Thank you Head of Zeus and NetGalley and I wish I'd read this sooner - having a fractured ankle now helps the reading list go up!
There was eerie with a good sense of mystery and at times made my hairs stand up.
A really good historical novel - I recommend.

This book is set in 1950s. I was so immersed in this story and I liked the characters. There were some disturbing parts to the narrative.

This one was not for me. The premise sounded good but a little to fairy for my likes. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley!

An eerie and thrilling read that made the hairs stand up at times, but had me utterly engrossed in the story. A great historical piece

Now this was a strange one for me as it's not my 'usual' type of read, it's definitely not one I'd have picked up in a store/bookshop etc but that's the amazing thing with getting to choose an ARC, you can take yourself out of your comfort zone and dip your toes into a genre you wouldn't normally go for.

All I can say is that I'm glad that I did.. for 2 reasons!.
1. To try something out of the norm which is very unlike me.
2. To confirm that actually this isn't my style of book!

Now I'm not saying this as a negative to the author or the story, ot just wasn't for me.

The story was set beautifully and was atmospheric and rather magical but personally I found it really slow which ended up with me being bored and with my mind drifting and it just felt too 'wordy' if that's even a word 🤣

It felt quite childish at times but I think that's one of the main reasons I don't typically choose this style of book, I'm not a fairytale, magical beings type of reader.

It's not a bad read at all, it's just not for me.

With thanks to netgalley and Head of Zeus for the ARC.

Set in Cornwall in 1954 this is a tale featuring three generations of one family. Janey, the youngest is a great character. Story its self was very slow and didn't live up to its hype.

This is a lovely book, very enjoyable with some great characters. The setting is wonderful, deep down in Cornwall with all its folklore and demons.
I loved the whole thing and really enjoyed reading it.

In this book we have 2 women and a girl running from their past to a the White Valley in the far west of Cornwall. However they are met with some strange occurances and dark secrets. In order for them to start a new life in a new places, they have to find out what actually is happening and they also have to fight their own deamons.

Sounds guite interesting, isn't it? I thougt so myself, however I was dissapointed. The magical part of the story was porly done and sometimes even distracted from the mystery we had througout the book. Also there were some plot holes, that made me cringe. The pase of the story dragged too much and I was bored for the majority of the book.
Talking about the characters, none of them were even at least a little bit likable. To be honest with you I didn't felt anything at all reading about them...maybe just a frustration of the decisions that the adult woman made. Sometimes the child had more sense then her mother.
What irked me the most was the use of abuse and mentioning of rape. It wasn't necessary for the story at all and in my opinion was poorly writen and used only for shock factor.
Do I recommend this book? Not really, I read it all so you don't have to.

Set in 1954 and based in one of my favourite places in the world, Cornwall, we follow the story of Magda and her daughter Mila. Magda gets a small house in a valley that cuts through a bluebell wood and down to the sea. It has lain abandoned since the war, so they acquire it cheaply and Magda hopes she can restore it to it’s former glory and restore her little family too, especially her little girl Janey. They don’t know local folklore or the legends of the valley, nor do they know it’s history. This is a house with a reputation for glittering parties, where the great and the good enjoyed the countryside by day and cocktails by night. Mila ambitions are less grand, she just wants a safe heaven for the three generations of her family.

I love hares, they are my spirit animal, so I’m attracted to any book that looks at the folklore surrounding these beautiful creatures. The white hare, gives the valley it’s name because it is seen running through the woods. Some locals think she’s an ill omen, whereas others see her as a blessing. Mila needs a blessing, because she’s been broken and is still fragile and she sees this place as her new start. I wondered whether the mysterious aspects of the book would be tense and spooky, but actually it was a more subtle and nuanced novel than that. This was about the mythology and magical way a place and it’s history can bring about healing. It’s the white hare’s ability to communicate with Janey that is fascinating and brings a touch of magic realism to the tale. Mila hopes to renovate the house and open up as a guest house and we go through all the ups and downs that such a project entails, especially when tension brews between Mila and her mother Magda. I found this a restful and atmospheric read, full of everything that i find beautiful about Cornwall and about family relationships.

Fall under Jane Johnson’s spell with her latest mystical, magical and wonderfully engrossing new novel, The White Hare.

It’s 1954 and in the far west of Cornwall lies a valley that cuts right down to the sea at the White Cove. The house above the beach has lain neglected since the war and its reputation and pervasive atmosphere has not exactly made the house an attractive proposition for prospective buyers. But after years of the house being left to rack and ruin, somebody has come along who sees its potential and who has great plans for the future of their new home.

