In the second book of the Bennett’s Bluebell Castle series about a set of triplets who are struggling to restore the family’s ancestral castle and open parts of it to the paying public, we get Igraine’s (Iggy’s) story. Her passion is landscaping, so she has taken on the overwhelming task of recreating the gardens using the original plans. With money and time in short supply, especially with opening day only four months away, Iggy is going to need help and she knows just the man for the job: award-winning celebrity gardener and bad boy, Will Talbot. However, when she calls to ask him if he’ll take the job, she catches him at an inopportune time and he rudely turns her down. So when he turns up a few days later (running from a sticky situation and intrigued by the photos she’s sent him), she rudely wants to kick him out the door. Will she be able to put her animosity aside long enough for him to work his magic on the gardens and perhaps on her as well?

There are so many wonderful aspects to recommend this story: the relationship between the triplets, Tristan’s optimism (can’t wait for his story in book 3), the slow-burning, sexy (but not steamy) relationship between Iggy and Will, their vision for the gardens and how they work together to bring it to life, the story behind Will’s decision to become a gardener which got him off a path of destruction, and even the intriguing visit by their bitchy absentee mother, Helena. On the flip side, there’s prickly Iggy’s mistrust of Will (twice judging him guilty without giving him a chance to explain) and the vicious attacks from Helena who proves, once again, that there isn’t a maternal bone in her body…or any goodness. No matter how Bennett makes readers feel about her characters, there’s no doubt that her writing elicits strong feelings. Definitely recommend this series to readers who like sweet romances with a bit of sexy.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from HQ Digital through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Reads for the invitation to the tour for the second book in the Bluebell Castle series and to the publisher HQ Digital for my copy of the book in return for a fair and honest review.

The book picks up at Bluebell Castle home of Arthur, Iggy and Tristan a set of triplets who are trying to keep the family home thriving after the death of their father. The first book focused on Arthur, the eldest of the three and this book is set around Igraine his sister and her work to transform the gardens of Bluebell castle which have fallen in an overgrown and unkempt state over the years.

They decide they need help to achieve this mammoth task and that comes in the form of Will a celebrity gardener who is trying to escape his own life and the opportunity to escape to a  Derbyshire hide-hole and get back to actual gardening seems too good to be true.

A wedding and a visit from the triplets estranged mother turns everything upside down and can the family save the castle once again ?

This is a great feel good read and I enjoyed getting to know Igraine but also picking up on the story felt very familiar and cosy and I particularly enjoy the scenes in the families sitting room this was just the type of read I needed.

There is drama, passion, jealousy and love a perfect combination for a summer read. I cannot wait until book 3 !

Travel to the gorgeous Derbyshire countryside to escape into this lovely romance, the second book in the series. I believe it could be read as a standalone but the first book, Spring Skies over Bluebell Castle, is also a great read. The first book tells of the romance developing between Arthur Ludworth and Lucie. Arthur has inherited the title of Baronet along with their family home, a Castle and its estate lands, but is working with his siblings, Tristan and Igraine, to restore it all to its former glory and hoping to find ways to make it pay for its own upkeep. The three are triplets and very close.

This book is the Igraine’s story, telling how she strives to restore the castle gardens. When funding becomes available, she seeks the help of celebrity garden designer Will Talbot. He is in a compromising position when she initially calls and he suggests her timescale is ludicrous but, after seeing the pictures of the garden, he sees this as an opportunity to escape the paparazzi and start doing what he loves – gardening – again. Annoyed by his initial reaction, Iggy isn’t exactly welcoming to William. As he endeavours to show his true self rather than the bad reputation that is associated with his celebrity status, he gradually wins over Iggy and she starts to fall for him- but warily! When her mother, Helena, turns up things start to disintegrate! She is definitely the villain in the story but you’ll have to read it for yourself to discover just what she does and why. I certainly didn’t like her and couldn’t wait for Arthur to wake up to her machinations and kick her out!

