The Village of Lost and Found

Riverside Lane #2

by Alison Sherlock

Scandal hit party girl Lucy Conway needs to leave London fast, so she packs her bags and escapes to the sleepy village of Cranbridge to take care of her beloved Uncle Frank.

But the country village isn’t quite as idyllic as she remembers. To make matters worse, her Uncle’s pride and joy, The Cranbridge Times, is close to going out of business.

Editor-at-Large Tom Addison is having a crisis of confidence and needs help if the newspaper is going to survive.

With time on her hands, can Lucy work some magic and together save the family newspaper?
Over a long, hot summer, friendships are made and hearts begin to heal.Nbr> And, with the help of a stray dog, perhaps Lucy and Tom can find their very own new beginning...

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Adult, Contemporary Romance

342 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 9, 2021

Reviews

[Alayne Emmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

In though this book was the second in The Riverside Lane series, it read as a stand alone book and didn’t spoil my enjoyment of this lovely story. It just flowed along gently and although I guessed how things would turn out it, didn’t matter it was still a warm book. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this is the second of a series set at Riverside Lane, this is definitely one you can jump into feet first – pretty much like the river that runs through Cranford! This is a delightfully summery read and I could not help but read it with a smile on my face.

When Lucy arrives in Cranford, she is attempting to escape some bad press about an affair she has had with a married man. Lucy’s quick brush with notoriety unfortunately initially follows her to Cranford as people, including her prospective boss, come to recognise Lucy from the newspaper coverage. However, Lucy is determined to shake this reputation away and uses her opportunities in Cranford to grow as an individual. Despite the affair, it is clear that Lucy has quite low self-esteem and confidence in her own talents. It is only until her close friends in Cranford point out her skills and abilities, that we see Lucy recognise she has made a positive impact on this quaint, rural village.

Sherlock has created a beautiful village in this story. Being set in the scorching summer months had me forgetting the cold weather that I was experiencing! I felt transported to the river banks of Cranford, soaking up the summer rays and spending light, warm evenings in the village pub. It was wonderful escapism and I think this is one of the reasons why I found the read so satisfying. It definitely was a book radiating warmth and the “feel good factor” that we all seek at some stage or another.

Although it is clear where the romance in this novel will come from, I found myself more interested in the surrounding friendships that Lucy makes and her role at the village newspaper. When it becomes clear that the newspaper is struggling and its days are numbered, I was keen to see how Lucy’s influence would make a difference. At first, she is brought in to tidy the forlorn newspaper office. However, with her good ideas and “can do” attitude, Lucy steps up and becomes increasingly involved in village and newspaper life. As a result, I thought this made the story more interesting to read. Of course, romance does develop in the story, but I don’t think it was emphasised as much in comparison to books of a similar genre.

This book is part of a series set in Cranford. The first book is about the village shop and these characters form the supporting cast around Lucy. I have some sneaky predictions about what the next book could have in store – I looked for run-down or abandoned properties as a starting point! However, although I may be correct, it will certainly not lessen my excitement about what happens next in Cranford. Indeed, I’ve already got the first book on my (ever-growing) ‘to be read’ list – reflecting how much I have fallen in love with Cranford.

An idyllic setting with lovable characters – including a dog named Keith! This is a perfect summer read. With short chapters, this is ideal to dip in and out of with story full of optimism and hope. It reminds readers of the importance of community and how, despite such tough times, we are never alone.

With thanks to Boldwood books, NetGalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jennifer (Jaye) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Adorable Read*

**4.5**

*Adorable Read*

After reading the first book I realise there is a familiar theme running through this series of books, regardless of the story The Village of Cranbridge, is at the heart of it and the community spirit shines through. The characters from book one feature in this one but they are support characters and each story concentrates a different character/s

This one is about Lucy Conway. She used to party hard until her relationship with a famous boyfriend is exposed and Lucy’s name ends up splashed across the headlines. He was married and Lucy had no idea.

To get away from it all she heads to Cranbridge in the hope that things will calm down. She also wants to look after her uncle Frank who she adores.

