Once Upon a Thyme is set in a rural English area in a herb garden. Natalie is the owner of this venture, handed down to her from her grandmother to her mother and then Natalie. She has a recalcitrant and rather clever pig, some guinea pigs, and an extensive herb garden with an attached shop. She works hard and is rather hampered by her mother's persistent calls on her time. Natalie was raised mostly by her grandmother, as her mother always seems to have been ill. Her father died when she was an infant.

When Zeb and then Simon and and English band shoot a video in Natalie's garden things begin to become rather topsy turvey for her. Zeb gently challenges her, although Natalie really is quite proficient in her job, however she is struggling on a number of levels. As well as the rather odd and strained relationship with her mother, Natalie wonders if she is really living her life like she would want. A very valid question.

Through a number of challenging moments Natalie finds her way through her struggles and life takes on a better aspect. I could see her going on to living a fulfilling life. I found this an interesting read, I wasn't sure if I liked Natalie at the beginning but as she found herself and began working through her past, I was happy to see her taking control of her life.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I really enjoyed reading it. I found it to be an easy read but at the same time one that had my interest piqued from the very beginning. I actually thought this was going to be solely a romantic read but as I progressed through the book I realised there was an air of mystery to it as well. The characters were all well described, even the non human one who had me laughing out loud are times. To sum up I found this book to be one with romance combined with an air of mystery and I’m very happy to have read and loved it.

I really wanted to like Once Upon a Thyme, the title is clever, the premise sounded charming, and I was looking forward to a cozy, comforting escape to the countryside. I’m usually a fan of cute village stories with a dash of romance and humour. But unfortunately, this one just didn’t quite come together for me.

The main character had potential, but I found her hard to connect with. She was meant to be endearingly flawed, but I mostly just found her frustrating. The plot also lacked momentum and became a little repetitive with big pig escaping one too many times. So, by the halfway point I was struggling to stay engaged.

There are moments of wit and warmth and the food and plant references are delightful, but the tone sometimes veered into overly whimsical, which made the emotional moments harder to take seriously.

I can see how this book might appeal to readers who love gentle, eccentric British humour and aren’t too fussed about plot or character depth. But for me, it felt a bit too light despite some of the serious plot reveals.

I received a complimentary copy from Boldwood Books, via Netgalley.

The storyline was so sweet and the featured animals were so cute. I had a feeling that one of the characters was going to pay a major role but the discovery of her moms I’ll was definitely took me by surprise. I really appreciated Zebs character and how he was intuitive. The conclusion is one of my favorites because it ends with the characters having a conversation allowing the reader to come to a conclusion still with in the story. There is no detachment in the conclusion. It’s tied up with a bow.

This was a sweet book but just took me a little longer to read. It’s really a short 200 page book that was worth the read.

I did have a harder time connecting with a few of the characters. It felt like the story took a while to get going and once it was moving along it still felt slow for me. Some parts felt repetitive.

I would recommend this if you want a slow burn, character growth near the end in a book.

🥀 BOOK REVIEW: Once Upon a Thyme by Jane Lovering 🌿
A rom-com with herbs, heart, and just the right amount of chaos.

This book is like if a cozy cottage, a sarcastic fairy godmother, and a reluctant romance all got stuck in a blender—then sprinkled with thyme (obviously). Jane Lovering delivers laugh-out-loud moments, a heroine you want to be friends with, and a love story that’s both sweet and spicy (like a really good chutney).

✨Read this if you love:

Grumpy/sunshine dynamics
British wit
Romance with a side of gardening disasters
Highly recommend for fans of feel-good fiction with bite. It's charming, it’s quirky, and it smells faintly of rosemary. 🌿💕

#BookReview #OnceUponAThyme #JaneLovering #RomComReads #CozyChaos #HerbalHijinks #BookstagramRecs #BritishHumor #TBRAlert

The clever balance of humour and poignancy, coupled with the unusual setting, makes this an entertaining story. Tallie runs a herb farm practically single-handedly after buying the family business from her mother. She is an isolated individual who soon finds herself out of her comfort zone when new people invade her quiet life. The humorous moments are many, and the opening scene with one of her resident animals is particularly comical. Tallie's family life is challenging, with unanswered secrets. The romance with Zeb is gentle, believable and instrumental in her growth as a person. I enjoyed the originality, the humour and the romance.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I enjoyed it, some parts more than others. I didn't love the characters, except maybe Zeb, all the cute guinea pigs and Big Pig. I hated the dynamic between Tallie and her mother. At times I couldn't believe Tallie was actually 30 years old. Her interaction with people is odd and she never really gets to know anyone. This is probably due to her mother and grandmother's lies. Plus she was never allowed to ask them any questions. Everything about her family was off. Then throw in her mom's illness. An illness that prevented her from working, making herself any type of food or walking across the street to get milk. Tallie always had to jump when her mom called and go tend to her needs. Doctor's couldn't even figure out what was wrong with Amanda. Amanda always has ulterior motives. She hires Zeb to help Tallie with Drycott Herbs. Zeb turned out to be the best thing for Tallie. He helped bring her out of her shell, overcome her problem of not asking questions and wanted to turn Drycott Herbs into the best place ever. I knew as soon as Simon showed up with the Goshawk Traders that something was going to happen. Loved when the truth about Amanda and all the secrets were finally revealed. I don't know how Amanda and her mom kept everything from Tallie. It was mean and cruel to do this to her daughter. Amanda reaped the rewards and bought herself a house, while Tallie lived in a tiny, never updated cottage that was infested with mice. I was definitely shocked about Amanda and never guessed what her actual illness was.

Definitely recommend the book. I enjoyed the story, writing style and a few of the characters (mainly the animals). Drycott Herbs sounded like a beautiful place. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Boldwood Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The FMC is relatable and situation she is in (trying to own a business while appeasing her mother) is portrayed to be very realistic. You can feel Tallie's struggle to try to balance everything and eventually learning that she needs to set boundaries with her mom. The romance with Zeb was cute but I wish we got to know more about him. The book is short but I wish it was a little longer to expound on some of the areas.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I love reading Jane Lovering's books,

As well as looking after her sick mother, Tally owns and runs a herb farm, which takes up much of her time. She only has a young lad that helps her.

When Zeb turns up, her mother hires him to take care of the business, something which Tally isn’t happy about, he begins to hint at things that aren’t right.

Following him, a band comes to ask if they can do filming for a video to promote their latest album, for which they’ll pay her. Tally accepts as she’s in need of funds.

The real reason the band came to the herb farm becomes clear as the story progresses and it brings back memories for Tally.

Although there is romance between Zeb and Tally, the story is more about the relationship between Tally and her mother.

There’s some funny moments.

I recommend this book.

A joyful story tinged with sadness as Tallie’s life unfolds. Trying to run a business and meet the demands of her controlling manipulative mother . A catalyst or is it 2 arrive to set her on a new path
An easy read with characters to love and hate

I love Jane’s writing, and I am always excited to sit down and read her latest book. What makes her writing stand out to me is that you get that charming, light, and fluffy romance but with a dash of emotional depth or sometimes a mystery. This was a delightful read. I found myself laughing right from the start, and then I became enchanted with Natalie and Zeb’s slow-burn romance. Poor Natalie is overworked trying to run her family’s herb farm and keep up with her demanding mother. However, despite the hard work of running a farm, Natalie loves it and adores being surrounded by her plants. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring Natalie’s farm and the chaotic shenanigans that took place there. I adored the subplot around the band staying at Natalie’s family. They added laughter and light, especially when things got heavier in the book. There are some more emotional moments in this book, which are centred around a secret Natalie’s family has been keeping.

Zeb is an absolute delight as a hero. He is kind, understanding, supportive, and a genuine good guy. He isn’t toxic or overbearing; he just wants to be there for Natalie. This is a super slow, slow-burn romance. It takes a bit for these two crazy love birds to act upon those growing feelings. I’m not always a fan of slow-burn romances, but in this case, it works really well. I appreciated how Natalie and Zeb took the time to get to know each other before becoming romantically involved.

Once Upon a Thyme is another lovely romance by the talented Jane Lovering.

Tilly took over the running of the family herb farm, with just Ollie as a helper. She bought her mother out, just giving her a small allowance each month. She is therfore surprised when Zeb turns up claiming to have been hired by her mother as a management consultant. Things take an even stranger turn when a band turns up wanting to make a music video at the farm.
Tilly comes across as a complete doormat, at the beck and call of her mother who is suffering from a mystery ailment, however I couldn't hold it against her due to her upbringing. Zeb is definitely an oddball, an ex chef turned management consultant, but does come across as a nice guy. Long lost secrets are gradually revealed, leaving Tilly confused. In summary a story I really enjoyed, 4.5* rounded up to 5 *.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

Really enjoyed Once Upon a Thyme by Jane Lovering, good storyline, good characters , all likeable in their own ways but all with human frailties. Very well written and recommended.

I usually love a Jane Lovering book but unfortunately this one missed the mark with me, mainly due to the MMC Zeb and Tallies mother, I’d expect her mother to be interfering and controlling but not a stranger, letting himself in the kitchen, breaking and entering, I’m sorry no, I wasn’t comfortable at all with this behaviour, not from a romantic ad, a nutjob ex psycho maybe, not behaviour I want from my male leads.

Unfortunately a DNF. Rating ⭐️

In this story we are following Tallie who owns & runs a herb farm. It’s the cutest farm with beautiful sceneries & animals. The story literally starts with a pig in a kitchen!

The setting of the story was so lovely but immediately I was put off by our MMC Zeb & our FMC’s mother. Tallie has an estranged relationship with her mother. Her mother can’t quite let Tallie run the farm on her own (or her own life), which leads her mother to send our MMC to the farm for a job that doesn’t exist.

On the first page our FMC walks in to a stranger in her kitchen asking for a job (Thanks to Tallies mother) but im confused on why this man allowed himself into her home without permission? Zeb our MMC ends up having a short part time job that essentially wasn’t Tallies choice. After Tallie saying there was no job to have, Zeb still found his way to get one.

As if that isn’t a huge red flag in its own. Zeb lied in his first conversation with Tallie then proceeds to literally break in to Tallie’s farm at night after she said “please go away” at this point I decided to DNF. Which is super unfortunate considering the premise of the story is intriguing.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to read this book before the publication date but I don’t want to be dishonest. I found myself forcing myself to read because I knew when requesting an arc & being accepted in return I leave a review. But at the end of the day I read to have fun & I wasn’t. I want to give my unbiased opinion no matter what.

I hope my review didn’t come off as rude because those aren’t my intentions, it’s just hard to leave a review for a book you DNF.

I made the mistake of glancing at a couple of Goodreads comments before starting this book, and genuinely wish I hadn’t. I’m at odds with what I read because this is one of Jane’s most delightful books yet — packed with the expected quirky characters, Once Upon a Thyme takes the reader on a gentle journey of exploration and self-awareness.
Natalie is a complex character with a backstory that reveals a difficult childhood and an awkwardness that would be a challenge to overcome. Bizarrely, I was drawn to her and found myself willing her to discover more about her mother’s mystery illness and get to know Zeb a little better.
Zeb was a revelation, and I genuinely liked everything about him. His calm demeanour and inexhaustible patience were just what Natalie needed to provide her with the support to learn more about herself. I was totally invested in this story and rooting for Zeb to knock through Natalie’s defences.
The characters are all relatable, except for Natalie’s mother, and I found myself trying to predict the outcome; yet this didn’t detract from my enjoyment for a moment. As the stitches securing Natalie’s life begin to fray, she must be brave and continue to follow the path that she has started down.
Whilst this book is romantic fiction, I am familiar with Jane’s writing and instinctively knew that there would be a conclusion that created a feeling of satisfaction and maintained my love for this quirky wordsmith who has never failed to delight me with her craft.

I was totally immersed in this story from the beginning. I am a gardener, and although I don’t possess Natalie’s skill set, I could relate to her passion. The description of her gardens brought wonderful peaceful images to my mind. Well, peaceful, until Big Pig got out his fencing and daintily pranced all over the herbs. I must admit that I am fond of Big Pig, even with her escapes.

