I really enjoyed this book from Jessica Redland. It was an interesting plot and although I guessed the outcome early on there were lots of elements to the story that were surprising and interesting. The characters had depth and were suitably flawed. I loved the setting and the links to characters from the hedgehog Hollow series.

The Archers meets Love Island with a great big dollop of warmth and heart in Jessica Redland’s enchanting and enjoyable new novel Healing Hearts at Bumblebee Barn.

Farmer Barney loves his life on Bumblebee Barn. The farm has been in the family for generations and Barney counts his lucky stars every day that he gets to earn his living in the fresh air doing something he loves surrounded by animals. Barney wouldn’t swap a single second of his life on the farm with anyone. The only thing missing in his life is having somebody to share his days with. Barney would love nothing more than to have somebody to cuddle up with at the end of a long day, however, life on the farm doesn’t leave him with much time for dating and the chances of finding his soulmate on Bumblebee Barn are non-existent. Is Barney destined to a lonely life on the farm? Not if his sister Fizz has got anything to do with it!

Fizz would love to see her brother in a relationship. But he’s not going to meet anyone if he spends all his time on the farm! Realizing that she needs to give her brother a helping hand, Fizz decides to persuade Barney to sign up for a new reality TV show that will help young farmers to find The One. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, Barney decides to bite the bullet and audition. He doesn’t think that he’ll get selected – so he’s flabbergasted when he finds himself swapping muddy wellies for camera close-ups.

Thrown into the chaos of reality TV, life for Barney will never be the same ever again. But will he find the love of his life on the set of Love on the Farm? Or will going on the show merely lead to heartbreak and disappointment?

Jessica Redland’s latest novel is a magical tale sprinkled with humour, charm and emotion that I couldn’t bear to put down. Healing Hearts at Bumblebee Barn is a wonderful read about stepping out of your comfort zone, taking a chance on love and finding happiness that I absolutely loved. Jessica Redland is such a talented writer that the second readers start reading one of her books they find themselves transported into a world they simply will not want to leave.

Witty, poignant and wonderfully told, Healing Hearts at Bumblebee Barn is the latest delightful page-turner by Jessica Redland.

Jessica Redland is fast becoming a go to author and this book didn’t disappoint. We meet Barney who is happy with his dogs and life on the farm. Will he find out what he wants?

If I'm being honest, I'm not a big fan of reality tv storylines, however since Jessica can do no wrong in my eyes, I went in with an open mind and was heavily delighted throughout the whole book. The story was really fun, with a complex storyline woven within and it filled my heart to see familiar faces appear from the Hedgehog Hollow series. I absolutely flew through this book, just like I do with all of Jessica's books and would highly recommend.

I tried getting into this read but I just could not follow. The writing to me seemed a little scattered.

Another great book by Jessica
This author does not disappoint
A book that draws you in and you don’t want to leave
Such an easy read
Thanks NetGalley

What an absolute dream to read!
Beautiful, natural story, lots of giggle moments in there and so many awww times!
This is a great read. Mentioning Hedgehog Hollow but can definitely be read as a stand alone. Fabulous characters and storyline. Highly recommended
I love the way I fall into a Jessica Redland novel and don't want to leave at the end! Unless it's with the main male character!!
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion

After being a huge fan if the Hedgehog Hollow series, I was really excited to learn more about some of the characters that made appearances in those books.
This really was a fabulous read, it did Barney justice, gave you glimpses into the rescue centre for that little hedgehog rescue fix, but most importantly it was a wonderful standalone book.
I loved the setting, all the emotional touches and although it was sad in parts, it was a truly heartwarming read!
As always, another brilliant, uplifting and emotional read. I love books by Jessica Redland, they are always a real treat!

Healing Hearts at Bumblebee Barn

by Jessica Redland

I have heard praise of the Hedgehog Hollow books, but have not read any of them. I was excited to read Jessica Redland’s Healing Hearts at Bumblebee Barn which is set in Yorkshire and incorporates the Hedgehog Hollow Rescue Center in the plot and setting.

Barney comes from a farming family and Amber from a dramatically inclined family. Barney is convinced by his sister Fizz to apply to appear on a new reality TV show which Amber is producing. Amber is not normally a fan of reality TV, but as producer of the family friendly docu-series Countryside Calendar, she is convinced to produce Love on the Farm “with genuine intentions to help farmers find love rather than putting the participants through ritual humiliation and manipulating the footage for shock value and ratings success.” As a farmer, Barney leads a fairly lonely and isolated life. This show could be an opportunity for him to attain a lifelong match.

