Poppy's Recipe for Life

Another 5 star plus story from the wonderful Heidi Swain. Such strong, believable and lovable characters you can relate to. Family relationships are the forefront of this story, and family can be defined as a group of people with whom you mostly get on with, Heidi explores what happens when not all families grow up nurtured and respected. Poppy has a half brother and a mother that clearly is not of the maternal kind. We are back in Nightingale Square and of course once you move into this community things can only get better! Throw in a grumpy good looking neighbour, work colleagues who don’t tell each other how they really feel, a community garden and what have you got? Another bestseller that’s what.

I was so incredibly lucky to receive an advanced copy of this book to read. As a huge fan of Heidi Swain, i always know i am in for a treat when i start to read her latest story. This one was an absolute pleasure and delight. We revisit
Nightingale Square to catch up with Poppy. (There is a book that was set here previously and if you haven't already, i would recommend reading it, but this new one can be read as a stand alone.) The setting of the book is so idyllic, full of wonderful warm people, community spirit and friendships. From page one, i was pulled into the story. Wonderfully written, totally engrossing and an absolute must read.

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 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 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 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!!

I really enjoyed this book and I would highly recommend it. It has a great story line, excellent main characters and it is a real page turner. I read this book in one sitting and the hours just flew by!

It is another trip back to Nightingale Square where the residents share a community garden and their lives. New residents have joined since the first book but it is a book you can read as a stand alone as every character and their connections are fully explained.

It is told from the point of view of Polly who is a new resident and her grumpy neighbour and her moody younger brother, her friends Lou and Colin, her other neighbours and of course the garden.

Thought provoking as it challenges how we all judge people without thinking but shows there is someone for everyone if we are prepared to take a risk

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I have liked everything this authoress has written, she makes me smile and feel good. I read this from start to finish and thoroughly loved it.

It’s always the best feeling in the world when Heidi Swain’s new novel comes out and you won’t be disappointed with Poppy’s Recipe For Life.

This beautifully written story was warm, romantic and fantastic, I loved every moment of it and I know whoever reads it, will to.

Here’s a little about the story.

Finally Poppy’s dreams are about to come true after anything but a straight forward life. She’s moving into a cottage in the beautiful Nightingale square, next to the community garden, where Poppy can indulge in her passion for making preserves and pickles. She doesn’t have the best of relationships with her family however, she is surrounded by her loving friends of Nightingale square, even her grumpy neighbour, Jacob can’t dampen her spirits.
 
But when the unexpected happens, Poppy’s troubled younger brother turns up and soon threatens her new found happiness, and as the garden team prepare to win the community space of the year award, Poppy has to decide where her priorities lie and what she’s prepared to fight for..

Just wonderful, creative and fun. A lovely heart warming story that will warm even the coldest of hearts, beautifully written as always and full of action packed entertainment. 5 out of 5. Well done Heidi.

Wow where to start? Another amazing heartwarming story about the residents of Nightingale Square. Every book of Heidi’s that I read makes me want to move to the location, whether it be Wynbridge or Nightingale Square. I always feel like I get to know the characters and I’m among friends and when I’ve finished I feel like I’m saying see you later until the next book is published. This latest book didn’t disappoint. I loved getting to know the residents more and meeting Poppy and what her story was about and there were a couple of twists and turns that left me guessing. I even feel like I need to take up gardening. Thank you Heidi for another amazing story. I can’t wait for the next.

I have been eagerly awaiting this book - it was one of those where I knew I would enjoy it before I started, because Heidi never lets me down!

I read "Sunshine and Sweet Peas in Nightingale Square" just before this as I understood it was based in the same setting and Heidi is a genius for including characters, even just in passing, throughout her novels so I did not want to feel I was missing out not knowing anyone. With that said, you could easily read this novel as a standalone but if you haven't read the former, why deny yourself more of Heidi's exquisite story-telling?!

Set approximately a year after "Sunshine and Sweet Peas...", I was pleased that a large part if this story revolved around the other residents and the community garden (Grow-Well) they shared that I fell in love with in the last book. There was an even deeper sense of friendship amongst the group and I adored how they gathered in the newcomers liking clucking hens, unwilling to take no for an answer to share their experiences and joy.

The main story here revolved around Poppy and Jacob - both new to Nightingale Square although Poppy was indeed a character we've met previously, working in the greengrocers. She uses all the produce grown on their shared allotment to make all kinds of yummy sounding foods, it was quite refreshing to read about savoury items for a change to baked goods especially because it is literal garden to plate stuff. As the title alludes, there is more to this cooking and her recipes but I'll save that for you to find out - suffice to say it was a brilliant idea!

Poppy works with the other residents in trying to coax Jacob into joining in with the community garden, however he has deep reservations about this and clearly has some trust issues. You get the impression he is hiding from something but Poppy takes a calm and measured approach to helping Jacob come out his shell. It wasn't hard to envisage what had caused this lack of trust from Jacob but it was endearing to see him open up eventually to Poppy.

Jacob also helps Poppy; she has a younger brother (Ryan who is 16) who has been left home alone by their mum and so she offers for him to stay with her especially as she thinks he is going off the rails. This aspect of the storyline was fabulous as Poppy tries to build a sibling relationship with Ryan and calm his supposedly 'boisterous' ways by teaching him independence skills and also trying to get him involved in the Grow-Well garden. Jacob steps in to help with this although I found Ryan helped himself in this regard really, when we are first introduced to him he is helping an elderly lady off the train and so I understood from the get-go he was kind-hearted, he was a welcome inclusion.

Yet another captivating story from Heidi, I have honestly run out of superlatives for her work now and simply can't wait to be whisked away to her next setting!

My many thanks to Simon & Schuster via NetGalley for providing me with this advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

I recieved this book via Netgalley and give it my honest review.
Oh my goodness what a book!!! I loved it!!! It was like a ray of sunshine wrapped up in a beautiful cover. Heidi Swain you have done it again! Nightingale Square is a beautiful place and I felt part of it from the start, the characters were a delight to meet, Poppy has her ups and downs but surrounded by her friends her story is full of laughter, romance and friendship. I well written and enjoyable read from start to finish.

Poppy’s dream has always been to move into Nightingale Square, so when she is given the opportunity she jumps at the chance. Poppy is looking forward to becoming part of the Square’s community and being able to use the communal gardens. However, when her teenage brother Ryan comes to stay, Poppy finds herself slightly overwhelmed. Will Ryan’s arrival put a spanner in the works?

Jacob has also moved into Nightingale Square, he is quiet, moody and has no interest in becoming part of the community. Poppy takes it upon herself to bring him out of his shell and get him to make friends with the other residents.

Poppy’s Recipe for Life is a lighthearted fun book. It was interesting to see the way Poppy and Ryan’s relationship developed. It was also good to catch up with the residents of Nightingale Square. A lovely entertaining read.

Absolutely loved it. Such a feel good book to sit back and relax with. Such a wonderful sorry line, a book you can’t put down. Was disappointed to get to the end.

A Blooming smashing read!

Heidi has knocked it out of the "garden" again!

Poppy the main character is so lovely you just want to give her a big hug, she is such a relatable and down to earth girl you can't help but love her.
Jacob on the other hand is a bit more of a slow burner, building your confidence in him with each passing chapter.

Poppy's Recipe for Life is a smashing, ideological wish for how small town life should be. With everyone knowing everyone's business and supporting each other through good times and bad!

Can't wait to return to Nightingale Square to see what happens next!

Lucky enough to be given an early copy of Heidis latest book, and I am very greatfuk, Thankyou so much!
The story links in to previous books by Heidi, but can be read on it’s out without reading the others first,
Lovely book!!!

