The Faerie Tree

I said it earlier, and I'll say it again - I absolutely loved this book! I was immediately engaged by the story of Robin and Izzie, two people who were falling achingly and beautifully in love when tragedy struck. They come back together twenty years later, much changed and damaged people, try to put the pieces back together, make sense of what happened and see if the love is still there.

The story is quite beautifully written and perfectly paced - where The Cheesemaker's House was perhaps identifiable as a first novel, the author's style has matured tremendously. This is a book that you feel and experience rather than read - the whole emotional content is quite perfectly handled, and there were times when I physically ached for the two central characters. The author really takes the reader under their skin - you might not understand what happened any more than they do, but you feel their hurt and loss with the same intensity.

The characters are wonderfully handled, but so is the setting. The faerie tree of the title is a quite perfect central focus to the story - much of the key action in the story takes place around it, near it or focused on it. It's vividly described - with its decoration and trinkets left by people hoping for a little magic - and I love the box where children leave personal messages for the faeries. No-one should be put off by the mention of pagan themes - none of us can be averse to a little magic at times, and the story itself is very much of the modern world.
This is essentially a story about two people - two people that you grow to deeply care about - and how they deal and cope with trauma and loss, its impact on memory, and the possibility of second chances when hope seems to be gone.

I really loved it...and my thanks to Jane, the publishers and netgalley for the privilege of being one of the first to read and review it.

This dark second-chance romance was hard to put down even though the more I read, the more uneasy I felt about Izzie and Robin's delicate relationship.

Robin and Izzie's love is just beginning when tragedy strikes and they are estranged for twenty years. Soon after losing her husband, Connor, Izzie bumps into a homeless person who looks like Robin, so she tracks him down and they try to start a new life with her teenage daughter, Claire. Unfortunately, memory lapses cause confusion and doubts which threaten Robin and Izzie's world. Can they be happy after all the heartache?

Ms. Cable tackles the very real struggles of mental illness and depression and how they impact people you love. Robin is my favorite character in this book because he grows into a grounded, kind and wise man who cares deeply for Izzie even experiencing her mood swings and nasty digs. I also loved The Faerie Tree and how Robin carried on the traditions that his friend Jennifer started.

Overall, this is a very heartbreaking and real tale about grief, mental illness, fear, and true love. The reader can't help rooting for Izzie and Robin because they have been through so much and deserve a HEA. Recommend highly!

Thank you to Ms. Cable for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

This is a fantastic book, no sickly sweet romance here at all – believable main characters that I cared about (and I loved that they were mature), strong supporting characters, solid settings and a plot that kept me wondering right the way through. I absolutely loved it. If you’re self-isolating or in lock down, this is definitely one for your kindle

Complex, emotional and honest, 'This story explores family, love and life. Izzie and Robin meet by chance and both feel it's the start of something. Then fate steps in and they lose touch, meeting again twenty years later. Is this their second chance? Told from Izzy and Robin's point of view, the story explores what happens after their first meeting and why they are the people they became.

The emotional journey is poignant and painful, and the conflicts that arise in the present seem insurmountable. With a balanced and believable cast of characters, a plot with surprising twists and an extraordinary love story this book absorbs, engages and resonates.

I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

A well written and engrossing book that I couldn't put.
I loved the atmosphere, the characters and the plot that flows.
The author is a good storyteller and I hope to read other story by her.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine