Member Reviews

A fun opposites attract novel about two people who unexpectedly find themselves co-owning a home. Skye is a free spirit, Will not so much but both of them have had their lives blow up and both of them need time to heal. Renovating and relaxing does the trick. Thanks to Netgalley of the ARC. Light and engaging.

Was this review helpful?

Skye heads to Willow Tree Hall in the 3rd book of the series. She is given half of the game keeper’s house. Too bad Will, the brother of the future big house owner always considered it his. Losing his job, his married girlfriend causing scandal, he comes home to lick his wounds, just to find out Skye now owns half of his home. To top it off she hits his Astin Martin with her camper. With her purple hair, and a way to see hidden hurts, she begins to get past his barriers. Really enjoyed this one and highly recommend this book, series and author.

Was this review helpful?

I've been trying to go back to my older books in my Netgalley TBR and my reading preferences have changed so much that I couldn't make it very far in this one. Just wasn't quite working out for me. At this time, I'm no longer interested in this title. Thank you for the opportunity to read the book and I apologize for the inconvenience.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoy Alison Sherlock books they never disappoint , this story was great full of likeable characters with a twist

Was this review helpful?

The third book in The Willow Tree Hall Series a well written story that held my interest until the end. Skye Jackson and Will Harris co-own Willow Tree Hall Lodge as they both inherited it. A story that kept me smiling as I read. This is a new Author to me but I want to read more by her. I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Was this review helpful?

My Rating:

4.5

Favorite Quotes:

Sam, looking across the table to Skye. ‘As a woman, what do you think is the fastest way to this man’s heart?’ ‘Through the chest with a sharp knife,’ she retorted, shooting Will a piercing look.

‘No need to sound quite so surprised. I was brought up quite properly, you know.’ ‘And then what happened?’ she couldn’t help but ask. His eyes twinkled. ‘I reached adulthood and everything was legal.’

‘The school run was a total nightmare this morning. I forgot Barnaby’s homework. Although he’s only six so why the hell is he getting homework anyway? Then Joshua decided to try cat food for the first time. He’s okay. Hopefully, he’ll get shinier hair and stronger teeth like the packet says. Then Millie had a total meltdown at nursery and turned into something from The Exorcist.’ … Megan gave Skye a weary smile. ‘Hi. As you’ve just gathered, I’m Mother Inferior.’

‘Jeez, I’d forgotten how bad it was,’ he said, with a grimace. ‘This is where happy ever after comes to die… This is a UN disaster zone, not a place to hold the most glamorous wedding of the year.’

He’s always looking for his next near Mrs…


My Review:

This was a sweet, witty, and lavishly detailed enemies to friends to lovers romance. The humor was clever and generously peppered throughout the various storylines with snarky quips and quick banter that often put a smirk on my face. Will was a selfish, scandal-ridden, and philandering asshat and I didn’t much care for the spoiled wastrel until midway through the book when he began to evolve into a surprisingly thoughtful human being who could finally see beyond his own nose. I was slow to join team Will but I adored the rest of this large and quirky cast of characters with my favorite being the fun, often married, well-clad, and feisty great-aunt Rose. Rose was an elderly cougar and party-central. This was my first time reading Ms. Sherlock’s delightful scribbling and didn’t seem to struggle at all with jumping into her series with the third book. I enjoy her engaging and agile storytelling and have added her entire listing to my TBR. I’m greedy like that.

Was this review helpful?

These two characters come together due to many different circumstances and falls in love with remodeling an old house. As the remodel the house they started to see each other and the world differently then before. I love the author writing and would buy more books by this author. I also would recommended this book to anyone else

Was this review helpful?

Skye finds herself homeless after a relationship breakup but in a stroke of luck she is left a share of a lodge in the grounds of Willow Tree Hall..... only problem is the other half is owned by playboy Will! Deciding that they can put their differences behind then they set out to renovate the building.... but will the feelings between them grow as Willow Tree Hall works its magic?

Another lovely book in this series and this writer is fast becoming one of my favourites.... she always draws you into the characters from the first pages and you are always left with a nice warm feeling at the end

Was this review helpful?

This is a book that is 3rd in a series but can be read as a stand alone. It is easy to read and a book that I read when I needed a rest from some more in depth books, however that doesn't mean there was no depth to this story and we have action right from page one that draws you in a keeps you reading.
Skye inherits part of a lodge which comes at a perfect time in her life. However nothing is ever that simple in a story we have some else who inherits and yep you guessed it its a handsome if grumpy man and romance blossoms. This is a slow burning romance in this story which I feel let the story down a little but it is still an amazing read I cannot wait for more from Alison.

