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Tindledale
The Secret of Orchard Cottage
April Wilson is wondering what to do next – her life has been turned upside down after the loss of her husband so she’s hoping to piece herself together again with a visit to her elderly great aunt, Edith. Arriving in the rural idyll of Tindledale, she’s dismayed to find Edith’s cottage and the orchards surrounding it in a sorry state of disrepair. Edith seems to have lost interest completely, instead she’s become desperate to find out what happened to her sister, Winnie, who disappeared during WWII.
April gets to work immediately, discovering that the orchard still delivers a bumper crop each year, and with the help of some of the villagers – including Matt, the enigmatic Farrier – begins to unravel the mystery of the missing Winnie. Slowly, April can feel things coming to life again – but can Orchard Cottage work its magic on her too?
April gets to work immediately, discovering that the orchard still delivers a bumper crop each year, and with the help of some of the villagers – including Matt, the enigmatic Farrier – begins to unravel the mystery of the missing Winnie. Slowly, April can feel things coming to life again – but can Orchard Cottage work its magic on her too?
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First published May 19, 2016
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About the author
Alex Brown
26 books470 followersAlex Brown is an International No.1 bestselling author of fourteen books including A Postcard from Italy, the Carrington’s series, The Secret of Orchard Cottage, The Great Christmas Knit Off, The Wish, A Postcard from Paris and the Bridget’s Bicycle Bakery series. Her books are loved worldwide and have been translated into twenty languages.
Alex lives by the sea on the south coast of England with her family and two glossy black Labradors. When she isn’t writing, she can be found walking on the beach, binge-watching a boxset or enjoying a French martini cocktail. She loves chatting to her readers on social media @alexbrownbooks and you can sign up to her newsletter on her website www.alexbrownauthor.com to receive a free short story, The Beach Walk, and also be the first to hear about new books, free extracts and giveaways.
Alex lives by the sea on the south coast of England with her family and two glossy black Labradors. When she isn’t writing, she can be found walking on the beach, binge-watching a boxset or enjoying a French martini cocktail. She loves chatting to her readers on social media @alexbrownbooks and you can sign up to her newsletter on her website www.alexbrownauthor.com to receive a free short story, The Beach Walk, and also be the first to hear about new books, free extracts and giveaways.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 147 reviews
June 3, 2016
Originally reviewed on Becca's Books.
What a treat The Secret of Orchard Cottage by Alex Brown turned out to be! Sweetly intriguing with a sumptuously idyllic setting, I adored being back in Tindledale and couldn't wait to get stuck in, to see what the author had whipped up for her readers this time. When the title and cover were revealed a while back on Twitter, I knew immediately that I had to read this book. It spoke of sisters, love and of deep longing, and so I hopped inside with great enthusiasm, eager to begin.
In The Secret of Orchard Cottage, readers are introduced to April Wilson. After the tragic loss of her husband, Gray, she's off to visit her great aunt Edith in Tindledale, a place she has always adored visiting. But when she arrives, it's clear that her lovely great aunt hasn't been keeping on top of things. The cottage garden has grown wild and free, and the orchards aren't what they used to be either. Upon finding her great aunt Edith in a worrying position while peering through the kitchen window, April realises that perhaps great aunt Edith could do with a bit of help, and perhaps she should have came sooner.
What follows on from April's arrival in Tindledale and Orchard Cottage is a charming and utterly enchanting tale. I was hooked from the very first page, reading way past midnight and even then, trying my very best to keep my eyes open in order to continue. Weaved within the intriguing mystery of Winnie's disappearance, Alex Brown includes a number of heart-warming issues for April to figure out. From Orchard Cottage and the orchards surrounding the gorgeous home, to romantic fizzes and unexpected advances, it really was a joyous read with so much heart, warmth and sparkle that I just adored.
The characters within The Secret of Orchard Cottage by Alex Brown were wonderfully-crafted and so enjoyable to spend time with. I took a particular shine to April and her journey back to happiness while in Tindledale and wished nothing but the best for her. She was a woman with a golden heart and soul who desperately wanted to make her great aunt Edith happy. When the topic of Winnie's disappearance crops up, April knows that her aunt won't be able to rest until the truth is uncovered, and so April bravely makes it her mission to put the pieces of the past back together, using the clues that gradually make themselves known to her. Another character I thoroughly enjoyed meeting was the ruggedly handsome Matt and his teenage daughter. Both brought with them a certain sense of hope to the story, and I couldn't help but to wonder if Matt and April would end up being beneficial towards one another if given the time to connect. I loved the scenes involving that cosy theme of family and felt as if I knew these characters personally. Alex Brown achieves such a fantastic job of bringing her characters, and their surroundings, to life on the page, and I could imagine standing outside of Orchard Cottage myself, so real and vivid it felt to me.
All in all, an absolutely splendid tale from Alex Brown that I felt compelled to pick up again each time I reluctantly put it down. Utterly oozing with warmth, charm and sun-dappled sweetness, it was intriguing from the beginning, and focused beautifully on the most important things in life. Love, family, and finally feeling at peace and laying the past to rest.
Becca's Books is awarding The Secret of Orchard Cottage by Alex Brown with five of my bookish stars. It was absolutely wonderful to be reunited with Tindledale and I only hope that we have a good couple more stories set here to look forward to in the future. It felt just like coming home. Special thanks to the publisher and Alex Brown for inviting me to be part of the blog tour and for kindly providing me with a review copy of this book.
What a treat The Secret of Orchard Cottage by Alex Brown turned out to be! Sweetly intriguing with a sumptuously idyllic setting, I adored being back in Tindledale and couldn't wait to get stuck in, to see what the author had whipped up for her readers this time. When the title and cover were revealed a while back on Twitter, I knew immediately that I had to read this book. It spoke of sisters, love and of deep longing, and so I hopped inside with great enthusiasm, eager to begin.
In The Secret of Orchard Cottage, readers are introduced to April Wilson. After the tragic loss of her husband, Gray, she's off to visit her great aunt Edith in Tindledale, a place she has always adored visiting. But when she arrives, it's clear that her lovely great aunt hasn't been keeping on top of things. The cottage garden has grown wild and free, and the orchards aren't what they used to be either. Upon finding her great aunt Edith in a worrying position while peering through the kitchen window, April realises that perhaps great aunt Edith could do with a bit of help, and perhaps she should have came sooner.
What follows on from April's arrival in Tindledale and Orchard Cottage is a charming and utterly enchanting tale. I was hooked from the very first page, reading way past midnight and even then, trying my very best to keep my eyes open in order to continue. Weaved within the intriguing mystery of Winnie's disappearance, Alex Brown includes a number of heart-warming issues for April to figure out. From Orchard Cottage and the orchards surrounding the gorgeous home, to romantic fizzes and unexpected advances, it really was a joyous read with so much heart, warmth and sparkle that I just adored.
The characters within The Secret of Orchard Cottage by Alex Brown were wonderfully-crafted and so enjoyable to spend time with. I took a particular shine to April and her journey back to happiness while in Tindledale and wished nothing but the best for her. She was a woman with a golden heart and soul who desperately wanted to make her great aunt Edith happy. When the topic of Winnie's disappearance crops up, April knows that her aunt won't be able to rest until the truth is uncovered, and so April bravely makes it her mission to put the pieces of the past back together, using the clues that gradually make themselves known to her. Another character I thoroughly enjoyed meeting was the ruggedly handsome Matt and his teenage daughter. Both brought with them a certain sense of hope to the story, and I couldn't help but to wonder if Matt and April would end up being beneficial towards one another if given the time to connect. I loved the scenes involving that cosy theme of family and felt as if I knew these characters personally. Alex Brown achieves such a fantastic job of bringing her characters, and their surroundings, to life on the page, and I could imagine standing outside of Orchard Cottage myself, so real and vivid it felt to me.
All in all, an absolutely splendid tale from Alex Brown that I felt compelled to pick up again each time I reluctantly put it down. Utterly oozing with warmth, charm and sun-dappled sweetness, it was intriguing from the beginning, and focused beautifully on the most important things in life. Love, family, and finally feeling at peace and laying the past to rest.
Becca's Books is awarding The Secret of Orchard Cottage by Alex Brown with five of my bookish stars. It was absolutely wonderful to be reunited with Tindledale and I only hope that we have a good couple more stories set here to look forward to in the future. It felt just like coming home. Special thanks to the publisher and Alex Brown for inviting me to be part of the blog tour and for kindly providing me with a review copy of this book.
April 26, 2021
I absolutely loved The Great Christmas Knit Off, which I read a few years ago, so thought I'd buy this and give it a try too. This was another enjoyable and easy read, filled with emotion and love.
May 29, 2017
Reading all the glowing 5 star reviews, I think I must have read a different book!!
This is a pleasant enough beach read, but in my opinion, it's not the best of its kind. Maeve Binchy, Katie Fforde and Cathy Kelly are queens of the genre that I think Alexandra Brown aspires to. They exemplify the apparently easy, but actually very skilfully plotted story, and well developed characters that engage one's interest all brought together in a well written whole. I thought the entire book would have benefited from some judicious editing and proof-reading.
As I said, it's a pleasant enough read; but there are loads of other authors out there who do this kind of thing so much better!! I am glad I only paid 99p.
This is a pleasant enough beach read, but in my opinion, it's not the best of its kind. Maeve Binchy, Katie Fforde and Cathy Kelly are queens of the genre that I think Alexandra Brown aspires to. They exemplify the apparently easy, but actually very skilfully plotted story, and well developed characters that engage one's interest all brought together in a well written whole. I thought the entire book would have benefited from some judicious editing and proof-reading.
As I said, it's a pleasant enough read; but there are loads of other authors out there who do this kind of thing so much better!! I am glad I only paid 99p.
June 12, 2016
Originally posted on This Chick Reads
*Copy provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
4.5/5
And we're back in Tindledale! The place where you find yourself, get in touch with your feelings and start afresh. Oh how I waited to get back to this enchanting little village. Everything seems to change but Tinderdale stays the same, making it truly a magical place to heal your wounds.
'The Secret of Orchard Cottage' is the third book in the Tindledale series by amazingly talented Alexandra Brown. Ever since ARCs went live on NetGalley, twitter literally went mad with comments about this book. Most of my friends commented on how this is probably Alex's best book yet, and I was really impatient to grab a copy and start reading. The Tindledale series is rather different to Alex's earlier books i.e. The Carrington's series. They were more fluffy, light or what we'd call - beach reads. However, Tindledale books, especially the latest 'The Secret of Orchard Cottage' are more serious, more complex and layered. Whatever I was expecting from Alex, I surely didn't expect this. While I knew I would once again read her beautiful descriptions of the most amazing place, I didn't expect such a beautiful and layered story.
I had tears in my eyes just from reading the opening, and it's safe to say it's one of the best I've probably ever read. I was like, what happens to Winnie? I want to know more about Winnie! Alex does an excellent work in getting you hooked in just few pages, I bow to her brilliance in doing that. The book starts with Winnie leaving home for WWII, following her brothers' footsteps and leaving behind her younger sister Edith (Edie) and her parents. Everyone is so proud of her, she's brave, ambitious and wants to make a difference. In a way, her younger sister Edie is slightly jealous of her and all the adventures that are ahead of Winnie. However, this is where the Prologue stops and we have no idea what happens to Winnie during the war. Fast forward many years we meet April, who's lost her husband to a terrible illness and despite being a year and a half since he passed away, she can't move on with her life. Even her stepchildren encourage her to start over and think of the future, but April is still heartbroken, losing the only man she loved, the man who supported her and despite not being married for a long time, showed her what true love is. There's one scene which I'd like to share with you (as I don't consider it as a spoiler) that really broke my heart. April is celebrating her Birthday and she receives flowers and a card from her late husband. He arranged with the florist to deliver April flowers every Birthday (for a long time) and this literally crushed my heart into pieces. How thoughtful and noble for someone who was dying to think of his love, so selflessly... Even after been diagnosed with a terminal disease, he put April's happiness first, planning even the slightest detail to ease her life without him. If this is not true love, then I don't know what is! I couldn't help but put myself in her shoes, while the pain would undoubtedly still be there no matter how many years pass, at least we had some time (no matter how long) of sheer happiness and someone even from their grave is thinking of us. There's something so romantic and even poetic about this, right?
Moving on...after receiving a letter from her great aunt Edith (Edie), April decides to visit her and the old house in Tindledale. Edith is now in her 90s and April hasn't seen her for three years. She fears about of the state she'll find both her great aunt and the house in, however she doesn't have any other relatives and she owes so much to lovely Edith. But there's another reason why she's impatient to get to Tindledale, Edith called her 'Winnie' in her letter, but who is 'Winnie'? Is it dementia, or there's a relative or a daughter of Edie's April doesn't know about?
As you see, this book offers so much, there's a beautiful story about grief, overcoming it and starting afresh, and also there's the mystery element around Winnie and her history. The wonderful descriptions of Tindledale, the house and garden are a major bonus as you'll really feel transported to this amazing fictional place, wishing it was real and you rented a house there. But I'm not gonna lie, while I absolutely enjoyed every page of this book, I was waiting for the mystery to be unraveled. I couldn't wait to find out more about Winnie and what really happened to her during the war. Having said this, I had to wait and come rather far in the book to learn more about the mystery. While I know that Alex was building the suspense and that's perfectly normal, I wish I didn't have to wait so much to get to the mystery part. This is the only reason for deducing 1* (1/2* actually) from the max 5/5 rating.
But other than that, I really have no remarks regarding the story itself, or the characters. I absolutely loved April, and not only loved but respected and understood her completely. I loved the fact she's close to her stepchildren, who are grown ups yet have a strong, solid bond with April. April is a lovely, caring person you can't help but love. She gets under your skin very fast, and is such a sweet and sensitive person. It was really easy to connect with her and enjoy every moment of her transformation. I cheered for her and secretly hoped she'll find a way to mend her broken heart.
Overall, 'The Secret of Orchard Cottage' is a wonderful, bittersweet story that will make you dream, hope and shed a few tears (or more). I really didn't have the feeling I was reading a book, I felt more like my heart and Alex were having a dialogue or like I was watching a beautiful movie. As always is the case with her books, time flies and before you know it, you've reached the last page. I really can't wait for the next Tindledale story and hope there are many more to come.
June 2, 2016
Alex Brown is one of my favourite authors and has been ever since I read her beautiful debut Cupcakes At Carringtons. I wait impatiently every time I know there is a new novel imminent and I have been on tenterhooks waiting for The Secret Of Orchard Cottage. When it landed on my Kindle I was super excited and started reading straight away!
The Secret Of Orchard Cottage is set in the gorgeous village of Tindledale and whilst it features returning characters and familiar settings, The Secret Of Orchard Cottage is very different in tone and style to the previous Tindledale novels. It feels much deeper, far more evocative and tackles some incredibly touching and serious issues. The main plot follows widowed April as she visits her Aunt Edie in Tindledale after the death of her husband, Gray. When she arrives she realises that Edie’s memory seems to be receding and Edie keeps calling April, Winnie. Who is Winnie and why does Edie seem to want to know what happened to her? And, with Edie confused, April realises she needs to stick around to look after her aunt. As April explores Tindledale and tries to settle into life in the village, she meets some eccentric and enigmatic villagers who change her world completely.
This novel has so many layers to it that all intertwine to create a story that makes you smile and cry in equal measure. As I turned the final page a huge pang of bittersweet happiness hit me as I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the characters and their world but I was so satisfied with the ending that I was also just about happy to leave the characters as they were!
Alex has upped her writing game BIG TIME with this novel. It is so precious and special that I can’t see how someone couldn’t love it! There are moments of mystery, moments that make you hold your breath, some moments make you ‘ahhh’ and some make you go ‘nooooo!’ It has everything you could possibly want; and then some. I love how Alex has the ability to draw me into her writing and affect me in so many ways; it's the mark of a brilliant author.
The pacing of this novel was perfect too. There was never a moment I felt bored or wished it would hurry up a little, in fact I was left wanting more at the end! I enjoyed how everything unfolded at the perfect rate too - nothing was too drawn out but at the same time it wasn't revealed too early on; I was glued to the pages to try and get to the bottom of everything.
Oh, and you can't forget about Alex's scene setting. Tindledale felt so real to me, in fact I was ready to pack up my bags and move to the gorgeous village by the time the book was finished! It was so clear and colourful in my mind...I wanted to walk across the green fields and then pluck an apple from a tree in the orchard before settling down to a picnic!
Overall, I can honestly hand on heart say that this is one of the best books I've read this year and I urge you to read it!
Beautiful and poignant, The Secret Of Orchard Cottage is a book you need in your holiday bag this year!
The Secret Of Orchard Cottage is set in the gorgeous village of Tindledale and whilst it features returning characters and familiar settings, The Secret Of Orchard Cottage is very different in tone and style to the previous Tindledale novels. It feels much deeper, far more evocative and tackles some incredibly touching and serious issues. The main plot follows widowed April as she visits her Aunt Edie in Tindledale after the death of her husband, Gray. When she arrives she realises that Edie’s memory seems to be receding and Edie keeps calling April, Winnie. Who is Winnie and why does Edie seem to want to know what happened to her? And, with Edie confused, April realises she needs to stick around to look after her aunt. As April explores Tindledale and tries to settle into life in the village, she meets some eccentric and enigmatic villagers who change her world completely.
This novel has so many layers to it that all intertwine to create a story that makes you smile and cry in equal measure. As I turned the final page a huge pang of bittersweet happiness hit me as I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the characters and their world but I was so satisfied with the ending that I was also just about happy to leave the characters as they were!
Alex has upped her writing game BIG TIME with this novel. It is so precious and special that I can’t see how someone couldn’t love it! There are moments of mystery, moments that make you hold your breath, some moments make you ‘ahhh’ and some make you go ‘nooooo!’ It has everything you could possibly want; and then some. I love how Alex has the ability to draw me into her writing and affect me in so many ways; it's the mark of a brilliant author.
The pacing of this novel was perfect too. There was never a moment I felt bored or wished it would hurry up a little, in fact I was left wanting more at the end! I enjoyed how everything unfolded at the perfect rate too - nothing was too drawn out but at the same time it wasn't revealed too early on; I was glued to the pages to try and get to the bottom of everything.
Oh, and you can't forget about Alex's scene setting. Tindledale felt so real to me, in fact I was ready to pack up my bags and move to the gorgeous village by the time the book was finished! It was so clear and colourful in my mind...I wanted to walk across the green fields and then pluck an apple from a tree in the orchard before settling down to a picnic!
Overall, I can honestly hand on heart say that this is one of the best books I've read this year and I urge you to read it!
Beautiful and poignant, The Secret Of Orchard Cottage is a book you need in your holiday bag this year!
June 20, 2016
Alex Brown has been one of my favourite authors for a while, and her Tindledale series is one of my favourites! I only recently read the second book, actually, but book three is already here, and let me tell you it's one of the most emotional books I've ever read, in fact I stayed up til after midnight finishing it, because just as I was about to put it down and go to bed, it came to a really intriguing part and with only 22 minutes of reading time left, I could hardly put it down then, could I? So I stayed up and finished it, completely ignoring the fact I have a 10 hour shift tomorrow, oops.
The Secret of Orchard Cottage is one of those books you just feel yourself getting into, almost like you're part of the book, like you're actually watching everything that's going on from above, and I really liked April. Considering everything she's gone through, she's one of the strongest main characters I've ever met, and I love how selfless she was, going out to look after her Aunt Edie, despite her own grief and sadness. Even more so, when she starts investigating what happened to Edie's sister, Winnie. It's actually a pretty remarkable story - and I kind of wish we had had more snippets back to Winnie's life then, like we did in the Prologue. That would have been an interesting addition, but nevertheless, you still really get to feel the full force of Winnie, because she is a massive part of this book. This might be April's story and the story of Orchard Cottage, too, but it's also Winnie's story.
This was genuinely one of the most special books I've read this year. It was so full of warmth, despite the difficult subjects it tackles - April losing her husband, Gray; Winnie's story; Edie losing memories and thinking she's in a different time to the one she's in, but the novel never loses it's heart or soul. It's helped by Bella, Bella brought a lightness to the book, a shine, and the other residents of Tindledale are also awesome. Honestly, it's like the best place to live. And Matt. Oh, man I love a tattooed guy. JUST because of the tattoos, he has sleeves, which are my absolute favourites. I dream of having a tattoo sleeve (or two) and that's what caught my eye immediately, but he was so sweet, too.
