Valentine's Day at the Star and Sixpence

Star and Sixpence #1.5

by Holly Hepburn

Part 1.5 (an exclusive, FREE short story sandwiched between parts 1 & 2) in Holly Hepburn's bestselling series.

Fall in love at the Star and Sixpence this Valentine's Day....
 
Love is in the air as sisters Nessie and Sam prepare for Valentine's Day at their newly renovated pub, The Star and Sixpence. They have a star chef winging her way from London to cook a very special Valentine's Day dinner, for all the couples in the village. 
 
But as sparks fly in the kitchen, will love bloom in The Star and Sixpence?

Genres: Romance, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Fiction, Short Stories, Holiday, Ebooks

43 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 8, 2016

About the author

I’ve wanted to write books for adults for as long as I can remember but I was too scared to try. One day I decided to be brave and dipped a toe into the bubble bath of romantic comedy with my first novella, Cupidity, and I’ve never looked back. I often try to be funny to be funny, except for when faced with traffic wardens and border control staff. My favourite thing is making people smile.

I’ve tried many jobs over the years, from barmaid to market researcher and I even had a brief flirtation with modelling. These days I am mostly found writing.

I live near London with my grey tabby cat, Portia. We both have an unhealthy obsession with Marmite.

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was a short story. Must have been good it ended before I had chance to stop.

[Shirley Revill · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short feel good romantic story that was an enjoyable read.

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming short story in the Star And Sixpence series that allows us to catch up with our favourite characters and gives us a peek into how their relationships are developing.
Sweet and short and great for the fans of the series.

[Ted Tayler · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Light and fluffy"

What is it with this obsession with food in books these days? Now British authors are jumping on the same bandwagon as our American friends. How can we hope to tackle an obesity epidemic when in books like this hardly a page is turned without a culinary delicacy getting a mention? Are these writers sponsored by food manufacturers? What was the romantic element like? Check the headline.

[sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

considering i haven’t read the first one that may have helped me with understanding the character development

cute little read but there were too many characters in such a small novella that it kind of made it confusing who I was supposed to be paying attention to

[Alba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on: http://www.albainbookland.com/2016/04...

I recently picked Valentine's Day at the Star and Sixpence, the second installment in the Star and Sixpence Series, and really enjoyed it. This novella (75 pages) takes us back to Little Monkham, where sisters Nessie and Sam are giving it a go to run their late father's local pub. After a bumpy start, it looks like the business is picking up and the new and refreshing ideas that the sisters have incorporated are working.

Something I loved from the first installment, Snowdrops at the Star and Sixpence, was the charming setting and the small village atmosphere, where everyone knows about everyone and this is something that I found again in this second installment. With every page I felt more and more connected to this story and its quirky characters and I even started to warm to the "ice queen" of the village.

Being a story around Valentine's Day, there's obviously a good pinch of romance in the air and it looks like the sisters' love lives are going to be quite alive in the next parts. I certainly cannot wait to find out more about them, especially as there's a dashing blacksmith involved!

So far, I'm finding the Star and Sixpence Series really cute and warm. I'm sure we are in for quite a few surprises and giggles in the future and I cannot wait to pick the next one and find out more about this lively community.

[the_queen_of_books24 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really cute little novella - and I LOVE Owen and Nessie's budding relationship- they're so cute :)

[Suze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nessie and Sam are feeling quite at home in Little Monkham. They're running the Star and Sixpence together and things are going well. Valentine's Day will be a special event at their village pub. They've hired a famous chef to make a wonderful dinner for their guests. They're taking care of all the couples in the village, but will there also be room for their own love life?

I love the Star and Sixpence, it's such a wonderful fictional place. It feels cozy and warm. Nessie and Sam are sisters. I really like stories about sisters and enjoy reading this series so much because they're an interesting pair. Nessie is the more quiet one of the two, but she's becoming braver. I especially enjoyed reading the scene in which she and Owen have a drink together at the end of Valentine's Day.