Was this review helpful?

I found this to be an enjoyable story, if not a little predictable. But, as I’ve said before. I love stories like that from time to time. The writing style was very easy to get on with, and we’re right in the action from the first page. While it is the third in a series, I read it as a stand-alone and it worked fine for me. We got enough introductions through the first few chapters to know previous characters.

The characters work really well against each other, I like Skye, even with her faults. One of them being she couldn’t out herself first. Will was the typical grumpy man, who thinks of nothing but himself. Then, of course, as soon as they get to know each other, they change their ways. Which was great!! Their romance was bit of a slow burn and I wish it hadn’t been for the books sake. It felt really slow, boring and a little delayed if anything. The rest of this book was quite quick paced and the romance let it down slightly.

I wish there was more about the lodge restoration in the book. I would have found that more interesting than Skye restoring the paintings to be honest. There was a lot of.. hollow parts in the story though for me. There was a lot of unnecessary parts in the book, but I’m guessing that wouldn’t be the case if I had read the other two books. I felt that at one stage, the wedding became the focus of the story instead of Will and Skye.

I did enjoy this story though. There was humour, romantic moments, and great characters. I liked the predictability of it all. This was a great holiday read, and definitely one you could get read in a day cosied up with a big blanket.

Was this review helpful?

This is the third book in the series but I think it reads fine as a stand alone.

I love this author’s writing style and she gets a great flow in her books that make them very easy to read – and this one was delightful.

The characters are well developed and I really enjoyed getting to know them as the story progressed. I warmed to them straightaway and they really made the book special.

4.5 stars from me rounded up to 5 stars for Goodreads and Amazon – very highly recommended and I am really looking forward to reading what she releases next!

Was this review helpful?

The style is done in a narrative telling matter with a mixture of internal and external conflict. The characters battle both themselves, nature and society. The story is told in the third person with an omniscient narration. Skye is a round character who goes through a dynamic change as does Will who is also a round character.
The story was a nice change of pace and had lots of originality. It went back to basics, it was based on emotional chemistry and intimacy instead of physical. The exposition sets the scene with bits of back story will still leaving some mystery. The rising action sets the tension and puts together situations in which the characters must figure out. The climax reaches at a perfect point and helps develop the story. The falling action concluded the climax without making the storyline fall flat or feeling rushed. The resolution allows things to come to a full circle in closure of the storyline but also allows for continued character development. The theme was hinted at the beginning as both characters tend to be lone wolves. The theme of togetherness developed overtime as the characters grew.
Yes I would recommend this book to anyone wanting an old school relationship, family reuniting and country side living. Not to those who are more interested in physical relationship, or modern style relationship.

Was this review helpful?

I have read a couple of Alison’s books and I have loved them. When I was invited to take part in the blog tour for ‘A Way Back Home’, I didn’t initially realise that it was actually the third book in the Willow Tree Hall series. If there’s one thing I like doing it’s discovering a new series and then realising that your current read isn’t the only one involving this particular set of characters, who you have taken to. I eagerly opened up the book and began to read. Blimey oh riley, ‘A Way Back Home’ is one heck of a fabulous read and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.
Oh my, Skye Jackson is one lovely, kind and compassionate character, who I warmed to from the first moment I met her. She is the elder of two sisters and for a number of years she has been the mother figure in her sister’s life. Skye has made a number of sacrifices for her sister but she doesn’t begrudge her for them. Skye’s sister is a junior doctor up in a hospital in Liverpool. Skye has recently been made redundant from her job so she is naturally worried about her lack of pennies. For a little while, Skye and her sister have rented rooms from a kind hearted and lovely sounding OAP called Norman. Norman was the surrogate grandfather to the Jackson girls and they were the family that Norman no longer had. Sadly Norman has now passed away, after a stay in a nursing home and following his death his house had to be sold to pay the fees. He leaves a caravan to Skye and tells her to go to Willow Tree House to claim his share of a cottage. She does just that but things don’t get off to a good start when she trashes a rather expensive sounding car and then finds out that she has only inherited one half of the cottage and the grandson of the lord of the manor is due to inherit the other half. Things continue to go wrong and she ends up staying at the Hall longer than she intended and she soon makes friends along the way. Will Skye stay at the hall? Will Skye have the happy ever after ending that she so deserves? Well you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
‘A Way Back Home’ was a fabulous light hearted, romantic and funny read that came along at the right time for me. I needed a distraction from various things and this book was the perfect distraction. The author’s writing style is such that you can’t help but be drawn into the story from the first word onwards and before you realise it, bam you are addicted to the book. That’s what happened to me anyway. I just couldn’t put the book down as I had taken to the characters so much and I believed in their histories so I couldn’t wait for them to find happiness. I kept turning those pages quicker and quicker as I raced to the end of the book. I was so focused on the story that I didn’t realise just how quickly I was getting through the book and I was gutted to finish the book as soon as I did. I tried to ration how much I read in one sitting but that intention soon flew out of the window. The author describes the story and the characters so well that they seemed extremely believable and realistic. I even began to imagine who would play which character should the series be adapted for television. There were certain moments that made me giggle out loud such as the destruction of the luxury car that one of the characters owned. I could literally picture the action happening and the faces of the characters as it happened.
In short I absolutely loved this delightful, funny and romantic read. I definitely recommend it to other readers. Yes ‘A Way Back Home’ is third in a series of three books but it reads perfectly well as a standalone. That said, if you are anything like me and you love this book too, you will want to read the series in order and from the beginning. I can’t wait to read what Alison Sherlock comes up with next. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Was this review helpful?

