Member Reviews

Yet another great book from Jessica. Beautifully written book with some lovely, friendly characters. Good to have a book with a different setting. This one ticks all the boxes for me and didn't disappoint.

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I loved this book so much! I just love Snowy, Harrison and we can’t forget grandad, just such adorable characters and the fact that Snowy looks after and takes care of the owls and helps them recover and his hair just happens to be white he couldn’t have a better nickname.

Snowy has been through a lot and with Zara’s help they both help each other out and Snowy in turn helps Zara out. It’s just a wonderful story and it reminds us that we should be kind to one another and not judge each other as no one really knows what another person is going through and vice versa.

I would highly recommend reading this book especially if you have read about Bumblebee Farm this is the stunning second book in the series and I just loved it! Such a heartwarming and beautiful book.

I would like to thank Boldwood Books and NetGalley for
giving me the opportunity to read this book early!

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A New Dawn at Owl's Lodge by Jessica Redland

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Could one chance meeting change your life forever?

Zara is at a crossroads in life. While she adores her job as a producer's assistant working on hit TV shows, travelling around the country means she doesn't truly feel that she has a home. With a fractured relationship with her family and unrequited love weighing heavily on her heart, she is torn about what her next step in life should be...

Snowy is hiding from the world. He's devoted his life to home schooling his young son and caring for sick owls at his home, Owl's Lodge, deep in the Yorkshire Wolds countryside. While he's passionate about both, it's a lonely existence and he's starting to question his decisions. But how do you step back into a world you've pushed away for years...?

When Zara brings an injured owl to Owl's Lodge, its frosty, reclusive owner is far from welcoming. Despite hostilities, there's a connection that neither could ever have prepared themselves for. As they discover a shared passion, a new friendship blossoms, but both Zara and Snowy are used to shutting people out.

My Opinion

This was a stunning book. I enjoyed reading Jessica's previous books set at Hedgehog Hollow so I was pleased when I found that the rescue was part of this book. This works really was as a standalone and has the added benefit of featuring owls. Zara was definitely a relatable character. From the first page, I knew that I was in for a delightful read and I wasn't disappointed.

Rating 4/5

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Loved this book. I loved the Hedgehog Hollow series and it was lovely to have some characters return. I loved the story of snowy his son Harrison and zara and how she was trying to sort her life out after arguing with her family. It was a lovely story that developed slowly. Loved the characters.

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I love the wildlife focus of the books set in Yorkshire Wolds. The second in the Bumblebee Barn Collection focuses on Owl Rescue, which is fascinating and the perfect backdrop for the emotional family drama that unfolds. Zara, whom we met in the first book in the series, is a production assistant on high-profile TV shows; she has supportive friends in the community at Bumblebee Barn and Hedgehog Hollow, but relationships with her family relationships are strained almost to breaking point. Snowy's focus is his young son and running his owl rescue. When he meets Zara serendipitously, it changes their lives, but it takes emotional courage to find the happiness they deserve. I like the characters; they are realistically flawed and relatable. The friendships and family dynamics in the Bumble Bee and Owl Lodge communities make this story a heartwarming and uplifting read. I also like the wildlife setting, which adds depth to the story.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

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“Sometimes the darkest moments can pave the way for the brightest ones.”

Despite her very long back-list, New Dawn at Owl’s Lodge was my first Jessica Redland’s novel. I absolutely adored Zara and Snowy’s story. This book is the second in a series, but I read it as a standalone and it went perfectly fine.
Between the lines, we can feel how deeply the author cares for wildlife. It warmed my heart, and I loved all the info-dumping about owls we have through the pages (I truly mean that in the best of ways, and the tabs at the end were the icing on the cake <3).
Zara and Snowy were two incredible characters. I loved their path, and how they deal with everything with tact, healthy communication and respect. There wasn’t superfluous drama, which doesn’t mean there weren't emotions. I felt my throat squeeze and tears roll over my cheeks more than once. The author has truly a way with feelings, to describe the characters’ as much as to provoke some for the reader. Snowy’s journey with alcoholism, Zara’s relationships with her family, everything was dealt with delicacy. I could have do without flashbacks, as I felt the emotions were higher when the character directly told their story. But it’s a detail point. I’ll just end with mentioning all the wonderful characters, to begin with Harrison who was the cutest little boy ever.
That book was very lighthearted –despite some heavy themes– and it was just what I needed. I can’t wait to dive into more books from this author.

Thank you NetGalley, Jessica Redland and BoldwoodBooks for this ARC. My opinions are my own.

