Coming Home to Holly Close Farm

by Julie Houston

I had strong mixed feelings as I read Coming Home to Holly Close Farm. The tale begins with Charlie (Charlotte) having the worst Friday of her life when she discovers her lover is married with three children. Fallout of this revelation is that she also loses her home and job in one fell swoop. Charlie is a likable main character—smart, attractive, funny, and like many women, gullible when it comes to believing the one she loves.

Author Julie Houston’s book is actually two interwoven stories, and Houston handles that complexity well. One, of course, is the story of Charlie as she starts to rebuild her life. The other is the story of Madge, Charlie’s great-grandmother, and her love of a bomber pilot in World War II. Madge kept her past a secret from all of her family and as the story develops you can see why. It is only revealed because Madge, in her nineties, decides to sell part of Holly Close Farm with the proviso that the buyer must hire Charlie to be the architect for the house renovations. Once that decision is made, the secrets begin to trickle out.

My difficulty with the book is partly one of personal taste. I read it based on the appeal of the plot summary. It seemed like a gentle romance with a complex plot. It is a good plot, but too much of the book is about characters who bed hop, and it is replete with British vulgarisms. In the second chapter there is an extensive description of bawdy pranks on an airliner. This type of humor set a bad tone for me and though that is the worst of it in the book, the other elements continue. While I enjoy Britishisms in books to enhance the setting and characters, the vulgarisms detract for me.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Aria for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

Category: General Fiction (Adult), Women’s Fiction

Notes: includes bawdy humor and British vulgarities

Publication: February 5, 2019—Aria

Memorable Lines:

Funny how sorrow makes you slop around in old trackies, eschewing the shower and make-up, but fury has quite the opposite effect.

“You know, war invades not only countries but also the mind and spirit.”

“…finance and big business and being in the centre of London was never really my thing but you get yourself on the treadmill and it’s going so fast you can’t get off.”

This is a beautiful and funny book about family and loss and building new lives. I liked the two stories in time twisting together and the dynamic of the sisters, I laughed and I cried a bit too. Great story.

How lucky am I to have another novel by a favourite author to read and enjoy? Not only does Julie Houston never disappoint, but each book exceeds even my high expectations!

Charlotte Maddison - Charlie to her friends and family - returns home at the end of a working day to find her boyfriend's wife outside the flat she's been sharing with Dominic. Suddenly homeless she does what most young women would do and heads home to Yorkshire. Expecting only her parents in residence, she is surprised to encounter her younger sister Daisy is also home. Visiting their great-grandmother, temporarily living in a nursing home, they find out she's been sitting on a secret of gigantic proportions for sixty-odd years, and the revelations to follow could provide them both with a way to further their chosen careers.

What a fabulous read! Set in the same area of Yorkshire, there are brief appearances from a few characters in Julie's recent novels 'Goodness, Grace and Me' and 'The One Saving Grace' both of which I recently read and reviewed. This, however, is an entirely new scenario, concerning a family I hadn't met before but who are funny, entertaining, and have one of the most beautiful love stories in their history that I have come across.

A thoroughly satisfying read and one which I have gloried in and loved everything about. It's a well structured, beautifully written book and I couldn't find fault even if I wanted to. Such a great read deserves only the highest of recommendations and I'm more than happy to give it five pulsing, glowing, sparkly stars!

My thanks to publisher Aria for my copy via NetGalley, and to Victoria Joss for inviting me to take part in this Blog Tour.

I was kindly sent a digital galley for review but it doesn't affect my thoughts on the book.

Charlie (Charlotte) Maddison has been living in London with her boyfriend who also happens to be her boss at an Architectural firm. She comes home one night, bumps into a woman who helps her unlock the door and then proceeds to get a rude awakening that the woman is in fact her boyfriend's wife and the mother of his kids. Less than a half hour later, she is kicked out of the apartment with her things already packed, on the street and now without a job.

Embarrassed and not really sure where to go, she decides to head back to the town she grew up in Westenbury, Yorkshire, giving her Mom a call on the train and shortly after reading home with her Mom, wonders what she's going to do next.

Her younger sister Daisy, her Dad whose a vet, her Dad's Mom who insists on being called Vivienne and a sweet but cowardly dog make for quite the close quarters particularly as it's November and the temperatures are starting to drop. Feeling rather down on her luck and depressed, she doesn't feel motivated to do much and hopes that maybe her cheating ex-boyfriend might come back into her life though he hasn't contacted her since before she was kicked out of the apartment.

Her Mom proceeds to pull her out of bed and go on a visit to see her Grannie Madge (Great Grandma) who pretty much raised her Mom growing up and is quite spry for a ninety four year old but has recently been temporarily put into a nursing home until she's healed from a previous fall. She's always loved her Grannie who has made a point to dress smart, loved spending time puttering around in her garden and generally acting much younger than she actually is. It's a bit of a shock to Charlie to see her in the nursing home and not quite as active though her Grandma Nancy is off on yet another adventure.

After an unexpected visit from her Grannie's older sister Lydia's daughter Harriet and Granddaughter Libby, Charlie learns that her Grannie owns a piece of property known as Holly Close Farm that is worth quite a bit of money, has a house on it though it seems to be falling apart and that her Mom had no idea it existed. The granddaughter really wants to buy the place, have it renovated and move into it with her fiance Seb Henderson and very young son Lysander but Grannie is reluctant to sell the place which most likely is for sentimental reasons.

While out taking a look around the place with her sister Daisy who is a landscape gardener, the granddaughter and partner show up and Charlie learns that her Grannie relented in selling the place on the condition that both Daisy and Charlie would be the one to help put the place back to rights. They are also given the cottage with several acres of land to divvy up between the sisters.

Charlie is nervous to start such a project as she's anxious to get back to London but after some coaxing, is convinced head up the project with her architecture skills and being someone that knows what she's doing. It is equal parts exciting and frustrating as she tries to work through concept designs and also trying not to go stir crazy from living in such a small town.

Luckily she recently started hanging out with an old flame who also happens to have a construction business and would be an immense help with the project by the name of Josh Lee that she was reintroduced to at a local speed dating event. He also happens to be single, hot and very interested in Charlie.

Things are about to get even more interesting when Charlie happens to find a black and white picture of a young man in her Grannie's things while searching for a key that will hopefully locate a requested coat. When she asks her Grannie about the man who is not her Grandfather Arthur that passed when Nancy was just a girl, she is surprised to learn that the man's name is Viscount James Montgomery-Ward who was an officer the Bomber Command Royal Air Force (RAF) that she met while being in the WAAF as a cook stationed in London in 1943 at The Ritz with her good friend Francesca who also happened to be his cousin.

It's not long before Charlie, Daisy and their Mom learn that her Grannie led a different life during World War II than they previously knew. They are transported back to early 1940's when it was a gamble as to how long the war might go on, people tried to live in the moment and everything was uncertain. Grannie Madge is informed by Francesca that falling for an RAF officer could lead to possible heartache either due to the dangerous job they have or due to the responsibilities expected of a Viscount including marrying well and to be careful. Grannie wasn't too worried about that as she wasn't interested in marrying him though did find herself drawn to such a charismatic man.

The narrative then proceeds to be divided between the past of what happened to Grannie Madge as a young woman who had only been married to one man shortly after coming back from World War II and then jumps forward to the present time with Charlie and Daisy who are busy making plans to put the property back to rights including their soon to be converted cottage and getting along for the most part as most sisters do and enjoying being young women who aren't yet ready to settle down.

Soon the pieces start to come together about Madge's past, the choices that she made during such a tumultuous time, a once in a lifetime love that she found with James despite the dangers, some of the secrets that were kept mostly to protect her loved ones and how some things can haunt you even when they happened over fifty years ago.

Sometimes life can have an interesting way of turning out. Madge's life unfortunately didn't turn out quite how she had expected but she's very happy to have her loved ones in her life and to be able to hold the memories of loving James close even after all these years.

This story was full of surprises, heartache, laughter, the power of family, plenty of love and had two different timelines. I found myself turning the pages as quickly as I could because I wanted to know what had happened in Granny Madge's past and just what the mystery was surrounding Holly Close Place.

