Title: A Year At Appleyard Farm
Publication Day: Sept 3rd 2020
Author: Emma Davies
Description:
Down a winding lane lined with strawberry trees and wildflowers lies Appleyard Farm, a beautiful orchard in the English countryside. And in a little farmhouse in the furthest corner, a young woman has a difficult decision to make…
Life on Appleyard Farm is all Freya Sherbourne has ever known. Having spent her childhood playing in the emerald green meadows and berry picking until sunset, Freya intends to call the farmhouse home forever. But when her father suddenly passes away and Appleyard Farm goes up for sale, Freya’s world comes crashing down.
Holding back the tears, she starts packing boxes while waiting for a buyer. Now the river no longer sparkles, and the apples taste a little less sweet. Until Freya learns the exciting news that her best friends Merry and Willow are moving nearby to open a local shop. And when someone from her past re-emerges, handsomer than ever and offering to mend the cracks in her broken heart, Freya’s eyes begin to twinkle once again.
But falling in love is scary, especially when you don’t know what the future holds. And when Freya discovers that her new love has been keeping a secret, one that threatens both their fragile relationship and the farm, she risks losing everything.
With the clock ticking, will Freya choose to follow her heart or save the farm? Or can she find a way to do both?
Told in four parts, this is a gorgeous story about love, friendship and new beginnings. Fans of Jenny Colgan, Lucy Diamond and Debbie Johnson should grab a cup of hot chocolate, curl up on the sofa and prepare to be carried away!
A Year at Appleyard Farm was previously published as four short stories: Merry Mistletoe, Spring Fever, Gooseberry Fool, and Blackberry Way.
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'A Year At Appleyard Farm' by Emma Davies
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 3rd September 2020
This is the second book that I have read by this author. It was previously published as four short stories: Merry Mistletoe, Spring Fever, Gooseberry Fool, and Blackberry Way. It most definitely will not be my last!!!
I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful cover, interesting title & intriguing blurb. I have also read another book by her called 'My Husbands lie' which I enjoyed so am hoping this will be just as good. It is also different to the typical crime genre I normally read so it looked like a good opportunity to expand my genres. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of 4 parts (Each season) and 60 chapters which are quite short so that you can read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
The book is written in third person perspective from several characters points of views. I enjoy books like this as you can see more of the big picture and what several of the characters are doing and feeling.
It is set in England which is always a bonus for me due to living Wales and visiting many places in England I sometimes recognise the places in the book and can picture it even better.
Rather than this book be 4 books that run smoothly into each other it is more a collection of 4 books . Because of this I shall give smaller reviews to each Novella and then an overall mini review for the whole book.
The first part of the book is 'Winter' and the book on its own is aptly named 'Merry Mistletoe' (Tales From Appleyard #1).
Description....
Sherbourne Mistletoe has been prized and sold at the annual Mistletoe Fair for over a hundred years; but could this year possibly be the last? With her father’s sudden death and debts mounting up it looks as though Freya’s only hope for the future is to sell her beloved family home. And to make matters worse, the only contenders to buy Appleyard Farm, are the people she’d least like to sell it to – her rival growers, the Henderson brothers, who seem always to make life so difficult for her. It’s magical stuff though, mistletoe, and the arrival of the mysterious Amos Fry, brings a glimmer of hope that might just mean Freya can fall in love with Christmas all over again.
My thoughts....
What an absolutely fabulous start to what is essentially a series. A light hearted page turner that kept me hooked from page one to the fantastic ending. Packed with laughter, tears, twists, turns, love, loss, tears, friendship and some Christmas magic this is a perfect story to snuggle up on your sofa and read, especially at Christmas.
Excellent strong characters, I think it is great how strong Freya is throughout and how she kept going even though she wanted to just give in. Absolutely loved Amos and Sam!!! Hated Gareth and Stephen although Stephen did shock me!
During the end there was a shocking revelation which I did not expect! I'd got it all wrong in regards to what had happened in the past and it was quite a twist!!
A light hearted and easy read which was beautifully written with fantastic descriptions which really put me in the story.
Overall a perfect, relaxing Christmas tale.
92 pages
Rated 5/5. I LOVED IT
The second part of this book is 'Spring'. The book in its own is again aptly named 'Spring Fever' (Tales From Appleyard #2).
Description...
Life is about to get very exciting for Merry and Tom – a new baby, a wonderful new home, and a fresh business venture to get off the ground. Five Penny House is just the place to make their dreams come true, and so what if the locals think the place is cursed? Merry’s not about to let a little thing like that bother her…
For Freya and Sam too, spring heralds the beginning of their new life together at her beloved Appleyard orchard. There are plans to make and a lot of hard work needed if they’re ever to reverse its failing fortunes, but as long as they have each other, what could possibly go wrong?
Then the rain starts to fall – and keeps on falling – and the new beginning both couples dream of begins to slip from their grasp. For Merry and Tom it now looks like the start of their worst nightmare. But sometimes help can arrive from the most unexpected places…
My thoughts....
In this book we get to delve into Merry and Tom's lifes. We 'met them' in Merry Mistletoe and I'm glad to see them again as although they weren't mentioned that much in 'Merry Mistletoe' what I did read of them made me want to 'meet' them again.