In the meantime newspaper editor Tom is in charge of running the paper her uncle owns. Things are not looking good for the company and we see Lucy and Tom pulling out all the stops to save the paper. Will they succeed? Will Lucy be able to shake off her past? Will she flee back to London or will she have a reason to stay?

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

How lovely to be back in Cranbridge, with a whole new story. It's such a lovely village setting, and I knew even before I started reading this one it would be a lovely gentle book, that would leave me smiling

And that is exactly what happened, I had a calming day or two reading this story, was completely caught up with life in the village, and seeing just whether they would turn around the fortunes of The Cranbridge Times.

I really enjoyed seeing the character development from both Lucy and Tom, but also Molly. Molly was a fascinating side character and I really hope she is in line to get a book to herself in this series, as I would love to see her as a focal point. Especially seeing her confidence growing as it is currently.

Actually I just loved all the characters, great to see what Dodgy Del is up to ,and there is a rather explosive scene involving him that is brilliant, and Keith is wonderful too! And I loved seeing Lucy making proper friends with Molly, Amber and Belle, as she hasn't really had friends in the past.

It's just an all around lovely and charming book, and hit all the right spots for me. A pleasure to read.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

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

Well, I knew this was by the author of The Village Shop For Lonely Hearts and that was enough to make me keen to read this but what I hadn't realised is that it is a fantastic sequel to it! It is set in the same small village of Cranbridge and involves many of the characters as well as places involved in the first book. It was brilliant to be able to catch up with them all again and to meet some new folk, too. Having said that, I do believe it would work well as a standalone if you haven't read the earlier book, too.

Lucy Conway is escaping from scandal in London to take care of her Uncle Frank who has injured himself. She's been the victim of a cheating, married man - who her parents had set her up with! She hadn't realised he was still married but the press are having a field day with all the gossip. She has happy memories of spending time with her beloved Uncle and Aunt in Cranbridge as a child and hopes this will give her the opportunity to decide what she wants to do with her life as she feels she's rubbish at everything. Mind you, she's not the only one who has lost her way in life - so has Tom Addison, the editor of her Uncle's newspaper, The Cranbridge Times. The paper is losing readers and in danger of going out of business. Can Lucy and Tom work together to revive the family newspaper and help find their own purposes in life in the process?

The story really lives up to its title as those who were lost, are helped by the community and love to find their way again. It is a delight to escape into, with some great village characters, plenty of new friends, inspiration and a new danger to the village that needs stopping! Get ready for exploding gin, a bully being given a taste of their own blunt honesty, a battle to be fought, a real stink to be raised and lots of laughs along the way to a heartwarming romance. This is a lovely story, bringing a community together, empowering friends and finding new roles and love. I can't recommend it highly enough and hope we get to return there again soon - I really hope Belle and Molly can find love, too, in future books! 

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.

[Federica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read this book unaware that it was #2 of a series. It actually can be read very easily as a standalone.
Nice, sweet story of Lucy escaping from an overwhelming situation in London (and from a not very loving family and also virtually no friends) to the village of Cranbridge where she finds friends, a loving uncle, a job, a meaning to her life and possibly love.
A very light hearted reading, with some much appreciated witty humour.
The story moves at a quick pace with some repetion, because it's narrated from two points of view.
I would recommend it for a younger (than myself I mean, I'm past 50) audience. On the whole a very enjoyable read that leaves you wanting to go reading #1 of the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

#thevillageoflostandfound #NetGalley

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Literally the same formula as book one, it’s just the names that have changed.

[Dottie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book! Enjoyed

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Following a scandal that made headlines, Lucy Conway accepts a temporary job at her Uncle Frank‘s local newspaper📰 —The Cranbridge Times in his village of Cranbridge. According to Frank, he’s short-staffed and could use an extra hand. Lucy figures she could work there while he recovers from an injury.

Lucy was in a relationship with a media tycoon named Jamie Watkins who lied about his marriage while he was dating her. Lucy’s mom thinks it’s best if she left London for a while until the scandal blows over. The editor of The Cranbridge Times, Tom Addison is scheduled to give Lucy an interview.

Back in Cranbridge, The Cranbridge Times is struggling to stay afloat; the number of print sales has been dwindling since people hardly buy newspapers these days. Tom is worried that he might be out of work if sales figures and advertising revenue doesn’t pick up. Tom’s ex-wife Andrea cheated on him with the head of the TV station and his best friend Josh has been trying to get him to go on dates.

Overall good read. The storyline was well written and the characters were interesting.

Thank you to Alison Sherlock, NetGalley, and Boldwood for the ARC of this book.

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feeling the need for a new year overhaul? A new you for a new year? So do the characters in this feel-good story of new beginnings set in a now gorgeous fictional Cotswold Village. Alison Sherlock’s ‘The Village of Lost and Found’ is the second in the Riverside Lane series and features a village that pulls together under the threat of danger.

I struggled at first with reading this book. The sleepy fictional Cotswold village of Cranbridge is full of empty lanes and rundown or closed shops. Aside from needing to help her uncle, Lucy doesn’t really want to be there. I’ll admit, neither did I, at first! However, I persevered and what I noticed was that despite the dilapidated surroundings, the community pulled together and in doing so, infused life into their surroundings and into each other. Sherlock has created commendable characters to inhabit this isolated village; they are all hard-working and helpful individuals who struggle with life choices they’ve made. Like the village they inhabit, they need saving. None of them like where they’ve ended up and their life isn’t what they’d envisioned, but there’s still hope. When rallied together, they display creativity and initiative in their attempts to save each other, the community and its paper.

In addition to creating likeable characters, Sherlock has crafted a strong sense of place. Her village setting highlights a tight-knit community who are brought together for a common cause. Rural hamlets are so isolated and they need to feel part of something and somewhere. Rallied together, the village gets new window boxes with bright flowers, fairy lights, new paint, and refurbished shop signs. The village now stands out and is noticeable from across the river. Given some TLC, even the village comes to life. Sherlock has given the book a perfect title; it’s not only the characters who’ve been lost and found, but it’s also the village of Cranbridge. Once the decision was made to fight for the paper, the sun comes out, people want to get involved and the positivity radiates like the sunshine. It’s not only the newspaper that’s getting an overhaul, either. We see the characters grow and shine as they make choices to become better. Even the village dog with no name gets a name!

Quotes that brought a smile:

“You know Katy Perry’s ‘Roar’? I sing it to myself every morning when I’m getting dressed.”

“I’m going to stay out here’, said Belle, closing her eyes to the sun. ‘I’m solar-powered, you know.’”

“Just when he had finally decided that love was for idiots, it turned out he had become one of them.”

Thank you to Alison Sherlock, and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Andrew Pople · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disappointing same plot as first book.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

You might remember that I found the first book in this lovely series a little bit slow to begin with, as the characters were established and I began to feel comfortable in the village of Cranbridge – but I must say that I loved this book from the very beginning. After an introduction to Lucy and her Uncle Frank, I felt immediately at home, and the smile on my face never faltered for an instant.

The Cranbridge Times – owned by Frank – has hit difficult times. When he sends Lucy in the direction of editor Tom – while she’s licking her wounds after a relationship that had her more used to being on the front pages of the tabloids – he hopes there’s something she’ll be able to do to help restore its fortunes. And it’s not just the paper that’s struggling, Tom is too – he’s recently lost his mother, is very unhappy at home, and has lost his ability to write. The relationship between them is just wonderful – she surprises him (and herself) as she puts in some really hard work, comes up with new ideas, and begins to make his life infinitely happier too.

I really loved the two main characters and the way they were developed, but the supporting cast is excellent too. If you read the first book, many of them will already be familiar – but if this is your first visit to Cranbridge, you’ll soon feel you’ve known them forever, looking forward to evenings in the Black Swan (just so long as you aren’t put off by the warring couple who run it – and don’t eat the food) or to enjoying your coffee and pastry on the bench overlooking the river outside the newly renovated Cranbridge Stores.

As well as the exceptionally well drawn setting, there’s such a wonderful sense of community in this book. In Amber, Belle and Molly, Lucy finds the kind of supportive friendship she’s never had before – and finds it’s something she rather likes. And Molly, who Lucy shares a flat with, also finds out what friendship really means – and it’s certainly not what she has with her toxic boyfriend or the loud-mouthed and abrasive Bridget – and it was a joy to see her gaining a new confidence. But the older characters are also excellent – and there’s a really nice focus on family too.

There’s also some lovely humour – Dodgy Del can always be relied on for that – perfectly balanced by all the moments of warmth and poignancy. A community pulling together is always something I really enjoy, and this was one it was an absolute delight to be part of. Now, it just needs something else to make it complete – yes, it’s a dog, and the wonderful Keith finds himself a home and a happier life too. The writing is excellent, and I really enjoyed the story that unfolded – some really nice ideas, a few big changes that make a real difference, coupled with a growing romance that I found really touching but also entirely believable and authentic.

There’s an immense warmth about it all – there may be a few characters who behave badly, a few touches of drama, but that only helps make it feel all the more real. Lucy comes to feel Cranbridge is a place she doesn’t want to leave – and I felt exactly the same. If you’re looking for a book to escape with, that pulls at your heartstrings a little, that makes you feel good, that makes you smile – well you really won’t find anything much better than this. The loveliest read, and I recommend it really highly.

[Frankie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, can we just take a moment to really appreciate how lovely this cover is? It’s so pretty and cheerful, and it works perfectly with the story. I love the simplistic design of the girl sitting on the bridge with her dog, big thumbs up to the art department.

When I sat down to read this book, I didn’t realise that this was apart of a series, in fact, it is the second book in the Riverside Lane series, but that didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the book at all, I read it very easily as a stand-alone. This is also my first Alison Sherlock book, I thoroughly enjoyed her enchanting and almost dream-like writing which is so perfectly entwined with real wit and emotion, I can’t wait to discover more of Sherlock’s work.

Set in the dreamy, picturesque little village of Cranbridge, this is a charming little second chance romance, yet at its heart, there is family and friendship. We see wild-child turned good girl; Lucy who for reason’s I won’t divulge the has to speedily flee London, she must flee the scandal which is circulating around, the social sharks can smell blood in the water – but she is far better off as once she arrives in Cranbridge, she becomes apart of the community, she makes good friends and is wanted and cared for.

She decides to leave her not quite happy life and move to the quiet village where she can help look after her beloved uncle Frank, one of the few people who actually care about her – after all her family don’t give a fig about her as she is the ‘wild troubled child’, it’s only her Uncle who genuinely cares. I really like the bond between Lucy and her Uncle, I think deep down they are both lonely, misunderstood people who just need someone to show a little love and kindness.

Once there Lucy like all of us readers instantly feel happier and very much at home, Cranbridge is such a sweet and unassuming little village with some of the best character’s – think Vicar of Dibley and you are on the money. Lucy is soon deposited into the Cranbridge Times, the local newspaper owned by her uncle Frank, where she soon sees that the paper has fallen on hard times.

She is more than ready to roll up her sleeves and help rescue her family business, but she has another problem which she must also face ad that is the handsome, charismatic and grieving editor; Tom, he’s lost his way in life since the death of his mother and he has found himself stuck in a rut and in blazes Lucy the breath of fresh air with imagination which; The Cranbridge Times and Tom need. I loved watching their relationship blossom, they don’t always see eye to eye but her confidence grows as her ideas and opinions are actually listened to, she works hard to help mend the paper and its editor.

I love the community spirit of the village, I love the candid humour, the joy and warmth which engulfs day to day village life, it’s all so perfectly written it’s got laughter, humour, joy, a little sadness and a wide range of characters coming together which create a balanced and realistic story which will make you smile.

The Village of Lost and Found is a charming, heart-warming and feel-good little story full of lightness and warmth, it’s the perfect sunny evening read, just close your eyes and be swept away to delightful Cranbridge, I can’t wait to visit again.

[Sharon Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the second in the series. But I feel can easily be read as a standalone.

We meet Lucy whose uncle Frank owns the local newspaper. She decides to go and stay with Frank after appearing in the press herself after a disastrous love affair. She feels like she can't do anything as her parents don't feel they connect her and she lets them down.

She starts working with Tom the paper editor to try to turn the papers fortunes around. But Tom has also had a tough few years can they work together to solve the papers problems and maybe their personal ones too.

If you love Cathy Bramley or heidi swain give these a go.

[Andreea Micu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed this second book of the Riverside lane series more than the first one centred on Amber and Josh's story. I don't know why, probably because the storyline seemed more interesting and genuine. There were still some pretty bad clichés like the very used catchphrase "I thought you'd never ask" when Lucy asked Tom to kiss her. How original! However, it is still a light and pleasant read. So if you're in the mood for something quick and easy to go through, this might be a good choice.

[Diana Hellmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute, easy to read story, just like the first book
-1.5 stars cause it's just very predictable from the start and I kinda wish there would have been a few more/bigger obstacles along the way

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Kerran Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love these books. Just cozy, community-driven, happy ending kind of romances. The audible narration is great too. Can't wait to listen to book 3

[Samantha Tonge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fleeing a life of scandal in London - or that's what the papers would have everyone believe - Lucy heads to the village of Cranbridge to look after her ill uncle. He gives her a temporary job at his newspaper The Cranbridge Times, where she meets editor Tom and realises the business is heading towards bankruptcy.
Despite getting off on the wrong foot can Lucy and Tom turn things around?

This is such a sweet romance, the story has a comforting, gentle feel to it and is perfect to escape into after a stressful day. I loved the array of quirky characters and felt invested in the gorgeous protagonists. Sherlock's writing is heartwarming fiction at its best. The perfect summer story to cheer you up!

[Faerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐3.4

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love stories that revolve around having to confront one’s past. They speak to humanity and relationships in ways that completely resonate with me.

This was the second book in a series to take place in a the small village of Cambridge. Honestly, though, I had no idea it was a sequel and didn’t feel at all lost reading this. If anything, it made me want to pick up the fist in the series right away!

The romance in this one was gently and perfectly done, and the main character was a lovely heroine!

A perfect read to sit and cuddle up with!

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read in the Riverside Lane series by Allison Sherlock, but it didn’t affect the story for me as it seemed that the author wrote the book to be a stand-alone, which is great for those of us who didn’t read the first book.

I have to say that my heart went out to Lucy over the whole Jamie and the media situation, then getting out of London to get away from the scandal. I also felt bad for Tom over his cheating ex-wife. I found the book a warm yet predictable read, but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment.

[Rebecca Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Community!

This is a continuation of a lovely story of building ‘community’, finding and building friendships. The definition of family extends outward as an entire village slowly evolves from a dormant state to flourishing.
The book, “THE VILLAGE SHOP FOR LONELY HEARTS” should be read first. “THE VILLAGE OF LOST AND FOUND” is the ongoing saga of relationships, friendships...the saying, ‘it takes a village’ holds true throughout the plots of both books. Stirred into the mix is a bit of finding love for all the romantics out there! Fun reading.

[Susanne Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing read. A beautiful story of finding yourself, self love, friendship and community.

I loved this book, I could identify with something from each character. The lack of confidence within yourself, the toxic relationships, and feeling over whelmed by life.

Tom and Lucy were perfect for each other, and I enjoyed how Lucy saw the good and positive in everyone and encouraged them even when she herself was lacking those things in herself.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great, warm, feel-good read. It was easy to read, the story flowed nicely I didn't even realize I read it so fast.

[Rita Constantino · Rating 1 out of 5]

Exact same formula of the first book.
(Audiobook)

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Alison’s work for a little while now. I haven’t read all of her books yet but I am getting there. I read the synopsis for ‘The Village Of Lost & Found’ and it certainly sounded like another cracking read. Well it was all that and so much more. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Village Of Lost & Found’ but more about that in a bit.
I loved the main characters of Lucy Conway and Tom Addison. When the story opens, Lucy is literally tabloid news when she has a fling with a married man, although it must be said that she didn’t know he was married. Her parents are embarrassed and they send her to stay with her uncle. This suits Lucy as she is very fond of her Uncle Frank and she has many happy childhood memories of staying with her Uncle and Aunt, when her Aunt was still alive. It’s safe to say that Lucy is feeling battered and bruised emotionally so she views the time away as ‘healing’ time. Or at least that’s the impression I got. Lucy is a lovely young lass, who would do anything for anybody. Whilst staying with her Uncle, she helps out at the local newspaper, which her Uncle Frank owns and which is currently being managed by Tom Addison. Tom is a bit battered emotionally too following the break up of a recent relationship. There seems to be a certain amount of chemistry when Lucy and Tom meet. I kept everything crossed that that would get together and have the ‘happy ever after’ ending that they both deserved. What happens? Well for the answer to that question and so much more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
‘The Village Of Lost & Found’ certainly came along at the right time for me. I was feeling a bit fed up and in need of a tonic and this book was certainly a tonic and then some. I found it difficult to put the book down for any length of time. It was as if the book had developed a hold over me and it was a hold that I wasn’t willing to break. I was having too much fun with the characters and the story to stop reading. Part of the appeal of the story was the fact that I had taken so well to the two lead characters and I had to keep reading to see how things panned out for them. At times I couldn’t turn the pages quickly enough. All too quickly I reached the end of the story and I had to say farewell to Lucy and Tom.
‘The Village Of Lost & Found’ is superbly written but then I think that to be true of all of Alison’s books in general. She creates idyllic sounding locations for her stories and her lead characters are certainly likeable. I love the subtle way in which she grabs your attention and draws you into the story. I really did feel as though I was part of the story and that’s thanks to Alison’s very vivid and realistic storytelling. I found ‘The Village Of Lost & Found’ to be a funny and light hearted read, which kept my attention throughout and it certainly kept me entertained.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Village Of Lost & Found’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Alison’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[DayDreamer8912 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5
🚨TW: mentions of loss of love ones, bad scandal, overcoming grief, controlling friend, being harassed, drunk.
🚨CW: mentions of taking top off (but there is a reason not because he really wants her to)

Because of the big news of her having an affair with a married man that she really didn't know that he is married, when her uncle Frank was injured she didn't hesitate to go and take care of him and another thing is to flee for all media and her parents lecture. The only people who see her and love her for who she is, is her uncle and her auntie who passed away.

Now that she is here other than taking care of her uncle, she is going to start working in her uncle's newspaper company which is managed by Tom. Their first meeting was kind of interesting however, after that they got along pretty well though. And she couldn't stand the mess in the place. So she cleaned the whole place. And when she knew that the last week newspaper were not sent out she offer to help mail them and Tom was really grateful. And the more they got to know each other, they realised that they can really work as a team and of course haha...feelings began to grow.

The newspaper company is running in a loss and Tom was struggling in his writing and did not tell Frank about it because he didn't want to worry him. But when Lucy found out about it, she decided to help him out by thinking of things that can help in order to save the newspaper company and also she compliment his writing and encouraged him to write more. And then, she went out to talk to the villagers to see how are they doing and found out that people need places to do their work because some people in the village work from home and they really need a place to have like an office to just deal with stuff and also there is no place for a mother and toddler group to have a place of meeting. And from then one, she had an idea and told Tom about it and they both went to approach Uncle Frank too to tell him the plan. Okay can't really spoil much. You will have to read it. And also the village is having some trouble too (read then you will find out).

And other than that, she met a few new friends who are always there for her and also cares for her. And Molly her friend/room mate/ colleague was a really nice girl but somehow was controlled by her toxic best friend and even worse she is back with her ex who just as toxic as her best friend. I really hope that Molly will get her happily ever after too. She is growing and with the help of Lucy, Amber and Riley encouraging her and supporting her.

Can't wait to read the next book. It will be Riley's story.

You can purchase this book on Amazon or Kobo and it is available on Kobo Plus.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy is a young woman with a past. And most of her past has been in the tabloids on a regular basis. The most recent story is about her affair with a married man. The fact that things are not as they seem makes no difference to the people who want to sell their papers.

Now she has gone to spend time with her Uncle Frank. He has been a support for her all her life. He has an injured foot and Lucy wants to take care of him while he recovers.
Uncle Frank wants to give Lucy a chance to do something for herself He convinces her to work at the newspaper he owns. It is a small village newspaper and she has no idea what she can do to help, but she will do almost anything to please Uncle Frank.

Lucy has been convinced by her parents that she is worthless. She has no marketable skills as far as they are concerned. The latest headlines are insults to their business and the fact she will be gone for quite some time is a good thing for them.

Lucy is an organizer. She simply does not know it.

At the newspaper, she meets Tom, the editor. He is in a deep depression and unable to see a way to make the paper a success. His personal life has taken some very big hits. Lucy also meets Molly. She is a young girl who is the receptionist. Molly is shy and has no confidence in herself. These two people need Lucy and her personality more than they know.

In the village, Lucy finds a purpose for her life. She also finds friends. These are people who care about her and admire her for who she is. And then there is Keith. Keith is a dog who has a no true home. He does not even have a name until he is named Keith for Keith Richards. He becomes Lucy’s constant companion.

Ms Sherlock has created a wonderful village populated by very interesting and entertaining people. The plot is simple. People see problems and they want to solve them. People see other people who are hurting or in need and they want to help them.

There is humor and charm and entertainment.

Although this is the second in a series, the book works well as a stand alone. Past events and relationships are explained well.

This is a sweet book which makes the reader look on a map to find Cranbridge. There is always a possibility there will be a cottage for sale within walking distance of the pub.

[niesprzatamczytam]

Czy Cranbridge znów mnie otuliło? Tak. I nawet się z tym nie kłóciłam.

W Wiosce złamanych serc Alison Sherlock wracamy do Cranbridge, ale tym razem latem. Lucy przyjeżdża tu trochę z obowiązku, trochę z potrzeby ucieczki. Ma zaopiekować się wujkiem Frankiem i… no cóż, szybko okazuje się, że to miasteczko znowu potrzebuje ratunku. Tym razem chodzi o lokalną gazetę The Cranbridge Times, która ledwo zipie, a jej redaktor naczelny Tom wygląda jak ktoś, kto już dawno stracił wiarę, że cokolwiek da się jeszcze naprawić.

I jeśli spodziewacie się wielkich dramatów albo historii miłosnej, która wybucha od pierwszego spojrzenia, to od razu mówię nie tutaj. Ten tom to znowu slow burn. I to taki naprawdę slow. Uczucia są gdzieś w tle, między rozmowami, wspólną pracą, codziennością. Bez wielkich deklaracji, bez fajerwerków. Raczej ciche „jestem obok” niż „nie mogę bez ciebie żyć”. I mnie to totalnie kupiło.

Lucy nie jest bohaterką, którą wszyscy pokochają. Jest trochę zagubiona, chwilami bezradna, taka… życiowo poturbowana. Ale chyba właśnie dlatego łatwo było mi ją zrozumieć. Tom z kolei to facet zmęczony odpowiedzialnością, który robi swoje, chociaż w środku ma już naprawdę niewiele nadziei. Ich relacja to bardziej leczenie złamanych serc niż klasyczny romans.

Najbardziej jednak urzeka mnie w tej książce klimat. Cranbridge znowu żyje własnym rytmem. Jest sielsko, trochę nostalgicznie, bardzo wspólnotowo. Ludzie, którzy może nie zawsze są idealni, ale kiedy trzeba, potrafią się zebrać i pomóc. Jest pies, jest gazeta, są rozmowy i takie małe momenty, które składają się na coś większego.

To nie jest książka pełna akcji. Dużo tu zwykłego życia, pracy, prób ogarnięcia rzeczy, które dawno wymknęły się spod kontroli. I wiecie co? To wystarczy. Czytałam ją wieczorami, gdy dom już spał, z herbatą pod ręką, myśląc „jeszcze tylko jeden rozdział”. Idealna lektura na moment, kiedy nie chce się emocjonalnej jazdy bez trzymanki, tylko spokoju.

Nie każdemu się spodoba. Ale jeśli lubicie ciepłe historie o drugich szansach, powolnych uczuciach i miasteczkach, które leczą lepiej niż terapia, to Cranbridge znowu zrobi swoje.