Rate 4.5/5

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Reading the author's books is just like being on a special holiday. I always enjoy them and look forward to a new one with anticipation.
This one has the inclusion of some of her Hedgehog Hollow and Bumblebee Barn characters returning so that is exciting right there.
Warm and delightful, I had a hard time putting this one down.
There are some serious subjects discussed but the author does it in a realistic way and I liked this. No one is belittled and the characters rally around to help each other out.
I very much love the inclusion of animals in the author's books. I am a big animal person and to have the author encourage others with her books about animals is such a positive thing. One of her series was about a hedgehog rescue and this is about an owl rescue. Owls are so beautiful and majestic, and I thank the wildlife rescues out there for devoting their time and energy to these animals. There were so many informative facts about owls living in the UK in the back of the book so make sure to check this out. The romance is a slow burn and not rushed which is always nice to see. I found the book to be filled with fun and informative facts about owls and gymnastics. As you read you will be taken on a beautiful and emotional journey which you will want the very best for the characters. I connected with the characters right away which made for an enjoyable read. Now I just need to catch up on a few more books by the author.

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

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This is the perfect book to read with a cup of tea and a treat on a sunny spring afternoon. Jessica’s storytelling abilities are wonderful, and she knows how to pull her readers in and capture their attention with a beautiful and emotional story. If you are a fan of Jessica’s previous books, you will be delighted to hear that characters from some of her past books make an appearance, and we get to return to Hedgehog Hollow and Bumblebee Farm. This book is a wonderful balance between light fluff and big emotional moments. Jessica tackles some pretty tough issues around grief, addiction, mental health, and family struggles. I enjoyed this theme of unexpected connections and that life can be unpredictable in the most glorious way. I loved how she handled each of these topics with care and thought. I adore owls, so I gobbled up all the information about owls and loved the whole owl subplot woven throughout the story.
All the characters were wonderful. They are warm and delightful. I instantly connected with all of them and just wanted good things for them. Zara and Snow are wonderful main characters. There is a strong opposites attract tropey feel to their relationship. These two characters don’t get off to the best of starts. Their opposing personalities create some tension between these two. But as they spend more time together looking after the owls, that tension turns into something more tender. This is a sweet love story. I adored the growing relationship between Zara and Snow.

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A New Dawn at Owl’s Lodge is an adorable story from Jessica Redland.
As always, she’s written a tale full of heart, compassion and emotion.
I’ve loved being back in the world of Hedgehog Hollow and BumbleBee Farm, and seeing Zara fall in love with the community and beautiful setting has been lovely. Remembering old faces and meeting new as we get to know Zara’s story have just made this story for me, and the fascinating information about the owls was a perfect added bonus.
I really enjoyed the dual pov between Zara and Snowy - sharing their histories was an emotional ride for the two of them and had me tearing up on many occasions.

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What I love about Jessica Redland's books are that they are romance at heart, but they're not afraid to shy away from difficult situations for her characters. That's true for A New Dawn at Owl's Lodge, where we meet Zara and Snowy.

Zara has lived her life in the shadow of her footballer brother Roman, and is tired of always being the troublemaker in her mum's eyes. Can Zara make the leap and cast out of her own?

Equally, Snowy is living in the shadows with his son and father, seemingly hiding away from his past and trying to raise his son in the best way he can. Whilst we don't get the full picture all at once, we're drip fed nuggets of Snowy's past, from his gymnastics career to the death of his wife. Is it time for Snowy and Harrison to take some bigger steps outside, and will Zara be the one to make it happen?

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Jessica Redland - A New Dawn At Owl’s Lodge.

When you take a journey into one of Jessica Redland’s books, you know you’re in a safe pair of hands.

You know there will be characters who have been through some awful times and experiences.

You can be positive that it will be a joy to follow these characters as they find the hope, support and strength to move their lives forward.

You can be sure that you will fall a little bit in love with these sweet and kind hearted characters too.

It’s a certainty, that the setting of the book will be picturesque and idyllic.

You can bet your last Rolo, that the book will be full of factual information.
Information that is interesting, relevant and blends seamlessly into the whole story.

You are guaranteed to catch up with characters from previous books, and learn about how their lives are progressing.
If you’re new to Jessica Redland’s writing, don’t worry, everything is very well explained.

It’s a sure thing, that any JR book is going to take you on a beautiful, emotional and heartwarming journey.

Finally, you can be as certain as sand in the desert, that you will be left with happiness in your heart and an impatient desire to read what comes next from Jessica Redland.

Does #ANewDawnAtOwlsLodge tick all these boxes?
Yes! Yes it jolly well does. Quite simply a gorgeous read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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A New Dawn at Owl's Lodge.
Another fun read from Jessica Redland.
I love the way she weaves facts and information into a romantic book. This time we learn lots about owls and Olympic gymnast training!
Buy this for the beach!

