Run away to the countryside with the latest romantic comedy from the bestselling author of Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop!
A fresh start brings a second chance at love…
When Orly’s boyfriend and business partner dumps her for a celebrity fling, she finds solace in tacos, tequila and tears. One terrible hangover later, she’s packed her bags and swapped her London apartment for the overgrown grounds of Honeysuckle Hall.
After years spent catering to others’ whims, Orly is going after what she wants: a simpler life, surrounded by nature. Her plan to set up countryside retreats for burned-out city-dwellers means she soon has the social life she’s been dreaming of – and gorgeous carpenter Leo is always around when she needs something fixed…
As Orly’s new life blossoms, so does her friendship with Leo, and she wonders if she’s finally found somewhere to put down roots – until she discovers a series of anonymous notes, warning her off. Was she wrong to trust Leo? Or is someone else trying to sabotage her future?
A heartwarming romance full of humour, friendship and honeysuckle-scented dreams! Perfect for fans of Debbie Johnson and Holly Martin.
I started this book thinking I wasn’t going to like it but, I persevered with it and ended up enjoying it although it was a little predictable. I’ve generously given it four stars but I’m thinking it should have been a three and a half. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
There is just so so much to love about this book I wouldn't know where to start...
... well there is the extravagant proposal in the opening chapter that drew me in instantly and had me almost wishing there was far more about Orly's initial job.
... there's Esterlita who from the moment she entered Orly's life, was a colourful breath of fresh air and I honestly think deserves a book of her own! She's easily one of my favourite secondary characters I've come across in a long while.
... there is the mystery about who on earth is leaving Orly mystery notes, trying to scare her out of her fabulous plan of offering retreats for people who are burnt out
... there is the first retreat with its great mix of campers, all of whom I loved and was invested in, even though they don't feature until around the last third or so of the book, I really loved their personalities.
... And there is Orly herself who is a fabulous leading lady, who is after experiencing some humiliating heartbreak is now following her dreams with Honeysuckle Hall, and I just loved everything about her.
This is a book that has so many threads running through it, which combined make one incredibly engaging and entertaining story.
Oh and I forgot to mention what really drew me instantly to Orly is her hobby. It's a hobby I don't recall seeing in any other books, but given it is one I indulged in as a child at the very least, I was rather happy to see it represented at last, but I'll leave it you to discover what she enjoys doing in her spare time.
I had a lovely time reading Escape to Honeysuckle Hall even with its rather menacing chicken, giant spider and gorgeous carpenter - with at least 2 of those providing rather memorably funny moments!
Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Well, I have to say I felt rather disappointed with this book. This is the second time I have tried Raisin’s writing and I can now honestly say that I’ve struggled with her books! I’ve got one left on my shelf now, a Christmas trilogy, and I’m glad I can wait many months before approaching it because this one has left me feeling rather moody and lethargic.
Like the previous read, I felt incredibly disconnected from the protagonist. I could not grow to like Orly and was frustrated by her blind-sightedness when it came to her relationship with Henry. It’s like she had ‘Doormat’ tattooed onto her forehead. Fast-forward to Orly arriving at Honeysuckle Hall, and I felt bewildered and irritated by the scenes that unfolded. I could not determine whether this was a romance book, a tongue-in-cheek story or an an attempt at the comedic supernatural. It just all felt chaotic.
Neighbour and dominating character, Esterlita, grated on me every time she opened her mouth. I dreaded her appearance in the story and, unfortunately, she has an increasing presence in the book! Her character was like an annoying cliché and I despaired how Orly willing followed her guidance with little independent thought from herself. Whether Raisin was trying to make this character funny, it definitely did not spark with me.
I did not feel that key plot developments were explored in enough detail. One minute we are with Orly as she is trying to find out the history of Honeysuckle Hall; the next she is simpering after Leo; and then she is trying to figure out who is behind some mysterious notes being left on the property. Mixed in with this, she is supposed to be fixing up the Hall for a retreat but appears to be rather clueless with what needs to be done, with the writer conveniently glossing over it for when the first campers arrived.
My final criticism with this book (and yes, I realise that there are now plenty) is this retreat that Orly is creating. In my opinion, Raisin would have created a more cohesive narrative by creating this as a wedding venue, thereby building on Orly’s previous experiences a bit more. Further to this, the book is set in Kent, yet there are many references to hill climbing and gorge scaling. Knowing this county very well, even Google struggled to pinpoint this imaginary location for me. As such, it just added to the chaos of the narrative and how it felt more like an ill-fitting jigsaw puzzle.
So, why did I keep on reading? Firstly, I always feel I owe it to the author to reach the end of a novel I have started. I want to see how a plot is wrapped up and by finishing the story, can then come and reflect on my experiences through my review. In this case, I wanted to see Orly make a success of her retreat and how her first booking would pan out. As you would expect, it all goes pretty much to plan and I liked witnessing the camaraderie that existed between a group of people that were initially strangers. Furthermore, finishing the book felt quite cathartic because I had seen Orly make a change for the better and all of the characters had benefitted from the experience: this book is full of the feel-good factor. Yet, despite these positive feelings, I don’t think there was enough key developments to hold my interest.
In conclusion, I was bored by a narrative that seemed to jump all over the place. Being disgruntled by central characters is never a good start with a book and I think this fuelled my dissatisfaction with this novel. I’ve got one more shot at this author and, if the same happens again, I think I can safely say that Raisin and I will part ways for good.
With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rebecca Raisin's books are always gorgeous and this one is no exception! A wonderful setting populated by fantastic characters who are so real, I felt like they were actual friends! Orly is fabulous - just the sort of woman I want to be friends with!
I especially loved Esterlita - what a totally unforgettable lady! Everyone should have a neighbour like Esterlita! The characters really made this book stand out - from Orly's best friend, Maya, to the gorgeous carpenter, Leo, and even Cluck Norris - surely the best named chicken ever!
I loved everything about this book - the gorgeous setting, the fabulous characters, and the wonderful escapism of Honeysuckle Hall! I laughed out loud, I cried, and then I laughed out loud again! A total joy to read!
I wish it was real because I want to meet Orly and stay at Honeysuckle Hall!
Beautiful happy book filled with friendship and romance along with a little mystery.
Orly decided to start life anew by converting Honeysuckle Hall to a retreat. The characters were well developed and some brought humor into the story and others feelings.
The Author Rebecca Raisin has delivered another hit with multiple threads running together uplifting the story. Simply beautiful.
I have just this very second finished this book, I have never laughed or cried so much in my entire life when reading a book. Rebecca Raisin you are a true story teller who can take fictional characters and make them become your friends.
What looks like just a romance novel on the surface is anything but, there are so many layers to this story that I do not know where to start. All the characters are beautifully written that they come alive to the reader, I loved them all but the star of the story, is hands down Cluck Norris. (when you read the book you will get see what I mean)
If you have never read a book by Rebecca Raisin then I recommend you start here.
I really enjoyed this, particularly once our heroine gets to Honeysuckle Hall and begins working on it to set up her adult camp. Once the first group of campers arrived the book was even better. I seriously would like to go to a camp like this, and hope the author sets future books in this location. I could do with a HEA for Maya and also for Esterlita. And I would love to see Anomaly come back in a few years :)
2.5 stars. This book was just okay. if you’re looking for an actual romance, I would just skip this. I felt like the pacing was somehow both rushed but draggy. The writing was meh much of the time- it just didn’t really draw me in. I wish the would book start as the main character is heading out of London with a brief overview on why she’s leaving. There were many times the dialogue is just unrealistic and cringy. Orly’s ex-boyfriend seems pretty unrealistically bad, so much so that it’s almost unbelievable that a character like Orly would have been interested in him. I think this was described as a romance, but the love interest isn’t introduced until 30% through the book. I would probably describe the genre more as women’s fiction. Also, the main character isn’t described physically until 40% of the way through the book! I was picturing a completely different person then almost half way through the book the picture is changed. It really threw me off. I really want to like Esperlita (sp?), but the way she’s introduced makes her just a bit annoying and too much. I really liked Leo, although it didn’t say much about his background or why he was still single. Orly was pretty likeable and even though I didn’t find the story very engrossing, I did still route for Orly to do well and for her romance with Leo. I found a couple things extremely odd….spoiler alert………Orly’s best friend Maya didn’t tell her she was planning on having a baby or that she was pregnant for weeks while she was living with Orly? That just seems unbelievable to me for multiple reasons. Also, how did Orly have no idea about Harry’s embezzling/fraud when the book makes it clear she’s extremely involved in the running of their business? The first thing she says when told is something like “how did they not know” as if it had happened after she left, but then the book makes it clear it was happening under her nose. Huh?? I did like that Orly had such a unique hobby, although not a whole lot was made of it. It was just kind of mentioned whenever convenient. I suppose though that one hobby shouldn’t necessarily define one’s personality. Overall, this was one of the more disappointing books I’ve read in the last while and I doubt I’d read anything else by this author. I liked it just enough to round up to 3 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I have been a fan of Rebecca’s work for a fair while now. I certainly haven’t read everything that she has released but I am getting there. I read the synopsis for ‘Escape To Honeysuckle Hall’ and it certainly sounded like the kind of book I have come to expect from Rebecca- a fun, light hearted, uplifting, romantic comedy. Well it was certainly all that and more. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Escape To Honeysuckle Hall’ but more about that in a bit. It took me no time at all to get into this book. As soon as I started to read, I immediately took to Orly and I started to consider her to be a friend. I had to keep reading to see if things worked out well for Orly and if those that upset her got their just deserts. At one point the pages were turning so quickly that it was almost as if they were turning themselves and the page numbers became a blur. I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and when I looked to check how much I had read at once, I was staggered to realise that I had read 51% of the story in one go. I found ‘Escape To Honeysuckle Hall’ to be a fun and gripping read, which certainly left me with a smile on my face. ‘Escape To Honeysuckle Hall’ is extremely well written. Rebecca has one of those easy going writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact reading one of Rebecca’s books feels more like a chat between friends rather than reading an actual book. I hope that makes sense. The story hits the ground running and maintains a fairly gentle pace throughout. In Orly, Rebecca has created a character who is impossible to dislike and the reader ends up wanting everything to work out for her. This book truly was a delight to read and did more to cheer me up than medication could have done. In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Escape To Honeysuckle Hall’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Rebecca’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
I'm going to stop reading this book. I just can't get into it. This is the 2nd book of hers that I've struggled with. Time to read a book from another author.
What a completely fabulous book this is! I was entranced by the characters, the setting and the plot and was almost unable to out it down I was enjoying it so much.
Orly is a high powered executive of a Celebrity make dreams come true company, lining in London and working ridiculous hours. When her boyfriend deserts her for an online celeb client, she has a serious rethink and moves to the country for a complete change. She buys and renovates Honeysuckle Hall with the help of hunky carpenter Leo, mad Philippine neighbour Lita and her BFF Maya, who flits between performing heart surgery in the capital and dishing out relationship and business advice in the country to Orly.
I loved the idea of the country adventure camps that Orly sets up. I would absolutely book up for that! They were so well described that I could imagine myself there with the other guests. The story was well written and imaginative with some romance but nothing too sugary or unrealistic which certainly maintains the readers interest. Lita is a super charismatic character and a fun addition to the cast of characters and an interesting part with her at the end is a superb twist and adds more depth to the story of Honeysuckle House.
A great book to read outside in the sunshine or at home in the rain, a definite recommendation from me.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Running away to the countryside always sounds like a good option to me, and for Orly, it was the only thing she could think of since her fiance and business partner let her down in spectacular fashion.
Trying to get Honeysuckle Hall back up to scratch is a bit of a mission, but she has her new Filipina friend, Esterlita, to help her out. There is also Leo, a handsome carpenter, who seems well connected and liked in the community. So, who is leaving all those creepy notes for her, warning her off??
This was romantic fiction with a bit of a twist, a darker undertone, but it worked. Esterlita was the star of the show though, with her sayings and her flair for the dramatic. As I have several Filipina friends, I am aware of how full of life, fun and warmth they are. I love my Filipina friends, so much! I also wanted to go and eat some amazing Filipino food, after reading this book, lol. The romantic aspects of this book worked quite well too, but, to me, it was more about Orly standing on her own two feet and following her own path. I was cheering her on!
Nice book, easy reading and I liked the idea of a camp for stressed out adults. It actually made a lot of sense to me, I would go to something like that!
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Run away to the countryside with the latest romantic comedy from the bestselling author of Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop!
A fresh start brings a second chance at love…
When Orly’s boyfriend and business partner dumps her for a celebrity fling, she finds solace in tacos, tequila and tears. One terrible hangover later, she’s packed her bags and swapped her London apartment for the overgrown grounds of Honeysuckle Hall.
I read this book in one sitting, it was just the perfect feel-good book for curling up on the sofa. Following a public humiliation Orly finds herself drawn to Honeysuckle Hall. There is an underlying mystery element throughout this book, with Orly finding mysterious notes around the place.
Overall this is a very enjoyable, sweet book. The writing flows beautifully and the characters are all delightful to read about. I would love to read more about Orly, Maya, Leo and Esterlita as well as the guests at Honeysuckle Hall.
I really loved the way Orly collects stamps, postcards and letters as hobby! Esterlita is a firecracker who likes to cook Filipino foods and Filipino superstitions. This book is like a big puzzle with many pieces. When you put all the pieces together, it creates a really exciting, quirky and fun story. This is a heart-warming and funny romance that is filled with friendship and dreams that smell like honeysuckle.
Some lines from this book -
It reminds me there's always an escape. I don't have to stay in one place forever – I can transport myself like a stamp, across vast oceans, over sunburnt plains and start anew.
It's time to be the curator of my own life!
Life starts outside your comfort zone, right?
Change is hard, but if you give it everything you've got I know you'll make a success of it, just like always.
It's not just cooking, it's pouring passion into what you love that makes it so great.
Thanks for making me realise sometimes you just need to grab life by the collar and shake it a little.
Do you like books about starting again? Well, this is a great read for it!
Our main character realises that she does not like the path she is on, and after some drinking decides to just so a 180 in her life. A stressful life trying to please the rich and famous soes not give what she wants from life. She buys a large house on the countryside and decides to do something completely new. She meets new people that give her new insights about life and herself. An eccentric neighbour takes her under her wing, and the rest of the village is suspicious against her. The story also contains some mystery and love elements. (And seriously, props for a philatelist main character, have never seen that one before!)
So, the book is for anyone that likes books about restarting your life, no matter your age and dare to dream and do what you actually want in life. Sounds interesting? Give it a read!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Absolutely charming story. Really enjoyable with some absolutely cracking characters. Romance, intrigue and laugh out loud moment's a plenty. If I had one critique it would be that the some of the plot points were lacking punch. More could have been made of them. However this doesn't fatally ruin the story.
It is always such a joy to read Rebecca's books. This book had it all, a beautiful and heart-warming story, lovely and fun characters, a perfect amount of romance and even a dash of mystery. I deeply enjoyed reading it, the setting was awesome and I think the characters were some of the most memorable, not only Orly, but Esterlita too! I definitely recommend it and I'd definitely go to Orly's Camp DRC thanks to Netgalley and Publisher
Book Review of Escape to Honeysuckle Hall by Rebecca Raisin.
Published by HQ Digital
Published date: 5th August 2021
Orly is burnt out and fed up with her job making celebrity dreams come true at her job at Excès. When she finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her with popstar Carly C, she decides to buy Honeysuckle Hall in the countryside. Her best friend Maya helps her move in and Orly discovers she is going to have a lot of work on her hands if she is going to restore the hall and open her wellness camp. Whilst work begins, she finds herself drawn towards carpenter, Leo. Could the pair be heading for romance? Will Orly’s dream come to fruition?
My thoughts
This book was everything that I hoped it would be. Orly was a likeable, unlucky in love and brave character. I followed her story right to the very end, rooting for her, whilst being utterly engrossed in the romance and the mystery in the novel.
I loved the other characters in the novel, her friends Maya and the Firecracker aka Esterlita, who was flamboyant and full of fun. I thought she was like a surrogate big sister to Orly. As for Leo – reliable, caring yet totally gorgeous – what’s not to love? The theme of being burnt out and wishing to escape from it all will, I’m sure resonate with a lot of people.
I laughed out loud in a few places. A really great feel-good Rom Com, just the right tonic to cheer up a rainy day.
Would I recommend it?
Yes, I loved it! 5 out of 5 stars, with thanks to the publisher HQ Digital (an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers Ltd) and Netgalley for this ARC, which I received for free in exchange for an honest review.
When the author used the word 'cockwomble' to describe Orly's ex, I thought, 'what a promising start'. Unfortunately from then onwards it went downhill.
I've read and enjoyed other books by Rebecca Raisin but Escape to Honeysuckle Hall was full of annoying and unrealistic events. The huge house, cottage and large grounds Orly bought were in Kent, almost a bus ride from London. How could she afford, let alone get a mortgage on a property that had stuck on the market for years, The cottage, empty for decades, was filthy and smelt of death, yet she moved in with her few belongings after just a quick clean. Her visiting friend was shocked the cottage didn't have a walk-in wardrobe. Really, in a cottage! Plenty more instances which I won't bother to mention. I know this is fiction but some vague realism is important.
The heroine and her expectations irritated me so much that I lost interest and deleted.
What do you do when the person you love betrays you and tells the world, well you open a positive camp in a dilapidated mansion and learn to trust yourself and have fun with your friends. This is a feel good story about Orly who always does her best for others but never for herself and in this story she finds what she really wants to do and finds wonderful friends and opportunity for herself and realize that you don't need a lot to be happy or be busy all the time. I love her new friends and that she actually helps the people who attend her first camp even when everything is up in the air and it was find getting to know the camp attendees.
There is something rather wonderful when you sit down with a Rebecca Raisin novel, I know the writing will be excellent and the characters both interesting and amusing and the storyline predictably unpredictable. Escape to Honeysuckle Hall is yet another great read from this wonderful author. Orly is part owner of Exces a company that will provide anything for celebrities, royals and those with big bank balances, whether it’s a theatre show in Vegas or a marriage proposal at the top of the Eiffel Tower, nothing is out of the question. Orly has got to the point in her life that she is just weighed down by the grind of work, work, work and literally no play. She no longer wakes with the excitement of a new day but with the dread and exhaustion of burn out. One morning after a disastrous epic fail of an event and her fiancée’s public affair with a singing sensation, Orly decides enough is enough, she is leaving the city, cashing out her partnership and leaving London for the countryside to pursue her dreams. Honey Suckle hall is a beautiful grand house with a lake, woods and rolling lawns and just in need of a little cosmetic update. With the added bonus of a gate house, Orly moves in and right on cue life becomes a whole new experience. Orly is setting up the hall as an adult adventure camp so other people who are ready to burn out come to the Hall and enjoy a week of fun activities, shared eating and cooking and go home feeling refreshed and relaxed and ready to return to their lives. As usual Rebecca has thrown in some wonderful characters , Esterlita is a Philapino widow who is known locally as the ‘firecracker’ and she certainly suits the name. Es introduces Orly to all the locals and sets out to ensure she marries Orly off instead of starting the ridiculous camp. However all is not well and someone does not want Orly to stay and leaves threatening notes in the hall, who could it be? Surely not the supper lovely, handsome handyman Leo? Or one of the village gossips? A great read not to be missed.
It was a nice book. I could’ve lived without it, however.
I agree with one of the other reviews - The storyline felt a little bit chaotic. Main character went from having a large hall to renovate to a fully renovated hall with seemingly no effort. Taking into account, how we were told numerous times about the main character having a complete lack of experience in renovation, and that she only hired one man with a few workers to complete this it was hard to believe - freshly when we are talking, something like eight bathrooms and 10 bedrooms, that stuff doesn’t happen overnight.
The main hall was never really described much more than that so it was hard to picture.
There was no thorough explanation for if Noah was really the journalist undercover, and no proper explanation for why he kept running out on his job.
Was he really from around there?? Did Orly just give Noah’s job away to Jock without telling him??
It felt like there was heaps of repetition, and not much movement until the final chapters where everything was summed up hurriedly.
There was not a huge amount of character development. You could tell the author was passionate about the Filipino culture and transmitting that to the reader, but the rest of the main characters could have been fleshed out a more. Why was it only in the very last pages that the author told us about Orly’s single parent upbringing? Tell us a little bit more about Leo? And maya?
And come on, really what are the odds of Leo happening to find a reply to a vintage letter and Orly finding the exact letter response to that same letter in a vintage shop, then him posting it to her instead of just handing it to her? It felt forced to create a mystery where there clearly wasn’t one.
And don’t wait for any resolution with the ladies in the town (freya etc), because it never happens, it just kind of dies out.
It was a sweet read, but not one I would look for again.
This review was originally posted on Star Crossed Reviews I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. I feel like it's been an age since I read one of Rebecca's books but in reality, it was only April 2020. I mean a lot has happened since then but I was very excited to be enveloped into a new world created by an author I love.
Our main character is Orly. Orly is quite the impressive woman. She isn't afraid to put in the hard work and two have owned not one but 2 businesses by her age is quite something. I liked how resolute she was with Harry and how she picked herself up. She is a strong determined woman. I would love to be friends with her.
Esterlita, what a character. I love this woman. With all her little Filipino ways and her amazing cooking. I think I need Esterlita to move next door to me please. She is such a fun character!
I also loved Orly's best friend Maya. I think she is really good for Orly. She knows just how to push her out of her comfort zone. I would love to see a follow up story for Maya.
Finally I cannot write a review without writing about the lovely Leo. Not only is he good with his hands he is sweet and caring. I just wanted them to work instantly.
Rebecca has written a story not only about romance but about showing you that you can do whatever you set your mind to. I have a few of Rebecca's books on my TBR pile and I can't wait to catch up.
This story is a sweet, highly enjoyable romance read. The writing flowed well and took me along with the characters in this delightful story. It is well written and kept my interest with its humour, storyline, characters and a few twists, for good measure.
Orly works with the rich and famous fulfilling their every whim and desire. She is engaged to her business partner Harry, a rat if ever there was one. So when everything goes pear-shaped she quits and decides to start an escape camp for people who are definitely famous or rich. That's when the fun starts.
Orly is lovely, determined to break away from her old life and start this new venture. She has a definite vision and isn't going to let anything or anyone stop her. She is a bouncy, happy person whose character I liked and admired.
The story has plenty of good secondary characters from "The Firecracker", the Filipino woman who makes Orly and her life her business to sort out, to Leo the carpenter/odd job man who can literally turn his hand to anything. He is sweet and kind, just what Orly needs. Maya her best friend is great, bubbly, enthusiastic and a great balance to Orly's worries.
I did enjoy this story, its characters and the few unseen twists. It's very readable but for me just need to be a little more surprising as I guessed the plot. Also, the continual use of the term Darling whenever the women from London spoke became a little grating at times. Having said that, it was still an enjoyable read.
Orly runs a very successful, but stressful, business catering to the whims of those who have money to throw around, but had been feeling unsettled recently. So when her fiance and business partner made a mess of a job and then ran off with a 'celebrity' and dumped Orly, she decided it was time for a big lifestyle change.
She'd always wanted to move out into the country, so she sold her shares in the stressful business and bought Honeysuckle Hall, with plans of turning it into a retreat for those needing a bit of R&R. A camp but for adults instead of children, and starts getting the Hall back into shape, with the help of the eccentric Esterlita and the handsome carpenter Leo.
There are a few mysteries around, someone isn't that keen on Orly being there, but she ignores the 'warnings' and carries on regardless.
I did think parts were a bit.... silly(!), and I did think Esterlita appearing the minute Orly moved in was a bit odd, but she really grew on me, even though she was as mad as a box of frogs!
I really enjoyed the way the story developed, with Leo and his crew renovating the Hall and Orly welcoming her first group of paying guests.
The story really grew on me and by the end I was sad to leave Honeysuckle Hall. A real feel-good book.
Thank you NetGalley and HQ for the access to Escape to Honeysuckle Hall by Rebecca Raisin. After having her work life flipped upside down by a mess made by boyfriend Harry, who’s then no where to be found until news arrives he’s shacked up with his latest celebrity client (without even letting her know?!) Orly is in desperate need for a fresh start and big escape and luckily finds it when she sees the ad for Honeysuckle Hall come up while drowning her sorrows in wine. She has always dreamed of finding a property like this and so decides, this is the sign she needs to finally make a change and do something she will actually enjoy and get fulfilment from. She plans to help people just like her who are struggling from burnout, looking for an escape from stress and work & to reboot in the beautiful nature, via a wellness camp for adults. It’s a lovely story with some great characters, a little bit of mystery and of course a little bit of potential love from the local carpenter Leo who seems just what Orly needs after a very much one sided relationship with horrible Harry! It may have a few cliches but there are some surprising twists along the way to few you going too! Overall, I found it was a great read, I was invested throughout and never found myself bored - would be a great summer read by the sea!
This is a light easy read - not the type of story to over think! We start with Orly who leaves her job (and business) and London life when her ex is unfaithful. She makes an offer on Honeysuckle Hall and decides to convert it into a retreat for people with burnout. The story follows her getting back on her feet, her new start, new friends and new adventure. There is also a bit of a love interest but the focus of the book is about friendship rather than personal relationships. There is also a little mystery as someone wants Orly out of Honeysuckle Hall.
I enjoyed reading this - i liked Orly and her friend Maya. Esperlita is the star of the show adding plenty of humour into the mix. There is a lovely group of characters and most were pretty relatable. Having finished the book there are a few little niggles- Maya's news at the end didn't seem to fit with the type of friendship she and Orly had. The story around the stamp collecting seemed forced into the story and could have been developed a bit more... or left out altogether. But overall this is a light, fairly predictable read but enjoyable all the same.
I was given a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you need some comfort, love & pure escapism then this book is the perfect prescription. It has so many threads running through it, which combine to make one incredibly engaging and entertaining story.
‘Escape To Honeysuckle Hall’ is extremely well written. Rebecca has one of those easy going writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact reading one of Rebecca’s books feels more like a chat between friends rather than reading an actual book. The story hits the ground running and maintains a fairly gentle pace throughout. This book truly was a delight to read and did more to cheer me up than medication could have done.
” ‘A vacuum salesman,’ I say. Full of hot air! And proper sucks.”
Raisin manages to create a wonderful setting with fantastic characters who are so real you feel like you can invite them round for tea. The lead character, Orly, is an extremely well-rounded character and very likeable. Her relationship with her best friend, Maya, is the type of friendship that we all strive for. Honestly, the characters are what makes this book really stand out. I mean, there is even a chicken called Cluck Norris, what more could you want!?
I laughed out loud, I cried, and then I laughed out loud again! A total joy to read! This book is for anyone that likes books about restarting your life, no matter your age and dare to dream and do what you actually want in life.