Magda is determined to restore her crumbling new house’s fortune. She plans on restoring it to its former glory and transform it from a ruin into an exclusive enclave for glittering parties where the great, the good and the infamous gather for bracing coastal walks in the morning and glamorous cocktails at night. Her daughter Mila, meanwhile, just wants to make a fresh start somewhere unencumbered by her past where she can make a home for herself and her daughter, Janey, a solitary child who pours all of her imagination into her plush toy, Rabbit.

The White Valley is a place like no other that echoes with secrets, legends, myths and stories. Locals say that a white hare can often be seen running through the woods. Many dismiss this as mere superstition with no foundation in reality. Others insist that the white hare is real while there are those who are positive that seeing this creature is a sure sign of bad luck and impending tragedy. With Mila having had her fair share of sorrow lately, the last thing she needs is to fall victim to further misfortune. But will the white hare truly be a portent of doom? Or could it end up providing Mila with everything she has always wanted?

A richly woven tapestry that draws readers in from the very beginning and keeps them entranced till the end, Jane Johnson’s The White Hare is a dazzling tale of secrets, betrayals and desires that is so compulsively readable it is absolutely impossible to put down.

Jane Johnson writes so well and creates such fascinating characters that the reader will become so engrossed and involved in the lives of her protagonists that they will not want this book to end.

A superb page-turner from a wonderful storyteller, Jane Johnson’s The White Hare is hard to resist and even harder to forget.

⭐⭐⭐ -- Lovely cover on this one!

This one was pretty middle of the road for me. The author did a beautiful job making the story very atmospheric and magical. I loved the secondary characters as well. The mother daughter relationship was well explored and Janey was a delight. What brought the rating down for me was how slow and wordy the story was. I found myself bored and had difficulty staying in the story. I think it probably could have benefitted from a good edit to tighten up the story a little. Just my 2 cents! 😉

**ARC Via NetGalley**

The White Hare is a mix of supernatural and thriller set in 1954 when Mila, her daughter Janey and stern mother Magda move to Cornwall. They have bought a house set deep in a valley full of folklore and superstition with the aim of restoring it and opening a guest house. Throughout the novel we learn about the past lives and traumas of this family along with the local people who become their friends.
I am a huge fan of Jane Johnson and loved the backstories of each character along with the glimpses of local supernatural beliefs. The pace was slow moving but well worth it.

The White Hair by Jane Johnson
3/5 ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️

I found myself thinking ‘how unbelievable?’ at times, throughout this book.
But that doesn’t stop it being an ‘OK’ book to read.

It didn’t captivate me and felt a little bit silly at times. Almost a bit childish.
The way things just came together at different times seemed too easy.

I would recommend as a lighthearted read.

Thank you to Anne Cater for my invitation to the blog tour and to Head of Zeus for the beautiful copy of this book.

Magdalena and Mila have bought a house in Cornwall in 1954 and have arrived to start a new life with Mila’s daughter Janey.

A huge house by the sea sets the scene in this historical fiction story. Within minutes of arriving Mila feels a presence and Janey spots what she calls a huge white rabbit. The house has a past and as they settle in and start to renovate and meet the locals they start to discover the history behind their new home.

I love a story set in an old house and I particularly loved this one is set in Cornwall. The strong women characters are really relatable and engaging. From the outset there is a feeling of unease and trepidation which increases throughout the book, and we find out that Mina is escaping from her previous life. I loved the link to Cornish/Celtic folklore and Janey’s Rabbit is seriously unnerving.

The writing is atmospheric and I loved how the supernatural is ever present in the story and really made me want to read more about the history, and I really enjoyed Jane’s notes about how the book was inspired. I had read The Sea Gate by Jane recently and I knew I wanted read The White Hare when I read the blurb. I was totally engrossed and I wanted to savour this interesting and transportative story.

5 stars *****

My rating:

Plot: 4 out of 5 stars
Writing: 4 out of 5 stars
Character development: 4 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

Recommended for readers of:

Historical Fiction

Review:

This book has everything required for a great story. Set in a beautiful location, a remote valley in Cornwall, a house with a history, complex characters, and a mystical legend. The story is well written with the right mixture of mystery and suspense. The characters are portrayed with enough detail to make them realistic. They have good and bad traits and some of them are more likable then others. The story was nicely crafted and unveiled itself at the right pace which gave it a feel of mystery but also made it captivating at the same time. I really enjoyed this book.

