The Little Village of Happiness

The Happiness #1

by Holly Martin

The beautiful new story from the bestselling author of The Summer of Chasing Dreams.  Escape to a little seaside village, where the sea sparkles, the sunshine is guaranteed, and change is in the air. The perfect place to fall in love this summer…

Willow McKay needs a fresh start. Her recent break-up may not have left her heartbroken, but it’s certainly wounded her pride. Desperate for a change, an advert offering free homes in a picturesque village on the Cornish coast sounds like just what she needs. Without thinking twice Willow packs up her life and heads to the village of Happiness.

But when Willow arrives, she finds ramshackle cottages, shops lying empty and villagers that seem in need of cheer themselves. It's nothing like the pretty picture the advert had boasted. It seems Happiness was too good to be true. That is until she meets the handsome estate manager Andrew Harrington.

His passion for restoring the village to its former glory is contagious and soon they are working together, forming a secret society to bring happiness back to Happiness. And as sparks fly between them Willow can feel herself falling. But Andrew is holding something back.

Will they succeed in transforming the old village to its original beauty before it’s too late? Can the gift of happiness really save a village, and can it save Willow herself?

Get swept away to the sun-kissed Cornish coast with this gorgeous love story, perfect for fans of Jill Mansell, Sophie Kinsella and Katie Fforde.

What readers are saying about Holly Martin:

'LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book!... This book was so engaging with characters I absolutely loved… An absolutely magical book.’ Best Crime Books and More, 5 stars

‘A fabulous book… Highly recommended without any hesitation!! 5++++++ stars!’ Stardust Book Reviews, 5 stars

‘Simply brilliant and just couldn't put it down at all… Every page brought a new twist and turn and you wanted to keep reading to see what happened… It's full of heartbreak and romance and laughter… worth far more than five stars and can't recommend it enough.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘5 stars. Such a gorgeous story… will have you smiling, laughing and crying, so prepare for an emotional ride.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘A glorious and uplifting read that leaves you feeling as if you've been wrapped up in a big warm hug. I smiled from start to finish.’ Stacy is Reading

‘This is the book that I have been waiting for… I found myself welling up with tears towards the end… I was enchanted by this book from the moment I started reading it… one fabulous story… A beautifully told story that I really wish didn't end…’ Rachel’s Random Reads, 5 stars

‘Wow another fantastic read from Holly Martin.

Genres: Romance, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Fiction, Audiobook, Roman, Ebooks

381 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 18, 2019

About the author

Holly lives in a little white cottage by the sea. She studied media at university which led to a very glitzy career as a hotel receptionist followed by a even more glamorous two years working in a bank. The moment that one of her colleagues received the much coveted carriage clock for fifteen years’ service was the moment when she knew she had to escape. She quit her job and returned to university to train to be a teacher. Three years later, she emerged wide eyed and terrified that she now had responsibility for the development of thirty young minds. She taught for four years and then escaped the classroom to teach history workshops, dressing up as a Viking one day and an Egyptian High Priestess the next. But the long journeys around the UK and many hours sat on the M25 gave her a lot of time to plan out her stories and she now writes full time, doing what she loves.

Holly has been writing for 8 years. She was shortlisted for the New Talent Award at the Festival of Romance. Her short story won the Sunlounger competition and was published in the Sunlounger anthology. She won the Carina Valentine’s competition at the Festival of Romance with her novel The Guestbook. She was shortlisted for Best Romantic Read, Best eBook and Innovation in Romantic Fiction at the Festival of Romance. She is the bestselling author of 26 books selling over a million books worldwide. Holly's books have been translated into French, German, Italian, Dutch, Bulgarian, Estonian, Turkish and Russian.

Follow her on Twitter @HollyMAuthor

Reviews

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

It’s been a while since I picked up a Holly Martin book and The Little Village of Happiness is up there as one of my favourites from her.

I think, sometimes, you meet someone who is worth breaking all the rules for. And sometimes you meet someone who is worth waiting for however long it takes for them to realise it too.”

