I found this book to be a very sweet, heartwarming, enjoyable story with a beautiful setting and great characters. I really flew right through this story. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

I loved all of this series but Meet Me at Willoughby Close was perhaps my favourite of all. Set in the beautiful Wychwood-on-Lea, this book tells the story of Ellie, who moves to the village in the hope of making a new life for herself and her daughter. It's fair to say that her time in the village doesn't get off to the best start, thanks to getting on the wrong side of the local yummy mummies AND her moody but very sexy boss. This is a sweet, romantic and funny story about fresh starts, romance and leaving the past behind. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Loved this series, takes you to another gorgeous part of the country. Term what goes on behind closed doors is never truer than with this book.

Ellie and Oliver are one of those opposites attract couples that are so much fun to read about. And, of course, we get to revisit old friends from Willoughby Close. I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Didn't care for the 1st or this book and will be careful to avoid a third. Sorry, not that it was a bad book or story, just not my sort at all. A romance lover will enjoy this book I'm sure.

Miss Bates loved Kate Hewitt’s A Di Sione For the Greek’s Pleasure and willingly delved into Hewitt’s women’s fic/romance incarnation in Meet Me At Willoughby Close. Meet Me has enough romance, and a likeable one at that, to satisfy a rom-reader. It contains an endearingly goofy heroine, Ellie Matthews, working at figuring out her divorced, single mum life, moving away from family and, for the first time, at 28, tackling life with eleven-year-old daughter, Abby. Ellie has a new job as an “administrative assistant” in the University of Oxford history department and new cottage in Wychwood-on-Lea, at Willoughby Close. Ellie is paired with her “boss,” a history professor she’s temporarily assigned to, the Darcy-like, upper-crust, Victorian-Era historian Oliver Venables, he of the grey-green eyes and impressive physique. Meet Me At Willoughby Close is funny and romantic. It tackles some serious subjects, with a light touch but no less profoundly: parent-child relationships, bullying, family dynamics, deadbeat dads, and class. Oh, and the joys and vagaries of pet ownership. Ellie’s dog, Marmite, is a great loping mutt whose exuberance (and wee bit of flatulence) elicit reader-giggles in every scene he snuffles into.

Meet Me‘s first half is strictly heroine POV and we get to know Ellie’s inner world well. Ellie is a loveable optimist. Though life has sent her lemons – a teen pregnancy, cheating, shiftless husband (five years an ex when the novel opens) – she always looks on the bright side; her glass is ever half-full. She’d rather live in a fantasy of how good things will and can be than dwell in misery or mundane reality. She’s no head-in-the-clouds dreamer, however, she’s too good a mum to be that. Leaving a loving, but stifling, family in Manchester, the opening scene finds Ellie white-knuckling her steering wheel as she skids her way, with Abby and all their worldly possessions, to their Willoughby Close cottage. Though sleet and dark are telling her otherwise, Ellie’s head is full of possibility: a “new start” for her and Abby will bring new friends, a sense both of belonging and independence, walks in the Cotswolds countryside, and tea at adorable shops. Thus is Ellie, ever hopeful and ever crashing straight into a reality that doesn’t quite match her fantasy. But, she picks herself right back up and embraces hope.

From Ellie’s thoughts, we also realize that Abby had a hard time of it back home. Abby is a precocious pre-teen – bookish, smart, introverted, and alienated As a self-declared “nerd,” Abby has a good idea why she was her school’s mean girls’ butt. Though she’s not cynical, or harsh, it’s delightfully obvious that Abby is the cold water of reality to Ellie’s sunny warmth. One of the novel’s delights is watching Abby thrive. She doesn’t become the social butterfly Ellie envisions, but she forges some good friendships, one definitely “out of the box” when she bonds with the eccentric elderly lady at Willoughby Manor, and Oliver’s nerdy nephew, Tobias.

We meet Oliver soon enough when he calls Ellie to demand why she’s not at her post. Ellie is a winning if hapless heroine. Turns out she didn’t get the message asking her to start on Monday etc. etc., and she goes in harried and breathless. Oliver is stiff, fastidious, and a tad stuffy – but gorgeous. Ellie can’t help but be affected and neither can Oliver, though you wouldn’t know it to see him with her. He hands her a stack of his notes and asks her to type them. Hewitt’s novel is really laugh-out-laud funny and Ellie’s introduction to her broom-closet office is one tiny example: “She felt as if she was about to be entombed.”

Ellie and Oliver are set up and work beautifully as two romance tropes: opposites-attract and cross-class. Their natures, extroverted and introverted respectively, and their wealth, education, status, and upbringing (aptly reflected in their geographic origins, Ellie’s north to Oliver’s south, also playing nicely on the Gaskell allusion; or, as Ellie notes, “a humble northern fish in swanky southern waters”), lower middle-class and posh again respectively, serve as the obstacles obstructing their HEA. Ellie is warm and loving, but lacking in confidence. Hewitt brilliantly points to the optimist’s flip-side, an aversion to conflict or confrontation. When things come to a head, Ellie runs from Oliver, afraid of rejection and/or overwhelmed by self-doubt, especially in light of the differences in their status. Oliver, in turn, as an introvert, doesn’t find talking and being with Ellie all that easy. He always feels awkward and often behaves, as all introverts admit when pressed, in gauchely hurtful ways. With a family that is all “stiff upper lip” and emotionally closed-off, he bottles up his affection and attraction and appears cold and/or indifferent.

Despite these obstacles of nature, nurture, and class, Hewitt shows us how two people, who albeit share an attraction, become friends. Ellie and Oliver are good sorts. They care about others and that extends to each other. They have empathy, humour, and are capable of forgiveness and understanding. They have awkward dates, but can laugh about them; go on a Cornish holiday with a farting dog, two tweens, and Oliver’s morose, G&T-drinking sister, Jemima, and still have a good time walking Marmite and playing board games. They share what frightens them and how their families and life circumstances made them who they are. They mess up big-time because they don’t talk when they should.

Hewitt has a light touch with the love scenes; indeed, Meet Me doesn’t have any. But Ellie and Oliver are still sexy as heck: they look at each other, notice those physical details that say I want you, and share delightful canoodling. What keeps them apart makes sense and what brings them together makes better sense. Miss Bates could’ve done without the inane epilogue and the Ellie/Oliver self-doubts grew a tad wearisome, but Meet Me was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Miss Bates can see that Hewitt is now, officially, on her favourites list.

With Miss Austen, stalward reading companion, Miss Bates says of Meet Me At Willoughby Close: “a mind lively and at ease,” Emma.

Kate Hewitt’s Meet Me At Willoughby Close is published by Tule Publishing. It was released in January 2017 and may be found at your preferred vendors. Miss Bates received an e-ARC from Tule Publishing, via Netgalley.

I'm so torn on this book.... On one hand it was perfectly British (which I absolutely loved!)- the language, the setting, the people- all just prefect. On the other hand it felt so slow moving to me.

I really enjoyed the book, it has everything I love in a novel from start to finish. I can’t wait to read what the author has planned next!

I found the characters really endearing and sweet. Oliver Venables was kind of old fashioned, almost fortyish gentleman who'd come undone when he met his personal assistant, Ellie Matthews. Theirs was a slow-burn romance, so slow that you might get annoyed at Oliver for not being too upfront for his feelings and at Ellie for always over-analyzing things between them.

Abby, Ellie’s daughter, and Tobias, Oliver’s nephew, served as a glue to their bond. I liked how the kids were involved in a relationship between two consenting old-school adults. Oliver was a dear, a darling, always prompt and proper, yet can be quite tenacious when he wanted to. And Ellie, a little too formal for my liking, eventually turned into the fierce and giggly girl I wanted her to be.

I love a good read in the afternoon when heavy rains beat down my roof and my kids cuddle up to me in our bedroom. Felt like I was at Willoughby Close myself with Marmite and the Matthews and Venables. This had been quite a feel-good romance that I’d read again soon!

Another installment of live at Willoughby Close and another cottage has new residents. Although this is the second in a series it still works well as a stand a line story - there are a couple of references to the couple from the first book. Again the path of true love doesn't run smooth especially with an odd pairing of single mum and a university professor - add in a big lumbering (and farting) dog and a titled geriatric and you have an amusing tale. Worth a read and I'm looking forward to the next installment.

Welcome to Willoughby Close… a charming cluster of cozy cottages, each with a story to tell and a happy ending to deliver…
Ellie Matthews has come to Wychwood-on-Lea to find a new start for her and her daughter Abby. But, life there doesn’t start out as idyllic as she had hoped. While Ellie loves her cute cottage in Willoughby Close, the Yummy Mummies at the primary school seem intent on giving her the cold shoulder, Abby has trouble fitting in, and her boss, Oliver Venables, is both surprisingly sexy and irritatingly inscrutable.
But miracles can happen in the most unexpected places, and in small, yet wonderful ways. Slowly, Ellie and Abby find themselves making friends and experiencing the everyday magic of Willoughby Close. When Oliver’s nephew, Tobias, befriends Abby, the four of them start to feel like family… and Ellie begins to see the kindness and warmth beneath Oliver’s chilly exterior, which awakens both her longing and fear.
Ellie knows all about disappointment, and the pain of trying too hard for nothing, while Oliver has his own hurts and secrets to deal with. When the past comes rollicking back to remind both of them of their weaknesses and failings, will they be able to overcome their fears and find their own happy ending?
Picked up from Netgalley and read over the New Year – it’s only now, in checking reviews that I’ve realised that I haven’t written one for this book!
I’ve previously read A Cotswold Christmas from the same author, and whilst I considered that one a little short and light, this was a better book (possibly because it was longer and therefore room for more character development).
Anyway, Ellie has moved to Willoughby Close with her daughter Abby to get away from a painful past and try and move on. Abby has previously been bullied at school, and unfortunately it seems it might be happening again at her new school. It doesn’t help that her apparent nemesis (Mallory) – and her mother (Harriet) – move in to the house next door.
Following a shaky start – both of them had different expectations from her working in the university typing pool - Ellie and her boss Oliver start dating. Abby, who swings between being the child and the adult in her relationship with her mother, becomes friends with Oliver’s nephew Tobias.
There’s an interesting take on “blended families”, where Ellie and Oliver need to navigate Ellie’s relationship with Tobias’ mother, who has sunk into an alcoholic fugue following her husband’s suicide.
Against all odds, Abby also makes friends with Lady Dorothy, who is the old woman who lives in “the big house” – Ellie feels she always started off on the wrong foot with Lady Dorothy, ever since the dog ruined the croquet lawn.
The usual events for a romance happen along the way, and there are the usual bumps in the road – Nathan (Ellie’s ex) turns up unexpected, and Oliver invites Ellie home to meet his parents, having avoided telling her he comes from minor aristocracy and that his parents are horrendous people.
Ultimately, nearly everything gets resolved satisfactorily, but there is room for a future book on Harriet and Mallory, and perhaphs one about Nathan. As I mentioned before, it was a more rounded book than the previous one, so I’m glad I took another chance on this series.

Meet me at Willoughby Close by Kate Hewitt is the second book in the Willoughby Close series.
In the book we follow the story of Ellie and her daughter who are the first to move into the Close.
Ellie is divorced and still struggling to put all the pieces back together and move forward with her life.
Ellie has a new job to start at the University and Abby her Daughter is looking forward to making new friends after being bullied.
When Ellie starts working for professor, Oliver at the University the last thing she expected was for him to end up a love interest but can they both overcome their own problems to actually make things work?....

I didn't actually read the first book in this series but didn't have any trouble reading this next book and found it to be an enjoyable and quick read.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Tule Publishing for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review which I have been more then happy to give.

Ellie Matthews and her daughter, Abby, came to the Cotswolds to get a new start. Life has been rough for Ellie as a single mother. Now she has a new job at the University of Oxford. She'll be the personal assistant for Doctor Oliver Venables, a history professor. At first glance, he's socially awkward. As Ellie gets to know him she attracted. Oliver feels the same. I enjoyed seeing them dance around each other both afraid to let the other know how they feel. Ellie and Oliver have endured emotional trauma which has made them uncertain and afraid to commit. I wanted them to take a chance. They deserve a HEA. I hated that Abby was bullied. Unfortunately this is all too common. It made me happy when she made friends and gained confidence. Willoughby Close is a quaint and lovely place. It's a perfect setting for this story. Kate Hewitt wrote a sweet, touching romance. I enjoyed this emotional drama about their search for love. This story made me feel good. I plan to come back to Willoughby Close and learn more about the people who live here.
I received a copy of this book which I voluntarily read. My comments are my honest opinion.

This is the second of the Willoughby Close stories. Ellie Matthews and her daughter Abby are the first to move officially into the Close at Number One.

Ellie is five years down from a divorce and still hasn't really got her life together. It doesn't help that Abby's father is the kind of happy go lucky charmer that can't be relied on, dropping in and out of their lives on a whim. Her 11yr old daughter has been bullied at school for being a nerd, because of her interest in fantasy books and gaming. Moving away from her family is a last resort for Ellie, hoping to prove her independence and solve Abby's problems at school by giving them both a fresh start.

Oliver Venables is Ellie's new boss, an Oxford professor writing a book about children in the Victorian era. He is seen as a fusty old stick, even though he hasn't reached forty. For Oliver, Ellie is a bright, exciting new influence in his life. Both are too lacking in self confidence to make a move but for Abby's sake, Ellie goes out of her comfort zone to help her make friends with Oliver's nephew.

There were times when I became frustrated with Ellie in particular although both had their Too Stupid To Live moments. It is a sweet story with an emphasis on real people dealing with everyday problems.

I'm not a big fan of the heroine with child by loser ex story line, but this was well written and kept me interested even when I was annoyed with the choices the characters made. A bit like real life.

I received a copy from Netgalley for an independent review

This British romantic comedy started off well. It's got the quirky single mom trying to start a new life by moving to an adorable cottage and working for an attractive but awkward, bookish professor at Oxford. It was cute and funny in the beginning. But then nothing happens. There's a lot of second guessing, miscommunication, more second guessing, more miscommunication. That's fun for about 30 pages, not 200. By the end, I didn't like the characters very much anymore.

Such a good, quick and fun read. The characters are all likeable and seem like real people. I loved the mother and daughter but my favorite character had to be Dorothy. All of the characters are well rounded and behave in ways that match their ages and stations in life IMO. I chuckled, I cried and had that gut reaction I love while waiting to see if things would work out like I hoped they would. A really good romance in the middle of a fun mother/young daughter book. I can't wait to read more from this author.

Ellie and her daughter Abby are moving to Wychwood-on-Lea. Ellie broke up with Abby's deadbeat father, who bought a one way ticket to Australia. With nobody holding her back anymore Ellie needs a fresh start. The fact that Abby is having a rough time at school made the decision to move away even easier. Ellie found a job at the History department and she found a nice looking cottage where they can live together with Marmite, their dog. Ellie and Abby only took the necessary things that fit into their car, like clothes and books, with them and the rest will be bought in time.

Oliver is a professor who works for the History department. His PA suddenly had to quit her job because her sister had a stroke. This left Oliver in a tight spot. He's writing a book about children in the Victorian era and he needs an assistant. When Ellie walks into his office, he's wondering if she'll do well. Oliver didn't expect Ellie to look so good and he's a little thrown by her appearance. He has enough on his plate already with his sister, Jemima, who is struggling after her ex-husband committed suicide and he's trying to be there for his nephew Tobias.

Ellie is a true optimist. Even after everything that she went through she still looks on the bright side of life. Her family isn't helping much since they expect her to fail. I connected with Ellie straight away. She's so much stronger than she gives herself credit for. I admired her positive thinking and the way she looks at life. When she has to start at the university and is being asked to do another job than she expects, Ellie adjusts immediately and gets to work. Ellie became a mother at a young age but has always done everything in her power to be the best possible parent she can be for Abby. I loved how she and her daughter are a team and they clearly love each other very much.

Abby is such a great girl. She's only eleven but she feels like an old soul. She was bullied at her previous school and because of this she wants to be as invisible as possible. Abby loves to read and thinks of herself as a nerd. I found her adorable and it warmed my heart when she found a kindred spirit in the old Lady Stokely. Lady Stokely, who is actually their landlord, makes Abby come out of her shell. Even with the age difference they connect on a deeper level.

Oliver grew up in a stiff family where children should not be seen or heard. He always felt like the odd one out. Oliver finds people difficult. He's a strong socializer. This results in awkward situations on various occasions. Oliver is adorable and I couldn't help but smile about his inner dialogue. He wants to say the right words and do the right things, but he ends up doing the exact opposite. I liked reading about his journey to cope with his feelings and the way he slowly manages to let Ellie in.

Willoughby Close is part of a small town and it sounds charming, welcoming and warm. I could easily picture myself living there. I would have loved to be Ellie and Abby's new neighbor. Meet Me at Willoughby Close is a heartwarming story about two different people who are so right for each other. Ellie and Oliver slowly opened up to one another and this made the story very believable and realistic. Kate Hewitt has an easy flowing writing style. I finished her story almost in one sitting. This is the first time I've read one of her books but she's already got me hooked. I can't resist coming back to Willoughby Close again and again.

Sometimes packing up and starting over, fresh, somewhere far away is the only way to kick start your life – or protect your child. Ellie and her daughter, Abby have set out on an adventure. A new town, new home, new school, new job. And maybe it’s asking a lot for all of that to move smoothly without any bumps along the way. As a young, divorced mother, Ellie has been suffocating under the doom saying of her parents back home. Their lack of belief in her abilities as a person and a mother hurts to the quick, and it’s time to prove them wrong. Abby has been experiencing trouble at school, bullying because she’s different in her likes and activities from many of the other kids. Looking for that fresh start they’ve moved far from home, and now are setting up their new lives – slowly, but still on their own.

Unfortunately, their new lives hit road bumps almost immediately. When Ellie’s position as a secretary at university is suddenly changed both in start date and in position, she’s taken by surprise. Oliver, her new boss, is chilly and distant and Ellie has visions of failing before she even starts. But Ellie is a lot stronger than even she believes – and no one is taking this fresh start away from them. She buckles down, does the job well, and learns how to fit in with her new home. In time things begin to look brighter, and perhaps finally happiness is on the horizon – if the past doesn’t mess it all up.

Meet Me At Willoughby Close is a charming, slow burner romance between unlikely people. This story reminds us to look beyond what the surface shows and find the person underneath before giving up on them. I really liked Ellie, she’s been overlooked her entire life, not quite good enough in other people’s opinions. She’s breaking out, learning how to be herself for herself and out to proved those that had put her down as so very wrong. It takes guts to uproot yourself and start over, that’s a strength that many see as a weakness, unfortunately.

While Oliver and Ellie, again on the surface, may seem like an unlikely pairing they actually fit well, bringing out the best in each other. I liked them together, and although they will face difficulties, they stick and that matters.

I’m enjoying this series and would definitely recommend this story to any Romance reader who enjoys a solid story, engaging characters and a story that simply feels good.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Whether she is writing romance, contemporary women’s fiction or historical novels, USA Today best-selling author Kate Hewitt is a writer I trust implicitly to deliver a poignant, compelling and highly emotional tale and she certainly does not disappoint with her latest charmer, Meet Me at Willoughby Close!

Moving to the rural idyll of Wychwood-on-Lea was meant to be a fresh start for single mother Ellie Matthews and her daughter Abby. This picturesque village was the new beginning which the mother and daughter had been desperate for, however, on arrival, they quickly realise that the cosy and bucolic picture which they had built up for themselves was not going to materialize so easily. Although Ellie and Abby are living in a charming cottage, the Yummy Mummies at the local school have not exactly welcomed them with open arms, Abby is having trouble fitting in at school and Ellie’s new boss, Oliver Venables, is infuriating, demanding…and as sexy as hell!

Despite the fact that the odds seem to be stacked against them, Ellie is not about to give up on her rural dream quite so easily. Luckily for her and Abby, the charming village quickly begins to work its magic on them. Ellie soon begins to feel like she’s found somewhere she can belong and Abby befriends Tobias, who just happens to be Oliver’s nephew. As the two children begin to spend more and more together, the adults start getting closer and their relationship is soon in danger of veering from professional into very personal! Thrown together by fate, circumstance and their two charges, Ellie and Oliver’s feelings quickly develop into something deeper, but are they ready to throw caution to the wind, put their hearts on the line and grab this unexpected chance at happiness?

The past had taught Ellie and Oliver that the only way they can stop themselves from getting hurt is to build solid walls around both their hearts. But just when their defenses begin to crumble, a cruel reminder from the past comes back to haunt them with a vengeance. What are they to do? Will they continue to lead a safe, but ultimately unfulfilling life out of fear that they will end up getting hurt again? Or are they finally ready to face their demons in order to get the happy ending which they truly deserve?

Meet Me at Willoughby Close is a lovely, heartwarming and uplifting read that is just perfect for curling up with on a cold February afternoon. A magical tale about taking chances, trust, healing from the past and the magic of everlasting love, Meet Me at Willoughby Close is a terrific story featuring characters that leap off the pages from the very beginning, searing emotion, delightful humour and poignant romance that will pluck at your heartstrings and have you reaching for the tissues.

Magical, feel-good and irresistible, Meet Me at Willougby Close is another terrific read by Kate Hewitt.

Ellie is a woman who never had the chance to find out who she is or what she wants from life. Falling pregnant at 17 and marrying childhood best friend Nathan, she made the best she could out of the situation. Always feeling overshadowed by her mum and sister she moves miles away to Oxford with 10 year old daughter Abby and family dog Marmite, needing a fresh start for them both. They are the first residents in Willoughby Close.

The emotional hook for me in this story was Abby. The effects of bullying in her previous school are all too real and yet despite this, there’s a sense of how strong she is. I felt Abby bolstered her mum, giving her permission to let go and enjoy life. I so wanted Year 6 to work out for her … The relationship that grows between Abby and Lady Stokeley is heartwarming.

Oliver and Ellie’s worlds are far apart (think the theme in Pretty Woman) giving conflict to the ‘will they won’t they.’ Oliver’s sister doesn’t help matters either. Neither of our leads are confident enough or have enough experience in reading between the lines … although I just knew that Oliver’s gruff exterior hid a soft centre 🙂 I must admit the romance was a bit drawn out for me.

I have to mention Marmite. 1/2 Golden Retriever and 1/2 Rottweiler, he brings a smile to some tense situations.

If you’re looking for a sweet and gentle romance, then this may just be the story for you.