*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author and Rachel Gilbey at Rachel's Random Resources blog tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Blurb: Cosy up to book one in the new series full of sunshine, laughter, llamas, and Yorkshire charm.
Young and quiet, Lucy Granger leads an introverted life in Reading, living in a flat and working in design at a graphics company—until it is upended when she both sells her idea for a mobile game and suffers an unexpected medical diagnosis shortly afterwards.
Facing a mandated medical rest period, she decides to use her windfall earnings to take a year's holiday, renting a farm on New Moon Lane in a country village in Yorkshire. As Lucy settles into her holiday home for some tranquility, she soon learns that she is not the only tenant, when a llama named Llarry strolls out of the farm's supposedly-derelict barn. He is shortly followed by others in a menagerie of abandoned animals left behind—from a sickly donkey who likes eating crisps to a flirtatious cockerel sleeping in the back garden.
To Lucy's consternation, no one is willing or able to take them on, leaving her with a strange mix of furry and feathered friends to find homes for. Reluctantly adapting to her circumstances in order to deal with this problem, Lucy will discover other surprises about the animals in her care, and the place she is temporarily calling home. About herself, as well.
Will her ordinary life ever be the same after her experience on New Moon Lane? More importantly, should she really want it to be?
For some reason, when I picked this book up I was expecting a cosy romance (not sure why as the blurb doesn't mention romance at all!), but I was pleasantly surprised to find this book is a cosy something-else instead... a cosy story-of-personal growth, a cosy life lesson? I can definitely promise you that it will leave you feeling all cosy and relaxed after reading it.
Lucy is quiet, introverted, detached, and struggles to be part of the expected rat race of city life, so when a health issue forces her to temporarily retire she chooses a countryside 'burrow' in which to hunker down and lick her wounds. So she is not best pleased to find her new hidey hole comes with an intrusively friendly local community and some unexpected animal baggage. Luckily, these things have a habit on growing on you, given half a chance, and Lucy has nothing but time (well, and a knack for creative productivity).
This story really satisfied my cottagecore cravings as Lucy goes about craftily decorating her new home and learning new skills, like cooking soup and felting adorable mini versions of her animal friends (real and imaginary). And when the book described her drawings/writing, I felt like I could actually see them through the words on the page... I nearly took to Google to see whether her llama story had made it into print yet!
A gentle, easy-reading, breath of fresh air, this simple story of finding peace in a simpler life is the perfect antidote to the stresses of everyday life (or an overdose of high-octane thrillers!) and will leave you feeling refreshed and comforted.
In the fifth month of washing the same four dishes, and working on the first changes to HedgeHoles, she could not go on. In front of the bathroom mirror, with the pills in the palm of her hand, she felt more tired than ever. Like she was growing very pale and faded, like a plant left in a dark closet.
She decided to lease a place in the country.
- Laura Briggs, The Llama Farm on New Moon Lane
Giveaway – Win an e-copy of The Llama Farm on New Moon Lane (Open Internationally)
*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel's Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners' information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel's Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
About the author
Laura Briggs is the author of several feel-good romance reads, including the Top 100 Amazon UK seller 'A Wedding in Cornwall'. She has a fondness for vintage style dresses (especially ones with polka dots), and reads everything from Jane Austen to modern day mysteries. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, caring for her pets, gardening, and seeing the occasional movie or play.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorlaurabriggs
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaperDollWrites
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