2.5/5 stars

This was a cute holiday read. We meet Ivy as she is headed to a villa in Tenerife to spend six months focusing on reviving her writing career. As soon as we met Sebastián, the pool man, it was obvious that they were going to fall in love.

The romance in the book was sweet, although quite cheesy at times. Lilac did a great job of showcasing the relationship, while also showing us in little ways that Sebastián had more secrets than he was letting on. The book was slow moving at first, but the end really picked up as the drama unfolded.

I think my only complain about this book is that it seemed like Ivy's entire career was dependent on the men in her life, and that she felt like she was incomplete without someone to love. Otherwise it was a simple romance and would be a good beach read.

An entertaining and engaging read! I liked the well thought characters, the lovely setting and the well crafted plot.
It recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I was really excited to give this a try! Since I've been reading a lot of middle grade and YA fantasy lately, this was a nice change. I really enjoyed how relatable Ivy's burnout was. I think most people will share her sentiments of feeling unmotivated in the moment. The romance was the cherry on top for me, and the drama with her ex only added to it! I love reading about relationships mixing with the workplace and the complications it can cause.

This was an easy read and a nice storyline to escape to for a few hours. At some points in the book I felt a little 'lost' as to where the story was going but overall it was a nice read.

I loved this book!! It was cute, romantic, dreamy.... it was everything I needed!

Following a writer who recently went through a break up and needs to refocus so she can write a new book. She goes for a 6 month writing getaway on a beautiful island. She stays in a villa overlooking the ocean and OF COURSE meets a really cute guy and that is where the fun begins!

The overall feeling of this book was wonderful. I enjoyed all the writing aspects. It gives the reader the inside scoop of a writer and the creative process. It was really fun getting to experience the excitement of writing something new and being totally stoked about all the cool ideas!

I thought the setting was well done. I felt like I was on that island, inside the villa, lounging at the pool WITH the character! It was just so magical and romantic and perfect.

The romance... it was AMAZING. There the perfect amount of cute and sexy. I enjoyed the build up of the romance. There was also that miscommunication trope which I enjoyed. I thought that the drama aspect was perfect because it was not too much that I was like how will the relationship work out.. it just made it so they had something to work through and it was well done.

There is a little bit of a twist, or like a secret throughout. However, it was pretty obvious from the beginning but I loved waiting to see how long it took the main character to figure out! It was fun.

Overall. I would recommend this book to anyone who needs a light, romantic read! It was such a perfect escape from this gloomy weather. Loved it!

I expected to enjoy Holiday in the Hills a lot more than I did. An romance author writing about a romance author? Sounds like my cup of tea. Add in a beautiful setting and a handsome local, and I thought for sure it would grip me. Alas, I couldn't really connect with Ivy. I don't know if it was the narration style or because Ivy is in her 40s, while I am in my 20s, but she didn't draw me in the way I hoped. Maybe it's the way she constantly referred to Daniel as her "lover" - it sounded old-fashioned to refer to him that way, when, in my head, "lover" implies more of a secret affair, but these two were pretty openly together. Still, Holiday in the Hills is a light, breezy read. Perfect if you need a break from all of *gestures around* THIS in the world today.

Ivy has lost her mo-jo. Editor extraordinaire sends her to a villa to escape it all and get back to herself. While at the villa Ivy finds inspiration and love. The setting is beautiful, the sense of family is sweet and the main characters are swoon worthy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for this ARC!

This is a fun escapist romance novel set on the tropical island of Tenerife. I was truly transported there and am longing for a sunny vacation now!

Ivy is a paranormal romance novelist who has just broken up with her publisher (both on a personal and professional level). Her editor has sent her from London to Tenerife in the hopes that getting away from the city and the drama will help her get back into her writing. Ivy finds herself in a picturesque setting living in a villa overlooking the ocean and coastal towns, without wifi, and gets down to work. It also helps that the maintenance worker at the villa, Sebastian, is drop dead gorgeous and is the perfect inspiration for her leading male character.
Ivy embarks on a journey of getting over her heartbreak, finding her voice in her writing again, and opening herself up to the potential for love again with Sebastian.

The characters are lovable and I couldn’t help but root for them. The plot is a bit predictable and follows a similar outline of many romance novels (happy happy happy, some secrets, the secrets are revealed and some miscommunication causes a falling out/drama, and then they come back together again and live happily ever after). The romance is very closed door- there is still some clear chemistry between the characters but the novel leaves the “action” up to the reader’s imagination.

Overall, I enjoyed the book despite the predictability. I’d give it 3.5 stars.

If you enjoyed Sunrise on the Coast and fancy another trip to Tenerife, then check out Lilac Mills’ latest release Holiday in the Hills.

This time we join Ivy, a forty-something established author who is sent off to Tenerife for 6 months by her agent. Ivy has recently split with her boyfriend who is also her publisher. Yes, awkward!

Ivy is delighted, not just by the villa with the infinity pool and fabulous views, but also by the handsome pool man, Sebastian.

The two become friendly but there is clearly something that we don’t know about Sebastian. We are drip fed hints to keep us guessing throughout this intense romance.