In this book I really missed Amos's mysterious character from 'Merry Mistletoe' and would love to read more about him, who he was, where he came from, etc. In fact I think I would actually enjoy reading a whole book on him alone..... Hint hint Emma 😂. I think the Mary Poppin's comparison to him is completely accurate!!!
Moving onto this storyline I would say that this had more drama in than 'Merry Mistletoe' and kept me turning the pages slightly faster due to what was going on.
I really enjoyed getting to know the characters betters especially Merry and Tom while still having the previous books characters around. I loved the addition to Cora who I would class as Amos's female equivalent to a certain extent.
Very well written, flowed beautifully and loved the storyline overall.
Overall a page turning Spring based book that is packed with drama, mystery and friendship.
112 pages
Rated 5/5 ( I loved it)
The third part of this novel is 'Summer' and the individual book is called 'Gooseberry Fool' (Tales From Appleyard #3).
Description...
Willow’s strawberry fields are bursting with fruit and open for business. This heralds the start of a long hot summer, and for Willow the chance to reap the rewards of all her hard work; but Willow is not the only one with a project. It seems that her husband, Jude, has plans of his own and when Willow has a horrifying glimpse of the future he is proposing for their land, she knows she must come up with something to make him change his mind, and fast…
With help from her friends, Freya and Merry, Willow builds her love of all things fruity into a brilliant new business venture. But will she have enough time to get Willowberries Nectar off the ground before Jude sets the seal on the biggest deal of his life…?
Thoughts....
In this 'book: we get to meet new characters Willow who is friends with Freya and her husband Jude. A very easy, smooth page turner filled with love, twists, laughter and tears. I really enjoyed reading more about Willow and Jude and their business ventured. I love the fact that Freya and Merry are constants in the book and how their friendships have developed throughout.
Overall another lovely page turner, perfect to read in the garden.
106 pages
Rated 4/5. I enjoyed it.
The final 'book' is Autumn and on its own was called 'Blackberry Way' (Tales From Appleyard #4).
Description....
Laura Ashcombe wasn’t always a forager, but no-one knows the lanes and fields around Much Marlowes like she does. As autumn settles in, her kitchen is filled with tempting blackberry and coconut cream truffles and the heady perfume of quinces; Laura can go for days without seeing a soul, and that’s just the way she likes it…
For Freya and Sam the next few weeks will be the busiest of their year as the harvest comes to Appleyard – and also the happiest, as they plan for their wedding. If only Freya had more hours in the day… She’s bursting with ideas for a harvest-inspired theme, but seriously short on help to make it happen. So when she spots the most beautiful floral decorations in the churchyard, she’s desperate to find out who made them…
Stephen Henderson is finally beginning to get his life and business back on track, with his brother Sam’s help, but when his life quite literally collides with Laura’s it awakens in him something he’s never felt before…
Suddenly, it seems, Laura is surrounded by people; but there’s a reason she likes being on her own, and revisiting that past is something she couldn't bear to do. Can the warm and mellow season bring about a change in Laura, or will her heart always remain as cold as winter?
My thoughts....
I must admit I'm quite sad that I have come to the end of the Tales From Appleyard Farm series. I have enjoyed getting to know all the characters and all their unique storylines and businesses.
'Blackberry Way' was a very easy and very smooth, heartwarming read. Absolutely perfect to curl up with in the garden while the trees change colour around you. I loved meeting Laura and watching Stephen's character develop and strengthen. Fantastic descriptions that really put me in this page turning story. Absolutely loved it and a perfect ending to the Appleyard Farm series. Well done Emma, a fantastic success!!!
121 pages
Rated 5/5 . I loved it!!
To sum up my thoughts of the whole book...
Confession time!! I was actually daunted when I started reading this book when I realised it was over 500 pages but I completely devoured it!!!
An absolutely fantastic heart warming book filled with drama, secrets, romance, flowers, fruits and everything that makes a perfect relaxing easy page turner!!! I would love to see this as a movie and also to read more about all the amazing characters that I have grown to love. Amazing settings which are perfect for the stories and loves of the characters.
Each 'book' can be read as a standalone.
Genres covered include Romance.
I could not recommend this book enough!!!
516 pages.
This book is £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5/5 (I LOVED IT ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
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Author Bio:
After a varied career, Emma Davies once worked for a design studio where she was asked to provide a fun and humorous (and not necessarily true) anecdote for their website. She wrote the following: 'I am a bestselling novelist currently masquerading as a thirty something mother of three.' Well the job in the design studio didn't work out but she's now a forty something mother of three and is happy to report the rest of her dream came true.
After many years as a finance manager she now writes full time and is far happier playing with words than numbers. She lives with her husband, three children, and two guinea pigs in rural Shropshire where she writes in all the gaps in between real life. It's a county she adores, her love of its beautiful people and landscapes providing endless inspiration for her books, and in fact the only thing that would make Shropshire more idyllic is if it were by the sea.
Author Social Media Links:
Pop over to her website www.emmadaviesauthor.com where, amongst other things, you can read about her passion for Pringles and singing loudly in the car. You can also wave to her on twitter @EmDaviesAuthor / https://twitter.com/EmDaviesAuthor or find her on Facebook (a little too often than is good for her): https://www.facebook.com/emmadaviesauthor/
Buy Links:
https://geni.us/B08BZTV19TSocial
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