With every ingredient you could possibly want from a summer romance, from humour to passion and a smattering of drama, this is one of those books that just leaves you with the biggest smile on your face. And, with an eclectic bunch of loveable residents who welcome Willow into their fold when she moves to Happiness, there’s never a dull moment as she settles in and quickly finds herself falling for Andrew, the village’s Mr. Fix-It.

...don’t let the time you’ve known him put you off. When you know, you know.”

Fresh starts and trust are at the heart of this story as Willow and Andrew work towards making this tired little village shine once again. And with introductions to Andrew’s siblings, I’m looking forward to returning.

[Dash fan · Rating 5 out of 5]

5☆ A Heart Warming, Uplifting Summer Page Turner!

The Little Village of Happiness is a gorgeous feel good uplifting, warm, story that you won't want to put down!

I adore Holly's books and once again she has written a Gem of a book with loveable characters.
I have just come home from a holiday in Cornwall and this was the perfect holiday read!

Willow is recovering from a break up, and what better way to get over her Ex than with a new project.
Which happens to come around just at the right time.

Willow has been offered the chance to help out in the charming Little Village of Happiness! However things are not quiet as she expected.
It's run down, and lost it's sparkle.
But one thing that really has caught Willow's eye is Andrew!

Andrew has so much passion for The Little Village of Happiness that soon Willow falls in love with it too.
But can Andrew and Willow help restore this stunning quaint village and bring joy and happiness again, and will Andrew be the one to restore Willow's heart?

The Little Village of Happiness is a story of New Beginnings, Restoring Faith and Happiness, Romance, Friendship, Community Spirit, its uplifting, heart warming, fun, plenty of well placed twists, secrets, revelations, a good dose of humour, passion, and a page Turner!
The Characters are loveable, endearing, strong and I'm hoping there is more to come!

Would I recommend reading this Gorgeous Summer Romance?...... without a doubt.....100%....Yes!!!

I am keeping my fingers crossed for another instalment! As there is so much more to come.

Thank you to Holly Martin for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.




My Review is also on my Blog Website :-

https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/0...

[Stace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com

Willow McKay recently broke up with her boyfriend Garry after four years together. She’s not upset that they split but more humiliated by the local resident’s reaction to the news and the pity looks they keep giving her. Needing to get away she sees an offer for a year’s free rent and a shop in the ‘Village of Happiness’, an offer to good to miss.

Willow packs her bags and her car and heads to the village but when she arrives it looks nothing like the leaflet she had and bleaker and run down than anything else. Upon arrival, she meets village manager Andrew Harrington, who happens to be rather dishy, but she has sworn off men.

Willow soon falls in love with the village but the residents that are still living in the village have long since given up on it, so together with help from Andrew the pair plan on making the residents feel happy again and bring life back into the village so that it lives up to its name.

The Little Village of Happiness brings you a wealth of joy and fun in one amazing book. It is the perfect pick-me-up and is filled to the brim with moments that will make you feel warm and fuzzy.

Willow is such a delightful character to spend your time with. She is fun, doesn’t take herself very seriously and above all else she loves to make people happy. Andrew is a real people pleaser. He longs to help people and he is so passionate about the village. Nothing is ever too much trouble for him and it seems that he just adores life.

The village, even in a state of disrepair sounded so wonderful, if there are villages like this one offering free accommodation can someone let me know so I can move in. I was taken in by all the houses, shops and even the castle at the top of the village run by the sweet couple Kitty and Ken.

This is a book that made me smile throughout. It made me feel happy whilst reading it and I didn’t want it to end. I now look forward to the next book in the series.

