Welcome to the start of a brand NEW series set in the New Forest full of matchmaking and animal magic from Bestselling author Della Galton. When your heart's broken, all roads lead home...
London City Vet, Phoebe Dashwood, finds her partner Hugh and their boss in a passionate clinch beneath the mistletoe at their works Christmas party.
Heartbroken, she bolts to the New Forest, her childhood home to regroup and soul search.
Being home gives Phoebe the chance to reconnect with friends and family and especially with her fiercely independent gran, widower Maggie Crowther, owner of Puddleduck Farm, and makeshift animal shelter New Forest Neddies.
Deciding not to return to London, Phoebe hunts for work locally, hoping she can also help Maggie, who’s clearly swamped and not coping. But will Maggie accept Phoebe’s help?
Her quest is hampered by stubborn grandmothers, meddling mums, an attractive childhood friend, a real-life Lord, a remorseful ex, and a best friend who’s determined to play matchmaker.
Can Phoebe find happiness professionally and personally in the place she calls home, surrounded by those she loves or does fate have other plans for Phoebe?
What everyone is saying about Coming Home to Puddleduck Farm:
'A delightful story, in what promises to be a wonderful new series, full of fun and animal drama!' Jo Bartlett
'A beautifully written, gentle story about self-acceptance, family and friendship. I hope this will be the first of many visits to Puddleduck Farm.' Sarah Bennett
'Puddleduck Farm will find its way into your heart - a wonderfully cosy read!' Fay Keenan
'A warm, delightful read full of friendship and family with a touch of love on the horizon ... I can't wait to see what happens next at Puddleduck Farm!' Helen Rolfe
'A gorgeous start to a heart-warming new series, filled with engaging characters and a delightful cast of animals. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Puddleduck Farm!’ Jill Steeples
Della Galton (aka Della Parker) writes novels set in Dorset, featuring quirky characters and very often a dog or two. She's had more than 2000 short stories published and she's run out of fingers to count her books on.
She is a popular speaker at writing conventions and the agony aunt for Writers' Forum Magazine.
When she is not writing she enjoys walking her dogs around the beautiful Dorset countryside and beaches.
Three and a half stars When London vet Phoebe Dashwood find her work and love partner Hugh in a passionate kiss and embrace with boss Melissa, Phoebe flees to the home where she grew up.back in New Forest, she reconnects with friends and family, especially enjoying time with her feisty grandmother Maggie. Maggie owns Puddleduck Farm, a haven for rescued animals of varying sorts, ducks, dogs, geese and several donkeys. Phoebe is drawn not to return to London but to look for work locally. She also wants to help Maggie as much as she can. Since her grandmother is fiercely independent that is not always easy to navigate. What does the future hod for Phoebe? And what is the story with young Archie, son of the Lord of the manor and his attachments to donkeys? And what can help his father Rufus and his battle with post traumatic stress? This is a sweet pleasurable story about mostly likeable, believable people. A story of family, friendships, relationships, community, post traumatic stress, fear and new beginnings. I enjoyed it and the animals, in particular the donkeys, add their own charm. Ideal for those who like gentle, slice of life, stories. Slower paced but still engaging enough to want to keep ready. Seems this will be part 1 of a series in the New Forest. Be interesting to see how things develop from this beginning.
Della Galton has been on my radar to try for absolutely ages, so very happy I finally had a chance to sit down and read the first book in a brand new series from her.
And what a great setting for a series it is, in the New Forest, featuring Puddleduck Farm, which is run by Phoebe's gran - Maggie. Maggie clearly lovely her animals and has taken in a real variety to her animal shelter.
In fact if you are an animal fan then you will love this book. I especially loved a scene involving Saddam which really made me laugh, and he really is an aptly named cat!
I really enjoyed getting to know Phoebe and her family and friends. The characters were all believable and I am looking forward to seeing how they will develop over the next books.
For me I found it to be a wonderful introduction to this author's writing style, and I have a real sense of place, and of what I presume will be recurring characters within the series. I think it has set up future books incredibly well, and is enjoyable within its own right.
Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
I've read so many books that take place on a farm or rescue center where I hoped to have the activities be as much a part of the story as the romance, but it always seems to be way, way in the background.
