Another installment in the Lake District with the recurring cast of characters but don’t let that put you off as this can be read as a standalone book. It deals with some quite heavy topics but it still leaves you with a smile. For me, the best character is the location which is described beautifully but I enjoyed the really relatable characters, a good bit of escapism that could leave you with a tear in your eye.

After a tragic event Mel left her home and everyone she loved to start a new life in Newcastle. For seven years she has had limited contact with her family for fear of what getting too close might mean.
Now she is ready to move back to Willowdale in the Lake District, the place she always felt happy. Ready to re-connect and face the demons that still haunt her and colour her life grey.
Getting a job working on Willowdale Hall, a place Mel has always longed to get inside, is a good start.
A lot of bridges need to be re-built and some difficult conversations need to take place.
But Willowdale Hall is a special place and as Mel immerses herself in work and making new friends she begins to relax and find ways to accept the past and face the future.
Can Willowdale Hall work its magic and help Mel bring the colour back to her life and be happy again?
A book that will take you on a roller coaster of emotions, with characters you will instantly connect with, set in a beautiful place.
It can be read as a standalone, there are lots of back-story reminders, but I would absolutely recommend the full series, as all of the books are wonderful reads full of vibrant characters and great stories.

This is an emotionally heavy book dealing with loss. That said, I think it was well written with well-developed characters. Mel and Flynn are crushed when their 18-yr old son Noah dies of an accidental overdose. He hid his drug use and Mel was determined to learn who gave him the drugs. It caused a huge divide in their relationship, especially when Mel goes off to another town to escape everything including her family. When she returns home for her mom's 80th birthday, she realized how much she had missed and how she hurt her family. She decides to move back and is given the opportunity to remodel her favorite building and live there while doing so. There is a lot to this story but most importantly is talks about dealing with grief and letting those who love you be there with you. Flynn was my favorite character as he graciously let Mel work through her grief. I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

Simply stunning.

I've laughed and cried at many points throughout this book. It is beautifully written and I loved being back in the Lakes. Jessica's books always transport me into the pages and this one was no exception.

I loved catching up with characters from the other books and Mels journey was one that just got me.

I say this with every book by Jessica but she is one of my favourite authors and her books just find a way to slot perfectly into my heart.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

Another wonderful story from Jessica Redland, but do make sure you have your tissues at the ready!!
This instalment follows Mel as she visits her family home and also her past. She decides to move back home and not hide from difficult events in her past.

It’s lovely to see returning characters, it’s always great to catch up on what they are up to! And it such familiar and beautiful surroundings.

This story does deal with quite a bit of grief and can be quite heart wrenching in places. The more you read the more you become involved in this families lives and appreciate just what they have all been through.

I did really enjoy it, just found it quite an emotional read, which some may find a little difficult if they have suffered loss too.

I loved the blossoming new friendships with characters we have met previously, how accepting they are and willing to help someone new. Also the dynamic between Mel and her sister is really good.

I also loved the relationship between Mel and her ex-husband as they take steps to mend what shattered for them in the past.

All in all another wonderful book, just with a lot of sadness and heartfelt moments, so have those tissues at the ready as you delve into this one!

This is book four in the series, but luckily it works perfectly as a standalone—which is how I read it. I truly enjoyed this story and will definitely be picking up the first three as soon as I can. Much like the author's other books I’ve read, it’s full of lovable, realistic characters. Her writing always feels so homely and heartwarming, yet it still takes you on an emotional rollercoaster in the best way.

Free courtesy of Netgalley.

Another visit to the lakes with Jessica Redland. I love reading books with characters I have been introduced to before, it makes you feel like you are part of the community.

This book centers around Mel, who is a middle aged woman, who has run away to Newcastle and has very little contact with her family, after the death of a loved one.

The book covers the process of grief, and how there is never a good time to "get over it", how it can completely consume you and ruin your whole life. The book follows the healing that Mel needs by reconnecting with her family and making bold choices with her work.

Making new friends and learning to live again, shows the healing process that Mel needed to go through. I loved this book as it shows understanding that everyone is different when faced with the hardest part of life, losing someone you love.

There is a lot of light heartedness in the book also and it is a beautiful book to read. You do not have to read the books beforehand to enjoy this book but it does touch on the other books that precede it, so you may want to go back and read those too.

Love Jessica Redland books especially the ones about Willowdale. Mel hasn't been back for years but has to go back for a family event. She ends up getting a job at Willowdale Hall, a place she's' always loved even though she's never been inside it

This is book 4 in the series but could be read as a standalone although I recommend starting at the beginning for maximum enjoyment

This was another beautiful instalment of this series and loved being taken back to the lakes. This instalment focuses on the character of Mel and the events which have led up to her returning to the lakes. This was a sad and emotional read at times but also very heartwarming and uplifting at the same time. (It’s hard to review without giving away any spoilers) it is also a story of second chances and that it’s never too late to start again.

