Welkom thuis in Love Heart Lane

Love Heart Lane #1

by Christie Barlow

Het eerste deel in een sprankelende nieuwe feelgoodserie van Christie Barlow over een klein dorp in Schotland.

Wanneer Felicity Simons terugkeert naar haar dorp Heartcross, verwacht ze maar een paar dagen te blijven. De witgekalkte huisjes van het dorpje zijn misschien haar thuis, maar voor haar heeft de plek te veel pijnlijke herinneringen, en aan één man in het bijzonder – Fergus Campbell. Maar als het dorp vlak na haar terugkomst wordt getroffen door verschrikkelijk noodweer en de enige brug die het plaatsje met de beschaving verbindt wordt weggevaagd, kan Felicity niet anders dan blijven…

Genres: Romance, Chick Lit, Fiction, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Summer Reads, Adult Fiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 11, 2019

About the author

Author Girl - published by One More Chapter @HarperCollinsUK

Christie Barlow is the international bestselling author of twelve romantic comedies including the iconic Love Heart Lane Series, A Home at Honeysuckle Farm and Kitty's Countryside Dream. She lives in a ramshackle cottage in a quaint village in the heart of Staffordshire with her four children and two dogs.
Her writing career has come as a lovely surprise when Christie decided to write a book to teach her children a valuable life lesson and show them that they are capable of achieving their dreams. Christie's dream was to become a writer and the book she wrote to prove a point went on to become a #1 international bestseller in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia.
When Christie isn't writing she enjoys playing the piano, is a keen gardener and loves to paint and upcycle furniture.
Christie is an ambassador for the @ZuriProject alongside Patron of the charity, Emmerdale's Bhasker Patel. They raise money and awareness for communities in Uganda.
Christie loves to hear from her readers and you can get in touch via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Twitter - @ChristieJBarlow
Facebook - Christie Barlow Author
Instagram - christie_barlow
www.christiebarlow.com

Reviews

[Berit☀️✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartwarming and heartbreaking story full of hope and second chances!

I am such a sucker for a small town romance especially when it’s set in the UK! This is the first book in the Heart Lane series and it is indeed full of heart! Christie Barlow has a way of making words come to life, enveloping you in the story completely... by the end of the book I felt as though I was friends with these characters and had visited this small charming Scottish town....

Felicity returns home after 8 years.... when she gets home she is greeted by a blizzard and a torrential rain storm that leaves the town isolated... this tragic act of nature brings the community together... being cut off from the rest of the world causes some problems you never think of... in the midst of all this Felicity runs into her long lost love Fergus Who is less than thrilled to see her.... so will the small village of Heart Cross Capture Felicity’s heart again? And will felicity and Fergus find their way back home to each other?

A brilliantly told tale that will tug at your heart strings, Full of so many wonderful characters and heartwarming scenes... there is also some tragedy in this book that I wasn’t necessarily expecting, but I thought it was handled well and it added additional depth to the story.... I absolutely cannot wait to see what these characters get up to next!

A lovely story that will fill your whole heart with hope and love! Recommend!

🎵 Music Running through my mind!
*** this is the song that ran through my head throughout this book, doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the story, but I will be pairing my books with songs going forward!

Settle down, it'll all be clear
Don't pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found
Just know you’re not alone
'Cause I’m going to make this place your home
Home: Philip Phillips 2012

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OTg1n95...

*** many thanks to Harper Impulse for my copy of this book ***

[DJ Sakata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christie Barlow has a new fangirl! I adored this heart-squeezing and emotive story from beginning to end. It was well-paced, highly engaging, insightfully written and easy to follow despite containing a small Scottish village of unique and quirky residents. Felicity had abandoned her small village and loved ones while in despair over personal tragedy, and in her embarrassment, did not reconnect with them again for eight years. Fleeing her sorrow for London hadn’t been the solution she had hoped for, and a visit to her mother was reminding her of what she had left behind. The grass always seems greener…

I enjoyed everything about this story, the writing style, the characters, the storylines, the tangled issues and messes Felicity kept stepping in, she meant well but her tenacious and somewhat impulsive tendencies of jumping in to help was a double-edged sword. There was a bit of everything to be found in this lovely tale as it hit all the feels with humor, heartbreak, danger, regret, adorable children, community involvement, romance, family issues, bad weather, and small village life. All the elements were well incorporated along with the idiosyncrasies of the village.

I hit the mother lode of idioms and new terms for my Brit/UK word list with fairy cakes which appear to be small cupcakes; the big smoke – London or other large cities; wetting the baby’s head – father and friends celebrate the baby’s birth with alcohol; get a shifty on - to get started on something, and not on your Nelly - there is no chance at all of something happening. Thank goodness for the Urban Dictionary, Google, and Wikipedia!

[Mackey · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the snow gently falling and everyone snuggled around the fire, it is the perfect time to read some winter cozies and I have the perfect one for you today – Love Heart Lane by Christie Barlow.

Felicity “Flick” Simons is a bit fed up with her London retail job, more than a bit homesick for the Scottish highlands she has left behind and feeling like a loner in London despite being surrounded by throngs of people. When she receives the devastating news of her grandmother’s death, she decides that it is past time to travel home to Scotland for a few weeks no matter the reasons she left it all behind nearly a decade ago. However, her arrival home is anything except welcoming as she lands in her village in the middle of one of the worst snow storms in ages followed by a torrential rain storm that washes out the town’s bridge, cutting it off from the civilization and supplies that lie on the other side of the river. An avalanche of emotional and physical needs swarm Flick as she is forced to confront the loss of her grandmother, the closure of their family’s tea shop, the life and love she gave up so many years ago, the friends she once left behind and a village that must cope with a dwindling supply of food and coal. Can Felicity set aside her personal angst and lead her community forward? Will it be enough to save her tiny village?

Love Heart Lane is a wonderful book about community, resilience of the heart, friends and neighbors who rally together to help one another in a time of great need. While there is romance, and it is referenced often, this book is not a “rom-com” as it is billed. There is a lot of tragedy, death, and heartbreak, some of which is dealt with realistically and some of which is brushed over a little too easily – which can be somewhat expected in a cozy. However, what Love Heart Lane does have in abundance is hope and friendship and messages of second chances which, I like to believe, is something we all need to believe can be a reality for us all. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Love Heart Lane and recommend it for those who enjoy a heartwarming, cozy read. This is the first book in a series and I’m truly looking forward to the next so I can catch up with the delightful characters whom I’ve come to know and adore.

I’m grateful to @HarperImpulse, #Netgalley and #ChristieBarlow for my copy of Love Heart Lane available now.

[Dash fan · Rating 5 out of 5]

5☆ An Enchanting Read, Full of Warmth and loveable characters that will leave you warm inside!

Love Heart Lane is a gorgeous new series full of Warmth, Charm, Emotion, and Loveable Characters.
It's a beautiful story about Family, Relationships, Loss, Friendships, Starting Over, Helping Others, Coming Together, Community Spirit, and Learning to Love Again.

Felicity has been called home to the charming Love Heart Lane after her grandmother Bonnie passed away.
Bonnie was adored by everyone who met her.

Felicity hasn't been home in a while and dreads going back, after she run away from her Ex boyfriend Fergus to live in London. She broke both of their hearts and just couldn't face bumping into him.

But on coming home she is guilt ridden at leaving her mum to cope with her Grandmother and her beloved tea shop......
‘Bonnie’s Teashop’ which her Mum had to close down months prior in order to care for Bonnie.
Felicity is heartbroken and ashamed, and vows to help her Mum and the community.

When disaster strikes upon the community, Felicity knows she has to stay and help her friends and family.
In time hoping to heal broken friendships, but more importantly can she heal her broken heart?

Oh gosh I adored this story!
Felicity is such a loveable character, In fact all of the characters are exceptionally written.
Normally at the start of a new series it takes time to build connections but not with this one.
Already the characters feel like friends and I can't wait to get to know them more in the next instalment!

Christie Barlow is one of my favourite Authors and she has a knack of storytelling with a lot of heart, passion, fun, humour, charm, wit and warmth.
Christie has weaved her magic once again with Love Heart Lane, she writes the most mesmerising and amazing stories you can't help getting lost in them.

So if you are looking for a new series that once you start you won't be able to put down, then I strongly suggest picking up Love Heart Lane and giving it a read!
You won't be disappointed!

Thank you to Rachel Random Resources and Harper Impulse 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 by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com

Felicity Simons (Flick) left Heartcross, her hometown in Scotland eight years ago and headed to London to make something of herself leaving behind her friends and ex-boyfriend Fergus, as well as her mother and Grandmother.

When she receives the devastating news that her Grandmother has passed away, Flick is extremely upset that she hadn’t visited more often, including over the recent festive period.

Booking two weeks off work she flies to Scotland and heads home, but Heartcross is a small village with only one way in and out, over an old bridge. The snow is falling rapidly and her taxi can’t get her across the bridge so she has to walk the rest of the way.

Heartcross is a place where everyone knows everyone else and community spirit is high. There aren’t many places to hide and it doesn’t take long before Felicity and Fergus’s paths cross. He’s not happy to see her and even after she helps save his and his horse’s life, he still doesn’t want to know.

With the village rapidly becoming cut off from the rest of the world can the villagers pull together and can Fergus and Flick bury their differences and move on?

This is the first book in a new series from author Christie Barlow and what a series it is going to be in the first book is anything to go by. I may live in the North of England but I’ve never actually stepped foot across the border into Scotland, though Heartcross sounds like a delightful place, although a little too rural for me, but very picturesque with all the snow.

Flick is a wonderful character who is trying to make amends for the past and feeling guilty for not being there for her Mother and Grandmother in their time of need, especially as the family business suffered a setback and she knew nothing about it.

I was intrigued to know why she stayed away for so long and what happened between her and Fergus that even after eight years he’s less than impressed to see her.

Needing to know more and with a want to spend more time in the little villager and with the delightful people, I found myself reading the book in just one sitting.

This is a series not to be missed.

[Danielle's · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Heart Lane gave me the warm and fuzzies. What a cute story. There is a town to save, a man to love and a little girl to cherish.

Felicity Simons knows where she belongs. Her heart has always been in one place and belongs to one man, but when times got too tough she ran away. The future she saw was not the one she had planned. Felicity moves to London and left her small town in Scotland behind. Her cute cosy town was swapped for a flat in the big city. Her family tearoom job was exchanged for a department store. She’s dating a guy that isn’t the right one but at least she has her best friend Polly.

Felicity returns to her hometown in Scotland after her grandmother passes. It’s years later and the town has moved on without her. Felicity realised how much she’s missed home and everything that goes with it. She has some bridges to mend and some hearts to fill.

I really enjoyed this book. The whole town came to life. It was more than a second chance romance. It’s about acceptance and community. Felicity is a great leading lady and the town won me over. I really like Alfie’s character. He is misunderstood by Felicity and she never really saw who he was, but author Christie Barlow hints of his story.

This is my first story by this author and it won’t be my last. 5 out of 5. *I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was a Netgalley read.

[Finitha Jose · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Love Heart Lane' is set in a small but picturesque Scottish village called Heartcross. As a village born and brought up girl, I approached the book with trepidation since I am not a fan of the romantic concepts of village life that clearly has its origins from Wordsworth. The ideas of natural beauty, fresh air and comradeship are sure to be there, but it's also the place where people refuse to change and there will be a few who are only interested in poking at other's personal lives. Ya, its no heaven on earth.
But a clever writer can always make us forget this dark side and for a moment we are persuaded to follow Coleridge's dictum of willing suspension of disbelief. Clearly, Christie Barlow is quite talented in making us immersed in the story. She is a master writer, and I savoured every bit of this delightful novel.
It will capture your heart from the very beginning and the moment Flick reaches Heartcross, things start spiking up. So be prepared to read it with some spare time at hand, because you won't be putting down your Kindle any time soon once you start. Felicity (Flick) is not someone to shy away from dangers and her capable hands and strong mind eventually take the village out of the huge crisis. I never thought she was a coward for running away in the past, it might be a bit rash, but something that also needs a lot of courage to do.
I loved the way the novel ended. Even with the cliffhanger, this is a perfect happy ending for the first book in the series. Can's wait to read more about Flick, Fergus and also about their angelic kid.

[Alla · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I was a teenager I loved watching tv shows from BBC that took place in the Highlands of Scotland or in the country side of England and Ireland. There was just something so charming about them, so appealing. This book reminds me of those kind of shows.
This story takes place in the Scottish Highlands.
The main character, Felicity is returning home after 8 years away from her hometown after the death of her grandmother. She left her friends and the love of her life in a haste, never to make contact with them again and when she returns she´s suddenly facing her friends again and not all are too happy to see her.
I liked this story. Though there were some parts that dragged out a bit for me and others that felt a bit rushed, but overall I liked it.

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Felicity Simons learns her grandmother has died, she returns after eight years to the village of Heartcross in the Scottish Highlands. Feeling guilty after having been away so long, Felicity, known as Flick, is only planning to stay a short while. Just long enough to spend time with her mother and bring her some comfort before hightailing it back to London where she had fled to years before. Love Heart Lane holds too many memories for Flick, especially of Fergus Campbell and the way things ended between them. But all is not well on Love Heart lane. The tea rooms her mother and grandmother ran is in disrepair. Then drastic weather conditions of snow and storms, conspire to keep Flick and the village cut off from the rest of the country. Flick finds she still has feelings for Fergus. But Fergus has moved on with his life. He now has a young daughter Esme. When Flick, incorporates Esme into one of her schemes to try and help the community, Fergus is less than impressed.
After my last couple of books I wanted a nice light read. Love Heart Lane fitted the bill. Although Initially Flick is rather self-absorbed, the reader soon sees another side to her, though she is clueless in some areas. I absolutely understood why Fergus did not want his daughter being photographed and being put on Facebook without his permission. But I am a person very wary of Facebook and social media where too much about people is revealed. In the end the whole situation takes on a life off its own.
Even though I had issues with a couple of aspects, I enjoyed this story. I liked Fergus, Isla, Allie, Rory, Drew, Aggie and many of the other villagers as well as Rona, Flick’s mother. Young Esme is an absolute delight. This is a story of friendship and family but also of the way a community will pull together when a need arises. And there is also the situation between flick and Fergus. Can they ever find their way back to the relationship they once had? Or even a friendship? Or has too much happened to separate them?
A stunning setting, enough complications to keep the plot moving and likeable chracters that kept me wanting to spend time with them, combine to make an enjoyable book. This was an engaging and emotionally involving read. Exactly the change of pace I needed. A lot of fun, this is part 1 of a series and I would be interested to read more about these characters.

[Abigail Bok · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking for a little escape, a little romance, and thought this book would fit the bill. Sadly, it was not to my taste.

We meet our heroine, Felicity Simons, in her boss's office at a London department store. She has just parted ways with her boyfriend and her grandmother has just died, so she needs a little time off to return to her home village, Heartcross in the Scottish Highlands. She has avoided home since leaving there in misery eight years before, and the time has come for her to face up to all she fled.

From the moment she arrives, the sorrows and disasters and crises start piling up. There's a blizzard and the village is cut off from the outside world. One of her oldest friends is about to give birth and can't get to the hospital. Her other best friend hates her for walking out on them. The man she loved hates her, ditto. Her mother is depressed and exhausted from caring for her grandmother alone (yes, Felicity, you abandoned her too) and the family teashop is shuttered. And the boiler is broken so the cottage they live in is an icebox. And that's just the first few chapters! I won't spoil by totting up any more of the drama, but it comes thick and fast for about three-quarters of the book.

For me, this was one of the problems with the story. I was willing to sympathize with the heroine (though inclined to be severe on her for not turning up for the caregiving and for letting her grandma die without coming to see her), but when she faced a new trauma every five minutes, things became a bit silly. Any two or three of the setbacks and I would have taken to my bed for a week. It became implausible when Felicity kept trembling and crying but carrying on to save the day. Also, the actions from her past that made her homecoming welcome less than warm were done away with awfully easily, and forgiveness was usually achieved by her simply stepping up to take charge and boss people around. I have some experience with closed, tribal societies, and trust me, they don't open up so readily. If there had been fewer impediments, the reconciliations would have seemed more credible. Especially when she kept saving the day for the somewhat hapless villagers, who would more likely have resented her presumptuousness than embraced her as the homecoming hero.

Another thing that kept me from falling into the tale was the old writer's taboo of telling, not showing. We'd have a little dialogue and then the narrator would explain Felicity's reaction (and occasionally, in a slip of point of view, another character's reaction). Usually what her reaction would be was obvious enough from the dialogue that the explanation felt gratuitous and bogged the story down despite the frantic pace of incident.

Finally, and I'm a bit embarrassed to admit to this, in American cozies there are usually stricter rules about sex versus love. I know British culture prides itself about taking sex in stride, but my Puritan ancestors were hoping for a scarlet letter or two. The book is clean on the page, but much of the drama is driven by past teenage pregnancies out of wedlock, a child fobbed off on the wrong father, and other issues that seriously interfered with my warm-and-fuzzies. Also the heroine, after dumping her live-in boyfriend in the first chapter, apparently never gives him a moment's thought, but is at the same time constantly jealous of her hometown ex for having moved on and had another relationship in her absence. It was hard for me not to find all this pretty shallow, or at least psychologically undermotivated.

I am often impressed by the writing skills of those who write women's popular fiction, but this one missed the mark for me. The author seems to be very popular, however, so maybe I'm just being cranky.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s nothing better than the start of a new series with brand new characters. I always love getting to know new ones. As you would also expect from this genre of book, we also have the idyllic setting.

I love Scotland and what’s better than Scotland in winter time? Lots of snow adding to the most wonderful visions I had in my head. I loved how close knit the village is and how secluded it was also. Though as we soon get to realise, being out in the middle of nowhere does come with a down side.

This is very much a story about community spirit. It’s about everyone pulling together at a time of crisis. There is also a wonderful sense of friendship and I mean real friendship. These are friends that pull together and are there for each other when it really matters. I was very envious of theses characters and wanted to join them along at the pub or up at the farm. I definitely wanted to be one of the crowd either way.

Flick and Fergus obviously have a lot of history and I was intrigued to know more about why they had parted ways and why Fergus wasn’t giving Flick the warmest of welcomes. Even so, you can still sense a certain amount of chemistry between the two and I was gripped to the pages to see how things were going to work out for the pair of them.

Love Heart Lane is a heart warming and all consuming read that I couldn’t get enough of. I read it in one day as I was desperate to see if Flick gets her happy ending. The good thing of course about this book, is that of course, there’s more to come! I can’t wait to be back in Heartcross again! A truly fabulous novel.

My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources, NetGalley and Harper Impulse for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m always so excited when Christie Barlow releases a new book, she’s one of my go to authors when I’m in the mood for something light and fun, yet full of depth as well. I swear each new book is my new favorite from her and this was no exception, the best part is that it’s the first in a brand new series!

Felicity was the quintessential Barlow heroine, she’s relatable, warm and kind and exactly the type of lead that can easily carry a book. Besides Flick, there’s an entire village of amazing secondary characters that gave the story heart and I can’t wait to explore them more in future books. The setting itself was picturesque and quaint, it made me contemplate packing up my own family and moving to the Scottish highlands myself!

True to form this book had quite a few unexpected moments along the way and even the main love story didn’t go exactly as I had anticipated, which I love! Being surprised while reading romance is always an added bonus, especially when I’m already enjoying a story so very much without little twists and turns. As always I highly recommend this one when you’re in the mood for something sweet.

Love Heart Lane in three words: Cozy, Charming and Delightful.

[Agi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felicity Simons returns home to the Scottish Highlands after 8 years. Her departure was, in retrospect, very sudden and she burned a few bridges, to be honest. So it's not a wonder that her return, that was prompted by her beloved grandma's death, is not very welcome, especially by the one person that she cares about - and it's the person she's broken his heart. Felicity has a lot of fences to mend, especially with her friends, who couldn't understand why she didn't stay in touch with them. Being back, Felicity quickly realises that her hearts belong again to Heartcross. But will she be given a second chance?

There is a lot happening in Love Heart Lane for such a small place but I adored this village. The setting was beautifully idyllic but also dangerous, and so different. I've been reading the book at the same time when here, not far from where I live, there were incredibly heavy snowfalls, and the catastrophe alarm has already been introduced, so it was easy to imagine how Love Heart Lane looked like.

There is a whole cats of characters in the novel, and they are all lovely, warm and welcoming, probably sometimes too lovely, the small conflicts and misunderstandings weren't too twisty. But the author for sure knows how to bring them all to life, and she brilliantly described how easily they all pulled together at the time of crisis. And I really liked the gang, the way their friendship survived, the way how they were around each other.

It was an absolutely lovely, nice read guys, that started in such a brilliant way. I thought, yes, I'm really into something great. And it was still an absolutely lovely, nice read until we reached the moment with the bridge. As of this moment I couldn't stand Felicity. I know she was the main character but I had a feeling that every second word is either Felicity or Flick. Felicity this, Flick that. And of course Felicity was everywhere and she was able to do anything, starting with helping by the labour, through being chosen unanimously as a spokesperson for the village, finding Esme (of course!!!), finding herself in all the crucial moments in the right places and organizing everything smoothly and hassle - free. Well, I think I could take it but not the way she was crowding Fergus and his family - because it felt like this. I was wondering, hell, woman, who has given you the right to act like this? To decide over Fergus's will? To impose yourself? To not give him a choice? Those things simply annoyed me, spoiled the book for me and made me not to really care about the characters and what's going to happen. It was also impossible not to spot what was in the heart of the book: community, because it was also mentioned on every second page. I love books where the community feeling is so brilliantly overwhelming, where people support each other, but I also like to deduce it by myself, I don't need to have it all the time mentioned. But yes, I liked how close knit the villagers were and how the pub and the tea shop were the places to be, to meet and to enjoy the company.

So really, if it weren't for Felicity, I think I would totally adore this book. Shame. However, I am in minority here, guys, as all the other reviewers are RAVING about this book, so no matter what please do not feel put out by me and simply read this novel. It's light - hearted and fast - paced and if you're like this kind of read it'll give you the warm fuzzies. The narrative flows and it's very easy to read. And the cover is simply gorgeous! It deserves a standing ovation.

Copy provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.

[tiff · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea of the book was so promising but the awful main character and the book trying to make us most sympathetic to her was so bad. You know it's not good when 15% into the book you're already rooting for the two characters to end up with different people.

Okay I have many complaints about Felicity "Flick" Whateversherlastnameis. She is an awful awful awful very terribly crappy person. She makes everything about her. What a selfish person. Here is my very long list of complaints:


1. She leaves her hometown without anyone knowing for 8(?) years, doesn't keep in touch with anyone, and although she knows she's not going to be welcomed back with open arms by everyone she whinges about it. She basically ghosted everyone. Yes, 2 miscarriages and learning you most likely cannot have children is very traumatizing and I believe that she may have been suffering depression afterwards with explains her up and leaving her hometown (which includes her boyfriend Fergus who was also grieving the loss) but it doesn't excuse you for everything. There are consequences to your actions. You can't use it as your trump card for everything. Hopefully people will be understanding and forgive you but bluntly put, it is not a requirement that people have to forgive you. Their experience/feeling are valid too.

2. This conversation between Flick and her mum where her mum says that Flick couldn't have seriously expected Fergus to put his life on hold and waited to see if she would come back and she replies "no" sulkily. Why are you sulking Flick? Sad, despondent, gloomy etc. makes sense but sulkily makes her seem very entitled and spoilt.

3. The interaction between Fergus' daughter Esme and Flick.
- When Flick learns that the kid (Esme) doesn't have a mom she has a "tiny thrill of emotion knowing that she [...] could spend a little more time with the little girl without a mother of her own.". Who in this flippin' world says a thing like that. So creepy and inappropriate.
- Flick took a video with Esme with the intention of using it to go viral to raise attention for the fundraiser. Who in the world does that without parental permission? Awful. It got uploaded by Esme without Flick's knowledge but without Flick taking the video, that wouldn't have happened.

4. Flick's selfish reactions to Fergus being furious.
- When Fergus finds out the video went viral he angrily tells her/yells "Don't think of doing anything like this again, you are not her mother, Flick" and Flick was "shocked that Fergus could say something so cruel to her". How is that cruel? Sure, she can't have children but this is a situation where you can't use that as a trump card. It doesn't change the fact that she is not Esme's mother and she grossly overstepped the boundaries.
- Fergus has his reasons for being kind of paranoid and not wanting Esme to go viral and Flick feels that "he was blowing it all out for proportion" because the video was "helping the community".
-Lastly, when Esme can't be found and it's supposedly Flick's fault someone asks if they know why Emse had run away. Flick sobs feeling absolutely distraught "I'm what happened ... Fergus hates me". HOW IS THAT SOMETHING YOU SAY???? A CHILD IS MISSING AND YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO MAKE THIS ABOUT YOU?????


I have no idea why people loved Flick so much. Yes flawed characters are necessary and we can't expect characters to be angels but I think I've shown how Flick is just a "HECK NO".

Can you tell I'm mad and I really dislike Flick? Hahaha

[Zoé-Lee O'Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right off the bat, I knew this would be a new series I would fall in love with, not just the characters but the community would warm my heart on the cold nights.

Felicity aka Flick, left HeartCross under a huge black cloud 8 years ago, only returning because her nan Bonnie has passed. How will the community receive her? When she left, she left Fergus behind, the broody hero of the story and boy does he have the right to be broody.

Despite loving all the characters especially the cute Esme, Flicks behaviour did sometimes rile me. She is very head-strong, which is a great trait, but she would do things without thinking of a certain person feeling, ignoring the advice of other people and pushing at it. It did annoy me, but then I reflected and thought to be fair I would do the same and then I annoyed myself. I mean how far would you go to get your Fergus back? Let’s face most of us has a Fergus in our lives I know I do.

In spite of that quality, Flick is the only person I would have chosen to be the ambassador for the village when they lose their bridge, the only connection to the world. She gets the community geared up as they all support each other as they battle the snow and the other horrid elements. She is the epitome of community life, now that she’s back from the glamour and glitz.

The story is now just about the villagers and their plight, but the village itself. Bonnie's teashop, Hamish shop, Allie and her parents and the pub and Rory and the vet, they are all prominent, they have a lease of their own. They are where the community meet, there is a lot of laughter and love and a lot of smiling.

So I have been a bit emotional lately and not going to lie when I was reading this a few watery eye moments happened. I felt for Flick and her heartache and break, her loss of leaving the place and people she loved the most, Fergus dealing with Esme and a potential new threat, Isla and her babies and family being snowed in at the most inopportune time and Allie allowing her heart to thaw and accept her best friend back in the fold.

I do love reading books when the character changes their entire life, a thing I could only dream of, so l live vicariously through them, Flick and her teashop. If it was that simple I would do it! The book made me smile and I can not wait for the next story to get stuck in and meet up with old friends.

This is my first book by Ms Barlow and I don’t know why it’s taken me so long! The writing flows so easily, and you get caught up in the moment, the words and I couldn’t put it down. I want to jump back into her past books and get caught Up in her writing. I read love heart lane in one evening, I burned the midnight oil, I couldn’t rest until I knew everyone would be ok…I mean who else worries that the characters in a book won’t be ok? Just me??

[Nicola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great characters, underwhelming romance. And try to remember artistic flair exists if you’re a bridge engineer.

[Nicola Clough · Rating 5 out of 5]

My word Christie has certainly done it with this it's amazing well written simply fantastic didn't want it to end at all as so good. Worth far more than five stars and now can't wait for the second book in the series to come out. What a perfect way to curl up and read about a village community who pull together and friendships and romance and being happy with yourself with who you are now. What more could you ask for the village life sounds perfect and just want to go yourself.
Flick moved from her a prose home years ago after heartbreak and hasn't visited since but her nana has passed away and she heads home. Once she back home with her mum she realises she's really missed it. Snow is covered all over the village and not all her friends are happy to see her to start with but there is one person she is really not wanting to see her ex. But when she goes to a friends and sees him and hears he's got a child she guessed he's moved on but has he. The village is cut off with the snow but then when it re opens a lorry gets blown over on the bridge and the bridge collapses so they are totally cut off. The community cone together and flick opens the teashop that she use to work in but when her nana fell ill her mum had to close it. They start trying to work out what they do but when flick makes a video with her ex child and it accidentally goes on line little did they realise the response they would get. Can they get a bridge put back so they aren't cut off can flick raise the money they need and will her ex come round to her or not. The community need to pull together and flick needs to decide what she wants and I'd she wants to be back at home. Can she find romance or is it just to much.
A simply fantastic read worth far more than five stars can't wait for the follow on.

[Becka · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It took me so long to get into this book - the main character, Flick, was boring and by chapter 3 I was fed up with her dwelling on the past and just generally being depressing.
There were so many people in this book. Like, SO many. There must have been at least 10 or more characters introduced or mentioned before chapter 5. Most of them were unnecessary, honestly, and they all seemed to use the same sayings ALL THE TIME. Mostly “know them from old” or “his/her bark is worse than his/her bite”
Now, my biggest issue with the book was the main character, Felicity or ‘Flick’.
Flick is selfish and has expected everyone to just be fine with her return despite her running off and having no contact with any of her friends for 8 years. She also expects Fergus to let her spend time with his daughter even though she left him when he was also grieving for their lost babies. I’m surprised people are as pleased to see her as they are considering she didn’t come back at all, despite being told that her grandmother was ill,h and that her mother had to close down the family business and has had no source of income for the last 6 months.

There was too much going on in this story - delivering babies, bridge collapsing, DNA testing, television crews. It was a bit like Jeremy Kyle!

And Fergus. Drippy, angry, sad Fergus. He changed his mind so fast that it made my head spin! After continuously saying he can never trust her again and they will never be able to get past it, he suddenly decides that actually he loves her after all (insert eye roll)

Basically, this could have been a lovely second chance story but Felicity was a selfish character who seemed to give no thought for anyone else’s emotions.

1 star.

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put this book down. From the moment it started, I was drawn into Felicity;s life, and at the point the book moved to Heartcross, well I had to read it in one sitting, staying up to the small hours.

Definitely a book worth sacrificing sleep for!!

There is so much drama and action in Love Heart Lane, that I couldn't believe it.

it's all about the community of Heartcross who need to come together when their small Scottish village is cut off from the rest of the world.

It is about Felicity returning to Heartcross properly after 8 years, hoping that her friends will welcome her and wondering just what sort of reaction Fergus will give her.

There is a whole cast of warm and lovable characters, who I can't read to more about in the rest of this series.

I think I may be saying it with every book but Christie Barlow is getting better and better, her writing is fabulous and the way the story jumps off the page and gets under your skin is remarkable.

What a wonderful book, that I adored every second of.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Impulse for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Yv · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leuke, maar veilige, start van een feelgoodreeks.

[Marloes · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Cathy Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*
Felicity (Flick) Simons has been in London eight years after fleeing her home village of Heartcross in the Scottish Highlands. Visits home had been fleeting but changes under a new regime at the department store where she works, from a friendly, family run business into something much more impersonal, had her thoughts turning more and more to Heartcross. She misses the people she’s left behind—her mum, gran Bonnie, and the good friends she’s grown up with. Her reasons for leaving are still raw and the painful memories are something she hasn’t yet completely come to terms with.

Felicity returns to Heartcross when her beloved grandmother passes away. She expects to be there a week or two, but circumstances dictate otherwise when the village is battered by a winter storm. The ferocity of the snow storm and resulting flood causes the Grade II listed bridge over the river, the only way in and out of the village during the winter, to be swept away leaving the villagers unable to receive any supplies. The river was too high and fast for boat crossings so no-one could get in or out.

(quote) Felicity thought back to her life at Heartcross and memories of her grandmother flooded her mind; the times they’d spent together in the family teashop and the love they’d shared. Bonnie Stewart had lived her whole life in the Scottish Highlands, and sadness flooded Felicity’s veins again as she remembered the way her grandmother’s cheeks had dimpled with her smile, the way she’d planted noisy kisses on the top of her head and the way she’d always smelled of scrumptious baking. (unquote)

Flick has to make peace with her friends after the abrupt way she left Heartcross. Integrating back into the community, and repairing one relationship in particular, is not proving as easy as she hoped. She feels out of the loop. Flick needs to face up to the past and work at earning the trust of those she hurt. However, when her reasons for leaving become clear it’s not difficult to be more sympathetic towards her. Her overriding emotions are guilt for her thoughtlessness towards her friends over the years, sadness at Bonnie’s passing and shock at the circumstances her mother finds herself in. The dire situation facing the villagers brings out the best in her.

This is my first Christie Barlow book and I really enjoyed it. Stories set in wonderful locations with small, close knit communities that pull together when times are tough always appeal to me. There’s a good mix of engaging and realistic characters in believable situations and the setting is brought vividly to life. Drama, life changing issues and the power of positivity, social media and friendship are incorporated into the story as well the ability to recover from adversity. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

I chose to read and review Love Heart Lane courtesy of Rachel’s Random Resources via NetGalley.

[Lisa M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exquisite! So close to the end of 2018 (review written on 29/12/18) if you asked me to name my top 10 books of the year this would easily make the list....in fact I'd say it could even be in my top 5 and I've read over 100 books this year!

Let's start with the obvious - the cover is beautiful, so vibrant and would immediately make me pick up this book to read the synopsis. I love the colours and first look at Heartcross with it's bunting-clad trees.

The book follows Felicity (Flick) who returns to her home village of Heartcross (a small village in the Scottish Highlands)"from London following the death of her grandmother. When she arrives she is shocked to find her mum's cottage and business in disarray and more than a bit run down as her mum had struggled to cope with everything as well as caring for Flick's grandmother.

The business is a tearoom that Flick has fond memories of and resolves to leave her time in London behind and start afresh in Heartcross to aid her mum in rejuvenating the tearoom and indeed her own life again.

Flick reacquaints with friends from her past - it is alluded to that she left in a hurry but I won't spoil why but it was refreshing that she wasn't entirely welcomed back with open arms from everyone as that is how I'd expect it to be in reality.

Flick has to work her way back into her old friendship group and, as it has been years since she returned home, this is not straightforward in some cases. When catastrophe strikes can Flick step forward and use her skill set to help 'save the day'? This is usually the part I find a bit clichèd in romance books however I loved this storyline - it was very interesting reading the ideas Flick and the other residents came up with and was actually believable and well-written in general. I felt like I desperately wanted to be a part of the community as they pulled together in the very best of ways.

Of course, it wouldn't be right without a potential love interest and I adored this aspect - enter Fergus. Flick and Fergus were in a relationship when they were younger, I feel like I have spoiled enough so I will leave this heart-warming (& sad backstory) for you to find out for yourself!

Suffice to say I can't recommend this enough - my first read by Christie Barlow but I already have a few more of her books on my kindle that will be read very soon! The characters were superb (I loved Esme!) and the community spirit was heart warming and touching. The note from Christie at the end is clear there will be another book from the same setting and I am already on countdown for that!

My many thanks to Harper Impulse and Killer Reads via NetGalley for providing me with this advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Emma Stretton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this is the first in the series, I haven't been reading these books in order, so I have gotten to know the characters a little before reading this one. In the other books, Felicity came across as a nice woman, but in this, I felt she thought shes entitled and wanted to be the centre of attention all the time. An example being when she went to Fergus' house and he closed his laptop when she went into the room. As soon as he left the room, she went onto his laptop without permission to have a look at what she thought he was hiding. Why she thought she had any right to do this I really don't know. She had only just returned back to the village, so she doesn't have any right to be getting involved in people's lives like that. Even if she had been around longer, it wasn't her place to be going through his laptop. If he wanted to share what he was doing, he would have.
I don't normally mind seeing a few spelling mistakes, but in each book in this series, there have been quite a few in them and also missed words. I feel the book should have been proof read more better before being published. I am aware of human error, but for them to be the whole way through the book feels like 100% attention wasn't put to checking for errors.

On a good point. This book is a great starting point for the series, and I can see why people fall in love with the little town and the characters.

[Merry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flick Simons traveled to back Heartcross, a small highland village in Scotland, after her grandmother died. She missed her hometown but rarely returned to visit. A winter storm caused Flick to stay longer than she planned when excessive wind and rain took out the only bridge connecting the hamlet to a larger town just across the bridge. Heartcross was small and contained approximately 200 cottages. They had amenities, but they relied heavily on the bridge for goods and services. The residents of Heartcross banded together to care for one another. This strength of community ties compelled Flick to reconsider her choice to return to London.

I enjoyed reading about tiny Heartcross and its community. I loved Flick's spirit and willingness to dive in and take charge over matters when needed. She realized that although she had been away from her hometown for many years, her love for the people and the village had always been there. Her friendship with her best friends, Isla and Allie, had suffered from time and lack of communication, but they would continue to support Flick and cheer her on. Flick hoped that rekindling a friendship with her old boyfriend, Fergus, would go as well. Love Heart Lane was the first in a series of stories from Heartcross. I fell in love with the village and the people who lived there. I see many more Love Heart Lane novels by Christie Barlow in my future.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm absolutely over the moon to find a new series with all the ingredients you need to totally fall in love with the story and the characters. Love Heart Lane is such an idyllic setting, in the highlands of Scotland. Totally remote in snowstorms but with a wonderful community spirit when they need to pull together.

Felicity has returned after a long spell and we are left to wonder what happened between her and Fergus when they were younger. She feels a bit left out with all her old friends, but the lure of Love Heart Lane soon has her wanting to belong all over again.

She weaves her way into everyone's hearts again when she finds herself in charge of overcoming adversity when the snow starts to thaw.

A beautifully woven story that has me hoping the next book in the series is going to be released very soon.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

You’d be mistaken for thinking you’d parachuted into the midst of a disaster movie but actually this book is a rollercoaster of excitement, family ties and romance.

So many sub plots easily anchored around the main story. This book was a joy to read and I cannot wait for the next instalment. This book is somewhere you want to live in real life!

Thank you Netgalley.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh I am so looking forward to the rest of this series! What a charming setting and enchanting characters. Sure but there was a bit of sadness and drama, a good cozy romance should always have some semblance of realism. Just enough to think the story is possible.

Loved all of the characters and can’t wait to read more. Esme was adorable and I look forward to reading more about her antics in the village of Heartcross.

Christie Barlow is becoming a master of the cozy romance.

[ღ suus ღ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ik zat eigenlijk te twijfelen tussen 4 en 5 sterren. 4,5 zou eigenlijk beter op z’n plaats zijn … maaar 4 te weinig dus ik maak er 5 van!

Ik heb genoten van dit verhaal. Op het moment dat ik begon in dit boek zat ik nog in een leesdip dus ik heb er wel ff over gedaan ;) ik denk wel dat ik meteen deel 2 ga lezen :D

[Prissie_ leest · Rating 4 out of 5]

wat een heerlijke feelgood was dit.
ik heb genoten van dit verhaal, soms cliché maar toch heerlijk. het verhaal zat goed in elkaar.