I spent a chilly autumn Sunday reading this an it was lovely to be reminded of warm sunny days. You could imagine the abundance of food described and picture the scenery throughout. I loved reading about the sightseeing and trips beyond the villa. I also enjoyed reading how the writing and publication process worked for the fictional author.

A pleasant easy romance read. Published October 2020 by Canelo

After reading quite a few fiction books covering a lot of serious topics, I needed something light, breezy and positive and this book delivered. Taking a bookish trip to Tenerife helped me de-stress, just like it helps the book's heroine Ivy Winter, an author of paranormal romances, come out of her writing slump when her agent and friend Nora rents her a villa on the island for six months to help her re-charge and move on from the disaster of her last book manuscript which her publisher boyfriend not only rejects but dumps her for a younger novelist. Not only does Ivy fall in love with the villa and the island, she also becomes heavily attracted to Sebastian, a handyman who cleans the pool and tends to the garden of the villa. Without any Wifi and TV to distract, the villa and her surroundings help Ivy get her writing mojo back while Sebastian, who becomes the inspiration for her fallen angel hero Nathaniel in the new paranormal romance series, and she become romantically involved.

This book has a holiday feel to it. Reading about the sights and sounds of Tenerife and the villages and tourist places that Sebastian takes Ivy to visit and experience, I felt like I was on my own bookish tour of the island. It was also nice to see that both the lead characters were in their 40s; it's not something I have found quite often, especially in a cozy, romance setting.

Gorgeous setting, good writing and likable characters--enjoyed it!

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Canelo and the author Lilac Mills for an e-Arc of the book.

Thank you NetGalley, Canelo and Lilac Mills for gifting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
When paranormal romance author Ivy Winter turns in an awful book draft and hits major writer’s block, her life is bad enough. Toss in the fact that her boyfriend/publisher dumps her from both her relationship and her contract, Ivy is left on unstable ground. Her agent sets her up with an extended stay in a gorgeous villa in hopes she can write another best selling book and save her career from burning out. She’s alone on a hill overlooking the sea, well except for the housekeeper who doesn’t speak English hot pool boy Sebastian who comes every day. As their feelings grow and Ivy’s writers block eases, life seems to be getting back on track, but will it last?
If COVID has you desperate for a getaway but stuck at home, a sweet vacation romance novel is the perfect fix. Holiday in the Hills is a solid, typical romance which made the plot a little predictable at points but sometimes I;m just in the mood for a HAE. I’ve been feeling emotionally drained lately and a lighter romance is exactly what I want to end my night with. THis book went pretty fast and I was able to get into it right from the start. This is also a pretty clean romance so if you’re someone who looks out for those, this is the one for you!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book, it is a nice easy read with a good storyline. The characters were likeable and the locations were beautifully described

~4.5⭐Rating~

"He grounded her and anchored her, yet at the same time her heart soared and dipped with the bliss of it."

Ivy feels like she has lost her writing emoji, to make matters worse her publisher boyfriend tore her new draft to shreds and then goes on to dump her for a younger author! Thinking the best thing would be for Ivy to get a bit of sun and relaxation, her agent Nora sets up a 6 month writing retreat in the picturesque Tenerife. Hoping that with no wifi, no T.V and no distractions will do the trick in getting her creative juices flowing again.

••

"And all the time she could feel the ghost of his lips on hers, the scent of his cologne filling her nose. A thrilling electricity flowed between them, sparking tremors in her tummy and making her heart flutter"

What was supposed to be a distraction free retreat soon turned out to hold the hottest distraction of all; the gorgeous pool guy Sebastian. As it would be this is exactly what Ivy's inspiration dry mind needed, turns out a little good looking distraction is all Ivy needed to get her moko back. As her new master piece begins to come to life Ivy slowly begins to fall in love with the beautiful island as well as the kind Sebastian. Just as Ivy begins to feel like she has her footing again her past comes barreling back knocking over what she thought she knew of he new love.

"Never in all her life had she thrown herself so thoroughly into a kiss . It was drowning her, sucking her into its depths, consuming her until she had no coherent thought left in her head. She was utterly lost to it and to him."

••

"And he kissed her again, underneath the stars, with the sound of the waves in her ears and the smell of the ocean surrounding her. And she fell in love with him a little bit more."

I really enjoyed Holiday in the Hills, this was a cute and easy to read romance. I liked that this was a fast paced read that did not drag on unnecessary with unneeded drama. But boy was there drama and I loved every bit of it. Both main characters were super cute, though I will say that I did lean more towards Ivy. I absolutely loved the easy attraction between these two characters and their instant chemistry and attraction.

••

I have to say the ending to this book could possibly be one of my favorites of all time, not only was it super cute but it tied the entire story up very well. I would definitely recommend reading this book by Mills.