I am looking forward to the next instalment of this series.

this is the fourth book set in the lake district and carrys on the story .
mel has come back to willowdale for her mums 80th birthday party she hasnt been back here since her son died and her marriage broke up.
she feels left out of the celebrations.
Flynn has always hoped that mel would come back when she was ready to restart there relationship.
He didnt move out of there family home for a long time incase she did.

When Mels mums health is deteriating she feels guilty for not coming back sooner.
Things change when she gets offered her dream job at the local statley home she and flynn always dreamed of working on together it brings her closer together with her family and she begins to gets answers that heal her from her sons death and she starts to feel the depression shes been in lift.
When Flynn bumps into her in a cafe one day he hopes they can talk and clear the air and hopefully become close again.

Although this is the latest book in a series of 4 centred around the Lake District area for Jessica Redland, you can pick it up and read it without having necessarily read the others as there are character glossaries at the front and plenty of explanations of the back history throughout the book. At times, despite having read the other 3 books, I did find there was perhaps too many characters and plots intermingled so a chunk of the story was taken up by these explanations whereas I think I'd have preferred it to have felt more "standalone" but with the odd cameo reference as for me this did overcomplicate the story.
I took a while to warm to Mel, she felt quite an emotionally immature character and going through a lot of unprocessed grief and trauma but this created quite a barrier to getting to know her or like her initially, things were very centered around her self and that felt unlikeable to me. However there is a character arc and things do open up and become more multifaceted as the book progresses.
It is quite a heavy book, there is a strong theme of loss and grief and if you are looking for an uplifting or comedic book this definitely isn't it. I did find it sad and challenging in this respect, but it is well written and emotive.

Another book in the Willowdale series which can be read as part of the series or standalone. I’ve read all the books now and have got a lot of pleasure from them. The latest book lives up to its title, Sunshine After the Rain. It started off in a very bad place from Mel who has suffered a big tragedy in her life some years ago and not managed to move past it. She eventually returned home to Willowdale and gradually the ‘rain’ stopped and the ‘sun’ started to come out again. An excellent read.

Mel returns back to her birthplace, after 7 long years away. She has a lot to work through and still not in the right headspace. A chance meeting, a new commission and a place top stay lead to new friendships, a full on work project and a lot of grief reignited. However, she also get the chance to lay some ghosts to rest, to reconnect with her past and ultimately feel at home again. A sad but uplifting read.

This is part of a series set in the Lake District. I have read all the preceding, and enjoyed them. I enjoyed this one as well, but it is one of the weaker stories in the series. The protagonist has an interesting job, and deep ties to the community where the series takes place, and a backstory shadowed by a terrible tragedy. She has a LOT to work through, and unfortunately, a good part of the book is her working through it. I found my self thinking several times throughout the narrative-Do they not have therapists in the Lake District? or England?
I would have preferred more engagement with the professional life and the community and less of the therapy, but I understand why the author made the choices she did. It just did not work for me.
Another significant shortcoming is the male love interest. He is quite one dimensional and way too good to be true. A more complicated and nuanced portrayal of the man would have gone a long way toward making this story more relatable and interesting. If you want me to buy into this love story, I need it to be less one-sided.

This is another fabulous episode in the escape to the lakes series. It features many returning characters from previous books.
This episode was much sadder than the previous ones with a study in grief the major theme. There were times when tears were shed but at the same time it was also the most hopeful.
I look forward to more books in the series.

I’ve been enjoying Jessica Redland’s books for many years now, so I was thrilled to get the opportunity to review Sunshine After the Rain, the latest in her Escape to the Lakes series.

This book follows Melanie when she returns to Lake District seven years after a tragic event. In spite of the serious nature of some of the topics covered in this book (see the trigger warnings after the spoiler line if you want to know more), the story is uplifting.

As usual with a Jessica Redland book, I felt involved with the characters right away, especially Mel. It’s totally understandable how she reacted in the past, and it was very rewarding watching her choose to facilitate her healing as best she could.

I can’t really say much more without spoilers, but the ending was perfect and comforting.

Overall, this was an emotional, but ultimately uplifting story. I definitely recommend it, but save it for later if you’re feeling very emotionally fragile.

I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

~~~~Spoilers below this line~~~~

TW: on page death of parent. Prior to story death of child

I always look forward to the next Jessica Redland book and I couldn't wait to go back to Willowdale Hall. Mel, wows she's been through so much and her journey, at times, felt very close to home. My heart broke for her on several occasions but at the same time I wanted her to get her happy ever after. Does she? I'm not spoiling that for you.

This is a rollercoaster ride of a book featuring sometimes challenging storyline that Jessica does best.

I'm hoping they'll be more books as this series doesn't feel anywhere near finished.

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

Another in the Lakes series - can easily be read as a standalone but recommend you check the others out.

Perfect light, summer read. Recommended.