Book review: Return to Half Moon Farm by Holly Hepburn [blog tour]

I fell in love with Holly Hepburn's charming writing after reading The Little Shop of Hidden Treasures last year – and Return to Half Moon Farm has really cemented her as one of my favourite contemporary women's fiction authors. I am thrilled that I've got a few more of Holly's novels to catch up with as her books are the perfect blend of picturesque settings, gentle plot with a dash of drama, and a heart-fluttering romance that makes even the iciest of hearts swoon with delight. 

About Return to Half Moon Farm

Daisy and her twin boys temporarily relocate from Milton Keynes to Kent as her elderly mum, Rose, isn't doing very well and needs help while she's recovering. At first, Daisy thought the most difficult part of the visit would be reconciling with her mother after the two lost touch – but what she hadn't counted on was the whirlwind countryside life she soon gets sucked into.

From discovering mysterious letters that indicate her grandmother may have been connected to the local aristocracy through to two eligible man soon entering her life, Daisy's return to Half Moon Farm is anything but relaxing. And that's not even taking into account the mayhem her half-wild cat Atticus brings to the local wildlife and nearby doggy day care...

My review

I read the first part of Return to Half Moon Farm last year and I'd been waiting with bated breath for more ever since, and oh my the rest of the novel was just as fantastic as that delightful teaser! I immediately loved Daisy and her two boys, Finn and Campbell, who are twins but couldn't be more different: one a tomboy football lover and the other a quieter kid who loves history. Even though they weren't the main characters, they felt really well-rounded and through them we got another insight into Daisy too. 

And I loved seeing all the facets of her life, from her sons to her estranged relationship with her mum and through the amicable conversations with her ex-husband through to that with the two new men entering her life: Drew and Kit. One a well-loved farmer who's been helping out her mum and the other a slightly distant yet still charming man she believes to be the earl living in the local castle. I swooned... a lot.

There was so much more to this book than a will-they-won't-they romance though. Daisy and Rose's difficult relationship was heartbreaking but also really genuine and fascinating, with both sides of the story being complex and understandable. Then there's Daisy's dive into the past when she discovers long-lost love letters between her grandmother and someone who wasn't her grandfather. And I haven't even mentioned one of my absolute favourite characters yet: the terror that is Atticus. I love cats anyway, but Holly had me howling with laughter at the descriptions of him prowling on the fence at the doggy day care as the king of the castle. 

Even though this is the first time we meet Daisy, Finn, Campbell, Atticus and the quirky cast of characters in and around Half Moon Farm, this book already felt like a reunion for the readers as much as it did to Daisy and her mother Rose. The setting and local villagers in Return to Half Moon Farm felt instantly cosy and familiar, and that's all due to author Holly Hepburn's heart-warming writing and imagination. As soon as you crack open one of her novels, you are transported to simpler and better places, ones that you do not want to leave – quite literally, I read this one in nearly one sitting! They're the ultimate book-shaped hug. 

Return to Half Moon Farm by Holly Hepburn is published by Simon & Schuster and you can now buy your copy from your favourite local book shop!

Blog tour stops for Return to Half Moon Farm by Holly Hepburn

This review for Return to Half Moon Farm is a part of the official blog tour for the launch of the book. Make sure to check out the other stops too!

Disclaimer: This book was gifted to me, but this has not impacted this honest review.