This is the kind of book where you just love everything about it and want to squish it in your arms, I'm not kidding. It just made my heart want to burst, there was so much warmth, light, laughter, and sadness, too. But it was still hopeful, I have no idea how Alex Brown pulls that off, but she does. She's a truly amazing storyteller, able to weave hard topics into something manageable, that doesn't make you want to go and cry or bang your head in frustration, because you see this stuff every day, and when you read you kinda want to be away from real life, but Alex makes it easy to digest, less horrific. The Secret of Orchard Cottage is an amazing book, trust me. This is my favourite of Alex's books so far, it just had so many layers to it, and characters that I really, really invested myself in, and it also made me shed a tear at the end. It basically gave me all the feels.
The Secret of Orchard Cottage is one of those books you just feel yourself getting into, almost like you're part of the book, like you're actually watching everything that's going on from above, and I really liked April. Considering everything she's gone through, she's one of the strongest main characters I've ever met, and I love how selfless she was, going out to look after her Aunt Edie, despite her own grief and sadness. Even more so, when she starts investigating what happened to Edie's sister, Winnie. It's actually a pretty remarkable story - and I kind of wish we had had more snippets back to Winnie's life then, like we did in the Prologue. That would have been an interesting addition, but nevertheless, you still really get to feel the full force of Winnie, because she is a massive part of this book. This might be April's story and the story of Orchard Cottage, too, but it's also Winnie's story.
This was genuinely one of the most special books I've read this year. It was so full of warmth, despite the difficult subjects it tackles - April losing her husband, Gray; Winnie's story; Edie losing memories and thinking she's in a different time to the one she's in, but the novel never loses it's heart or soul. It's helped by Bella, Bella brought a lightness to the book, a shine, and the other residents of Tindledale are also awesome. Honestly, it's like the best place to live. And Matt. Oh, man I love a tattooed guy. JUST because of the tattoos, he has sleeves, which are my absolute favourites. I dream of having a tattoo sleeve (or two) and that's what caught my eye immediately, but he was so sweet, too.
This is the kind of book where you just love everything about it and want to squish it in your arms, I'm not kidding. It just made my heart want to burst, there was so much warmth, light, laughter, and sadness, too. But it was still hopeful, I have no idea how Alex Brown pulls that off, but she does. She's a truly amazing storyteller, able to weave hard topics into something manageable, that doesn't make you want to go and cry or bang your head in frustration, because you see this stuff every day, and when you read you kinda want to be away from real life, but Alex makes it easy to digest, less horrific. The Secret of Orchard Cottage is an amazing book, trust me. This is my favourite of Alex's books so far, it just had so many layers to it, and characters that I really, really invested myself in, and it also made me shed a tear at the end. It basically gave me all the feels.
August 21, 2018
2.5 rounded up to 3 stars for a reasonable beach read. The story was pleasant enough, with strong themes of grief and kindness to the ill and the elderly, and the "secret" was cleared up rapidly in the last two chapters.
My biggest peeve is that the writing was awful - or rather the editing was. There is so much waffle that needs to be cut out to make it more readable, so I find it difficult to understand why it gets so many 5-star ratings. I listened to the audiobook and had to increase the narration speed quite considerably as it was sending me to sleep!
My biggest peeve is that the writing was awful - or rather the editing was. There is so much waffle that needs to be cut out to make it more readable, so I find it difficult to understand why it gets so many 5-star ratings. I listened to the audiobook and had to increase the narration speed quite considerably as it was sending me to sleep!
June 10, 2016
It is already some time since I've last read Alex Brown's book but after reading only the first few sentences of "The Secret of Orchard Cottage" I've immediately felt like at home! There is something magic in Alex's writing style and the way she tells her stories that just appeals to me and I could read her books over and over again. And right now it is really hard to put into words what I want to say about this book - it was an exceptionally warm, poignant and at the same time funny and uplifting story and there were moments that made me smile so much, and there were moments that made me shed a tear or two - just the perfect mix. There is a lot of depth in this story that makes it even more richer and welcoming, and it is beautifully written. And, you know, I've never knitted before, not once in my life, but I am certain that if I went to Tindledale, I'd start knitting :)
In "The Secret of Orchard Cottage" we have April that has lost her husband to a motor neurone disease. He's left her with her two grown - up stepchildren, and them having their own lives makes April feel even more alone and lonely. She decides to revisit Tindledale, where she has spent her childhood and where she's made the loveliest memories, and where her Great Aunt Edith is still living in the old Orchard Cottage. But April is not prepared to see the changes in the long - time - no - see aunt and cottage, as they both grew very old, changed and both deteriorate. April steps in and starts to organize the things to sort out the house, Edie and - even if she doesn't know about it yet - herself as well. With the help of some new - and also old - friends April faces all the challenges that await her in Tindledale and which include thatched roofs, two neglected horses, very long grass, one fire, cider making and, of course, knitting!
What I adored is how cleverly the author weaved the subplot of Winnie, Edith's sister, into the story. It is a kind of mystery mentioned occasionally and that kicks off more seriously deep into the book. It's sad, and when the scene where April was finally able to tell her Aunt about Winnie arrived, I had a lump in my throat. Moreover, even though I was guessing that the truth can't be as straightforward as some of the Tindledale villagers think, the discovery has taken me completely by surprise.
The characters in this book are so very well written! They are vivid and genuine and I had a feeling that any moment now they're going to jump off the pages. There is something in April that make you like her immediately, I think you can't NOT to like her and you wish her only the best. She's genuine in her feelings, she doesn't hide the fact that she's still missing her husband and that it's not easy for her. She wants to make everybody happy, and especially her aunt Edie. Throughout the story we can accompany April on her journey and see how she's changing, blossoming, together with the Orchard Cottage - it was as if those two needed a breath of fresh air.
Among the people that April meets in Tindledale are Matt, a single dad to Bella. Bella immediately grew on me, and her desperation was described with so much feeling and there couldn't happen anything better for her than meeting April.
Alex Brown with so much heart and feeling writes about all the characters and places and brings them so easily and effortlessly to life. I'd love to visit Tindledale, have a drink in the Duck and Puddle or a cake in Spotted Pig Tearoom. The descriptions of Orchard Cottage and its surroundings were beautiful, and I could easily imagine all the views and smell the scents. They were all so true to life, and I had a feeling that I can only reach out with my hand to pluck an apple from a tree. The plot this time covers some much more serious issues, such as dementia or bullying, but in a very sensitive, gentle way and together with all the other events it just makes a perfect story that just struck a chord with me.
There was so much warmth in this story, this overwhelming feel - good factor and I really didn't want this book to end. Alex Brown has in a brilliant way added some twists and turns but what I adored most was the fact that yes, we had some surprises on the way, but those surprises were not too exaggerated, and even with the problems and some obstacles and issues to figure out the story stayed down - to - earth and felt realistic and genuine. But even with it being realistic and down to earth, there is a sparkle in this novel, there is this "something" that makes it exceptional and gorgeous read. "The Secret of Orchard Cottage" is set in Tindeldale and, next to new characters, features also some of the good, old friends from previous books, I had a feeling that it is a little more serious in tone and style, that it not only concentrates on the brighter side of life but also on things that are more serious and poignant, which adds much more depth to this story. There are many layers, but it doesn't mean the plot is confusing, no, it's crystal clear, and the layers intertwine in the most brilliant way. This book just feels so special, and when you read it, you'll understand what I'm talking about :)
I think that each and every new book by Alex Brown is better than the last one and soon I won't have any more stars to rate, as right now I'd give this book 10 out of 5. She's maturing and growing as an author and you can see it in her writing and her characters. This book has awoke all kind of emotions in me, I laughed, I smiled, I cried, and there is everything I'm looking for in a book and even more. This story has a perfect pace, great setting and characters that grow on you - what would you like more? Highly recommended.
Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for a review.
December 25, 2016
April is a young and sad widow. She misses her former life and her grief works debilitating. When she realizes she hasn't seen her great aunt Edith in a very long time she decides to travel to Tindledale to visit her. April loves the village and has many fond memories of the place. When she arrives at Orchard Cottage she can't find Edith and the house and garden have fallen into a state of neglect. April's aunt isn't able to keep things up any longer, she's getting old and is often confused. She thinks April is her sister Winnie. April soon understands that she can't leave after her short visit. She has to stay with her great aunt for a while, so she can restore order in and around the cottage.
Orchard Cottage is supposed to be a place that will heal its inhabitants. The beautiful surroundings are helping April to deal with her loss. She slowly finds herself again in Tindledale. She makes friends, has fun recreating Edith's favorite recipes and she's busy making arrangements for repairs in and around the house. Matt is a great help and they instantly get along. In return April is there for his daughter when she needs someone the most. Slowly Tindledale and Orchard Cottage are beginning to feel like home, but April isn't there to stay or is she?
The Secret of Orchard Cottage is another uplifting story by Alex Brown. Orchard Cottage is a stunning place and I immediately loved the house. Edith is an endearing old lady and I enjoyed reading about her past and her present. Her sister Winnie is an interesting person and it's a mystery what happened to her after she left home in the war. I couldn't wait to find out more about this brave girl. I liked the combination of the past and the present. Most of the book is about April and her stay in Tindledale and Winnie's story is a beautiful extra.
April is grieving, but she's incredibly strong and capable. She has a great relationship with everyone who comes into her life and I loved the matter-of-fact way she deals with things. She's a kindhearted woman with a difficult past who deserves a lot of happiness. I loved Alex Brown's idea to make the cottage a place to heal and to feel treasured and safe. It's a cheerful and loving place to live. Having tea and eating cake is a very important part of the daily routine. I enjoyed reading about the different cakes and all the food that was made from the fruit in the orchard. Tindledale is a magical and dreamy place to live and it's one of my all time favorite fictional places. I highly recommend this brilliant romantic book.
Orchard Cottage is supposed to be a place that will heal its inhabitants. The beautiful surroundings are helping April to deal with her loss. She slowly finds herself again in Tindledale. She makes friends, has fun recreating Edith's favorite recipes and she's busy making arrangements for repairs in and around the house. Matt is a great help and they instantly get along. In return April is there for his daughter when she needs someone the most. Slowly Tindledale and Orchard Cottage are beginning to feel like home, but April isn't there to stay or is she?
The Secret of Orchard Cottage is another uplifting story by Alex Brown. Orchard Cottage is a stunning place and I immediately loved the house. Edith is an endearing old lady and I enjoyed reading about her past and her present. Her sister Winnie is an interesting person and it's a mystery what happened to her after she left home in the war. I couldn't wait to find out more about this brave girl. I liked the combination of the past and the present. Most of the book is about April and her stay in Tindledale and Winnie's story is a beautiful extra.
April is grieving, but she's incredibly strong and capable. She has a great relationship with everyone who comes into her life and I loved the matter-of-fact way she deals with things. She's a kindhearted woman with a difficult past who deserves a lot of happiness. I loved Alex Brown's idea to make the cottage a place to heal and to feel treasured and safe. It's a cheerful and loving place to live. Having tea and eating cake is a very important part of the daily routine. I enjoyed reading about the different cakes and all the food that was made from the fruit in the orchard. Tindledale is a magical and dreamy place to live and it's one of my all time favorite fictional places. I highly recommend this brilliant romantic book.
July 15, 2016
This is the long awaited third book in the Tindledale series, and is almost certainly the best book that Alex Brown has written. It is a much welcome return to the village of Tindledale and catching up with some of the villagers from the previous books, as well as a whole new set of characters to love.
This though can easily be read as a standalone, so don't worry if you haven't read any before, this is a self contained story, the characters from the previous book are mentioned in passing, but not in any way to make you feel you have missed out by not reading the first two books....although you have because they are fabulous!
With the exception of the prologue, I found the book was unputdownable. I read it in 5 hours, with just a couple of short breaks to re-get myself comfortable (and eat dinner). If you are looking for a book to take your mind off your own real life for a while, then this is a great story to that with.
I was drawn into a set of truly remarkable characters lives. There is April who is trying to get her life back together 18 months after her husband died, her step daughter Nancy who is a lovely young woman, her great aunt Edie who is central to the story. Unfortunately at the age of 90, Edie is starting to get confused and is living in the past more and more, and keeps mistaking April for her long lost sister Winnie.
April is asked to find out what happened to Winnie all those years ago, and its not any easy task, but I'll just say you will probably never guess the truth. Then there are two men in Tindledale who are attracted to April, Harry the fruit farmer who we meet in a hilarious first meeting, and Matt who we get occasional chapters from his point of view.
There are a whole host of sensitive issues in this book, between dealing with old age, to a young girl who is having trouble at school, to various happenings in World War 2. If like me you aren't the biggest fan of history, then don't worry this is not a dual timeline story and the history bits are short and fit very well into the story, especially when you can see parallels between Winnie and April.
If you like your women's fiction with a touch of mystery, or a are fan of this author, or generally just curious about the book, make sure you read it, the writing is superb, and its the sort of book where you will end up with "just one more chapter" syndrome, only to find yourself finishing the story when you should be in bed already, like me!
This though can easily be read as a standalone, so don't worry if you haven't read any before, this is a self contained story, the characters from the previous book are mentioned in passing, but not in any way to make you feel you have missed out by not reading the first two books....although you have because they are fabulous!
With the exception of the prologue, I found the book was unputdownable. I read it in 5 hours, with just a couple of short breaks to re-get myself comfortable (and eat dinner). If you are looking for a book to take your mind off your own real life for a while, then this is a great story to that with.
I was drawn into a set of truly remarkable characters lives. There is April who is trying to get her life back together 18 months after her husband died, her step daughter Nancy who is a lovely young woman, her great aunt Edie who is central to the story. Unfortunately at the age of 90, Edie is starting to get confused and is living in the past more and more, and keeps mistaking April for her long lost sister Winnie.
April is asked to find out what happened to Winnie all those years ago, and its not any easy task, but I'll just say you will probably never guess the truth. Then there are two men in Tindledale who are attracted to April, Harry the fruit farmer who we meet in a hilarious first meeting, and Matt who we get occasional chapters from his point of view.
There are a whole host of sensitive issues in this book, between dealing with old age, to a young girl who is having trouble at school, to various happenings in World War 2. If like me you aren't the biggest fan of history, then don't worry this is not a dual timeline story and the history bits are short and fit very well into the story, especially when you can see parallels between Winnie and April.
If you like your women's fiction with a touch of mystery, or a are fan of this author, or generally just curious about the book, make sure you read it, the writing is superb, and its the sort of book where you will end up with "just one more chapter" syndrome, only to find yourself finishing the story when you should be in bed already, like me!
June 7, 2016
It is no secret that I am an Alex Brown super fan and her books set in the quaint little village of Tindledale are my absolute favourites so when I heard her new release The Secret of Orchard Cottage would be making a return to Tindledale I didn’t waste any time in getting started on this book.
Our protagonist is April and she is such a loving and selfless character who lost her husband 18 months ago and is still trying to come to terms with his death and work out what path her life should take now. With a little persuasion from her step daughter Nancy, April decides to spend some time back in Tindledale with her aunt Edith but when she arrives April is shocked at how bad things have got, it is quite clear that Edith is struggling to cope.
Edith is desperate to find out what happened to her sister Winnie who disappeared during WWII and with April at Orchard Cottage now with her help hopefully they can try and discover the truth of what happened to Winnie.
I love books that involve restoration so this book was perfect for me as we watch April try to bring life back into Orchard Cottage. April has faced such a challenging time and I had such compassion for her character and watching her working on the orchards and the cottage we begin to see her character blossom and I was willing her to find her happy ending.
I was really intrigued by Winnie’s story too, I wasn’t sure what we were going to uncover and I love that the author managed to keep me in the dark because I was unable to predict what had happened to Winnie and I was unsure if we were going to find that she had died or that she was still alive. I had such admiration for Winnie and her story brought a lump to my throat. Winnie and April’s stories weave together perfectly in this book and creates such an emotive and yet uplifting read that had me captivated the whole way through.
I loved the return of some much loved characters and being able to revisit the Spotted Pig Café and Hettie’s House of Haberdashery where Hettie and Sybs make another appearance.
This book was full of emotion and tackles some difficult subjects but Alex Brown has also managed to bring that soft and cosy feel to the storyline that I have come to love in her books that makes me just want to visit Tindledale even more. I loved this book and it is up there with my favourite The Great Christmas Knit Off. Kick back with an apple cider and a copy of The Secret of Orchard Cottage for a perfect Summer combo.
Our protagonist is April and she is such a loving and selfless character who lost her husband 18 months ago and is still trying to come to terms with his death and work out what path her life should take now. With a little persuasion from her step daughter Nancy, April decides to spend some time back in Tindledale with her aunt Edith but when she arrives April is shocked at how bad things have got, it is quite clear that Edith is struggling to cope.
Edith is desperate to find out what happened to her sister Winnie who disappeared during WWII and with April at Orchard Cottage now with her help hopefully they can try and discover the truth of what happened to Winnie.
I love books that involve restoration so this book was perfect for me as we watch April try to bring life back into Orchard Cottage. April has faced such a challenging time and I had such compassion for her character and watching her working on the orchards and the cottage we begin to see her character blossom and I was willing her to find her happy ending.
I was really intrigued by Winnie’s story too, I wasn’t sure what we were going to uncover and I love that the author managed to keep me in the dark because I was unable to predict what had happened to Winnie and I was unsure if we were going to find that she had died or that she was still alive. I had such admiration for Winnie and her story brought a lump to my throat. Winnie and April’s stories weave together perfectly in this book and creates such an emotive and yet uplifting read that had me captivated the whole way through.
I loved the return of some much loved characters and being able to revisit the Spotted Pig Café and Hettie’s House of Haberdashery where Hettie and Sybs make another appearance.
This book was full of emotion and tackles some difficult subjects but Alex Brown has also managed to bring that soft and cosy feel to the storyline that I have come to love in her books that makes me just want to visit Tindledale even more. I loved this book and it is up there with my favourite The Great Christmas Knit Off. Kick back with an apple cider and a copy of The Secret of Orchard Cottage for a perfect Summer combo.
June 16, 2016
*Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Alex Brown and Tindledale, that just screams YES!!! To me!!! So let’s get going.
Back in Tindledale we meet April Wilson. She is a young widow who decides to visit her great aunt Edith at Orchard Cottage in Tindledale. This brings something new into her life, especially because Edith seems to forget a lot and starts calling her Winnie.
April now wants to find out who Winnie is and starts discovering parts of the mystery. What April discovers is a lot, includes historical elements and cuts really deep. On the way to find out everything April meets a lot of the lovely villagers, who add so many sparks to the story. All the characters had their unique personality and Alex found a beautiful way to combine them all in this story.
April is a great character and her feelings were included in a very touching and sweet way.
This story is not only told from April’s point of view, which is awesome. It brought me closer to other characters as well.
Of course there are also some men in this story and lets just say I really enjoyed reading about them! ;)
Orchard Cottage is amazing and Alex’s writing just captures it all so beautifully. The scenes and moments were so warm, uplifting, full of passion and vivid. Alex really has a talent for that. This story is very different from the first two books set in Tindledale, but in a very good way. Alex added more deepness, complexity and emotions and still managed to make it all look sparkly and cute. The story is more serious, thoughtful and just shows how talented Alex Brown is!
Alex Brown and Tindledale, that just screams YES!!! To me!!! So let’s get going.
Back in Tindledale we meet April Wilson. She is a young widow who decides to visit her great aunt Edith at Orchard Cottage in Tindledale. This brings something new into her life, especially because Edith seems to forget a lot and starts calling her Winnie.
April now wants to find out who Winnie is and starts discovering parts of the mystery. What April discovers is a lot, includes historical elements and cuts really deep. On the way to find out everything April meets a lot of the lovely villagers, who add so many sparks to the story. All the characters had their unique personality and Alex found a beautiful way to combine them all in this story.
April is a great character and her feelings were included in a very touching and sweet way.
This story is not only told from April’s point of view, which is awesome. It brought me closer to other characters as well.
