Book Review: The Little Cottage On The Hill.

Rolling my eyes at the main character of a book in the first few chapters wouldn’t usually end well but, actually, part of the joy of The Little Cottage On The Hill, by Emma Davies, is seeing how Maddie changes and grows.

She starts off not listening, being judgmental and condescending and completely ignoring what our hero, Seth, is saying but gradually the beauty and magic of the place (and people) does its job – and she turns into someone I wouldn’t mind being friends with.

Once again Emma has created a supporting cast who are engaging and immensely likeable – I can see at least three more spin off stories I’d like to read from this one book.

Here’s the blurb:

There’s blossom in the trees and daffodils as far as the eye can see. Maddie is looking forward to a fresh start in the countryside, but there’s just one little problem…

Following a scandal at her high-flying PR agency, twenty-six-year-old Maddie flees London to help promote what she thinks is going to be a luxurious holiday retreat in the countryside. Everything is riding on her making a success of this new job…

Yet when she arrives, Maddie is horrified to find a rundown old farm in a terrible state. The brooding and secretive owner, Seth, spent all his money on leasing the land when he fell in love with the beautiful, dishevelled farm cottages and the very romantic story behind them.

When Maddie discovers an old painting by the original owner’s wife, she unlocks the secret of the farm’s history and quickly realises she must start getting her hands dirty if this very special place is going to have any chance of survival. As she and Seth begin working together, the stunning view from the top of the hill is not the only thing that’s leaving her breathless…

After weeks of hard work the dream looks like it might become a reality, until a secret from Maddie’s past threatens to snatch it all away again.

Can Maddie find a way to save the business and herself? Will she finally find a place to keep her heart within the crumbling walls of the little cottage on the hill?

Described on the lovely front cover as a “feel-good romance” I’d say it’s pretty spot on, I definitely felt good once I had finished and the romance, though gentle, still had me sighing with pleasure.

This is a warm, sweet tale, written in a lively way that makes it hard to take a break.
I loved learning the back story of the previous inhabitants and the way everything came together felt magical.

The ending left me with a massive grin on my face – although that was after a few tears (both happy and sad) too.

Another great book from Emma, I can’t wait for the next.

Format: Kindle.

Price: 99p (via Amazon).

My rating: Four and a half stars.

With thanks to Bookouture for the ARC in return for my honest review.