"Meet Me at Willoughby Close" is the second book in the Willoughby Close series and I'd say you COULD read it as a stand - alone, however I'd suggest you to better read the previous novella as well - "A Cotswolds Christmas" introduces us to the general idea of the series and it gives a lot of background information that I feel you need to fully enjoy the next books.

"Meet Me at Willoughby Close" introduces us to new characters, although some of the old ones that we already know from "A Cotswolds Christmas" enter the scenes of this book as well. So we have Ellie and her daughter Abby who are now moving to Cotswolds to start afresh. Ellie is divorced, and Abby is an eleven - year - old girl who was bullied at her old school for being a bit of a nerd. She's of course worried to start at new school and Ellie is worried about her. Also, Ellie's biggest dream is to find a friend - for her and her daughter - at the new place.
I think the most colourful and believable character was Abby. She was just like a real 11 - year - old and it hurt so much to see how scared she is to start at new school, but also uplifting to see how brave she was. She had a great connection to her mum and I liked their interactions, she had kept her wits about her much better than her mother. I loved Ellie as a mother, because her daughter Abby was always first, no matter what, and maybe Ellie has forgotten she has her own life to live and concentrated too much on Abby, but she was a great mother in my opinion. I loved how she developed in this story, how she started to learn what it is she wants from life, proving that it's never too late to pursue your own needs and also finally showing Nathan the doors. I also liked that Oliver was not your typical muscle - flexing alpha - male hero. So it was like this - I liked the main characters as people, even though their actions didn't work for me so much. However, some of the background characters, I really wasn't sure what their presence should make for.

Basically there was nothing wrong with this book. It is only, as I always read two books at the same time, I've read it when reading one of the most amazing, touching books ever, so "Meet Me at Willoughby Close" had a lot to live up to. I just had a feeling that actually not a lot is happening in this story. The blossoming romance between the characters was a little incomprehensible to me, there was no built - up to it, it felt too forced and I wasn't sure if the male character is really as interested as the heroine. If you're looking for the sparkles and sizzling chemistry than sorry, but it's not there. It seems as if it is a blend of random situations for me, as if the author wanted to fill the pages. The majority of the story is about Ellie and Oliver wanting but not daring (or not wanting) to acknowledge that they have feelings towards each other - with more emphasis on Oliver, to be honest, so maybe this is why I had a feeling it is so forced, that Ellie somehow pushed him for those feelings and it just seemed like a one huge misunderstanding. They didn't seem to know each other enough, they weren't comfortable in each other's company and they didn't know how to talk to each other about what's happening. And really, it was Abby (who's eleven) who was the most mature in this relationship. It was also a rather predictable read and there were many clichéd situations and things were happening very conveniently for the characters - they always found babysitters/time/excuse.

But altogether, "Meet Me at Willoughby Close" was an enjoyable book and I am looking forward to the next part. It was about new beginnings and about letting the past go, about finding your own comfort zones and not those that others would like to see you in. The author touches upon some burning issues, such like bullying and , in general, difficult teenagers' lives. I for sure liked it better than the first book in the series, however I am still missing this "something" that makes a book exceptional and that Kate Hewitt has already showed me she's capable to put into her stories. But she managed to make this book very charming and believable, if we forget about some situations and the characters to develop - slowly but steadily. There were also elements of dramatic, melodramatic experiences but they so didn't sit with me. They just looked over - dramatic, too forced and somehow unrealistic. However Kate Hewitt's writing style is lovely, warm and inviting and her characters are down - to - earth. Maybe they are not the most complex ones but they have qualities and features that made them to stand out. I am already looking to the next story in the series.

I really enjoyed reading this. It was light hearted and funny. I could relate a lot to thw characters, especially Ellie. Woupd happily read another in the series.

The Blurb :
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?

My Thoughts :
Having read the first book in the Willoughby Close series and throughly enjoyed it, I was looking forward to the second installment.
It was so familiar being back in wychwood-on-Lea, and although Ellie and Abby are new charactors it was nice to have the mention of past charactors throughout the book.
I was instantly drawn to Ellie and Abby, they had their own personalities that came into their own as the story progressed. They had a second chance to be happy and they took it. Kate Hewitt writes with great imagination and warmth. I particularly loved the scene when Ellie and Oliver took Marmite for his late night walk in the woods, the decriptions were vivid and I could feel the leaves crunching under my feet in the moonlight cold air. It gave me goosebumps at how I put myself into their place.
I really enjoyed getting to know Lady Stokely aswell, she was definitely an added bonus to the story. This was very well paced with a nice flow. I also enjoyed getting the story from oliver's perspective aswell. Very nicely done. Looking forward to book 3.

Ellie Matthews is ready to take control of her life and make a fresh start for herself and her daughter. A divorced, single Mum, she had Abby young and relied on her family more than she wanted. Between that, and the fact that her daughter Abby is bullied in school, Ellie takes a job in the history department at Oxford University and moves to Willoughby Close in Wychwood-on-Lea.
Ellie continually second-guesses herself as she leaves her daughter at home and reports for her first day, finding herself unexpectedly assigned as History Professor Oliver Venable's personal assistant as he works to finish his book.
Oliver isn't quite sure what to make of Ellie, as she seems entirely different from anyone he has known before. Ellie is surprised to find that her boss is not only stand-offish, but also quite attractive.
These two come from different places and experiences, but are similarly socially inept and uncomfortable with emotion, but soon start to find common ground. Ellie and Abby find that once they let go of the past, that they have a the chance to chart a new direction and make new friends in the process.
I really enjoyed the way both the main and secondary characters developed and how they drove the story forward. The characters felt as if they were real people with real emotions and made me feel that I was reading a story about people I could be neighbors with.
This is part of a new series set at Willoughby Close, but can easily be read as a stand-alone novel. I am looking forward to meeting the next residents that move to Willoughby Close and learning their story.

Ellie and Abby are settling in to Wychwood-on-Lea - although it has not started as planned! The cottage in Willoughby Close is cute...but would help if they had beds to sleep on! School for Abby doesn't seem to be going well either and the mothers at the gate are certainly not welcoming Ellie and having missed an email Ellie arrives a couple of days late for her new job......her boss Oliver is a bit chilly!

Gradually though things start to look up - Oliver's nephew Tobias befriends Abby and that brings a new friendship between Oliver and Ellie - maybe things aren't going to be as bad as they first seemed!

It is lovely to be back in Willoughby Close and see how Ellie and Abby are progressing and looking forward to the next books in the series

I really enjoyed this book, it was light and refreshing but still dealt with the concerns and issues that everyone has around moving to a new area, meeting people and possibly starting a new relationship. These were all handled well and were quite realistic and true to life. I did feel the uncertainty between Ellie and Oliver went on a little too long but that may just be me and even with that it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the story.

The characters were very well-written and came to life clearly and easily which was good because this is a very character driven book. Although location is important it doesn’t feature heavily so the characters and the storyline have a lot of work to do and they do it brilliantly.

While this sounds like any other romantic story it is actually more than that, there is that side to it but it also has the extra depth that makes it more than a simple romance with a happy ever after. Although it may seem obvious where the story is headed the actual journey to that potential ending is what makes this book as good as it is.

Alhough the Cotswold Christmas is the prequel to this book you can read this as a stand alone so while I would recommend that one too it is not essential for understanding this book at all.

I would definitely recommend this book and others by this author. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the series coming out.

Loving the Willoughby Close series! Kate Hewitt never fails to deliver a charming read and Meet Me at Willoughby Close is no exception. Can't wait for the next one!

I adored Meet Me At Willoughby Close, which sees two shy and emotionally insecure people finding love in spite of all manner of road blocks along the way. I loved Ellie's hopeful optimism and Oliver's worries as to whether his book might be a bit dry or whether perhaps Ellie really just wanted them to be friends. These two are truly endearing characters! Throw Allie's eleven year-old daughter into the mix with her worldly wise comments along the way, then add Marmite the farting dog and you have the recipe for a delightful story which will tug at your heartstrings one moment and have you chuckling out loud the next.

This was a delightful book. It was quick and easy to read, and had lots of charm. I loved the characters, found the storyline pleasing, and loved the setting.

Ellie and her daughter Abby move to a small village when they need a new start. Ellie is still trying to recover from a failed marriage, and Abby has been suffering some bullying in her school. Unfortunately, Ellie's temporary new boss seems determined to dislike her, and Abby isn't treated any better in her new school. Just as they are about to despair of finding something better in this new start, Oliver, Ellie's boss, shows another side, and his nephew and Abby become friends.

Suddenly Ellie and Abby are again hopeful that this new village will be a place where they can find happiness.

I wanted the best for these characters, and enjoyed reading their story. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in return for an honest review.

From mean girls, to an uncertain new romance and even a gassy dog. This story has all of the elements to hold your interest.

Ellie Matthews and her daughter Abby moved to Willoughby Close to start their lives over. At first they don't know what to expect, but as they get settled in, life starts taking shape. They find friends in unexpected places when they were about to give up the search. Ellie also fights the growing attraction she has for her new boss, Oliver Venables. Will Ellie let down her guard enough to allow this new romance to happen?

I enjoyed this book a lot. I liked seeing Ellie and Abby get the second chance they deserved. They author did a good job with creating a believable new life for them both. I also enjoyed catching up with the characters from the first book. This is a fun series filled with love, drama and laughs.

A sweet, delightful story of new places, and new beginnings. Meet Me At Willoughby Close (Willoughby Close, Book 2) by Kate Hewitt gives us Ellie and her daughter moving to Wychwood-on-Lea. Early on the reader sees the cause and the hopefulness the move will provide. The story moves at a somewhat slow pace, just like everyday life is everywhere. Surprisingly, by the time it is finished, the changes in Oliver, Ellie and Abby are remarkable. For that reason alone, I can recommend the book.

The sense of place and time are excellent. I half expected my own shoes to be wet with the rainy winter English weather. The dual perspectives helped me to find sympathy for these two emotionally challenged people who moved at a snail’s pace towards each other. This is so much more realistic than the common instant love in many romance books. In fact, Meet Me At Willoughby Close is more of a character study with the characters finally finding their place in life. Charming.

This is another great heartwarming romance by this very talented author. It is the second in the series and I confess I haven’t read the first on yet, though I now intend doing so! It still works well as a standalone, in my opinion.

The heroine for this story is divorced single Mum, Ellie Matthews who has moved to Willoughby Close hoping for a fresh start for both herself and her eleven year old daughter, Abby. Abby is in her final year at Primary School but is having a dreadful time with bullying that hasn’t been sorted, even though it has been going on for years (shame on that school!!). Ellie wants to give her daughter a better opportunity to make friends well away from their Manchester home and has been successful in getting a secretarial position working in the History department of Oxford University, despite the comments and attitudes of her parents and older sister who don’t really want them to move so far away.

Oliver Venables is a professor in the History department and, after the unexpected departure of his PA, he’s been allocated Ellie to work with. After some unanticipated difficulties with start dates and his introverted demeanour, things don’t look too promising. However, Ellie is so warm hearted, she can melt even the most frozen of hearts and both start to be attracted to each other, despite themselves and their wariness. With more obstacles to be overcome, can they overcome their very real fears to find happiness together?

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. There are a plethora of well developed, intriguing characters who are brought to life in the story. You’ll get to meet members of the nobility, people who like to act as if they should be and others who have no such aspirations in the story. I love the community of Willoughby Close and thoroughly enjoyed this story. The character and relationship development is superb, making this a superb story to escape into. I highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates ‘clean’, well crafted romances with brilliant characters and an enthralling plot. I can’t wait to read more from this author and from this series!

Many thanks to the publishers who gifted me a copy of this book through NetGalley without any obligations. This is my honest review after choosing to read it!

A wonderful love story between two lonely and socially insecure people, with a touch of humor and one of the best beta heroes that I’ve had the pleasure to read recently.
I loved the English setting and perhaps this factor and a certain psychological approach to both characters – we have extended access to their (particularly the heroine) feelings, emotions and motivations in a very down-to-earth way – contribute to make this story so distinctly refreshing and different from the mainstream American romance.
I’ve read other reviews here and I admit that the slowness of this clean and sweet romance will not appeal to every reader, but it really worked for me. It all made sense what with the heroine’s failed marriage and the hero’s familial background.
The hero is such an endearing character… and we, readers, feel with the heroine how she reacts to him and falls for him. Evoking “The Age of Innocence” and Wharton/Scorsese’s universe is really pertinent because there is a lot of simmering attraction, longing, unfulfilled desire (a hand almost touching a waist, an aborted kiss) in Kate Hewitt’s story.
I also liked the secondary characters that change and grow and have dynamic relations.
Some parts were really funny, namely those involving the farting dog, the preteens awkwardness or the hero’s inadequacies.

Meet Me at Willoughby Close might be a love story but its also a story about starting over, learning to make friends, learning to build a new life in a place that is so far from the familiar and learning to be happy. When Ellie and her daughter Abby moves to Willoughby they both wanted to start anew but it doesn't translate as easily as they hoped for. As they settle in, both mother and daughter realize that sometimes, friends can be found in the most unusual of circumstances and home is really where the heart is.

This book has all the charms of all those small town British novels, with very unique characters, a steadily paced plot and a lot of heart when it comes to the things that matter. Ellie and Oliver may not be a typical romance couple but its their awkward pursuit of happily ever after that kind of resonates with readers.

This was a lovely return to Wychwood-on-Lea in a new series featuring the people who live in Willoughby Close.

Ellie wanted a new start for her daughter Abby who has been having a very tough time at school. She thinks moving to a quaint little cottage in a beautiful setting is going to solve all their problems. She's taken a job typing up notes for Oliver who is writing a book about the Victorian perception of children. Initially she finds him quite aloof- but there is a definate spark in the air.

I loved the way the characters developed and Abby blossomed making friendships in unusual areas with the lady at the big house and Oliver's nephew. They give her a new found confidence. A trip to Cornwall was an added bonus- and I could just imagine the house on the Lizard Peninsula and the amazing walks they'd be going on.

It was such a lovely warm book- easy to lose yourself in and devour in a couple of days. I can't wait for the next books in the series and wondering who we are going to meet.

I voluntarily reviewed an arc from Net Galley

DNF @ 50%

I'll be brief. I am all for setting up a story, but by the halfway mark, I am expecting things to have moved along a lot more than they have (in that almost nothing has happened), as well as having my interest held with the odd occurence, and revelation here and there...

My mind is wandering and my interest waning, sadly there is just not enough I can find in a positive vein to encourage me to carry on reading. It's a shame as I quite enjoyed the first book of the series.

ARC provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.

“Meet Me At Willoughby Close” is another sweet romance by Kate Hewitt that makes readers believe that dreams can come true.

The story of single mom Ellie Matthews and her daughter Abby, “Meet Me At Willoughby Close” brings readers to Wychwood-on-Lea, a charming place at the Cotswold and a train’s ride away from Oxford. Told via the POV of Ellie and her love interest, the sexy and irritatingly inscrutable Oliver Venables, reading “Meet Me At Willoughby Close” felt like reading a fairytale.

Hewitt’s writing style which is quiet and almost like a whisper is endearing. And though we know that Wychwood-on-Lea is a fictional place, it also encourages readers to visit the real Cotswolds and live the fairytale even just for a short while.

Short and sweet, “Meet Me At Willoughby Close” is a great afternoon read when you just want to relax. It is Rated T for Teens. There are no sex scenes in this book, but it is implied that it happened.

This is such a sweet and charming read! I absolutely ADORE these types of chick lit reads that take place in England (and really, any other faraway place from where I live) because I feel like I am able to visit somewhere I have never been. With that, I truly felt like I was at Wychwood-on-Lea. The authors use of description is perfect and appears spot on for the time and season. Moreover, the English mannerisms and use of language is so cute (and different for me because I live in the US) that is very hard not to be charmed. Squee!! So cute and fun!

In this particular novel readers will meet Ellie who, despite having to overcome some problems in life, moves to a place she has never been for a fresh start with her daughter. Taking a job at a local University Ellie doesn't expect to meet a broody yet, sexy man who also happens to be her boss. But Ellie still has some soul searching to do and romance was not on her agenda. So, what could have ultimately been a pure romance novel, is turned into a beautiful chick lit novel where growing up, overcoming obstacles, and more is more apparent. Readers will likely see real human emotions in this book and will certainly fall hard for these charming characters.

Kate Hewitt is a new author to me, but I can see why many readers enjoy her novels. They are real, honest, and well written. I can't wait to see where the author takes us next.

Couldn't finish this book. The story is good but there are to many "English" terms in it for me.

This is the second book in the Willoughby Close and I loved this one as much as the first. They are completely standalone stories so you needn't have read the first to enjoy this one. In this story Ellie Mathews and her daughter Abby have moved to Wychwood-on-Lea to start fresh. Ellie to finally break all ties with her ex and Abby to get away from the cruel kids at school. At first it doesn't seem like much has changed but slowly they both start to make friends and settle into the small community. Ellie is aware of the attraction between Oliver Venables and herself but for now he's her boss so she keeps things friends only. Really getting to know the slightly nerdy Oliver is wonderful. What will happen when she's no longer working for him??

These characters are fun and the story is very entertaining. I would definitely recommend this one.