I loved this book and it’s the second Christie Barlow book to go on my ‘Favourites of the Year’ list for 2020, along with Starcross Manor.
The Love Heart Lane Series is fabulous. I get so swept up with the story that I feel like it's about my life too and I'm there in the book as one of the characters wondering why my name isn't mentioned.
This is book 5 in the series. They can be read as stand-alone as each book focuses on a different character, with villagers popping up from the other books.
After a bad year, broken-hearted Ella is rescued from her home in Chester by best friend Callie and whisked off to Scotland, to the beautiful village of Heartcross. Ella has nothing to her name, and the villagers always look out for each other. As they all say, once you go there you never want to leave. Callie lives in a flat above Hamish’s shop and lets Ella stay in her spare room and sorts her out with a waitressing job at the Lake House restaurant where she works. In the same building lives Hamish’s mother Dolores Henderson, who is in her nineties and wakes up the ladies every morning with her fabulous singing.
The Lake House is an old restaurant which has a glamorous past. It’s been owned by the Carter family forever and now Flynn Carter has renovated it and is trying to recreate the atmosphere from days gone by. It’s a tough time to be promoting somewhere, especially one that can only be reached by water taxi. However the water taxi really adds to the story, especially when it’s been driven by Roman.
No more from me, please just read it and find out for yourself. It’s got everything you could want from a book, the community spirit, family and love.
I absolutely loved it.
Thanks to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the review copy in which I give my honest opinion.

The latest instalment in this cosy and enjoyable series, all based around the fictional Scottish village of Heartcross and its residents. Ella is running from a bad experience with a conman and finds herself quickly wrapped up in village life and falling for boatman Roman. But Roman has problems of his own. Can working together to save the ailing Lake house restaurant and put on a show to remember bring them closer and help them put the past behind them? A bit predictable, but it does have its moments of drama and surprise.

This book is the 5th in The Love Heart Lane series of books. They can be read
as Standalone books, as each installment features a new protagonist. Characters from the previous books do feature heavily in each book though, and it is lovely to continue reading about them.
Heart Cross sounds like such an idyllic village, it is the perfect escapism from Lockdown. The characters are all lovely and there is a wonderful community. The Lake House restaurant is very glamorous and unique. I would love to visit if it was a real place.
Ella has had an awful betrayal and deserves a chance of happiness and a new beginning. Things did seem to move on very quickly for her, but they often do in romantic novels, so this was not unexpected.
This book is a lovely easygoing and gentle read, with a few unexpected revelations. I enjoyed reading it and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

In this story we focus on Ella Johnson who really needs the solace of Heartcross in the Scottish Highlands after going through a very tough time. She loses a lot but I won’t go into that right now. Her best friend Callie brings her to work at The Lakehouse, a stunning restaurant overlooking the river Heart. The only way to get there is by water taxi and who better to sail this than the gorgeous Roman who also is going through a rough time of it too. It seems that Heartcross is the place to be if you need some extra support in life with a fantastic community at hand.

I adored Delores Henderson, she’s a complete breath of fresh air and it would be amazing to be friends with her. Her singing career started at The Lakehouse so it holds a special place I’m her heart and we also find out more about Delores’ life. If I ever ran into some troubles in life the place I would want to run to is Heartcross. It’s full of love, friendship and it’s like healing a broken heart ❤️

I was so thrilled to read that this series is by no means over! I give ‘The Lake House’ a huge 5⭐️/5⭐️ ☺️

Thank you to One More Chapter for an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley.

Read this over one night, it was a good distraction read during the pandemic. Ella was cute and the story was engaging. Some of the timing and such didn't make sense but hey it's fiction. I enjoy visiting Heartcross via these books. Looking forward to the next one.

Very cute book.
Everything just fit.
The only issue I had is that they never spoke about what she did for a living and After the heart break and the fresh start that Ella went through, her progress from a waitress for a day to planning a massive event seems a little unrealistic. But hey, she pulled it off better than I ever could so, Kudos!!
The characters were adorable. And the secret about Charlie??!? GIIIIIRRRL, my jaw hit the floor out of happiness.
Roman needs to be protected at all cost. Just saying.
I'm definitely going to find the author's other books. I really enjoyed this one.

We meet Ella when she is seriously down on her luck. Life has been pretty cruel to her but hopefully that is all about to change thanks to her friend Callie and the magic of Heartcross.

Heartcross and it’s residents is a wonderful village and as with the other books in the series, I felt like I was coming home and being back amongst good friends. I love the community feel, with the good friendships and how everyone wants to support each other. You can’t help but feel your heart lift in spirits when reading this book.

