Wow, that was quite the rollercoaster ride!

Sam is not having a good time. Bridesmaid at the wedding of her cousin and her ex, she gets lost on the way to the reception and meets Thomas, a grumpy old widower. As her personal life spirals out of control, her friendship with Thomas gives her the courage to set proper boundaries in her relationships and live life on her own terms.

I loved Sam. Despite life (and her family) knocking her down again and again, she persisted in kindness and optimism. She was saved from doormat status by standing up to the people who hurt her in some immensely satisfying pieces of prose. I was rooting for her happiness from the get go, even as her troubles were only just getting started.

There's a generous cast of characters here - some who support Sam, some not so much. I enjoyed seeing them grow and change (as did their relationship with Sam) over the course of the book, and for those who wronged her and realised it, I appreciated the conversations (and the grovelling) that preceded her forgiveness. Family rifts always hurt, and forgiveness seems hollow when the pain isn't acknowledged on both sides, but this was not the case here. Things don't go back to how they were, and that's okay.

The romance here feels a little shoehorned in. The love interest (and I could spot him from a mile off, despite an inauspicious first meeting) doesn't make an appearance until about halfway through the book. They then make up for it by getting together after their fifth meeting (and their first positive one). I simply couldn't buy into their relationship due to the speed at which it progressed. It's not bad, it's just not my favourite part of the book. Perhaps if they'd met earlier or had more positive interactions before the tipping point it would've won me over.

If you're looking for a story about family, friendship, forgiveness, and hedgehogs, pick up this book and grab a tissue or two.
 
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and Rachel's Random Resources; all opinions are my own

Part of the blurb describes this book as the perfect uplifting, feel-good read. That’s absolutely true, but only after you’ve cried your eyes out!

Samantha is a wonderfully rich, sympathetic and compelling heroine. I just wanted to pick her up, give her a bear hug and tell her everything would be alright. There were moments I wanted to shout at her and tell her to move on and away from the toxic people in her life. But then, upon a deeper reflection, I realized I too have been guilty of much the same. How much easier it is to tell others how to solve their problems! I even wanted to give her beloved Dad a what’s for but by the end, I grudging accepted that he was also in a most difficult situation and he too remained ever hopeful.

As wonderful as Sam is, is she reliable narrator in terms of her judgements of others? This is a question I ended up asking myself towards the end of her story. She’s pre-disposed to think well of others. When she says, earlier on, in the story that certain people are ‘good’ and ‘kind’, I took that at face value. Then, the truth of some of those characters was revealed… It’s juicy, people! The characters are complex and you’ll enjoy uncovering their many layers- the good and the bad.

Perhaps one of my favourite parts of this story (and I think this holds for many other readers) is the relationship between Thomas and Sam. What starts out as a most inauspicious meeting, turns into one of the highlights of both these character’s lives. They are so very different but yet so similar in heartbreaking ways, and they each provide, for the other, a truly beautiful source of comfort and joy. I dare you to keep a dry eye while reading this book!

The romance: there’s always a romance and that’s always the part where my greedy side comes out and wants more, more more! This is a story about Samantha and how she is challenged, grows, develops and triumphs. Finding love is simply the icing on the cake. Her love interest doesn’t really show up until the last third of the story…. we do meet him about halfway in, though. He’s introduced as Jeep Pratt, Chris Pratt’s look-a-like. You’ll have to read the book to understand 😉 I could easily have devoured another hundred pages watching Sam and Josh fall in love. By the time they meet, however, they’ve each worked through the worst of their personal angst and are now open to finding, understanding and accepting love… so that’s just what they do.

Love, hate, families and relationships are all explored against the delightful setting of Hedgehog Hollow. 

The flawed and relatable characters are the driving force of this story. Samantha is lovely, always willing to help. Her outlook on life makes her loved by everyone, except her mother?  This relationship is distressing. You empathise with Sam and marvel at her resilience. Sam's interaction with Thomas is particularly poignant, and more than a little serendipitous. 

Gentle romance and genuine heartbreak make this an emotional story. Angst tempered with lighter moments means this is heartwarming and uplifting to read.

I received a copy of this book from Boldwood Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

One of the most beautiful books that I have read in this lifetime. Author Jessica Redland is truly the queen of hearts. She knew how to dip each word in the ink of emotions and wrench my heart into a state that I could not help but sob. The feelings were like a tempest of waves that couldn’t be controlled.

The story unfolded so brilliantly that at times my heart shattered into a million pieces where each piece was laden with so many emotions that I didn’t know where one began and the other ended. A rich tapestry of a story, it bound Sam to the other characters with silken threads giving them a choice to be stronger or set free. The author knew how to wrap those same bindings around me, giving me inner joy and the most blessed peace.

