While Archie loves her job in Rosebrook, her life is in the city. But when Ashling begins working at the Rosebrook trust, her romantic ideologies and love of small town life does against everything Archie believes in. But Ashling also lights a fire inside her she hasn't felt before, and she finds herself really imagining a future together.

Unfortunately I couldn't get into this book, as it felt too similar to others by the other author. I typically adore Jenny Frame's books, but this one felt too much like a carbon copy of the previous books - from the characters to the conflict between them I felt like I was reading a book I've read several times before with just different names. Still, I enjoy reading about this little community in Rosebrook and Jenny Frame is a long time favourite of mine and I look forward to the next books!

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book but there were a few too many niggles for me to be blown away. I had no idea it was a second book and I didn’t even realise on reading it so it can definitely be read as a stand alone.
I liked both main characters and I loved Rosebrook - I’d really like to live there!! I just couldn’t get a handle on how much time passed in the book. For all the stuff that happened and how guarded Archie was, it just seemed like all of a sudden she didn’t care about the things she previously did. She overcame all her hang ups way too easily.
Having said that, they seem a nice couple and I’m glad they got their happy ever after!

This is book two in the Rosebrook series and I did enjoy reading it. I did rather like book 1 and gave that one 4 stars so you can see where I am going with this one. As I started reading this story I remembered main Archie from book 1. I just knew she was never going to settle down and move to the countryside. HA! Wrong. First and foremost I love this little town and all the positive things it is doing. That is all happening because of mains from book 1 Clementine and Evan. They are such a cute couple and they do play a role in getting Archie and Ashling together. This enemies to friends to lovers is quite the lovely read. Through all that pent up anger at the beginning between the mains we can see how they will make a cute couple. This for sure was a one I was happy to read. Not sure if there are more to follow in this series but if there are I will for sure read it.

4 stars.

This arc was provided by netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.

This is a fun butch/femme romance written by one of my favorite authors. It is the second book in Jenny Frame’s Rosebrook Series. This book can be read as a stand-alone novel, but readers will get a better feeling about the setting and the background characters by reading the first book.

The two main characters are Ashling O’Rourke and Steff “Archie” Archer. Archie is the first character introduced in the first book of the series, The Duchess and the Dreamer. Ashling and Archie have completely opposite personalities. Ashling has lived her whole sheltered life in Rosebrook and is a romantic. One of her favorite activities is reading romance novels and dreaming. Archie, on the other hand, is arrogant. She is a “city” person who loves her nightlife. Although Archie works in Rosemont, she continues to do a long, daily commute from the city where the action is.

It doesn’t take long for their mutual attraction to spark, but they both have to get over some obstacles before the sparks can turn into a bonfire. For example, when they first meet, Archie treats Ashling as though she is a lowly office worker whose job it is to get coffee as well as doing other menial tasks. Ashling thinks Archie is really handsome but is turned off by Archie’s personality. Things start to heat up when they are left to work together while the Duke and the Duchess are off on a honeymoon. Archie, who is not sentimental at all, must find ways to “romance” Ashling and so the fun begins.

I did not want to put this book down! Ms. Frame’s books always leave me with a good feeling. Although her plots are not complicated, they are light and fun. She continues to create interesting characters. Readers will find them to be very believable.

As with Ms. Frame’s other series, the characters are usually carried forward in the next book.

I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Neally a 4*

Home is where the heart is, is the second book in the Rosebrook series. I didn't know this... because I failed to check.! I would have had a better understanding of the series if I'd have read the first book and maybe a better concept of some of the characters etc, but it didn't seem to affect my enjoying the story. The story as a fairytale feels about it, so nothing is really realistic which puts acuteness on the storyline. In parts, some of the characters get a bit overbearing and can get on your nerves slightly but the characters all seem to click and there's plenty of romantic chemistry going around in the story.

I was given an arc for an honest review.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is book 2 of the Rosebrook series and features Ashlin and Archie, who were both introduced in book 1. Archie works with Evan and acts as her right hand, while Ashlin is Clem’s PA. The two had a rocky start in book 1 when Archie mistook Ashlin for the tea girl (which Ash mentions repeatedly in the first 30% or so of the book).

Evan and Clem have been married for a few months and are now about to go on their honeymoon. They think it’s a great idea to give two people who dislike each other and don’t work well together the same list of tasks without telling them this. I think that’s a childish and unprofessional thing for two women running businesses and villages to do.

So anyway, Archie and Ash spend all their time bickering and tripping over each other. There’s 13 years between them (as Archie continually points out) but you’d never know it by the way they act, since they both spend the majority of their time acting like petulant teenagers. There’s not much to their character development either, their main character aspects are that Archie is grumpy and avoids commitment and hates village life, while Ashlin is young, inexperienced in the world and LOVES romance in all forms.

They do eventually come to terms with each other and then start a relationship, but I was underwhelmed. Likely because I didn’t particularly like either of them (and I really didn’t like Archie). The big moment at the end was also way too cheesy for me.

