***This is a sponsored post but all thoughts are my own***
Genre: Romance
Published: July 5th 2019
Synopsis
Fall head-over-heels in love with the beautiful new novel from bestselling author Holly Martin and let The Little Village of Happiness warm your heart and make your spirits soar.
Willow McKay needs a fresh start. Her recent break-up may not have left her heartbroken but it’s certainly wounded her pride. Desperate to escape the whispers and stares of her town’s gossips, an advert offering homes in a picturesque village in the grounds of a majestic castle on the Cornish coast sounds like just what she needs. Without thinking twice Willow applies for a cottage and packs up her life for the village of Happiness.
But when Willow arrives she finds a crumbling ruin and ramshackle cottages, nothing like the pretty picture the advert had boasted. It seems Happiness was too good to be true. That is until she meets the incredibly handsome estate manager Andrew Harrington…
His passion for restoring the village to its former glory is contagious and soon they are working together to bring happiness back to Happiness. And as sparks fly between them Willow can feel herself falling. But Andrew is holding something back.
Can Willow risk her heart again? And will they succeed in transforming the old village to its original beauty before it’s too late?
Get swept away to the sun-kissed Cornish coast with this gorgeous love story, perfect for fans of Jill Mansell, Miranda Dickinson and Lucy Diamond.
(Taken from Goodreads)
My Review
I was so excited when I saw an email from Holly Martin inviting me to be part of this blog tour – I recently reviewed The Summer Of Chasing Dreams, her previous book, and really loved it. Part of me was nervous because I honestly wasn’t sure whether I’d enjoy this one as much as The Summer Of Chasing Dreams, but it ended up even better!
As I mentioned in my last review, Holly has such a cosy and warm writing style and again this really comes through. Her books are true escapism – they’re so inviting and it’s difficult not to get sucked into her fictional worlds. They’re best read when there are no distractions around, as I can guarantee you won’t be happy if you’re pulled out mid-chapter (or book, to be honest – I could have quite easily read the entire thing in one sitting if time had allowed).
Willow is a great main character to follow and I really identified with her, partly to her creative flair but also her eager positivity and desire for a fresh start. She’s so likeable, but she also has her flaws which also make her very realistic. It was also hard not to fall head over heels for Andrew Harrington – his flaws were explored more deeply, but he was so well-rounded as a character and written not just as a love interest but a real crux for the story. As we learn more about Andrew we find ourselves exploring more complex issues that go beyond your typical romance story, and I liked that Holly incorporated these extra themes rather than focusing solely on Willow and Andrew’s relationships.
I also loved the minor characters – there’s a whole village of them! The plot allows for insights into all of the villagers’ lives which I loved, and I also enjoyed following the stories of Willow’s best friend and Andrew’s brother, who will be the focus of the next novel.
Final Thoughts
I think Holly has written a great novel here, and I absolutely love the concept of a village in disrepair that requires a whole community to fix it. It’s such a heartwarming concept in itself, and when you add Willow and Andrew to the mix it creates a truly uplifting experience that had me smiling after each page. Like with The Summer Of Chasing Dreams, I was genuinely quite sad when it ended as it had been such a highlight whilst reading it. I couldn’t recommend this book more and I’m so excited for the next installment – I’m also hoping that Holly eventually writes a sequel focusing on Willow and Andrew later on in life as there’s so much good potential there. The Little Village Of Happiness is a must-read from me!
Purchase Links
If you’d like to purchase The Little Village Of Happiness then you can do so here:
The Little Village of Happiness by Holly Martin – Amazon UK
The Little Village of Happiness by Holly Martin – Amazon US
Author Bio
Holly lives in a little white cottage by the sea. She studied media at university which led to a very glitzy career as a hotel receptionist followed by a even more glamorous two years working in a bank. The moment that one of her colleagues received the much coveted carriage clock for fifteen years’ service was the moment when she knew she had to escape. She quit her job and returned to university to train to be a teacher. Three years later, she emerged wide eyed and terrified that she now had responsibility for the development of thirty young minds. She taught for four years and then escaped the classroom to teach history workshops, dressing up as a Viking one day and an Egyptian High Priestess the next. But the long journeys around the UK and many hours sat on the M25 gave her a lot of time to plan out her stories and she now writes full time, doing what she loves.