I'm so happy to have read this book and I can't wait to see what next is up Julie's sleeve!

Julie Houston has become one of my favourite writers. Her books are full of sparkle, joy, humour and heart and with Coming Home to Holly Close Farm she has penned her best book yet. A book that will make readers laugh and cry, Coming Home to Holly Close Farm is an emotional, poignant, uplifting and gripping read that is impossible to put down and difficult to forget.

Life couldn’t possible get any better for Charlie Maddison. She loves her life in London, has a job which she absolutely adores and is in a relationship with a man she is absolutely crazy about. Things couldn’t possibly get any better for Charlie – until the rug is well and truly pulled out from under her feet when she discovers that her boyfriend Dominic has been keeping a huge secret from her: he’s married! Charlie is absolutely devastated. She has given her heart to a liar and a cheat who has shattered all of her hopes and dreams for the future. Charlie cannot bear to spend another second in London. She needs to go back home to lick her wounds, get over her broken heart and figure out what she is going to do next and she knows just the place to do it: her hometown of Westenbury. The beautiful rural countryside and some TLC from her parents and her landscape gardener sister Daisy is just what the doctor ordered. However, Charlie is ill prepared for the surprises and discoveries she is about to uncover…

Charlie and Daisy’s great grandmother Madge is in her early nineties and reveals to her family that she has a house, Holly Close Farm, which has lain abandoned for over sixty years. When the girls are persuaded to project manage the renovation of Holly Close Farm, little do they realise that long-buried secrets and shocking discoveries are about to come to light and Charlie and Daisy find themselves untangling a scandalous tale of betrayal, jealousy and everlasting love that convinces Charlie not to give up on romance entirely – and that happiness might be just around the corner…

Will Charlie manage to not just uncover the secrets of her family’s past, but also found a love that will last a lifetime and can withstand any obstacle?

Katie Fforde meets Rosamunde Pilcher in this spellbinding story that is wonderfully moving, brilliantly told and wholly mesmerizing. Julie Houston gets better and better with every book she writes and Coming Home to Holly Close Farm touches the heart and warms the soul with its beguiling blend of superb characterization, realistic dialogue, nail-biting drama and searing pathos.

An irresistible tale of unexpected blessings, redemption, renewal and healing that will bring a tear to readers’ eyes and keep them glued to its pages, Coming Home to Holly Close Farm is first-class storytelling at its absolute best!

Charlotte “Charlie” Maddison has a good life. A great job as an architect for a big firm in London and a handsome boyfriend who also happens to be her boss and married with children as she discovers when she finds his wife waiting for her on her doorstep. Single, jobless, and homeless, Charlie has no choice but to move back to Yorkshire to live with her parents, her sister, and her grandmothers. Things start to turn up when her 94-year-old great-grandmother Madge asks her to supervise the renovation of her house, Holly Close Farm. The only problem? Nobody in the family seemed to know about the existence of this place. Between her new job and a new love life, Charlie hears the beautiful and emotional story of a forbidden love story set during World War II.

COMING HOME TO CLOSE FARM is a beautiful, moving, and romantic novel. I found myself laughing, especially at Charlie’s family dynamics, but there were also many emotional moments. The characters are very likable: Charlie is engaging and determined, Madge is strong-minded and sharp, Daisy, Charlie’s sister, is lively and fun, and Kate, Charlie’s mother, is entertaining and it’s the character that made me laugh most (I loved that she used to talk to her defunct father whose ashes she kept on a shelf near the gin and tonic – and not in a creepy way).

The small town setting and the characteristic farmhouse fit perfectly with the atmosphere of the story and the author’s brilliant writing keeps the reader engrossed in the novel. COMING HOME TO HOLLY CLOSE FARM is a beautiful story of true love, family, deception, and also murder. A story full of romance, secrets, and second chances.

When Charlie returns from work to her boyfriend's apartment in London where she lives she is met by another woman and finds out in the most embarrassing way possible that both her life in London and her job are over.
Reluctantly she returns to her parents house in Midhope,Yorkshire where she finds both her sister Daisy and her father's mother Viviane in residence.
Although this is the last place Charlie wants to be I could feel the love of her family surrounding her like a cosy blanket and thought that was exactly what she needed.

