Poppy finally has her life together. She is moving into the house of her dreams, has the best set of friends a girl could ask for and she's even got her grumpy next door neighbour to talk to her. On top of that she finally has access to the community garden and its ingredients for her chutney recipes which she happily distributes in the greengrocers in which she works. It is then that Poppy's ideal is thrown a curve ball in the shape of her teenager brother, abandoned by their absentee mother. And so the story is set.

The book is a true delight. The inhabitants of Nightingale Square are simply lovely and you would be glad to have them on your side. What I really loved was the dynamic between Poppy and Ryan. This felt to me as a true brother and sister relationship which develops over the course of the story. You can clearly see the reasons why Ryan is such a troubled character and its lovely to see him come out of his shell not only with the help of his sister but also the help of those around him, especially Jacob, the grumpy next door neighbour who has more layers than you first think.

Poppy struggles also come across as realistic and is never portrayed in a "oh poor me" way. She knows she is not perfect but prefers to help others before she helps herself even if it comes at the cost of her own happiness.

The other characters in the story also shine in their own right without taking the gravitas away from Poppy and her tales. I particularly love Colin and Lou who by the time it was almost over, I wanted to bang their heads together as much as Poppy did. Also special mention to Gus the dog - I want him!

On the whole I loved this story, its message and just everything. Will look forward to more, because I am hoping that there will be :)

Thank you Heidi Swain, Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I recieved an early preview copy of this book from netgalley in return for an honest review.
I absolutely love Heidi Swain's books, they are always wonderful and well written. This book certainly lived up to my expectations.
This book takes us back to Nightingale Square, where we catch up with the residents from the previous book and find out what is going on in the communial garden.
We are introduced to two new characters,kind and helpful Poppy, who can't wait to join in with the other residents and the garden, and the elusive and grumpy Jacob, who definitely doesn't want to join in with anyone or anything.
This is such a lovely feel-good book. There is a strong sense of community and helping others, it is a heartwarming read. The setting is delightful, and sounds like a perfect place to live. The book is a charming and enjoyable read, perfect for relaxing with.

Sometimes we just need to escape from the realities of life, things seem so miserable and the news is always depressing, that's why we need lovely books. The weather was gloomy and more talk of Brexit (among other things) had me feeling glum and this heartwarming tale was just the tonic I needed!
It is full of charm and positivity, provided by family, friends and the little community that Poppy is welcomed into. The community pull together to create Grow-Well Garden and find that it changes all their lives for the better. It really made me want to get some gardening gloves on!
Another lovely read from Heidi Swain, I look forward to the next one. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

First time for me to read a book by Heidi Swain! I am really happy that I did! This book is about love between siblings, trust, neighborhood spirit and if you love gardening you will love this book even more! And of course there is some beautiful and delightful romance going on in this book! To be honest with you, I found the 30 first percent of this book quite boring and I was wondering when the story would start to be more eventful. But then something happen after the 30 / 40 percent mark, and the story became absolutely thrilling and I just couldn't put the book down anymore! I would have given this book 5 stars out of 5 if the 30 first percent of the book would have been more eventful. But really, if you are like me, a bit bored at the beginning of the story, don't panic and be patient because after a little while the book become a page-turner!!!!! I will definitely read the next book by Heidi Swain!!!!

Poppy’s Recipe for Life

Heidi Swain’s books are always a joy. Best read curled up on the couch, wrapped in a blankie with a hot cuppa and a home baked cake.

My favourite book of hers was Sunshine and Sweetpeas at Nightingale Square and so I was delighted to find that Poppy’s Recipe for life revisits Nightingale Square and we get glimpses of the lovely characters who live there.
This book was a slightly different love story because it focused on Poppy’s relationship with her teenage brother Ryan which was very difficult at times and it was interesting to see the effect his upbringing with their awful mother had on his thoughts and actions. It added another aspect to Poppy’s personality to watch her become responsible for him, she was very sensitive to his needs and put him before herself which took some getting used to for him.

Heidi’s book wouldn’t be the same without a love interest though and Jacob fitted the bill perfectly.

This book has all the ingredients for the perfect recipe for life, warmth, patience, understanding, sisterly love, a community pulling together and true love.

I am a huge fan of Heidi Swain's books and so I was thrilled to be back in Nightingale Square to catch up with all the goings on and see what is happening. The last time I was there, the community garden that had been created by the residents was just in its infancy.

Now the garden and the residents are thriving....as are two incomers.

Poppy has always wanted to live in the square and when she gets the chance, she jumps at it as she will be much nearer the garden and that means she can access to all the freshly grown ingredients to make her pickles and jams and even elderflower cordial.