I really enjoyed reconnecting with the Ludworth family again and reading Iggy and William’s story. It is a heartwarming romance fraught with difficulties to be overcome. I have no hesitation in highly recommending it and personally can’t wait to read Tristan’s story!

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.

This was the first time that I visited Camland Castle and I think the first time that I’ve read a book featuring triplets. With this in mind, I was intrigued to get started and see what we had in store.

Iggy is the oldest of the trio but it was brother Arthur who inherited the historic castle and title, plus all the financial headaches that came with it. Iggy sets herself the job of restoring the overgrown castle grounds. She soon realizes that it is a much harder job than she first thought, so she reaches out to Will Talbot, gardener to the rich and famous (with an attitude to match!).

When Will gets stuck into the castle gardens he realizes that this is just what he needs. Away from the glaring publicity and media he enjoys getting back to what he does best, and his personality starts to mellow. Iggy has always fancied Will from afar, but how will he rate in the flesh?. Working alongside Will is a dream come true, but will romance blossom?

I loved the romantic setting and Sarah Bennett has produced some really relatable, fascinating characters in this feel-good, inspirational series. I wish I had read the first book, just to give me an added insight into the characters, but this worked fine as a standalone novel.

You could almost feel the chemistry between Iggy and Will, I loved how they bought out the best of each other, and it was exciting to see these characters grow. I really enjoyed my time at the castle and will look forward to other books featuring the Ludworth family.

An enchanting story set in a castle
This is the second book in the trio loft with each book focusing on one of the characters. It could be read as a stand-alone book
The author has such a fun and flirty writing style
A good read

Here we are on book two of the Bluebell Castle series and I couldn’t wait to get back to the characters and the setting! Even though it is a series I would still class it as a standalone but it really is a gorgeous series so if you get chance I would say read book one first! In Sunshine Over Bluebell Castle we follow Iggy who is trying and working her hardest to restore the gardens at Camland Castle. However she finds herself slightly out of her depth and needs a little help, this is where Will Talbot steps in. Will is gardener to the stars and in hot demand, let’s just say he comes in and definitely shakes things up at the Castle along with ruffling Iggy’s feathers!

If you are looking for a romance that will make you smile, sigh and completely wrap you up then look no further. Sarah Bennett has done it again and created two characters that had me rooting for them right from the beginning. They balanced each other out perfectly with Iggy being a little prickly and Will being a little smooth. However as the book progressed their personalities and back stories came to the surface showing that there was so much more to their characters which made me like them even more!

I don’t have green fingers in the slightest but I loved the plot of restoring the gardens and all the plans to achieve it. Along with catching up with the Ludworth family and seeing how they were getting on. There is such a heartwarming feeling to this book and I loved the family connection. These siblings may disagree, tease and annoy each other but they also take care of each other and I love that! Then seeing a gorgeous romance develop it all combined to make a story that I easily found myself caught up in. I can’t wait for Tristan’s story but it will also be sad to see the series end!

Sunshine Over Bluebell Castle is a story about family, love and romance with a wonderful uplifting vibe!

Favorite Quotes:

At the end of the first week, she’d plonked a large glass jar on his desk together with a sliding scale of fines depending on the severity of the swear word he used… Anna was free to spend the contents of the swear jar on whatever took her fancy… Anna had so far enjoyed a hot air balloon experience, dinner at one of London’s top Michelin-starred restaurants and a helicopter flight over the city.

Bloody hell, she was spikier than a hedgehog.

It took a bit of shuffling around as no one wanted to stand to close to Helena— not that it was physically possible to stand too close when she’d chosen to wear a hat roughly the size of a satellite dish. She’d needed half a pew to herself to accommodate the enormous brim…

My Review:

Book two in this series was quite busy with creatively contrived and lushly described landscaping projects, wedding planning, the drama and pestilence of an unwanted and unexpected visitor, and two new budding romances. Although still an enjoyable and engaging read, book two in the series contained considerably more conflict, angst, and tension amongst the characters than book one; most of it primarily due to the prickly character traits of the main character of Igraine. I was compelled to Google the correct pronunciation of the obscure name of Igraine as I was annoying myself with numerous failed attempts to puzzle it out. I wanted to give both Igraine and her broth Arthur a kick in the backside in hopes of dislodging their craniums, as their gray matter had obviously been misplaced. I am curious to see what the deft wordsmith Sarah Bennett comes up with next for Tristan, the last, and my personal favorite of the triplet siblings.

Oh, happy, day! I scored three unusual additions to my Brit Word List with cloth ears – someone who fails to listen or is hard of hearing; piccalilli – a pickled vegetable relish; and upped sticks – packed up and moved away.

This is another book by a new author as I need to open up to new authors. ... it is the second book in the series and I have not read the first but you don't need to either as it an be read as a standalone.
It's set in a beautiful castle and you are simply transported there, there seems to be many books set in castles nowadays .. enjoyable too.
Iggy is helping his brother to save their home, this being the castle. They employ a celebrity gardener to give them the coverage of many more tourists to keep the castle open to the public.
This book reminds me of downtown abbey and the gardening TV show rolled into one. Perfectly uplifting.
Thanks to netgalley

I have been anticipating the next instalment in this series and it did not let me down. The setting is as gorgeous as ever and is the focus for the storyline, with its romantic landscape. The second in the series centres on Iggy, the eldest of the triplets who has to step aside for her younger brother. The relationships between all the siblings and their extended family is warm and humorous, with a lovely informal side which fills the castle with life.

Will proves to be a great addition with his own interesting backstory. His background is as far from Iggy's as you could get but it is clear pretty soon that they have a connection. We also learn more about the triplet's mother . As can be expected from Sarah Bennett, she has created quite a character and one with a few surprises to spring. This is a great book to escape into, full of warmth and family.

Thanks to the author for a copy of the book.

I have been a fan of Sarah’s work for quite a while now. I just love the way she writes such uplifting, feel good books. I read and loved the first book in the Bluebell Castle series and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy of the second book in the series. Well ladies and gents the wait is over because the second part of the trilogy called ‘Sunshine Over Bluebell Castle’ was released on 5th August 2019. I can certainly say that it is a fantastic book, which I thoroughly enjoyed but more about that in a bit.
Iggy Ludworth is one of those delightful female characters that you can’t help but take to from the first time you meet her. That’s how I felt anyway. Iggy is one of a set of triplets and she is the only girl. They really are a tight knit bunch but then they have had to be. They have inherited the castle but sadly it has become a bit rundown. Iggy decides that she will overhaul the garden, which is a task of mammoth proportions. Iggy certainly has ambition and that is to be admired. She is a huge fan of the bad boy gardener Will Talbot and asks if he will consider helping revamping the gardens. Will is portrayed as a bad boy but that’s only his showbusiness persona, although he does have a bit of a potty mouth and I chuckled out loud at the fact that his assistant has a swear box on her desk, which he fills on a regular basis. Anyway back to the point. Iggy and Will don’t exactly get off to the best of starts when he basically tells her that what she wants to do is unachievable in the time frame that she has come up with. However after a bumpy start, the pair do start to get along and suddenly it seems that romance could be in the air. Will Iggy and Will have a short term fling or a more long term affair? Well for the answer to that particular question and so much more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out.
It didn’t take me long at all to get into this book. In fact I was hooked on the story by the time I got to the end of the first page. I became so swept up in the story that I just couldn’t stop reading. It was as if the book had developed a hold over me and I certainly didn’t want to break that hold. I think part of the attraction of the story, for me at any rate, was that the characters were so likeable that you couldn’t help but take to them and hope that they got the ending that they deserved. Even ‘bad boy’ Will wasn’t that bad because underneath his tough image, lies a heart of gold. The pages of the book turned increasingly quickly as my desperation to find out what happened grew. I soon reached the end of the book, which I had mixed feelings about. Don’t get me wrong I was pleased to finish because I knew how the story ended but I was enjoying the author’s writing style, the characters and the storylines so much that I just didn’t want the book to the end.
‘Sunshine Over Bluebell Castle’ is extremely well written but then I wouldn’t expect anything else from Sarah Bennett. She has created great storylines for some lovely characters. Sarah knows how to grab your attention from the start and she draws you into the story from the first word onwards. She writes in such a way that compels you (in the nicest possible way) to keep reading. I took to the characters so much that I needed to know what happened to them. Sarah certainly knows how to perfectly combine drama with a lot of romance and more than a dash of humour.
In short, ‘Sunshine Over Bluebell Castle’ is one hell of a fantastic read. In fact, reading this book was most definitely a pleasure and not a chore. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I can’t wait to read the third part of the trilogy. Fortunately I don’t have too long to wait either because the third book in the series is called ‘Starlight Over Bluebell Castle’ and it is due for release on 4th November 2019. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