I do love Rosebrook and the idea of the village and enjoyed catching up with the villagers again. We also get some new villagers, Patrick, a trans man, and Griff, a friend of Evan’s who travels around doing whatever she wants and who is now helping set up the beer factory. I assume book 3 will be hers. She’s already more interesting than Archie, so that’s a plus. 3 stars.

I enjoyed this novel, as it centres primarily on Archie 'wooing' sweet Ashling. Although I would've had issues if a woman tried to woo me by following a script from my favourite book, it was exactly what Ashling wanted and boy, did she get Archie deliver. It was so sweet to read and I am hopeful for more books in this series, if it’s romance your after give this book a read

This is a very sweet 'fairytale style' lesbian romance. Whilst I could tell from this book that it was the second in the series, I had not read the previous book and was still able to follow this book with no problems. The author did well at getting new readers up to speed about the eco friendly, lgbtq+ plus friendly, English village where the series is set. I personally found the romance a little too on the sweet and cheesy side, with romance tropes taking center stage, but I think it would really appeal to fans of traditional romances and the queerness of the book was really well written, The story follows an age-gap romance between two women who start of as colleagues that don't get along and soon become more than this. Whilst it was not completely up my street, I would recommend this book for fans of this sweet and traditional style of romance story.

This was a nice fairytale romance if that is what you are looking for. I enjoy most books written by this author so I was not disappointed from beginning to end. I think you'll enjoy the characters and storyline as well. I would recommend.

I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley.

I absolutely adore Jenny Frame and her books, they are always set somewhere I have never been, but the descriptions she uses make it very easy to imagine where these stories take place. I wish I could draw because it would be great to make a sketch and see how close I am to what the author imagined or even saw as she based the location in the book on. The story was fine, the writing was very well done, and it wasn't too much of an instant love story. There are some things that I found problematic with the book which I will discuss and hopefully not give too much away.

Towards the end of the book, Archie attempts to make amends with her mother, when she can't she has relations with Ash and is like I need you to make me feel better. That whole scene felt icky and predatory. Also, the parts where they discussed Clem being a parent because she is made to be one, it was very heteronormative in parts.

The love story was good, and As I said Jenny Frame is an amazing writer. Ash and Archies' love story is interesting and worth the read.

I absolutely loved this sweet English romance. I have to admit part of that is enjoying reading the occasional lesfic set in the UK and feeling so at home with the language, customs and landscape, but Jenny Frame writes excellent books with charming characters that are hard to resist.

Ash and Archie are fated to fall. From their initial bickering and snarky behaviour that doesn’t fool anyone but themselves, through the slight of hand played by their bosses, to the obvious attraction and flirtation. Their personalities are both likeable and real, Ash the girl next door who lives for her romance novels and Archie who will never fall in love.

The setting is intriguing. a rich environmentalist with a social conscience who has bought a village to set up both a green and a fully inclusive community. The characters of the village add to the story and there is definitely the option for infinite sequels. I hadn’t read “The Duchess and the Dreamer” (Book 1 of the Rosebrook Romances) but its now next on my list

Light and entertaining, but with a sub text that reminds us how tough life can be for the LGBTQ+ community despite the many advances we have witnessed, and for so many people who suffer the loss of a parent at a young age. The hardship and loss is countered by the love and support of parents who step up.. and show just how uplifting community can be. Thoroughly enjoyable reading.

I think everything about the village is a little over the top and too ideal. But if you ignore that its a sweet book and I liked that Archie is becoming that oldfashionend because she read the romance book Ash loved.

Iloved being back in Rosebrook Village. This time we are with dapper Archie Archer, a townie who loves her job, but wouldn’t want to live there. When she falls for the romance-loving country-phile Ashling, Archie has to decide what she really wants in life. Can she change her ways for the love of a good woman? And will she be able to give Ashling the storybook ending she hopes for?

There is conflict from the start for this pair. They seem to disagree on everything. But it’s obvious for anyone to see that they are made for each other. They might just need a little push in the right direction. As they are forced to work together more closely, the sparks start to fly. I adored the growing romance between Archie and Ashling, and could feel the passion jumping off of the page. The dynamic was wonderful. This age-gap, enemies to lovers story swept me off my feet. And the wonderful family-feeling of the village made it so special. Every person wanted to be there, and they were all behind the couple, cheering them on. I can’t wait for the next one and finding out what happens next for Fox, Clem and the gang.

I was given this ARC for review.

I am a big fan of Jenny Frame’s but I had not yet visited Rosebrook Village nor its first installment The Duchess and the Dreamer. I was uncertain if I should carry on with Home Is Where the Heart Is or not. I did read on and while I was curious about a few of Rosebrook’s citizens and was a bit thrown that the first sex scene in the book was about the Duchess and her Dreamer, but I got up to speed really fast, like I gotta read about these two, fast. And I do intend to read their story, but this story is about hometown girl, Ashling and the dapper Londoner, Archie.
Ashling loves Rosebrook, reads romance novels, and knows she will never want to live elsewhere. Her new job at the Rosebrook Village Trust has helped her spread her wings and is beginning to grow into herself even if one of her co-workers thinks she’s the tea-girl. Archie likes Rosebrook well enough and likes working at the Trust, but her life is in London, where she dates a lot of women and has all the things a city has to offer. Plus she has memories of village life. So there is no way is a village-life for her.

