I love Ali McNamara’s style and this is another magical read.

When Ava Martin moves to Bluebird Cottage in Bluebell Wood she wants to escape and wants to hide away with her rescue dog Merlin they settle in and with the help of her bird feeders and the magical birds that come to her garden Ava starts to become a part of the community and finds some friends along the way.

Always a feel good read from Ali and I always look forward to her new books

A beautifully written book that really grabs you and totally immerses you in the storyline.
Ava has had a troubled time which we gradually learn more about. She has taken a rental in a lovely cottage by Bluebell Wood. She wants to cocoon herself and keep away from everyone. She struggles to go out- but her rescue dog means that she needs to venture out.
She meets the local vicar out on a walk and gradually gets to know more of the villagers.
She feeds birds in the garden and they bring little treasures that are a bit of a mystery.
There is such a community feel about this book- you get to know everyone and feel a part of the village. They pull together to try and stop a local development and the treasures the birds find form an interesting angle.
I loved every page and look forward to Ali's next release eagerly.

All Ava wants is some solitude, some peace and quiet. When she thinks she has found the ideal house, she looks forward to settling down for a few months to get her life back to normal. However, unintentionally, she gets drawn mor and more into the village community- and finds she is actually enjoying herself. Within the village, she finds herself changing. Can she find everything she wants here? Nice, relaxing read.

I loved Hope and Happiness in Bluebell Wood. It's a really lovely story

Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

I have to admit that I am a big Ali McNamara fan and every time I read one of her books I am reminded why! This was an absoluteky joyous book to read. Due to the sheer volume of death and destruction I read about within the thriller books I love, it’s always nice to have a reprieve from that and this is the perfect solution! Ava has given up city life to try living among the peacefull Bluebell Wood. As a reader you don’t know her exact circumstances until much later in the book, you only know she is crippled by anxiety. AMN has such flair when decsribing these beautiful fictional towns that you almost want to go there on holiday.

Ava is struggling but persisting in her need to get over her problems such as leaving the house. Somehow Bluebell Wood and the retal cottage she is staying in seem to cast a spell over her. You get to meet many villagers including Callum the parish priest. Ava also shares her journey with Marvin her new dog. There is something so calming about the book, the characters and the setting. It was a purejoy to read something so lovely and it certainly put a smile on my face.There are many that say these type of books are too predictable but thats the joy of these books. They may have a sad story behind varioud characters but it’s the joy in seeing them grow, adapt and overcome. Another wonderful book by an author I think is amazing!

I love this author's books and couldn't wait to start this one! As per her other books we are treated to a warm, light-hearted, magical story set in the most beautiful location of Bluebell Wood. The main character, Ava, has moved to a cottage in Bluebell Wood in search of some peace and tranquility and to take stock of her life. It's obvious from the very beginning that Ava has experienced something traumatic in her life, but we are kept waiting as her story moves on to find out what this is.

I loved Ava's character and loved how she was a middle aged woman with grown up children, and not a much young character like some other books. Her life experiences were sought after by the other characters throughout the story and I loved how Ava's relationships with them developed, despite her wanting to keep to herself! Her relationship with young Robin was particularly endearing and I loved his character with so much wisdom coming from such a young mouth! Robin's autism was handled sensitively and this was a great addition to the storyline! I also loved Callum's character and thought it was cleverly written to have him as the local priest. I did however find myself looking around to see if I'd be struck down for finding him so attractive! His storyline was another one which kept us guessing and developed throughout the book!

Of course, there was always going to be a magical theme to the book and this came in the form of the birds which came to feast in Ava's garden. This wonderful array of feathered friends was completely charming and I loved trying to work out the mystery of what they were doing and why! I didn't realise until the notes at the end of the book that the story is literally peppered with bird references, some more obvious than others, so keep your eyes peeled for them!

I lived this book from the very beginning and felt like I'd been drawn into a big warm hug whilst reading! Filled with likeable characters, heart-warming moments and beautiful images of bluebell filled woods, this book will leave you with a big smile on your face! As I expected, once started I couldn't put it down! Would highly recommend!

Uplifting, light-hearted summer read, bringing friendship, romance and a sprinkling of magic.

Ava escapes from London to a picturesque country village, in search of peace and tranquillity following a horrible incident. She plans to hide away with her dog Merlin, and settles in to a sheltered routine of dog walks and feeding the wild birds who visit her garden. But it gradually becomes apparent that the gifts her feathered friends bring in return might have a very special purpose.

A lovely feel good story - a glorious summer read.

Ava is escaping city life for the peace of Bluebell Wood. She locks herself away in her cottage with her dog, Merlin, to recover. She is gradually absorbed into village life and brought gradually back to life.

She takes on feeding the local wild birds who frequent her garden. They accept her offerings and leave her offerings of their own - do they have a message behind them?

Ava meets Callum - the local vicar - and becomes embroiled in the villagers fight against a local housing development.

A story full of hope - pertinent for our times.

The perfect summer read: heartwarming and engrossing. It's a good book if you want to read a feel-good story and escape reality.
I rooted for the characters, and loved every moment of this story.
Good plot and character development.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

As always, a magical, romantic and exciting story from Ali McNamara! I adored this new setting, the wonderful and warm cast if characters and the mystical twist.

This is a wonderful magical and romantic read. I was totally lost in the life around Bluebell Wood. The picture of the bluebells growing wild in the woods brought a small to my face as I envisioned a blanket of blue all around me.
Ava, divorced and experiencing a devastating incident decides that her high flying career in the City, needs to go. She becomes afraid to venture out and meet people so looked for a cottage in a quiet village, away from crowds. She finds just what she is looking for. Her son and daughter move her and Merlin the dog into the cottage and fear this is the wrong decision, to be so alone. How wrong they could be. Her neighbours who she tried dreadfully hard to escape seeing, are a very friendly and supportive lot. She loves feeding the birds and suddenly they start leaving little gifts for her on the bird table. The birds seem to be sending signs to Ava and becomes more apparent when she meets Callum, the Parish Vicar. Mystery and intrigue weave in and out of this well written book. Some people may even think about their faith as they read the book. The characters are all believable and loveable. Thank you, Ali McNamara, for such a magical story which I could not put down.

A perfect escapism. Ali's novels always have a sense of magic and this one was no different. Thoroughly enjoyed escaping into this novel every evening.

What a lovely, feel good read.

Having had a traumatic experience in London, Ava rents a cottage near Bluebell wood with her new rescue dog, Merlin. She is hesitant at first, but the villagers are friendly and welcoming, Ava even has a lovely romance with the local vicar.

I loved the idea of the birds bringing gifts and especially enjoyed reading the author’s note about the link between birds and the character’s names.

The subject of autism was carefully handled with the story of the young boy, Robin.

This was an engaging, well written and well plotted story which I will definitely recommend.

Thanks indeed to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

It's a few months since I read a book as captivating as this. It tells how a woman with a traumatic past comes to terms with this through a series of events which happen while she lives in Bluebell Woods. Not only does she finds peace and happiness but the inhabitants of Bluebell Woods also have their lives changed for the better. Throughout the book the local birds appear and have a huge influence on the story. I love Ali's books and this is one of the best

Ive always loved Ali McNamara novels, and this one made no exception.
Ava( the main character) seeks some peace and quite in a remote little village after a devasting experience that changes her life.
Bluebell village turns out to be what she needed and with the help of gorgeous "sexy" vicar Callum, the whole community, the woods surrounding the area and some magical wildlife everything finally makes sense again.
What a fantastic read and a book I couldn't put down!

Well done Ali for another great book, I'm looking forward to reading the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Oh I just loved Hope and Happiness in Bluebell Wood by Ali McNamara. For me it was the perfect book to escape into and I loved everything about this book. Another fabulous book by Ali that I could not put down.

I really enjoyed this story and just like Ali’s previous books it has charm and magic. At times I felt infuriated with the main character Ava and wanted to shake her but that’s the fantastic thing about a well written book, you feel like these are real people. I’d highly recommend this book to my friends

Absolutely loved this book. This is the first book I have read by this author. It was just so magical. Ava moved to Bluebell wood for a new life after a tragic incident. It is a story about recovery, friendship, love and a bit of magic thrown in with the birds. It was a nice easy read, plenty of description and kept you wanting more. The characters were wonderful and engaging. I was disappointed when I got to the end.

The recap by author:
Welcome to Bluebell Wood where the sun shines, the locals are kind and there's something more than a little bit magical about the place.

Ava loves city life but when something happens to make her feel unsafe, she retreats to the calm and quiet of Bluebell Wood. The once high-flying Ava now locks herself away in her fairy-tale cottage, only leaving to explore the trails of the nearby woods or to potter in the garden with her dog, Merlin.

When Ava begins to feed the wild birds that flock to her bird table, they start leaving her trinkets of appreciation in return. The gifts seem innocent at first, but they soon seem to take on a deeper meaning.

It isn't until Ava meets Callum, the handsome parish priest, that she can't help but wonder if the birds might have been trying to get her out of the house all along. But will their curious behaviour help to heal Ava, and transform her and Callum into the lovebirds they clearly long to be?

Loved it - from the moment I picked up this book I was away. Love the writing style. Love the location. Love everything about the book.

🌳Hope and Happiness in Bluebell Wood🌳

I fancied a nice, light read and had this on my kindle. I read it in a few nights as it was just the type of book fluff I was looking for to escape into. Bluebell Wood sounds idyllic with its picturesque, tiny village and welcoming residents. Who wouldn’t want to live here?!
Ava suffers a tragic event in London and decides to escape into the country for a few months with newly adopted Merlin the dog.
Gradually she befriends the people of the village, in particular the handsome vicar Callum. You need to read this with a pinch of salt as a lot of what happens isn’t very believable but it’s nice to lose yourself into the ‘magic’ that is happening.
I recommend it as a great holiday read, nothing too taxing or distressing. I give it 3.5/5 stars. If you like Trisha Ashley books you’ll like this one!
Thank you to @netgalley for the #gifted ebook copy.