Loved this book since I saw the gorgeous cover. A story that mixes fantasy, folklore, and family saga.
Two women with different goals, a house, and a magic setting.
The author made it work creating a well plotted story, developing realistic characters, and making the fantasy part work with the plot.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The White Valley in the far west of Cornwall cuts deeply through bluebell woods down to the sea. The house above the beach has lain neglected since the war. It comes with a reputation, which is why Mila and her mother Magda acquire it so cheaply in the fateful summer of 1954.

Magda plans to restore the house to its former glory: the venue for glittering parties, where the rich and celebrated gathered for bracing walks by day and sumptuous cocktails by night. Mila's ambitions, meanwhile, are much less grand; she dreams of creating a safe haven for herself, and a happy home for her little girl, Janey.

The White Valley comes with a long, eventful history, laced with tall tales. Locals say that a white hare may be seen running through the woods there; to some she's an ill omen, to others a blessing. Feeling fragile and broken-hearted, Mila is in need of as many blessings as she can get. But will this place provide the fresh start she so desperately needs……..⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a joy this book is. Set in 1950's Cornwall, three generations of women from one family are seeking a new start. The setting is a magical valley where past and present collide and new understandings are reached allowing for the healing of old wounds The author's note at the end was perfect for me as I can read this whilst walking that section of the southwest coast path and could easily identify the valley that was the inspiration for the setting.

In a valley in the far west of Cornwall lies an old house, once grand and imposing, now neglected for many years. Here, in 1954 Magda, her daughter Mila, and granddaughter Janey arrive, running away from their troubled London lives.
The valley too has a mysterious past. Locals tell legends of war, and rivers running with blood, and of the mysterious disappearance of the pre-war owners, but also of a spirit, often seen in the form of a white hare, which protects those considered its own.

This, the first novel I've read by Jane Johnson, is an atmospheric tale of two women looking for new beginnings in an old house, woven through with just a hint of magic. The valley is immediately recognised (by the reader at least) as somewhere 'other'; a place where old traditions hold sway, from herbal lore to a sort of Earth Mother worship. Magda, an out and out 'townie', doesn't appear to feel anything strange, but Mila, raised in the country by her grandmother, senses foreboding in the air, especially when 5 year old Janey begins to behave strangely as if influenced by her surroundings. The three also respond in different ways to Jack, the stranger found in their barn - Magda treats as she might any other man, as someone to be of use to her; Mila approaches him with caution, while Janey immediately and enthusiastically 'adopts' him as a father figure.

I really liked the characters here, the change in the relationship between mother and daughter, and the gradual peeling back of layers to reveal their past lives. Here they can at last find a way to communicate with each other, maybe not quite as mother and daughter, but at least woman to woman.

If you think of historical fiction as being like a cake then The White Hare has all the ingredients necessary to make something appetizing: a remote location, a house with a mysterious history, elements of the supernatural, the scars of a country emerging from war, troubled relationships, oh, and a handsome stranger.

There is a timeless quality to the book with only a few references to the Second World War pointing to it being set in 1954. The remoteness of White Cove and the nearby village gives a sense of a place somewhat detached from modern life. ‘The old ways run deep in this part of the county. It’s a place full of ancient mysteries and a great deal of superstition.’ In this respect Cornwall with its rich history of legends and its ancient monuments makes an ideal setting for the story. It’s believable that the supernatural is not far from the surface in this part of the world and that life is lived very much to the rhythm of nature. It also goes some way to explaining the villagers initial hostility towards the new arrivals. ‘The valley doesn’t welcome outsiders.’

Mila’s mother, Magdalena (sometimes referred to in the book as Magda or Mother) is a rather unlikeable character. She’s self-obsessed, prone to fits of anger and seems determined to ‘punish’ her daughter for the failure of a relationship in which Mila was the innocent party, despite the fact it has provided the funds for the purchase and refurbishment of White Cove. Even when the details of Magdalena’s past are revealed, I found it hard to forgive her treatment of her daughter and granddaughter. I did like though the fact the story involves (for the times) an unconventional relationship although, rather contradictorily, the possibility of the disclosure of a similar relationship is shown to have a very different outcome.

Although for me the book moved at a sedate pace, the constant sense of unease the author created helped maintain my interest. There are a number of odd occurrences from ‘mishaps and minor accidents’ to strange visions, many associated with Mila’s daughter, Janey. Some of these defy rational explanation whilst others prove to have more conventional causes. I enjoyed how many of the strange events tied in with the history of the area and that they were given expression through women. The prologue and epilogue neatly reflect this.

Towards the end of the book the pace picked up as, one after another, secrets are revealed, animosity is replaced by acceptance and unexpected good fortune signals a different future for many of the characters.