The Secrets of Hawthorn Place by Jenni Keer : REVIEW

The Secrets of Hawthorn Place by Jenni Keer

Release Date: 14th October 2021

Publisher: Headline Accent

Genres: Romance / dual time-line / historical romance

Love will always find a way… Discover the intriguing secrets of Hawthorn Place in this heartfelt dual-time novel, filled with warmth and charm, perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley and Cecelia Ahern.

Two houses, hundreds of miles apart...yet connected always.

When life throws Molly Butterfield a curveball, she decides to spend some time with her recently widowed granddad, Wally, at Hawthorn Place, his quirky Victorian house on the Dorset coast.

But cosseted Molly struggles to look after herself, never mind her grieving granddad, until the accidental discovery of an identical Art and Crafts house on the Norfolk coast offers her an unexpected purpose, as well as revealing a bewildering mystery.

Discovering that both Hawthorn Place and Acacia House were designed by architect Percy Gladwell, Molly uncovers the secret of a love which linked them, so powerful it defied reason.

What follows is a summer which will change Molly for ever...

Poor Molly's life is the pits at the moment. Dumped by her boyfriend she now finds herself homeless. Her mother and step father are unable to help her out by offering her a place to stay so she goes to visit her widowed grandfather in the house that holds may happy childhood memories for her. Molly goes with the intention of looking after her grandfather who is really struggling with the loss of his beloved wife. Given that Molly is so absolutely useless about the house and constantly immersed in her online presence, how will she manage to care even for herself, never mind an elderly man. I'd go as far as describing her as a spoilt, entitled snowflake but yet there was something about her I warmed to immediately. However, the quirky Hawthorn Place is Molly's idea of an internet desert with no wifi, Molly is left without her beloved social media. But, the old Victorian house has other ideas about how to keep Molly entertained and she magically finds Acacia House, designed by the same love sick architect Percy Gladwell. Two identical houses, miles apart in more ways than one and a magical gateway to both! And for Molly, it seems life will now never be the same again.

The Secrets of Hawthorn Place is a dual timeline story and goodness I absolutely adore a good dual timeline. One aspect of the book is written from Molly's perspective and written in a happy go lucky, almost comedic way on occasion at the beginning of the book. In contrast, Percy's story and heart wrenching love story are written in such a way to absolutely tear at your heart strings and I will admit to stifling a sob or two. As the story progresses however, Molly matures and learns some valuable lessons and we see her character growing up in a way that she hadn't before her visits to the two houses. 

Its very difficult to write a good review without giving too much away about this wonderfully quirky, magical and addictive read but lets just say its absolutely got all the right ingredients to keep you entertained. The plot was well paced, the characters fascinating, lots of secrets and the right sprinkling of magic. And of course,  love so strong that the threads of it are never truly broken despite the passage of time.  Definitely a highly recommended read. I wouldn't expect anything less from the very talented Jenni Keer.

ABOUT JENNI KEER

Jenni Keer is a history graduate who embarked on a career in contract flooring before settling in the middle of the Suffolk countryside with her antique furniture restorer husband. She has valiantly attempted to master the ancient art of housework but with four teenage boys in the house it remains a mystery. Instead, she spends her time at the keyboard writing commercial women's fiction to combat the testosterone-fuelled atmosphere, with her number one fan #Blindcat by her side. Much younger in her head than she is on paper, she adores any excuse for fancy-dress and is part of a disco formation dance team.

Jenni is also the author of The Hopes and Dreams of Lucy Baker and The Unexpected Life of Maisie Meadows.

Social Media Links –

FB Jenni Keer Writer

Twitter @JenniKeer

Instagram jennikeer

GIVEAWAY!!!!

Giveaway to Win a Signed copy of the Secrets of Hawthorn Place, plus chocolate and a sparkly pen. (UK Only)

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