Secrets of Willow House by Susanne O’Leary is a contemporary romance that unfortunately a lot of ladies may relate to. Who hasn’t felt a bit stressed and overworked in their lives? Who hasn’t let those relationships with various family slip away as there just doesn’t seem to be enough time for everything?

When Maeve begins to feel rundown and overworked she makes a trip to the doctor only to be told she needs a holiday now or her health may be in danger. Working in interior design Maeve has clients contacting her at all hours with demands and a boss that won’t turn any new business away so she’s not at all surprised with the news.

Perhaps it’s coincidence or maybe it’s fate but just as Maeve’s planning to travel back to I Ireland to rest and relax she gets a call from her aunt Philomena asking for help and knowing it’s been far too long she happily agrees. Maeve quickly finds herself feeling at home being where she grew up and what she and her aunt find surprise them both.

Secrets of Willow House was a charming little read that while I did not grow up in such a lovely setting I did relate with Maeve being so stressed and needing to reconnect with family and this side of the story is just as charming as adding in a bit of romance. The lovely seaside Irish setting just made this one all the more relaxing and enjoyable to read too.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more please visit https://carriesbook.com/netgalley30 s Robin Loves Reading2,367 385

Maeve McKenna and her aunt Philomena Duffy make a great team. Maeve goes to stay with Phil for a little while after experiencing near-breakdown resulting from her high-pressure job as an interior designer. With regard to Phil, she is more than a bit lonely after becoming a widow after her husband Joe, has died. If possible, Phil wants to destroy their home, Willow House, but finances are tough. With Maeve's help, which turns into more ways than one, Phil has a chance of restoring her home.

Leaving all of the busy activity in London is wonderful for Maeve. Rather surprisingly, she is enjoying the small town there in Ireland. She spent time at Sandy Cove as a teenager, and the magic of the place grows on her rather quickly.

While in the process of restoring Willow House, Maeve stumbles upon something that ultimately changes Phil's life, but also hers as well. What Maeve found was a very well-kept secret, and it was a lot of fun seeing just what Phil did with that secret.

While in Sandy Cove, Maeve meets a man who reminds her of the very first kiss she she got as a teenager. His name is Paschal, and this part of the story was both sensitive and lovely. ON the other hand, however, Maeve wants to help Phil, she has her own life and future in London to consider.

Secrets of Willow House was a beautiful and engaging story, from beginning to end. It is the first book in the Sandy Cove series and I definitely look forward to seeing whose story is next, and that will be in Sisters of Willow House.2019-challenge kindle literary-fiction ...more16 s LynneAuthor 18 books11

This book is a fluffy, harmless, predictable romance. It won't give you any new insights or take you on any adventures or work your brain in any way. It's not an especially well-written book either, but it's pleasant enough, in its way. For those who don't want to put any effort into reading, this one is for you.

Despite the title of the book, there is only one secret at Willow House. And it's so glaringly obvious from the first time Maeve opens her uncle's computer that Maeve must be completely brain-dead not to see it. Every plot line and sub-plot line was completely predictable.

If you uncomplicated, undemanding stories where everything seems a problem but then that all just goes away, and men are perfect (handsome, smart, rugged, sexy, biddable, attentive, great in bed, good cooks, carry no significant emotional baggage, and never lose their temper) and women always look elegant and classy because that's what women are supposed to do, and everything works out great for absolutely everyone, then you'll probably this one. I found it a bit boring and almost childish in a way because everything was just so neatly perfect and ideal and unrealistic. This author is so bland, she makes Maeve Binchy look edgy.

At times, I found the writing clumsy and amateurish. The author spent a lot of time talking about how women LOOK as being their most important trait. And by the way, each and every woman wears "wide black" pants. Whatever those are. In an early chapter, our protagonist runs into a man named Paschal and of course is all a-twitter over him. She ends the chapter with the question, "who might he be?" Really? What does that mean? Is it the author asking the question, or the character asking it? And why is someone asking who he might be, when we just spent pages talking about who he is? Is there any more obvious way of alerting the reader that this is going to be THE man? That this is the boy who kissed Maeve years ago and ran away? Give us some credit for having at least a couple of brain cells!

I suppose I just prefer books with a bit more to sink my teeth into. Maybe a real issue or a character who learns something about herself, or simply a great yarn about something interesting. I also would prefer more sophisticated plotting and writing. I thought this book would have some mystery or depth but it's a romance novel and nothing more. Oh, and be prepared for the author to defend the genre of romance novels repeatedly in the story. I'm not sold, not at all; this simply wasn't the book for me.14 s Shalini (shaliniandbooks)2,563 209

I thought reading this book would be sailing in the calm waters with some waves swaying the boat of my emotions. What I didn't know was the way I would be sucked into the story.

Maeve needed a break from her exhaustive interior designer work, hence goes to Ireland to spend 2 weeks with her aunt Phil and Willow House. A secret hidden away in the laptop by her late Uncle, a chance for second love for Maeve, and a second wind of life for Phil made this book a fabulous engrossing read.

The two ladies captured my heart, Phil more than Maeve. The strength and class that Phil showed in her demeanor, the courage which lit a fire in her personality inspired me to never give up. The story had its sweet moments, and it was fun to see Auntie and niece binding and becoming close friends and confidantes.

My niggles, a male love interest was suddenly shown to be Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde just to let us know why Maeve rejected him and chose the other man. That change felt abrupt and jarred my senses. A man who was gentle and kind and who had a daughter in a custodial fight in the court suddenly became a bed-hopping blackmailing Casanova.

It is the 2019, and I assume a woman can fall in love and reject a suitor gently with them being friends instead of making him have a sudden personality change.

Overall, barring this point, the book was great fun, and I think now I have Ireland as one of the countries I want to visit in this lifetime. 11 s Sara Jo1,029 12

It was cute until a moment between Maeve and Paschal that was so silly and I realized this was a bunch of fluff. He was worried about the town seeing them together - FOUR YEARS after the death of his wife and they argue in the street, but no! They decide sleeping together will magically fix everything between them!
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