Coming Home to Puddleduck Farm actually has occurrences on the rescue center playing a big role in the story and I loved it!
There is a possibility of romance, of several romances actually, but this story is more about Phoebe and her change in lifestyle after a breakup. Deciding where she wants to live, what she wants to do, etc. Coming back to family and friends and realizing what's important to her.
It's a sweet story with some fun escapades and an open ending, leaving so much space for additional stories to come.
A strong start to a new series that has been on my radar for a long while (shamefully!), I loved that it is set in the beautiful New Forest and recognised many of the landmarks that Galton describes.
This is a new beginnings read where protagonist, Phoebe, flees home after seeing her boyfriend cheating on her at the work Christmas party. Eventually, Phoebe finds herself being absorbed back into life in Hampshire, far away from her ex, London and, more importantly, her job. Working as a vet in the city, Phoebe had a comfortable life. Can she really see herself starting all over again back at home?
Puddleduck farm is managed by Phoebe’s grandmother, who runs this shelter for injured and stray animals. Like so many books where animals feature, Galton has created a cast of loveable characters from Jemima Puddleduck to the viscous Saddam! The animals definitely made the story more heart-warming and I especially enjoyed seeing the escapades of Diablo and his friends.
The romance in this story had me guessing throughout and there is certainly room for development in the next books. In fact, as the potential love interest remains ambiguous, thanks to there being several strong candidates, I was left hanging at the end about who Phoebe would truly develop a romantic interest in. This love triangle reminded me of the Sweet Shop series I completed earlier in the year: if this series delighted you, then Galton’s story will, as well.
A new start in the New Forest, I enjoyed getting to know Phoebe’s family and friends. The cast of characters are all very pleasant indeed and I liked the sprinkling of humour in the scenes with Phoebe’s sister-in-law. On the other hand, I found Rufus quite interesting and I appreciated how the writer has made him more of a complex character. I hope Galton develops this in later books.
Animals and a sprinkle of romance, this was a delightful read and I am looking forward to seeing what happens next with Phoebe and the animals.
With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What a lovely sounding farm! I love that name name too- Puddleduck! Phoebe is headed back home after breaking up with her boyfriend. Her Grandmother still lives at Puddleduck farm and is running an animal rescue. It’s a quick book with some romance and nice story that leaves you wanting more. I didn’t want it to end and really hope there might be a book two. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy
This is very much the first book in a new series – establishing the characters and their relationships, starting a few storylines running, bringing the perfect setting of Puddleduck Farm in the New Forest to life. But it’s also a rather lovely and well-told story, as Phoebe – an immediately likeable and sympathetic character – runs away from her new life as a London vet and her cheating boyfriend Hugh, returning to the heart of her family, reconnecting with friends, repairing her broken heart, starting over, and slowly finding purpose again.
And the one thing that helps the most – once she’s found a new temporary home with friend Tori and done something about securing a new job – is helping out her grandmother Maggie with her animal shelter, full of waifs and strays of the four-legged variety (and the geese!). Maggie’s getting on a bit and finding things a struggle, money’s a bit short, it doesn’t help that she’s a technophobe and stubbornly independent, and there are always more animals she needs to help – and Phoebe steps up, offering the support she needs, helping make her life a little easier.
The animals get up to all sorts of shenanigans – the characterful donkeys are talented escapologists (and quite adorable!), and that doesn’t help relations with the adjacent local landowners. And when Phoebe has a real run-in with the lord of the manor, she decides that it’s going to be important to mend fences (in more ways than one) – but she finds she’s particularly intrigued by his gruff exterior and edge of sadness, and feels for his young son in the rather dubiously caring hands of his nanny. But the most obvious romantic interest to the story is the lovely Sam, a childhood friend who’s always been around, caring and supportive – he can see a future with Phoebe, which complicates life a little when she sees him as firmly in the friendship zone, and it’ll be interesting to see how things might develop along with the series.
I must admit I’ve read quite a few books set around animal sanctuaries of various kinds recently, and enjoyed every one – but this one really was a little different, with its accompanying focus on Phoebe’s personal journey and fresh start. The animal elements of the story are just wonderful – every one of them an individual, giving rise to a lot of very funny moments and a few particularly touching ones too (you’re going to love the aptly named Saddam…). And the book’s relationships are beautifully drawn too, especially Phoebe’s love and concern for her grandmother – along with the friendships, it gives the whole book a particular warmth and feel-good factor.
What the book doesn’t have though is a conventional happy-ever-after ending, or a neatly tied up romance – it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger either, just a feeling that there is a lot more to come. And that only makes me keener to read the next in the series, to see if my ideas about the future direction of the story come to pass. Beautifully done, and I really enjoyed it – a definite recommendation from me.
It was all going so well for Phoebe. A great job as a vet, a nice home and a lovely boyfriend… or so she thought. When she spies her not so lovely boyfriend up to no good under the mistletoe, Phoebe doesn’t hang around. She packs a bag and heads home to the safety of her family in The New Forest. Once there Phoebe is enveloped by her nearest and dearest, but she has to make some decisions about where her life will go next.
Maggie is Phoebe’s grandmother. Feisty Maggie refuses to be called granny and is simply Maggie to everyone. She is a tough old bird who loves her animals first and foremost. The waifs and strays of the animal world all seem to find their way to Maggie.
Can Phoebe find her future alongside Maggie at Puddleduck Farm?
This is the first book in a brand new series from Della Galton. The story is tied up neatly at the end, but there are threads that I am sure will follow on and develop further during the rest of the series.
Coming Home To Puddleduck Farm, is a truly charming read. There are some fiercely strong female characters, who know their own minds. Some potential love interests appear along the way, and I know where I hope Phoebe’s heart will find it’s home when the time is right.
The New forest provides a wonderful setting. I am a sucker for a book set by the sea, but The New Forest and Puddleduck Farm charmed me from the start.
Della’s writing is, as always, smooth, engaging, poignant and effortless.
The story is touching and sweet. There is also some great humour. Keep your eyes peeled for Saddam the cat. In all fairness, the fantastic collection of animals really do steal the show.
This is a warm hearted, feel good read that deserves nothing less than five shiny stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
All formats published on 29/8/22
With thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood for a digital arc of this title.
At the office Christmas party, it isn't a treat, To discover your partner is a liar and a cheat! For vet Phoebe Dashwood, to make it a bigger loss She finds out he's cheating with their boss.
Distraught she returns to her childhood home, Re-connecting with friends and relations, she's not alone. She's especially happy to visit Puddleduck Farm Where her gran, Maggie, helps rescue animals, keeping them from harm.
New job, new home, fresh start and then The chance to think things through and plan again. Escaping donkeys, a dour lord with a delightful son, Family secrets, PTSD, what's next to come?
A great read I thoroughly enjoyed and so I highly recommend you give it a go! For my complementary copy, I say thank you, As I share with you this, my honest review.
What a warm and all embracing read! I loved this wonderfully cosy novel, the first in a new series from Della Galton. Immersive, emotional and full of warmth, Phoebe's journey back to Puddleduck Farm, and the rewards and challenges she finds there will capture your heart. Packed with loveable characters, including several adorable donkeys, Puddleduck Farm is as much in need of a helping hand as Phoebe herself, as well as bursting with warmth and humour.
There is no doubt that Return to Puddleduck Farm will find its way into your heart, and as the days turn cooler, it is the perfect winter treat!
A lovely read. I loved meeting all the animals, Maggie really did live and breathe Puddleduck Farm. I enjoyed Phoebe, and her journey to her self discovery. She had to put her life back together piece by piece, she had some wonderful friends to help her and a supportive family. Her and Sam’s relationship was a nice strong friendship, I liked that at the end they were both content with friendship but both thinking about a future with each other in it. A bit of a slow burn read, a lovely read to read whilst on holiday.
Very wordy, filled with unimportant, boring details. The story was disjointed and just abruptly ended without tying up any loose ends. I skimmed 80% of it hoping to get to the good parts, of which there was one.
ETA: apparently there’s a second in this series, which explains the abrupt ending. I don’t think I’ll be reading it still.
This is the first book in a new series (great news!). It sets up the characters and setting beautifully for future books. I love Phoebe and her gran, Maggie, in particular and the setting of Puddleduck Farm. The addition of the animals and their antics was funny to read, I love this type of setting including animals, always unpredictable! Phoebe is such a sweet character and I really wanted her to find a new life and happiness. There isn't the usual, neatly wrapped up ending which seems to leave future story lines open, I can't wait! A charming, warm start to what I think will be a fantastic series!
This was a lovely light read, exactly what I was in the mood for.
Phoebe grew up in the New forest. She is a vet and thanks to her partner Hugh who is also a fellow vet they secured jobs in a city practice based in London.
All was well until Phoebe finds him kissing their boss. That kiss shocked and opened Phoebe’s eyes. This was not just any kiss. The worst is that Hugh and their boss had been dating, something she was not aware of.
Well, not only has she lost her home which is owned by Hugh’s family, it also meant that working with Hugh and their boss would be untenable.
Phoebe decides to go back to the place she grew up in, the New Forest. There she reconnects with her childhood friends.
There are a great cast of characters, I love her gran Maggie. She hates the term gran and would only answer to her christian name lol 😂 Maggie runs an animal shelter. She is overwhelmed with work but will not accept any help.
Phoebe wants peace and decides to stay in the new forest. She sets about finding work with a dream of setting up her own veterinary business.
Love is far from her mind and something happens that brings her closer to her dream…..
An ok read for a lazy afternoon. The ending was a very strange cut off of the story. And it doesn’t seem like the author will write more to tidy up the ending. Lots of loose plot strings. No romance at all so if you are expecting that look elsewhere. Cute bit of escapism.
was enjoying the story, at first, but I kept waiting for the threads to be woven together and they never were. We follow Phoebe as she returns to her family land and also Rufus who is still suffering after the loss of his wife in an accident. But these two stories touch and then never actually weave together. It was disjointed and disappointing. When the end came, I was annoyed. Despite liking parts of the story, this made the overall story less than it would otherwise have been.
Full disclosure- I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I have been a fan of Della's work for quite a while now. I haven't quite caught up with everything that she has written but I hope to get there soon. I just love the way in which she writes such fun and feel good stories. I read the synopsis of 'Coming Home To Puddleduck Farm' and it certainly sounded like a fun read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Coming Home To Puddleduck Farm' but more about that in a bit.
I loved the character of Phoebe Dashwood and I warmed to her from the very start. In fact Phoebe began to fell more like a friend rather than a character in a book. I hope that makes sense. Phoebe is a vet and at the beginning of the story she lives and works with her significant other. Something happens which means that she has to try and rebuild her life from scratch. She returns to her childhood home and that's when the fun begins. I won't go too far into what happens next but needless to say that there are lots of funny moments with the occasional serious moment or two. I loved Phoebe's Nana too. I hope that I am as fun and as feisty as her where I get to her age. Phoebe is a lovely girl, who is kind and compassionate. I was keeping everything crossed that she got the 'happy ever after' ending that she so 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.
As soon as I started reading 'Coming Home To Puddleduck Farm', I knew that there was no chance of me doing anything else other than reading for the rest of the day. The story seemed to develop a hold over me and it was a hold that I wasn't willing to break. My Kindle wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I just couldn't bear to put the book down. I loved the characters (well except for the ex-boyfriend of Phoebe) and I loved the sound of Puddleduck Farm. I had to keep reading to see how the story panned out for those characters who felt more like friends than characters in a book. The more of the story that I read, the more I wanted to read and the quicker the pages seemed to turn. All too quickly I reached the end of the book and I had to say goodbye to Phoebe and the rest of the gang. I found 'Coming Home To Puddleduck Farm' to be the true definition of an unputdownable, page turner of a read and I enjoyed every minute of it.
'Coming Home To Puddleduck Farm' is superbly written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Della Galton. Della 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 Della's books feels more like a chat between friends rather than reading an actual book. I hope that makes sense. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a steady pace throughout Della clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in the very vivid and realistic way in which she describes them. She makes her characters seem just as real as you and I. I have to say that I started chuckling away to myself from fairly early on in the story and I didn't stop until well after I finished reading the book. I love the way in which Della makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and at the heart of the action. That's how I felt anyway.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading every single second of 'Coming Home To Puddleduck Farm' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Della's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I can always count on a Della Galton book to cheer me up, and on the day I read this I was feeling particularly low, so it was a great choice to read.
If I’m honest, I did think maybe there was a bit too much going on; affairs, mental illness, physical illness, new jobs, romance - possibly a bit much to pack into 323 pages and give enough time to. But I still wouldn’t say it made the book unenjoyable. It still offered the cosy, warming, happy feeling I was wanting from it.
This wasn’t the rom-com, happily-ever-after type story I was expecting either. I don’t want to give anything away, but for me, this was more about falling in love with your surroundings, rediscovering your love for your friends and family, and finding out what you love about yourself.
I thought Phoebe was a lovely main character.she wasn’t a wet weekend or a doormat. Whilst she was going through some difficult times, she never let it consume here, she still stood on her own two feet and was a great character to bounce others off of. I didn’t really think much of any of the male characters. Not that I thought negatively of them, they just weren’t important to me. Whereas the females were fabulous, especially her grandmother Maggie. She reminded me a bit of my own late grandmother and that added to the warm, positive feeling of the book.
I loved the backdrop of the farm and the animal rescue scheme; like a lot of people, I sometimes do prefer animals to people and they all had their own characteristics which was thoroughly entertaining.
This is apparently the first in a new series from her which I’m very happy to hear. I only came across her books within the last year or so and I’m really glad I did. I will definitely be looking out for more additions to my shelf.
I was immediately drawn to Phoebe’s character and could imagine the devastation she would have felt at being so painfully humiliated. Of course, her natural reaction is to run back to her family home and recover amongst those who love her. Homeless, jobless, and single, Phoebe has to start from scratch. Reconnecting with her childhood best friend, Tori she finds a place to temporarily call home. There’s also the presence of another friend from her childhood, Sam. Even though she’s not looking to enter into another relationship, Sam has clearly developed feelings for her, which complicate things. The star of the show is Puddleduck Farm with Phoebe’s Gran and her menagerie of rescued animals. Named New Forest Neddies, in honour of the donkeys that she has taken under her wing, there are also dogs, cats, and geese. With her skills as a vet, it’s only natural that Phoebe gravitates toward the shelter. I just loved the feel of this story and took to the characters easily. Della Galton creates wonderful stories which don’t always follow a predictable arc. I decided quite early on to not bother trying to guess what would happen in the end and was delighted with that decision. There are the usual well-developed characters with settings to capture the imagination. Of course, I haven’t mentioned everyone as I like to leave some aspects for the reader to discover. This is the perfect opener for a new series, and I cannot wait to discover what happens next for Phoebe and Puddleduck Farm. I adored escaping to the New Forest and highly recommend this fabulous new title.
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Blurb
London City Vet, Phoebe Dashwood, finds her partner Hugh and their boss in a passionate clinch beneath the mistletoe at their works Christmas party.
Heartbroken, she bolts to the New Forest, her childhood home to regroup and soul search.
Being home gives Phoebe the chance to reconnect with friends and family and especially with her fiercely independent gran, widower Maggie Crowther, owner of Puddleduck Farm, and makeshift animal shelter New Forest Neddies.
Deciding not to return to London, Phoebe hunts for work locally, hoping she can also help Maggie, who’s clearly swamped and not coping. But will Maggie accept Phoebe’s help?
Her quest is hampered by stubborn grandmothers, meddling mums, an attractive childhood friend, a real-life Lord, a remorseful ex, and a best friend who’s determined to play matchmaker.
My Opinion
This is the first book in a new series, so what better time to meet a new author. This will appeal to animal lovers, as it features an animal rescue. This book has a nice, relaxed pace and would make for a great holiday read. I found myself reading this book quicker than expected - I keep reading on to find out more about the characters and had reached the end much sooner than I would have liked.
With an easy and relaxed writing style, I will be back for more.
Coming Home to Puddleduck Farm by Della Galton When your heart's broken, all roads lead home. London City Vet, Phoebe Dashwood, finds her partner Hugh and their boss in a passionate clinch beneath the mistletoe at their work's Christmas party. Heartbroken, she bolts to the New Forest, her childhood home. Deciding not to return to London, Phoebe hunts for work locally, hoping she can also help her fiercely independent gran, widower Maggie Crowther, owner of Puddleduck Farm and makeshift animal shelter New Forest Neddies. Can Phoebe find happiness professionally and personally in the place she calls home, or does fate have other plans for Phoebe? Della has written yet another wonderful story. This first instalment is a lovely start to this series, filled with charming, engaging characters and a delightful assemblage of animals. I appreciated the descriptive terminology regarding the New Forest and surrounding Hamlets; it's a naturally stunning part of the country. Family, friends and relationships are depicted well, especially that of Phoebe and her grandmother, thus giving depth and warmth to the story. This book doesn't have a traditional happy-ever-after ending; it is left open and gives you the feeling that there is more to come. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I want to thank the publishers Boldwood Books, author Della Galton and Rachel's Random Resources for an invite to the tour and a copy of the book to read and review.
Coming Home to Puddleduck Farm by Della Galton When your heart's broken, all roads lead home. London City Vet, Phoebe Dashwood, finds her partner Hugh and their boss in a passionate clinch beneath the mistletoe at their work's Christmas party. Heartbroken, she bolts to the New Forest, her childhood home. Deciding not to return to London, Phoebe hunts for work locally, hoping she can also help her fiercely independent gran, widower Maggie Crowther, owner of Puddleduck Farm and makeshift animal shelter New Forest Neddies. Can Phoebe find happiness professionally and personally in the place she calls home, or does fate have other plans for Phoebe? Della has written yet another wonderful story. This first instalment is a lovely start to this series, filled with charming, engaging characters and a delightful assemblage of animals. I appreciated the descriptive terminology regarding the New Forest and surrounding Hamlets; it's a naturally stunning part of the country. Family, friends and relationships are depicted well, especially that of Phoebe and her grandmother, thus giving depth and warmth to the story. This book doesn't have a traditional happy-ever-after ending; it is left open and gives you the feeling that there is more to come. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I want to thank the publishers Boldwood Books, author Della Galton and Rachel's Random Resources for an invite to the tour and a copy of the book to read and review.
Phoebe runs back home, back to the New Forest, when she discovers her long-term boyfriend kissing someone else. This other person happens to be their BOSS, so she is really lost as to what to do next. In one foul swoop, she has lost her partner, her job and her accommodation.
The New Forest is an area which not only contains Phoebe's parents, but also her best friend and her gran, Maggie. Maggie runs a rescue at Puddleduck Farm. Now, Maggie is getting on a little bit and she is finding things a bit tougher than she used to. Luckily, Phoebe is a vet so she can quite happily lend a hand. Loving ALL the animals in this book, even the evils ones (yes, we are looking at you, Saddam!).
Between an ex boyfriend, a friend who would like to be more and a man whom she is attracted to but has mixed feelings about, Phoebe has her hands full. And that is without worrying about Maggie, who is as stubborn as she is!
A really lovely story. I so appreciate the fact that the rescue was at the centre of this book, not just a bit of a background for a possible romance, etc, like most books of this kind.
I can't wait to read the next book in the series - this IS the first book of a series, right?? Otherwise, I might have to deduct a star for the ending of this book ;)
Wow what a brilliant start to a new Woman's fiction/romance series. This book was so much fun to read and had a hint of romance. I just had to read it all in one sitting it was that good and it finished making me want to read the next book in the series. The characters were wonderful, life like and very relatable. I just loved each and every character so much. We'll maybe except for her ex lol. It's just a wonderful lighthearted story that you become so engrossed in within pages. I definitely recommend you read this book lighthearted progressive books. This is a brilliant book if you read and loved the book welcome to seabreeze farm by Jo BARTLETT as the storyline were similar in principle but so very different to read. I just love books about animal sanctuaries and especially those that involve vets and this book definitely didn’t disappoint. It's a fantastic page turning novel. I just can't wait to read the next book in the series. This author is definitely one to watch out for. Only the highest of praise goes out to the author and publishers for creating such a fantastic heartwarming start to what's going to be a wonderful journey.
I am so excited to be starting this new series! Della Galton has a real gift for story telling in an atmospheric setting where you end up caring about the characters and what they are going through.
At the start of the book I was immediately on Phoebe's side, disgusted by Hugh and I completely understood the pull of going home, especially when home is such a wonderful place. At home Phoebe has her friends Tori and Sam, her parents and her very special grandma Maggie with her animal shelter. I could easily picture the shelter and the various animals and would like to meet them all, with the exception of Saddam. The place sounded perfect for Phoebe, a vet. I can't wait to continue this series and see what is next for Phoebe and the Holts.
What to expect: - start of a new series - lots of animals and a shelter/sanctuary - multiple story lines - an ex (Hugh) and a not so secret admirer (Sam) - a rich but rude neighbor (Rufus Holt) - a hint of romance - a feisty grandma (Maggie) - a bit of a wild best friend (Tori) - a wholesome story, no cringeworthy moments
When her relationship with her partner Hugh come crashing down Phoebe rushes back to her parents in the New Forest and her grandmother's Puddleduck Farm whilst she decides what to do. I don't often actually read books in a series one after the other, so when I was offered the opportunity to read an advance copy of book 3 in this series and found that I had the first one in my TBR list I started with that one first. Books set in a small community are amongst my favourites, plus the New Forest is just a few miles from where I live so easy for me to imagine the setting. Seeing how Phoebe settles in to her old haunts and looks to see how she can continue her career whilst at the same time helping her grandmother with the rescue animals on the farm was absorbing, then there was the hint of a potential relationship with the grumpy neighbour Rufus, who happens to be the son of the local Lord of the Manor. The only downside is that the story ends in a cliffhanger, so be warned, however this just means that I'll just have to start reading the second in the series.
Oh to be home on Puddleduck Farm! Filled it all kinds of stray animals that people can’t take care of anymore like donkeys, cats, dogs, and the like, Maggie is taking care of them all because she can’t bear to think of what will happen to them if she doesn’t. When Phoebe finds out her boyfriend has been cheating, she packs her things and heads straight to her grandmother’s place, Puddleduck Farm. She hasn’t visited in a while, though she has kept up with her by phone. She knows the farm is in need of help, and being a veterinarian, she should be able to offer some assistance while she figures out what she wants to do next. This was a cute little way to escape for an afternoon or two and I enjoyed my time on the farm. My ownky criticism would be if the storyline of The Holt family would have been resolved a little bit neater. Other than that an enjoyable read. Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.
After seeing her boyfriend kissing her boss, Phoebe packs up and leaves London for her home. There she finds that her grandmother is in need of help. She also rediscovers her love of the countryside. As she reacquaints herself with her best friend and a childhood friend, Phoebe searches for a new job and does what she can to help her grandmother. Opinion This is the first in a new series by Della Galton. It is a slow build novel written in British style. I truly enjoyed this book. The slow build was a divergence from my typical style of books. I found that I got to know the neighbors and other minor characters much more than in one of my typical books. The book was left open. There are two potential love interests for Phoebe in the future. I am quite interested to see who she chooses as well as how her practicing medicine goes. It was easy to get invested in these characters. Many thanks to Net Galley and Boldwood Books for providing me with an ARC of this book.
Veterinarian Phoebe escapes her shared practice in London to her childhood home and to her grandmother's farm after finding out that her significant other/clinic partner has gone behind her back with another woman while still living together. Meanwhile. Grandmother is over seventy and gamely working the farm/animal rescue shelter basically alone. Then there is Phoebe's old school friend, Sam, who is a horse trainer and has recently split with his long-term partner. And there are more old friends who are woven into the story as well. Phoebe came to know more about herself and her own deep connection with family and her grandmother's animals while enjoying her calling. I am happy to find that there will be more books in this new series. I requested and received a free e-book copy from Boldwood Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
Thank you #netgalley, #boldwoodbooks and #rachelsrandomresources for allowing me to read this ARC. Absolutely gorgeous story. As expected there's a broken heart that needs healing, which means Phoebe escapes the delights of Greenwich and returns to the New Forest to be with her mum and dad just before Christmas 🎄. Hugh her ex made a big mistake in the shape of Vet Cruella. Louella her mum and dad welcome her back into the fold. Now she can reconnect with her Maggie (grandma) who lives on Puddleduck Farm along with a number of donkeys and other 2 and 4 legged animals that she has taken in at her rehoming centre. At the age of 72, its not as easy as she professes it to be. We also meet old friends Sam and Tori. You certainly will fall in love with the characters and Farm 🚜 animals. Great read and easy to follow.