious purposes, but is drawn in my the amazing food and nurturing atmosphere, and soon realises that her husband is a horror and things need to change.
Like a lovely warm hug of a book. Just right if you need a restorative reading experience.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Sue Sykes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I realised quite quickly that this book was part of a series so was unsure whether to carry on or wait until I had read the first book. I did read it and enjoyed it, the story line was interesting and the characters were well written. I have since downloaded the first book and will read that book and re read this one so I can fully understand the storyline and the characters.
My thanks as always to Net Galley and to Publisher Fox & Ink Books for an early read and to author Zoë Richards for a most enjoyable book.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tell It to the Bees is a warm, emotionally rich follow-up to Garden of Her Heart. Zoe Richards weaves a gentle story of healing, connection and quiet strength. Lorraine’s retreat is under pressure, but the arrival of Georgie, with her unexpected bond with the garden’s bees, sparks change in more ways than one.

Beautifully written with likable characters and a comforting pace, this is a feel-good read that lingers softly. Perfect for fans of character-driven stories with a touch of nature and heart.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely uplifting story set at Pinewoods wellness retreat outside Liverpool. Successful businesswoman, Georgia stays at Pinewoods, checking it out as a business investment opportunity. The owners are facing a fall in the number of bookings and increasing costs. Georgia is facing challenges in her marriage. Can the calm of the retreat, the rural setting and the power of nature and especially the bees provide solutions to all their challenges?

Great sequel to 'Garden of Her Heart' but good as a standalone.

[Kathryn Gorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so lovely to hang out again with the Pinewoods family, and meet a few new members!

Tell it to the Bees is an easy and gentle read, like the satisfying feeling of resting cozily in front of the fire, with chocolate cake and a cuppa… knowing your problems are being sorted while you relax, knowing all you need do is surrender, knowing you are loved.

Thank you, Zoë Richards. I eagerly look forward to the next Pinewoods story!

[A Cushion · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this lovely book in a couple of days as I didn’t want to put it down. Zoe has put together a beautiful and relatable story in the setting of the fictional Pinewoods Retreat. The book was heartwarming and I would definitely recommend for a good holiday read or for some distraction during the dark days of winter.

[Angi Plant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another beautiful instalment of Pinewoods Retreat, how I wish this were real! This is a feel good book, but it does have stories that are relatable and will have readers nodding in understanding. I loved the telling it to the bees theory, that has been a folklore topic for many years, but this brought it up to date and made it a topic that readers could relate to. So many topics that readers can enjoy and understand. Do read it it’s lovely.