[Floor tussendeboeken · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

This book was not my cup of tea. From the start the writing didn't vibe with me and then the deafness rep just felt sooo unnatural to me (I have a deaf sister and I am deaf on 1 ear myself). I mean HIDING your deafness is impossible. It's a disablity that's hard to hide. And also your language/grammar is very different when you're deaf. Even when you became deaf later on, language will be harder for you as you don't use specific words in sign language anymore and sentences are quite different then. So I'm not going to finish this one. I'm sorry, but I just can't

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Willow McKay has had a recent break-up. She is not exactly heartbroken, but she really needed a fresh start. When she sees an enticing ad, she decides to uproot her life and start anew in a picturesque village called Happiness. However, when she arrives she discovers that the village is far from gorgeous. As a matter of fact, it is falling apart and doesn't even have a lot of residents.

Meeting the new estate manager, Andrew Harrington, a man she is definitely drawn to, slowly begins to change her perception. She loves the drive he has for making Happiness into a gorgeous destination. If Andrew's ideas come to fruition he is certain he can attract people, including families, to live there.

Willow is a candle maker, but she is eager to help Andrew and they begin working together to make things beautiful. While the two are definitely well-matched and sparks begin to fly, Willow can't help but be concerned that Andrew is holding something back. On the one hand, after ending her previous relationship, she doesn't want to end up involved again, she cannot help herself. However, the Willow and Andrew can only resist each other for so long.

This romance was done very well, and the conflicts that arose made the story even more compelling. I appreciated how Holly Martin wrote Andrew's character and the challenges he dealt with. This was a very delightful read, and I enjoyed the light moments in the book. It was also quite enjoyable watching the town bloom in all of its beauty. I loved how this story ended and am really looking forward to the next book to come, The Gift of Happiness.

Many thanks to Holly Martin for this book to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Evelyn Evertsen-Romp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ken je dat, van die dagen dat je eigenlijk alleen maar met een dekentje, een kop thee en veel chocolade op de bank wilt zitten? Aan dat lijstje comfort stuff kun je dit boek nu ook toevoegen.
Het heeft fijne ingrediënten: een jonge vrouw die een winkeltje begint in een Brits dorpje aan zee. Er woont een knappe man en veel oudere kletskousen.
Is het voorspelbaar? Sure. Is het precies waar ik zin in had? Echt wel!

[Ann-Sofie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gestart als luisterboek maar overgeschakeld naar het e-book. Niet echt mijn ding, en iets te 'simpel' naar mijn mening

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holly Martin is a romantic genius - what an absolute gem of a book this is.

I mean you know you are onto a winner, when you meet Willow, who has decided on a whim to relocate her life to a little Cornish village. It's a privately owned village that is trying to bring itself back to be a full thriving community, with the best name ever - Happiness.

That's right the setting for this book is literally a picturesque village called Happiness, what more could you want.

Well how about a village handyman that is perfect book boyfriend material. There is so much more to him than may meet the eye initially, but as a result, his story lines were dealt with so beautifully, it really added an extra dimension to the book.

And well Holly Martin, always seems to out do herself with different professions for her main characters, that you don't necessarily see or think of every day, and so I was delighted to learn that Willow was a candle maker.

Willow is such a bubbly personality she is determined to help Andrew get the village ready for its open day, to try to attract new residents and she has such an array of ideas.

But its the secret gifting society that really captured mine and the villagers imagination and has such a wonderful effect on the community. I won't go into it in great details but its all about kindness and producing a village wide mystery. It's such a wonderful idea, I could read about it all day.

Oddly this isn't the first book I've read this summer, which features people moving to a village that is trying to regenerate itself. so I do wonder if this may be the start of a whole new trope. Both books are equally amazing and completely and utterly different, just took me by surprise as until the other week I don't think I'd come across the idea before anywhere.

This really is Holly Martin at her best, it is warm, loving, some great humour, at least one laugh out loud scene involving Poppy, some wonderful gestures, gorgeous setting, a cameo from character from a previous book, and a fledgling relationship I was completely rooting for while wanting to be a part of.

This is utter perfection, my only complaint is that it had to end. I am really hoping that the authors next book The Gift of Happiness, later this year is set back in this village as I really need to see how things move forward, even if it is through the eyes of a new main character!

Whether you are a fan of the author or new to her, this is a fabulous book to start with, I completely and utterly recommend it.

Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,

[Kayleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leuk boek voor tussendoor (luisteren/lezen). *Spoiler ik vind de relatie vrij snel gaan. Binnen een week hebben ze al een relatie en daarna krijgen ze een paar ruzies om het boek wat langer te maken. Verder is het concept van het dorpje wel leuk!

[Martina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heerlijk!! Ik weet waar ik heen wil met vakantie.
Wat een ontspannend boek! Ontzettend leuk geschreven, zowel het verhaal als ook de personages. Ik ga zo snel mogelijk het volgende deel lezen!

[Katie T]

Dnf 51% - shockingly bad (prob not shocking at all)

[Hannah Clarke (Love Books Actually) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another corker of a book by the wonderful Holly Martin. Holly is my go to for an easy feel good read and I was hooked from the first chapter of her new book The Little Village of Happiness. I loved it!

If someone offered you a year of living rent free in a beautiful village would you take it? Willow McKay grabbed this opportunity of a fresh start with both hands, after a recent break up Willow decides a new beginning is in order and packs her bags and heads to the beautiful Cornish coast. The advert boasted a charming village with a wonderful community, offering free homes, a village named Happiness, sounded the perfect way for Willow to start over. However upon arriving to the village she soon realises that the advert was a little misleading and in actual fact happiness was far removed from the small village.

I warmed to Willow immediately, a candle maker and all round good egg. Willow tries to see the best in her new home and soon gets involved in Village life. I loved her go getter attitude, reading her story made me feel that anything is possible!

Of course no village is complete without a hunky estate manager. Andrew Harrington, also a new resident wants to bring happiness back to the village so working together they create a to do list (who doesn’t love a list!) full of ideas to bring joy to the community before the village open day but working so closely together sparks begin to fly but Andrew is holding back something. I won’t spill the beans but this additional storyline was great, written wonderfully and really made me stop and think. I loved that Holly took a risk and it certainly pays off.

This is a summer feel good read full of fun, love and new beginnings. Learning to be kind to one another and creating new friendships. Wonderfully written as always, a must read!

Big thanks to the author for the ARC which I have reviewed honestly.

[Lekkerlezenmetlau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wisten jullie al dat ik fan ben van Holly Martin? Haar boeken zijn zo heerlijk. De beeldende schrijfstijl maakt dat ik mij helemaal in het gezellige dorpje Happiness waande en het voelde alsof ik onderdeel was van het boek. Hoewel er ook wat gebeurtenissen zijn die in het echte leven natuurlijk nooit zo zouden gebeuren, stoort dit niet. Holly lezen is simpelweg genieten.

[Kylie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Look, if you want a romantic story which is pretty much set out from the start, with insta love, which they keep going on about how it has only been a week but they can't help it, with way more sex scenes than I ever expected this to have (which felt wrong, in so many ways, almost like catching your parents at it), with absolutely nothing unexpected at all, with no actual problems in the story to make interesting arcs, and your standard collection of supporting small village characters, then this is the book for you.

It isn't bad, it just isn't really anything.

[Kelly Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Holly Martin and am so grateful for the opportunity to have been able to read this ahead of publication. (Publication 5th July)

I was completely absorbed into this story from the very beginning. I felt from the start that I was right there in the village of Happiness.

I loved the characters of Willow and Andrew, especially Andrew. I liked the fact that he was so relatable, as well as making people aware of a condition that most probably don’t have much understanding of. They had me smiling from start to finish.

Not only were the leading characters great, but so were the other villagers, as well as Ruby, Jacob, Lottie and Poppy. They were all warm and loveable.

The love story of Willow and Andrew is the main plot to the story but the underlining of bringing the village of Happiness together as a community and restoring it to its former glory I think is what makes the story such a great one. Its full of warmth, love, hope and friendship.

I highly recommend Holly’s books, and this was another treat. Make sure you go and read it, and there is going to be another book set in the village of Happiness.

