Wonderful escapist read, set in a quaint English village :) Loved all the descriptions of the village and the Squires house. I felt like I was there physically, visiting with the characters!

I could see a lot of similarities between the MMC Wolfie & Darcy! Loved the FMC, Pippa and all the side characters as well as their interpersonal dynamics. Also, enjoyed the simmering tension between the 2 MCs!

A good chunk of the book is about how the FMC deals with her breakup with her long time boyfriend, Alex. This (at least to me) served as a distractor, whenever I started getting invested in the blossoming relationship between Wolfie and Pippa. Also, I wished the tension between the 2 MCs was explored enough such that it created some sort of a banter. Since this was a missing element for the most part, the romance felt suddenly rushed towards the end. IMO, creating some sexual tension/banter could have better set up for the romance to develop in the later chapters of the book.

That being said, overall quite a fun and enjoyable read! I was also thrilled to find out that this is not the author's debut! I just borrowed author's first book from my library and can't wait to dive in!!

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting and engaging read. I liked Pippa a lot and found her relatable especially as she dealt with the fallout of her relationship with Alex ending. I enjoyed her interactions with Wolfieand how that relationship developed although I would have like her to be a bit more open minded regarding his reasons for not calling Hurst Bridge home. She eventually got there but I think it took her too long to see it from his perspective. Overall though it was an enjoyable and interesting read. 3.5 🌟

An interesting and occasionally frustrating read. I found the mix of characters interesting. I liked Pippa and felt sorry for her having to deal with the fallout of things falling apart with Alex. I enjoyed her journey to find her footing and realising how very badly he left her down and took advantage of her. Her interactions with Mae and Frankie were great. As for her and Wolfie, they had pretty decent energy. I did get frustrated during some of their interactions as there was a lot of projection on her part due to the Alex situation and a blind spot when it came to understanding that as idyllic as she found her home town maybe not everyone in it had the same experience growing up. She eventually understood once Wolfie opened up more but I was annoyed at points at her blinkered pov. Wolfie was alright as a leading man. I would have liked more from him and the interactions between him and Pippa and a deeper emotional connection. I also found some of the miscommunication silly considering they were both adults. Overall though I was invested in the story and the writing was good enough to make me want to see how the story progressed. 3 stars⭐️

‘The house sitter’ follows Pippa as her life comes crashing down after breaking up with her long-term boyfriend while also losing her home and job. However one day she sees an advertisement for house sitting Wolfie’s old mansion. These two have very different ideas for what the house should be, or do they?

I really enjoyed the story, it was super easy to get through and the characters were quite loveable as well. The small town that they lived in was a great background for the main story as well. My only issue was with the main couple’s love story as they went from being snappy to each other to immediate love in the span of a page. I didn’t feel like it was a gradual evolution, it felt very abrupt and kind of disappointing.
Also the main conflict was a bit predictable and annoying considering the main couple had the same discussion three different times throughout the book.

I still think you should give this story a go, if you’re into small-town romance, grumpy x sunshine and found family. Thank you to NetGalley and one more chapter for allowing me to read this book.

The House Sitter was such a fun read! Elizabeth Drummond's writing reminded me of Helen Fielding (Bridge Jones Diary). Drummond 's characters, especially Pippa and Wofie, were fun, funny, sincere and relatable. Pippa and Wolfie were a great match for one another! Mae says at one point that "timing is everything" in life and that is so true! Wolfie and Pippa's worlds crash into each other when they need it most. I loved Hurst Bridge and all its inhabitants. Many books over - write characters in a small village and make them overly quirky, but Drummond did not do that. A little more angst would have been great. I didnt feel the change from like to love as much as I would have liked, but I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it. @reading_and_reallife, @onemorechapterhc

This story started out so strong - I loved the small UK town and I really enjoyed Pippa.