This peaceful existence though is about to be shattered when she discovers her little brother has been left 'home alone' while her mother swans off to Spain. Reluctantly she takes Ryan in and all his sixteen year old hormones and issues. It is not going to be easy to get Ryan to embrace his temporary home and being part of a community. Poppy is nothing if not ready for a challenge even if it isn;t on of her choosing.

The other challenge she faces is her grumpy neighbour Jacob. Recently moved to the area, Jacob is very reluctant to be apart of anything whether it be neighbours, the community and certainly not the garden. He does not seem to trust anyone and won't anyone get close to him to find out why.

That is until he starts to prove a great help with Poppy's brother Ryan and it seems perhaps Jacob is just dealing with his past in his own way, just as Ryan is.

When events in the garden leave the whole of Nightingale Square questioning each other as to who they can trust and especially outsiders.

Trust is a major theme in this book and it shows the different ways in which mistrust and trust can manifest itselves, between siblings, between friends and also between neighbours. But what Heidi Swain does do is give you an abundance of love and faith in this and all of her novels no matter which one you pick up.

Something about Heidi's novels makes me want to move straight in and become involved and if I could meet my own Mr Grumpy and drink elderflower cordial then I think life would be complete. In fact life is complete with any of Heidi Swain's novels and this latest one is no exception.

An excellent storyline with lots of twists to keep it interesting. The characters are likeable and believable.

I was hooked on this book and it's characters from the start! I felt emotionally invested in the plot so early on and read it in one sitting in about three hours. Although the ending felt predictable, the ending wasn't what was important about the novel, the important part was the journey the plot took to arrive there, and the character development that happened within this. I couldn't have predicted some of the major plot twists, but they were much better than I could have imagined, however it was a bit annoying that it took until about three quarters of the way through the book for me to stop imagining Jacob as an old man, but I'm sure that's mostly due to my lack of imagination rather than the writing!

I have just this moment finished reading Heidi Swain’s new release Poppy’s Recipe for Life which takes us back to the wonderful setting of Nightingale Square with the residents we grew to love in Sunshine and Sweet Peas in Nightingale Square and it has been a real joy to return to this community focused group of characters and to see what they are up to now as well as meeting two new residents Poppy and Jacob ( better known as Mr Grumpy ).
Poppy is a pure delight with a heart of gold who puts everyone’s needs and happiness before her own. Her life is turning around as her dream house becomes available for her to move into which will allow her to become one of the residents of Nightingale square and it isn’t long before she is welcomed by the community with open arms much to her delight, if only the same could be said for her grumpy new neighbour Jacob.
As Poppy begins to enjoy her new life she opens her heart and her home to her brother Ryan who is heading down a wrong path, she is hoping that a settled home for a while and the community spirit will help to set him back on the right path but is she putting her own happiness and new life at risk?
One thing I can always count on with Heidi Swain’s novels is the connection between all the characters and the massive helping of support from the community in which I am in awe of. If Nightingale Square or Wynebridge were real places I would be there in a heartbeat as reading about these places makes me feel so warm and safe like a big friendly hug. This storyline tackles difficult relationships between siblings and shows how important it is to trust people and also to earn peoples trust and not abuse that trust. There is a predictable romance simmering away but although I found it easy to see the outcome of this romance the twists and turns that lead us to the inevitable was entertaining to watch.
I loved this uplifting read and have to say I was quite taken with the new cover design, the revamp has come at a great time but I was thrilled to know that we were still heading back to a much loved location despite the new look. This is definitely one of my favourites by Heidi Swain so I am sure that other fans will find themselves immersed in this storyline.

I was really excited to see Heidi Swain was releasing a new book and couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy.

Poppy is a brilliant, vibrant character who loves to help those around her and befriends anyone who comes into contact with her. Poppy has a dysfunctional relationship with her Mother and has worked hard to move on and establish a life for herself. Just as Poppy thinks she is getting to move to her dream home, her Mother makes contact and causes her to alter her plans.

Poppys Recipe for Life is a wonderful story about community spirit, friendship and rebuilding trust and relationships. I loved everything about this book from the communal gardens to the brilliant recipe cards, the book oozed character and everyone will fall in love with the kind heard Poppy.

A superb light hearted read that will inspire you to want to spend more time in the garden growing your own produce to then create wonderful food in your kitchen.

I am a massive fan of Heidi Swain and I didn't think it was possible to love her books any more than I already do but it turns out it is possible! This book really is a treat to read because you take a journey with Poppy through family difficulties, relationship ups and downs, personal life concerns, humour, companionship, friendship, community action and the positive impact of engaging in activities alongside one another. This really is a fabulous book from start to finish and I can't recommend it highly enough! Here's hoping it is the start of a new series...

If you could capture the warmth of a sunny day, the wisdom of your grandparents, the support of your best friend, the love of your partner and your dream life, mix them together and make them into a book then then this is that book.

It warm, wise, funny, life affirming and thoroughly enjoyable

I enjoyed this story about Poppy. I think she’s so patient with her disfunctional family, especially her younger brother when he turns up and threatens to turn her life upside down.
It was interesting to see Jacob open up and
I was rooting for the garden team and for Poppy. Nightingale Square is a wonderful setting and Heidi Swain can certainly write heartwarming tales.

Heidi Swain strikes again! It took me a couple of chapters to get into this one, but when I did I was hooked and kept sneaking off to read another chapter. Love the community garden and Poppy’s struggles as a sister. More please...

I’ve been so looking forward to reading this book following my first trip to Nightingale Square last year with the superb ‘Sunshine and Sweet Peas in Nightingale Square’ and fell in love with the place.

So this book was like revisiting old friends! In this gorgeous offering we meet Poppy. Poppy moves into a cottage (the very same one in which Kate in ‘Sunshine and Sweet Peas’ lived in) in order to move to be a part of the local community garden and harvest the fruits of a collective effort to put into her passion for making preserves and pickles. As she moves in she meets her neighbour Jacob who has been reclusive since moving in. Not only is he not interested in being friendly but he certainly won’t help when it comes to the beautiful collaborative garden that all of Nightingales’ inhabitants work in.

Poppy however has no such qualms and getting her hands dirty in the garden is just the balm she needs.

Soon there is a fly in the ointment, however, when Poppy’s younger (and rather troubled) brother come to stay with her whilst their flighty mum has gallivanted off with some random bloke. Can Poppy help Ryan as he’s coming off the rails?

I loved how old characters opened the newcomers in Poppy, her grumpy (but gorgeous neighbour) Jacob like they were family. Whilst you could see that Jacob was the chalk to Poppy’s cheese there was instant chemistry between them. And it was lovely to see Jacob slowly unfurl his protective and grumpy stance and open up to Poppy.

Swain has such a beautiful writing style that you immediately feel at home in her world. This story is like sliding into a warm bubble bath on a cold day; easy to sink into, comforting and gives you the warm fuzzies.

A 5 star read for me!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Poppy’s dream is to live in Nightingale Square and share in the community garden where they grow and eat the fresh produce. Working for the local grocer, Poppy has already encouraged him to ditch the plastic. And with her home made recipe cards is helping the community to cook fresh.
Poppy's dream is realised when owner Kate needs a reliable tenant for her cottage in the square. Despite meeting the Mr Grumpy neighbour Poppy feels she has found her happy home.
But will it last... thrown by the arrival of her insecure teenage brother who's been abandoned by their neglectful selfish mother. This could prove to be the end of Poppy’s simple life.
Can sisterly love and a helping hand offered from Mr Grumpy help turn around a troubled teenager and give Poppy the life she craves.
This is another heartwarming story by Heidi Swain. Very topical with ditching plastic and the desire to eat what you grow.
We catch up with characters from Sunshine & Sweetpeas as they come together again in the Square. Heartbreak and the effects of a neglectful parent bond the characters together and turn lives around. Wounds are healing and confidence growing but will they all find their happy ending?

I’ve read all of Heidi Swain’s previous novels and found them consistently enjoyable - warm hearted, cosy and with great characters. This story returns to Nightingale Place, which to be honest I had forgot the previous storyline about, however I soon picked up with the characters although as it does not necessarily continue on as such anyone who hasn’t read the first would have no problem getting into this.

Poppy is a lovely character, I would have liked a bit more back story (this might have been covered previously but I can’t remember) however without it you still got a good feel for her history and when Ryan appeared on the scene you could feel the impact their mother had on them. Jacob was a mystery at first although I rather liked his grumpiness and would have liked to see him take a little longer to fit into the square. It was good seeing all three stories play out and overall the story was very relaxing and enjoyable, and totally met my expectations of a Heidi Swain novel. Can’t wait to read the next one.

Many, many thanks to NetGalley for my copy of this

I am very quickly becoming a big fan of Heidi Swains books not only are the covers perfection but so are the stories and the characters within!

I had only me and to read one chapter but 4 hours later I find myself coming towards the end of the book! That's how you know it's a good book!

This book was different to what I was expecting but it was an interesting read, There were twists and turns before the right ending happened. A book that you wanted to continue reading with out putting it down. The story shows how a community can and should work and live together bringing people from all walks of life to grow and enjoy what they are doing.. Without giving any of the story away I would say read this and enjoy , this is another of Heidi Swain's good reads and I would say it will be another success for her, Interesting and could be a true story if only people would learn to be like the characters in this novel.

I really enjoyed this book!

I thought it was a lovely story and I genuinely loved every page.

It was very well written and it had some excellent characters.

It was a real page turner and I flew though the story as I couldn't wait to see how it would all work out! Very enjoyable.

Five stars from me for this one - very highly recommended!!