Home on a Yorkshire Farm
by Jane Lovering

A well written heartwarming funny romance based in Yorkshire following the life of Dora as she escapes the rat race of London to go to the family inherited sheep farm in the isolated sheep farm in the Yorkshire dales to be a shepherdess. She does this very successfully coping with the harness of this life for a decade she her sister and her teenage son come for a very long extended stay bringing all the memories of the life Dora has been trying to escape from to the fore! Cassie and her son were very trying in part but overall following their journey as an enjoyable read finding out how Dora faces her past .

Found this to be a delightful and engaging tale. There didn't seem like there'd be much, but gosh, was that a misconception, because through its simplicity, this book totally delivered. A good chef can take a few ingredients and make a standout meal - an author can also do the same, and this is what Jane Lovering has done here. I was terribly tempted to give up on this book for how awful Cass is when we first meet her, and she grated on my nerves so much throughout! But I knew there had to be more than met the eye (at least, I hoped so!), and the author did not let me down there. I also kept turning the pages to learn more about Dora's past, her growing attraction to Nat, how they were ever going to make it work given all that lay between them - again, wow! Ms. Lovering surprised me in the best way, and it didn't feel 'wrong' or 'forced' in the tale; I was surprised I hadn't seen the hints carefully woven throughout.
Everything had its place in this tale, every detail exploited for the right measure. [My only regret is one of the sheep's fate, but I can understand how/why that needed to happen. (hide spoiler)]
A delightful story that flows easily and makes for an engaging read! Definitely going to look for more from this author going forward
[ Trigger warning: death of an animal in the plot (hide spoiler)]

A good read for drinking your tea with. I enjoyed the characters and seeing them develop.
Overall, I enjoyed this escapism read and I enjoy this authors work.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Home on Folly Farm - Jane Lovering

A good little escapism book, set in the beautiful Yorkshire Dalas I could see the setting in my mind so clear . I thought it was an endearing read with lots of countryside living good character s, but it just did not gap me but a good read

This was a brilliant read and is being featured on my blog for my quick star reviews feature, which I have created on my blog so I can catch up with all the books I have read and therefore review.
See www.chellsandbooks.wordpress.com.

Lovely warm escapism book. Dora is a great main character and I loved her interaction with Cass, and the way her character grew. With plenty of humour and great setting the book is a very enjoyable read and one that is quite hard to put down

This was an easy sweet read with nothing much happening. There was some humor which was a good thing, the characters could have been likable. Overall, a good read.

Home on Folly Farm is the perfect escapism, it’s heart-warming and incredibly feel-good, you can’t help but smile as you read, once finished you settle back and feel in no other words but very happy.

I can’t believe that this is my first book by Jane Lovering – really?? How can that be? I have a few of her backlist on my Kindle and like so many other books on there, they are still waiting to be read, I can’t wait to read more from her now though, I have fallen completely under her spell, I adore the humour and her charming and engaging story-telling.

I will be honest and say that the first thing that captured my attention about this book and made me want to read it was the fact it’s set in my beloved home county, I know I am biased but I do love reading stories set in Yorkshire.

I love the setting – have I mentioned that already? It’s as picturesque and beautiful on the page as it is in real life, but the harshness of the Shepherdess lifestyle which Dora lives is realistic and makes you admire Dora all the more. Being a Shepherd in the middle of the moors isn’t the easiest of lifestyles and I think that came across in moments during the book. Lovering really brings the characters and the Moors alive with her easy to read and charming writing, and she also showcases the brilliant Yorkshire humour which is in a league all of its own.

I love that the main character is a Shepherdess, reading Dora’s side of the story makes me think of the ‘Yorkshire Shepherdess’ (for those who don’t know who that is, it’s the marvellous Amanda Owen who with her huge family are Sheep hill farmers in the middle of the Moors.). As tough as her life is, I think the hard graft and solitary lifestyle suits Dora, she has left the hustle and bustle of the city to help preserve the rare breed of sheep which her grandfather has been so lovingly nurturing and all those before them.

But, Dora’s life is soon turned on its head with the arrival of her sister; Cassie and her entourage of brattish social media, celebratory obsessed son and his tutor. There goes Dora’s quite happy life! That is not the real problem with Cassie turning up, she also brings with her memories and sadness which Dora has tried so very hard to push to the back of her mind, locked away never to be thought of again – but when you are faced with what you’re trying to run from, hardening your heart is easier said than done.

There is an element of sadness that Dora holds close and the more of what happened in her past is revealed the more you understand her and you can’t help yourself to like her. I took to Dora from the start she is a wonderful character, I was intrigued as to what she was running away from and I really liked her ability to really dive into the task at hand.

Cassie, on the other hand, I really didn’t like her I understood there was the story behind her too but even once all was revealed I still couldn’t find myself liking her or her son. They reminded me too much of spoiled little brats who think they are entitled to everything in life with so much as lifting a finger – unfortunately she reminded me of too many people I actually know. I tried to like her, I really did – but I couldn’t.

Apart from certain characters I loved every other aspect of this, I loved the easy to read and speedy pacing, it’s one of those books which you can fall into and devour in one sitting (if of course, you have the time). I may have mentioned I liked Dora and I loved the setting.

I thoroughly enjoyed the overall feel of Home and Folly Farm, it’s light-hearted, it’s humous, charming and most of all it makes you smile.

What more could you want?

A definite must read, and I can’t wait to finally sit down and read more from Jane Lovering!

A bit undecided on this book. On one hand I liked it but on the other I felt some bits weren't necessary and there were more interesting parts that could have been focused on.

A bit muddled at times but still a decent escapist read. More drama than romance, not really romantic comedy. Good to settle down with while having a cup of tea.

Readers can always rely on Jane Lovering for a warm, witty and whimsical read and she delivers this in spades in her latest novel, Home on Holly Farm.

Fed up of living in the big city, Dora had decided to pack her bags and head off to the country to become a shepherdess. Dora has spent the past decade farming her fifty acres and caring for her hundred rare sheep all by herself – and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Dora adores her life and can never imagine swapping the serenity and tranquility of the moors for the hustle and bustle of city life. Dora relishes the silence and the peace of life on the farm, however, it looks like her quiet life is going to be a thing of the past when her glamorous and quarrelsome sister Cass, teenage nephew Thor and his handsome tutor Nat turn up for a very long stay. Whoever said that life was peaceful in the countryside has clear never met this lot!

With her life thrown in complete and utter chaos, Dora seeks refuge in her work in order to put as much distance between herself and Cass who brings with her a whole host of unhappy memories Dora has tried her hardest to forget – including those of somebody who had broken her heart into a million tiny pieces. Dora has spent the past decade content in the minutiae of daily life on the farm yet the time has come for her to stop hiding in the hills and to face reality – and a love that will simply never let her go.

Will Dora find the courage and the strength to face up to her old demons and heal? Or will she continue to carry with her the burden of heartbreak and regret?

Jane Lovering’s books are such a delight and Home on Folly Farm is no different. Jane Lovering has this wonderful ability of creating fleshed out characters that immediately jump off the page and in Dora she has created somebody we can all relate to and cheer for. Effortlessly mixing subtle humour, emotional drama and heart-warming pathos, Home on Folly Farm is a tale about starting over, healing from the past and having the courage to face up to your mistakes that will make readers giggle and have them wiping away a tear or two on many an occassion.

A stellar page-turner from a writer whose star keeps shining brighter and brighter, Jane Lovering has got another winner on her hands with Home on Folly Farm.

As I noticed when I reviewed Jane Lovering's The Country Escape, she hasn't chosen to depict a country idyll, with roses round the door and a country garden fluttering outside, Folly Farm is a proper working farm which stretches Dora to the limit and makes her existence as far from cosy as you can get. It is rundown, with plenty of spiders and loose floorboards. What is important to Dora are the animals in her care. Folly Farm has given her a purpose in recent years and an escape from her life in London. It remains to be seen whether it will do the same for a few others.

There is plenty of gentle humour to be found in the story. You realise that Cass, her sister, and Nat, her son's tutor, may also be looking for an escape- but from what? There are lots of ghosts from the past to be faced There are several strands to this second chance story. Youthful mistakes, drug taking, teen pregnancy all spring to mind. The dynamics within a family are explored and there are lashings of sibling rivalry thrown in. It is a thoroughly enjoyable read and one in which I wasn't too sure where the story was going to go next!

In short: A warm romcom with a bite
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book

I normally as a rule do not read romance but this sounded so intriguing. What a absolute delight this book is. I loved the main charcter Dora who does not suffer fools and is independent living on her inherited family farm in Yorkshire running her life as she wants her own way. I love a writer who gives women independence on their own. Romance was definitely not the focus of this book which was appreciated. Dora and her sister who arrives unannounced and moves in are the focus with their repartee, humor and dislike of one another. The writing is so clever and fun I found myself laughing out loud. This is a enjoyable story of a strong woman who does find romance but is careful not to make it the focus of her life. A sweet story and beautiful descriptions of the family farm and countryside.

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.

This is a second chance contemporary romance and family drama set on a Yorkshire farm. It is to this farm that Dora escaped more than a dozen years ago. She moved to live with her Grandad, learning more about his farm and the rare breed sheep that he raises there. After his death, she inherited the farm and has continued living and working there alone ever since. Well, until now! Uninvited, her sister, Cass(andra), turns up bringing with her, her twelve year old son, (Haw)Thor(n) and his tutor, Nat and proclaims she’ll be staying with Dora for around three months . . . . Dora and Cass have had little to do with each other over the years and are truly opposites in personality. Dora is hard working, independent and enjoys peace and quiet. Cass is used to having their Mum looking after her and Thor, more used to having manicures than working or getting her hands dirty! Then there’s Nat, who looks so much like Leo, the person Dora related so well to as a teenager . . . There’s going to be plenty of family drama as the four endeavour to live and work together – and that’s with out the vloggers and rustlers!

This is an engaging read, a story where the countryside, sheep and rural life are intrinsic to events and where love, laughter and learning are entwined with potential romances, well kept secrets and surprises. It is a story where the past has been hidden from others but is slowly revealed, where love is given a second chance and teenagers and their parents bring perpetrators to justice! It has a mix of humour and deliberation, fun and turmoil, in a story that keeps you turning the pages in the hopes of a HEA.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.

This story has so much more depth than I was expecting from it , as well as this the character development is really good too, this wasn’t just a light fluffy read, there is drama, humour and love. Dora is likeable and you love her from the start ,but Cass is harder to like. This is a wonderful story with a delightful setting. Highly recommended

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

It was the sheep that saved my enjoyment of the story for me. I loved the farm and Lovering’s descriptions of the Yorkshire Dales. However, the plot itself felt pretty ordinary with rather irritating characters.

I could not connect with Dora’s sister Cass and her son, Thor. I found them really annoying in their outlooks but I think this is what the author intended. Cass is a selfish snob who belittles everything that Dora is trying to do on the farm – from the interior of the farmhouse to even the keeping of the animals. Cass’s son, Thor, is a ridiculous caricature of a nearly-thirteen-year-old who is forever connected to the internet. Thor considers himself as an “influencer” and is constantly vlogging about his experiences on Folly Farm. I found his manner to be far too mature for such a young age and despised the attention that the writer gave him in the novel. I did not find it too believable and cringed to see his adult-moments coming from such a young teenager. However, it was only when Thor started to care for two lambs that we really see the innocence appear; it was this point that my feelings towards him started to change.

So, aside from these two frustrating characters, the plot becomes a discovery of secrets. Dora has a hidden past that shows what her childhood was like with a pregnant sister and parents inattentive to Dora’s own needs. Meeting Thor’s tutor, Nat, causes Dora’s memories to resurface. With it comes feelings of self-doubt about why her Grandfather chose Dora to inherit the farm. Dora feels insecure, particularly after Cass highlights the lack of male heirs in the family until Thor’s arrival. Furthermore, Dora shows plenty of bitterness towards her sister that stems from the fuss their parents made of Cass, to present day: Cass is able to reap half of the financial benefits of the farm without having to contribute to the labour.

As such, it is this darkness in the plot that grows like clouds on a summer’s day. The second half of the novel felt less light-hearted as we truly find out about what happened to Dora and her connection to Nat. The direction that the plot took was really surprising and I thought it juxtaposed with the atmosphere implied by the beautiful cover. Furthermore, the ever-present sheep-stealers that are operating in the area finally make an appearance, leading to a dramatic conclusion that is surprisingly led by Thor. Whilst I found these moments quite exciting and interesting, I could not believe how much of a change the story had taken.

I think that the story has two parts. The first is sunny and exploring the basic relationship between Dora and Cass. Once we know the characters, then Lovering goes into more depth and shows the significance of trust and truth. I didn’t find the story as funny as I had anticipated, but I did like the presence of the sheep throughout. For me, it was them that convinced me the book was worthy of a 4-star rating. Despite being predictable, the contrasting elements made the story a little bit different, but it did not grab me as much as I had hoped.

With thanks to Boldwood Books, NetGalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Here was me picturing a book full of quiet farm life, a sleepy little romance, but HA! Was I wrong, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be reading about overbearing parents, an ignored child, sex, drugs, and STDs, but I here for it in a big way!!

Dora has lived at Folly Farm for years, she arrived when she needed to be there the most, and it has been her place of solitude and to deal with her feeling, but then her sister Cass arrives, with her son and tutor, and now Dora has a who bunch of things to deal with, including her past.

I loved this book! from Dora's sarcasm to her relationships with Cass, Thor, and Nate to the humor that the author wove into the storyline, that just keeps you gripped to the book, and can't forget to mention the great sheep heist!

This is a fun filled book of rivalry between two sisters., one working the land to survive the other working the world to her own ends. Well written and a great read. I have really enjoyed this. 5 stars and a recommendation.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

When unexpected guests arrive at Folly Farm right in the middle of lambing season, farmer, Dora isn't very impressed, especially as these guests aren't entirely welcome. Dora and her sister Cass are totally different in character, neither one complimenting the other, and the addition of Cass's pre-teenage son, Thor, and his handsome tutor, Nat, doesn't exactly make life any easier for Dora.

What then follows is an interesting, and funny, family story about how this unusual quartet learn to tolerate each other, and even though Dora is still not sure about sharing her home space with them, she does start to mellow, and I think that's what makes this such a lovely story to read. I thought it would be all about angst and arguments but the author cleverly allows each of the characters to have their own space so that we come to appreciate them as individuals.

Home on Folly Farm has a lovely pastoral setting in Yorkshire and I came to love those sections which had Dora tending to her flock of rare breed sheep and all the trials and tribulations of running a farm when finances are threatened, and the horror of sheep rustlers who are targeting lonely, rural farms. Equally, I enjoyed getting to know more about Cass and Thor, who start off as proper townies only to succumb to the magic of Folly Farm. My favourite, and perhaps the most enigmatic character, is Nat whose past is about to catch up with him in the most unexpected of circumstances.

Home on Folly Farm is a beautifully written, and totally engaging read, and although it covers some quite dark issues, it has, at its core, a lovely heartwarming story about the quirkiness of family, the love of the countryside, and the possibility of a second chance at love.

Favorite Quotes:

…my teenage years are so far behind me that they’re practically a history lesson.

The worst of it was that Cass had a point. And Cass hadn’t had much of a point since the javelin incident at school.

This can’t go on, Dora. I mean, it just can’t. You’re living like some kind of eighteenth-century peasant, only with less disfiguring diseases and more electricity.

‘Did Cass eat it?’ ‘I’m not sure your sister does eat. I think she lives off fury and human blood.’

‘You’ve watched too much Mrs Doubtfire,’ he said. ‘Of course I’m not Thor’s father. Besides, that would imply that I’d slept with your sister, and I think she might bite the heads off her men after mating.’

I couldn’t let an animal suffer. I said another few ‘oh bugger’s and a couple of ‘bloody hell’s, like a kind of anti-rosary, and pulled out my mobile to call the vet.

I wanted to say that the sun could die a thousand fiery deaths and he could be the only man left on earth and I still wouldn’t sleep with him again and if it was sleep with him or die I’d start choosing my coffin now. But his good-natured grin stopped me.

My Review:

I giggled-snorted, chortled, and laughed aloud while perusing this cleverly amusing book. It was good fun and full of keen wit and snarky observations. I adored, savored, and marveled at every perfectly pitched scene and well-chosen word. I had reams of highlighted favorite quotes and found it quite painful to pare them down for this review.

The storylines were engaging, the writing was consistently on-point, and the characters were oddly intriguing and comically compelling with colorful descriptions and vivid visuals. Jane Lovering is a gifted scribe as well as a comedic genius.