Of course there are also some men in this story and lets just say I really enjoyed reading about them! ;)
Orchard Cottage is amazing and Alex’s writing just captures it all so beautifully. The scenes and moments were so warm, uplifting, full of passion and vivid. Alex really has a talent for that. This story is very different from the first two books set in Tindledale, but in a very good way. Alex added more deepness, complexity and emotions and still managed to make it all look sparkly and cute. The story is more serious, thoughtful and just shows how talented Alex Brown is!
July 30, 2017
An excellent easy read, covering topics such as bullying, bereavement, dementia, WW2, village life etc. I could visualise each of the characters, and loved Aunt Edie. Yes, it was very predictable with regards to what was going to happen with April and Matt, Nancy and Pete, but all events blended well into the storyline. I even shed a few tears when I read about what had happened to Winnie.
First book that I have read by this author, and will definitely look at her other titles.
First book that I have read by this author, and will definitely look at her other titles.
September 23, 2016
This is a lovely story, well written with great characters. Sad, heart breaking at times but also wonderfuly heartwarming too.
I really enjoyed it and definitely recommend it.
I really enjoyed it and definitely recommend it.
June 4, 2016
I'll hold my hands up and admit I held off on beginning The Secret of Orchard Cottage, the third in the Tindledale series by Alex Brown, for a week or two after it landed on my Kindle. Two reasons made me do this, the first being (and it may sound silly) a tiny, tiny bit of apprehension on my part which really was ridiculous. I wondered whether book three could possibly live up to the sheer brilliance that was The Great Christmas Knit Off and The Great Village Show? I had the highest of expectations for this new book as did many other fans of Alex's writing. Well my fears were quickly allayed within the first chapter as I loved every minute of this magnificent story and found it increasingly difficult to leave the Kindle out of my hands. The second reason I didn't jump straight away to read this book was because I knew like with the last story I would read it all too quickly and would then be left bereft that I would have to wait months for my next Alex Brown fix.
I've loved Alex's books since she burst onto the scene with the charming Carrington's series set in a department store. They were three books which I really did enjoy but when the village of Tindledale and its characters arrived into my life Alex had me hook, line and sinker. This was a whole other level of writing and story development which blew Carrington's right out of the water. You literally gobble up the words with such a wonderful setting and such unique characters that capture a piece of your heart and don't let go until the very last word. Alex has said The Secret of Orchard Cottage was a special book to write but I have mentioned this in relation to the series before and still firmly hold that viewpoint. I sincerely hope there are more characters waiting in the wings to share their stories with us for a long time to come as I really can't get enough of this memorable village deep in the countryside and its incredible residents.
Even from reading the first few chapters you sense this is going to be a different novel from the two that have come before, there is a more serious element featured - recovery, acceptance and coming back to life. It really struck a chord with me and provided plenty of food for thought. The humour, warmth and feel good factor were still very much in evidence yet it felt Alex had now taken a further step with her writing and was going more in depth. It was as if she had waited until this point in her writing career until she was ready to write this type of book.
The story opens with a prologue - young Winnie Lovell is preparing to leave everything behind - her family, the stunning cottage and surrounding countryside and orchards where she grew up and her friends whom she loved to share a laugh or two with. She is enlisting in the F.A.N.Y - First Aid Nursing Yeomanry and embarking on a new stage in her life. She wants to do her bit for the war. Her two brothers have already enlisted and are away fighting but younger sister Edith/Edie has to remain behind. Winnie departs on a glorious summers day but leaves something behind safe and sound which may prove invaluable.
Fast forward may years later and we met our main female protagonist April Wilson. April is a different character to what Alex has written previously. There was a great depth and emotion to her and I found her really relatable. April has been through one of the worst periods of her life, a time of distress and great suffering. She has not emerged stronger nor at peace just yet but that is all about to change. Her beloved husband Gray has a lost a long battle with an illness leaving behind April and her step children twins - Nancy and Freddie who are 22 . April is cast adrift and lost, she feels vulnerable and alone and can't take that step to move on which Gray would have wanted her to do. She continues to grieve and has a deep held yearning for Gray to be by her side once more. She feels how can she continue on now that she has lost her soul mate her everything. But Tindledale and more specifically Orchard Cottage has a sense of magic and calmness an ability to offer those in need comfort and support and space and time to heal and maybe that's just what April badly needs. April has no relatives left except for her Great Aunt Edith who she has sadly neglected for far too long. A chance birthday card delivered to April sparks something in her and she knows she must return to Tindledale where she enjoyed many happy summer holidays to check on Edie now that she is muddled and confused and getting on in age. This gives April a reason,a purpose to keep on going. 'She liked taking care of people, loved it in fact, it gave her purpose and made her feel like she was making a difference'.
Right from when April arrives in Tindledale with the most humorous of scenes, the setting and characters once again worked their magic on both the reader and April. There were such beautiful descriptions of Orchard Cottage and its surrounding areas with trees bursting with ripe apples and pears ready for the picking. It was almost as if the cottage was stuck in time and had never been affected by the ravages of modern technology and I suppose the village was the same. It moved with the times as needed but still retained that sense of old world charm and community spirit. Orchard Cottage is not the place April remembers as it has become overgrown and is beginning to suffer neglect. Maybe this is the project or goal she needs to finally come to terms with all she has endured in the recent past. Edie is becoming ever more muddled yet also has some lucid moments but she believes April is Winnie coming back after so many years away. Clearly there was something amiss here and April realises a quick visit will not suffice that Winnie needs help in more ways than one.
I was delighted to see characters from the previous books slipped in throughout the story, it was like catching up with old friends even if it was only for a paragraph or two and for those who have never read about Tindledale before this could certainly be read as a stand alone as you would not be missing out on anything as this book has a very different feel from what has gone before but in a really good way. April likes to keep things locked up deep inside her but she soon comes to realise Tindledale is not a place where the residents allow this to happen. 'Everyone always knew everyone else's business. Tindledale was just that kind of place'. April certainly found this out very local as local butcher's wife Molly made herself known very quickly but she was lovely and supportive and always had a bit of welcome advice and offered companionship when needed. Hettie and Sybil once again make a reappearance as does Meg which only served to remind how much I had loved the previous stories. It was evident that April really did need to come to an acceptance that she couldn't keep all her feelings buried deep inside but rather share what was running through her mind and to come to an understanding that no one should ever suffer in silence or alone that there is always someone there to listen and support through the good times and bad as bottling things up can only lead to further distress and upset.
Over the course of the story we see a transformation in April and it was as if she was emerging from the dark times into more happier, lighter days. Tindledale offered her a cocoon, a place to reflect and contemplate before one emerges renewed and ready to take on life and all its challenges once again. April became more aware of others around her and at times her own feelings had to be pushed aside as other concerns took their place. 'Yes coming to Tindledale was a tonic, the most perfect recipe to help mover her grief for Gray to a different place in her head and her heart'. Edie was a fantastic character who still even in her nineties enjoyed an afternoon at the local tea dance and the villagers respected her and looked out for her. There still was something hanging over her from the past and the reader could sense she would not find peace or satisfaction until she resolved this. She offered very sound advice to help April overcome her grief.' The cottage will help you. Help you come to terms with your loss, give you a new life if you let it. That's its magic. Have faith, my dear, and it will make you whole again'.
Of course there had to be some handsome enigmatic males making an appearance in the book it wouldn't be good old women's fiction if they didn't. Harvey the farmer and local farrier Matt Carter feature and aim to make their affections known. But it was the storyline with Matt's daughter Bella that was a real added bonus to the overall plot. In her own way Bella helped April and vice versa. It was great to see Alex balancing multiple story lines that had real depth and substance to them which again highlighted to me how much her writing has advanced yet she never looses the sparkling wit which endured me to her novels when she first released Cupcakes at Carringtons.
I love a historical element in any book and was thrilled to see how World War Two touched the lives of the Lovell family and how secrets could stay hidden for so many years. Don't be worried that the writing style you have come to know and love from Alex has disappeared seen as she has ventured back into the past. This is not the dominant feature of the book instead it meshed beautifully with the story of April Wilson and the healing powers of Orchard Cottage. There was a mystery element to the story a sense of uncovering the past to make peace in the present.
There is no question that The Secret of Orchard Cottage is Alex Brown's best book to date she put her heart and soul into writing this amazing story making the book a real page turner. There is not one fault that I could find with the book except on my own part yet again I read it far too quickly and should have savoured it more. It contained everything I had hoped for and much more. I think these stories would make the perfect TV series shown on a Sunday afternoon or evening where we sit down and relax and enjoy it's charm before we embark on another busy week. Surely Tindledale would be a perfect talking point in the office every Monday morning? Don't hesitate to buy this wonderful charming book you'll thoroughly enjoy spending several hours in the company of April and co. Sadly I'll have to wait until November for the next instalment when a short story is published, a seasonal delight called Not Just for Christmas featuring Kitty from The Spotted Pig tearooms and Amber from the pet parlour. I am chomping at the bit to read it already.
I've loved Alex's books since she burst onto the scene with the charming Carrington's series set in a department store. They were three books which I really did enjoy but when the village of Tindledale and its characters arrived into my life Alex had me hook, line and sinker. This was a whole other level of writing and story development which blew Carrington's right out of the water. You literally gobble up the words with such a wonderful setting and such unique characters that capture a piece of your heart and don't let go until the very last word. Alex has said The Secret of Orchard Cottage was a special book to write but I have mentioned this in relation to the series before and still firmly hold that viewpoint. I sincerely hope there are more characters waiting in the wings to share their stories with us for a long time to come as I really can't get enough of this memorable village deep in the countryside and its incredible residents.
Even from reading the first few chapters you sense this is going to be a different novel from the two that have come before, there is a more serious element featured - recovery, acceptance and coming back to life. It really struck a chord with me and provided plenty of food for thought. The humour, warmth and feel good factor were still very much in evidence yet it felt Alex had now taken a further step with her writing and was going more in depth. It was as if she had waited until this point in her writing career until she was ready to write this type of book.
The story opens with a prologue - young Winnie Lovell is preparing to leave everything behind - her family, the stunning cottage and surrounding countryside and orchards where she grew up and her friends whom she loved to share a laugh or two with. She is enlisting in the F.A.N.Y - First Aid Nursing Yeomanry and embarking on a new stage in her life. She wants to do her bit for the war. Her two brothers have already enlisted and are away fighting but younger sister Edith/Edie has to remain behind. Winnie departs on a glorious summers day but leaves something behind safe and sound which may prove invaluable.