I love romantic holidays and could totally picture the meal and the guests. It was fun to read about the inhabitants of Little Monkham again. Holly Hepburn's stories are great. She's chosen a fantastic setting and her main characters are fabulous. I think this series is fun and am already looking forward to the next novella.

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just couldn't care about any of these characters. This was a short 35 page story that didn't do much to develop the characters past where they left off at the end of book one. There wasn't a point to this story other than maybe fan service. There wasn't anything for new readers to get into and I just can't see myself reading anything else in this series.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO SWEET. I need more of this series now!! I can't wait to see where the plot ends up going. Characters are such a great bunch.

[Yvonne Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

a little gem.....loved reading this .....looking forward to the next instalment.......x

[Mary Lofthouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute little quick-read, first I’ve read of Holly Hepburn. I look forward to more!

[Joelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5⭐

[Vicky Shore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was a very short feel good charming cute little read 🙂
Love is in the air for both nes and sam.

[Ambula · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute little read, enjoyed it.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking for a 'palate cleanser' I grabbed this short story. i haven't read the other books which may be a disadvantage. Light and fluffy, there is not much character development in the story I would think that you definitely need to know them from the other stories for this book to be enjoyed fully.

3.5 stars

[B.R. Maycock · Rating 4 out of 5]

To start this is the second in the Star and Sixpence Series. I would say it can be read as a stand alone though there’s definitely some big things to come so I’d say go for the whole series!

I had been looking forward to the arrival of this short story since I read ‘Snowdrops at the Star and Sixpence‘ at Christmas time and I was not disappointed. We return to the small village of Little Monkham, which is home to their charming ‘sixteenth century coaching inn,’ The Star and Sixpence, to join Sam and Nessie, who, at Christmas time, had moved into said establishment after they inherited it from their late, absent father, and we find them in the midst of all the bustle of preparations for a Valentine’s night event. Obviously, given that this is a short story and not a novella, there wasn’t the amount happening that was in the first book (a novella) and I was sorry for this, I could easily have done with a novella instead, but that’s just me, more will appreciate the length and content of this.

All in all, I soon jumped back into everything, looking forward to seeing what was happening with Joss, Owen, Ruby, Frannie and all the villagers. The short story flew by in a series of the fuzzy, warm, welcoming descriptions that Holly Hepburn does so beautifully and my interest was definitely piqued enough to, again, be anticipating the next installment ‘Summer at the Snowdrop and Sixpence’ (there were a few suggestions in this story as to where the pub could go as well as some mysteries still not divulged so bring it on!). I’d definitely recommend, and if possible, given the weather for those on this side of the world, I’d say even go for the first in this series too, the Christmas one, as it’s not top heavy on the festiveness, it’s there but the story will easily take you through as it’s not quite Summer yet! At this very moment (13th February) Valentine’s Day at the Star and Sixpence is FREE ON AMAZON so make sure to treat yourself!

Rating: 4/5

[Aneesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG!!!! Guys!!! This book was sooooooooooo cute and I loved every minute of it. I never thought I would enjoy the book so much!

From what I gather, Nessie and Sam are sisters and they take over Star and the Sixthpence when their father dies, although initially they find it difficult they pull through. I can't really say much about the characters or the plot since it was a short story. However, on Valentines Day they want to arrange a special evening at the Star and Sixpence with the help of a celebrity chef.

BUT what I can tell you is that Owen, Sam, Nessie and Joss made me want to read more and I want TO DEVOUR THIS BOOK SO PLEASE DO NOT STAND IN MY WAY!!!!!!!! I love these kind of books!!!

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[Justkeepreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely short sweet valentines read. Was so lovely to catch up with the characters in the star and sixpence series. Love fun romantic read. Read in 30 minutes

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great little distraction and the perfect length to occupy my while waiting for my son during a wisdom tooth extraction! 😃

[Yoyomaus Die Büchereule · Rating 2 out of 5]

Herzklopfen unter den Sternen (Ein Jahr mit Sam und Nessie - Band 2) von Holly Hepburn

Zum Inhalt:
Valentinstag im »Star and Sixpence«: Im zweiten Teil planen Sam und Nessie ein romantisches Candle-Light-Dinner für alle verliebten Pärchen des kleinen Dorfs. Doch noch während die Gäste bei Kaminfeuer und Kerzenschein das Menü einer Londoner Sterneköchin genießen, bricht in der Küche das Chaos aus – und auch das Liebesleben der beiden Schwestern steht unter keinem guten Stern: Sam wird von ihrem früheren Leben eingeholt, und Nessie muss herausfinden, ob Owen seine Vergangenheit wirklich hinter sich lassen kann ...

Cover:
Das Cover ist wie das des ersten Teils ansprechend, jedoch wie ich bereits sagte, finde ich, dass es recht einfallslos ist, einfach nur die Farben zu wechseln. Jedoch schneidet sich hier das Cover nicht mit der Jahreszeit, wie beim ersten Teil, wo es im Titel das Wort "Schnee" gab. Noch immer vermisse ich auch die Sterne auf die der Titel anspielt.

Eigener Eindruck:
Endlich sind Samantha und ihre Schwester Vanessa in ihrer neuen Heimat angekommen und ihr geerbtes Pub, das Star and Sixpence, läuft besser als gedacht. Um den Dorfbewohnern etwas zu bieten, haben sich die Schwestern wieder etwas einfallen lassen und so hat Sam eine Sterneköchin zum Valentinstag in den kleinen Ort gelockt. Die Vorbereitungen für den Dinnerabend zu Valentinstag laufen auf Hochtouren. Während sich Sam mit ihrem Mitarbeiter Joss immer mehr auf eine Beziehung einlässt, tut sich Nessie noch immer mit dem Dorfschmied Owen schwer. Doch die Liebeleien der Beiden müssen erst einmal hinten anstehen, denn die Sterneköchin ist mit der Küche nicht zufrieden und noch einige weitere Probleme warten auf die Schwestern. Gut, dass auf die Dorfbewohner und ihre Freunde Verlass ist.

An sich ist die Geschichte gut geschrieben, was bei einem zusammenhängenden Roman, der zerpflückt worden ist, kaum verwunderlich ist. Enttäuschend war hier die Länge des Romanteils und die Tatsache, dass die Geschichte nicht wirklich in Fahrt kommt. Es bleibt einfach zu viel auf der Strecke, was aber in meinen Augen hauptsächlich dem zerstückeln des Romans geschuldet ist. Sicher war es keine schlechte Idee alles nach den Jahreszeiten beziehungsweise den dazu passenden Events zu unterteilen, aber in diesem Teil ist das einfach mächtig in die Hose gegangen. Je mehr man auch von den Schwestern kennen lernt, desto mehr muss man sich fragen, was denn mit ihnen nicht richtig ist. Die eine traut sich nicht, die andere ist zu offenherzig und scheint Probleme regelrecht anzuziehen. Das ist natürlich ein raffinierter Schachzug, aber man ärgert sich eben auch über die Charaktere. Schon ein bisschen schade.

Fazit:
Wäre der erste Teil nicht so gut gewesen, würde ich hier definitiv aufhören mit lesen. 35 Seiten sind echt eine Frechheit für den Preis. Keine Ahnung was sich der Verlag hierbei gedacht hat. Das ist einfach nur enttäuschend. Ich hab hier einfach mehr erwartet. Da hätte man anstatt fünf Teile lieber vier Teile aus dem Buch gemacht. Aber das hier geht einfach gar nicht. Damit wird die Arbeit der Autorin auch mit Füßen getreten finde ich.

Idee: 3/5
Emotionen: 3/5
Lesespaß: 1/5
Spannung: 1/5
Details: 3/5

Gesamt: 2/5

Daten:
Format: Kindle Edition
Dateigröße: 1391 KB
Seitenzahl der Print-Ausgabe: 35 Seiten
Verlag: Penguin Verlag (1. November 2018)
Verkauf durch: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
Sprache: Deutsch
ASIN: B07CG2S3CG

[Fictionophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been reading a lot of crime fiction lately and thought I'd take a wee break by reading this charming, seasonal novella. I met the protagonists when I read the Christmas novella "Snowdrops at the Star and Sixpence" and thought I'd catch up with them a few months later.