[Melanie’s reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading Holly’s books as a break from all the psychological thrillers I usually read. You need a little light when you are surrounded by dark after all. But this is like a sports arena’s floodlight, banishing all darkness and filling you with absolute joy.

Not only is the setting quaint and charming, the villagers are delightful. How could I not fall in love with Happiness alongside the wonderful Willow.

And as for Andrew the handyman, the chemistry between him and Willow sings off the page . Holly always writes such wonderful men and this time she has excelled herself.

It also made a refreshing change to read about deafness and how it was defined and people’s reactions to it. It was handled with loving care and the author reflected on this in the authors note at the end.

If you fancy a relatable heroine, a sexy hero, some eccentric characters and a story of random acts of kindness in your life then take a visit to the village of happiness. You will want to move there too!

[Lauren | laurenbetweenthelines · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Het dorpje Happiness’ ligt qua genre ver uit mijn comfortzone en was voor mij persoonlijk soms net iets te melig en voorspelbaar (ik heb beide boeken gewonnen en niet zelf aangekocht), maar dit wil niet meteen zeggen dat het verhaal slecht was. Ik vond het fijn (zeker in deze corona-tijden) om dit feelgoodboek te lezen dat mijn gedachten volledig meenam naar het schattige dorpje Happiness.

Soms heb je dit type boeken tussendoor nodig om op te gaan in een romantisch verhaal dat leest al een trein.

Het tweede en laatste deel ‘Het geschenk van Happiness’ dat volledig ondergedompeld is in Kerstsfeer ligt alvast klaar om gelezen te worden, een extra portie Happiness kan dezer dagen geen kwaad.

Ik wil deze Happiness review ook nog even gebruiken om jullie wat toe te wensen. Lieve allemaal, ik wens jullie een heel erg gelukkig en vooral gezond nieuw jaar toe, stapels goede boeken & heel veel kleine gelukjes in 2021! Prettige feesten!

[Анжеліка · Rating 3 out of 5]

книжка легка і позитивна, але повинна попередити, що назва книги трохи вводить в оману. моря тут майже немає, тож сподіватись на пляжну атмосферу не потрібно. англійська назва, в цьому плані, набагато краще передає сенс книги The Little Village of Happiness.
але так як ця книжка більше про кохання, а не про море, скажу декілька слів і на цю тему. іноді головні герої поводили себе як підлітки, сварилися по дурним причинам, але із плюсів, майже зразу розуміли свої помилки та йшли вибачатись. тож загалом, не зважаючи на декілька крінжових сцен, книга непогана.

[Silke · Rating 4 out of 5]

You are probably thinking, of course it is a Holly Martin book, she loved it. And I did... but this one took some time to grow on me.  With other books by Holly I am mostly captivated by the story from the very first lines... The Little Village of Happiness took me a while longer to really connect with.

I think the location plays a big part in my "connection" problems and I keep on wondering if Holly did it on purpose.  In the story we follow Willow to a privatly owned village on the Cornish coast where you get a great deal from the town owners. You get to live there for free during 12 months, you only have to give something back to the village.  When Willow arrives at Happiness she is quite shocked to find such a sad looking town. Not a lot of inhabitants, houses that are falling apart.. it is all very gloomy and sad. So I think it might have been Holly's intention to make you feel what Willow is experiencing. Willow doubts her choices and is really questioning if Happiness is worth saving. But together with Willow you fall in love with the village and its inhabitants. So it slowly grows on you and suddenly you realize how invested you are.

Of course that very hansom handymen has something to do with it. I absolutely love Holly's male leads. They are always perfect boyfriend material. (Dare I say husband material. )  But Andrew is multi layered. There is more to him that what meets the eye and it gave the story so much more debt. I really loved how everything was handled and how Andrews story-line was brought. Very realistic, very integer and very well researched. 

Willow, our main character is one of my favorite Holly characters ever. She is such a bubbly, impulsive, funny, good humored girl. I loved her from the very first page. She is so optimistic and good natured. I would love to have her as a friend in real life! I know in the next story set in Happiness we will follow another character, but I am really looking forward to see Willow again. Because quite frankly, it was hard to let her go. I would have read a 1000 page novel about her.