Both Barney and Amber are really nice people, and both have been hurt in past relationships. Barney enters the show with an open mind, and Amber has a professional attitude which is hard to maintain when the company she works for changes its perspective on the show as well as hiring new directors. With a non-disclosure agreement, Amber is unable to share the changes with Barney and the chosen matches. The results are some unpleasant surprises that are intended to increase ratings.

Even with family health issues and broken hearts, the show must go on. Eventually we learn of the betrayals of various “ex’s” revealing personalities who are ruthless and self-centered. Through it all, both Amber and Barney remain true to their principles. As Amber says, “It’s not about winning…It’s about what’s right.”

I very much enjoyed the interplay of the main characters and the supportive roles of the minor characters. Amazon lists this as a standalone, but I hope it will be the first of a new series. There are so many directions the talented Redland could take these characters.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 5/5

Category: General Fiction, Romance

Notes: I don’t watch reality TV, but I enjoyed this book.

Publication: January 24, 2023—Boldwood Books

Memorable Lines:

To “pull an Amber” was to either avoid a night out or to show your face and slope off to bed early.

It turned out that Parker and I weren’t just not on the same page—we weren’t even in the same library.

Every snide comment, I met with a look. Every criticism, I met with praise for the participants or crew. Every dig at me, I just laughed and walked away—far more powerful than stooping to his level.

Poor Barney, I can imagine that life on the farm isn't really conducive to finding romance - after all, the dating pool is pretty small in rural towns and then there is the lack of time.....

When Barney gets selected for a reality show, he has no idea how his life is going to change!

A sweet romance with just the right amount of twists and turns until the HEA.

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books.

The book is so much more than a farmer finding love through a TV show. The story was more complex with family dynamics and ex-partners coming into the equation.
This is my first book by this author and the little snippet I got of Hedgehog Hollow makes me want to read those books too.

Loved this! This book was so easy to read and moreish! I’m gutted it’s not going to be a new series. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. There’s a whole rollercoaster of emotions to be experienced! Great characters, great storyline and great ending. Wonderful read.

Thank you Netgalley

Another fantastic read from Jessica Redland, I was so excited to see Hedgehog Hollow make a firm appearance in this book too. I had grown so attached to this series, I thought it was quite fitting to see it return in this stand-alone story too.

Predominantly set in the Yorkshire Dales, this book focuses on Barney, who seems an absolute charm of a character but is a lonely singleton. Straight away, Redland establishes how Barney works hard on his farm and loves his job, but is incredibly unlucky in love. His vulnerability was particularly poignant and I think this made Barney more of a relatable character. Redland hints at a “lost love” in his past, but it is only once the story is developed do readers find out about this part of Barney’s history. I really enjoyed reading about his relationship with Elle and I think it made him an even more lovable character, especially understanding that he has never really recovered since.

Our female protagonist, Amber, was equally likeable. Very much family-orientated, her loyalty towards her family is unwavering. Like Barney, Amber also has a bit of a past but this concerns her sister. Whilst I had some inkling about what this would be, I liked how Redland made readers wait quite a while before this plot was revealed. Instead, it allowed the focus to be on Amber’s work as a producer and the challenges she faces trying to film this new reality television show that seems to go from one disaster to the next.

This is what made this book stand out from previous reads: Redland explores the world of television producing and the manipulation that goes on with reality shows. I sympathised with Amber’s frustration as the original premise of the dating show Love on the Farm changes completely from what she primarily agreed to. Hands tied thanks to channel bosses, Amber’s morals are compromised as it seems all that the focus is, is to ensure the most conflicted, influenced material is ready to create “car crash television”. It’s a disaster in the making and when Amber’s director-nemesis also gets involved, you know this will never lead to a happy ending.

I really wanted to see Amber and Barney’s relationship develop but their connection as producer and contestant made this impossible. Furthermore, the fact that Barney is supposed to find love from candidates Amber has helped pick, means that both parties know they need to see this program through first, before even considering their true emotions. As a result, I liked watching how the television show was put together, Barney’s bewilderment at the chaos that has descended onto his gorgeous farm, and the extent the directors were willing to go to to ensure a ratings winner.