Pippa was such a kind and giving person and her boyfriend was taking advantage of her at the farm. When he sells the farm she doesn’t follow him to his new project (luckily for her!!). They break up and with no where else to go, she moves in to a run down version of her dream house. While house sitting, she meets up with Wolfie after not seeing him for 13 years.

My main issue with this book was Wolfie. He just wasn’t the best - they didn’t have real chemistry and he felt very dramatic to me. Pippa deserved sooo much better!!

This was a classic “grumpy sunshine” trope. Unfortunately, he just didn’t have enough redeeming qualities for me to make this book higher than a 3 star rating!

Thank you ONE MORE CHAPTER and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins/One More Chapter and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Fans of Austen will enjoy The House Sitter. It’s clear the author drew from the classics and the MMC is giving major Mr. Darcy vibes. I’m a sucker for stories where the woman overcomes tragedy, in this case losing everything she’s known for past 10 years, and moves somewhere new to start over. While she stays in town, the house itself is almost a character and gives her the place to grow. I would consider this book ‘closed door’. The only feedback I would give is I wish there were more scenes in the build up between the two main characters. It was a little hard to tell where Mr Darcy-ish stood. But still very enjoyable novel.

4.5 ⭐️
pippa is left jobless, homeless, and heartbroken when her boyfriend of 13 years decides to sell the farm they've been living and working on out from under her feet. soon she finds herself working as a house sitter at an antique home she grew up around. here, she meets wolfie, the owner of the house, whom is desperately trying to sell the house.

this book took me about 10% to really get into, but once i did, i couldn't put it down and i was fully immersed in the story. reading about pippas healing journey outside of her relationship with wolfie was really beautiful to see. i thought that the writing was absolutely beautiful and i overall really enjoyed the story. wolfie is an absolute doll of a book boyfriend, and i really enjoyed reading of him. if this was dual pov i would have adored it even more.
i do wish that we got to see more moments of tension between the couple before they ended up getting together, and would have loved a chapter more of them together.

overall, i really recommend it! i had a lovely time reading it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thoroughly enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down! I really loved both main characters, Pippa and Wolfie.

Read my review with a pinch of salt as I am a little bit of a picky reviewer so you may love this book. However, it was just not for me and a huge part of that was due to my dislike of the main characters. I just couldn't get past my disdain of Pippa, Wolfie and Alex which made it next to impossible to finish this book. I was so hopeful as I love opposites-attract forced-proximity romance books but this one fell short for me. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the witty banter and the setting for this book. The misunderstandings were successfully dealt with which I loved as other authors fail to achieve this so Drummond did herself justice, and I will definitely check out other books by Elizabeth. Thanks to One More Chapter/Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for the ARC and introducing me to this talented author!!!

Poppa thought she had the ideal life living with her boyfriend of 10 years on his farm until he decides to sell leaving her homeless and with no job

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK-One More Chapter for the ARC of this book. This was a really slow one for me and I found it hard to get through. I enjoyed the last 30 percent or so but felt like it took forever for the romance to begin. Additionally, I didn't feel like the two main characters really had much development or basis for their love. It was like "poof!" and all of the sudden they were in love. Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me. I do think the author has decent writing but I was very bored for the majority of the books.

I really enjoyed this book. Although the connection and chemistry between Pippa and Wolfie took time, I thought it was well done and added essence to the build up to the story.

Pippa's character development was realistic and Wolfie's attitude towards Hurst Bridge became understandable.

I found the writing to be engaging and the ending was really sweet. I look forward to reading Elizabeth Drummond's previous novel soon.

1⭐

I went into this book wanting the small-town, opposites-attract forced-proximity romance and came out of it FREE yet confused and miserable at the same time.

