Member Reviews

My first of Bella Osbourne's books which was a great introduction for me. I loved following Anna and Sophie's lives and relationships. It was so great sering them get back on their feet again. A story of second chances at love that I highly recommend.

Was this review helpful?

I had trouble getting into this book for some reason so I can not give proper feedback I'm sorry I love bella Osbornes books normally.

Was this review helpful?

Sorry - forgot to post this review, now going through reviews had written and saved, yet not posted. Can't believe I never put this review here!!

It's 'that' time of the year again. The time to celebrate, to open the processco, to deck the halls. Yes, it's time for the start of the new book from Bella Osborne!

Since breaking onto the scene a couple of years ago, Ms. Osborne's stories have been published in sections, a new approach to this reader, but an effective one. With the release of 'Wildflower Park - Part One', we have the latest in this line and now I am used to this format, I only have the frustration of waiting upon the next part.

This is the story of Anna and Sophie, friends at the same work place who have very different problems. Anna is lonely, frustrated that yet again, her love life has floundered, whilst Sophie is unhappy in her marriage. The arrival of an American called Hudson causes further complications for both work and in their personal lives.

Want to know more about the story? Read other reviews. The writing is, as is always the case with Ms Osborne, of top quality with her characters being sympathetic and well-rounded with everything ending here on a very intriguing cliffhanger.

If you've never read a novel of Ms Osborne's before, then...start at the very beginning, a very good place to start!

Was this review helpful?

What a wonderful book - with a beautiful setting and much-loved characters, this was a great, easy read. Thank you for the opportunity!

Was this review helpful?

I've been saving this book to read in the garden and I'm so glad I did. It's the perfect easy read with some interesting characters, lots of humour and a twist that I honestly didn't see coming. The book is set in four parts but the chapters flow nicely and I particularly enjoyed the main character Anna's development as time goes on. This is recommended for anyone who loves a friendship and family drama with a beautiful setting and some unexpected turns along the way.

Was this review helpful?

This book is jut your average chick-lit story! It was easy to read, and your typical boy meets girl with a few issues thrown in for good measure. Sadly, for me, this book just didn’t have enough excitement and intrigue though. I didn’t really favour any of the characters and I feel that liking a character or two is really important in terms of enjoying the book. However, this has not put me off reading more of Bella’s books.

Was this review helpful?

So I may have finished this early this morning..... meaning my review may be a bit all over the place.

We follow Anna, ho after been dumped by her fiancé has sworn off men. So in swoop two handsome men vying for her attention. And then there is Anna’s best friend - Sophie who’s husband is inattentive and her three young children are a bit wild!

There are some great twists and unexpected moments which not only challenge Anna but also changes hers and the readers perspective.

This was a fun read about romance, ambition and finding your feet.

Was this review helpful?

After her fiancé calls it quits Anna is moving on. New flat, new cat, new role at work and some new friends.

Her best friend is also having a difficult time. Pregnant, and with two children already she is finding it hard to have a moment to herself. Her husband is of no use and she has a pesky crush on a work colleague.

This was certainly not the chick-lit I was expecting. It has much more depth and I love the strength of the female characters.

Was this review helpful?

I read the 4 parts individually.

Part 1
I have a few books by this author on my TBR pile and this one perfectly fit one of the prompts for the N.E.W.T.’ s Readathon so I bumped it to the top and dived in. This book is part 1 of 4. It’s only 90 pages so you can easily read it in one or two sittings. I read it over two evenings after work.

This story follows Anna after she is unceremoniously dumped by her fiance Liam. I’m just gonna be honest and say Liam is a grade-A prick. I could not stand him. He was so casual about breaking off their wedding and the two-year relationship prior. When we delve in a bit more we also find out how lazy his proposal was. I wish Anna had seen what he was like. I was glad she saw him for what he was quite quickly and wasn’t pining after him.

Anna buys a flat near her friend Sophie which comes with access to a private park. I love this idea. The park sounds beautiful and has a real community feel.

This is a great introduction to this series. Bella creates a vibrant setting and a great array of characters. From best friend Sophie, her husband Dave and two children Arlo and Petal to the rather swoony Hudson who’s from across the pond. We learn all about these characters and while this book might only be 90 pages now one of those are wasted.

Bella leaves us with a real cliff hanger at the end of this book, so much so I had to immediately start part 2. I am glad I already had it didn’t have to wait months for it.

Part 2

After reading part 1 I had to pick up part 2! There was such a cliffhanger at the end of part 1 and I was hoping to know more about that in this book….well we did get to know a little more but I still have questions. Again this book is relatively short at only 87 pages but a lot happens in those few pages. I read this in less than 24 hours. I was so hooked! Anna really develops in this book and we get to see a lot more of best friend Sophie.

