Boldwood Books has published some of my favourite stories about Family, Friendship, Dealing with Chronic Illness, Mental Health and of course, Romance. Jessica Redland and Sarah Bennett are two of my auto-read authors from this publisher and I recommend their books, including these two. Scroll down for my thoughts.

A Breath of Fresh Air by Jessica Redland

Published January 10th 2024 by Boldwood Books

4.5 Stars:

A Breath of Fresh Air Rosie and her mother live in a small cottage on the property of Willowdale Hall. She manages the stables, caring for the horses and teaching children to ride. Her mother had been in a serious accident years before and suffers from PTSD. She became agorophobic and Rosie takes care of her. When the owner of Willowdale Hall, Hubert Cranleigh, dies after a fall from his horse, he son Oliver arrives to take care of things. Oliver and Rosie had been friends growing up until there was a falling out. Through this story we learn about their past, their parentage, their lives and how they feel about each other. When Oliver tells Rosie he plans to sell Willowdale Hall, she is devastated, not do much for herself, but for her mother. Can she convince Oliver to stay, or at least keep the Hall and let her mother and her stay in their cottage?

I really enjoyed A Breath of Fresh Air. It was wonderful learning more about Rosie and her life after meeting her in The Start of Something Wonderful. She is a great character. Rosie is loyal, caring, a great friend, generous with her time, smart and more. She had an awful childhood with being bullied and not having friends. Oliver was her only friend for years, until he dumped her. How she grew up to be such a great person is a wonder. I loved learning about both her and Oliver’s pasts, it sure answered a lot of questions. We see Rosie as a daughter, but also as a friend. She belongs to a team that participated in Quiz Nights at the pub. It is easy to see how much others care about her, she has a sense of humor and is a lot of fun, so why doesn’t she have a partner of some sort? There are also several mysteries in the story. Who is her father? What does the “Green Man” mean and who hit her mother? Why does Oliver hate his father so much? My one niggle is the ending. I know it is a set up for the next book, but there is a teaser for the next book and I am extremely impatient. As the author suggests, if you are not a fan of teasers, best not to read the epilogue until the next book is ready. This is a book full of secrets, friendship, family, dealing with mental health, compassion and mystery. Of course there is some romance, but that is not the main theme, at least not to me. Now I can’t wait to read the next book and find out, Who is C?

In From the Cold (Juniper Meadows #2) by Sarah Bennett

Published September 21st 2023 by Boldwood Books

4.5 Stars:

In From the Cold is the second book in the Juniper Meadows series. It continues from when Where We Belong ended, so I recommend you read it before this one. Ben’s father has died and he is adrift, not even knowing that his father was sick. At the funeral, a small group of people he doesn’t know approach him. The young woman looks familiar, but when she tells him that she is his sister and his mother is still alive, he is shocked and doesn’t believe him. She shows him proof and leaves. Eventually he agrees to visit Juniper Meadows to find out what happened and his life changes. Life is good at Juniper Meadows. He meets Amelia Riley, who we met in the first book, and they are attracted to one another. Can Ben reconcile with his mother? Will he be able to follow his own path, the one his father didn’t want him to follow?

In From the Cold is a delightful story about family, friendship, following your dreams, new beginnings and or course romance. All the characters from the first book are here and it was nice to see them again and discover what they were up to. The story is narrated by both Amelia and Ben. We see their pasts, through their eyes and learn how they became the people they were and why they tamped down their dreams and desires. The Travers family are loving and welcomed Ben with open arms. This is a story of family secrets and relationships, friendship, supporting others, finding your place and love. I enjoyed the setting very much and look forward to what happens next at Juniper Meadows.