This is a cute romance book that is touching and has a lovely ending
A quick, easy and enjoyable read

Many thanks to Netgalley, Random House UK and Hazel Prior. Oh my goodness what an absolutely wonderful book. I loved everything about it - the characters, the sense of place, the humour, the plot - just such a gorgeous, uplifting and inspiring story. I loved Away with the Penguins as well - Hazel Prior is such a talented writer and I hope she will write lots more books. I recommend this book to everyone.

Did Not Finish - Sorry, that book was not my cup of tea, I could not get in to it and the characters...

Sometimes you just want a lovely tale to take your mind off the world around you. This very much was one of those books. I hope it turns out to be one of 2020's best loved books. Because it deserves it.

I very much enjoyed this book.

Ellie is a housewife, looking to complete a list of things to do before she turns 40. Dan is a harpmaker. We are never told he is autistic, but the implication is definitely there and he speaks and acts in a way consistent with ASD.

I found Dan as a character reminiscent of Don from The Rosie Project. Dan is warmer though, and seems more empathetic.

Ellie annoyed me a little- I could see her relationship with Clive was not all it should be and she seemed unwilling to do something about it until she had another option!

I was a bit uncertain of the storyline surrounding Ed. I don’t think it was ever properly addressed why Roe had kept the secret in the first place and then for him suddenly to be allowed to move in with Dan seemed rather far fetched.

All this said, the book is nicely paced and well written. There are some excellent descriptions of Exmoor too. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.

Ellie and the Harpmaker has a rather less exotic setting given that the action all takes place in and around Exmoor. The Harpmaker is Dan who lives and works in a remote barn making beautiful harps (think smallish lap harps rather than great big ones). He is another socially awkward character – his dislike of crowds, unknown people and change – who seems a little too innocent for the real world. When Ellie, a local housewife, finds her way to his barn he is taken by her air of sadness, her bright red socks and her descriptions of her ‘before forty list’ so he gifts her one of his beautiful hand-made harps. When Ellie’s controlling husband, Clive, convinces her that she must return it she and Dan decide that she will keep it at Dan’s barn. This leads to a rather sweet friendship developing between them – Ellie is aware that Dan is an exceptionally handsome man but she respects both his niavety and her own rather grim marriage too much to act on any attraction – which continues until Clive finds out about it. This, finally, leads to a dramatic ending where Ellie, Clive and Dan all discover where their true happiness lies.

A quirky romance with the added interest of one character who is almost certainly autistic and two others in an unhealthy relationship which had me muttering ‘gaslighting’ under my breath quite a lot. A good book for those who enjoyed the novels of Graeme Simsion and Stephanie Butland.

Oh I so adored this beautiful, unique book! It was such an enjoyable, heartwarming read that I didn’t want it to end.

The story focuses on Dan and Ellie, two quite quirky individuals who form a wonderful friendship together. I instantly warmed to both of them and the unique way they look at the world, particularly Dan who seems to enjoy the simple joys in life. They are very both well developed throughout the book and I loved learning more about them, especially the things that make them who they are like their sweet hobbies of collecting pennies or writing poetry.

The chapters alternate between Dan and Ellie giving the reader access to their personal thoughts and feeling which made me feel like I really knew them. We learn more about Ellie’s tough home life with her horrible husband, who I wished I could have a strong word or two with, and about the fascinating process of making a beautiful harp from a piece of wood that allows Dan’s personality to just shine through.

Overall I thought this was a fantastic book and one that will stay with me for ages. I was very sad to have finished the book and kept flipping back to re-read my favourite parts. I can’t wait to read more from this author and to see what she comes up with next.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Transworld for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

On the surface, Ellie seems to be happy with her life as Clive's wife, an Exmoor housewife, as she describes herself. But Ellie wants more - from life, she wants to write poetry, she wants to feel the gentle wind on her face, she wants to contemplate the beauty of Exmoor Country. When she meets the harpmaker Dan, she fells in love with his workshop and his harps and his life attitude. Dan, on the other hand, also notices something in Ellie - and not only her cherry socks but her vulnerability, sadness and openness, and offers her not only triangle sandwiches, but also a harp of her own. But this is too extravagant a gift for Ellie's husband Clive and he makes Ellie sent the gift back to Dan. Ellie does it - but she also let Dan to convince her to start to visit him more often and to learn play the harp - because it is her harp. This is the beginning of the changes in both of their lives - but better or worse?

I think that it was already said in many reviews but I must repeat it - the writing style is beautiful and it feels so lyrical. This book is full of descriptions - of the setting, characters, feelings and thoughts, and when sometimes it's annoying because you wait for something to happen, in this book it simply works brilliantly, it flows seamlessly and effortlessly and it's a pure joy to read.

Dan was a great character and the parts told from his point of view were incredibly insightful and full of honesty, and they felt really genuine. I liked seeing world through his eyes, it was so pure and so true, everything was so evident to him but his appreciation of the surroundings and events was fantastic. How many people could appreciate a simple walk through Exmoor the way he appreciated his? It was brought to life by the author so vividly that I could see the things almost as well as if I were there with Dan. He noticed things that we wouldn't pay attention to and it was a real joy to be able to see them with him.
Now, Ellie. She was a lovely character, full of kindness in her heart and she wanted only good things to happen. However, the more I got to know her, the more she annoyed me. She was so naive and so clingy and I couldn't stand her way around her husband. I'm sorry, but this is how I felt. I simply fell for her so much that I didn't want to see her like this - she was blossoming around Dan and she was so sad and fearful around her husband, and I hoped throughout the whole book that something is going to change for her.

The friendship between Dan and Ellie was one of the best friendships ever written, I think. They both found support in each other, they felt so secure in each other's company, and it was pure, raw and real. It was also innocent and... well, yes - sweet. And unexpected - who would have thought that a lonely housewife and an introvert Dan would become such soul - mates? It was so lovely to see how those two, not expecting it, only realised what is missing in their lives when they got to know each other. Dan introduced Ellie to harps and music, and Ellie has given him something priceless.

The descriptions of the harp - making and what it involved were an art of their own. You could see how much research went into the book. And guys, the author has so wonderfully brought music to the pages, with every fingertip and hand move, the unique angelic sounds of the harp.
It was a very unexpected love story, a very special one, with special characters that I rooted for. There were tons of depth and meaning to this story, and I loved it. It was a heartfelt, poignant and beautiful story about friendship and love, showing that even if we're not looking for them, we can find them in the most unlikely places. Highly recommended!

A year after her father's death, Ellie decides to take on his advice: she has to start doing things that make her happy. Not that her marriage is not ok, she's quite content. But, as her father has pointed out, that's not enough. Which is how she bumps into the Exmoor harpmaker.

Dan has been making harps ever since he was a child, and that's all he ever wanted to do. His life is quite alright, or at least that's what he believes. And then, one day, the Exmoor housewife visits his barn and falls in love with his harps. Ellie, with her cherry-red socks and her matching scarf will start visiting to play the harp. And both of their lives are going to change forever.

Tender and charming, Ellie and the Harpmaker is a beautiful story about everyday life, routine, the things we sacrifice and the things we pursue. But, most of all, it's a story that shows us that we can find wonderful things in the most unexpected instances and places.

Based in two very intriguing and charming characters, Ellie and Dan., and narrated alternatively by the two of them, this story looks ordinary enough in the beginning. But, as you go on reading, you'll find that sometimes, the most special things can come out of the most ordinary stories. Ellie and the Harpmaker is like a sphere covered in layers. And, as you go, you peel those off one by one, understanding both of them more and more deeply.

This is truly a very lovely book, definitely recommended for everyone.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book.
This novel is a work of art. The amount of time and research that went into crafting this would have been substantial. It's easy and addictive to read, and you have to find out what happens next despite the innocuous beginning. One character gives another character a harp, and it all snowballs from there.
It's a story of love, music, life, and how we choose to live it. It's beautiful in its simplicity.
Will be looking out for more works by this author.