2 stars
Cottage Full of Secrets
by Jane Lovering

Oh, I had such high hopes for this dual timeline story. But it was so slow and dragged so much. I really liked Stella's story; however, the rest of the book just fell flat. I barely finished it.






I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

The book is like skin, it has many layers. One by one we find something different.

It’s a dual-timeline read.

Tamzin, whose currently in an unstable relationship, realises she must leave it if she’s to look after her mental health. So along with her fox that she’s saved and brought up since it was a kit, she moves to a little cottage in Yorkshire.

But, as the layers begin to peel, we find out the reasons why she left her husband. We also discover that another lady lived in this cottage, a long time ago, maybe with hopes and dreams along with her husband, her story, doesn’t have a happy ending as we find out as the story progresses.

Her neighbour, Euan, she finds strange to begin with but after getting to know him, realises that he too is trying to get over his past.

Reading about the fox recovering and digging for things to eat was heartwarming.

The story that’s revealed of the lady who lived there long ago was sad.

A Cottage full of Secrets is a good story which I enjoyed reading as I like the author's work. However the setting, location of the story was bleak and some may find that off putting.

Is the heroine a "bonkers single woman with an exotic pet"? Is her new neighbour a scary weirdo with a "No Callers" sign on his front door? Well, Tamzin lives with a fox she rescued when he was a baby, and Euan doesn't like callers to interrupt his work. Both are, however, less strange than it seems (and, as this is a romance novel, they'll obviously be much less single by the end of the book). I really enjoyed meeting them and finding out what the cottage's secrets mentioned in the title were.
As usual, I also loved the author's signature humour. No matter how heavy some subjects are (in this book, more than one case of abusive relationships, starting with the one that Tamzin's fleeing when she arrives at the cottage), the general mood is instantly lightened when the heroine's inner monologue includes unexpected comparisons and other funny comments.

Jane Lovering is one of those writers who just immediately draws you into her story, making you forget that time is passing and you might have things to do. This is true even for stories where the topic (abuse) might be one you avoid reading, which is the case in A Cottage Full of Secrets. I do avoid reading about abuse in the same way that I avoid stories in which I know the dog is going to die. However, fortunately, Lovering didn’t focus extensively on those scenes of abuse, which made it easier to read.

Tamzin is escaping a very bad relationship in the South of England by fleeing to an isolated cottage adjacent to the Yorkshire moors. In that same cottage, 50 years earlier, a young newlywed, Stella, is bright eyed at the beginning of her marriage, a marriage that everyone around her questioned her about (Are you sure?), but she loves Andy and he loves her and everything will be wonderful. But sometimes things don’t turn out so wonderfully.

I loved the characters in A Cottage Full of Secrets from Tamzin who is once again finding herself, to brash Jill, the handyperson, to next-door neighbor Euan, a wildlife artist. And let’s not forget about Brack the fox that Tamzin has raised to adulthood. Lovering does an excellent job of showing the manipulative traits of abusers like Tamzin’s ex-boyfriend, Dom, and Stella’s husband, Andy.

There are many heartfelt moments, especially with the rehabilitating of Brack, which I found to be analogous to Tamzin’s own rehabilitating. The descriptions of the Yorkshire countryside made me feel like I was there, and I kind of wish I were, well, in warm weather.

Lovering’s sense of humor is well in place as Tamzin tries to decorate and renovate her cottage. Her struggles with the fireplace definitely made me laugh.

The only thing that didn’t work for me was the use of coincidence in backgrounds. Here I would definitely adhere to the adage: less is more. Sorry for the general statement. I think anything more specific would lend itself to a spoiler.

Overall, another fantastic read from Jane Lovering.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Having read and enjoyed a couple of Jane Lovering's books in the past I was delighted to read this one. The story of Tamzin fleeing a toxic relationship and her mysterious next door neighbour Euan. The main story is interspersed with the story of Stella which is delicately told.

Really enjoyed this.

This was my first book from this author and won’t be my last. This was a very cleverly written book written from
Dual timelines and connecting the past to the current date. It also tackled the topic of cohesive control in a very sensitive way and also brought this topic out in the open. This was a multiple layered story with a focus on how finding friends and being able to reconnect with yourself and feeling safe goes a li by way to creating happiness.

This story is about 2 different owners in a cottage but 50 years apart.
Stella lived there first then 50 years later Tamzin buys it for her and her rescue fox to live in after escaping an abusive relationship.
As the story unfolds we meet her neighbour Euan who is an artist but keeps himself to himself and she finds photos and mementos of Stella and wants to discover more about her and her life. As her search progresses and she gets to know Euan more it turns out they have all got something in common - an abusive relationship
It certainly wasn't what I was expecting but it was excellent

This was a quick easy read that I found really enjoyable. It was well written with good characters that were believable and relatable and a good storyline with the suffering that the characters were feeling previously and at the time palpable on the page. It was both heartwrenching and heartwarming at times. I really enjoyed reading it.

At first I thought that I wasn’t going to like this book but I was so wrong. All the characters are easy to relate to and you can feel the tension, upset, neglect, love and abuse they have experienced, whilst reading their story. From being manipulated by their previous relationships Tasman, Euan and the memories of Stella are slowly unearthed and life slowly becomes brighter, friendships made and self belief in themselves.

I saw this on NetGalley and I requested it immediately because I'm a big fan of Jane Lovering’s books.
The story is set around two cottages, which stand alone at the end of track, in remote North Yorkshire. Tamzin has bought one cottage, for herself and her fox Brack to live in. The cottage adjacent to it belongs to the mysterious Euan, who is an artist and (almost) a recluse.
This is a quiet story about two people who are both recovering from being in abusive relationships and learning to get past the trauma that they suffered before. As they heal themselves, they end up helping each other to heal, too.
I loved that there was a fox as the pet in the story. it's very different kind of pet. I also like that I loved that Euan was so different as a hero - very gentle, very damaged, a kind and often covered in mud and twigs. I also liked that Tamsin was portrayed as somebody who was recovering from having been a victim, rather than someone who is still a victim.
The secondary characters are good fun. I liked that Katie was a strong and competent lady, despite being in what is clearly an abusive relationship. It shows that women who are in these relationships are not stupid (they’re really not!) and how difficult it is to see out when you’re inside one.
The story has two strands - there is a historical strand of Stella, who used to live in the house. That adds an extra dimension to Tamzin’s experience, which we only see a little bit of in hindsight. I really enjoyed this book. It was funny and sweet and moving. As I say it was a quiet book. And I think all the better for it.
Thank you Boldwood and Netgalley for the free ARC. This is my honest review.

Fleeing an unhealthy relationship, Tazmin moves to a small cottage in Yorkshire. Next door lives Euan who craves anonimity, but these new neighbours have more in common than they realise. When Tazmin finds an old photo of a previous resident she sets out to discover the history behind her cottage and what secrets could be lurking in the background..

A good storyline with good characters. A quick and easy read.

A fabulous book! Loved the characters and setting. Story keep me interested till the very end. Will be looking out for more from Jane

A good story about a house and its two occupants 50 years apart. Interesting concept which touches on abuse. Nice characters and the story keeps you reading til the end. Thank you netgalley for the advance copy

I received an ARC of, A Cottage Full of Secrets by, Jane Lovering. This is a lovely book. I liked the characters and the house, and the fox.

Cottagecore to the max! This is the perfect read for anyone that dreams of escaping to a little cottage away from all of the stresses of the real world, because that's literally where this novel takes you! The romance was super cute and well-paced, but the setting of this book was honestly my favorite part about it.

2 women live in the same cottage 50 years apart but they one thing in common. Book goes between the 2 women

Tamzin leaves Cornwall for the Yorkshire Moors, fleeing an abusive relationship with Dominic. She buys a small cottage, uninspiring called Cottage Two, Bracken Ridge Farm and determines to make it her own, not realising the parallels between her life and that of a former occupant, Stella, who moved into the cottage as a newly-wed in the early 1970s.

Cottage One is occupied by a morose single man who seems to spend a lot of time dressed like a tramp and staring, Tamzin can't decide if he's creepy or a bit simple. Little does she know that she has more in common with her new neighbour than she thinks.

Told partially in flashbacks to Stella and partly in the present day, this novel is pure Jane Lovering, cute, quirky and yet with a serious undercurrent. Loved it.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

A Cottage Full of Secrets by Jane Lovering is an enjoyable contemporary fiction that has a little bit of everything. A relaxing read.

This fictional novel has a dual timeline that reveals two different women that are within two different times and generations living and attempting to seek solace and refuge within a Yorkshire cottage. The storylines between Tazmin and Stella, while living in the same lovely location, are different in their circumstances, outlook, and ending. I won’t delve deeper, as any more of a description would spoil the unveilings within.

The aspects of the novel I loved the most:

1. The slow, easy, relaxed progression of the relationship between Tazmin and Euan. From strangers, to friends, to a relationship…a healthy relationship, that was nice.

2. The wonderful descriptions of the cottage, landscapes, scenery, the way of life, and just the Yorkshire location in general. The author has a real talent in placing the reader into a stunning location.

3. The sweet, heartfelt storyline of saving, befriending, rehabilitating, and releasing the fox, Brack. The ending of the story really made me tear up.

4. The ending. It was fitting, real, raw, and optimistic in the promise and hope of the future and for things to come, despite the dark past.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Boldwood Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 2/15/22.

This book has many layers, as we peel them back we reveal them.
A young woman in a bad relationship knows it's time to leave for her own sanity.
Moving to the wild and vast Yorkshire countryside is a dream come true for Tamzin she has a lovely little cottage there and her rescue fox who she's nurtured since he was a kit.
As the layers become more exposed we find another woman has lived in this cottage fifty years ago with the same hopes and dreams, she's newly married makes dinner for her husband and sews curtains for the kitchen. Her story is not to be a happily ever after though as we see when the story progresses.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the Yorkshire countryside, very peaceful and relaxing. I also enjoyed seeing Tazmin and her mysterious neighbour Euan help each other heal from past hurts and come alive again.
The rehabilitation of the fox was heartwarming as we see him playing and digging for bugs in the yard.
The backstory as it becomes revealed about the woman from long ago who lived in the cottage is sad to read and I'm thinking it really wasn't a necessary part as it doesn't enhance the story any just leaves the reader feeling blue.

Pub Date 15 Feb 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.