This was my first Willow Tree Hall read and I enjoyed This is the third installment of this series but it did not cause me any problems, in fact it is something I did not know until I had finished the book.
A heartwarming storyline made the book difficult to put down and I will be looking out the earlier books to read.

Was this review helpful?

It is such a pleasure to return to Willow Tree Hall with new characters and a fresh story whilst catching up with all the residents!

Skye Jackson has packed up all her wordly goods following the death of her elderly friend and is heading to Liverpool to join her sister and begin her new life. On receipt of a lawyer's letter informing her of a surprise inheritance, she intends to call in - briefly - at Willow Tree Hall to find out all about it. However, once she reaches there events conspire to delay her travels . . .

This is a wonderful, heart-warming series. A great mix of characters with plenty going on results in a lively and satisfying read. The remodelling of the hall and the revival of the estate are the constant threads running through each instalment and every book builds on the basic premise, expanding to include new people and their background making the family larger, warmer, and increasing the happiness factor. This author is one of my 'must not miss' reads, and I love everything about her writing. Definitely recommended to all lovers of great rom-coms!

My thanks to publisher Aria for my copy via NetGalley. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.

Was this review helpful?

After losing her friend and surrogate grandfather, Skye Jackson finds out she's been left partial ownership of a gamekeeper lodge at Willow Tree Hall, the ancestral home of the Earl of Cranley. The other half of the lodge belongs to the Earl's second grandson, Will, and after a series of mishaps, Skye finds herself stuck at Willow Tree Hall and making plans with Will to renovate 'their' lodge.

It...was the third book in a series. And it shows. I feel like most of the page time was given over to the shenanigans with the characters introduced in previous books, to the point that Sky and Will barely spent any time together (or did any renovation work) even halfway into the book! I got to know everyone except the two leads, who wound up rather dull as a result. Plus I just couldn't get behind Skye as a character. I liked all of her potential and a lot of her attributes. However, in order to make the plot work, she had to make a lot of very weird, very poor decisions that felt out of step with the rest of her character. Between that and the long stretches of time she spent just quietly watching other characters, she felt more like a plot device than a person.

Was this review helpful?

I always look forward to Alison Sherlock’s wonderfully uplifting and heartwarming novels and to catching up with what the community around Willow Tree Hall is doing and this talented storyteller is on top form with her latest captivating read A Way Back Home.

As if having to cope with a devastating heartbreak is not bad enough, Skye Jackson finds herself suddenly homeless and with nowhere to go. Dejected, alone and desperate for a fresh start, it looks like Lady Luck might finally be smiling down upon her when she inherits a rundown lodge on the grounds of Willow Tree Hall. Having danced around the edge of despair for so long, Skye feels as if things might finally be going her way – until she gets to her new home and finds a fly in the ointment. It looks like the lodge is not going to be the home she had dreamed of for it is co-owned by tabloid favourite Will Harris! What is Skye going to do now?

After a recent story in the papers had left Will unemployed, he finds himself reluctantly coming back to Willow Tree Hall to lie low. Will wants to get the hell out of the Hall as quickly and as expediently as possible, so the last thing he is expecting is to have to share the lodge with someone else – someone who pushes all his buttons and who would be perfect for him if only she didn’t want the exact opposite of what he wants. Can he somehow find a way to make things work with Skye?