Charlie's mum was mostly brought up by her grandmother Madge while her own mother was off doing her own thing ( which she still is). Madge at the age of 94 is now in a care home after a fall but expects to be returning to her own house soon.
Through another family member, Charlie, Daisy and the rest of the family discover that Madge has another house,one she has not seen for sixty years and has kept a secret from everyone.

We go back to wartime Britain and hear Madge's story of the love of her life and how she came to acquire the property, Holly Close Farm.

The story set in present day is full of laughs and funny situations as you get to expect from a book written by Julie Houston. The wartime story is a little different from her usual but proves that Julie is a versatile and emotional writer.
I loved the wartime story. I held my breath when things seemed to go so wrong for Madge and wanted so much for a happy ending.

The love within this family shone through the whole book. When the girls spoke about their childhood and the things they got up to. The love they had for their great grandmother as the tried to make life better for her.

Unknown to them their mum secretly loves having the house with only her husband there so she doesn't have to cook and can indulge in her pottery hobby.
A really good read and yes,I cried at the ending. Always a sign for me of a good The only thing I didn't like about the book was the title. It wouldn't appeal to me in a bookshop. I feel it's like the title of an Enid Blyton book I would have read as a child ( sorry Julie) . At £12.99 for a paperback on Amazon I can't see many people paying that price. Even although in the past Julie's books are bigger than normal paperbacks.

Something very different from one of my favourite authors – a story with a dual timeline, a wartime story of dark secrets and hidden history, but coupled with a modern story with that more familiar light romantic feel and the usual family chaos. And I have to say that I thought it was just wonderful. I’d been intrigued by the atmospheric prologue, but the first dip into the past did have me slightly concerned – it’s Madge’s story, she initially does the telling, and I really just wanted to get back to Charlie and the family, her sparring with her sister, the wonderful and very funny characters. But this is a story combination that really works – the wonderful wartime tale really takes off, an unlikely but totally engrossing love story, filled with drama, heartbreak and long-hidden secrets, and the way the story moves seamlessly between past and present is an absolute joy. I particularly loved the way the story is anchored by Holly Close Farm itself – an atmospheric ruin in the present day, a restoration project perfect for architect Charlie, but the setting for some really dramatic developments as we delve into the past.

The modern story is excellent – Charlie immensely likeable, recovering from a broken relationship in the bosom of the family, looking for a fresh start that comes from a direction she hadn’t foreseen. The author really does create the most wonderful characters – I loved her distracted vet father, aging thespian Vivienne, artist mother, the builder with benefits, and sister Daisy with her aspirations to be a landscape gardener postponed by pulling pints and a spell as a trolley dolley. The author’s trademark wicked humour is all there – the sparky exchanges, the vivid scene building, the moments of the ridiculous, the laugh-out-loud moments balanced by others of real poignancy. But I’ll readily admit that it was Madge’s story that I enjoyed the most – lovely well-researched period detail and a sweeping story of a doomed love affair, full of issues around class, duty and expectations, impacted by the moral code of the time, and so cleverly tied in with the present day story. And as for the ending – yes, I cried. Wonderful stuff – and highly recommended.

Romantic love is often considered something you can only have when you’re young. Can you imagine your grandmother or great-grandmother falling in love, or do you just see the wrinkles, hear the repetitive stories and remember her forgetfulness?

Charlie reeling from a romantic betrayal finds that her great-grandmother Madge has kept so many secrets in her long life, including finding her true love, and the web of betrayal, deceit and secrets that this event spun.

Madge offers Charlie and her sister Daisy a chance to shine when they seem to be failing at life. Accepting the challenge takes the sisters on a journey of self -discovery and the revelation of Madge’s colourful past.

Told in dual timelines, which makes the story doubly interesting, you see parallels and differences between the two generations of women. There is a lovely balance of humour and poignancy. The romance is sweet and the story inspiring.