The story starts with a prologue with Pippa Munroe and Wolfie Squires first meeting at around A-level time, think 16-18. So I wasn't going to expect a very mature conversation, but Wolfie's portrayal was incredibly stilted and awkward, and Pippa was just so dumb I wanted to smack some sense into her. And then we move 10 years into the future with Alex and Pippa's break up that ends with her losing her job, her livelihood, and her home. She then takes a housesitting job at the Squires family mansion where she meets Wolfie again. I went from cringing at Pippa, to feeling sorry for her, to liking her, and then frustrated, exasperated, and quite frankly bored. Frankie, Mae, the neighbours, and the pig were the best part of this book, and their appearances were limited.

I felt sorry for Pippa, I truly did. I hated Alex's guts. But Pippa could not set boundaries, I mean this man left you homeless and made YOU work to support HIS farm that he sold without even TALKING to you despite you being his "life partner" for more than 10 years, and like 2 weeks later YOU'RE THANKING HIM FOR DOING THE BARE MINIMUM. Hon no, don't do this.

Miscommunication galore. Wolfie (I have lived in England for years and have never once met a Wolfie who was not a dog) was so bland I skimmed every page his name was on. The full name thing came across as annoying rather than endearing and there is no chemistry between him and Pippa. At one point it's mentioned that Wolfie goes to therapy, and all I'm going to say is - fire the therapist. Please.

I do like the cover though.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

2.5/5 stars

Honestly my only problem with this book is that I did not find the fmc, Pippa Munro, likeable at all. At worst, she was incredibly self-centered, at best, she was just annoying. Also most of the plot involved the ex-boyfriend in many ways which is sooooo stupid. So yeah, besides her, the writing was okay and the plot was interesting i guess.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest review

This charming small town story has a lot of things going for it… A small British town, a broody MMC, and a charming FMC. However, I struggled to connect with the story and the characters. Thank you for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Pippa has always loved the small town she grew up in. And she's known since she was a teenager exactly what her role in that town is: Alex's girlfriend (and one day, wife) and the woman responsible for fixing up his family's farm and making it successful. But when it becomes clear that Alex's goals don't align with hers, she finds herself adrift: single, homeless, and unsure of where she belongs... until she discovers that the Squire house, the big mansion that used to host the town fair, needs a new housekeeper. The house is big and mostly empty, but she enjoys the work--until Wolfie, the man who currently owns it (and the grandson of the man who ran the fairs in Pippa's childhood), tells her he's selling.
When her friends approach her with a plea to help raise money for the local school, Pippa decides to throw one last fair. As she plans the fair, she and Wolfie get closer, and it turns out he might have good reasons for wanting to sell.
I loved the dynamic between Pippa and Wolfie, as well as the dynamic between Pippa and her friends. Just, overall, this cast was great, the plotlines were achingly realistic, and it was a ton of fun to read.

Hurst Bridge is such a beautiful setting, described so clearly you feel like you're there!

The story starts with a teen Pippa and her friends, before jumping to present day. When Pippa's boyfriend makes a life changing decision without consulting her, she is furious and with no home or job, takes on the house sitter role at Squires, a stately home in her old town.

There she reconnects with the grumpy owner, and a very slow burn, enemies to lovers relationship begins.

Once Wolfie and Pippa started to interact with each other more I really got into this. The second act moved a lot faster than the first and the ending was brilliant!

Jesus Christ, this book!
The premiso looked good, the cover looked amazing, you know what was worse?? The characters the story the everything!!
At first i had to get through the first chapters with the ex boyfriend, the i had to read constantly about him until the jesus if i saw the name alex one more time i was about to throw my kindle out of the house.
That wolfie guy did not bother me as much as the fmc, Pippa jesus but has no backbone she annoyed every chapter until the very end

I was so excited to read this but it did not worked out
Thank you netgalley for the arc

I really enjoyed this book- I thought Hurst bridge sounded lovely and the setting of squires House was great. Wolfie sounded highly desirable and Alex was the total opposite- I’d have screamed if she had gone back to him after being used in that way for a decade! Eminently readable and the right mix of light hearted easy to devour and enough story line to get your teeth into. Thanks!