Skye is desperate to have a home to call her own and to finally find a place she belongs in and it looks like the lodge could be the answer to all of her prayers – if only she could make Will realise that happiness could be within reach! As the two begin to renovate the cottage together, their feelings for one another intensify and escalate and when a storm hits, Skye and Will find themselves getting even closer to ensure that a wedding goes off without a hitch.

But is a happy ending for the two of them possible? Or should they both cut their losses and look for happiness and fulfillment elsewhere?

A Way Back Home is a lovely read that is perfect for curling up with as the nights get shorter and colder. Romantic, uplifting, poignant, emotional and witty, A Way Back Home is a story about healing, courage and redemption that I highly recommend. Alison Sherlock never fails to dazzle her readers with her magical and mesmerizing stories and she will make readers laugh, cry and sigh with her latest novel, A Way Back Home.

An outstanding tale that is a must-read for fans of Carole Matthews and Trisha Ashley, A Way Back Home is another winner for the fabulous Alison Sherlock!

Was this review helpful?

Opposites always provide exciting romantic opportunities with lots of fireworks as they learn to trust each other. This story has an added dimension, showing love's healing qualities and how people can grow and mellow when they find the place they're meant to be.

Skye's family circumstances force her into early responsibility. When this unexpectedly ends she finds herself homeless, but with many opportunities for happiness if she's brave enough to take them. Will comes from a privileged background, but he's always felt superfluous. Definitely the 'spare' in the 'heir and spare'analogy. His lack of responsibility contrasts sharply with Skye' way of doing things, but gradually they see value in each other and accept they both have something to learn.

With wonderful supporting characters, that you will be familiar with if you've read the other books in the series. This heartwarming, romantic story has a festive twist and would be a great addition to anyone's Christmas stocking.

I received a copy of this book from Aria Fiction via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

The Blurb :
After recent heartbreak, Skye Jackson finds herself homeless and on the road with only a classic Airstream trailer to her name. A surprise inheritance of a rundown little lodge in the grounds of beautiful Willow Tree Hall forces her to change her plans. However there is a problem...
The lodge is co-owned by care-free, playboy Will Harris, who finds himself unemployed after a recent tabloid scandal.
Syke desperately wants a home to call her own and needs to move on as quickly as possible. Will doesn't want to stay at his family home either to face the ghosts of his past. So they decide to put aside their differences and renovate the cottage together.
But when a storm hits, Skye and Will are forced to stay on to ensure that an important wedding goes ahead. Can Skye finally find a home of her own? Can Will stop running from his past and help out his family when they need him the most?

My Thoughts :
The third book in The Willow Tree Hall Series finds us meeting Skye Jackson. Although this is part of a series it can be read as a standalone if you havent read the other two yet.
Skye has has been looking after her sister Summer since their mum disappeared, they lived with Norman who became their adopted Grandad when they lived in one of his rented rooms.
When Norman passes away he leaves Summer his book collection and Skye his beloved Airstream trailer and half of Willow Tree Hall. Willow Tree Hall is also half owned by Will Harris.
Will has some past issues and at first doesnt get on with Skye but they soon embark on a journey of friendship, trust and love.
I really enjoyed all of the charactors of this story and related to Skye as a person whille enjoying her journey. A great winter read with lots of descriptive scenery and surroundings. Hoping to see more from Alison Sherlock in the near future.

Was this review helpful?

This is a lovely, contemporary romance and a great addition to this series. It has so many heartwarming characters, a delightful village community, members of the nobility and even rock stars!

Skye is a caring young lady. She helped bring up her younger sister and looked after their landlord, Norman, until he sadly died. Now she's following his final wishes and visiting Willow Tree Hall in Cranley and the Harris family but she's not sure why!

Her introduction to the family starts with her backing the huge caravan she's towing over a vintage car. However, despite this inauspicious start, she's definitely in for some shocks and surprises as she gets to know just what Norman has left her, connects with the family and community and discovers more about herself, her talents and a heartwarming romance!

It was great to visit this family again- and just in time to find out more about their struggles to save the Hall, wedding preparations and the festivities. I believe it could be read as a stand-alone but that it is even better if you've read the previous book first as it continues on from it and involves many of the same characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the series. The author has created characters who are believable and easy to relate to, especially because of their flaws, worries and problems. I loved how both Will and Skye re-evaluated their individual goals, desires, beliefs and plans as the story progresses. It is a great contemporary romance and I have no hesitation in highly recommending it.

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley. This is my honest review after choosing to read the book.

Was this review helpful?