Sarah Bennett (1)

We begin with an ending, and end with a new beginning.

When first we meet Ivy, she's reeling from great changes in her life...not great as in wonderful, either. We see her at her lowest, her heart in hibernation, and her feelings on display for the world...but thank heavens for the small town she lives in. Small towns walk a fine line because everyone knows everyone and is in everyone's business, but when one of their own is wronged or in despair, they come together in spades to help, support, and show they care. Such is the case for Ivy...including some unexpected attention from newish arrival in town, Alex. He's easy on the eyes, is debating the purchase of a bookstore (be still my heart!) and is there for her, and only her, on this dreary gray day, but that's something she hasn't had outside of her departed mother for a very long time. It's hard to trust in the best of times, let alone the worst. Then again, Alex has his own trust issues which come to the surface at the worst possible time (of course!), but in the end, they'll come to realize just how strong they both are to not only pull themselves up by their bootstraps, but allow someone else to truly see them.

This was a novel filled with heartache, despair, surprises, endings, and new beginnings in so many ways. It shared the emotions we all feel at some point in our lives and the myriad of ways we can cope, but inadvertently reveals the promise of a new day, the chance to change our own stars, and the strength that comes from not only knowing ourselves, but sharing that with others. The author has created a wonderful community that reacts and acts much as you'd expect them too as things progress, even including a little well deserves retribution for the town gossiper, but she also manages to remind us that in all things, it never hurts to be kind. A great read for Women's Fiction fans, as well as Contemporary Romance readers.


**ecopy received for review; opinions are my own… (meer)

This is the second Sarah Bennett book that I have read and she does write such lovely and engaging stories.

Lucie Kennington is an art expert, working for a prestigious auction house. But a mix up with a painting means that she finds herself under suspicion of fraud and she is suspended from her job. To make ends meet, she takes a position at Camland Castle, aka Bluebell Castle because of the beautiful flowers that come out aplenty every year.

The new baronet of the castle is Sir Arthur Ludworth and Lucie finds out that everything connected with the place has an Arthurian connection. I thought this was a really lovely idea and where, in the wrong hands, it could have been a bit naff, in fact, being in the right hands, it worked really well. This is a romance and so you can perhaps get an idea of what might happen between the lovely Lucie and the gorgeous Arthur.

Lucie has other demons in her past and so she finds it hard to give her all to Arthur and the castle but rest assured there are some delicious scenes between the two of them which made me smile and caused my heart to melt.

The writing is light-hearted (just as you would expect with this genre) but still meaty enough to give depth to the story. I loved Arthur in particular and thought he was the perfect hero. He is one of triplets and I thought Tristan and Igraine were really well-drawn too. As this is the first of a trilogy I'm guessing the other two parts will focus on each of them as the main character. And here's the tiny downside for me. I felt Lucie and Arthur's story needed more of an ending. The ebook finished very unexpectedly at 94% when I was waiting for more of a conclusion. I presume though that their story will be followed up in the next two books, even if they are not the main focus, so I don't feel too bad. I know what I'm hoping for for Lucie and Arthur - let's just hope the author feels the same way!

All in all, Spring Skies Over Bluebell Castle is a delightful romance, set in a beautiful and fascinating setting. It's a really easy and enjoyable read.… (meer)

This is my first book by Sarah Bennett and it won't be my last. I enjoy these fun, romantic stories on the coast in the UK. Beth returns to Lavender Cove for the funeral of Eleanor, the woman who raised her. When she finds out that Eleanor has left the Emporium to her, she needs to figure out what to do with it. She lives in London, not Lavender Bay. When she returns to London, she realizes that there is nothing there for her, she has broken up from her boyfriend and the promotion at work seems to be going to someone else. Time to go back home.

This story is filled with great characters, friendships and memories. Eliza, Libby and Beth (all named Elizabeth, so they had to take on nicknames) have been best friends all their lives. I love the relationship these ladies share. The others in Lavender Bay all love them as well and support whatever they are trying to do.When trouble brews, the people in the town are there to help. When romance is in the air, friends promote and encourage and when emotions boil over, friends are able to calm and support. A wonderful story filled with love, loyalty, friendship, a bit of angst and happy endings. I am definitely going to read the next one in this series. The publisher, HQ Digital, generously provided me with a copy of this book to read. The opinions shared are my own.… (meer)