5☆ Another Heart Warming Must Read!

It's so wonderful to be back in the little village of Heartcross.
This is the third book in the Love Heart Lane Series but can be read as a standalone perfectly well.... although I highly recommend reading them all!

This time the story focuses on Allie and Rory.

Allie works in the local pub and Rory is a village vet within his parents practice.
Allie and Rory have been together a good while and seem to be heading in the right direction.

But Rory is getting restless. He wants more than Heartcross.
He loves Allie but craves adventure and discovery. Much to his parents disappointment!
So when he is left Clover Cottage by his parents he feels like it's a way of his parents pressuring him to stay in the village.

So when an opportunity presents itself, Rory is seriously finding it difficult to turn down.
But where does that leave Allie? Will the two last the distance? Or will a new spark ignite Allie elsewhere?

Allie and Rory were interesting characters, I really liked that the reader got to understand both points of view in regards to their thought process and decisions.
It's never easy to make life changing decisions especially when it effects someone you love. At times it could of come across as Rory being selfish, but if you don't do what makes you happy then in the end you can end up with resentment and that's not good either.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Clover Cottage. It's a highly compelling, heart warming and light hearted story about relationships, following your dreams, making choices, secrets, change, family, dementia, new beginnings, friendship and community life.
Not only was there plenty of drama, difficult decisions and heartache, but there was a light hearted humour and wit which balanced out nicely.
Along with few lil twists and turns along the way to keep you on your toes.

Christie Barlow is one of my favourite Authors and she has a knack of storytelling with a lot of heart, passion, fun, humour, charm, wit and warmth.
Christie has weaved her magic once again with Clover Cottage, she writes the most mesmerising and amazing stories you can't help getting lost in them.
I can't wait for the next installment!


Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Just when you think you have life sorted and you know what’s going to happen…bang someone (or someones) throw a spanner in the works with little throwaway comments that make you think … and those insignificant throwaway comments can rock your foundations… that’s what happened to Allie. She sees a future with Rory, a long term future with him. But little comments slightly muddy her convictions of a happily ever after.

Allie’s life was turned upside down in a matter of days. From barmaid to homeowner to jealous girlfriend… she struggled to realise her dreams out of duty… parental expectation whether explicit or subconscious is a hard battle to fight and Allie thinks she knows what she needs to do but is duty suppressing her passion?!

My emotions were in turmoil as I read the latest instalment from this gorgeously friendly Scottish village. From giggles at a pacapoo to distress for Sydney…and that just the emotion for the animals. Allie’s emotional rollercoaster reached out to me as I escaped the horrors and stresses of real life. I felt what she felt as the story went on.

And you know what, I thought I’d managed it. Reading a Barlow book without a tear….. I’ve shed a number of tears during every other of her books and I thought I’d got away with it but then right at the end, I cried… damn you Barlow … you’ve definitely set me up for Starcross Manor!!! Bring on August!!

Favorite Quotes:

‘Check my teeth,’ she said, slightly panicking. Rory’s eyebrows shot up as Allie clenched her teeth together and prised her lips open wide in some sort of weird twisty grimace. ‘What are you doing, you absolute loon? You look like some sort of constipated chimpanzee,’ said Rory, his eyes drawn towards Allie’s mouth. ‘Not that in the whole of my career have I ever had the pleasure of treating any constipated chimpanzees.’

‘A reality show –like the Kardashians?’ asked Isla, sitting up, knowing that brain-numbing TV was a must at her time of life. ‘More like the Karcrashions…’

My Review:

I’m was a bit slow on the uptake but I’ve caught on to the fact that Christie Barlow excels in writing about appreciably flawed yet well-meaning couples in flux, or amid critical transitions, and/or brain-slapping wake-up calls. And with this in mind, Clover Cottage was definitely on-trend.

Throughout most of the story, the main character of Allie was rigidly in her mindset of establishing a home and family and forever living in her small little village with her boyfriend Rory without ever venturing far from their little hamlet’s boundaries. Whereas, Rory had other long-held dreams and aspirations as well as a significant case wanderlust. While it wasn’t tense conflict, their differences were rising to the surface and placing them at odds with each other, in addition to other real-world issues and emotional peaks and valleys intruding on their energies.

I was invested in the storylines and quite taken with the unexpected twists and intriguing surprises that popped in as subplots. I’m already eager to see what Ms. Barlow has in store for her next installment with hints of a possible snake in the grass with nefarious intentions shaking up the sleepy village. I adore Ms. Barlow’s unique and vibrant sparks of creativity and felt her conception of the precious little alpaca competing in a dog show as a “pacapoo” was ingenious, as was her heart-squeezing and thoughtful ‘jar of memories.’ Sigh. More, please.