Wow, what can I say about this lovely book? Thoroughly enjoyed every word! I feel like the new characters of Nightingale Square are family. I couldn’t put it down. Another fabulous book from #Heidi Swain, #Poppy’s Recipe for Life, I’m so sad I’ve finished it! I want to live in Nightingale Square! A must read for anyone who needs to escape to a wonderful place, filled with loveable characters. Brilliant! #Netgalley

Poppy’s recipe for life - Heidi swain. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Once again I am left lost for words! Heidi’s books have always had a special place in my heart and always seem to come out at a time when I need a bit of a pick me up. Heidi’s writing style is perfect and really draws a picture of where they are set and leaves you feeling like you are in the story, the perfect escape from reality and now I really want to visit nightingale square and the grow - well gardens. I really enjoyed following Poppy’s story as she moved into nightingale square, which was not an easy journey for her, I really loved her character, with whatever life threw at her she would always try and find a way to make it work even if that meant putting others before her self. This book was full of highs, lows, love , anger, heartbreak and happy endings! 🌻This book is like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day and a Perfect summery read ☀️. AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW!! OUT MAY 2019

Another brilliant read, keeping you guessing the whole time and wondering what is going to happen, when you think things can’t get any better they do. It’s great how the other places visited in the other stories mange to be visited within the book.
Really looking forward to visiting nightingale square again in the future to see what happens to poppy and Ryan

It’s fabulous returning to Nightingale Square with its heart-warming quirky residents. This time we are treated to newcomer Poppy’s story and learn how she adapts to living in the Square and its close knit community. There is no doubt that her passion and commitment to the communal garden is dominant as is her determination to get everyone involved, even those who have no interest at all!

When her teenage brother Ryan turns up out of the blue Poppy not only has to be his sister but also set ground rules along with building his confidence, as it has taken a dent due to their unreliable Mother. A new love interest in the form of her neighbour Jacob has to take a back seat as Poppy and Ryan settle and bond together.

I always enjoy Heidi Swain’s books as I know I am in for a lovely, cosy read with likeable characters.

My thanks to NetGalley for the digital copy in return for my own review of Poppy’s Receipe For Life.

As if I wasn’t already excited about being part of the cover reveal for ‘Poppy’s Recipe for Life’ it was then added to Netgalley and I was one of the very lucky people to read this beautifully written story.

We meet Poppy and at the beginning it is unclear of her intentions to move her life to the lovely Nightingale Square. She is given an opportunity to move there again and grabs it with both hands. I absolutely loved how Poppy was so eager to move to Nightingale Square to be part of such a special community.

This isn’t our first visit to Nightingale Square however what makes Heidi’s books so great is that they can all be read as stand alone novels. It was refreshing to see Poppy and Jacob’s friendship develop throughout the story, put it this way he was more so called Mr Grumpy at the beginning of the story! I wasn’t expecting Poppy to have to not only deal with moving into Nightingale Square but for her younger brother Ryan to end up living with her. I will let you find out how these particular events unfolded. I love how Heidi packs so much drama into her stories you just don’t know what’s going to happen or how the story will finish. I was engrossed in this amazing story from the first page till the last and finished it in a few days! 😊

All of the characters in this story had their own unique personality however my favourite has to be Poppy. She is caring, hard working and determined to help the Nightingale Square community to the best of her abilities. To me ‘Poppy’s Recipe for Life’ screamed community, friendship, family and love.

I am such a huge fan of Heidi’s writing and I know I will never be disappointed by her imaginative beautifully written stories. I give ‘Poppy’s Recipe for Life’ a 5*/5* ❤️

Thank you to Simon & Schuster UK Fiction and Heidi Swain for an advanced copy of this book via Netgalley.

I'm a huge fan of Heidi Swain! I've loved all of her Christmas novels so I was excited to read something a little different from her. This book is such a warm and lovely read. It has everything I look for in a romance read. Great location setting, great cast of characters and a main character that I fell in love with and was shouting for her to succeed! Will be recommending this to all my borrowers this summer!