The appearance of Hedgehog Hollow was the icing on the cake with this story but I really appreciated how this became a satellite location that didn’t impact the plot direction of Bumblebee Barn. Yes, it was lovely to see memorable faces that are now like family, but I enjoyed how different this story was from the rescue centre. In this way, I think it reflects Redland’s versatility as a writer and even though it is another novel set in the Yorkshire countryside, it was a delightful read from start to finish.

With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve always loved Jessica Redland’s books but I think I may have found my new favourite… We’re in a brand new setting with Healing Hearts at Bumblebee Barn but it’s got that special familiarity with it being based around Barney (he’s the brother of Fizz who we know from Hedgehog Hollow) and there are a lot of familiar characters.

If you’ve not read the Hedgehog Hollow series what are you thinking?! No, I’m kidding 🙊 they are amazing and I’d definitely recommend but you can start this series without having read them first. It just gives this book that familiar feeling if you have read them as you’ll already be familiar with the characters and their back stories (to a certain extent) and the locations we visit.

I found myself playing matchmaker from the very first chapters with Amber and Barney, I mean they could have just been the most perfect couple right… but as we went on I could also see Zara and Joel hitting it off or Sophie and Milo but maybe I may be predicting the future here?! The setting is absolutely gorgeous and I could just picture the view sitting on the fence over Top Farm watching the sunset (I don’t think I’d be up in time for the sun rise!), riding through the fields on the quad bike or just wandering through the meadows.

In case you were still wondering, I really enjoyed this book and can not wait for the next one to find out more about this brand new set of characters. Redland has done it again and created an absolute cracker that grabs you and makes you never want to leave!

In this kind of spin off from Hedghog Hollow, we meet Barney, Fizz’s brother. Who is looking for love. When Fizz suggests he goes on a reality show his life turns upside down. Especially when he finds himself falling for Amber, the producer of the show.

Like every Jessica Redland book, nothing is as it seems and long held secrets alway find a way to resurface.

A five star read which draws the reader in from the start!
I loved Barney and Amber’s stories. Barneys life as a farmer does not easily enable him to form relationships, and when his sister Fizz suggests a reality tv farming program he is persuaded to sign up .
Half way through filming the tv company decides to change their approach, to the disgust of Barney and Amber the producer .
As usual with Jessica’s writing there are many twists to the plot and always some difficult subjects sensitively handled . Jessica’s books are well written, extensively researched, and extremely enjoyable. I’m always waiting for the next !
A highly recommended book
Thank you to Netgalley, Jessica Redland, and Boldwood Books for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review

Apparently part of a previous series that I managed to get into the middle of as always.
It was still a cute little relaxing story that I have very much enjoyed.
Lots of great characters and the scenery is absolutely gorgeous!
5 stars for grabbing my attention from the beginning and keeping it all the way through!

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book

Barney’s farm has been I his family for generations and he wants someone to share it with. His sister Fizz tells him about a program (Love on the Farm), the farmers answer to love island and he decides to give it a go. The reality of tv turns Barney’s life upside down and finds himself falling for the producer Amber. Will they be able to put the past behind them and move forward with their relationship.

The perfect start to a new series. It was brilliant to see some old faces come back, and amazing to meet some new ones. Jessica is a firm favourite with me and this just proves why she is top of my list! Cannot wait for the next in the series!

As a big fan of the author and her Hedgehog Hollow series, I couldn’t wait for this book. I loved that it had slight connections to the previous series but was different. We knew Fizz from working at the Hedgehog Rescue Centre but now her farmer brother, Barney, is looking for love and turning to a reality TV series in the hopes of finding someone suited to his lifestyle.
As filming starts, the TV producers want to start spicing things up, unbeknown to Barney; secrets are spilled, people are hurt and past heartbreaks are rehashed. It’s not what it set out to be and the director, strong willed Amber, isn’t happy – it’s far from the show she agreed to work on and she feels for Barney, probably more than she should.
Barney is a lovely character, he seems sweet and you want the best for him, definitely not the rough ride the TV producers want for to give him. Amber is a cool character too and the spark between them is apparent from the start.
A story full of drama, romance, and fun, there are some funny moments with some contestants on the show. It’s uplifting and give you hope. A great read that I highly recommend.