Fun, uplifting and delightfully feel-good, Christie Barlow takes up back to the enchanting village of Heartcross with the latest engaging and immensely enjoyable instalment in the series, Clover Cottage.

Allie MacDonald thinks that she has hit the jackpot. She loves her life in the quaint village of Heartcross, enjoys her job as a barmaid in the family pub and loves nothing more than indulging in her passion for photography. With a fabulous boyfriend who is gorgeous, kind-hearted and wonderful in every sense of the word by her side, Allie is over the moon when Rory is informed by his parents that they’ve bought ramshackle Clover Cottage for the two of them. While Allie is already mentally planning how she is going to decorate the house, Rory is absolutely incandescent with rage. How dare his parents interfere in his life this way? Rory cannot believe that his parents have manipulated this situation to try and force his hand to marry Allie and hearing her boyfriend make such a startling admission leads her to wonder whether their relationship is as secure as she had thought it to be.

Rory is head over heels in love with Allie, but lately he has found himself chafing at the claustrophobic shackles his parents have imposed upon him. He works at the family practice as a vet, he lives in a house he rents from them and he is still living in the village he grew up in. Rory wants to see the world and experience life far away from Heartcross and even though he cannot imagine a life without Allie, he has big dreams of his own he is determined to follow and pursue. When the chance to go and work in Africa comes along, Rory realises he would be a fool to turn down this wonderfully opportunity and maybe once he gets this big overseas experience out of his system, he can return back to Heartcross and set up home with Allie…or will he?

Allie couldn’t possibly stand in the way of Rory’s dreams of working in Africa, but finding herself all alone in Heartcross, she begins to wonder whether the time has come for her to put herself first. Allie has dreams of her own which she has put on the backburner for so long – maybe now is the time for her to stop living in the shadows and to grab life by the horns and start forging her own path?

Will Clover Cottage end up being Allie and Rory’s forever home? Or will the two of them end drifting up apart and realising that their relationship is simply not meant to be?

Charming, captivating and so brilliantly compulsive that readers will have great difficulty putting it down, Christie Barlow’s Clover Cottage is a poignant and addictive tale of finding yourself, renewal, second chances and love lost and found set in a beautiful village featuring characters who come to such vivid life on the page readers will not want to say goodbye to them at the end of the book – especially kind-hearted and spirited Allie who goes on a journey of discovery to find out who she really is and what she can achieve.

Christie Barlow’s delightful rural tales of life in Heartcross are an absolute joy to read and Clover Cottage is certainly no different. Full of joy, charm and heart, Clover Cottage is another outstanding page-turner by Christie Barlow.

I read the first two installments of the Love Heart Lane series last year, Love Heart Lane and Foxglove Farm, and couldn’t wait to revisit the village of Heartcross.

In Clover Cottage the focus is on the characters of Rory and Allie, ones that have featured in the previous two books. Here we find out more about them, and follow their relationship. At the start of the book Rory is told that he has inherited Clover Cottage, and Allie feels as if all her dreams have come true.

However, this sentiment is not shared by Rory, who has more he wants to achieve before he settles down. Throughout the story we see how the characters deal with each other’s feelings towards to cottage and their lives together, with many twists and turns along the way.

What I love about this book, and the others in the series, is the sense of friendship and community that is portrayed. And in a time where this is something that is becoming more evident in our own lives it is a comfort.

The book sees other characters from the first two books return, not just Rory and Allie, which keeps the theme of community throughout this book, that the residents of Heartcross have got your back.

I hope this isn’t our last visit to Heartcross, and that Christie Barlow brings us more of this wonderful Scottish village.

For anyone that is looking for an escape from all that is going on in our world then this is the perfect answer for you.

I thought that this was a beautiful heartfelt story.

It was expertly written and it completely captured the excitement, anxiety, happiness and romance.

I thought that the characters were excellent and they worked really well together and I loved the setting for the book too.

This was a great story that will definitely uplift your day.

It is 5 stars from me for this one – I thought it was a fantastic story – very highly recommended!!

