This is a quietly powerful and emotionally rich story about finding your voice, uncovering long-buried truths, and stepping into a life of your own choosing. Natalie Fisher has spent her entire life in service to others—first as a child caring for her chronically ill mother, then as the reluctant caretaker of the family herb farm. She’s used to putting her own dreams aside, so when unexpected opportunities arrive—a helpful newcomer named Zeb, and a musical group looking to record an album on her land—Natalie begins to glimpse the life she might have had.

As she opens her world to new people and new experiences, Natalie also opens the door to long-suppressed questions about her family and her own identity. The novel skillfully balances the slow rhythms of farm life with the emotional urgency of Natalie’s self-discovery. Her journey is both tender and deeply resonant, with moments of revelation that are both painful and liberating.

The writing is lyrical yet grounded, and the characters—especially Natalie—are drawn with warmth and complexity. Zeb and the musicians bring charm and change, but it’s Natalie’s transformation that holds the heart of the story. This is a beautifully told, character-driven novel that lingers after the final page.

“Once Upon a Thyme” is by Jane Lovering. This is a really sweet book about a woman, Tillie, who runs her family herb farm. Not that I ever want to run an herb farm, but man that sounds like an amazing job to have. But I digress. While at work one day, Zeb appears and it’s discovered that Tillie’s mother has hired him to improve the marketing of the farm. Then, later that same day, a famous band shows up at the farm wanting to film their next video at the farm. In amongst all of this, Tillie’s mother is in ill health - so amongst all her duties (running the farm, doing the billing, arguing with Zeb about things, wrangling pigs into their enclosures) when her mother calls, Tillie drops everything to help her. I will agree with other reviewers who said that the pig escapades became a bit repetitive. Also, I quickly worked out how things were related and really felt like the mother was even a bigger piece of work than before (didn’t like her throughout the book). This was a quick okay read for me; descriptions of the farm were lovely!

Tallie owns and runs a lovely herb garden once run by her grandmother and mother. Her mother is a serious bother, suffering all her life from some mysterious ailment. She hires Zeb as a market analyst behind Tallie’s back. This further alienates Tallie. The story moves through a band making a video in the garden, Tallie and Zeb’s relationship, and her mother’s persistent demands. A captivating story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A lighthearted read which captured my imagination from start to finish. A romantic story with humour throughout. What’s not to like?
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I love Jane Lovering's books, so I requested this as soon as it popped up on Netgalley.
Tally runs a herb farm (and looks after her sick mother). She's pretty busy keeping the farm running. Then this band turns up and wants to film the video for their latest album in the herb farm - they'll hire the place out for a few days. Tally needs the money, so she agrees.
The band brings with it all kinds of disruption.
There is a romance in the book - with this guy who comes in as a business consultant to help her with the farm (hired by her mother, not Tally!), but the book is more about Tally herself and her relationship with her mother. There's a mystery element that runs through the story as well. I love a good character driven story, so I loved this one. There are animals and shenanigans and funny moments - which I've come to expect with a Jane Lovering book, but most of all it's a heartfelt story about a woman coming into her own.

I was so excited when I began reading this novel. I thought how much fun it was to meet a pig having a snack on a kitchen counter. It reminded me of Katie Fforde's novels which I so enjoyed reading in the past. Unfortunately, Tallie's tale did not continue in that entertaining vein. It's a solid 3.5 Stars, though.

Tallie is a late 20's owner of an herb shop in a small
english village. The shop was once her grandmother's and she now owns it, having bought out her mother. She is subject to her mother's whims and summonses but knows nothing about her (late) father or her own history.

Enter a passing folk rock group who want to rent her property for a new release album video. Also enter a former chef hired by her mother to help manage Tallie's business. From this point on, the rest of the novel is predictable and lacking in suspense. No surprise ending for me here. But it's a quick read anyway.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC copy of this book.


I was so excited when I began reading this novel. I thought how much fun it was to meet a pig having a snack on a kitchen counter. It reminded me of Katie Fforde's novels which I so enjoyed reading in the past. Unfortunately, Tallie's tale did not continue in that entertaining vein. It's a solid 3.5 Stars, though.

Tallie is a late 20's owner of an herb shop in a small
english village. The shop was once her grandmother's and she now owns it, having bought out her mother. She is subject to her mother's whims and summonses but knows nothing about her (late) father or her own history.

Enter a passing folk rock group who want to rent her property for a new release album video. Also enter a former chef hired by her mother to help manage Tallie's business. From this point on, the rest of the novel is predictable and lacking in suspense. No surprise ending for me here. But it's a quick read anyway.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC copy of this book.

A book full of so much heart. And one that pulled at it too.
I felt so strongly for this story. It had way more to it to truly get involved and and love.
Natalie was such a golden egg. She truly deserved so much and yet many people including those closest didn't seem to treat her right. Not right at all.
Then 2 men pop into her world. One wants to use her work for their band. The other is said to be someone who can bring good Pr to said work.
With one there comes a kindness. A fresh likable person to even trust with herself. The other well...you will see.
Jane writes her books so beautifully. You fall for the place and the people. I couldn't read enough of her books and look forward to her books more than I could ever begin to describe in review.
This book felt even more clever. Because realistically we don't all have the cliche trope good mum you see in books(which are still blooming fab as they fit into their stories wonderfully) and it felt real to put a mother like NAtalies. It felt like something others could definitely see themselves in and feel once again held by a book.
The title and place of work was also a cute winner for me.

