Another gorgeous book by the wonderful Cressida! I always like to buy her books in paperback as the covers are so pretty.

This book is set in a nature reserve in Suffolk and her descriptions of the area and wildlife really make you feel like you’re in the surroundings. She clearly does thorough research to make sure every detail is correct.

The characters are a great bunch of villagers, partial to some local gossip and knowing all the ins and outs of each other lives. As always, there is a dog to fall in love with-Abby’s husky, Raffle. If you’ve read any of Cressida’s other books, her love of animals is obvious. They feature prominently and are a charming addition to the storylines.

On a personal note, reading about the kids at the reserve making Halloween bunting made me smile, as I had made some Halloween bunting for Cressida last year.

I love when an author makes you want to find out more about a certain subject just by sparking desire with their writing. I definitely need to go on more outdoor walks and get closer to nature. Watching the squirrels in your garden from the comfort of the sofa isn’t adventurous enough!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Twilight Song is the third part in Cressida McLaughlin's The House of Birds and Butterflies series and I have ordered the first 2 books as this was so good.

Spring is a time of new beginnings, and while this is true for the inhabitants of the Nature Reserve, problems loom on the horizon that threatens its future.

The couple's gentle romance dominates this third part of the serial. Abby and Jack's behaviour and willingness to help the other signify their deepening emotions but their pasts make them cautious.
Penelope still keeps her problems secret, but Abby sees another side to her boss, which surprises her. Abby's plans for the reserve are a success but will they be enough?

When you think this part of the serial is ending on a high, someone from the past threatens Abby's happiness. The mystery of the house remains untold and with the cliffhanger ending reading the final instalment is a given for me.

I received a copy of this book from Harper Fiction, Harper Collins via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Part three of Cressida’s new four part serial and things are finally moving on between Abby and Jack – hurrah! Abby’s feelings for Jack have grown stronger along with mine as a reader, very cleverly managed by the author, and I am happy that Abby had finally managed to put her reservations aside and admit to herself how she feels.

However, there are still a few spanners to be thrown in the path of true love, as you would expect. Abby’s boss at the nature reserve is not happy that Abby is becoming distracted from her work as event co-ordinator, just when the reserve needs her most. Abby’s sister still has reservations about Jack and is not backward about sharing them, and Jack’s nemesis has come out of the woodwork to stir the pot and imply that Abby still does not have the full story about Jack’s troubled past.

I really enjoyed the camping weekend event that was organised at the reserve, and the first signs of thawing in the frosty Penelope, but the reserve’s situation seems to be coming ever more precarious and a sinister figure is now stalking the reserve to press the point home. We are left wondering if the reserve can be saved, what will be the fate of Swallowtail House and why is Flick Hunter hanging around? Is is because of Jack?

As a contrast to her wellie-clad work at the reserve, Abby attends a glamorous literary function with Jack as he tries to redeem his reputation in the literary world. This seems to be working until Eddie pops up, trying to scupper his chances and he draws Abby into his scheme to re-blacken Jack’s name. I wonder if Abby is prepared to be pulled out of her safe little world in Meadowsweet and into the spotlight, and whether Eddie will succeed in arousing further doubts in her mind about Jack.

Cressida does a great job of balancing the romance and tension and suspense in this instalment of the series, it was my favourite one of the series so far. We are fully immersed in the charming village of Meadowsweet and the travails of the reserve that they are as important to the reader as to the characters. At the same time, I am rooting for the romance of Abby and Jack.

My only problem with this book is that it was way too short and left on the cliffhanger of Jack finally revealing all of the details of his turbulent past. Will it be something Abby can live with? Will her sister’s doubts be allayed? What is the fate of Meadowsweet Reserve and Swallowtail House? Will Abby be able to do enough to save them? I am also sure that there is more to come from Flick Hunter and the presence of Wild Wonders at the rival Reston reserve.

Watch this space, the denouement is thankfully only a week away!

Twilight Song is the third part in Cressida McLaughlin's The House of Birds and Butterflies series and without question it has been the best yet. I felt we really got inside the characters mindset and gained a deeper understanding and appreciation of their thoughts, actions and words. So many things that had been niggling away at me now began to make sense and although not all of my questions have been answered, I now have a clearer picture as to what direction various plot lines are going in. My opinions of both the main characters Abby Field and Jack Westcoat have changed and I think Jack as a person is now more approachable and I feel more empathy towards him as the reader is coming to the realisation that not everything is clear cut. That we shouldn't believe rumours or firmly take on board first impressions. This is something Abby has been struggling with and I enjoyed reading of how her heart and mind are in a battle together. She is fearful of getting hurt but at the same time her heart and soul is telling her something different from what her initial common sense reactions might have been warning her of.

It's springtime in the village of Meadowgreen and as Abby works away on the Meadowsweet Nature reserve as events co-ordinator but the pressures of her job are ever increasing. So much so she is now seeking solace more so than ever in the walks she enjoys with her rescue huskey Raffle. Throughout this series there has been a sense of apprehension and stress with regard to the future of the reserve. If visitor numbers and annual memberships do not increase then the long term future of such a special place is very much in doubt. Cressida has done such a wonderful job of building up a picture of the reserve that I can picture it so vividly in my mind. The uniqueness and special qualities this area has are there for all to see but it's such a shame that Abby cannot fully let go and enjoy the work she loves so much.

Owner Penelope is putting that extra strain on Abby to get things moving and increase the reserves popularity, but surely the buck doesn't fully stop with Abby? Up until now I felt Penelope was very much a cold fish who wore a suit of armour which was very hard to crack but in part three there were glimmers of a more softer side and the reader is slowly beginning to realise that Penelope herself does care so much but there are external tensions creating so much anxiety in her life. I am very keen to see how Penelope's strand of the story pans out as I sense Swallowtail House and the relationship she had with her late husband all still very much have a crucial role to play. That said I do believe Abby is doing her best and the camping event she organised was a joy to read about.

What really made me enjoy Twilight Song was that the dancing around each other that Jack and Abby took part in and the tentative steps towards something more than friendship finally began to go that little but further. Now I totally understand Abby's hesitancy, not alone does Jack have a reputation due to an incident with a fellow author, but there is also the fact her own personal history has a forbearing on how she acts in the present with regard to relationships with the opposite sex. Up until now I couldn't understand her reluctance to give into her feelings and be more open with Jack. Saying that Jack is very much the same, he is still keeping things hidden for reasons only he knows. But I felt towards the end of this part of the story they both began to open and the wool was pulled from their eyes.

We don't have all the firm solid answers to every question yet but we are nearing that pivotal point where everything will hopefully make sense. Poor Abby is getting advice from her sister Tessa but perhaps it is not the advice she wanted to her. Normally Tessa is rooting for Abby to get out there on the dating scene and find love and happiness but now this is not the case. Have Jack's actions ruined everything for him or will the tide of public opinion begin to change? I really wanted Abby just to throw caution to the wind and go for it, to take a risk, a chance on love and see where it would take her. It's only as she reveals little hints of her past that her indecision made sense and I could see why she was so torn in two. She has said in the past that she can't deal with new relationships for fear of falling for the wrong guy but really if we all approached dating that attitude we would never have any opportunity to experience love, joy and contentment in our lives.

I thoroughly enjoyed Twilight Song and even though it is short in length it was just the read I needed as I was tired after a long day and I only had an hour or so's reading time. This part has set us up nicely for the conclusion Birds of a Feather which arrives on May 18th. I am dying to know how everything works out in relation to Abby and Jack of course but also Penelope and the nature reserve. Cressida McLaughlin has written such a wonderful, heart warming series with characters that will captivate you. If you haven't started The House of Birds and Butterflies series yet, I strongly recommend you do so.

ThIs is the third book in the series.THis series just gets better and better the story just flows it leaves you wanting more can't t wait to read more about abby and Jack leaves you thinking what is the mystery what's going to happen next.can't wait for book 4..

Continuing with the saga of Jack and Abby and the Meadowsweet nature reserve I was once again hooked. The story is evolving at a steady pace and has enough unanswered questions to make you want to read more. The more I read of this story the more I fall in love with it. Can’t wait for the next part to be released.

Really enjoyable once again. Loved the added extra of the mini festival as well although I don't feel like we read that much about it, the events that take place seem to go by in a flash! Maybe that's because it's set out in four parts so can't dwell for too long on one thing.

This time around we follow Abby and Jack as they go to a big event and things get heated - and not in the best way! Once again we are left on a cliffhanger and I for one cannot wait to read part 4 as I'm looking forward to finally hearing Jack's story! I think this wasn't as good as the past two, maybe because it was set away from the reserve for a bit? But it was really enjoyable all the same.

I liked reading about Abby when she was out of her comfort zone, it just made her more relatable than she already was! I enjoyed reading about the author spotlight event at the library as well, there are some fantastic moments in this one and Cressida McLaughlin keeps getting better and better.

Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read this novel via Netgalley, which I have reviewed honestly.

I couldn’t wait to read this book, part 3 of the series. The story gets more enjoyable with each episode and now in the exciting category too - hope part 4 is available very soon.

In the next part of this series, we rejoin Abby as she battles with her feels to do with author Jack whilst also keeping her job at Meadowbrook as they face possible closure.



As Jack prepares to help keep their local library open by hosting an event at the library for everyone, can the pair also deal properly with their feelings for each other after all their notes sent between them as they face attending an event for Jack where his old for of the book world, Eddie is there.



Can Abby find out what really happened between Jack and Eddie before anything else happens?



Ooh left on a cliffhanger as we await the final part in the story, once again the intrigue grows around Abby and Jack's relationship as they're finally becoming more like a couple at last.

Full of plenty more action around Jack's past, Cressida leaves us wanting more especially as Meadowsweet is still uncertain of it's future! I can't wait for the final part!



Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

The third book in the series just draws you further into the story. The characters are wonderful. Abby has to make a success of the camping event to ensure their survival as a nature reserve. She has a band of loyal supporters and the owner seems to be thawing a bit although hiding the extent of the troubles the centre is in.
I can't wait to see how the story concludes in the next book.