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English Village #1
One Safe Place
American, Naomi Paverman, finds clues to her heritage when her grandmother passes. Realizing her existence is based on many lies, she yearns for connection and one safe place to call home. She rents a cottage in an English village to search for her biological father. What she discovers is resistance to questions, but she befriends an attractive and interesting local man…could he be related?
Oliver York is stirred to uncover family history he’s long ignored. Five years earlier, he inherited York Manor in Oldcastle. Oliver maintains an element of privacy to protect himself and his invalid sister from gossip. His interest in Naomi, and the secrets she reveals, causes him to come out of seclusion. Secrets threaten to expose admired citizens.
As their romance blossoms, someone attempts to run Naomi out of town. Is history repeating itself?
Oliver York is stirred to uncover family history he’s long ignored. Five years earlier, he inherited York Manor in Oldcastle. Oliver maintains an element of privacy to protect himself and his invalid sister from gossip. His interest in Naomi, and the secrets she reveals, causes him to come out of seclusion. Secrets threaten to expose admired citizens.
As their romance blossoms, someone attempts to run Naomi out of town. Is history repeating itself?
- GenresRomance
237 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 12, 2016
1 person is currently reading
290 people want to read
About the author
Robena Grant
13 books262 followersBorn in Australia, Robena now lives in Southern California. She has two adult children. Loves travel, hanging out with friends and family, reading, cooking, singing really bad karaoke, drinking really good red wine, chomping on chocolate, and swigging coffee. And she hates filling out forms because they give her a headache.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 5, 2017
It’s always fun to snuggle in with a Robena Grant book. One Safe Place promised a trip to a cozy English village called Oldcastle, where a birth mystery had been tucked away and forgotten. I especially liked that Naomi Paverman, the American traveler, was a Jewish protagonist, as I don’t often read books with this character portrayal. Though Oliver, the stately, and occasionally stiff, Englishman who is the owner of York Manor, takes his time getting involved with Naomi, once he’s committed to helping her find her roots, he won’t back down. Nor will his attraction to the wild-haired American.
As in most of Ms. Grants books, there is an element of suspense and a touch of danger, and the couple joins forces to get to the bottom of it. Once they’ve tested their DNA and establish they aren’t related, their romance takes off. Boo to Mrs. Compton and her smug attitude, and the grown man/son she keeps tied to her apron strings. Cheers for Annie, the Tea Room baker, and to Lizzie, Oliver’s wheelchair bound, younger sister, still full of life and adventure. At times, I felt as though I was in the same room as the characters going through boxes of old photos for clues, or enjoying asparagus soup with a good glass of chardonnay in Oxford. Or group singing while in the car on a road trip.
As Naomi’s birth line mystery unfolds, both her mother Rebecca, and more surprisingly, grandmother Goldie, come into play related to the English countryside, Oldcastle, and Hereford. Will Naomi finally find out who her father was, and her grandfather? After all the years of wondering and longing, will she finally find out where she belongs, and most importantly, with whom and where she should spend the rest of her life?
As in most of Ms. Grants books, there is an element of suspense and a touch of danger, and the couple joins forces to get to the bottom of it. Once they’ve tested their DNA and establish they aren’t related, their romance takes off. Boo to Mrs. Compton and her smug attitude, and the grown man/son she keeps tied to her apron strings. Cheers for Annie, the Tea Room baker, and to Lizzie, Oliver’s wheelchair bound, younger sister, still full of life and adventure. At times, I felt as though I was in the same room as the characters going through boxes of old photos for clues, or enjoying asparagus soup with a good glass of chardonnay in Oxford. Or group singing while in the car on a road trip.
As Naomi’s birth line mystery unfolds, both her mother Rebecca, and more surprisingly, grandmother Goldie, come into play related to the English countryside, Oldcastle, and Hereford. Will Naomi finally find out who her father was, and her grandfather? After all the years of wondering and longing, will she finally find out where she belongs, and most importantly, with whom and where she should spend the rest of her life?
March 30, 2017
This book was fascinating. It is the story of Naomi, an American bereft of any family who has decided to visit a village in Somerset to try and discover her roots. Both her mother and grandmother have died and she has never known who her father and grandfather were.
There is a great deal of animosity towards her in the village to the extent that someone tries breaking into the rental cottage where she is staying.
The mystery and excitement in the novel meant that I finished the book quickly and I plan to read more by this author.
My only criticism is that not enough research was done on the English manner of drinking tea!
I was given this book by Netgalley and the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
There is a great deal of animosity towards her in the village to the extent that someone tries breaking into the rental cottage where she is staying.
The mystery and excitement in the novel meant that I finished the book quickly and I plan to read more by this author.
My only criticism is that not enough research was done on the English manner of drinking tea!
I was given this book by Netgalley and the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
February 1, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. It was a mixture of spicy romance and mystery. Well written and kept me turning the pages.
June 5, 2017
I just finished reading Robena Grant’s novel, One Safe Place. The storyline caught my attention from the first page, and I couldn’t put the book down. It’s a realistic portrayal of small town Britain with all the gossip, secrets, and quirky characters.
The heroine travels to a small town in the heart of the English countryside to try and solve a generations-old family mystery. With the help of the handsome lord of the manor, she unravels the secrets the townspeople hold dear. As the tangled web of secrets is revealed, the heroine learns the importance of family and finding your one, true love.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries, I highly recommend One Safe Place.
The heroine travels to a small town in the heart of the English countryside to try and solve a generations-old family mystery. With the help of the handsome lord of the manor, she unravels the secrets the townspeople hold dear. As the tangled web of secrets is revealed, the heroine learns the importance of family and finding your one, true love.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries, I highly recommend One Safe Place.
June 19, 2017
This one ticks all the boxes for me: English village setting, independent heroine, strong writing that pulls the reader ever deeper into the mystery. Oh, and don't forget that romantic complication. I love the whole idea of an American in an English village, searching for the family she has never known. Naomi's mother died when she was very young, and her father was never in the picture. Her grandmother raised her in New York with no grandfather in the picture, either. Naomi's two closest female relatives were both single mothers. They both, Naomi finds after her grandmother dies and leaves her a trail of clues, had strong ties to a little village in England. Naomi can't help but think that this is where her father and mother met, and where she was conceived. When she decides to take a cottage in the village for a few months and do some digging, her intuition is only sharpened by the way people react to her. Some look as if they've seen a ghost. Others have an inexplicable aversion to her. And someone is trying to harm her, or at least scare her and her questions away from the village. Then there's the added complication that the lord of the manor, who she may be falling in love with, just might be her brother. One Safe Place is pure escapism, the perfect read for a sunny summer day.
June 13, 2018
This story of a young American woman's search for her roots in a small English village was a real page-turner. No one was who they seemed, and their motives were cloaked in decades of secrets. The plot had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing until the end. Given the setting, I particularly enjoyed the author's homage to Agatha Christie, the queen of English village mysteries, by getting all the suspects together in one room for the ultimate reveal.
September 7, 2017
Naomi travels to a small English village to try to dig into her heritage. She hits all kinds of stone walls while putting the puzzle pieces together. And she meets Oliver and he becomes her safe place. This book is a gripper from the first sentence. One of those 'you cannot put it down books'
January 16, 2018
What do you do when you find out everything you believed about your family is a lie? This fascinating story of an American woman searching for answers in a small British town about a past she'd never known existed feels gloriously English. I love Naomi and Oliver and the atmosphere of this small town. I want to read the next one.
May 28, 2017
4.5 stars! A life of lies, upon her grandmother's death Naomi discovers the life she knew was built upon on a foundation of lies. She is determined to find out the truth!
March 4, 2017
4.5/5.0
“One Safe Place” is a thoughtful mystery, filled with mild intrigues that fit well into the quiet countryside of Oldcastle.
Read full review in the 2017 March issue of InD'tale Magazine.
“One Safe Place” is a thoughtful mystery, filled with mild intrigues that fit well into the quiet countryside of Oldcastle.
Read full review in the 2017 March issue of InD'tale Magazine.
January 4, 2017
I would like to thank the author for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Naomi’s grandmother has died. Since her mother had died when she was two, and never revealed who Naomi’s father was, she had been raised by her grandmother. Now she’s 35, single and with no family. She does have a box of journals and personal belongings from her mother and grandmother that all point to Oldcastle England. Small English towns like their peace and protect their secrets. Her grandmother’s painting done by a York, from York manner has Naomi thinking perhaps she’s related to the handsome Oliver York, the current Lord of the Manor, but as Naomi and Oliver get closer to the truth, things are starting to get dangerous for Naomi. Add in the chemistry between the couple and this could be a disaster.
This was a quick fun read. The author created characters with depth and personality. I enjoyed that the character’s all had their own issues and concerns outside of the main focus of the story. The web of mystery that was woven around this small town was complex. As soon as I thought I had it figured out, my theories were dashed. I love a good mystery that isn’t predictable, and this is definitely one of those. Though there were many twists, they made excellent sense and weren’t just thrown in to throw the reader off.