This is the second book in the Bluebell Castle series and can easily be read as a standalone, but if you have not read Spring Skies Over Bluebell Castle, I definitely recommend you read it as well. I loved the first book in this series and fell in love with Bluebell Castle as well as the Ludworth family. Arthur, Igraine and Tristan are triplets, with Arthur inheriting the title of Baronet following his father's death. The first book is Arthur and Lucie's story, this one is Igraine's. With the castle gardens being in disrepair, Igraine wants to restore them. When Arthur let's her know he has some funds available, she contacts Will Talbot, the celebrity garden designer, to invite him to work with her on the gardens. With many things happening in Will's life, he doesn't jump at the opportunity right away, but when he sees pictures of the gardens and with his world spiralling out of control, he hops in his car and drives to Bluebell Castle, anxious to work in the dirt once again.

Will is a handsome rogue with a bad reputation and celebrity status that causes lots of problems. When Iggy starts to fall for him, she has a lot of roadblocks to get by. First it is her own temper and pride, but Will works his way to her heart and they begin to fall for one another. Enter Helena, the triplets mom, and things start to fall apart. She is a great female villain, one I loved to hate. I kept wishing that Arthur would see through her facade and kick her out, but he was blinded by her. Lancelot and Morgana once again play the role of surrogate parents and I love them both. They are caring, smart and very intuitive when it comes to "their children". This was a lovely romance with several bumps along the way that gave realism to the story. No romance should be without its trials and tribulations. Sarah Bennett writes in a descriptive way that lets the reader see what is happening. I loved this heartwarming story and visiting the Ludworths and their extended family and friends. I am looking forward to the final book in this trilogy to see what is in store for Tristan. I definitely recommend this book to lovers of romance and women's romantic fiction.

This book is not just about romance, it incorporates the daily living and hardships of a close family, with secrets trying to save their family home.Iggy overcomes obstacles to get what is needed and meets Will along the way. Will is a character who seems to always have bad luck on his side but despite it all just wants to help and get his hands mucky.

A delightful romance full up of up’s, down’s and lots of dogs, Sarah creates intricate and loveable characters in a fantastic setting.

It seems only yesterday that I have read the first book in the Bluebell Castle series. I enjoyed the story of Arthur immensely and was hoping to know more about the triplets, especially Tristan. Well, so a tad bit disappointed knowing that this is about Iggy, the eldest who lost her title due to her gender.
Iggy was not one of the prominent characters in the first novel but here her personality and gardening skills completely take over the story. And Will compliments her character perfectly so much so that I eventually ended up loving this more than the first. The story follows the dual narrative technique contributing much to the emotional turmoil we are going to endure throughout. Igraine is a lovable lady (even with all her insecurities) and I am so happy that she found her own path at the end.
That being said, we also get to follow our first couple to their marriage vows and there comes a wedding of revelations and new beginnings (ah! not only for those two). On the whole, a beautifully put-together storyline for a relaxed and lazy evening. Can't wait for the last story in the series. . .