When their bosses leave on a honeymoon they put Ashling and Archie in charge. Well, each thinks she is in charge. After a few mishaps, they sort things out and Ashling is even willing to forgive Archie for asking her for tea. They get to know a little about each other. We discover Ashling’s reasons for loving romances and of Archie’s love of a Netflix show. (BTW I did look for ‘The Gatekeepers’ but alas it’s not real.) Everything changes when Archie spies Ashling in a bikini. And Ashling keeps thinking about running her fingers thru Archie’s hair. But Archie is only around for a short time and there is a project in Japan that is perfect for her. So why is she spending all her time in Rosebrook? Why is she reading a Regency romance? She doesn’t want a life in a village, does she?

This is another great story by Jenny Frame. She is a pro at creating intriguing butch and butch-ish characters and the women who love them. If you love them too, you will love Archie and Ashling.

A very charming book. I think the idyllic English countryside, and the fact that Ash was a big romance reader of older times, leant itself quite well to the charm of this story. When I was done with it, I really felt like it was a sweet, and charming tale.

I think you'd definitely get more out of reading this book if you were to read the first in the series, "The Duchess and the Dreamer" since Fox and Clementine make plenty of appearances. I didn't realize it was a second book, and still enjoyed it on it's own for sure. But if you're a fan of the first book, you'll be happy.

I did enjoy that there wasn't much of a breakdown of their relationship, that more often than not happens in this genre. There really isn't much drama, other than a little snippiness at the beginning between the two. I'd call this a lovely vacation read.

Overall, a pleasant read.

This is a sweet romance and a nice read but it didn’t work for me as well as other books by Jenny Frame. I didn’t read the first book in the series so I guess I didn’t enjoy the previous characters appearances as much.

I liked the main characters well enough and the sex scenes were very good but my biggest issue was the repetition throughout the book, we are told few times about romance novels, how much you learn from them, age difference and the same kind of jokes too. For all of that the pace of the book felt a bit odd.

Enjoyed the village life and aspirations, a bit ideal but it is good to think a place can be completely inclusive and hopefully the world can be become a little bit more too

This was an adorably romantic read. Jenny Frame's books have never failed to disappoint. It was lovely to have old friends so involved in the storyline. The history and scenery of the village was magical. With the romance novel concept inside of the storyline it felt like I was getting two books for one. I kept marveling at how she imagined both stories and tied it all together for such a sweet love story. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

The best lesbian fiction book I've read this month

Home is Where the Heart is, by Jenny Frame, is the second book in the Rosebrook series, following Ash and Archie, who are colleagues at Rosebrook Village. Ash is a romantic who enjoys cheesy romance books, whereas Archie is a city girl and despises small community life after previous troubles in her childhood. Much of the book is spent bickering and arguing, with Archie coming across as childish and scornful of Ash's hobbies and believing the age difference is too large, before quickly changing her mind. This is overall confusing for the reader, with Archie completely changing her ideas in a very short time, and paired with attempting to make the other jealous, caused me to not support the romance. In addition, the two chapters from Clem and Fox's POV were unnecessary and confusing, with the first (chapter 2) being an explicit scene which I believe was not needed.

Rosebrook is a eco-friendly, inclusive village that is being developed by the wealthy toy tycoon Evan Fox and wife Clementine. It promotes saving the environment and encourages animal friendly and sustainable natural farming. It is a little utopia and people that live there must buy in to the ideals of the community. This is the second in the Rosebrook series and focuses on Evan's Environmental Consultant Archie (36) and Clems's Personal Assistant Ashling (Ash, 23). They are left in charge of the community while Fox and Clem honeymoon.

Archie lives in London and commutes to the community living a more worldly lifestyle. Ash is local and is very sheltered. Much is made of this being an age gap romance, with the difference being a continually harped on concern for Ash. Emotionally they behave about the same age and I didn't care about the age gap and didn't see why it is constantly brought up.

Ash is lovely as a sweet, romance reading, caring person. She is responsible in her work and loves her father and community. Archie is harder to like with much of her comments sounding condescending. I like how the author uses romance novels as a tool for helping others realize their feelings. And of the two Archie is the one who changes the most over the course of the story.

I like the setting and Ash but the book itself was just average. I support the environmental message and the inclusivity in its many forms. But I had a harder time with the conversations and thoughts as they were written. I don't hear people speak the way these characters do and I didn't need every thought explained to me. I am glad to have read the book it just wasn't a home run for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an ARC ebook in exchange for a honest review.