Ok, maybe I’d have liked to see just a few more hedgehogs… but I’m most definitely not complaining, because I really thought this book was pretty close to perfect. This is a series I’m SO looking forward to following.

It’s very much a book of two halves. In the first, we really get to know Sam – her family background (goodness, her mother is truly horrendous – but her lovely dad more than makes up for that), her friendships, and the sad story of her relationship with the man who was the love of her life but who just couldn’t love her in the same way. And we really see how enormous her heart is when she befriends Thomas – a sad and lonely old widower with a broken heart – and slowly breaks down his defences. And then… well, I just had to put the book down for a while because I couldn’t read through the tears.

The second half of the book then focuses on Hedgehog Hollow, its restoration, and Sam’s mission to deliver on her promise to Thomas. And as the restoration work continues, Sam rebuilds her own life too – a fresh start, mending fences (although there are some that will always prove beyond repair), making new and very special friends, and perhaps even finding a little romance coming from a totally unexpected direction.

So that’s the story – well, more or less – but it doesn’t even begin to tell you how thoroughly gorgeous this book is. The author always has such a special touch with relationships – the complexities of families, the way people can hurt each other, the support of friends – and I’ve never seen her do it any better than she does in this book. I felt sheer rage at the way Sam was treated – how could they?! She’s so warm and caring and lovely, and I really hurt for her as everything in her life went haywire – and what’s more, there was a real legacy of injustice and unfairness too that she did absolutely nothing to deserve. Her sadness made me ache inside – all the emotional content is just superbly handled. And as well as the relationships, there’s also some real threat and drama – edge-of-the-seat writing, and so very well done.

The characterisation is exceptional – not just Sam and Thomas, but every single individual in the book, fully rounded, entirely real people behaving as well or badly as people do. The dialogue – another thing she always does so well – is better than ever, conversations and interactions you feel you’ve been allowed to overhear and be part of. And I absolutely loved the setting too – not the familiar surroundings of Whitsborough Bay this time, but the winding lanes of The Wolds, with Hedgehog Hollow itself described in the most loving of detail (goodness, I could smell that wildflower meadow!).

This whole book entirely enchanted me from beginning to end – I lived every twist and turn of the story, and felt a real sense of loss when I reached the end. All I can say is thank goodness it’s the start of a series… I’m going to really look forward to the time I spend at Hedgehog Hollow.

Truly lovely and moving story!😪. A real hit for me😌🤗

5🌟stars for sure😍
I totally fell for this story of a young woman with so much hurt, betrayal and rejection in her life, who escaped the negativity to fulfill a beloved friend's dream. So many instances when she could have just wallowed in her hurt and setbacks but, inspired by her beloved grandfather, she keeps on truckin' and reaching for the good karma she's due.

With so many secondary characters, many supportive but a good number against her, I was happy that the characters were so distinct and relevant to Samantha's story that I had no trouble keep them straight. There's romance, a bit of inspirational magic and heavens to Betsy, let's not forget the hedgehogs (though, truth be told, they are bit players in a story that encompasses so much more). Tearful, sad moments, fragile family relations and even vandals all play important roles in Samantha's journey. The author also paints beautiful pictures of the Yorkshire countryside with her words.🌄

So totally emotion-packed and with a bittersweet side: I loved this book. This was my first time reading a Jessica Redland work but I will be looking for others.

Thanks to publisher Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

Finding Love at Hedgehog Hollow by Jessica Redland Isn’t my first book by the author, in fact I’ve read several of Jessica’s books now. What keeps me coming back is her lovely writing style, the warmth in her stories and the loveable and relatable characters she writes. I loved Samantha so much, wasn’t as keen on her mum even with the reasons, but Sam was so great, watching her development as the story went along is just lovely. For me it has animals, drama, love and family what more could you want from a story. Heartwarming

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book for an honest opinion

Finding Love at Hedgehog Hollow by Jessica Redland is a feel good book, and my first book by this author. Samantha Wishaw just watched the love of her life marry her cousin, so she throws herself into a friendship with Thomas, an elderly man who lives at Hedgehog Hollow. I really enjoyed this book but Samantha's mother is the most horrible person ever, and I could not relate to her at all. I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys family drama, friendship, and romance. I look forward to reading more book by Ms. Redland.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

An entertaining, heartwarming and uplifting story that made me smile and root for the characters.
The storyline and the characters are excellent, the descriptions of the setting made me wish to the there.
I can't wait to read the next story by this author.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I loved this book from the first few chapters, Sammie was a superb main character who always looked after those around her and tried her best to remain upbeat and positive.

Hedgehog Hollow is my absolute dream home, a farmhouse with barns and the description of the meadow made me fall in love with it instantly and me it a perfect setting for this story. A gorgeous book about love and hope, that made me laugh, feel indignant and want to cry. Hedgehogs are wonderful animals and whilst reading I was transported me back in time to memories of seeing them in the garden as a child.

This book was like a giant hug, I absolutely loved it and was so disappointed to be nearing the end that I wanted to stop reading as I felt connected to the characters and story and didn't want it to end! This was my first book by Jessica Redland and I have delighted to have found a wonderful new author and am excited to read more of her books.

I do so enjoy Jessica Redland’s lovely uplifting books and am pleased to say that Finding Love at Hedgehog Hollow is just as lovely.

It’s the story of Sam, who we meet when she is the bridesmaid at the wedding of her cousin Chloe who is also her best friend. The only slight issue is that she is marrying the man Sam loves, James, who used to be Sam’s boyfriend. While on an errand after the ceremony, she gets lost and ends up finding an elderly man ill in his remote farmhouse, Hedgehog Hollow. As she’s a nurse, she stops to help and this chance meeting leads to a firm friendship between Sam and grumpy Thomas which it’s fair to say, changes both their lives for the better. However, events at the wedding reception when she finally makes it back, very late and rather muddy, result in some very unpleasant scenes and undeserved ill feeling towards Sam.

Jessica Redland explores a lot of very complicated family relationships throughout the book and it was fascinating to read about how the difficult situations had come about and to what extent they resolved over the course of the book. The relationship between Sam and her mum was particularly difficult and was sad to read about. On the other hand, the growing friendship between Sam and Thomas, the owner of Hedgehog Hollow, was just lovely. It was very touching to read about an earlier connection between Sam and Thomas’ late wife Gwendoline. Thank goodness for Sam’s Dad and her other good friends when at times so many people seemed so unjustly against her.

Sam was a character I really took to heart. She really was kindness personified. It was just in her nature to show kindness to people and to animals, even when sometimes the people in particular didn’t deserve it. It was certainly true what her grandad used to say “The fragrance always stays in the hand that gives the rose”. It’s not a phrase I’d heard before but is about acts of kindness ultimately benefiting the giver. Although Sam would never do anything with the expectation of reward, all her kindnesses definitely do reward her.

I have spoken a bit about the relationships within the book and about Sam herself but haven’t even touched on the fact that there is also a rather nicely done romance within the story, as you might guess from the title. It’s not perhaps the main focus but really added to my enjoyment, the way the love was not sought or expected but was without doubt a meeting of minds. And then there’s the hedgehog rescue centre which Sam is tasked with setting up, to fulfil Thomas and Gwendoline’s plans. Perhaps coincidentally, we’ve had visits to our garden almost every evening this week from a hedgehog (sometimes two) – perhaps they knew I was reading about them!

I very much enjoyed Finding Love at Hedgehog Hollow. It’s a delightful story of friendship, kindness and love and of being true to yourself. It’s a wonderfully heart-warming story which I recommend if you are looking for a really feel-good read. I am looking forward to reading more about Sam and her hedgehogs in future books about Hedgehog Hollow.

This book was really easy to read, and very enjoyable. I really liked Samantha, and her character development over the course of the book was great to see. I liked quite a few of the other characters too, Josh, Samantha’s father, her friend Hannah particularly. However, I there were several I really didn’t like - mostly her mother, who was just incredibly horrible and unkind. I thought that the story of Hedgehog Hollow was charming, I love hedgehogs (one of the reasons I picked this book), but it was so much more lovely than I thought.

There were too many deaths in this book for my taste, but they are written in such a way that it is not too horribly sad. The setting of Hedgehog Hollow came through very strongly.

Overall, if you can cope with a couple of deaths, and one really nasty character, this is a lovely gentle romance, but also a personal development story.

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

Enjoyable read. Would recommend to friends and family. I could sympathise with characters (important for any fiction novel!) and looked forward to picking it up and reading the next few chapters! Interesting plot line and a good ending. Will look out for more novels by the author. Thank you.

Wow-what an amazing read this was. I started it as I got in the bath, 2 hours later I decided I really need to get out the bath! I then got dry, warmed up in PJ’s and then finished reading the book.

This is the story of Samantha and her life, the people in her life and how she is treated. She has not had the best relationship with some of her family and when her cousin, who is also best friend marries her ex-boyfriend, then things take a real turn after the ceremony.