The story focuses on Ella and Roman, both characters were lovely and I enjoyed seeing the chemistry between them blossoming. It’s such a feel good read and I especially loved the storyline to do with Dolores.

The Lake House is a story that will have you drifting away from reality and being caught up in this wonderful tale of fiction. It’s pure escapism at it’s best. The author has created such an idyllic setting with great characters that you won’t want to be anywhere other than inside it’s pages. I am so loving this series and they are books you can revisit over and over again and get just as much enjoyment as you do first time round in reading them.

Wow what can I say but I absolutely loved this next instalment of the love heart lane series and was so excited to receive an advanced copy. If you haven’t read the previous love heart lane books then this could also be read as a stand-alone as each book delves into a different character This was such a beautiful and cosy read and was like putting on your favourite pair of slippers and was absolutely perfect for curling up with on a wet and Rainey Sunday afternoon and offered the perfect escapism from the current situation. This instalment takes the reader on a journey of newcomer to love heart lane Ella’s life and how coming to love heart lane changes her life and brings her happiness and joy and enables her to leave the sadness of the past behind. I am already excited for the next Instalment of this series as this authors books are always a joy to read

I wanted to like this story but I found it quite difficult to get over the boyfriend leaving her in a load of debt and her just paying it off; where's the calls to the credit card company about the fraud and why isn't she fighting it. The rest of the story I found just too slow going and sweet to the point of completely unrealistic. I'm the kind of reader who doesn't like stories full of sex scenes etc, so this should've been right up my street, but it just didn't hold my interest and I was having to force myself to keep reading

This book starts out with a problem which seems to get swept aside...and progresses into a story that is almost too sweet. The characters are unbelievable...this is just a difficult read at times.

Gosh, at imitation of this book, I wasn’t sure how I’d like it but it didn’t take too long for me to fall in love with the lake house, the characters and the precious storyline. The author kept me turning the pages constantly and I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen with Ella and Roman. Highly recommend!

This is book #5 in the Love Heart Lane series. Whilst it is part of a series, it can be read easily as a standalone book. We are back in the beautiful village of Heartcross in the Scottish Highlands where Ella Johnson has come to stay with her friend Callie following a disastrous relationship. Callie has managed to get her a job as a waitress at The Lake House, a fancy restaurant only accessible by a water taxi, whixh just happens to be piloted by the handsome Roman Docherty.

I’ve read all of the books in this series and I have to admit, whilst I love them all, this is definitely my favourite! It’s great to be back again in Heartcross, meeting all its fabulous residents again. Most of them do take a back seat in this book, with the storyline focusing on the two main characters, Ella and Roman. I love Ella’s character and really felt for her at the beginning when she realises she’s been well and truly duped by Dr Alex James. Thankfully there’s nothing like a good friend to help pick up the pieces, and I just knew that when Callie took Ella to Heartcross she'd never leave there!! I love Roman’s character, but in a different way to Ella's!! Roman is definitely boyfriend material and his sex appeal oozes out of every page, so much so that I found myself looking up train times to Heartcross!! Who couldn’t fail to be captivated by his dazzling smile and charming personality, but as the course of true love never runs smoothly we are kept waiting to see if Ella falls for his charms!

The storyline is enchanting and grabbed me at the very first page. The story flowed perfectly throughout throwing secrets, dramas and of course romance into the pot as we went along. I loved The Lake House and I could just picture the fabulous images of it coming into view from the water taxi. Newly renovated and in much need of some more custom, I loved Ella’s ideas to bring it into the spotlight, with the ending being heart-warming and emotional, bringing a tear to my eye.

If you’re looking for a bit of escapism from the world at the moment, then look no further!! Take a trip up to the Scottish Highlands from the comfort of your own home and visit Ella, Roman and the rest of the villagers. This is a delightful, easy to read and fun story of love and friendships, that will make you laugh and pull at your heartstrings in equal measures!! Fantastic writing and lovable characters, this book will leave you wanting more!! Roll on book #6!!!

Ella moves to Heartcross after being scammed out of everything by her so-called boyfriend. She starts her new job at the Lakehouse and soon is making new friends. She starts to get closer to Roman but he is keeping secrets too.
Ella ends up organising an event to star Delores, who is a great character.

A great read.

OK I'm moving to Heartcross, a place full of lovely people who look after each other and mend hearts. This isn't the first Loveheart Lane book I have read but I find they are consistently good reads and I can't wait for the next one.

In this book we find Ella, a likeable main character., who lost her parents and now the love of her life (her words) is missing and she is having difficulty finding a way forward. Thankfully her best friend Callie comes to the rescue and takes her to Heartcross where she she lets Ella move in with her and finds her work at the hotel.. Ella immediately feels at home in Heartcross, making friends and starting to heal. We meet the wonderful Dolores, an old lady with an amazing life story who was a singer at the Hotel and Roman, the man who ferries people across to the hotel by boat.

I loved this book as soon as I started reading it and would recommend to anyone who likes to lose themselves in a story well told.

I absolutely adore these books by Christie Barlow set in the beautiful Scottish village of Heartcross. Each novel focuses on a different main character, this time it’s Ella. She’s had an awful twelve months after losing her parents, home, business and inheritance. Her good friend Callie invites her to stay with her in Heartcross for six months where she has a job and a place to stay. Could this be the fresh start Ella needs?

This book is wonderfully written. It’s great to see some of the old back in force with the addition of some new ones. The novel flows smoothly and I found this whole book an absolute joy to read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and the author for the chance to review.

I received an advance copy of, The Lake House by, Christie Barlow. This is book 5 of 6 in the Love Heart Lane Series. I really liked this book. Ella lost everything and started over in a new town.

So lovely to be back in the wonderful welcoming Scottish village of Heartcross again and reunited with some familiar characters!
The lake house is a delightful, charming cosy read, full of wonderfully diverse characters from the down on her luck Ella, the knight In Shining armour Callie, the eccentric diva Dolores and the dashing Roman to name but a few! Together through friendship both new and old,trust and luck they come together to create a really lovely heartwarming read that will charm and entertain you in only a way that Heartcross can! A wonderful diversion in these strange times of pandemic!
Thank you net galley for this early read.

Another fantastic addition to this series...such fantastic characters. Someone needs to make this into a series. Can’t wait for the next one

Thank you Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am ashamed to admit that I haven't read anything from Christie Barlow but I blooming loved this.

After the first chapter I didn't know where this story was heading as I hadn't read the blurb and I am so glad I didn't what a beautiful read.

I loved all the characters and I was totally engrossed in the plot. Delores sounds a ball and Roman is easy on the eye.

A fab read about friends always there for each other, love and heartbreak.

If I ever move away from London somewhere like Heartcross would be perfect, welcoming and friendly with beautiful views it's sounds like a pure delight.

I now want to go and read the other 4 in the Love Heart Lane series.

A massive 5 hearts from me ❤❤❤❤❤

Crank Freddie Mercury’s song “How Can I Go On,” grab the crystal decanter and pour a wee sherry tipple, cut yourself a generous slice of freshly baked Victoria Sponge Cake and get your copy of Christie Barlow’s ‘The Lake House,' because you are in for a heartwarming read with book 5 of the Love Heart Lane series set in the Scottish Highlands.

Ella Johnson has dealt with more than her fair share of heartache. Her parents have recently passed away and now her fiancé, Dr. Alex James, is missing. As if that wasn’t enough, the police have just informed her that he’s emptied her bank account of her parent’s 250,000-pound inheritance and racked up a 10,000-pound debt on her credit card! Six months later with 10 pounds to her name and a best friend at her side, she leaves Chester, England and boards a train headed for Inverness, Scotland. Will she be able to put her past behind her and start afresh? Will her past come back to haunt her? Will she ever be able to repay her debts?

Heartcross Village, not far from Inverness in the Scottish Highlands, is home to an eclectic bunch of lovely people with big hearts; a legendary actor, a TV supervet, a famous chef and her highschool bestie, Callie. Heartcross is the place where friends are there for you no matter what and Ella is about to find out that her time in this quaint little village is just what she needs. Don’t we all need a visit to Heartcross after almost a year in pandemic conditions? I think so!

What a delightful read! Barlow has crafted a charming cast of characters who will instantly make their way into your heart. I would love to grab a broom handle, belt out Freddie Mercury hits into my ‘microphone’, and eat cake for breakfast with the village’s 90-something-year-old, Diva Dolores Henderson. This marvellously written and clean romance novel has everything you’d expect; delightful characters, a picturesque setting, a deaf sausage stealing dog, a girl trying to heal her broken heart, a village heartthrob, and a bistro that holds long-forgotten memories. Barlow's story is a binge-worthy easy read that will pull at your heartstrings and stay in your thoughts long after reading. It reads like a hug and an encouraging pat on the back. I was so excited to discover this heartwarming series and although this is book 5, it can stand alone. There’s no doubt I’ll be quickly reading books 1-4 as Barlow has book 6, Primrose Park, ready for publication on April 30, 2021.

Thank you to Christie Barlow, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.