Anna really opens up in this book. She goes on a date with a mystery texter and starts to get closer to Hudson. Oh and if that’s not enough her ex Liam wants her back! I was really happy for Anna in this instalment. She gives her mystery texter a chance and starts to see the softer side of Hudson. I am intrigued to see what happens next for Anna.

We get to see more of Sophie’s life in this part. Sophie’s situation is one I have heard other people be in. It’s a common situation but I wanted her to do more about it. It seemed she had resigned herself to her fate. I hope in the rest of the series this changes.

Again Bella leaves us with another cliffhanger although for me this one wasn’t a surprise. I can’t wait to grab part 3!

Part 3

After reading parts 1 and 2 I have been eager to return to Wildflower Park so with a bit of spare time between Christmas and New Year I had to fit in the final two parts.

We return to Wildflower Park right where we left off. If you haven’t read parts 1&2 then look away now…..

Okay, so bestie Sophie has left hubby Dave and is staying with Anna. Anna is dating nice-guy Connor but is still secretly lusting after Hudson. Oh and ex-Liam wants Anna back. Now that’s all the humans but we also have Maurice the cat. Maurice does make me laugh, the cat flap scene is so funny.

This book is an easy afternoon read, perfectly accompanied by a cuppa. Short and sweet, I loved it and as soon as it finished I had to read the final part.

Part 4
And now the final part. Parts 1-3 were fun easy reads but part 4 got to me. The previous parts have had an undercurrent that we have been eagerly awaiting the reveal of. Well, Part 4 definitely gave us that and so much more.

Here we finally find out what happened to Anna at university and why she doesn't drink. Anna really opens up to Hudson in this story. We really got to learn who Anna is and how she got there.

I also absolutely loved the trip to New York. It's one place I am dying to go! Anna and Hudson pick the perfect time to go, with the Thanksgiving parade and the start of the Christmas period!

This book is so much more than just a romance novel, it has a dark side too. I loved this series and I can't wait to catch up on more of Bella's work in the new year.

Was this review helpful?

[Thanks Netgalley for the ebook. This review is my honest opinion but just another opinion, you should read this book and judge it by yourself]
A sweet and enjoyable book but little depth and a surprising final twist. Whilst I enjoyed the overall story, I found it a little disjointed. Maybe it's because this was previously published in parts but I couldn't find a rythm and I had a hard time getting into the reading. But I must say that I mostly enjoyed it when I finally could connect with the story.
When there are two different stories in the same book, I always read one of them with more enthusiam. In this case, I was hooked by Anna's story but not so much by Sophie's (although I could see its appeal later). I know this is chick lit but I needed a little love story and the author is constantly playing with us in this aspect.
I think this book is full of lovely and interesting characters but we can only see glimpses of their real depth (I really liked Hudson and I was hoping to see more of him).
But the writing is charming, with some funny situations and dialogues. I think it's a good comfort reading if you're looking for a chick lit book, with humor but without a strong love story.
I will read more books from Bella Osborne.
----------------------
[Gracias a Netgalley por el ebook! Las opiniones de esta reseña son mías y totalmente libres]
Bueno, ha estado mejor de lo que esperaba.
Son las historias de dos amigas, cuyos puntos de vista vamos alternando. La de Anna me interesaba más, por ser soltera y esperar la trama amorosa principal por su lado. La de Sophie es interesante básicamente por ver la maternidad desde su punto de vista y cómo una pareja estupenda se puede desgastar por el paso del tiempo y de dar todo por sentado.
Creo que se nota que fue publicado por partes, ya que no desvela sus cartas y estás en vilo en varios aspectos hasta el final. Reconozco que tiene partes divertidas y me ha gustado cómo escribe Bella Osborne, con situaciones graciosas y buenas interacciones, pero me gusta leer estos libros porque, aunque no sean novelas románticas, sí que suelen tener una historia de amor central, y aquí me ha faltado. Por mantener el misterio, nos perdemos flirteos y desarrollo amoroso (y yo me he perdido mucho de Hudson, que me tenía conquistada desde el principio).
El giro final me sorprendió bastante pero lo vi totalmente fuera de lugar, la verdad.
De todos modos, ha sido entretenido y no me ha disgustado, así que leeré más libros de Bella Osborne si tengo la oportunidad.

Was this review helpful?

I thoroughly enjoyed this latest book from Bella Osborne.

I loved seeing motherhood from Sophie's eyes, with two young kids and pregnant with her third, and a husband who seems like a waste of space.

I enjoyed getting to know Anna, and seeing her get over being dumped by her fiancee, and end up in a position where there are many men who seem to think they are in with a chance with her.

The ex wants her back, there is the man who she strikes up a text friendship with after some wrong numbers, and then the American man who is gorgeous, seemingly off limits but does make things interesting for Anna.

I think even from those descriptions you can tell who I was rooting for. And there is also Bert, who Anna gets to know after adopting his cat Maurice from an animal shelter I love Bert and Maurice's story so much.