I absolutely love this series by Christie Barlow. The Love Heart Lane series is a place I cannot help but get really excited about returning to, I adore the setting and the characters have become friends.
In Clover Cottage we follow the story of Allie and Rory who have just inherited Clover Cottage, this is the dream for Allie who wants nothing more than to settle down and live out the rest of her days with Rory in Clover Cottage surrounded my friends and family. However, Rory who came home from university to join his fathers veterinary practice has dreams that cannot be fulfilled in Love Heart Lane.
I loved reading about the complexities of love that Allie and Rory face and have to learn as their relationship moves to the next level. Having met these characters before in the series I couldn't wait to see what was in store for them and this was perfect. Christie has created some really beautiful moments in this story which were lovely to read about, the setting is captured amazingly in the pages of these books and I cannot wait to return back to Love Heart Lane again in Starcross Monor.
A beautifully series that captures the most important things in life, love, friends and family.

I was delighted to be back in the Scottish village of Heartcross and so happy that the characters from the two previous Love Heart Lane series shared a part in Clover Cottage.

However, this was vet Rory and barmaid/photographer Allie’s story. We had already met the couple in previous books but find out much more about them in this story. It’s obvious from the start that Rory and Allie are both at different stages in their relationship. This comes to the forefront when Rory inherits a cottage. Allie wants to settle there and raise a family but Rory doesn’t feel ready, he is ambitious to travel and experience life away from Heartcross.

I really enjoyed reading how the couple’s relationship changed as opportunities came along and really tested them. We see a huge change in Rory’s personality especially as events make him realise that he has some selfish traits. I loved the dog show with a very novel entrant and a huge sense of community spirit which runs through all of Christie Barlow’s books.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable, cosy read with endearing characters and plenty of surprises along the way.

Thank you to Rachel for letting me take part in this tour. I would also like to thank One More Chapter for my copy of this book via Netgalley. This is the third book in the Love Heart Lane Series. This can be read as a standalone ( I haven't read the first two) but I do think you would get more if you read all three books. I will be going back to catch up on the first two.

This story follows Allie and Rory. Allie and Rory have been together for 18 months when we begin the story. I was a little sad to not see the beginnings of this story but this book isn't about the beginning of the love story but the issues that can come up when we are already in that relationship. Both Allie and Rory were easy characters to connect with. Both at times were a little irritating. They could both be a little selfish but I think this just made them more realistic.

As well as being a love story there were many serious storylines in this book that will really touch your heart. I had some real respect for some of these characters for what they have been through. Christie manages to mix the lightheartedness with the serious.

I really enjoyed my trip to Love Heart Lane and the village of Heartcross. I can't wait to go back!

How lovely to return to Heartcross. to meet up with this close-knit community, again. Allie and Rory are an established couple who we have met before but in Clover Cottage, you see their relationship be tested and develop. Friends and in particular, family are important once again and there are some serious issues in Rory's family which come to light. Allie has different priorities to Rory and is a real homebody. You see the tension as they both try to reconcile their competing wishes for the future.

The writing is warm and I could absolutely envisage the village setting. The Summer Fete is a lovely, comedic episode, with the villagers welcoming the celebrity into their midst with glee. Similarly, the clients who come along to Rory's Veterinary Practice made me smile. I am sorry if this is the final instalment in the Love Heart Lane series. I have loved all three of the books.

Thanks to the author for a copy of the book.

*Firstly apologies for the delay in this review*



With a title like Clover Cottage i knew straight away this book was going to be a bit of me. It was. A small quaint village with an epic support network, and ive heard rumour of some great cakes too.



Allie loves her small village life with Rory, ready to settle and take the next step when they are offered chance to move into their own cottage - what more could they want?



Except that isnt what Rory wants, he has his own plans, plans that involve Africa and moving away for a while - where does that leave Allie? Especially when his plans look set to become real with the help of TV star Zach Hudson.



This was a great read. Allie was for the most a great leading lady, however she underestimated herself alot, and at times was very secure - i sometimes wanted to tell how strong she was, but thats what her friends were for. To shake some sense into her. Rory, was equally as enjoyable to read, he was sometimes caught in his own little bubble too - but thats why the relationship worked, it wasnt all sunshine and daisys. The couple had their flaws and their issues and natural reactions to situations life was throwing at them.



I loved visiting Love Heart Lane and would love to return.





*gifted for review*

The trials and tribulations of following your dreams and making the most of your opportunities can put a real strain on your romance - especially if your parents are interfering and not letting you make your own choices!