So this book was everything I dreamed it would be and more! I desperately want to start to run a hedgehog rehabilitation centre and move to the village in this story. I don’t even know where to start with this review.

Sammie’s the only bridesmaid at her cousin’s wedding. She should be happy right? Wrong. Sammie’s watching the man she loves marry her cousin with family members she dislikes around her. When the aunt from hell tries to stir up trouble, Sammie’s rejected by her family despite doing nothing wrong.

This book just hit me hard in the feelings. There’s some really toxic family dynamics and equally some amazing relationships in this story. I found myself despising some of the characters and really feeling for the protagonist, Sammie. Sammie’s Mum is so emotionally manipulative and controlling towards her it’s hard to read at times. Personally, her mother’s horrible attitude adds to the story and highlights how kind Sammie is, even to people who don’t necessarily deserve her kindness. Her dad on the other hand was one of my favourite characters in the book.

It’s well and truly a feel good story with a gorgeous Yorkshire setting and amazing characters. Thomas was probably my favourite character and you need to read this book for his grumpy character alone. Sammie and Thomas’ friendship is beautifully written and he reminded me much of my own granddad.

You can tell that the author did so much research about nursing, teaching and hedgehogs. It made it feel more realistic and made the book such a joy to read.

I absolutely adored this book and will be reading more of Jessica Redland’s books!

Jessica Redland, what a fabulous novel, you really gave this book your all. Firstly, many thanks to Auntie Gwen who was the first hedgehog lady, giving you  Jessica, plenty of advice on how to become a hedgehog lady yourself.  I know you have a real passion for hedgehogs  making this a love of your life story. This book was a real pleasure to read and I loved every word of it.  I would loved to have been a character in Hedgehog Hollow so long as I was never Sam's mother, what a hateful person she was.  Finding someone from your past and then to friendship and love as well as losses along the way makes this a wonderful book to read. I loved, loved, loved this  and am looking forward to reading your next one.  Brilliant writing and a brilliant read, sorry that I can only give you 5 stars, this is worth a great deal more. Please everyone, read this book and enjoy it as I have done.

Some family members simply aren't worth the effort, and hats off to the author for making me hate Sam's mum and the rest of her female relatives so much that I seriously wanted to slap the lot of them. 

This story is so much more than a romance  - it's about friendship and kindness, moving on and letting go. It's also about loss, and trust, and realising that blood isn't always thicker than water.

A real page-turner.

I lost count on how many times I cried while reading it but do not runaway with the idea that it is a sad book; yes, it has its emotional scenes but it is overwhelmingly warm, funny and uplifting. The characters sneak into your heart especially Thomas Mickleby (I love his name) and Sammie. It is this deep connection that allowed me to experience their feelings, hence the sobs. Tissues are required.

The principal character, Sammie, is lovely and someone I would love to have as a friend even if she is underappreciated by many around her.  I related to Sammie within the first few pages and the more her life was revealed, the more I cared. Many of Sammie’s experiences with toxic relationships hit a nerve and they were dealt with in a sensitive, loving way. It highlights how family members influence our lives for the better and worse and in turn help form our personalities. The depth of characterisation drew me into the story before I met the hedgehogs, and there are many references to them. Hedgehogs are one of my favourite animals, and reading about them made me reminisce about the hoglets we cared for over a harsh Yorkshire winter. It was a special experience, but very pongy at times. The hedgehog storyline has been well researched and a lot of information is dripped into the story so anyone who reads this will come away learning something about these delightful creatures and their plight for survival.

The setting for Hedgehog Hollow is stunning.  I currently live in the Wolds, and the descriptions in this novel capture the essence of the landscape perfectly. I longed to be there and sit with Sammie and Thomas to experience the meadow in its full bloom.

The relationships Sammie forms with the people she meets have a magical quality about them, especially between her and Thomas.  I enjoyed watching them grow and evolve into a family-like bond. This is a story about friendship, hope,  and learning to believe in your ability to shine.

This was my first book by Jessica Redland and I really enjoyed it. 

This was a lovely story which sucked me in from the start. The story is about Sammie, who saves the lives of a very grumpy man called Thomas. This then triggers a series of events that change Sammie's life. Sammie is juggling a new job and issues within the family and I felt that the author takes us on a journey with Sammie through this. I think my heart broke for Sammie at times in this book especially near the Beginning. It was great to see Sammie grow especially as Hedgehog sanctuary grows. 

The story has lots and twists and turns which keep you hooked and it has a good pace. I also loved the cute little hedgehog picture at the start of each chapter. This story explores friendships and relationships and the ups and downs of them. It has great characters that added to the story and Sammie's journey. Overall a great read and I'll be checking out Jessica's other books!!!