Fast forward may years later and we met our main female protagonist April Wilson. April is a different character to what Alex has written previously. There was a great depth and emotion to her and I found her really relatable. April has been through one of the worst periods of her life, a time of distress and great suffering. She has not emerged stronger nor at peace just yet but that is all about to change. Her beloved husband Gray has a lost a long battle with an illness leaving behind April and her step children twins - Nancy and Freddie who are 22 . April is cast adrift and lost, she feels vulnerable and alone and can't take that step to move on which Gray would have wanted her to do. She continues to grieve and has a deep held yearning for Gray to be by her side once more. She feels how can she continue on now that she has lost her soul mate her everything. But Tindledale and more specifically Orchard Cottage has a sense of magic and calmness an ability to offer those in need comfort and support and space and time to heal and maybe that's just what April badly needs. April has no relatives left except for her Great Aunt Edith who she has sadly neglected for far too long. A chance birthday card delivered to April sparks something in her and she knows she must return to Tindledale where she enjoyed many happy summer holidays to check on Edie now that she is muddled and confused and getting on in age. This gives April a reason,a purpose to keep on going. 'She liked taking care of people, loved it in fact, it gave her purpose and made her feel like she was making a difference'.
Right from when April arrives in Tindledale with the most humorous of scenes, the setting and characters once again worked their magic on both the reader and April. There were such beautiful descriptions of Orchard Cottage and its surrounding areas with trees bursting with ripe apples and pears ready for the picking. It was almost as if the cottage was stuck in time and had never been affected by the ravages of modern technology and I suppose the village was the same. It moved with the times as needed but still retained that sense of old world charm and community spirit. Orchard Cottage is not the place April remembers as it has become overgrown and is beginning to suffer neglect. Maybe this is the project or goal she needs to finally come to terms with all she has endured in the recent past. Edie is becoming ever more muddled yet also has some lucid moments but she believes April is Winnie coming back after so many years away. Clearly there was something amiss here and April realises a quick visit will not suffice that Winnie needs help in more ways than one.
I was delighted to see characters from the previous books slipped in throughout the story, it was like catching up with old friends even if it was only for a paragraph or two and for those who have never read about Tindledale before this could certainly be read as a stand alone as you would not be missing out on anything as this book has a very different feel from what has gone before but in a really good way. April likes to keep things locked up deep inside her but she soon comes to realise Tindledale is not a place where the residents allow this to happen. 'Everyone always knew everyone else's business. Tindledale was just that kind of place'. April certainly found this out very local as local butcher's wife Molly made herself known very quickly but she was lovely and supportive and always had a bit of welcome advice and offered companionship when needed. Hettie and Sybil once again make a reappearance as does Meg which only served to remind how much I had loved the previous stories. It was evident that April really did need to come to an acceptance that she couldn't keep all her feelings buried deep inside but rather share what was running through her mind and to come to an understanding that no one should ever suffer in silence or alone that there is always someone there to listen and support through the good times and bad as bottling things up can only lead to further distress and upset.
Over the course of the story we see a transformation in April and it was as if she was emerging from the dark times into more happier, lighter days. Tindledale offered her a cocoon, a place to reflect and contemplate before one emerges renewed and ready to take on life and all its challenges once again. April became more aware of others around her and at times her own feelings had to be pushed aside as other concerns took their place. 'Yes coming to Tindledale was a tonic, the most perfect recipe to help mover her grief for Gray to a different place in her head and her heart'. Edie was a fantastic character who still even in her nineties enjoyed an afternoon at the local tea dance and the villagers respected her and looked out for her. There still was something hanging over her from the past and the reader could sense she would not find peace or satisfaction until she resolved this. She offered very sound advice to help April overcome her grief.' The cottage will help you. Help you come to terms with your loss, give you a new life if you let it. That's its magic. Have faith, my dear, and it will make you whole again'.
Of course there had to be some handsome enigmatic males making an appearance in the book it wouldn't be good old women's fiction if they didn't. Harvey the farmer and local farrier Matt Carter feature and aim to make their affections known. But it was the storyline with Matt's daughter Bella that was a real added bonus to the overall plot. In her own way Bella helped April and vice versa. It was great to see Alex balancing multiple story lines that had real depth and substance to them which again highlighted to me how much her writing has advanced yet she never looses the sparkling wit which endured me to her novels when she first released Cupcakes at Carringtons.
I love a historical element in any book and was thrilled to see how World War Two touched the lives of the Lovell family and how secrets could stay hidden for so many years. Don't be worried that the writing style you have come to know and love from Alex has disappeared seen as she has ventured back into the past. This is not the dominant feature of the book instead it meshed beautifully with the story of April Wilson and the healing powers of Orchard Cottage. There was a mystery element to the story a sense of uncovering the past to make peace in the present.
There is no question that The Secret of Orchard Cottage is Alex Brown's best book to date she put her heart and soul into writing this amazing story making the book a real page turner. There is not one fault that I could find with the book except on my own part yet again I read it far too quickly and should have savoured it more. It contained everything I had hoped for and much more. I think these stories would make the perfect TV series shown on a Sunday afternoon or evening where we sit down and relax and enjoy it's charm before we embark on another busy week. Surely Tindledale would be a perfect talking point in the office every Monday morning? Don't hesitate to buy this wonderful charming book you'll thoroughly enjoy spending several hours in the company of April and co. Sadly I'll have to wait until November for the next instalment when a short story is published, a seasonal delight called Not Just for Christmas featuring Kitty from The Spotted Pig tearooms and Amber from the pet parlour. I am chomping at the bit to read it already.
December 27, 2025
Picked it up for some light reading, however can’t really agree with the reviews… hard to get through and hard to commit to reading more than one chapter at a time. I didn’t feel connected to the main character or any of the characters. Just not my cup of tea.
July 2, 2016
http://www.pagetostagereviews.com/201...
Recent widow April travels to Tindledale to visit her great aunt Edie and take a much-deserved break from her life to try and process the loss of her husband. What starts off as a courtesy short visit to check up on her great aunt and help the older woman in and around the house, turns into a much longer stay when April realises that Edie's house and orchard is severely neglected and needs a younger hand to bring it back to life. April herself blossoms in Tindledale too, soon becoming friends with Molly and being eyed by not one but two of the local men.
And if the villagers and her great aunt weren't enough to keep her occupied already and take her mind off the death of her husband, April also tries to uncover the secret of Winnie, Edie's older sister who went missing during the second world war. Did she really run off because she had a baby with a married man, like so many elder residents in the village believe to be the case, or was there more to the story? For Edie's sake, April is determined to solve the mystery once and for all.
Returning to Tindledale felt like reuniting with an old friend you haven't seen for far too long, and yet within the first minutes of conversation you ease back into the familiarity and comfort of reconnecting with someone you can just be yourself with. Tindledale embodies cosiness and loveliness and spending the better part of the train journey from England to the Netherlands immersed within this village and its quirky inhabitants was an utter delight.
I'd already fallen in love with the villagers in the Alex's previous novels, and it was lovely to be reunited with some of them, but the new cast of characters in The Secret of Orchard Cottage has to be my favourite one yet. Most protagonists in women's fiction novels these days and in their 20s or 30s, but as readers grow older as well (myself included) it was refreshing to have 40-something April at the heart of the story, and she was complimented well by her 22-year-old stepdaughter and teenager Bella, both of whom I absolutely adored, for some cheeky shenanigans more befitting younger characters.
The Secret of Orchard Cottage wasn't only a heartwarming hug in book shape, it was a proper engrossing read too. I loved the links back to the past that were woven throughout with Winnie's story and the conclusion to the mystery was incredibly satisfying and brought a huge smile to my face. Alex is brilliant at mixing heartbreak with humour, and conjuring up an incredible cast of characters that us readers fall head over heels in love with (I'm looking at you Matt and Dr Ben). The latest instalment in the Tindledale series includes all of these elements and then some, making it the perfect read to dream away with on a lazy summer's day (or a spring, autumn or winter day, any day really...).
With Tindledale Alex Brown has brought all the very best elements of small town England together in one gorgeous place. The main characters in her novels visit this idyllic location to refuel and discover what is truly important in life – friends, family and love – but so do her readers. Having the opportunity to walk the cobble-stoned streets of this picturesque village through the pages of her books is an absolute delight. You don't have to leave your home to feel like your holidaying in the country side, all you need to do is pick up The Secret of Orchard Cottage and be swept away by its heartwarming charm.
Recent widow April travels to Tindledale to visit her great aunt Edie and take a much-deserved break from her life to try and process the loss of her husband. What starts off as a courtesy short visit to check up on her great aunt and help the older woman in and around the house, turns into a much longer stay when April realises that Edie's house and orchard is severely neglected and needs a younger hand to bring it back to life. April herself blossoms in Tindledale too, soon becoming friends with Molly and being eyed by not one but two of the local men.
And if the villagers and her great aunt weren't enough to keep her occupied already and take her mind off the death of her husband, April also tries to uncover the secret of Winnie, Edie's older sister who went missing during the second world war. Did she really run off because she had a baby with a married man, like so many elder residents in the village believe to be the case, or was there more to the story? For Edie's sake, April is determined to solve the mystery once and for all.
Returning to Tindledale felt like reuniting with an old friend you haven't seen for far too long, and yet within the first minutes of conversation you ease back into the familiarity and comfort of reconnecting with someone you can just be yourself with. Tindledale embodies cosiness and loveliness and spending the better part of the train journey from England to the Netherlands immersed within this village and its quirky inhabitants was an utter delight.
I'd already fallen in love with the villagers in the Alex's previous novels, and it was lovely to be reunited with some of them, but the new cast of characters in The Secret of Orchard Cottage has to be my favourite one yet. Most protagonists in women's fiction novels these days and in their 20s or 30s, but as readers grow older as well (myself included) it was refreshing to have 40-something April at the heart of the story, and she was complimented well by her 22-year-old stepdaughter and teenager Bella, both of whom I absolutely adored, for some cheeky shenanigans more befitting younger characters.