But in some ways, this leads Samantha to what will be the best fresh start she will ever have. It will also bolster her confidence, give her some well-deserved respect and make her realise that she is as good as everyone else.

This is a story that is so full of emotion, and not just the happy ones either. There were times where I was so frustrated at how Samantha was being treated, she is such a nice person and has the biggest heart, but this is just what some people need to take advantage and to manipulate.

Samantha has the sort of determination to crack even the grumpiest person and make their lives better for it. Thomas was just what she needed and without realising it, he needed her as well. Their relationship was very special, it brought back forgotten happy memories for both.

This is as much about the bond of friends and family as it is about making changes to life. It's about taking opportunities and chances and running with them. Most of all it is about fulfilling a long lost dream and surrounding yourself with positive and special people.

A gorgeous book full of beautiful descriptions and it was an absolute pleasure to read. A romance with a whole lot of heart and soul and one I would absolutely recommend.

I devoured this book but honestly the relationship between Sam and her mum was so painful to read about that I cannot recommend this as an escapist read. Very harsh stuff including Sam being walked all over by most members of her family, including her best friend and cousin Chloe. It's obvious to the reader that Chloe is a terrible person, but Sam seems to continue to think the world of her. Knocks the otherwise smart Sam down quite a few pegs in the eyes of the reader.

If the smarmy cruelty regarding Sam's mum is removed, this book would be a way better read. The level of cruelty was out of this world. Just terrible to read about. The reader is never really sure why Sam's Dad just stood back and watched the cruelty.

Honestly I would remove all the stuff about Sam's mum myself and possibly some of the cruelty from Chloe. The rest of the book was adorable and mostly uplifting.

I don't know about other readers of cosy romance and escapist fiction but the general nastiness of the characters here just disgusted me and is not what I expect to find in this type of fiction. The hedgehog part of the plot was cute.

I just can't rate higher due to the nastiness.

🌟📚Brilliantly written📚🌟

Straight away I'm rooting for Sammie as she seems like the underdog to her Cousin Chloe.

If you read this you may need tissues in Chapter 6 I was crying my eyes out. What amazing writing to provoke such emotions.

There are a few characters you really get a disliking for, Great Aunt Agnes is so sly and always disappointed in Sammie and don't even get me started on Chloe and James.

Again this is testament to the explanations of the characters and the style of writing because I genuinely had dislike for them and they're characters.

I feel so sorry for Sammie, she seems to have been dealt a duff hand to me. Her family (excluding her dad) are infuriating but she also just let's them get away with it. She is lucky to have her father but he also doesn't do enough at the beginning for me really. The fact that I am questioning why they don't stand up to their relatives just shows I actually felt part of this story.

The relationship that Sammie and her father have is much like my own so I can really relate.

Further into this beautiful story shows how small the world is when Sammie meets Thomas, what a lovely chance meeting. It's such a loving story of a friendship that blossoms. So moving that when Sammie was annoyed or upset I got annoyed and upset too.

I absolutely love the way Sammie and Thomas' Christmas day is explained. I wouldn't want to spend Christmas day with my family either if they treated me the way Sammie's treat her.

I also love that the author did so much research into nursing and hedgehogs to make sure she got the facts right.

This story is really romantic and i am sucker for romance. There are some difficult topics in it too. Loss, Friendships, family fueds and some hard but right decisions. Marvelous!

A lot of family drama keeps it interesting, but it all amounts to...not much. The explanation for Sam’s own mother not liking her and preferring her cousin Chloe did not make sense to me at all. I feel like each character has a bullet list of traits but lack in detail and depth. The story between Sam and the elderly Thomas was great and so sweet. But the resolution with her family and a rushed romance with handsome veterinarian (who is apparently a Chris Pratt look alike) fell flat. Bit of a bland story by the end, unfortunately.

Finding Love at Hedgehog Hollow is a lovely story of resilience and forgiveness.

Samantha Wishaw had the worse possible family. Really, it sucked!

Her mother hated her, her aunts bullied her, her cousin stole all her things, and her father watched it all happen doing very little.

Every possible bad thing happened to Samantha. She was cheated, ostracized, humiliated, and, when she liked someone, they tended to die.

Despite all that, Sam had an infinite reserve of forgiveness; she chose to give second, third, and fourth chances. She kept reaching out and caring.

Sam is a lovely human being. Reading her story made me feel good about my family and friends. I felt loved, respected, and valued.

Apart from her obnoxious family, she had some adorable friends like Mr. Thomas Mickleby (he was grumpy but improved on acquaintance), David, Robin, and her boss Lauren. She also had the hedgehogs.