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely story of how you can find love, and friendship, when you just don't try. The harder you try, the more likely you will never find it. Sam in the book learns that if you put your efforts into helping someone else, you could just find everything you wish for!

This was a fun, cute story with fantastic friendship and a happy ending.
I enjoyed the characters, I felt myself intrigued to keep reading, so I was invested in the story. I loved the beautiful, descriptive Yorkshire setting. 
A fun, easy read. Perfect for summer.

Ok, maybe I’d have liked to see just a few more hedgehogs… but I’m most definitely not complaining, because I really thought this book was pretty close to perfect. This is a series I’m SO looking forward to following.

It’s very much a book of two halves. In the first, we really get to know Sam – her family background (goodness, her mother is truly horrendous – but her lovely dad more than makes up for that), her friendships, and the sad story of her relationship with the man who was the love of her life but who just couldn’t love her in the same way. And we really see how enormous her heart is when she befriends Thomas – a sad and lonely old widower with a broken heart – and slowly breaks down his defences. And then… well, I just had to put the book down for a while because I couldn’t read through the tears.

The second half of the book then focuses on Hedgehog Hollow, its restoration, and Sam’s mission to deliver on her promise to Thomas. And as the restoration work continues, Sam rebuilds her own life too – a fresh start, mending fences (although there are some that will always prove beyond repair), making new and very special friends, and perhaps even finding a little romance coming from a totally unexpected direction.

So that’s the story – well, more or less – but it doesn’t even begin to tell you how thoroughly gorgeous this book is. The author always has such a special touch with relationships – the complexities of families, the way people can hurt each other, the support of friends – and I’ve never seen her do it any better than she does in this book. I felt sheer rage at the way Sam was treated – how could they?! She’s so warm and caring and lovely, and I really hurt for her as everything in her life went haywire – and what’s more, there was a real legacy of injustice and unfairness too that she did absolutely nothing to deserve. Her sadness made me ache inside – all the emotional content is just superbly handled. And as well as the relationships, there’s also some real threat and drama – edge-of-the-seat writing, and so very well done.

The characterisation is exceptional – not just Sam and Thomas, but every single individual in the book, fully rounded, entirely real people behaving as well or badly as people do. The dialogue – another thing she always does so well – is better than ever, conversations and interactions you feel you’ve been allowed to overhear and be part of. And I absolutely loved the setting too – not the familiar surroundings of Whitsborough Bay this time, but the winding lanes of The Wolds, with Hedgehog Hollow itself described in the most loving of detail (goodness, I could smell that wildflower meadow!).

This whole book entirely enchanted me from beginning to end – I lived every twist and turn of the story, and felt a real sense of loss when I reached the end. All I can say is thank goodness it’s the start of a series… I’m going to really look forward to the time I spend at Hedgehog Hollow.

Truly lovely and moving story!😪. A real hit for me😌🤗

5🌟stars for sure😍
I totally fell for this story of a young woman with so much hurt, betrayal and rejection in her life, who escaped the negativity to fulfill a beloved friend's dream.  So many instances when she could have just wallowed in her hurt and setbacks but, inspired by her beloved grandfather, she keeps on truckin'  and reaching for the good karma she's due.  

With so many secondary characters, many supportive but a good number against her, I was happy that the characters were so distinct and relevant to Samantha's story that I had no trouble keep them straight.  There's romance, a bit of inspirational magic and heavens to Betsy, let's not forget the hedgehogs (though, truth be told, they are bit players in a story that encompasses so much more).  Tearful, sad moments, fragile family relations and even vandals all play important roles in Samantha's journey.  The author also paints beautiful pictures of the Yorkshire countryside with her words.🌄

So totally emotion-packed and with a bittersweet side: I loved this book.  This was my first time reading a Jessica Redland work but I will be looking for others.

Thanks to publisher Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book;  this is my voluntary and honest review.

Finding Love at Hedgehog Hollow by Jessica Redland Isn’t my first book by the author, in fact I’ve read several of Jessica’s books now. What keeps me coming back is her lovely writing style, the warmth in her stories and the loveable and relatable characters she writes. I loved Samantha so much, wasn’t as keen on her mum even with the reasons, but Sam was so great, watching her development as the story went along is just lovely. For me it has animals, drama, love and family what more could you want from a story. Heartwarming 

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book for an honest opinion

Finding Love at Hedgehog Hollow by Jessica Redland is a feel good book, and my first book by this author.  Samantha Wishaw just watched the love of her life marry her cousin, so she throws herself into a friendship with Thomas, an elderly man who lives at Hedgehog Hollow.  I really enjoyed this book but Samantha's mother is the most horrible person ever, and I could not relate to her at all.  I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys family drama, friendship, and romance.  I look forward to reading more book by Ms. Redland.   
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

An entertaining, heartwarming and uplifting story that made me smile and root for the characters.
The storyline and the characters are excellent, the descriptions of the setting made me wish to the there.
I can't wait to read the next story by this author.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I loved this book from the first few chapters, Sammie was a superb main character who always looked after those around her and tried her best to remain upbeat and positive.

Hedgehog Hollow is my absolute dream home, a farmhouse with barns and the description of the meadow made me fall in love with it instantly and me it a perfect setting for this story. A gorgeous book about love and hope, that made me laugh, feel indignant and want to cry. Hedgehogs are wonderful animals and whilst reading I was transported me back in time to memories of seeing them in the garden as a child.

This book was like a giant hug, I absolutely loved it and was so disappointed to be nearing the end that I wanted to stop reading as I felt connected to the characters and story and didn't want it to end! This was my first book by Jessica Redland and I have delighted to have found a wonderful new author and am excited to read more of her books.

I do so enjoy Jessica Redland’s lovely uplifting books and am pleased to say that Finding Love at Hedgehog Hollow is just as lovely.

It’s the story of Sam, who we meet when she is the bridesmaid at the wedding of her cousin Chloe who is also her best friend. The only slight issue is that she is marrying the man Sam loves, James, who used to be Sam’s boyfriend. While on an errand after the ceremony, she gets lost and ends up finding an elderly man ill in his remote farmhouse, Hedgehog Hollow. As she’s a nurse, she stops to help and this chance meeting leads to a firm friendship between Sam and grumpy Thomas which it’s fair to say, changes both their lives for the better. However, events at the wedding reception when she finally makes it back, very late and rather muddy, result in some very unpleasant scenes and undeserved ill feeling towards Sam.

Jessica Redland explores a lot of very complicated family relationships throughout the book and it was fascinating to read about how the difficult situations had come about and to what extent they resolved over the course of the book. The relationship between Sam and her mum was particularly difficult and was sad to read about. On the other hand, the growing friendship between Sam and Thomas, the owner of Hedgehog Hollow, was just lovely. It was very touching to read about an earlier connection between Sam and Thomas’ late wife Gwendoline. Thank goodness for Sam’s Dad and her other good friends when at times so many people seemed so unjustly against her.

Sam was a character I really took to heart. She really was kindness personified. It was just in her nature to show kindness to people and to animals, even when sometimes the people in particular didn’t deserve it. It was certainly true what her grandad used to say “The fragrance always stays in the hand that gives the rose”. It’s not a phrase I’d heard before but is about acts of kindness ultimately benefiting the giver. Although Sam would never do anything with the expectation of reward, all her kindnesses definitely do reward her.

I have spoken a bit about the relationships within the book and about Sam herself but haven’t even touched on the fact that there is also a rather nicely done romance within the story, as you might guess from the title. It’s not perhaps the main focus but really added to my enjoyment, the way the love was not sought or expected but was without doubt a meeting of minds. And then there’s the hedgehog rescue centre which Sam is tasked with setting up, to fulfil Thomas and Gwendoline’s plans. Perhaps coincidentally, we’ve had visits to our garden almost every evening this week from a hedgehog (sometimes two) – perhaps they knew I was reading about them!

I very much enjoyed Finding Love at Hedgehog Hollow. It’s a delightful story of friendship, kindness and love and of being true to yourself. It’s a wonderfully heart-warming story which I recommend if you are looking for a really feel-good read. I am looking forward to reading more about Sam and her hedgehogs in future books about Hedgehog Hollow.

This book was really easy to read, and very enjoyable. I really liked Samantha, and her character development over the course of the book was great to see. I liked quite a few of the other characters too, Josh, Samantha’s father, her friend Hannah particularly. However, I there were several I really didn’t like - mostly her mother, who was just incredibly horrible and unkind. I thought that the story of Hedgehog Hollow was charming, I love hedgehogs (one of the reasons I picked this book), but it was so much more lovely than I thought. 

There were too many deaths in this book for my taste, but they are written in such a way that it is not too horribly sad. The setting of Hedgehog Hollow came through very strongly.

Overall, if you can cope with a couple of deaths, and one really nasty character, this is a lovely gentle romance, but also a personal development story. 

I was given a free copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

Enjoyable read. Would recommend to friends and family. I could sympathise with characters (important for any fiction novel!) and looked forward to picking it up and reading the next few chapters! Interesting plot line and a good ending. Will look out for more novels by the author. Thank you.