The characters are wonderfully created, and I quickly became fond of them. (Most of them anyway.) I had ideas of what I thought would happen, and was somewhat correct, although I had a couple surprises.

Natalie is such a beautiful person, and I thank the author, Jane Lovering for gifting me this forgiving, lovely women to carry around in my mind now. She could have become a bitter human, but she chose love.

The book cover is beautiful book and fits the story so very well. That is important to me. I think the artist has Natalie perfectly drawn and painted. Actually, I would love this cover to be blown up and framed.

A sincere thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving me the pleasure of reading the advance reader copy, with no obligation to write a review. My review is written freely as a hobby, and is totally my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC.

Fabulous book by Jane Lovering. Well written with a storyline that kept me from putting the book down. Highly recommend.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received an ARC of Once Upon a Thyme from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. I'm giving it a 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars, because despite the flaws, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

Once Upon a Thyme is a charming, slow-burn romance set on a picturesque herb farm, following Tallie, a hardworking woman juggling her family’s herb business and a difficult relationship with her ostensibly ailing mother. When Zeb, a surprise business consultant is hired to help boost the farm’s fortunes, a sweet connection slowly develops between them amid family secrets, a famous band’s surprise arrival, and a journey of self-discovery.

Things I loved: Zeb, oh Zeb. Despite the wacky name I wasn’t totally sold on, he was a breath of fresh air: wonderfully non-toxic, compassionate, and supportive without ever being aloof or overbearing. His gentle kindness and awkward charm made the slow-building romance feel genuine and heartwarming. The herb farm was quaint and original - I’m not sure I ever read a book in that setting before. I also enjoyed the band subplot. The Goshawk Traders were beautifully absurd (harem pants! washboards! Mika!) and helped spark Tallie’s personal growth in a fun and earned way. Big Pig was a delight, adding humor and a touch of exasperation to the story. The characters felt their age, which made their interactions and struggles feel authentic. The mom, while incredibly unlikeable (as she should be) was believably toxic

Things I didn’t love: The pacing was uneven. The first quarter of the book dragged with repetitive moaning and groaning over Tallie’s burdens and her mother’s illness: “Oh no! I love the farm, I have a secret, I’m the boss, my mom sucks but I love her anyway!” The big family secrets unfolded at a reasonable pace, and the fact that I put things together lots faster than Tallie (and a little faster than Zeb, tbh) felt fair, although the depth of the secret pushed the bounds of believability. The problem was that everything after that point happened too quickly near the end, feeling rushed and crammed. Tallie’s sudden decision to break into the wedding industry came out of nowhere, lacking foreshadowing or buildup, and I wanted more chapters after the big reveal to see how she integrated her new insights into her life before the epilogue.

Overall, Once Upon a Thyme is a sweet, cozy romance with a lot of heart, set against a vivid rural backdrop. It’s not perfect, but it’s a quick and pleasant and summer read.

Perfect for fans of: Herbs, gardening, farms, Days of Our Lives, quirky animals, coming-of-age stories, cinnamon roll heroes, and happily ever after epilogues.

When a book starts with a pig in a kitchen eating a satsuma, then you know you're in for a great reading experience!! And that's exactly what I had with Once Upon a Thyme!! I loved it from the first page to last, and I now want to run my own herb farm!!

Tallie is at the heart of the story, running the farm she took over from her Mum, but her Mum is still there in the background 'helping' - often to the annoyance of Tallie, but she's been brought up to not ask questions and to keep her Mum happy as she's suffered ill health for as long as Tallie can remember - anything for a quiet life.

It's only when Zeb shows up at the farm to help out, employed by her Mum!, that Tallie starts to find her own voice and wanting to make some changes to how things are run and how she wants to take the farm forward. There's a few bumps in the road along the way, and she discovers some shocking news that really rocks her to the core.

There's always something going on at the farm to raise a smile - Big Pig is my favourite! - and some worries, and I really loved the setting and characters we get to meet along the way! Highly recommended!!