The Secret of Orchard Cottage wasn't only a heartwarming hug in book shape, it was a proper engrossing read too. I loved the links back to the past that were woven throughout with Winnie's story and the conclusion to the mystery was incredibly satisfying and brought a huge smile to my face. Alex is brilliant at mixing heartbreak with humour, and conjuring up an incredible cast of characters that us readers fall head over heels in love with (I'm looking at you Matt and Dr Ben). The latest instalment in the Tindledale series includes all of these elements and then some, making it the perfect read to dream away with on a lazy summer's day (or a spring, autumn or winter day, any day really...).
With Tindledale Alex Brown has brought all the very best elements of small town England together in one gorgeous place. The main characters in her novels visit this idyllic location to refuel and discover what is truly important in life – friends, family and love – but so do her readers. Having the opportunity to walk the cobble-stoned streets of this picturesque village through the pages of her books is an absolute delight. You don't have to leave your home to feel like your holidaying in the country side, all you need to do is pick up The Secret of Orchard Cottage and be swept away by its heartwarming charm.
June 23, 2016
Okay, where do I start? Alex Brown is a GENIUS people. I have read all of her books (with the exception of one) and they are just better and better with each book I read. When I read 'The Great Christmas Knit Off' and realised it was one book in a series all set within the village of Tindledale I fell in love. There was no warning, it just rushed up and smacked me in the face. I was drawn to not only this beautiful little village but all the people in it, and I really do mean ALL of them. The wonderful thing is that each book features the main characters but each villager plays their part, and before you know it you wonder which one of them will be featured in the next book. Following on from that first book AB released 'The Great Village Show' and then this month she has released this beauty.
April Wilson is the star of this latest release and as we see her trying to get over the loss of her husband Gray she decides to visit her older Aunt Edie who lives in Tindledale. More specifically she lives in a place called Orchard Cottage. Orchard Cottage and its magical feel translates across the pages as if you were standing right next to April. However, this latest Tindledale book is a slight departure from the other two in the sense that I feel like it was dealing with a couple of more serious and evocative issues. Thankfully, Alex Brown has sprinkled her Author Magic and made it a beautiful and wonderfully enjoyable book to read.
There are so many characters that are added into the Tindledale mix such as April's Stepdaughter Nancy, and we see the return of much loved characters and places that feature in the other 2 books. Edie's story is one that is a little sensitive as it deals with Edie's apparent decline into Dementia. This along with the continual mention of Edie's sister Winnie, April feels like she doesn't know what is fact or fiction. This element of the story and finding out what happened to Winnie was so lovely and I really loved the way it was done. In addition we see April trying to get over her grief and it almost feels like the magic of Orchard Cottage rubs off on her as we see her develop.
Once again I was blown away by how great Alex Browns books are. They are going from strength to strength and I feel like at the moment she can do no wrong. She creates characters you really feel for and love as well as creating a village in my head that I would LOVE to visit. Bravo Alex, I am will be waiting with baited breath for the next Tindledale installment.
April Wilson is the star of this latest release and as we see her trying to get over the loss of her husband Gray she decides to visit her older Aunt Edie who lives in Tindledale. More specifically she lives in a place called Orchard Cottage. Orchard Cottage and its magical feel translates across the pages as if you were standing right next to April. However, this latest Tindledale book is a slight departure from the other two in the sense that I feel like it was dealing with a couple of more serious and evocative issues. Thankfully, Alex Brown has sprinkled her Author Magic and made it a beautiful and wonderfully enjoyable book to read.
There are so many characters that are added into the Tindledale mix such as April's Stepdaughter Nancy, and we see the return of much loved characters and places that feature in the other 2 books. Edie's story is one that is a little sensitive as it deals with Edie's apparent decline into Dementia. This along with the continual mention of Edie's sister Winnie, April feels like she doesn't know what is fact or fiction. This element of the story and finding out what happened to Winnie was so lovely and I really loved the way it was done. In addition we see April trying to get over her grief and it almost feels like the magic of Orchard Cottage rubs off on her as we see her develop.
Once again I was blown away by how great Alex Browns books are. They are going from strength to strength and I feel like at the moment she can do no wrong. She creates characters you really feel for and love as well as creating a village in my head that I would LOVE to visit. Bravo Alex, I am will be waiting with baited breath for the next Tindledale installment.
October 7, 2016
Recent widow April decides to go visit her great aunt Edie who lives in the village Tindledale. What starts off as a supposedly short stay with her aunt, to check on her and help her in and around the house. Her stay turns into a much longer stay when she realises that Edie’s house and orchard have been severely neglected. April finds herself blossoming in Tindledale and if her aunt wasn’t enough to keep her busy. April is also trying to uncover the secret of Winnie, Edie’s sister, who went missing during the second world war. April is determined to solve the mystery once and for all.
April is shocked at how poorly Edie is coping with everything and focuses her mind on helping her.
I loved returning to the village of Tindledale, having previously fallen in love with the villagers in Alex’s previous books and it was so lovely to see them again.
I love all the books set in Tindledale, but I have to say that this one is my favourite. April is a fabulous leading lady. She is a lovely, caring and kind human being. It’s was great to see all the characters that were in the previous books.
The Secret of Orchard Cottage deals with an array of subjects throughout this novel, death and disease, ageing and Alzheimer’s, world war II and the effects it has on families, and secrets that were taken to the grave. Every subject touched during this novel is dealt with beautifully, with grace and compassion. Alex also managed to bring a soft and cosy feel to the book,
I was really intrigued by Winnie’s story, I wasn’t sure where her part of the story was going and what we were going to uncover. I love that Alex managed to keep me in the dark, because I was not able to predict what had actually happened to Winnie, I was unsure if we were going to find out if she had died or if she was alive!
Alex has fast become one of my favourite authors and I always look forward to reading her next novel, This was a beautiful story that lifts your heart. I can’t wait to read Not Just for Christmas (A Short Story) in October and be back in the village of Tindledale.
* I received an ARC copy of this book from HarperCollins UK via Netgalley in return for an honest and fair review.
April is shocked at how poorly Edie is coping with everything and focuses her mind on helping her.
I loved returning to the village of Tindledale, having previously fallen in love with the villagers in Alex’s previous books and it was so lovely to see them again.
I love all the books set in Tindledale, but I have to say that this one is my favourite. April is a fabulous leading lady. She is a lovely, caring and kind human being. It’s was great to see all the characters that were in the previous books.
The Secret of Orchard Cottage deals with an array of subjects throughout this novel, death and disease, ageing and Alzheimer’s, world war II and the effects it has on families, and secrets that were taken to the grave. Every subject touched during this novel is dealt with beautifully, with grace and compassion. Alex also managed to bring a soft and cosy feel to the book,
I was really intrigued by Winnie’s story, I wasn’t sure where her part of the story was going and what we were going to uncover. I love that Alex managed to keep me in the dark, because I was not able to predict what had actually happened to Winnie, I was unsure if we were going to find out if she had died or if she was alive!
Alex has fast become one of my favourite authors and I always look forward to reading her next novel, This was a beautiful story that lifts your heart. I can’t wait to read Not Just for Christmas (A Short Story) in October and be back in the village of Tindledale.
* I received an ARC copy of this book from HarperCollins UK via Netgalley in return for an honest and fair review.
May 8, 2016
April is struggling to come to terms with the death of her husband. Left alone now with two stepchildren on the cusp of finding their own way in life, April feels even more alone.
Finding some solace in revisiting her past, she goes back to Tindledale where happy childhood memories were made and stays with her Great Aunt Edith in Orchard Cottage.
April suddenly finds herself with new friends in Tindledale as well as new challenges. Orchard COttage is no longer the same. Great Aunt Edith has sadly declined and with it so has the cottage and the orchard from where it takes its name.
April doesn't seem to have time to grieve but is thrown into thatched roofs, cider making, fires, but the mystery of what happened to Winnie, Edith's sister. Edith keeps confusing April with Winnie and when lucid moments reveal more it seems that there is more to find out.
Being back in Tindledale is heartwarming. If you have read from the beginning then you will recognise some of the characters, but this can very much be read as a standalone novel. There is a great mix of different people and you get to glimpse at life in a village without even leaving your favourite reading chair.
I know I want to go to Tindledale, I want to be able to visit all these places and join in the knitting group, drink in the Duck and Puddle and enjoy a cream tea in the Spotted Pig Tearoom. Sheer bliss.
A lovely heartwarming and moving story which you would expect from this author if you have been reading her work since it has been published. However there was something more to this book, it had a lot of depth and research and made the story and the characters even richer.
I cannot wait, but will have to, for the next story from Tindledale.
Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and author for allowing me the opportunity to read this novel.
Finding some solace in revisiting her past, she goes back to Tindledale where happy childhood memories were made and stays with her Great Aunt Edith in Orchard Cottage.
April suddenly finds herself with new friends in Tindledale as well as new challenges. Orchard COttage is no longer the same. Great Aunt Edith has sadly declined and with it so has the cottage and the orchard from where it takes its name.
April doesn't seem to have time to grieve but is thrown into thatched roofs, cider making, fires, but the mystery of what happened to Winnie, Edith's sister. Edith keeps confusing April with Winnie and when lucid moments reveal more it seems that there is more to find out.
Being back in Tindledale is heartwarming. If you have read from the beginning then you will recognise some of the characters, but this can very much be read as a standalone novel. There is a great mix of different people and you get to glimpse at life in a village without even leaving your favourite reading chair.
I know I want to go to Tindledale, I want to be able to visit all these places and join in the knitting group, drink in the Duck and Puddle and enjoy a cream tea in the Spotted Pig Tearoom. Sheer bliss.
A lovely heartwarming and moving story which you would expect from this author if you have been reading her work since it has been published. However there was something more to this book, it had a lot of depth and research and made the story and the characters even richer.
I cannot wait, but will have to, for the next story from Tindledale.
Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and author for allowing me the opportunity to read this novel.
May 25, 2016
What a truly fabulous book The Secret of Orchard Cottage is. I've read all of Alex Brown's previous books and they just seem to get better each time.
This story focuses on April who still feeling the loss of her husband goes to visit her Aunt Edie in our favourite village of Tindledale.
Edith is obsessed with trying to find out what happened to her sister Winnie in WW2 and April sets out to find out the truth for her.
This is a beautiful story that lifts your heart. It is so well written and you feel yourself empathising with the characters.
Another 5 star read that I will be recommending to everyone!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper for the chance to review.