Being gifted a home, complete with land, may sound like a dream come true but for vet Rory Scott it is just another attempt by his parents to trap him in Heartcross, especially when they start suggesting it will be a home for him and their new daughter in law in front of his girlfriend before he's even considered asking her to marry him! Allie MacDonald is devastated by Rory's reaction to his parent's gift. It gets worse, however, when a visiting heartthrob and television documentary star comes to the village with unexpected consequences! Rory seems in a total state of flux, unable to decide whether to follow his dreams to work in Africa or his heart and stay with Allie in Heartcross. What will he decide in the end?

There are plenty of twists and turns in this village romance, including some shocking surprises. It is a story with a community at its heart, one where dreams can come true in unexpected ways. There are some fantastic characters in it, including some fabulous children, adorable pets and supportive neighbours. This is a great series and I slipped straight back into the story from the start. I suspect it is more enjoyable for folks like me who have followed the romances and characters through the previous two books in the  Love Heart Lane series but it will still work well as a standalone. I certainly enjoyed it and will be looking out for more by this author and in this series in future!

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

I loved this novel! It is the perfect escape from reality. Curl up in your favourite spot and get wrapped up in the lives of the residents of Heartcross Lane.

The idyllic setting, the cottage of dreams and characters that you are instantly attached to. The kinda that are charming but not without their faults, after all, they are only human.

Packed with warmth, humour & heart, this is one feel-good book you will not want to miss perfect for fans of Katie Fforde and Heidi Swain.

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources & Netgalley for sending me this in exchange for an open and honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I really loved this book! I wasn't too keen on it at the beginning so it took a while for me to get invested - It went a totally different direction to what I expected though, and then I started to really enjoy it. The town and characters were super adorable and I hope there's going to be a sequel!!

I have been a fan of Christie's work for quite a while now. I love the way in which she combines the drama with the romance and with a generous helping of feel good vibes. I read the synopsis for 'Clover Cottage' and it certainly sounded just the kind of fabulous and distracting read that I so desperately needed at that particular moment in time. I must be psychic because I absolutely loved reading 'Clover Cottage' but more about that in a bit.
I was drawn to this book by the lovely bright and colourful cover and the synopsis of the story sold the book to me. As soon as I started to read, I immediately immersed myself in the lives and loves of the residents of 'Love Heart Lane'. I enjoyed reading the book so much that I was able to shut out all other distractions and focus solely on the book. Usually I have the attention span of a gnat and I am easily distracted but not in this case. The pages turned over at speed and I was so absorbed by the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly the pages were turning. The first time I checked on my reading progress I was staggered to realise that I had read over a third of the book. Reading 'Clover Cottage' felt more like a chat between friends than an actual book.
'Clover Cottage' is well written but then I think the same about all of Christie's books. Christie has a writing style that is easy to take to and easy to get along with. She has a way of creating characters who are impossible to dislike and who feel more like friends by the time you get to the end of the story. Christie has a way of grabbing your attention from the start and she draws you into the story. I genuinely felt as though I was part of the story myself and that's all thanks to Christie's fantastic storytelling.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Clover Cottage' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. This was a fabulously feel good, romantic read. I can say with absolute certainty that I will be reading more of Christie's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

A delightful small town cozy comfort read. Christie Barlow is brilliant when it comes to developing lovable quirky characters and sweet feel good storylines. This is the third book in the Love Heart Lane series, and while it can be read as a standalone it was so nice revisiting characters from the previous books. Rory and Allie have just been gifted Clover Cottage by Rory’s parents. Allie is super excited, she sees this as an opportunity for them to start their life together. And even though the cottage is in need of a lot of work she is up for the challenge. Rory is not quite as excited. He sees the cottage as a lot of work and he isn’t certain he’s quite ready to settle down, he still has some dreams to realize. A big star shows up in town filming a documentary about small-town living and Rory gets a taste of stardom now he is even more conflicted. Allie doesn’t know what to think she has always thought they would live happily ever after in Heartcross. When Rory is offered an opportunity to travel to Africa for 12 months and film a documentary, Allie is fearful she will lose him forever. What follows is a lovely sometimes frustrating story of will they? won’t they? As Rory and Allie try to figure out how to bring their separate dreams together.

I was first introduced to this couple in previous books and I thought that made this story even more enjoyable. It’s always refreshing reading a story about an established couple trying to navigate their relationship, rather than new love. At first I really felt as though Rory was being very selfish, but as the story unfolds I began to see where he was coming from, right along with Allie. This story however is not just about this couple it’s about family, friends, and community. There was a touching and heartbreaking side story involving Rory’s Parents. Also Mop the alpaca makes an appearance in a dog show posing as a pacapoo. Loved every minute I spent in this small Scottish town and cannot wait to come back again in the next book.

This book and emojis. 🔮 🐶 🎬 🦁 📸 🏡

*** Big thank you to One More Chapter for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

The third in the Love Heart Lane series, Clover cottage reads well as a standalone. I have read the first book in the series, but not the second. Allie and Rory's relationship appears to be following its expected path. When Vet Rory's parents offer him a cottage that needs doing up, Allie sees this as a positive step. Rory sees it as another way his parents are directing his life, possibly not in the way he wants it to go. This is a realistic story of wanting to follow your dreams but not wanting to hurt those you love. The delicacy of Allie and Rory's relationship is the mainstay, of this, but there is a much wider story too,

Family secrets are explored with some surprisingly poignant revelations. The community is authentic and relatable and they give this story its engaging quality. A new temporary villager brings glamour and a new perspective to the group of friends.

The characters draw you in and you become embroiled in their lives., making this an emotional read. There are many lighthearted moments and a few sad ones, but the ending is heartwarming and uplifting.

This is a village to settle in if you want to escape to the country.

I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

Clover Cottage Christie Barlow

Allie McDonald and Rory Scott live in the village of idillic Heatcross . Nicely plodding along in there relationship, her as a barman at the local pub that her parents run and part time photographer, him as a local all is well until his parents give them what could be their idillic home of Clover Cottage when everything appears to go wrong. Things change throughout everyone’s lives lifetime secrets kept come out . Life is changing for everyone but coming together in the most unexpected way

. Fantastic couldn’t put down. Loved it so much a story about life friendship and community happy sad funny all at once .Well done Christie Barlow

Returning to Love Heart Lane and discovering Clover Cottage was such a much needed treat of a read. I still can't believe that the Love Heart Lane series is my first introduction to the works of Christie Barlow as she has now become a must read for #feelgoodfiction.

Clover Cottage is Book 3 in the Love Heart Lane series, the book can be read as a standalone but as the characters grow and progress from each novel I would highly recommend reading all the books in order to fully appreciate the setting and characters. The books in order are:

Love Heart Lane
Foxglove Farm
Clover Cottage

Clover Cottage is Allie and Rory's story and as per the author's writing style there are many emotional obstacles that the characters have to endure to find their happy ever after.

Rory is the local vet and has been working in partnership with his father for a while now but he is starting to feel a little held back at work. Rory wants to expand the business but his dad is adamant that the practice is fine as it is, so when his parents give him a surprise gift he feels like his life has been planned out stage by stage in front of him and he freaks as he visions a brief glimpse into a life that he feels will remain stagnant. Allie is totally shocked by Rory's reaction and starts to wonder is this the end for their relationship?

When a TV celebrity visits the village temptation is put in Rory's grasp to travel and work overseas. Also, opportunities for Allie become available opening up dreams that she felt she couldn't or didn't want to pursue.

Both Rory and Allie have a lot to think about regarding their dreams for a more fulfilling career but alas sadly another obstacle is thrown in Rory's direction and one that needs addressing urgently. Can Rory and Allie make decisions for their careers and private lives that work harmoniously together?

Clover Cottage is another wonderful story set in the Scottish Highlands in a community that instantly makes you feel welcomed and at home. I fell in love with Love Heart Lane back in January 2019 and I still have pangs of wanting to live in a cosy cottage surrounded by the Scottish hills, wildlife and fauna. Christie Barlow has written a gorgeous romantic series with characters that are filled with warmth, humour but are still very real and relatable. I do hope we can have a return to Heartcross and Love Heart Lane sometime in the future, please :)

Christine Barlow has the kind of writing style that sucks you in and makes you want to be part of the world she’s built. The chance to be part of her Scottish town has me envious. Just like the last book of hers I read I’m a little confused which genre it fits into. It’s about a relationship which has hit a bump in the road.

Rory and Allie are an established couple. He’s a vet for the family business. When his parents offer him Clover cottage, Allie thinks she’s finally getting her happily-ever-after, but Rory feels he’s being pushed into his future. He wants to make his own decisions on his own terms. He isn’t ready to settle down even though he loves Allie. Now he must decide if travelling along a once upon a time dream is worth more than the love for his women.

Can the drama against a picturesque setting help the couple find their way forward?

The town, friends and family will suck you in. More could be going on with Rorys parents than he originally thought and someone new in town may shake things up.

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.