I was hankering for a cozy little cottage read, and this definitely had the charming village/homebody/cat lady vibes I was hoping for. That said, the romance angle wasn’t super compelling to me (maybe not enough buildup or rapport between the two?), and I found myself getting frustrated with the main character at times—I feel like her apathy and incorrect assumptions got more unlikeable to me the more I read. Thanks as always for the opportunity to read!

Imogen is a fledgling storybook artist who just can’t seem to keep a job. She and her husband Nigel have not been married long, and the two decide to purchase a cottage in Middlemass, leaving the city life behind. Unfortunately, after an accident, Imogen is left widowed, with a new house in the country, and surprisingly pregnant. Her new life begins as she slowly incorporates herself in the village, meeting locals and battling her headstrong neighbor Gabriel, a roughly handsome caretaker of the cottage and the surrounding lands. Things come to a head when she realizes more is expected after Nigel’s death, and she is left to pick up the pieces of her widowed life.

I enjoyed this book. Imogen is a bit of a wispy character, she has a floaty artist's personality and begins to come to life on her bike in the countryside with her burgeoning belly and story book she creates. Gabriel is grumpy and a true broody hero who takes care of Imogen while still fighting with her. The story takes a minute to get going, but once it does, it is a charming tale that has a quiet pace and even as bad things are happening to our protagonist, the reader gets the feeling that all will work out, or maybe it’s just the gardens and sheep and Imogen drawing by the bridge. The writing and plot are solid, the end is sweet, and it defines a cozy, romantic cottage-core novel.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Another really good book by Poppy Alexander. I completely enjoyed this book . I don't know many places that are as connected as this village is. Although everyone knows everything about newcomers, it is not with malice that they intrude in one's life, but affection. I never put the book down, I was so engaged. I would recommend this book to anyone.