This story focuses on April who still feeling the loss of her husband goes to visit her Aunt Edie in our favourite village of Tindledale.
Edith is obsessed with trying to find out what happened to her sister Winnie in WW2 and April sets out to find out the truth for her.
This is a beautiful story that lifts your heart. It is so well written and you feel yourself empathising with the characters.
Another 5 star read that I will be recommending to everyone!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper for the chance to review.
September 5, 2016
Lovely ... but in need of an edit. MUCH more serious than the other two in this series and I think it dragged the whole thing down a bit. Also, I had the idea from the beginning that April was much older than she turned out to be and I think that coloured my impression of the whole thing.
June 4, 2017
Honestly, I don't know how this book got so many 5 star ratings. I spent most of the time rolling my eyes at every page. It was all so cliched! There were even parts where I actually said out loud, "oh EFF off!!" Seriously.
June 12, 2016
Love love love Alex's style of writing and always look forward to new books of hers - a great read and fab story - makes me want to visit tindledale
October 14, 2016
What a lovely book! It's just what I needed to read right now. It's really sweet and the plot completely exceeded my expectations.
May 8, 2017
Prologue: Page 1
........
Then, after replacing the lid of her fountain pen, she crouched down and swept the rug aside to lift a wonky floorboard to the left of the wardrobe and reached in to retrieve an old wooden apple box containing her diaries dating back to when she was a little girl.
That’s 50 words long. By the end of it I had lost the image in my mind. And its not the only long sentence:
With its tiny school with the clock tower on the roof and the cobbled High Street, flanked either side with black timber-framed, white wattle-walled shops with mullioned windows, surrounded by lush, undulating fields full of hops, hay, lambs, cows, strawberries, buttercups and delicate pink cherry blossom in springtime that swirled all around like confetti in a breeze.
That’s 57 words, and it doesn’t make sense. With its ‘what’???
And:
And Edie loved working in the orchards, crating up the apples and pears and tending to the horses, which was just as well now that it all came down to their father, George, and their neighbour, seventy-year old Albert from three fields over, to keep things going, since both of their brothers had left the farm at the start of the war, having enlisted right away.
66 words.
I had to stop there, and that is only the prologue. Don’t get me wrong, there is undoubtedly a really beautiful story here, but the writing needs editing. There is too much waffle, to many long sentences that go on and on and on. If I can’t read to the end of a sentence without having to pause for breath, or re-read in order to work out what happened at the start, then I am not going to bother reading any further.
The other real problem I have with this book is the lack of ‘white space’ in the prologue. There are three consecutive pages (on my iPad) where there is only ONE paragraph break. And it was not just at the start. Flicking through I found more ‘lengthy’ paragraphs that filled well over two-thirds of a page, if not more. It’s ‘user-unfriendly’, it doesn’t give the reader a ‘break’ and it’s not that difficult to put in extra paragraph breaks.
1.5 stars, rounded up to 2 because I think I could have really enjoyed this, with more white space and better editing.
........
Then, after replacing the lid of her fountain pen, she crouched down and swept the rug aside to lift a wonky floorboard to the left of the wardrobe and reached in to retrieve an old wooden apple box containing her diaries dating back to when she was a little girl.
That’s 50 words long. By the end of it I had lost the image in my mind. And its not the only long sentence:
With its tiny school with the clock tower on the roof and the cobbled High Street, flanked either side with black timber-framed, white wattle-walled shops with mullioned windows, surrounded by lush, undulating fields full of hops, hay, lambs, cows, strawberries, buttercups and delicate pink cherry blossom in springtime that swirled all around like confetti in a breeze.
That’s 57 words, and it doesn’t make sense. With its ‘what’???
And:
And Edie loved working in the orchards, crating up the apples and pears and tending to the horses, which was just as well now that it all came down to their father, George, and their neighbour, seventy-year old Albert from three fields over, to keep things going, since both of their brothers had left the farm at the start of the war, having enlisted right away.
66 words.
I had to stop there, and that is only the prologue. Don’t get me wrong, there is undoubtedly a really beautiful story here, but the writing needs editing. There is too much waffle, to many long sentences that go on and on and on. If I can’t read to the end of a sentence without having to pause for breath, or re-read in order to work out what happened at the start, then I am not going to bother reading any further.
The other real problem I have with this book is the lack of ‘white space’ in the prologue. There are three consecutive pages (on my iPad) where there is only ONE paragraph break. And it was not just at the start. Flicking through I found more ‘lengthy’ paragraphs that filled well over two-thirds of a page, if not more. It’s ‘user-unfriendly’, it doesn’t give the reader a ‘break’ and it’s not that difficult to put in extra paragraph breaks.
1.5 stars, rounded up to 2 because I think I could have really enjoyed this, with more white space and better editing.
November 12, 2017
This is a gentle story that I would normally peg in the Cosy Romance stable but I found myself really personally affected by the depiction of the dementia symptoms in Aunt Edie. The mixing of old and new memories in her mind, the emotional vulnerability that often resulted in tearfulness, these things all hit home hard when looking at my own ninety odd year young Grandmother.
The tiny little acts of forgetfulness that add up to a larger problem really did resonate.This darker thread really does add another dimension to what was a truly wonderful book.
A glorious country setting, sickly horses, friendly locals, even a whimsical and Romantic Gypsy caravan. To really tickle my fancy there is lots of emphasis on handicrafts, particularly knitting and it made my simple heart sing.
The depiction of our bereaved heroine April was tastefully handled and truthfully rendered, putting on a brave face but still avoiding and wallowing in equal measure. Gradually as the orchard reawakens under her stewardship and care so does her zest for life and I warmed to her and her brood of step children immediately.
A gently unfurling romance and the befriending of a troubled teen all add nuance to this simple tale of a woman finding a place for herself again after her bereavement. She is reinvigorated when trying to find out the Wartime secret that left two sisters apart for most of their lives, with Edie experiencing a gaping hole in her life where her sister had been. Left behind; living in the shadow of local gossip painting her beloved sister as a scarlet woman, a seducer of married men and an unmarried Mother,Edie cogitates on her sister as her infirmity increases.
When revealed, the reason for this void in Edie’s life leaves the reader with a warm glow and I am not too proud to say I teared up when Edie gets her resolution after so many years.
Do not be surprised at a hankering for apples, pears and maybe even a sneaky snowball or two after the final page is read.
The tiny little acts of forgetfulness that add up to a larger problem really did resonate.This darker thread really does add another dimension to what was a truly wonderful book.
A glorious country setting, sickly horses, friendly locals, even a whimsical and Romantic Gypsy caravan. To really tickle my fancy there is lots of emphasis on handicrafts, particularly knitting and it made my simple heart sing.
The depiction of our bereaved heroine April was tastefully handled and truthfully rendered, putting on a brave face but still avoiding and wallowing in equal measure. Gradually as the orchard reawakens under her stewardship and care so does her zest for life and I warmed to her and her brood of step children immediately.
A gently unfurling romance and the befriending of a troubled teen all add nuance to this simple tale of a woman finding a place for herself again after her bereavement. She is reinvigorated when trying to find out the Wartime secret that left two sisters apart for most of their lives, with Edie experiencing a gaping hole in her life where her sister had been. Left behind; living in the shadow of local gossip painting her beloved sister as a scarlet woman, a seducer of married men and an unmarried Mother,Edie cogitates on her sister as her infirmity increases.
When revealed, the reason for this void in Edie’s life leaves the reader with a warm glow and I am not too proud to say I teared up when Edie gets her resolution after so many years.
Do not be surprised at a hankering for apples, pears and maybe even a sneaky snowball or two after the final page is read.
July 22, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this book set in Tindledale village. It's the third set there I believe and although I hadn't read the others it didn't affect my enjoyment of this book at all - and I now want to read the others! It's mainly about young widow April who has gone to look after her frail elderly great aunt Edie, as she is is getting a little forgetful. Edie keeps confusing April with her sister Winnie who left Tindledale in WW2 and never returned. April decides to try to find out what happens to Winnie to try to help her aunt. It's such a lovely book which, as well as following April as she tries to solve the mystery, also looks at grief, second chances, finding happiness again, dementia and bullying. The village setting was wonderfully portrayed with so many caring and supportive residents that I wouldn't mind moving there myself! The focus is mainly on the women in the story and I was very taken with the dedication - "For all the ordinary women everywhere, doing extraordinary things." The women of Tindledale may just have been 'ordinary women' and that's what made the book so readable, but there were certainly more than a few doing 'extraordinary things.'
May 28, 2017
Heartwarming
What a wonderful story. I had tears in my eyes reading this warm cosy but tense story about the main character April. April's husband Grey dies leaving her a widow with two grown up step children. April hadn't seen her great aunt Edie for some time as she has been nursing her sick husband so decides to take a break from her heartache and go and see her. On arriving at the village she finds her elderly great aunt needing care and her cottage, Orchard cottage needing some major sorting out. April decides to stay and help her great aunt Edie and sort out the cottage and surrounding orchards and also find out the mystery of her great aunt Edie's sister Winnie. A beautiful story which had me gripped from page one. Buy it. You'll love it.
What a wonderful story. I had tears in my eyes reading this warm cosy but tense story about the main character April. April's husband Grey dies leaving her a widow with two grown up step children. April hadn't seen her great aunt Edie for some time as she has been nursing her sick husband so decides to take a break from her heartache and go and see her. On arriving at the village she finds her elderly great aunt needing care and her cottage, Orchard cottage needing some major sorting out. April decides to stay and help her great aunt Edie and sort out the cottage and surrounding orchards and also find out the mystery of her great aunt Edie's sister Winnie. A beautiful story which had me gripped from page one. Buy it. You'll love it.
March 4, 2018
What a little treasure. I hope there are more books coming from Tindledale. Only two for now, but they are delightful. While they are love stories and such, the main focus is on the people and their stories. Family history and secrets. Delightful pearls and personalities. It's not about the drama of the love affair which I truly like. Sometimes there are tendencies of entanglements, but those are easily and thankfully quickly resolved. If these books had been American I'm sure I would be hearing more about the drama than the people. Here the people are the most interesting. A summer mood on this one, which I definitely needed in this minus degree weather. ^^ But dear me I'm glad the author didn't voice her own books. ^^;;
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