I loved how the story wove through the three women’s lives. Discovering the mystery of Naomi’s grandfather and father and why the women chose to keep those secrets was fulfilling. The stories and lies created to hold their lives together made sense in the moment. This book was a refreshing read.
This book was also a rather passionate read at times. The intimate scenes were hot and emotional. They were not overly graphic but full of real emotion. This was a nice change from much of the over crafted love scenes that populate the current crop of romance novels of late. Things all flowed in a smooth order and made sense with the story.
I enjoyed the writing style of this author and would gladly read more by them. I rarely rate a romance so highly but this was well enjoyed and earned its 5 out of 5 stars.
Naomi’s grandmother has died. Since her mother had died when she was two, and never revealed who Naomi’s father was, she had been raised by her grandmother. Now she’s 35, single and with no family. She does have a box of journals and personal belongings from her mother and grandmother that all point to Oldcastle England. Small English towns like their peace and protect their secrets. Her grandmother’s painting done by a York, from York manner has Naomi thinking perhaps she’s related to the handsome Oliver York, the current Lord of the Manor, but as Naomi and Oliver get closer to the truth, things are starting to get dangerous for Naomi. Add in the chemistry between the couple and this could be a disaster.
This was a quick fun read. The author created characters with depth and personality. I enjoyed that the character’s all had their own issues and concerns outside of the main focus of the story. The web of mystery that was woven around this small town was complex. As soon as I thought I had it figured out, my theories were dashed. I love a good mystery that isn’t predictable, and this is definitely one of those. Though there were many twists, they made excellent sense and weren’t just thrown in to throw the reader off.
I loved how the story wove through the three women’s lives. Discovering the mystery of Naomi’s grandfather and father and why the women chose to keep those secrets was fulfilling. The stories and lies created to hold their lives together made sense in the moment. This book was a refreshing read.
This book was also a rather passionate read at times. The intimate scenes were hot and emotional. They were not overly graphic but full of real emotion. This was a nice change from much of the over crafted love scenes that populate the current crop of romance novels of late. Things all flowed in a smooth order and made sense with the story.
I enjoyed the writing style of this author and would gladly read more by them. I rarely rate a romance so highly but this was well enjoyed and earned its 5 out of 5 stars.
December 14, 2016
I am blown away with this book all the secrets and lies that are told and the twists and turns you go through this book with every emotion going you have the sad parts the angry parts the happy parts.
The story is all about a woman called Naomi and she is trying find answers to things that have happened in the past things to do with her grandma and mother and most importantly trying to find herself.
After going to England and to the village she is asking question and nobody is helping her until she meets Oliver and they both come to the conclusion they might be family but having a DNA test it reveals that they are not half brothers and sisters
Will they find the answers to who Naomi is related to in the little tiny village or will she run out of town like her mother was?
Like I said a amazing read I am giving this book 5/5 amazing chemistry with the characters and how everybody knows connects together one way or another great read.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my own opinion. *
The story is all about a woman called Naomi and she is trying find answers to things that have happened in the past things to do with her grandma and mother and most importantly trying to find herself.
After going to England and to the village she is asking question and nobody is helping her until she meets Oliver and they both come to the conclusion they might be family but having a DNA test it reveals that they are not half brothers and sisters
Will they find the answers to who Naomi is related to in the little tiny village or will she run out of town like her mother was?
Like I said a amazing read I am giving this book 5/5 amazing chemistry with the characters and how everybody knows connects together one way or another great read.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my own opinion. *
December 29, 2016
This book started off a little slow for me, but it quickly picked up. This story is intriguing and it’s full of twists and turns that you don’t see coming. Obviously, I can’t go into much detail about that or I’ll give away spoilers, but it’s definitely worth reading.
One Safe Place is very descriptive, so if you’ve ever been interested in English villages, then this will interest you. I felt transported to this little place. The characters are well developed. There are many people and they all seem to know everyone. It was pretty fascinating. My favorite character was Annie, but not by a large margin. All of them were great.
This book is written well, easy to read, and I recommend it!
One Safe Place is very descriptive, so if you’ve ever been interested in English villages, then this will interest you. I felt transported to this little place. The characters are well developed. There are many people and they all seem to know everyone. It was pretty fascinating. My favorite character was Annie, but not by a large margin. All of them were great.
This book is written well, easy to read, and I recommend it!
March 29, 2017
Fantastic read had me sucked in right from the start and kept me guessing with plenty of twist and turns a super read.Perfect for a lazy day i just loved it.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews