Gemma has her dream job lined up to transform the Meadowbrook Manor into a boutique hotel. Hired almost on the spot with a skype interview by Pippa, one of the four Singer siblings that now own the house. Their father’s will requested the four live together on site and maintain the house and animal sanctuary that have been a mainstay for the little village it overlooks. Not without her own issues personally, Gemma is grieving the loss of the grandmother she knew and was raised by – the one person who always believed in her as she is now battling dementia and living in care. Their little cottage has been sold, and should this job not work out Gemma will truly be homeless and alone – as her nan doesn’ t know her anymore and her own struggles believing that ‘everyone leaves’ mean that Gemma hasn’t really made friends.

But not all is smooth at the manor: Gemma feels outclassed and outsmarted by the family – the eldest sister is scary, the youngest brother is the most handsome man she’s ever met and appears to take nothing seriously, the oldest brother is the kind, if distracted one and Pippa – the woman from her interview seems to not be willing to be the boss – but wants to be friends as well. There are a ton of growing pains, many from Gemma, as she tries to maintain a separation and professional distance from the family – the first ‘large’ family that she’s ever seen up close – and something she always dreamed of. Yet – her ideas are solid, she’s facing new challenges and things are moving along well – until they aren’t.

Big secrets come out, even as Gemma has fit into the routine and family at the manor. Plenty of characters to interact with, Gemma’s own struggles with her confidence and insecurities, and a confusion about being attracted to, or enamored with one of the family. Add in some animals that terrify her, a gay cow that brought laughs on twitter, some serious forgiveness and the loss of her grandmother and that story just wraps around you like a big hug – welcoming you to stay in the newly opened Meadowbrook Manor.

I received a copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-avv”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

Lovely feel good story. It was well written and flowed well. Easy to read and hard to put down. Perfect on these summer nights

A lovely heart warming story. I would love to be able to visit the hotel and the sanctuary. Felt like I knew the characters and would love to know more about them. Made me smile too.

Second part of this series set at Meadowbrook Manor. I found the characters in this more likeable than in the first book.

A good second part of the Meadowbrook Manor series. I enjoyed this book, I suspect much more than I would have done had I not read the first part. A heartwarming story of the conversion of a house to a hotel. Enjoyable characters both the family members and the ‘heroine’. Loved the parts about the animal sanctuary too. A good, light and fun read.

A fun sweet story of dreams coming true. While it is a stand-alone book, I think I would have been better off to read the first one for the family introduction.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

2nd in the Meadowbrook Manor series

I would suggest reading the first book , “A Year at Meadowbrook Manor. It will give you insight to the family. A story about 4 completely different but unique siblings. Rich with the love of their recently deceased father and forced to renew their relationship in book one. After inheriting the family home, Pippa the youngest wants to prove to herself and her siblings she is capable of turning the family home/manor into hotel hires Gemma, a consultant to assist with the transformation. Gemma being a boring & insecure although competent.

I was disappointed a few ways. Gemma infatuation with Freddie one of the siblings who was too immature for her. The secrets are way at the end of the book. Who would care at that point. The book was drawn out too much. The characters were well defined yet boring. I would find something else to read.

I really enjoyed this book - a story of love, friendship, lies, saddness, happiness, humour and romance. Well written, well paced with excellent characterisation. I particularly empathised with Gemma and was rooting for her throughout the book. I loved the location of Meadowbrook Manor.

This book could be read as a standalone novel but I would recommend starting with ' A Year At Meadowbrook Manor’ first. Both are perfect for a cosy easy read. I look forward to reading more from Faith Bleasdale. Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher foir the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I picked up this book due to the cute cover and blurb which caught my eye with the secrets hidden in it. My first book by Faith Bleasdale, and the book made a fairly enjoyable read.

The story goes thus, Gemma is hired to convert Meadowbrook Manor into a hotel. Gemma not only has to work at converting the Manor, she also has to win the hearts of the Singer family.

My first book by Faith, and the story is written in a fluid manner. The characters are eclectic. Gemma starts as a painfully shy woman who soon grows into herself, both in her poise and confidence. Gemma has seen her share of problems so it is nice to see her get her share of happiness. She blossoms over the pages!!

The book on the whole reads well, is enjoyable but is slow at certain points for me and there are a lot of characters to keep track of. But it still works as a light fleeting read which makes the heart happy.

I read this book in between my thrillers, hence enjoyed it well!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it is was an easy read with a feel good plot and lovely characters and i look forward to readi g more y the author.

First book from Faith Bleasdale that I read. I really really enjoyed the first 50 / 60 % of the book but then I started to be a bit bored. In my opinion this book is way too long. There was not enough actions and at some point I just wanted to be finished with the book as fast as possible. It's a shame. But as I enjoyed the first half of the book I will keep quite a good memory of this book. If you like books about family and brother/sisterhood, this book is made for you! If you are looking for a book full of romance, this book is not the best.

#SecretsAtMeadowBrookManor#NetGalley#
Review by: I Love To Read/Librarian
I have not read the first book in this series. However, this book read perfectly as a stand alone. The whimsical cover caught my eye. The story started very slowly. Painfully slowly. The heroine, insecure and troubled, lies on her application to land a plum job at Meadowbrook Manor where the Singer family is contemplating turning the family residence into a hotel. The characters are well developed, and there are a lot of them. Obvious character arcs as the story develops. There were no surprises or secrets. The story tone is solidly British with British slang. A well done light read with a predictable happy ending.

This is an absolutely delightful story and I enjoyed every minute I spent reading it!

I loved the characters, they are very well developed and their interaction is great, they work so well with the story it was a pleasure to read. The writing style was excellent and it had just the right amount of detail to keep me fully engaged and entertained.

I have read a few books by this author and one thing I will say is that she never disappoints – I cannot wait to see what she releases next! Five stars from me for this one, a very enjoyable story and very highly recommended!!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I loved the first book and really enjoyed the second book, this is a great follow up to the Year at Meadowbrook Manor.

I read, reviewed and absolutely loved Faith’s first book ‘A Year At Meadowbrook Manor’ at the start of this year. It was one of those books that I just couldn’t put down. I was (im)patiently waiting for Faith’s next book ‘Secrets At Meadowbrook Manor’. As soon as I got my hands on a copy, I couldn’t wait to sit down, get comfy and dive into the book. Blimey it’s just as good as the first book. I absolutely loved it but more about that in a bit.
Gemma Matthews is one of those characters that you can’t help but take to from the start of the book. I found myself empathising and sympathising with her too. Gemma is a young lady, who was brought up by her Nan. Gemma and her Nan were one tight team. Gemma’s parents both left the family home and so Nan picked up the reins. Sadly Nan is in the grips of that horrible disease dementia. I felt so sorry for Gemma because Nan was literally the only family she had and she was gradually losing her. Of course her Nan was there in body but her soul and her spirit have disappeared. Gemma is heartbroken by the decline in her Nan’s health and a little piece of her is destroyed each time she goes to see her Nan at the nursing home and her Nan doesn’t recognise her. Some days Nan is more lucid than others and some days Nan knows who Gemma is. I empathised with her to a degree as I have had relatives of my own, who suffered with dementia and seeing their decline was truly heart breaking. Gemma applies for and gets a job helping to get the hotel side of Meadowbrook Manor up and running. This new job is the start of a new chapter in Gemma’s life. Gemma doesn’t seem to have many friends or anybody (bar Nan of course) to fight her corner. She did have a relationship with an absolute tosspot, who did nothing for Gemma’s self esteem and seemed to excel in putting her down. What little self esteem Gemma had left was destroyed by the absolute arse of a boss that she used to work for. Gemma is very shy, she is isolated, she doesn’t like huge crowds and I don’t think that she likes to socialise much. I could empathise with her in that sense because I have few friends, I have little self esteem and my idea of hell is to go out in a huge crowd to somewhere busy. Anyway back to Gemma. Her luck certainly seems to change once she gets her new job, although it gets off to a bit of a stuttering start. Pippa, a member of the family who run Meadowbrook Manor, hires her without consulting or discussing it with the rest of the family. Gemma knows that she has to work extra hard to win over the other members of the family as well as proving herself. Will Gemma win over the other members of the family? Will the hotel at Meadowbrook Manor be a huge success or will it be a flop? What is the secret that Gemma is trying to keep hidden? Will Gemma find the happiness that she so deserves? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Blimey oh riley it didn’t take long at all for me to get into this book. As soon as I read the first paragraph I just knew that I would become addicted to reading ‘Secrets At Meadowbrook Manor’ and so it proved. I identified with Gemma to a degree and I really felt for her so I just had to keep reading. The pages turned over at speed and the more I read, the more I got into the book and the more I had to keep reading. I binge read the book in a couple of days. For me ‘Secrets At Meadowbrook Manor’ is really well written. The story flows really well and as a result reading this book felt like I was reuniting with old friends. The characters are so well described that I began to think that they were just as real as you and I. Before anybody says anything, I know this is a fictional book but if I get into a really well written book, then I tend to think of the characters and their situations as being ‘real’. I find myself interacting with the book by talking as if the characters can hear me or tutting at something I had read. Reading this book was at times emotional as it made me think of my own experiences or those of people I know but most of all this was a fun read with humour and romance in abundance. Perfect holiday reading.
‘Secrets At Meadowbrook Manor’ can be read as a standalone, but because I am a bit OCD and like reading series in order then I would advise that you read the first book in the series called ‘A Year At Meadowbrook Manor’, as it will fill you in on some of the background to the family who own and run Meadowbrook Manor.
To conclude, it’s definitely true to say that I 100% loved no make that adored reading ‘Secrets At Meadowbrook Manor’ and I highly recommend it to other readers. I can’t wait to read more from Faith Bleasdale. Here’s hoping that we don’t have too long to wait. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

An escapist, enjoyable and wonderfully romantic tale that will delight fans of Cathy Bramley and Veronica Henry, readers who enjoy fun, poignant and irresistible romps are going to love Faith Bleasdale and her enchanting new novel, Secrets at Meadowbrook Manor.

Gemma Matthews cannot believe her luck when she gets the job of her dreams of transforming Meadowbrook Manor into a boutique hotel. Gemma has not exactly had the easiest of times lately. Life has not been kind to her and she has had her fair share of heartache and despair. She had applied for the job at Meadowbrook Manor when she was at her lowest ebb and she didn’t think that she stood a chance of getting it – so she was overjoyed when she was informed that she had secured the post. Working at Meadowbrook Manor will be the fresh start and new beginning that she is desperate for and she intends to make the most of this wonderful opportunity, however, little does Gemma realise that her life is about to be turned upside down…

When she had packed her bags and left her old life behind, Gemma knew that she was going to have quite a challenge on her hands, but she never imagined that her new job would be fraught with all manner of complications and dilemmas. Meadowbrook Manor is home to the Singer siblings who had been forced by their late father’s will to live together for a year and take care of their dad’s animal sanctuary. Now that the year is up, the siblings had agreed to transform Meadowbrook Manor into a boutique hotel and they think that Gemma is the right woman for the job. But will Gemma be up to this impossible task?

Gemma is certainly determined to give it a good go. Although she has to frequently mediate between the siblings who seem to disagree on just about everything, Gemma has to juggle everything from supervising building work to looking after the donkeys at the sanctuary and cleaning up after flatulent animals. However, when Gemma meets the dashing Freddie Singer, she quickly realises that donkey poo is the least of her problems…

Dangerously attractive Freddie soon unleashes feelings deep within Gemma which she hasn’t experienced in quite some time. However, the last thing she needs right now is having to contend with an inconvenient attraction for Gemma has a secret that could jeopardise the new life she has made for herself which has come to mean everything to her. Is happiness within Gemma’s reach? Or are there too many obstacles standing in her way?