Yes, there are tons of lovely hedgehogs all through the pages, and Sam is determined to rescue them all.

She ended up rescuing more than hedgehogs. She also saved a lovely and troubled veterinarian. It was beautiful to see two broken hearts speaking to one another.

There is a tiny paranormal element that was charming and a perfect closing to the story.

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

*This review will be posted on https://lureviewsbooks.com on 07/07/2020 as part of the book's blog tour*

Finding Love at Hedgehog Hollow by Jessica Redland is the first book I've had the pleasure of reading by this author, and it certainly won't be the last. I'm such a huge fan of cosy, warm, uplifting fiction and this story fit the bill perfectly for me. It had everything from romance and blossoming new friendships, to heartache and toxic family members. It was a joy to read and a wonderful story to lose myself within, with a whole host of fun, warm & welcoming characters who carved themselves a little space in my heart by the end. With a tightly-written and seamless plot, I found myself flying through Finding Love at Hedgehog Hollow in a way that only happens when I'm totally convinced by, and in love with, the story.

Finding Love at Hedgehog Hollow by Jessica Redland follows Samantha Winshaw as she stumbles her way through life, trying her absolute best to remain positive, upbeat, and sparkly. From the marriage of her cousin to the man Samantha has been head over heels in love with for years, to the toxic, confusing relationship Samantha has with her very own mother, this is a character who has a hell of a lot to contend with throughout the progression of this book. Samantha's adventure really beings to pick up pace when her path crosses with that of Thomas, a grumpy and rather rude yet lonely elderly man who is, despite his protestations, in need of help desperately. It is here, after this chance meeting with Thomas, that Samantha's life is turned on its head and takes her completely off-course but in the best way possible.

I adore a story in which we experience the mental & emotional "glow-up" of a character. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing somebody discover what it is they really want from life, and what it is that truly makes them happy. Samantha Winshaw experiences some hardcore heartache in this novel, and I couldn't help but to feel sympathy towards the woman who so desperately just wanted to somebody to love and accept her for who she was. After all, isn't that what we all want? Somebody who knows all of our flaws and accepts them with no questions asked? It seems that in Finding Love at Hedgehog Hollow, it's not only the romantic sort of acceptance and love which Jessica Redland writes of, but the maternal sort of love too. My heart ached for the love which Samantha craved. It was something she had never known yet always yearned for, and remained a great mystery to me throughout my reading of this book. I was intrigued as to what had caused this huge rift between mother and daughter, and really hoped that it was something Samantha would find an answer to before I reached the final page.

There was such a lot going on within this book which gave me plenty to sink my teeth into, and plenty to think about, too. Another aspect of this story I particularly enjoyed was the fixing up of Thomas's home. I'm no fixer-upper personally but it really is something I love to read about in fiction, and with this home, considerably more so. Hedgehog Hollow was such a beautiful house but it was in dire need of some TLC. What I also loved was how Samantha helped Thomas to overcome the loss of his dear wife Gwendoline. This was such a tender and moving aspect of this story, one which moved me immeasurably and had me close to tears on numerous occasions. The gradual shift in Thomas and Samantha's relationship was excellently done by the author and I loved every moment spent watching it evolve.

Of course, what really lies at the heart of this story is Samantha taking on the late Gwendoline's dream of running a hedgehog rescue centre at Hedgehog Hollow. Not only does Samantha bravely take on this task but she also does so with a whole lot of faith and trust. With the support of her new friends and her dishy potential romantic interest, this was such an exciting part of this novel and I wanted nothing more than for Samantha to make Gwendoline's dream come true and bring the rescue centre to life. I also found the facts about hedgehogs highly enlightening and enjoyed learning about these prickly but cute creatures as Samantha geared up her new role as hedgehog rescuer.

Jessica Redland is clearly an accomplished and capable writer. Her style is addictive and so incredibly easy to gel with. It made me feel as though I'd left reality behind and was now living in Samantha's world instead. I was completely swept away by the goings-on in the pages and was highly entertained by each new chapter and each new event that took place. Reading this book was an adventure in itself!

Finding Love at Hedgehog Hollow by Jessica Redland was a truly uplifting, emotional and beautiful story of love, family and new friendships. It was gorgeously heart-warming and it opened up a whole new world of characters to meet and problems to solve and I loved every moment spent at Samantha's side as she tackled each issue that tried to stand in her way. Jessica Redland has clearly put a ton of love into this story and it certainly shows in the writing. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I hope that there will be more to come from Samantha in the future.