This quick read genuinely captivated my attention. As I read it, I believed it was taking a more sinister turn. Tallie, the owner and operator of a herb farm, was unexpectedly visited by Zeb one day to work part-time. He quickly became an integral part of her business, and I couldn’t help but worry that this was more of a tale of a “naive farmer falling prey to an interloper” than a budding romance. Fortunately, it wasn’t as sinister as I had anticipated, but it certainly delved into some heavier themes. The central focus was Tallie’s complicated relationship with her chronically ill and codependent mother. As the story unfolded, several intriguing truths were revealed, forcing Tallie to confront and reevaluate her life. This is a closed-door romance with minimal romantic tension. I recommend checking it out.

Thank you, Boldwood Books, for providing this book for review consideration through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

I picked this book for the simple facts that I love thyme and I love herbs. And it looked cute.

The story centers around a woman in her late 20s who owns and runs the family herb farm. Her overly involved mother surprise hires her a business consultant/PR guy to help her increase profits, and coincidentally a famous band appears wanting to film a music video on her farm.

The concept was cute, and there were a lot of things I felt were very charming. Big Fan of the graceful and charismatic Big Pig for instance. But there were also a lot of things I was bored by or didn't like. I didn't like Zeb (the business consultant), and I was bored by whole band plot line.

There was a BIG REVEAL of many things at the end, which I felt could have broken up throughout the story to make it a bit more intriguing throughout. Or maybe this could've been trimmed down to a novella. Big Pig escaped her pen many, many times and there was a lot of repetitive dialogue, interactions, and descriptions.

But on the whole, it was still pretty decent and easy to read.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Once Upon a Thyme by Jane Lovering is a beautifully written, quiet romance that gently draws you in from the very first page. Set on a family herb farm, the story follows Natalie (Tally) as she takes over the business with only the reclusive Ollie by her side. As she navigates the challenges of running the farm, Tally also grapples with unanswered questions about her past—secrets her mother refuses to reveal. When Zeb, a marketing consultant sent by her mother, unexpectedly enters her life, it sparks a series of changes that lead Tally on a journey of growth, healing, and self-discovery.

While the characters didn’t immediately capture my heart, their development throughout the book was satisfying and authentic. The themes of family, identity, and quiet transformation are handled with care, and there are many moments that feel genuinely relatable. Tally’s emotional arc and eventual happy ending were particularly heart-warming, offering a sense of closure and hope. Though not one of my personal favourites, I still found it to be a touching and worthwhile read—perfect for those who enjoy introspective, slow-burn romances with a comforting, earthy backdrop.

3.5

This was a lovely story about self discovery, standing up for yourself, learning to live & establish limits.

Tillie certainly needed to learn how to stand up for herself, specially with her mother. It was so refreshing seeing her chance her perspective about that topic and finally confront the truth. The way Zeb helped her, not only to face reality, but to discover her likes and wants was so sweet to read. They complemented each other great, and made each other better.

As for the pacing of the story, I found it at times a bit slow and the chapters were so long. Other than that, the story got handled in a way to keep you captivated in the dynamics and secrets among Tillie’s environment.

Best character: Big Pig. 🐖

This was a real cutie of a read. It was all set in a village with a beautiful herb centre with plants and dried displays galore. I had a soft spot for Tallie who was pulled between her mother, her thoughts of her own future and whether she would find someone she wanted to spend the rest of her life with and who wanted her. The relationships were central to the book and explored gently and with care. This was an emotional read and beautifully told.

I really like this author. She writes meaty books with flawed characters and heavy, angst y issues but usually with a real emotional resonance which makes me feel good at the end of the story.

Zeb and Tallie are a wonderful pair who struggle to work out a happy ending but finally manage it in spite of Natalie’s unpleasantness and the awful story behind her mother’s behaviour.

I hated the mother and I couldn’t believe how Tallie forgave her so easily at the end of the book. It just didn’t work for me and ruined what otherwise was a very happy ending.

3.5 stars.
A troubled, lonesome heroine finds her HEA with a sweet, caring hero in “Once Upon a Thyme”, by Jane Lovering, a slow burn romance developing amidst an impressive herb garden and family secrets.
I liked how Zeb and Natalie connected and slowly found out they were good for each other. Zeb is going through some major changes and neverthless is eager to help Natalie in new projects for the herb farm.
I loved the slow revealing of his character and how he is truly a knight in shining armour. The clumsiness and lankiness are adorable. He’s also very kind and compassionate even with characters who really don’t deserve it.
Natalie has a hard life, working hard at the herb garden which takes much of her time and energy, while also caring for her selfish mother.
The heroine’s isolation growing up and the present loneliness are heartbreaking.
I found the character of the mother horrible and hiding her condition for so many years a bit unrealistic. The family secrets were a bit forced and Natalie’s compliance with all this was hard to digest.
The animals and the herb farm give an additional interest to the story.

I received a free copy of, Once Upon a Thyme, by Jane Lovering, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Natalie works on her family's herb farm, that is pretty much her life, til summer starts and she starts meeting people. This was a nice story, a bit heavy at times, but a good story.

Natalie takes over the family farm and doesn't venture far from what she knows, but unexpected visitors change everything.

The prose of this book is beautiful and I was drawn in from the first page. The characters weren't my favorite at first but they all had great development through the book. There were a lot of relatable parts in this book with a sweet story. It was a good book, just not one of my favorites.

This was a quick read that tackled a few difficult subjects but still gave the very escapism vibes. It made me really want to start a plant nursery

One thing author Jane Lovering is wonderful at writing is country settings. Scents, flowers, foliage — she has it down. I can feel the air on my face and the scented hedge brushing against me as I walk because her prose is so good.
Unfortunately, I didn't love this book. It could have been so much better with a good developmental edit. The outcomes were more than predictable. I would have enjoyed a more consistent, fluid feel to the story than the way Tallie and Zeb's story developed. Tallie wasn't likable, and there wasn't much change in her throughout the story. On top of that, her backstory and perspective on it were totally unbelievable.
All in all, a disappointing read but lifted in parts by the lovely descriptions.