Publisher: Canelo
Publishing Date: 27th March 2017
Source: Received from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review!
Number of pages: 198
Genre: Women’s Fiction, General Fiction (Adult)
Buy the Book: Kindle
Synopsis:
Welcome to Bluebell Hall. Pull up a wonky chair, grab a cream bun and settle into a story about a little village, a determined caretaker – and bunting.
At twenty-nine, Connie isn’t quite where she thought she’d be. When her beloved gran died Connie returned to Hazelhurst, the village she grew up in, and took over her gran’s old job as caretaker at the village hall. It might not be the stuff of dreams, but Connie loves working at Bluebell Hall – the heart of the community fuelled by copious cups of tea.
So when Bluebell Hall is threatened with closure, Connie is determined not to let greedy property developers get their hands on it. She hatches a plan bonkers enough that it just might work. All it takes is a needle and thread, scraps of old material and willing hands.
Can Connie convince the people of Hazelhurst that their village hall is worth saving? And will she save herself in the process…?
A heartwarming novel about friendship, community and being brave enough to fight for what you believe in, The Bluebell Bunting Society is perfect for fans of Milly Johnson, Tilly Tennant and Cathy Bramley.
Rating: 3.5/5
Oh joy! The new Poppy Dolan’s book! Guys, you’ve no idea how much I’ve waited for this novel. I’ve read all Poppy’s previous books and they were all just SO right up to my street – the brilliant writing, my kind of humour, lovely characters and the stories flowing so effortlessly and seamlessly. I can’t believe – or no, I take it back, I CAN believe that it’s already four years since Poppy’s last book, it is really SO long. When I’ve heard the news “The Bluebell Bunting Society” is up for request on NetGalley it has really made my day, even more so when I was accepted to read it – which I almost immediately did, needless to say. Judging the book on its cover and its title you can think that it’s going to be an inviting, warm, funny, light read – and it’s true!
As I have two left hands when it comes to sewing, bunting and so on I always do love a read about people who can do such things. It’s real magic, no, to put together two things and produce a patchwork blanket, right? I can truly understand all the fuss, really.
There are many threads in this story, guys! It is multi – layered, just like a flower, and here unpeeling the layers makes you laugh and the story is sweet. The chapters are short and they really cover many issues, so that the story felt really dynamic. There is some drama, there is a romance, there is a lovely community. However – and I am incredibly sad that there is “however”, because I wanted to love this book so desperately! However, the story felt too flat for me. It was not as sparkly and fresh as Poppy’s previous books. There were moments it dragged too much for my liking and there was nothing that I could say wow, I haven’t read it or I haven’t seen it coming. It’s just Poppy Dolan has already shown me she can much, much more and I have expected much, much more from this book. Somehow, I just couldn’t get into the heart of this story – which probably is my own fault, and it makes me furious with myself.
Connie was lovely! I loved her passion and desperation to keep the Hall going. It was palpable that she has fond memories of it, especially as she has spent her best times there, together with her Grandmother, and she now enjoys her role as Bloom Mistress, preparing a dance or two with her charges. But Connie is torn – there is this side to her that want to satisfy tradition, keep the hall and run it just like her Gran did, and the other side, where Connie is not sure what it is she want to do, if she wants to stay in Hazelhurst for ever or do something different, somewhere else?
The cast of supporting characters is as bunt as the title itself. The author lets them all to have their own say, to shine through the pages. We have Lucy’s best friend Steve and his wife Lucy and they all want to support Lucy in so many ways! The community spirit in this book is brilliantly captured, it was just my favourite kind of a small, lovely village with people who know everything about each other and when it comes to a crisis they stand up for each other and do whatever they can to help. The duo of Dominic and Polly, father and daughter, has added so much poignancy to this story, the emotions there were so raw and so genuine, and Polly was so incredibly talented and creative, it was a real joy to read about her ideas.
Altogether, “The Bluebell Bunting Society” was a cute, warm, inviting read. It is this kind of read when you know what’s going to happen but it doesn’t bother you and it only makes you feel better. The characters are so lovely that you can’t help but fall for them all, and keep your fingers crossed for them. A heart – warming, uplifting read with a feel – good factor – recommended!
Advertisements Teilen mit:
