This book was very good! I loved the setting and the characters! I would definitely recommend and I’m excited to read other titles by this author!

Erin loved her job as head chef at Ivy Inn and her life is ticking along quite smoothly, or so she thinks.
She returns home after a long shift to find her boyfriend Aaron has left her. He’s took all his stuff and not even left her a note.
As she tries to come to terms with this an opportunity comes up for her to buy the local bakery and maybe live her dream live. Has she got the courage and bravery to do this? Only one way to find out!

I loved this book and didn’t want the story to end

Gorgeous, easy to follow and inspiring in its own way. Erin is a chef, she works with her best friend and her life seems perfect. Them boom! The rug is pulled from under her and she has choices to make, will she sink or swim?
A recommended garden read, with some laughs and gasps.

A fun and heartwarming read. I love the characters and really felt for them during the good and bad times. A strong story of love, strength and female empowerment. I particularly love how it's set in Ireland too.

Freya Kennedy has a couple other books; I'm sure that if you like her prior books, you will like this one as well.

I like to have my tablet "read aloud" books to me; so the first thing that bothered me about Don't Stop Believing is that the protagonist is Erin and her boyfriend Aaron of three years breakup (well he moves out). Erin and Aaron sound identical when read aloud (at least by my tablet).

I thought that the cover was cute and that I had previously read some books in the series (but evidently I was wrong); as this was my first book by Freya Kennedy.

Erin blames her boyfriend for moving out; but if she were honest with herself, she really wasn't that into the relationship either.

This book was just not my cup of tea, Erin kept getting on my nerves. I did finish this book, as I don't believe in rating books that I don't finish. Had this been a library book, I'm not sure that I would have finished.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for approving my request to read the advance read copy of Don't Stop Believing in exchange for an honest review. Publication date is 11 Oct, 2023.

This book series is a joy to read. Even when the characters go through hardships, there is hope. Following their journeys brightens my day, and I can't wait to read more!
I especially loved the plot twist in this one, and how the prologue and epilogue tied together (though I won't say more on that because spoilers).

Returning home from work one day
Erin is shocked to discover her partner has gone away.
He's taken his things and moved out
Without saying a word, what's it all about?

With the support of friends and colleagues, too,
Erin isn't sure what she's going to do.
Then a surprise opportunity comes her way
A chance to follow dreams that had been put away.

A story of making a determined fresh start
With friends all playing an important part.
Learning to believe in yourself and put aside the past
Enabling you to move on to a better future at last.

A heartwarming read with community at its heart
As together they work, each playing a part.
There's more than one couple being given a chance
In this inspirational read filled with romance!

For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
Such a beautiful read and this is my honest review.

I was sold on this book right from the beginning when the pretty sparkling lights and how fragrant the cinnamon-scented candles were written. From this I knew Freya had a way with words that I would really enjoy reading.

What a lovely, heartwarming and sweet book, this is the perfect easy read to get lost and escape these cold nights.

Read this if you love:
👩🏻‍🤝‍👩🏽Sweet friendship circles
🏠Small town vibes
❤️Community spirit
🙌🏼Relatable characters
👩🏼‍🍳Yummy food.
🥰 Slow burn romance
💭Chasing dreams

I thought Erin was relatable, the way she carried her emotions and dealt with situations. We have all been ghosted after all and it’s how we deal with it. I was excited to see where it was going to go

As much as I am a fan of the romances in the book, I think my favourite element was the friendship elements, Erin had such a great circle of friends and I especially enjoyed this between Flora and Erin. Was just so wonderful to read.

Favourite quote
“What’s for you won’t pass you”

This is a story of determination, grit and finding one’s self when the chips are down.

It follows the story of Erin, who was unceremoniously dumped, but chose not to stay in the dumpster and rose above her personal and professional challenges.

This book is a slow read with almost little to no romance but it is still worth reading.

I love how it celebrates both the past and the present. The past in the form of the elderly shop owners and the present with the younger generation trailblazing new businesses at The Lane.

I love the close knit relationship between the businesses and the owners at The Lane. It helped that Erin had people who would always have her back.

I enjoyed Harry and Flora’s story and I was pleasantly surprised with the events in the epilogue.

The desserts and food mentioned are guaranteed to make you either hungry or order something.

I got a bit confused as the location and places mentioned in the book are in Northern Ireland but the author kept referring to Ireland.

I would recommend if you love women’s fiction with a small dash of romance. I received an advanced copy and the review is mine and voluntary.

Things don’t go quite as planned for Erin when she comes home and finds her boyfriend moved out. Realising that the life she lives is not what she currently wants she takes a leap when an opportunity arises.

This was a really feel-good, uplifting read, about finding your happiness and going for what you want.

Kennedy gives us some fantastic characters; which I loved all of them. This is a novel to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside and perfect for the change in season; staying in snuggled with a book.

A refreshing, uplifting read about the residents of Ivy Lane. The protagonist of this book is Erin, chef at Ivy Lane Hotel, who returns home from a shift one night to discover that Aaron, her boyfriend of three years, has upped and left without the slightest hint that the relationship has run its course. Supported by the residents of Ivy Lane, Erin ceases the opportunity to motivate herself to follow her dreams.

This was a really simplistic, cute romance. The characters were likeable and I liked that there was more depth to Erin than her heartbreak. I always love a book with a strong female MC and this was no different. Freya had written a romance that is easy to follow, not overly complex. I love the cosy, homely vibe of Ivy Lane it really makes it seem like somewhere you’d want to be and it set the perfect scene for the book.

I don't mind when a book is marketed as a romantic comedy but is more like a feel good life story but I need the writing to be good for me to forgive that fact and for this book I just couldn't get into the writing and plot so I just wanted some rom com. I ultimately dnf'd as for me I just found it really hard to want to keep reading.

I always love returning to Ivy Lane, it always feels like I’m catching up with old friends (although it’s part of a series these can be read as standalone books too, although if you do you will probably want to go back and read the rest, just saying 😊) and I always want to up and relocate to fictional places after reading these, who wouldn’t want to live in such a special community.

Erin is a lovely character, I couldn’t help but connect with her and her dream , I have to admit though that I love all Freya’s characters so much, there is just so much warmth in them, just like the story itself so heartwarming, it’s a story of second chances as well as following your dreams. I thought it was brilliant how Freya tied the start and end together so beautifully , it’s a perfect end to a gorgeous story.

This is a moving, romantic and fun story, which I can do nothing but wholeheartedly recommend.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

What an absolute treat to return to Ivy Lane and catch up with such lovely characters that I met in my previous visits. If you’re reading this and worrying about not having read the earlier books, you can relax, this can easily be read as a standalone story as there are plenty of references to earlier storylines. That said, I would certainly recommend going back and reading them.
This time, the story focuses on Erin, the Head Chef at the Ivy Inn. I won’t rehash the synopsis or offer any spoilers, but I can assure you that the writing is just as special as I remembered.
As you may be aware, Freya Kennedy is a penname for thriller writer Claire Allan. Her skills have transferred perfectly, and I am a fan.

Each character, existing or new, is developed with a charm that made me want to live on Ivy Lane and make a purchase from Once Upon a Book and read it while sipping on a drink at the Ivy Inn. It’s a special skill that creates characters that feel like friends and this author has it by the bucketload.

There’s something for everyone as we follow Erin’s dream of starting over after being abandoned by her hapless boyfriend, and maybe starting her own business. For me, I cannot single out a particular character for a special mention as they are all really special. However, I still have a soft spot for Harry and his bargains. I was thrilled to discover that he had slightly more than a supporting role.

Like the others in the series, this gorgeous story captured my imagination, and I felt the genuine warmth that is woven into each chapter. If I haven’t made my opinion clear, then I’ll simply say that this is a must read and I’d love another trip to Ivy Lane.

A really nice "feel good" story that gets started with a stark awakening. Erin thought she had a very good life and was happy....she thought. But when she comes home from work one evening and her boyfriend has packed up everything and moved out without telling her, she has to second guess what she called happy. What she'll find is a few ups and downs and a chance to start over. Erin's story and the people who live through it with her are unique enough to keep the roller coaster on the tracks with a smooth stop at the gate. I really enjoyed the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed Freya’s previous book, The Hopes and Dreams of Libby Quinn, and wanted one in the same town. I was overjoyed when I found that Don’t Stop Believing was available for a blog tour. I enjoyed Erin and Aaron’s story. Jo was a supportive friend, and I felt sad for Erin when Aaron left, but wanted her to move on.

Freya Kennedy is great at realistic plots and adding details to make you feel for the characters. It was great to review another book by her.

5 stars.

Thanks to Freya Kennedy, Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

Erin seems to have it all:
works as head chef at the Ivy Inn, and her boyfriend Aaron and best friend Jo are co-workers. But when Aaron moves out without a word, Erin's life falls apart. When fate presents her with an unexpected opportunity, Erin must find the courage to pursue the future she truly wants.

This book opens with a chaotic situation, then jumps back in time six months. I find this narrative approach disorienting. I wish the author could find a more interesting way to open the book without jumping right into the action. Additionally, calling Aaron, Erin's boyfriend, is difficult to understand for people who listen to the e-book via text-to-speech, whether they are visually impaired or for other reasons. It took me a while to understand that the characters were two separate people.

The book focuses more on emotions and character development than plot, offering a leisurely pace and warm friendships.

#bookreview #romance #generalfiction

Now I haven't quite finished this one but I'm loving every page so far. I got a little thrown by the first chapter ending and us going back six months but I soon caught back up again. Boy is Arron a selfish A****** I can't believe the way he treated Erin! But I do love her way of reacting to it and the fact that her friends are so supportive, it seems to be a theme in the books I'm reading at the moment brilliantly supportive friends. I've gotten angry on Erin's behalf multiple times so far because of Arron, I think he's definitely the worst bit of everyone's ex-boyfriends bundled together, brilliant character creation from the author there! But then again all the main cast of this book so far are really well formed, you can definitely read them and see people you know in them.
I'm so invested in what's happening to Erin and if she'll manage to get her dream sorted, that I keep breaking off from writing this to read a bit more.
I've really enjoyed the writing style, I haven't read anything by Freya Kennedy before but I can see myself picking some more of her books up in the future.

Erin seems to have it all: head chef job at the Ivy Inn, boyfriend Aaron, and her best friend Jo as co-worker. But when Aaron moves out without a word, Erin's life unravels. When fate provides an unexpected opportunity, Erin must find the courage to chase the future she truly wants.

This book opens with a chaotic situation, then goes back in time by six months. I find this storytelling approach disorienting. I wish the author could have found a more exciting way to open the book without skipping ahead in the action. Also, calling Erin's boyfriend Aaron is very confusing for people who listen to ebooks through text-to-speech, whether because they're visually impaired or for other reasons. It took me a while to figure out that the characters were two separate people.

The book focuses more on emotions and character development than on plot, giving it a leisurely pace with warm-hearted friendships.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.