I loved escaping into this book! It was so fun and I am a sucker for the girl having a fixer upper and falling for the swoonworthy handyman. A perfect summer read.

I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

This was my first time reading Rebecca Raisin, and it definitely won't be the last. Loved this sunny, escapist book.

Perfect escapist fiction to loose yourself in- probably ion ione sitting as you will not want to leave these characters for a minute.
This is the first Rebecca Raisin I have read and it definitely wont be the last- she writes with wit and compassion- perfectly combined!

When the author used the word 'cockwomble' to describe Orly's ex, I thought, 'what a promising start'. Unfortunately from then onwards it went downhill.

I've read and enjoyed other books by Rebecca Raisin but Escape to Honeysuckle Hall was full of annoying and unrealistic events. The huge house, cottage and large grounds Orly bought were in Kent, almost a bus ride from London. How could she afford, let alone get a mortgage on a property that had stuck on the market for years, The cottage, empty for decades, was filthy and smelt of death, yet she moved in with her few belongings after just a quick clean. Her visiting friend was shocked the cottage didn't have a walk-in wardrobe. Really, in a cottage! Plenty more instances which I won't bother to mention. I know this is fiction but some vague realism is important.

The heroine and her expectations irritated me so much that I lost interest and deleted.

Other reviews are generally either 4 or 5 stars, my 2-star opinion seems to be in the minority.

Lovely feel good book to read. It was a joy to read. Lovely characters. Great plot. The book was charming. Very well written. I’d definitely recommend this book

I am a massive fan of this author and I adored this book from start to finish. A gorgeous setting for a interesting storyline, with well written characters who you are instantly a fan of.
This is a story that really highlights the importance of good, solid friendships, as well as following your heart and giving your dreams a good go.
We are given drama, comedy and of course a dash of romance – what more could we want!
Highly recommend this and Rebecca’s other reads.

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 3.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

Aww I love Rebecca Raisin and this book did not disappoint. A Fab story with great characters. I did not want this one to end. Loved loved loved it!

Rebecca Raisin's books are always sweet, wholesome reads. While this one wasn't as strong as some of her other books, especially the Little Paris series, it was a lovely read.
Orly is a fairly likeable character, although a little hard to relate to, and her relationship with Henry was frustrating at times.
It's also fairly predictable, but for a quick, easy read, it's a nice book.

I should like to thank NetGalley for my ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

This book started really slowly for me and I hated the thought that I might have to DNF it. I continued reading and am so very glad I did. This 4.5 star book, once I got into it was charming and a delight to read.

Each character had a unique personality and provided the reader with many laugh out loud moments, as well as shed a tear here and there moments. Having grown up in England I had a picture in my mind of the house and grounds and I loved seeing it to come to life under Orly's supervision.

Each of the guests were entertaining and unique in their own ways and I really enjoyed meeting them all for the grand opening.

I don't want to spoil this by giving things away so I will say, I am truly glad I read this to the very end and would recommend it those who like British humor mixed in with romance and many other layers that at first were not visible. This was maybe my second Rebecca Raisin book and I cannot wait to read another of hers.

Thank you Rebecca Raisin and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to receive, read and write a review of this ARC.

Fabulously entertaining, fun, heartwarming and all the things you want from a romance novel.

Recommend this book for laughs, smiles and love.

I’m sad to say it took me far too long to read this but im glad i did! Another brilliant summer read from Rebecca Raisin. A brilliant blend of characters and small town drama along with a sweet romance. A must read

Another thoroughly enjoyable read from Rebecca Raisin, this story it had me hooked , a story of friendship , bit of mystery and romance, this is a beautiful and heart-warming story, full of fun and some twists , a fabulously summery read

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. Cute story and fast read. If you are into romance this is for you. The cover is really cute also.

An easy reading novel. When Orly leaves her job in the city after her split from her fiance she starts a new life by buying Honeysuckle Hall where she Hope's to turn it into an adventure retreat but there are obstacles along the way. A lot of fun with some mystery involved and when the handsome Leo is thrown into the mix along with her quirky Filipino neighbour makes this an interesting read

Enjoyable book as always with Rebecca Raisin books. Full of interesting characters and change of career and the problems ensued with romance involved too. Wha5 is not to like?

Well, I have to say I felt rather disappointed with this book. This is the second time I have tried Raisin’s writing and I can now honestly say that I’ve struggled with her books! I’ve got one left on my shelf now, a Christmas trilogy, and I’m glad I can wait many months before approaching it because this one has left me feeling rather moody and lethargic.

Like the previous read, I felt incredibly disconnected from the protagonist. I could not grow to like Orly and was frustrated by her blind-sightedness when it came to her relationship with Henry. It’s like she had ‘Doormat’ tattooed onto her forehead. Fast-forward to Orly arriving at Honeysuckle Hall, and I felt bewildered and irritated by the scenes that unfolded. I could not determine whether this was a romance book, a tongue-in-cheek story or an an attempt at the comedic supernatural. It just all felt chaotic.

Neighbour and dominating character, Esterlita, grated on me every time she opened her mouth. I dreaded her appearance in the story and, unfortunately, she has an increasing presence in the book! Her character was like an annoying cliché and I despaired how Orly willing followed her guidance with little independent thought from herself. Whether Raisin was trying to make this character funny, it definitely did not spark with me.

I did not feel that key plot developments were explored in enough detail. One minute we are with Orly as she is trying to find out the history of Honeysuckle Hall; the next she is simpering after Leo; and then she is trying to figure out who is behind some mysterious notes being left on the property. Mixed in with this, she is supposed to be fixing up the Hall for a retreat but appears to be rather clueless with what needs to be done, with the writer conveniently glossing over it for when the first campers arrived.

My final criticism with this book (and yes, I realise that there are now plenty) is this retreat that Orly is creating. In my opinion, Raisin would have created a more cohesive narrative by creating this as a wedding venue, thereby building on Orly’s previous experiences a bit more. Further to this, the book is set in Kent, yet there are many references to hill climbing and gorge scaling. Knowing this county very well, even Google struggled to pinpoint this imaginary location for me. As such, it just added to the chaos of the narrative and how it felt more like an ill-fitting jigsaw puzzle.

So, why did I keep on reading? Firstly, I always feel I owe it to the author to reach the end of a novel I have started. I want to see how a plot is wrapped up and by finishing the story, can then come and reflect on my experiences through my review. In this case, I wanted to see Orly make a success of her retreat and how her first booking would pan out. As you would expect, it all goes pretty much to plan and I liked witnessing the camaraderie that existed between a group of people that were initially strangers. Furthermore, finishing the book felt quite cathartic because I had seen Orly make a change for the better and all of the characters had benefitted from the experience: this book is full of the feel-good factor. Yet, despite these positive feelings, I don’t think there was enough key developments to hold my interest.

In conclusion, I was bored by a narrative that seemed to jump all over the place. Being disgruntled by central characters is never a good start with a book and I think this fuelled my dissatisfaction with this novel. I’ve got one more shot at this author and, if the same happens again, I think I can safely say that Raisin and I will part ways for good.

With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

There's not a single book of Rebecca Raisin's that I have not absolutely adored - she just keeps on giving us the most perfect reads. This was a fun story, with a lot of unique characters and a lot of drama. This was just pure escapism, if only Honeysuckle Hall was real!

Heartwarming chick lit/rom com at its best, very nice plot and loveable characters!
Thank you publisher HQ and Netgalley for letting me read an ARC in return for my honest opinion