This is book #2 in the Bluebell Castle series, and whilst it can be read as a standalone book, I would recommend reading the books in series order. In the first book, we meet Lucie who takes up the job of Archivist at Bluebell Castle and falls in love with Baron Arthur Ludworth, one of the owners of the Castle. The story this time is focussed on Iggy who is Arthur’s sister. Tasked with getting the castle grounds up to scratch in order to open them to the public, Iggy enlists the help of Will Talbot, an expert at garden design and pretty handsome at the same time!

I really enjoyed the first book, so was looking forward to picking up the story in the second part. The characters from the first book all make an appearance, but the story is obviously all about Iggy, Arthur’s sister and one of the Triplets who own the Castle. I loved being back here and the writing just brings out so many pictures of the old castle and its gardens that Iggy is working on. I loved the archivist storyline from the first book and I found myself still enamoured with all the old artefacts and the castle itself!

Iggy is great, although it does take a little bit longer to get into her character due to her crabby nature! I loved her relationship with garden designer extraordinaire, Will Talbot though! It’s obvious what is going to happen between the two of them but the ‘will they-won’t they’ storyline throughout was fab and had me hooked! The plot was wonderful with the right amounts of love, family and fun, and it was the absolute perfect read for a summer’s day with its enticing front cover and images of the castle and its beautiful grounds!

It was a fun and fabulous book!! I can’t wait for the third book in the series to read, what I hope to be, the final Triplet, Tristan’s story! A great series so far which I would definite recommend!

Romantic, uplifting and wonderfully feel-good, Sunshine Over Bluebell Castle is a spellbinding, emotional and mesmerizing contemporary tale that will make readers laugh and cry. On top form as ever, Sarah Bennett continues to get better with every book she writes.

Restoring the wild gardens of Camland Castle is of paramount importance to Iggy Ludworth. But unfortunately time simply is not on her side. With the summer fete just around the corner, deadlines to meet, commitments to juggle and everything that could possibly go wrong going wrong, Iggy is certainly up against it if she wants to restore the gardens to their former glory. Realizing that she needs help and the services of a professional able to perform miracles, Iggy hires hotshot gardener Will Talbot, a man who is the perfect candidate for the job at hand, but no sooner does Will start working at the castle that she begins to regret her decision.

There is absolutely no doubt in Iggy’s mind that Will knows what he’s doing. He is a whiz when it comes to transforming a complete jungle into a breath-taking garden that is simply majestic. However, it’s just a shame that he happens to be infuriating, aggravating and completely and utterly gorgeous! The bossy gardener soon gets under Iggy’s skin and makes her feel emotions which she hasn’t felt in a very long time. As their feelings for one another intensify among the bluebells, Iggy and Will find themselves giving into their feelings for one another and indulging in a summer romance.

The more time Iggy and Will spend together, the more they realise that they are falling head over heels in love with one another, but will their summer fling be a mere seasonal affair? Or will Iggy and Will end up going the distance?

Sarah Bennett has done it again and penned a first rate contemporary romance that has got winner written all over it. Effortlessly juggling humour with pathos, emotion and heart, Sunshine Over Bluebell Castle is a joyous, compelling and breezy page-turner that sparkles with warm and charm and features a delightful heroine, a brooding and saturnine hero and plenty of wit, drama and romance to keep readers glued to its pages.

You can always rely on Sarah Bennett to pen a romantic tale you will devour in a single sitting and Sunshine Over Bluebell Castle is certainly no exception!

It feels like yonks since we last caught up with the lord of the castle and his family! ‘Sunshine Over Bluebell Castle’ is book two in the ‘Bluebell Castle’ series, and personally I would advise that you read the books in order so that you’re able to get a real feel for Arthur, Tristian and Iggy’s life. If you’re feeling a bit rebellious, I guess reading the books out of order would be ‘ok’ for some readers, however I do think that you will be missing out on too much character history if you do. Each to their own of course!

