The Inn on Bluebell Lane
Kate Hewitt
365 pages
Bookouture
published August 4, 2023
About the book
As Ellie looked at the inn, with its white walls and purple flowers, she couldn’t believe this was her new home. It looked like an idyllic image from a postcard, but would her life here be as picture-perfect?
When Ellie and her family move to a tiny village in rural Wales, it’s meant to be a new beginning for all of them. They have decided to take over her husband’s family inn, leaving behind their old life and troubles in America.
But soon after they arrive, Ellie realizes everything is in a far worse state than she’d ever imagined. And as her husband, Matthew, begins to tackle the renovations, it’s clear that Matthew’s mother, Gwen, has very firm ideas about what can and cannot be changed. And although Ellie tries, she finds it’s not easy to form a closeness with her prickly mother-in-law, especially now they’re living under the same roof.
As the children struggle to settle into rural life, Ellie’s eldest child, Jessica, makes it clear her parents have made a terrible mistake, and Ellie soon wonders if she’s in over her head. Her reality feels a million miles away from the idyllic rural bliss she had hoped to create for her family.
When disaster strikes, Ellie is left wondering why she ever brought her family to this place. But even as things go from bad to worse, she feels sure that the Inn on Bluebell Lane needs her family to restore its fortunes, and that perhaps her family need this magical place to bring them all back together once more…
A gorgeous, escapist story that will leave you imagining the scent of bluebells on every page. Perfect for fans of heart-warming family dramas by Debbie Macomber and Erica James.
My Review
A story about a multigenerational family that try and cope with some major life strain. This is the first in a new series. A move to a new country, fitting in, illness, life stress. It’s told from three women of different generations. Gwen the mother in law, Ellie and her daughter Jess. It makes you think about what you have and what could happen. What family is and where home is.
I really liked all three women telling the story and my heart went out for them for many reasons. I rooted for them to connect and find strength in each other. The characters are well developed and grew during the book.
The author really knows how to draw the reader in and then keep them with an emotional story with ups and downs and hope. Full of adapting to real life changing situations, this resilient family comes out a little stronger by the end of the book.
If you are looking for a quick emotional read, you should pick this one up.
About the author
Kate Hewitt is the author of many romance and women’s fiction novels. A former New Yorker and now an American ex-pat, she lives in a small town on the Welsh border with her husband, five children, and their overly affectionate Golden Retriever. Whatever the genre, she enjoys telling stories that tackle real issues and touch people’s lives.
Author contacts
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