It’s bad enough to lose your mojo and your publisher, but when that publisher is also your long-term relationship, and he’s dropped you for a younger version – things are pretty horrid. And that’s where Ivy is busily procrastinating with no new ideas, no new relationship on the horizon, and even more importantly, she’s out of ideas for how to change her life. Until her agent suggests she take a break to write – no phone, no wi-fi, no distractions, and suggests she goes to a rental house on Tenerife to find her mojo,

With a cleaner who speaks no English, and a pool-boy / gardener who is everything she’d imagined as a hero, Ivy is intrigued by Sebastian and imagines him as a fallen angel in the new story that is coming together nicely. Her ability to separate her imagined hero from the man standing in front of her isn’t the real problem, per se, but that difficulty (and imagined traits) does provide contrast with the actual Sebastian in many clever ways.

While slightly predictable, there is a mystery tossed into the mix that engages readers as they work to figure out the secrets, the whys and just where the connection between Ivy and Sebastian will lead, and if she’s merely ‘fitting him’ into her ‘idealized’ version of a partner.... Clever, fun and super sweet – sign me up for more “authors finding their mojo” stories.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aOQ /” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

Thank you to NetGalley, Lilac Mills and Canelo for the ARC of book Holiday in the Hills. This is my personal review.
A book about a writer with writer’s block and her agent decides the best solution is to send her off on an extended vacation to get her back in the mood to write again. Ivy is sent to the fabulous island of Tenerife to make this happen.
The month is to just be Ivy with no TV, no WIFI and most of all no distractions!
The only distraction she has is Sebastian who comes every day to clean the pool.
This gets Ivy back into the writing mood and writing her new novel. She also has a relationship growing with Sebastian- who has many secrets of his own he is keeping.
Grab a comfy chair and enjoy this book!

That you netgalley for giving me this Arc copy in exchange for my honest review.
It took me some time to finally read this book but man am I glad I did. I absolutely loved it. It was everything I needed, a romance book that I can get lost in and I did. I’m only just coming out for air, it was a wonderful read. I can’t wait for more from this author.

Holiday in the Hills by Lilac Mills is a wonderful romance, and just what I needed to read one rainy Saturday. I will be reading more books by this author, because I loved this book. I enjoyed the characters, and I could picture myself seeing all the beautiful sites, and swimming in the pool. Sometimes you just need to escape from reality, especially lately, and this book is the perfect way. I highly recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for a digital ARC of Holiday in the Hills by Lilac Mills. And what a stunning book it is. Set on the island of Tenerife, Ivy goes to stay in a fabulous villa to try and get her writing mojo back. There are no distractions WiFi, internet, phone signal, and can put her heart and soul into writing her new book. Until she finds she is falling for Sebastian the villa maintenance man.... Good plot twist at the end. An enjoyable book.

A romance novel about a romance novelist. Yes please!

After having her heartbroken by her boyfriend/publisher, Ivy Winter’s is suffering a major case of writer's block. How do you write romance with a broken heart? In an effort to fix her writing her agent and friend sends her away on a 6 month writing retreat.

Ivy is blown away with the villa she is set up in the small island town of Tenerife. It seems to be the perfect place to escape all the distractions of her everyday life. To get back to her writing. Well, it was until she stumbled up on the hot groundskeeper of her villa, Sebastian.

Sebastian is kind, funny, generous, and beyond attractive. It also doesn’t hurt that he is one of the only people in the small Spanish speaking island, who speaks English. It doesn’t take long for writing inspiration to strike in the resemblance of Sebastian.

Within a few weeks Ivy’s personal and professional life are flourishing. She begins to love the quiet little town and the handsome handyman that lives there. Will she be able to keep up with the demands of her writing? Will she continue to feel the creativity running through her? Will she ever want to leave her little villa or the amazing man she has met?

I loved Holiday in the Hills. It was a beautiful romance. There was no graphic sex included in the story, which was oddly okay for me. It did talk of “love making”, which felt right for the story. I didn’t feel like it needed any of that extra, over the top smut. It was a feel good book that made me smile throughout.


*I received this ARC courteous of NetGalley and Caleno in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Canelo for giving me ARC! This review is based strictly on my honest opinion.

Ivy Winters is going through her heartbreak when her publisher/ex-lover Daniel insults her latest manuscript and then dumps her for another upcoming author. Her agent Nora, sends Ivy off to a villa in Tenerife so Ivy could come up with a manuscript in the span of six months she was going to be there. But the villa has no TV, no Wi-fi despite the fact that the villa has a beautiful view of the mountains and was a cozy place to live.

Along with a very handsome and hot man named Sebastian who comes to the villa every now and then as a maintenance worker and who cleans the pool. Ivy was soon mesmerized by Sebastian's hotness that she immediately comes up a character based on Sebastian named Nathaniel and soon starts polishing up her novel. And while working on the novel, Ivy and Sebastian soon develops closeness...

I really like the plot line--the book itself is well written and the author did a good job drawing the reader into the story. Though I am not much of a romance novel fan, this book actually won me over--I really like how the chemistry between Ivy and Sebastian soon developed and began to turn into a romantic relationship. I also like how funny the story is too--there were some parts in the book where I actually burst into laughing! The description of the villa with the view of the mountains, the family ties with Sebastian, the description of the small town and also the food made me feel like I am in that place with Ivy and enjoying the lonely but nice vacation or something. I would say, I really enjoyed reading this book and looking forward to read more from this author--worth totally five stars!