Forgive me for saying this, but I wasn’t really taken with the book at first as Iggy really grated on me! She came across as such a marmite character who had such potential, but she wasn’t offering that positive side to her personality very often. Iggy seemed to think that everyone was out to get her, didn’t think that she was capable to do things because shes a woman….I don’t recall anyone saying that to her! However, when a certain relative of Iggy’s came on the scene, it became shockingly clear as to why she is the way that she is.

Believe it or not, I did warm up to Iggy the more I got to know her, especially when Will came to town. He brought out the positive side of her personality and i thought it was such a shame that Iggy has very little faith in herself. She is a good egg, really.

Romance is in the air and in every nook and cranny of the castle, what on Earth was the housekeeper putting in their food!! I felt quite emotional watching the main characters flourish after their recent heartache as discussed in book one. It can’t have been at all easy for the siblings yet they’re doing themselves proud…..most of the time.

What I love most about Sarah Bennett’s storytelling, is the way she captures the essence of her characters. She creates them like they’re real human beings instead of fictional characters, which allows the readers to relate to their emotions and their lives as though they’re right in front of them. I loved the cosy, feel good factor of this book, and I loved how each of the siblings started off as caterpillars, yet by the end of the book they had turned into beautiful, empathetic butterflies who weren’t afraid to spread their wings. Sarah Bennett has written a story which is guaranteed to make you feel untouchable, ready to conquer the world. I really, really enjoyed it.

I'm a huge fan of Sarah's Butterfly Cove and Lavender Bay series' and I fell in love with Bluebell Castle after reading Spring Skies Over Bluebell Castle.  So, I was so excited to return, this time to hear Iggy's story and to find out if she could find her own love.

Trying to restore their home (which just happens to be a castle) and it's grounds in order to financially keep from selling it, Iggy, Tristan and Arthur want to open their gardens and home to the public.  Iggy, the estate manager, is in charge of the gardens but begins to fear she has bitten off more than she can chew.  Enter Will - famous gardener and bad boy.  Can Iggy and Will put aside their differences and work together to prepare the gardens in time? And will they ever reveal their true feelings for each other?

What setting is more romantic than a genuine countryside castle?  Sarah Bennett creates the most normal but perfect settings for her romances and this is no different.  This installment focuses more on the gardens and grounds and despite not have a single green finger, I'm more than happy to indulge in someone else's gardening skills.                I was fascinated by all the gardening and design part and they were described so perfectly that at times I was standing right in there with Iggy and Will.

When Sarah writes a series, you get a whole host of main characters that bring depth and sparkle to each novel.  This one is no different.  As well as the main story of Iggy and Will, there is also Arthur and his new girlfriend Lucie, Tristan and Uncle Lancelot. Al;l of these characters have different quirks and personalities which really brings the family side of the story to life.  

If you are reading a Sarah Bennett novel then you are onto a winner.  She writes brilliant uplifting and feel good romances every time and you cannot fail to fall in love with her characters and settings.

Such an enjoyable return to bluebell castle, it was great to be back with the loveable characters again. This time it’s Iggy’s turn, I loved Will so much, but you go through the story with Iggy unsure if you can trust him and wanting it to all end well. This book is a little ray of sunshine, a wonderful summer read and I, looking forward to more at Bluebell castle.

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

Sunshine Over Bluebell Castle is a delightful addition to the series. Iggy is smart, funny and determined. Will is bossy but so hot. When these two clash it is combustible. The gardens have never looked so good.

I really enjoyed this story!!

I felt that the story flowed well once again as Sarah brought us the ups and downs of the family, it was fun and uplifting and an enjoyable heart-warming read over all - and I love the setting!

I have read quite a few books by her now and she does not disappoint. her books are well planned out and have lovely, well developed characters - and she has the most stunning covers!!

This is the second book in the Bluebell Castle series and it is a great follow on from Spring Skies Over Bluebell Castle, the first book (that is also available now!). I think to get the best out of this book you do really need to read the previous book where possible.

It is 4 stars from me for this one, I thought it was a really enjoyable read - highly recommended and I am really looking forward to reading the final book in the trilogy!!