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Zara loves her job working with her best friend Amber on a series of TV shows set in the countryside.
Unfortunately, all the travelling means she has struggled to put down roots. After an argument with her family, Zara begins to re-assess her life and she knows she has some big decisions to make.
Snowy is a retired athlete, who lives with his young son and his grandfather at Owl’s Lodge. Snowy spends his time home schooling his son and looking after injured Owl’s until they can be released back to the wild.
When Zara and Snowy meet, what is initially awkward quickly turns into something neither is expecting. Both of them have a lot of baggage but if they want to find happiness they will need to find a way to put the past behind them and embrace life.
This is such a joyful, moving story. The characters are likeable, the setting is stunning, and the story is wonderful. Perfect to relax with on a summer’s day.

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Another great book from Jessica, you can't go wrong when you pick up any novel written by her.. Wow, what a read, 5 stars and I recommend it to all. You won't want to put it down.

Thanks to Netgalley, author and publisher for this ARC

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Title: A New Dawn at Owl's Lodge by Jessica Redland
Release Date: May, 16th, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars


Zara and Snowy find themselves at a crossroads in life. Zara, a TV producer's assistant, grapples with feelings of displacement and unresolved family issues. Snowy, a reclusive father, devotes himself to homeschooling his son and caring for owls. When Zara brings an injured owl to Snowy's Owl's Lodge, their initial hostility gives way to an unexpected connection.

As they navigate past traumas and shared passions, they must find the courage to open up and embrace the possibility of happiness. Jessica Redland's feel-good romance explores themes of family, friendship, and hope in the idyllic setting of Bumblebee Barn.


Returning to the beloved settings of Bumblebee Farm and Hedgehog Hollow is like a warm hug for readers. Zara, a character many can relate to, finds comfort in her relationship with her stepdad Owen and discovers a special connection with Snowy and his family at Owl's Lodge.

Zara's nurturing spirit and patience bring out the best in Snowy as he opens up about his past. Despite addressing serious topics like mental health and loss, the book does so with care and empathy. Overall, it's a brilliant story that leaves readers yearning for more adventures in these charming settings.

Thank you to The Publisher Boldwood Books ,Jessica Redland & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

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Everytime I read something by Jessica, I'm always left wanting more. I was so happy that Zara got her story because I really liked her character when she was introduced in Healing Hearts at Bumblebee Farm. She's a very sweet, dependable and relatable character and I hope she pops up again in the future. As with all of Jessica's books there's quite a bit of heartache. Snowy's story is particularly harrowing and the treatment of Zara from her family at times made me so mad. It was horrible, but overall this book will leave you believing in the goodness of people and that love will prevail. Roll on the next book.

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Another fantastic read from Jessica Redland.
I love the way she pens a great story and fills it with facts in a fun way. This time it’s owls and gymnastics, not your usual combination!
There was also a darker side to the story and those issues were dealt with clarity and compassion.
This was a read which felt like a visit to old friends but with introductions to lots of new friends too! I did not want it to end.

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

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this Unputdownable book.

We are back at Bumblebee Barn, and we also meet up with our old friends at Hedgehog Hollow.

We also meet new characters at Owls Lodge. Snowy, being one of them who heals injured owls, as well as this he is teaching his son from home, and training him in gymnastics at the gym he has built.

When Zara anrtives with ann injured owl, Snowy and his family’s life turns his world upside down.

Zara didn’t have a happy childhood, and has something to figure out, regarding her relationships with her mum and annoying brother.

The story touched on how mental health affects those that play sports, which then got some reason comes to an end.

I highly recommend this book.

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Another 5 star read from Jessica Redland. She just gets better and better.
A New Dawn At Owl Loge takes us back to Bumblebee Farm and this time tells the story of Zara who lives there with Barney and Amber.
When Amber and Zara find an injured owl they take it to Owl Lodge which is run by Snowy.
Snowy live with his grandpa and his son and when Zara walks into their life’s everything changes in a heartbeat.
A beautifully written emotional story told in Jessica’s usual way.
Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC of another lovey book.

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A New Dawn at Owl's Lodge is the second book in the series. It works as a standalone, although main character Zara was first introduced in book one.

Zara, a TV producer's assistant, is working on a series about Wildlife Rescue Centres. Through this work, she meets Snowy, the reclusive owner of Owl's Lodge, who cares for sick and injured Owl's, and homeschools his young son. The story follows their relationship, and the discovery of what they both want from their lives.

I loved revisiting old favourite characters from Jessica's previous series', and her beautiful scenery descriptions never let me down. Packed full of wonderfully relatable characters, this book is the perfect escape.

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