In the first story, two sisters had just inherited a Cotswolds village pub from their father. He hadn't been a part of their lives for many years mostly due to the fact that he was an alcoholic.  Nessie has just parted from her husband and Sam is escaping a scandal in London.  They both need to reconnect with each other, and start afresh.

"The Star and Sixpence" is a sixteenth century coaching inn - now pub.

The girls restore the pub which had fallen into disrepair.  Now a few months on, they have the idea that they will host a special gourmet meal for Valentine's Day. They even hire a celebrity chef.

Joss, the cellarman, has made himself indispensable to the pub and has caused Sam to re-access her 'playing the field' ways.

Meanwhile, Jessie is more than a tad attracted to Owen, a widower who lives next door at Snowdrop Cottage. However she fears that she cannot compete with the memory of his recently deceased, and much adored wife.

A charming, warm, romantic story with 'real' characters and an idyllic setting straight off of a box of chocolates, this novella will make you feel warm inside.

I purchased this novella from Amazon to read on my Kindle.  Just the light and easy read to get you in the mood for Valentine's Day.

If you just can't get enough of the Star and Sixpence, the author has written other titles that feature this charming pub and the sisters who run it.

[Nessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 1.5 of a 4 part book series, been wanting to read this set of books for ages. Note to readers, you can either read this as a 4 part book series or there is a full length novel which includes all of the 4 parts.

So this is literally a short story which is sandwiched between part 1 and 2 of this 4 part book series and is set around Valentines, a bit of love and romance, who isn’t going to like that. It was a pleasant read, nice to see things progressing between Nessie and Owen, as in they finally asked each other out in a date. Looking forward to seeing how their relationship develops as the series progresses.

Right without further ado, I’m heading straight into book 2 of the series.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second story in the series of life at the Star & Sixpence, where sisters Sam & Nessie are learning the ropes of running a pub and getting used to living in a sometimes claustrophobic village.

In this book they host their first dining event, a Valentine's meal, where they manage to secure a top chef (a contact from Sam's previous life in PR) to cook for them. The same main characters are in this book and it continues the progress in their relationships, especially with Owen and Joss.

I've downloaded the next book in the series and can't wait to start reading it later.

[Sudeshna Banerjee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy Read

This book is a short story sandwiched between parts 1 and 2 of the Star And Sixpence series by Holly Hepburn. I read it within half an hour and it was a very Cozy read. I really enjoyed reading about the love life of both Sam and Nessie. It was the perfect setting with the perfect storyline. I will continue to read the books individually and I will also read the full book 'A Year In Star And Sixpence' very soon.

[Jen McAbee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nessie and Sam own the local bar in town, but for Valentine’s Day decide to bring in a gourmet famous chef for a one-of-a-kind dinner. To make enough room for the kitchen staff, Nessie asks her neighbor if they can use his kitchen and walk the food across the street to the tables. Nessie and Own have a flirty relationship, so could more happen between them this university.

TW: none
Spice: none
Tropes: short story, novella, Valentine’s Day, chef, neighbor

[Lesley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this, literally within 20 minutes, and I'm not even going to bother with the rest.

It's a CHAPTER of a book, most definitely not a novel.

When the author can make more money by releasing the series as an ACTUAL NOVEL, then I might be interested in reading it, but until such times, this is a complete waste of my time.

Good grief....

[C Norman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Upset it was a short story

Although it was a short story I was happy with the story telling such a cute story of love and romance things getting in the way. Just would have like to get to know the characters a bit more.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unfortunately this is the only book in this series that my library has. This is a quick story that focuses on food and romance. It takes place in England around Valentine's Day. The characters seem likeable, but I hadn't read the previous book, so I didn't really know their stories.

[Lou · Rating 2 out of 5]

Exactly what it says on the tin. Short, sugary, uneventful. I know it’s a short story but it spent too much time giving you the background stories so this felt like a chapter of a bigger book rather than a stand alone story.