Spirits in the Oak

by L.J. Hutton

Victim of a violent crime, Jenna is struggling to move on until her friend finds her a new job house-sitting. But these houses aren’t normal, and nor is what’s inside them! With her old wounds recently reopened, Jenna is in desperate need of a new start, and her friend Tiff thinks she’s found just the thing when her company needs someone to watch over a trio of houses. Set in an idyllic location in the Shropshire Hills, the houses lie empty, tied up in a legal battle, but from the outset Jenna knows there’s something wrong with them – and it’s not just down to the vicious wrangling between the owners, either! Why does it feel like the houses are talking to her? And who is the mysterious ex-soldier in the only other house on the hill? Why does he hate the owners so badly, and does he know more of what’s going on than Jenna has been told? Join Jenna as she unravels the secret of the houses while she struggles to heal her own inner scars, and in the process finds unexpected friends and inner reserves she didn’t know she had. If you love paranormal mysteries by authors such as Barbara Erskine and Phil Rickman; the magical realism of J S Donovan, Diane Setterfield and Melissa Payne; or the magical elements of Diana Gabaldon’s Lord John Grey novels, then this is a book for you! Grab a copy today and join Jenna on the mysterious Welsh Borders!

Genres: Fiction

337 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 24, 2020

Reviews

[Grace Gilpin]

Enjoyable and interesting read!

Such a breath of fresh air, I really loved reading this book! Completely different from my usual reads but still enthralling and different, gentle but absorbing. If you want a calm and relaxing read but with enough mystery, gentle romance and intrigue, give it a go!

[Elvira D Ryan]

Not supernatural, but nature

This was a different kind of supernatural story.
The characters were real, their personalities all different.
Somehow they all clicked and worked.
The story was emotional,and it made me wonder.
My daughter has always had a feeling about trees, she always felt that they had their own intelligence, and network. I think she is right.

[Gabrielle Harrison]

Unusual

When I started this book, I thought it was going to be a light romance. I'm glad I was proved wrong. in fact it was enjoyable, the story of a vulnerable woman finding she was able to tune into driads, the tree spirits. Apart from the fact that I thought it ended all too neatly, it's a good read.

[Ann Morrill]

Hmmm

Not sure about this one. I sort of liked it but somehow the nature spirits just didn't seem to gel with the more reality based story. It didn't seen to know what it wanted to be. The story itself was a bit simplistic and the characters were just a bit too one dimensional to ring true, but I can't say it was bad. Don't think I'll read any more of hers though.

[Kathy Cohen]

Druids! Who knew!

Loved this mysterious story about the Spirits in the Oaks! This book was a great read! Kept my interest,which is a must for me. It was a mysterious,thrilling story. I loved the characters, Jenn’s,Mike Tiff, Robin and Mike. Very happy with this book and highly recommend it.

[Jacky Mercury]

Romance/fantasy

I really enjoyed this book, I could relate to Jenna's character, very much. The book starts as a romance but weaves in fantasy and crime. I was pleased to find Bill Scathlock has his own series as I was intrigued by his back story.

[christine arlott-clay]

As you would expect from the title

Interesting concepts, amid a young woman's traumatic story and escape to the country quite a bit of drama. Spirits live in nature and especially trees.

[Laurel]

Good read, sometimes very confusing trying to understand the story. This was not as much paranormal as we usually read. It is communicating with nature in a very spiritual way, with those ancestor's communicating in a real way. Very much like early Sci-Fi communications in books.

[Rebecca]

Enchanting, mystical and believable

I was sceptical at first, reading about the dryad, then I realized I can believe. I do believe houses can have souls and can be good or bad. That maybe they reflect what they are exposed to.

[Fiona C.]

A great afternoon read

This is a lovely well constructed tale which gave me an enjoyable afternoon. Will be reading more by this author.

[Susan Hutchinson]

A really wonderful story couldn’t put it down. The author made the story come alive and felt you were part of it.

[Annette Sweeney]

Fantastic

Absolutely loved the book. Characters well written and relatable. Am going to follow this author. I would highly recommend .

[Jayne Richards]

really interesting read,

Enjoyed the mix of down to earth characters as well as the unknown. Will definitely look for the next book.

[lysette Hill]

Brilliant read

A good old fashioned page turner. The author gives just the right amount of descriptive text , and does not over load the reader with needless prattle.

[Antonia]

I really enjoyed the buildup and anticipation that develops in this read. The hidden depths really added to the storyline and tied it all together in an exciting story.