Holly has been writing for 8 years. She was shortlisted for the New Talent Award at the Festival of Romance. Her short story won the Sunlounger competition and was published in the Sunlounger anthology. She won the Carina Valentine’s competition at the Festival of Romance 2013 with her novel The Guestbook. She was shortlisted for Best Romantic Read, Best eBook and Innovation in Romantic Fiction at the Festival of Romance 2014. She is the bestselling author of 18 books.
(Taken from Amazon)
Have you read any of Holly Martin’s books before? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to like and pin if you enjoyed this review! You can read some of my other romance and chick lit book reviews here:
One? by Jennifer L. Cahill – London-Based Sitcom Fiction
Christmas At Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
I read a Holly Martin book years ago and loved it! (Can’t bloody remember what it’s called now though!) This one sounds great and what a pretty cover too x
If you remember let me know! She’s written loads – I want to read them all now!
Thanks for sharing, I’d never heard of this author before. Really love that cover art. Will have to check this one out>
I hadn’t either before she got in touch but she’s one of my favs now! She’s actually written loads of books – they’re all on Kindle
This sounds like the perfect summer vacation read.
I’d definitely agree with you there! They’re also lovely winter reads too as you can get all cosy with the book, a blanket, and a cuppa!
What a lovely description and review! I love a book that makes me feel completely wrapped up in it, thank you so much for sharing I am definitely adding this to my list of books to read.
Thank you, hope you enjoy!
Thanks for sharing! I’ve never read a Holly Martin book, but it’s made me want to now!
Emma | http://www.lifeofemmax.co.uk
She’s a good choice! The Summer Of Chasing Dreams is also one I’d recommend by her 😊
I love a good book!
This sounds like a really good read 😊
Love Lozza xo
Yep I’d definitely recommend it!
This sounds like a lovely book, possibly a great summer read!
Yeah it totally is! I can’t wait to read all the rest of hers 🙂
Sounds like a great pick for a beach read for my upcoming summer camping road trip! Cornwall is on my bucket list for when I get to travel to the UK again!
Definitely! Cornwall is lovely – the beaches are unlike any others in the UK, I just wish it was nearer! Cheaper to fly abroad for a week than get the train down there for me!
This sounds like a lovely light hearted summer read. I usually go for something a bit darker but this would be a nice change x
Sophie
Same actually (my fav genre is psychological thriller) however I actually love romance because it’s so cosy! Sometimes you need something a bit different…
Sounds like a great summer read!
Hailey’s life in a cottage by the sea sounds dope and enviable. I love the name Willow and her biography at the end was a beautiful touch! It’s good to hear the story if someone that changed careers and is in to so many things that I am.
Loved the post ♥️
Yeah, I really felt I could relate to Willow so loved that part of it 😊
Oh this looks like a book I would love!!! Xoxoxo
Hi Hannah, I’ve never read Holly Martin but I do love reading a good romance. Thank you for a really well written review. Raheela
Thank you!
I don’t typically read these kinds of books, but the more I see them reviewed the more I want to pick one up! You make this sound just lovely. And the cover is adorable!
Mandi S
http://www.booksandwildflowers.com
This sounds like a fun summer book! I haven’t read any Holly Martin’s books but this one sounds like it’s right up my street. Thank you for the review!
Yeah it’s a great one to choose!
It’s always nice to discover new authors/novels, and this was a very interesting review! There’s nothing better than a nice, easy-going read in the Summer to relax!
I totally agree!
I’ve never heard of this writer but the premise of the book does sound so hearyearming, I’m not sure it’s my cup of tea as such but I really enjoyed reading this review x
Kayleigh Zara 🌿 http://www.kayleighzaraa.com
Thank you! Yeah it’s a nice book, she’s written so many others so I need to catch up haha
This sounds like my perfect summer holiday read! I used to visit Cornwall as a child so I am defo gonna buy this!
Rosie
Glad to hear! It’s such a good book 🙂
I love a good romance novel! Thank you for sharing Hannah(:
Ooh, my heart is veritably warmed! Such a glowing review. It does sound like a gorgeous, cosy concept. Thanks for letting us know about it. Xx
Anytime 😊 glad you like the concept – let me know what you think if you read it!
This sounds like such a cute, heartwarming story. I love books like this as they definitely help you forget anything stressful. Perfect book for the summer!
Beth x Adventure & Anxiety