An uplifting read that draws you in from the very beginning and keeps you engaged until the final page, Secrets at Meadowbrook Manor is a delightful tale that will tug at the heartstrings and make you smile. Sparkling with charm, humour and warmth, this is a tale of fresh starts, old wounds and second chances that I simply couldn’t put down. I adored Gemma, who I thought was a terrific heroine, the Singer siblings were an absolute scream and there was so much joy, laughter and heart in this book, that I felt a little bit sad when I had to say good-bye to the characters that people this enchanting story.

A fantastic read that ticks all the right boxes and delivers on all counts, Secrets at Meadowbrook Manor is an unmissable tale from a writer I’ve added to my list of favourites: Faith Bleasdale!

Secrets at Meadowbrook Manor by Faith Bleasdale @FaithBleasdale @AvonBooksUK @NetGalley
After reading several very average books lately (which obviously don't get featured in my recommend reading section), I had wondered if my reading mojo had disappeared. Thankfully Secrets at Meadowbrook Manor by Faith Bleasdale on Avon Books brought it right back.
Pippa is one of four siblings who have been left Meadowbrook Manor following their father’s death. The Singer family plan to turn this lovely old country house into a luxury hotel but have lots of conflicting ideas about how it should be run, so Gemma is offered the job of pulling it altogether by Pippa. The family are not happy that Pippa has hired someone without their say so and put Gemma on a trial period so she has to prove herself to keep the job.
There are lots of extended family members at the initial meeting which can be a bit overwhelming not only for Gemma, but the reader too. However, their character traits are introduced gradually so you are not confused as to who is who.
As the ideas start to flow, she finds she not only has to work ways around their thoughts and ideas, but has to make it work with the local community and the family's charity run animal shelter too.

I loved to see the development of Gemma's character as she became more confident but still wobbled from time to time. It made her real. I think we all have it in us to do great things if people give us a chance. The Singers were her chance. What a great family network they are and in fact the whole village. I wonder if places like that really do exist.
It has an air of eccentricity almost like a book version of The Vicar of Dibley. As I was reading about the fete I could picture ‘Reg Dwight’ on the tv show and as I read about the character traits of the animals I was imagining the Christmas nativity. Having a visual comparison in my head just made me enjoy it more,
Faith Bleasdale has such a lovely style of writing with a hint of anticipation as to what might happen next. Secrets at Meadowbrook Manor is extremely emotive in places which added an extra dimension to story. It’s a lovely story about friendship, family, a little bit of romance, a great deal of determination with happy ending. I loved it and thoroughly recommend this.
Once again I find there is a previous book by the author to check out, but they can be read in any order so that’s “A Year in Meadowbrook Manor” added to the TBR pile as well. It is refreshing to see so many great books out there.

Thanks to @FaithBleasdale @AvonBooksUK @NetGalley for the advance copy for review consideration.

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This was the first book I've read from this author. Slow moving at the beginning, it turned out to be an enjoyable read. Not my favourite, but a nice read on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
#SecretsAtMeadowbrookManor #NetGalley

Secrets at Meadowbrook Manor js the second book in the Meadowbrook Manor series but can be read as a standalone.
Not having read the first book I had no problem getting into the book as a lot of back story is included.
Gemma has been hired to help convert Meadowbrook into the hotel and even though she has Pippa's full support she needs to convince the rest of the family that she ia the perfect choice for the job.
As she navigates rocky family relations she realises that she quite likes Freddy.
Fun, quick chick lit read at its best. I especially liked precious bond Gemma and her grandmother share. I laughed at the shannenigans and even shed a few tears. And just wait for the secret to be revealed.

The Singer family have managed to live together at Meadowbrook Manor for a year as their father's will stipulated and have now decided to run it as a hotel. Pippa decides to employ Gemma to help set it up and for Gemma it is a dream come true.... but is she all it seems. The rest of the family are not too sure about the appointment but one by one she wins them round... even scary Harriet...... and soon becomes one of the family, something she had sorely been missing since her beloved nan got dementia and had to go into a home. Is this life really going to be her dream come true or can it all still go pear shaped.... and what about the gorgeous Freddie will he ever look at her in a different light?

A lovely book with great characters.... all of them seem to be slightly mad, especially the villagers, but the book draws you in from the beginning and leaves you with a lovely warm feeling