I absolutely loved The Little Village of Happiness. It's classic Holly Martin. It is heart warming, at times laugh out loud funny, but at the same time deals with harder subjects. I was especially happy with the little cameo from one of her previous series. I hope this will be a little surprise we will encounter in more books of her in the future. (Have i mentioned I can't let go of characters I really love?) 

Absolutely recommended read for the summer! Go get yourself a copy now!

[Elke Eelbode · Rating 2 out of 5]

Een leuk verhaal, simpel en voorspelbaar (vandaar de 3 sterren) maar ook wel grappig en vlot te lezen. Ideaal voor wie wat ontspanning zoekt in een luchtig boek.

[Nienke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heerlijk boek om tussendoor te luisteren, er is geen concentratie voor nodig om het boek goed te kunnen volgen en dat is ook weleens fijn! En is ook niet storend bij een feelgood.

Het boek begint meteen, geen lange inleiding of infodump. Ik heb een paar keer hardop moeten lachen, fijn om een boek zo te beginnen.

Langzaam leer je Willow kennen en samen met haar ook Andrew en de andere dorpsbewoners. Het verhaal van Andrew zorgt nog voor wat diepgang in het boek, maar het is vooral Happiness. Verwacht dus geen diepgaande onderwerpen, maar een boek dat vlot leest en waar je blij van wordt!

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always get so excited when I start a new Holly Martin novel. There's a sense of magic and pure romance and when you read them you feel all warm and cosy inside. They're quick and easy to read stories which I always find myself enjoying and not able to put it down! This one in particular caught my interest as I loved the books title and also the synopsis sounded really interesting, as well as this I thought the cover was absolutely beautiful and I couldn't wait to get stuck in!

I thought that there would be a bit of a build up to this storyline, but it got stuck in straight away and from the start we saw Willow moving to Happiness village to start afresh after a bad - and rather embarrassing - break up. When Willow arrives at the village, she's in a bit of shock as it isn't anything at all similar to the photos she saw online and inside she is reeling about the fact that she now has to live here for a year! However, there is an upside in the figure of ruggedly handsome estate manager Andrew. When Willow learns that there is an open day to help attract new people to move to the village, she starts with her creative ideas straight away and starts painting the houses and shops so they're looking fresh. Willow came across as such a fun, bubbly and creative character and I really liked her.

When they first met, Andrew seemed really sweet and helpful and it's clear from the start that there is an attraction between Willow and Andrew. However, Willow's sworn off men for the foreseeable future and Andrew has made it clear that he isn't looking for a relationship - and so the pair get on as friends. There are laugh-out-loud moments throughout this novel, using Holly's signature sexual humour. A favourite part of mine was when Holly first went to use Andrews shower as hers was in repair and she was in for a shock! As well as the novel focusing on Andrew and Willow, we also get to meet quite a few secondary characters which I found quite lovely. In particular I warmed to Dorothy and her calling Willow 'Willy' always made me smile. Even though the village is in ruin, there's a lovely sense of community throughout the village and the more I read, the more I wanted to live in Happiness village!!

I loved reading about Willow and Andrew's relationship, and seeing them grow closer and fall more and more for each other was really delightful. This story is packed with wonderful characters, a beautiful location (once the village is nearing completion that is!!), and a heartwarming romantic tale. This novel is Holly Martin at her finest and I couldn't praise it enough. I read that there will be a sequel and I cannot wait for this!

[Femke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hoewel ik het boek in het begin wat zoetsappig vond, vond ik het steeds leuker worden :) Ik ben benieuwd naar het volgende deel!

[Manon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meestal gaan dit soort boeken: gaat prima- probleem-gaat prima. Maar dit boek: gaat prima- gaat prima- gaat nog steeds prima. En dat is gewoon heel gezellig om te lezen.

[Judith Regeling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lief, romantisch en meeslepend. Meer hierover lees je vanaf 18 oktober!

[Nicola Clough · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't rate this book enough it a brilliant and fantastic read and didn't want it to end as so brilliant. Such a heartwarming read and full of romance and plenty of happiness and friendship all set in a beautiful countryside and you believe you are transported there as so amazing. Worth far more than five stars and highly recommend anyone to read this.
Amber has split from her boyfriend and needs a fresh start she sees an advert to have a cottage in Cornwall free for a year and she can run her shop there as well so with out thinking she packs up and moves. She drives down and when she arrives she is met by the estate manager and her heart skips a beat straight away but she tells herself that she is off men that's why she's moved away. She starts to get to know the few people who live there and Andrew says she can use his shower any time. She goes to his cottage and rings the bell but know one answers so she just goes in as Andrew said she could but once she has undressed the bathroom door opens and there is Andrew with nothing on two and again her heart skips a beat. She learns he's been hurt in the past by people and also learns he is deaf. They slowly build their friendship up and get to know each other better and they start to spread happiness with the people who live there by leaving gifts and everyone is wondering who it is. They have an open day coming up for the village and Andrew has someone he knows doing some work for him but he soon starts to worry as he hasn't told amber what really went on between them and when she bumps into her and she starts telling amber what they had amber really starts to wonder if she has made a mistake. Can they work through their problems and be happy together or not and can they make everyone happy with in the beautiful village.
A perfect read to curl and read such a quick read.

[Carla · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm surprised that this book has such high score here. I thought it disappointing, there is hardly a story. The idea of the village, how it develops and how Willow settles, is nice. It's just when Andrew comes into picture and Willow develops a crush on him (and vice versa). I don't need to be reminded every two sentences how handsome, sweet, strong, whatever the person is. It gets tedious. The story picks up a bit towards the end, but by that time I had already given up and only wanted to finish the book.

2021 Books #6

[Tessa Visschedijk · Rating 1 out of 5]

Though I do love the cover, the story itself was not what I expected from it. The writing style did not appeal to me and it was lacking conflict. Way too sweet and repetitive for me. Too bad, since I was looking forward to reading this very much.

[Jess]

Started and stopped after one chapter. This is definitely not for me. Maybe it’s the Dutch translation. But, no.

[Elaine - Splashes Into Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this - it put a smile on my face from start to finish! Mind you, that's what I usually find with books by this talented author - I've loved all that I've read by her.

After seeing an advert offering free accommodation and a shop for a year in the village of Happiness, Willow just couldn't resist. However, when she arrives she's disappointed to discover so much of the village is abandoned, dilapidated and in dire need of a makeover. The cottage she's been given, however is delightful, with brilliant sea views and Andrew, the man who shows her to it, is also intriguingly attractive. Andrew is the person everyone in the village turns to when they need something sorting. He's so hardworking, kind and considerate, he's an amazing character but with secrets . . . . When Willow learns about a planned open day to try to attract more people to live in the village, she can't resist getting involved and her ideas are truly inspirational but I'll let you read the story yourself to discover what happens!

This is a fantastic, fun story, packed with humour, romance and brilliant characters. I really didn't want to put it down once I started reading it! There are plenty of surprises, twists and turns to keep you guessing as the story progresses. There are several romances, shocking revelations, close family and friends and even a lovely little girl called Poppy. Several issues are sensitively included in the story, involving reactions, attitudes and behaviour regarding them. The main romance is fraught with obstacles, most generated by Andrew's secrets as well as his so-called friend and Andrew's sister. However, it is full of funny incidents and together Willow and Andrew really do regenerate the feeling of happiness for the whole community in this brilliant story. I have no hesitation in highly recommending it to anyone who enjoys contemporary romances set in a small community. I can't wait to read the sequel which, according the information after the end of the story, features Andrew's brother and Willow's best friend. It should be available in October!!

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book which I couldn't resist reading. This is my honest review after thoroughly enjoying it!