With thanks to the publisher for providing me with an advanced reading copy of this book, that of which has no reflection on me providing a fair and honest review.

This is a book that hooks you on the first page. It has family drama, romance and of course cute little hedgehogs. This is a new-to-me author and I wasn't sure what to expect. I'm so glad I was approved for a copy of this book, it was an absolute joy to read.The author brought the story to life with her words, you could feel all of the emotions and see all the scenery. I can't wait to read more books by this author. Thank you Boldwood Books via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book,

A beautifully written book by Jessica. Had me in tears in parts.

When Samantha watches her cousin marry her ex boyfriend it’s the hardest day of her life. On the way to the wedding reception she gets lost and stumbles across an old farm, where she finds an elderly gentleman has fallen inside the house following a stroke. She builds a friendship with the old man who changes her life in so many different ways. A book full of loss and love.

Everything happens for a reason!

As Samantha watches the love of her life marry someone else, she truly feels at a loss..... That is until she meets Thomas, an elderly gentleman. Together they are two lonely souls that both need company.
Thomas owns Hedgehog Hollow and it his wife's dream to open a hedgehog rescue centre. Thomas knows just the person who can do it.
Can Samantha fulfil this dream? Will Samantha find her forever?

It is such a lovely read, it made me cry! It is full of emotion, kindness and warmth.

*Trigger Warning: Toxic Mother/Daughter Relationship
If you know anything about me, you know my love for hedgehogs. That may have been the reason I requested this arc from Netgalley and Boldwood Books. Going in I wasn't really sure what to expect, but I really commend the author on a solid start that really pulls you in. The use of time jumping (clearly noted at the beginning of the chapter - thanks!) really helped you grasp the current situation and what had lead up to it. One of the other things that really shined in this book was the characters. I felt like they were well developed, dynamic, and interesting. And of course, the way the hedgehogs tie into the overall story is so beautiful. This book tore at my heart so many times. I wanted to throw it (in a good way). What Sam has to go through, sometimes over and over again, is brutal; however, it goes a long way to show her character.

Now, I want to address my use of a trigger warning, which isn't something I usually do. I have a decent relationship with my mom; however, I still found myself having a really hard time reading the toxicity within this book. I cannot attest to how well the representation is, but it was emotionally pulling and hard for me to read.

Could this story have pulled on my heartstrings anymore? I cried. I laughed. I went through a torrent of emotions. It really was a fantastic read that I would recommend to anyone wanting a warm, heartfelt story to while away the hours.

The story opens at the wedding of Chloe and James where Samantha is a bridesmaid. We discover that Chloe is her best friend and her cousin but the shocker is finding out James used to be Sam’s boyfriend.

Sam is sent on an errand by Chloe – the girl literally can’t help but do anything for anybody. Sam gets lost on the way and stumbles across a farm. Desperately trying to find someone to ask directions Sam calls out to anyone living in the farm house and spies an older man collapsed on the floor. Being a nurse, Sam finds her way in and calls an ambulance, although the man, Thomas, isn’t happy about being saved. Finally, four hours late to the wedding Sam turns up to a horrible Aunt who decides to out Sam on her love for James in front of Chloe who literally hits the roof. Being disregarded by her whole family, except her Dad and her uncle, Sam feels ostracised and escapes to her new job a few villages over, moving in with Rich, the paramedic who has kept her updated about Thomas Mickleby.

Sam believes that it is fate that she managed to save Thomas’s life and visits him at hospital, even though he is sure he doesn’t want visitors and is cross with Sam for saving his life because he wanted to die and be with his wife who had passed 20 years previously. Sam eventually wears him down, using his cat as leverage and helps him when he returns home. It sparks a friendship that reminds Sam of her late Grandpa and with being kicked out of the family, Sam believes it is fate that she has met Thomas.

Thomas lives on Hedgehog Hollow, a farm that was intended to be a rescue centre for hedgehogs, but do to the untimely death of Gwendoline, the centre never happened. Sam rescues Thomas from a life of grieving. On his death, Sam finds out that Thomas has left her everything on the proviso that she follows through on Gwendolines wishes, which Sam accepts.

There are so many twists and turns to this novel I don’t want to tell you too much to ruin the whole book. What I can say is read it! It’s absolutely amazing. I cried when characters died, and I got so angry with the family issues. The prose flows really well and kept me hooked at every point. I am new to this author and I definitely intend on picking up more of her novels! I like that it wasn’t all about romance, but about life and succeeding in it through all the ups and downs that happen to everyone. It really was a feel-good, non-put-downable novel.