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

I would like to thank Aria and Julie Houston for asking me to review this book and to be apart of the blog tour.
Julie has such a lovely way with her writing that it is full of humour, love and friendship that envelopes her readers into a wonderful story full of characters that you just love to be amongst.
Madge is a great character. We see her story told from two different times, one when she is much younger and doing her bit for the war and then as an elderly lady. Charlie is her great grand daughter and needs her family more than ever and these two ladies from different generations need each others support. It is a beautiful tale and one I really enjoyed reading.
Heart-warming and very funny this is a tale that I found easy to escape into after a hard day. I adore Julie Houston's books.

When Charlie finds out her boyfriend is actually married, she ups and leaves for her childhood roots. She uncovers family secrets along the way. I liked the characters and the development of the story.

You know that you're in safe hands when you pick up a Julie Houston book and this story was everything that I hoped it would be and more. The writing was warm and witty which welcomed you in like a big warm hug and I was enthralled with the tragically beautiful story that slowly unfurled before my eyes.

Granny Madge was an absolute revelation as far as characters go. Her life story spanned decades and wove a delicious story of love and loss through the pages of this book which left me breathless. Her stamp on this story was heartfelt and moving and by far the shining glory of the entire piece.

I particularly loved the air of mystery that surrounded the story as a whole. Julie created a web of wonder with the plot and only gave away just enough clues and information to ensure that you continued to turn the page. This meant that I read on in a frustrated frenzie to find out more and only came up for breath at the concluding page.

This book is filled with love, longing and loss all wrapped up in a beautifully written presentation of life in all its true and ugly glory. Julie Houston has done it again......this is another outstanding book that I have had the joy and privilege to read and I look forward to so much more in the future.

I have been a hardcore Houston fan ever since reading 'A Village Affair'. So I approached this new book of hers with some trepidation since a tiny voice inside me was reminding that I don't like war stories. Ya, you got it right! Never been a fan of guns and bombs . . . I am more of a bow and arrow girl. Thus I am happy to announce that out of the two interconnected stories, I enjoyed the world war love the most. Well, that is Julie's writing for you. Who could ever disregard a star crossed love story?
As you must have figured out already, there are two stories, going simultaneously in the past and the present. While Madge and James' story is the perfect love story that will give you dreamy eyes for some days, Charlie's story is more about family, sisterly bond and of course finding love again. If I have to pick my favourite characters, that is going to be Daisy and Madge. The former, because she reminds me a lot about my own younger sister who came to my defence all the time at school and Madge . . . because she is one hell of a lady.
And there is the typical Houston humour which surfaces often enough, even with the serious theme . . . not surprising considering the number of grannies taking part in the story 😆
Altogether a vibrant read you won't dare to put down. Highly recommended!!!

Absolutely loved everything about this book. Well written, amazing characters & heart warming story. Would recommend this to anyone.

Charlie Maddison loves her work as an architect in London, but then something happens in her life that brings her happiness in life skidding to a halt. She and her boyfriend Dominic were living together and things were good. When she finds out he's married, she gets on the train with her belongings and does not look back.

Her destination? Westenbury, the town of her childhood and the home of her parents. Charlie's sister Daisy is overjoyed when she's back together with her sister.

Things get interesting when their great-grandmother Madge lets on she has an abandoned house which is Holly Close Farm, the sisters take a look at the place and the renovations begin.

Coming Home to Holly Close Farm has family's history, and dark secrets. There's wartime romance, jealousy and betrayal. All this is expertly weaved in around a story of family relationships and being together again after being taken in different directions by life.

Julie Houston writes brilliantly and the relationships are realistic. The bond between sisters, as well as the interaction with the family. I really like Charlie and Daisy. There's sisterly banter and humour in some places amongst the plot of the story too which lightens the mood a bit yet the story is very dramatic and the pace just made me want to continue. There are happy and sad times akin to real life and I felt for Charlie and Daisy and was happy to see them together. The sense of family is very strong throughout the novel and there's mystery at the beginning which had me hooked. That was a very clever way of revealing what was to come for Charlie and what would push her away from London and back home.

The book is about taking chances, making sacrifices no matter how hard it hurts.

Thanks to Julie Houston and Aria for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review as well as my blog tour slot. 4 stars for this one because in some parts the pacing was slower than others, but overall a very good novel.

This is not the first book I have reviewed by Julie Houston, I really enjoyed A Village Affair too.

The Blurb :
Charlie Maddison loves being an architect in London, but when she finds out her boyfriend, Dominic is actually married, she runs back to the beautiful countryside of Westenbury and her parents. Charlie's sister Daisy, a landscape gardener, is also back home in desperate need of company and some fun.
Their great-grandmother, Madge – now in her early nineties – reveals she has a house, Holly Close Farm, mysteriously abandoned over sixty years ago, and persuades the girls to project manage its renovation.
As work gets underway, the sisters start uncovering their family's history, and the dark secrets that are hidden at the Farm. A heart-breaking tale of wartime romance, jealousy and betrayal slowly emerges, but with a moral at its end: true love can withstand any obstacle, and, before long, Charlie dares to believe in love again too...

My Thoughts :
We meet Charlie Maddison, who lives in London, works as an Architect and has just found out that her boyfriend Dominic, who is also her her boss is married with children. Dominic’s wife throws Charlie of of her appartment, jobless and with nothing but a few carrier bags in tow. With nowhere else to go Charlie heads for home. Her Great Grandmother Madge tells Charlie a secret, that she owns a home and hasnt had anything to do with it in 60 years. She now wants Charlie and her sister Daisy to restore and renovate it back to former glory aswell as offering them a place to live on the same property.
Although I am not into Historical fiction, there are parts in the story which take us back into the past and we learn more about Madge as a person and what has happened in her life. Its runs back and forth to past and present. The story is told from both POV of Madge and Charlie. This is well worth a read and I very much enjoyed it. It is hard to not give away too many spoilers, so I cant say too much.
Looking forward to more from Julie Houston in the future.

Amazing!! This book entranced me and kept me in thrall throughout. Far from the girlish romance I expected but a story of love and loss spanning the decades. To give any of the plot away would be a sacrilege for anyone else who reads this book. To not know is to liken reading this book to unwrapping a much longed for gift. Award yourself a few hours of pure indulgence and treat yourself to this tale.

Coming Home to Holly CLose Farm by Julie Houston is a wonderfully uplifting seasonal book that can be read any time.

When Charlie is thrown out from her apartment by her boyfriend's wife with all her earthly possessions packed into five garbage bags, she loses more than a cheeting boyfriend, she loses her dream job.
Out on the street in dismal November weather, where is a girl to go but home. And home is a crazy house, with dead grandfather who is sharing shelf with cats, one actress grandmother, other one who is so full of secrets that she will shock everyone when she reveales them. And all their lives will change forever.

Moving and poignant, this book tells two loves stories,
One that started during WWII and the other happening now. It is a book of neverending love, of overcoming obstacles and finding your true one.
I loved all characters, both main and secondary. They are all very special to me.
Quirky and sarcastic humor, and many laugh out loud moments.
Well written story and breathtaking setting.
This is an absolutely delightful book and I am so sorry it had come to an end.

This is a delightful dual time line/perspective tale of two women in the same family. Charlie has had a rotten run of luck- really rotten-so she doesn't expect the wonderful offer from her great grandmother Madge. Madge has a home that's been left alone for 60 years and she wants Charlie and her sister Daisy to restore and renovate it. What a challenge this will be! Madge's story- the reason that Holly Close Farm is lying fallow- will spool out over the course of the book. You might like her more than Charlie, who can be a bit sharp at times, but you'll definitely like all three women. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Coming Home to Holly Close Farm is a gorgeous story about a woman who, after finding out her boyfriend is married, goes home to her family. In doing this, the heroine now only learns to live on her own, but the secrets of her family that go back generations. Julie's ability to weave Charlies story within the history of her family is magnificent. I felt the anticipation of learning more information and loved how Charlie was awakened through the history. All in all, it's just a beautiful story and elegantly told. I love the how humor was sprinkled thought the story, and I love the feeling of family.

If you are looking for an original and classic read, I very much recommend this one.