Anna clearly has got a deep rich past to her, and its interesting to see just what it is that has happened to shape her. Hudson also was an interesting issue to come to terms with too.

This was a pleasure to read and I loved Anna and Sophie's walks in Wildflower Park, which sounded like a lovely private park.

Just an all around lovely read, which does produce a few surprises along the way to keep readers on their toes.

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Was this review helpful?

4,5 Stars

A great book with very cute characters, a great friendships, some love interests, a mysterious secret from the past and a surprise at the end. And with Maurice, a cat. I also loved it that the "Wildflower Park" from the title actually features in many scenes of the book.

This book has originally been published in 4 parts. You don't notice those 'breaks' at all, especially since each part ends with a kind of cliffhanger and the next chapter picks up at the exact same spot. It might feel a bit lengthy to some, since it also covers several months in Anna's (and also Sophie's) lives, but it's not dragging or even boring. Probably also due to the great writing style of Bella Osborne.
I enjoyed every chapter, also the ones about Sophie (and her family). Lots of scenes are devoted to her and her struggles as a working mum of 2 young children. She is really more than only a supporting character in this book. But I especially liked Bert and his friendship with Anna. His "I wanted it to be you" was the cutest line in the whole book for me.

Was this review helpful?

There is plenty to keep you interested in this romcom which has a touch of mystery and a few twists and turns before you get to the end. There is some witty dialogue and well observed moments as Anna tries to negotiate her way through life and put the past behind her. There is plenty about friendship in here and Anna's relationship with Bill adds to the feelgood factor. Highly recommended.

Thanks to netgalley for a copy of the book.

Was this review helpful?

There was a twist in this that I didn’t initially didn’t see coming but gave the story a bit more than the average whilst still being an enjoyable read and not too taxing.

Was this review helpful?

A brilliant book club read!

After a disastrous relationship breakup Anna is determined to make a fresh start. She is sworn off men and decides to throw herself into her work. Enter a new handsome work colleague and a flirty mystery texter and Anna has to rethink, does she really not want to give love another chance? This is a brilliantly written story where we read a story of the strength of friendship, the characters are relatable and the story is full of laugh out loud moments.

A solid 4 stars - a very enjoyable read.

Was this review helpful?

Really enjoyable book by Bella Osborne.
It was me laughing in a number of places, cringing in others. Perfect mix.
A little twist for you to guess and also a hunky American who you wish was in your life.
Great light hearted read.

Was this review helpful?

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from Avon and NetGalley for my unbiased opinion of the book. Anna breaks up with longtime boyfriend and her life will never be the same. When her ex shows up at works and possibly in charge of eliminating her job things get crazy. She has a love interest at work as well and seeing someone outside of work who turns out to be wolf in sheep’s clothing. While all this is going on her best friend Sophie moves in and leaves her husband to deal with the house and kids. This story has so many twists and turns hard to keep up, but oh so enjoyable. You will laugh out loud at some of the things that happen. You don't want to miss this book and won’t be able to put it down! I loved this book and Bella keep up the great storytelling!

Was this review helpful?

I absolutely adored this book from start to finish (I was gutted when it did finish). It was laugh-out-loud funny, sincere, genuine and with a clever twist towards the end which I hadn't anticipated. This is definitely one of my favourite books of 2019!

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
A very good read and one I can highly recommend to others.
I could not put this down.
Thoroughly enjoyable with an amazing cast of characters that you cannot help but engage with.

Was this review helpful?

5☆ Feel Good Rom Com with plenty of juicy twists and turns!

I had the pleasure of reading all four wonderful parts to this book, then I read them altogether in the one book and I loved it!

Anna has recently split up with her Ex, just when she thought she could get over him, he takes a job working at her work place making things even more awkward.

But Anna has a new co worker and he is very Handsome and willing to help Anna with her Ex boyfriend.

Anna's best friend Sophie is also infatuated with the new co worker Hudson, but she's married, heavily pregnant and mum to some unruly children. On the surface her marriage looks solid, but cracks start to form and she can no longer take it.

There is so much I want to say about this gem of a book, but don't want to risk giving anything away.
There is a secret text admirer that is about to ruffle Anna's feathers, Mystery, a gorgeous cat, Plenty of Drama, Laugh Out l
Loud moments, exciting Twists and Turns.
It's a story of second chances, Family drama, relationships, friendships, decisions and secrets.

The Characters are endearing likeable, well developed and as the story progresses they become more relatable and I was rooting for them to find their happy ending.
There are plenty of juicy twists and turns and sub plots that weave together seamlessly, compelling me to keep reading.

I'm a big fan of Bella's books and Walk in Wildflower Park is another Gem of a book I didn't want to put down, so much so I read it twice!

I can't recommend reading this Gorgeous Book Enough!
It Truly is the perfect feel good Summer time read!

Thank you to Avon books for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Was this review helpful?