Everyone knows families and relationships can be challenging, the secret is how you over come the challenges..
Heidi Swain's latest novel teaches us not to make assumptions and not to automatically see the worst in people.
Another fantastic book by Heidi Swain!

I received this book via NetGalley for a honest review.
This is my first non Christmas book by Heidi Swain and I can happily say that I throughly enjoyed it!
My first visit to Nightingale Square definitely brought some much needed sunshine into my day.
As always plenty of fabulous characters, mixed in with some twists and turns along the way.
I particularly liked seeing how Poppy’s brother Ryan settled in with his sister within this close knit community.
A real feel good book that was such a pleasure to read. I’m coming back to visit Nightingale Square again soon for more warm, happy reading from Heidi.

Back to Nightingale Square and another novel that’s beautifully written and perfect for a summer’s day. The characters feel like old friends at times, testament to Heidi’s lovely writing style.

Poppy's dream is finally coming true - she's moving into Nightingale Square. She's keen to get involved with the community garden and share her passion for preserves. Poppy is soon surrounded by friends and is determined to break the cool, grumpy exterior of her new neighbour Jacob.
The surprise arrival of Ryan, Poppy's teenage brother threatens to ruin her happy existence on Nightingale Square and, as the community gears up to win a local competition, Poppy has to decide what her priority has to be.
******
I am a huge fan of Heidi Swain books. They are all so wonderfully cosy and charming, you can't help but be swept along into a world full of community, friendship, care and cake (or in this instance pickles!) I've been looking forward to Poppy's Recipe for Life as it was a welcome return to Nightingale Square. Don't worry if you haven't read anything of Heidi's before as they are all gorgeous standalones; they just include characters and places you will know and love if you have.
Poppy is a bright, confident and happy young woman. I like her a lot, she works hard and is passionate about what makes her tick, you see she hasn't a great relationship with her family but she is surrounded by wonderful friends. She sacrifices a lot for her brother, her friends and the local community - putting others needs in front of her own most of the time. I loved that in her but at the same time was just willing her to do what was good for her too - nobody needs to be completely selfless all of the time. I also admired her tenacity in trying to break down the gruff exterior of Jacob.
Jacob was clearly destined to be part of the community - no matter how much he resisted; and he certainly gave that his best shot. I found him to be quite rude although it soon became clear if anyone could make him change it would be Poppy. She seems to have a way about her. A turnaround in attitude was actually quite fast, but I'm not complaining as I enjoyed the chemistry between him and Poppy.
Ryan is your typical teenager. Sullen, moody and after years of suffering, is not really interested in much. I loved seeing how his character developed but also how Ryan helped Poppy. A great relationship and definitely the most important within the whole book I'd say.
A whole host of fun and quirky characters await you in this book, all lovely in their own way and bringing different elements to the story. It's an eclectic bunch of residents in Nightingale Square.
Heidi writes with such care for her characters and settings. You see them as friends, and Poppy is now amongst them. A firm favourite for her positive outlook on life. I love Heidi's feel good style of writing and I often wish I could live in these fictional places.
This book is pure romantic comfort. I read it in a few hours - I didn't want to put it down and yet I wanted to make it last as long as I could. Perfect to read on the beach, by the pool or snuggled up on the sofa with a cuppa and cake. I cannot recommend this book enough - a gorgeous, feel good treat.

Thank you to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster UK and the lovely Heidi Swain for the opportunity to read in exchange for a honest review.

Another fantastic read from Heidi, returning to nightingale square to be reacquainted with previous characters and a few new ones, notably poppy, Ryan and Jacob, it explored the deep and meaningful relationship between family members and the repercussions this can have, this was portrayed in a genuine, sympathetic way, the sense of community provided by the residents of nightingale square along with the garden make you want to move there and experience it for yourself! Great story from start to finish, really didn’t want it to end!
Thank you net galley for advance copy!

Ooh my Easter weekend read and what a goodie. I’ve been saving this, wanting to leave the best till last. This had me both laughing and crying in equal portions. I loved the central character of Poppy as she saves both herself and the day in this gorgeous life-reaffirming read. Here Swain helps the reader press pause on all the nasty bits in their life like housework and, well more housework and dip into the wonderful life around Nightingale Square.

Poppy is the earth-mother type; a woman, if we all had the time, we’d love to be. But growing your own fruit and veg to make into wonderful chutneys and jams is a dream for many and not the reality. Jacob, the male lead, has everything a woman could ask for including having a difficult past and an iron-clad front that takes a brick or, in this case, sweet Poppy to storm through. I can’t help feeling we’ll here more from the characters in and around Prosperous Place and hurrah for that…

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.

How can I describe just how much I loved this book?
Right from the very first pages Swain draws you into the life of Poppy and envelops the reader deftly into Poppy’s thoughts and emotions. She intertwines small details of Poppy’s life throughout her present day narrative to give the reader the perfect amount of back story to fall in love with an incredible protagonist. Poppy has errors, as all humans do, but it makes her so much more likeable.
Swain begins with Poppy moving into Nightingale Square and meeting an incredibly grouchy neighbour who just so happens to have the very inventive name of Mr Grizzle. Pure genius.
The story then follows Poppy and her working hard to perfect every aspect of her life, including mending her broken relationship with her brother. It also focuses on Poppy’s relationship with Mr Grizzle and how they form an unlikely bond with Poppy vehemently pushing him past his comfort zone and into the loving and caring, but sometimes crazy, arms of the neighbours of Nightingale Square.
A ‘can’t put it down’ book: simple divine and fantastically written, Swain had me hooked through every single page. Nightingale Square is somewhere I would want to move to! A romantic novel with so much life bursting from it that it’s impossible not to be beaming once you have turned the last page.

Another glorious heart-warmer from Heidi. Lovely to be back in the hug of Nightingale Square’s community.

Living near Norwich I absolutely loved this book as this is where it is set so I could easily visualise many of the scenes . This is a second visit to Nightingale square from Heidi Swain although I hadn’t read the first. It did take me a few chapters to work out in my head who was who but once I did I really loved this story.
Poppy finally has her life in order. She’s working at the local greengrocers and producing popular recipe cards and about to move into her dream house on Nightingale square with its community garden / allotment. The residents are quite the little community ... that is all except one her grumpy but handsome next door neighbour Jacob. He is hiding from a painful past, betrayed by those closest to him, Jacob thinks he will never trust anyone again.
Then just when life seems perfect Poppy’s life is thrown upside down by the arrival of her 16 year old brother Ryan.
Abandoned by their uncaring mother and still grieving the loss of his father, Ryan has become a bit of a teenage terra way and has such low self esteem he thinks he is worthless.
Can poppy work her magic charm on both Jacob and Ryan ?
I loved this story and soon got into it and the charm of nightingale square with its colourful cast of residents and their community spirit. I was hooked on the prospect of a romance between poppy and jacob and wasn’t disappointed.
A lovely, charming, romantic, funny, feel good read and definitely worth picking up.

I loved this book. I live in North Norfolk and was able to visualize the setting. This is a story of a mother who didn't care about her offspring. Poppy the eldest has moved to her dream home and looking forward to enjoying her peace and quiet. Her new neighbor is a grumpy young man. Her mother is off to Spain leaving young Ryan, 16. to defend for himself. He goes to stay with Poppy and causes problems. Their is a communal garden where everyone mucks in and gets it ready for the local competition. Can this garden change Mr Grumpy and Ryan? This is well written and easy to fall in love with the characters. This is a "mouth-watering and fragrant triumph", Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for a review.

I loved this book, another great read from Heidi Swain , great characters, humour, emotion, fast paced and great writing. When you pick this up you don’t want to put it down. Wonderful and recommended



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

Sorry for the bad language but I can’t even begin to explain how bloody excited I was to be able to read & review this before the big publish date 30/05/19. I just want to say a massive thank you to #NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read & review this. I have read all of Heidi’s books so I know she’s absolutely amazing at creating these wonderful places where we can visit & meet some absolutely amazing characters & she didn’t disappoint with Poppy’s story. I absolutely adore #NightingaleSquare and all it’s amazing residents, I can’t even chooses a favourite character because they are all lush. Poppy is like a breath of fresh air and her attitude is so refreshing and addictive, she is like a drug that makes you feel happier and better and I just love her. I love how much she and all the gang love the community garden and how they all have each other’s backs, I just want to pack-up and go and live there and get stuck in with them all. I am gutted that I’ve finished it and need more from the gang pretty please Heidi can we have another fix from these guys. Thank you so much for giving me one of the most loveliest and uplifting books I’ve read in while. If you haven’t pre-ordered this yet I urge you to get it done you will not be disappointed, you can pre order using this link https://www.amazon.co.uk/Poppys-Recipe-Life-Heidi-Swain/dp/1471174387
If your like me and feel like your having withdrawal symptoms from Heidi’s stories you can follow her on her blog here, for a little lift. http://heidiswain.blogspot.com/

Another lovely read from Heidi Swain I always look forward to her books as you know it’s going to be a great read. Back to Nightingale Square with new resident Poppy. The residents and communal garden can really help heal all rifts especially if you don’t really want to get involved and keep yourself to yourself as another new resident Jacob finds out. Family and friends are there for Poppy and her troubled brother Ryan. A totally immersive read

I always love Heidi's novels and I just knew that this one would be no different. The cover is beautiful in every way and is so eye-catching I couldn't wait to read it! I love the bright colours, the little row of shops and the flowers surrounding the cover. It's just so pretty! I also loved that we'd be back in Nightingale Square once again - I adore the characters in these stories, everyone seems so friendly that I'd love to live somewhere with such a feel-good community feel!

When we first met Poppy, I really felt for her, it seemed like she had been through quite a bit and I was so intrigued as to why she didn't really get on that well with her mum. However, once I read a few of their conversations, I began to get a better gist as to why! I also felt quite sorry for Jacob, who seemed to be going through quite a lot too and wondered what his story will be. Everything was so interesting I just didn't want to put my Kindle down! I just loved hearing from Kate and Lisa again, and all the other lovely characters from the other novel set in Nightingale Square.

When Ryan came to live with Poppy for a few weeks, I thought there was going to be big trouble. I was pleasantly surprised when Jacob (who was always so moody and withdrawn in previous chapters) offered to help Poppy with Ryan and was hoping this is when Jacob starts coming out of his shell more and telling us a bit more about his background! The story really picks up once Ryan arrives, there's drama, tears and romance as well! I love, love, love the community feel of the whole novel and of course, Nightingale Square. The little events and parties they throw at the garden sound so delightful and so enjoyable!

Overall, I really loved this novel. It was summery, heartwarming and just really lovely. I love Heidi Swain's novels and this one was no different. I can't wait to read more by this author in future. Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read this novel via Netgalley, which I have reviewed honestly.

Returning to Nightingale Square, I was delighted to be reunited with the characters I met the first time round. This book follows the story of Poppy, who works in the local greengrocers and has always wanted to live in the square.

Poppy moves into the home once occupied by Kate, who now lives in Prosperous Place with Luke, his daughter and their new baby daughter. Poppy is looking forward to being a part of the square and helping in the community garden. She isn’t the only newcomer to the square. Jacob is her neighbour and is moody and reclusive. He makes it very clear to Poppy that he has no interest in the garden.

Poppy has a very strained relationship with her Mum and isn’t surprised when she finds out that she’s off to Spain, leaving her brother Ryan to fend for himself. Poppy invites Ryan to come and stay with her. He eventually decides to take her up on her offer and moves into Poppy’s home in the square.

Yet again, Heidi has given a wonderful insight into the lives of these characters and you can’t help but feel like you’re there with them all, enjoying a bbq in the garden at Prosperous Place or sitting in Poppy’s garden with a glass of something cold.

I adored this book and didn’t want it to end. I really hope we get another visit to Nightingale Square as it’d be lovely to see how the new relationships that were built in this book progress.

Thank you Heidi for writing yet another glorious book. A definite ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me. Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my gosh loved this book . Love how the characters interacted with each onether. Glad everything was happy in the end. Heidi swains books are amazing can't wait to actually buy this in book form 5* all the way

Since I first discovered Heidi Swain’s books last year, I’ve been more than a little vocal about the fact that I would love to live in the world that she has created. It honestly is the most idyllic, community-friendly world, and I can’t think of anything nicer than living there. When Heidi Swain wrote ‘Sunshine and Sweet Peas in Nightingale Square’ last year, in a move away from Wynbridge and Wynthorpe Hall, I found myself loving yet another of her locations, a beautiful square with a community garden, a fresh location but equally as wonderful.

‘Poppy’s Recipe for Life’ sees a return to Nightingale Square, and although there are two new characters living in the square, who are the focus of this book, Poppy and her grumpy neighbour Jacob, they are joined by some familiar faces from Nightingale Square. The continuity between Heidi’s stories, always seeing the odd familiar face of a previous much-loved character strengthens the overriding feeling of community that exists in her stories, which I think probably makes me love her books even more. If you have never read one of her books, don’t let that put you off, because each of her books are standalones in their own right, in spite of recurring characters.

When Poppy moves into the square she does not anticipate that she will end up inviting her half brother Ryan to live with her temporarily, and the arrival of Ryan brings complications to Poppy’s life, as they navigate the fine line between a much older sibling acting like a parent, and simply being a sibling. Add to this the additional complication of her blossoming relationship with her grumpy neighbour, and you have the perfect balance of romance, friendship, trust and community, with a few jars of chutney thrown in too.

Heidi Swain is the queen of feel good stories, and this book is no exception. It left me craving warm summer sun, and a salad, with a really good homemade chutney on the side!

Many thanks to Simon & Schuster UK, and Netgalley for allowing me to read this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review. Poppy’s Recipe for Life will be published on 30 May 2019!

I loved being back in Nightingale square. It is always wonderful to be back in Heidi Swain's world but when it is one that is still quite a new world, it is great to catch up with people and find out what has changed in the square. If you loved Sunshine and Sweet peas and loved Kate and Luke then you will please to know we get to catch up with them in this novel too, your curiosity about where they are now and how they are doing is definitely satisfied.



Of course this novel follows a new resident of Nightingale Square, Poppy. I love how independent Poppy is and how much she has always had to stand on her own two feet. She does value family and friends but she is quite capable of making her own happiness. I love watching her relationship with her brother change and develop over the course of this novel. Ryan is another great character and I think the life that he leads is one that a lot of young people find themselves in but it isn't written about enough in books. He is a decent guy and we also don't get to see decent acting teenagers a lot within the pages of a novel-very refreshing.



I love the fact that Poppy also has existing relationships with people in the square through friendships and jobs and so she fits right into the community. There is also a little bit of romance in this novel, as you may have expected, and it is just achingly slow burn. It is wonderful to watch and just the kind that will have you hugging yourself with delight!



Ryan's storyline in this novel is defiantly a bit of a departure from the kind of things that this author usually covers in her books. He deals with some tough stuff and tries to deal with everything that is thrown at him on his own without any help from an adult. As I have already mentioned though, the things that he is dealing with are things that a lot of teenagers have to go through and have to deal with day to day. They are not written about enough in books and so I loved seeing Heidi Swain tackle them in this novel. Every issue was handled incredibly well.



This book definitely provides some escapism and some romance but does also deal with the real world and things that go on within it. I think that Heidi has balanced these things well in this novel and it is definitely another hit for her. If you like a little bit of romance, some awesome friendships and real representation of what primary school teachers are like then this is definitely the novel for you. Pop it on your summer TBR now.