Jenny Kane & Jennifer Ash

Jenny Kane: Coffee, cupcakes, chocolate and contemporary fiction / Jennifer Ash: Medieval crime with hints of Ellis Peters and Robin Hood

Category: Contemporary Romantic Fiction Page 8 of 56

Happy 2nd Birthday to Spring Blossoms at Mill Grange

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On February 28, 2023

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Fiction, Mill Grange, Opening Lines Blog

Book three in the #MillGrange series is two years old this week!

Spring Blossoms at Mill Grange.

BLURB

Helen Rogers has been lying to herself over her feelings for Tom since the moment they met. And for good reason; not only are they colleagues, working together with the archaeology groups at Mill Grange, but her sabbatical is almost over and she’ll soon have to return to Bath.

Tom Harris knows he’s falling in love with Helen. How could he not? She’s smart, kind and great with his son Dylan. But with his ex-wife suddenly offering him a chance to spend more time with Dylan, and the staff of Mill Grange about to host a wedding, everything else has to be put to one side. Even his feelings for a certain archaeologist.

As Helen’s time at Mill Grange runs short, the two are forced to consider what matters most…

 

Set in the beautiful Exmoor countryside, on the border of Devon and Somerset, Spring Blossoms, continues the story of Thea, Shaun, Sam, Tina, Mable and Bert – as well as Helen and Tom, who were newcomers to the house in Autumn Leaves at Mill Grange.

Here’s the prologue…

Helen cradled the stone in her palm. The size of a cookie, grey in colour, it was jagged on one side and smooth on the other. Once upon a time it had been part of the bedrock; a tiny fragment of the geology that had formed the basis of the village of Upwich and its surrounds. Now, however, it felt like the most precious possession she’d ever owned.

She hadn’t had the heart to tell Dylan that it wasn’t an exciting find from the Roman fortlet they were excavating in Mill Grange’s garden. The five-year-old had been so thrilled to be able to help his dad, Tom, when they’d peeled the tarpaulin off the archaeological site after a frosty winter, that when he’d picked up the stone and run to her, his face wide with pleasure, she’d held it with a reverence normally reserved for the crown jewels.

The boy’s eyes had got wider and wider as she’d told him about the land beneath Exmoor, how it had formed, and how the stone he’d found was part of that.

Helen had been conscious of Tom’s eyes on her as his son had sat on her knee and listened with rapt attention to every word she said.

Laying the stone back on her desk, tucked neatly in the corner of the store room, Helen sighed. She had come to Mill Grange to take a break from the pressures of her management job. She had not come to fall in love – especially not with Tom – a man with a horrendous track record with woman – and a son…

You don’t have to have read Midsummer Dreams at Mill Grange or Autumn Leaves at Mill Grange, to enjoy Spring Blossoms, although you’d probably get more from the story if you have. Spring Blossoms is then followed by Winter Fires at Mill Grange.

If you would like to buy a copy of Spring Blossoms at Mill Grange, you can purchase a copy from all good retailers, including…

AMAZON
KOBO
APPLE
WATERSTONES
BARNES & NOBLE
GOOGLE PLAY
WHSMITH

Happy reading,

Jenny x

Cover Reveal: When Love Lasts by O.L. Obonna

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On February 20, 2023

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction

Today, I’m delighted to be featuring a cover reveal, for fellow writer, O.L. Obonna…

When Love Lasts by O.L. Obonna (@omoscorner) #romance #romancenovel #contemporaryromance #secondchanceromance

Book Blurb

Theirs was a marriage made in heaven, a marriage meant to last forever or so they thought.

A once-perfect marriage was thrown into a fragile state as a result of tiny whispers, and an unfortunate encounter causes the marriage to collapse. The once happy couple separate and a heartbroken Leilani returns home to London. And then out of the blue, Folarin’s family needs Leilani’s help and she must return to her ex-husband’s side. A series of unfortunate events have brought them together again and Folarin and Leilani must come to terms with the realisation, that somebody, somewhere was wrong. As they spend more time together, falling in love seems inevitable; even though one of them is promised to another, they must find a way to learn to trust and forgive each other in other to move on.
Will Folarin be able to trust Leilani?

Will Leilani be able to forget the pain of their first marriage?

Will they both believe in second chances?

Excerpt

Hello?” Leilani answered her phone after it had rung a couple of times.

“Hello, Leilani.”
Leilani froze. She would know that voice anywhere; it was

the voice of someone she would never forget. Folarin Balogun, her unforgiving ex-husband. It had been two years since she had last heard from him, two years since that fateful night when their marriage had ended abruptly. She almost dropped the phone in shock.

“How did you get my number?” she asked, slumping into her chair in the back office of her café.

Silence. Then Folarin Balogun responded quietly, “I got your number from Tega.”

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and waited for a couple of seconds. “What do you want, Folarin?” she asked in a very unfriendly tone. “You must have a reason for calling me.” Leilani knew that she sounded rude, but she didn’t care. She was in no mood to be polite to Folarin Balogun.

He had hurt her so much. Back then, she thought she would die from the pain he had caused her. It had taken her a long time to heal, and now she was ready to move on. Hearing his voice again brought back painful memories, memories she would rather leave in the past, where they belonged.

 

Author Biography

O.L OBONNA was born in Lagos, Nigeria. For as long as she can remember, she has always wanted to tell stories about love and romance by creating and immersing readers in the romantic adventures of fascinating characters. Her stories are a peek into her version of the excitement, allure, and mystery of the age-old sentimental narrative of love, which she so beautifully and intricately weaves together into a genuinely fascinating read. When she’s not surrounding herself with words or reading a romance novel, you can find her in the kitchen trying out new recipes or painting with her children.

She lives in London and is happily married with three children.

Website: www.omoscorner.com

Instagram: @omos_corner

Twitter: @omoscorner

 

Cover reveal organised by Writer Marketing Services.

Thanks Grandad(s)

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On February 9, 2023

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Cornwall, Jenny Kane, Mill Grange, Romance

Anyone who has read my Mill Grange series, or my Cornish, ‘Abi Carter’ novels, will know that I have a fondness for writing older characters – especially older gentlemen.

To my lasting joy, both Stan in A Cornish Escape and A Cornish Wedding, and Bert from all four of the Mill Grange stories, (Midsummer Dreams at Mill Grange, Autumn Leaves at Mill Grange, Spring Blossoms at Mill Grange and Winter Fires at Mill Grange), have proved extremely popular with my readers, In fact, nine times out of ten, if I ask a reading group who was their favourite character from my books is, they’ll either say Bert or Stan. (The second favourite is either Mabel – Bert’s wife – or Dylan from Mill Grange books 2-4.)

I have no doubt that the reason I enjoy creating male, pensioner aged, characters is that they are generally based – in some way – on one, or both, of my grandads.

My father’s dad, was a Cornish man born and bred. A butcher from Penzance, he was a small quiet man, with a large smile and a big heart. He had poor hearing and bright white hair – two features which were the result of him being in bomb disposal during the Second World War (a fact I didn’t know until his funeral). A bomb went off frighteningly close to him, and his hair turned white instantly!

He and my Nan, ran a guest house on Alma Place in Penzance. During the war, Nan took in evacuees. One of them, Leonard, never left. He became like an extra grandparent when I was very young. I recall sitting with him and his vast stamp collection for hours, while Nan boiled milk to death on the stove to make clotted cream, and Grandad sharpened his knives for work.

My mum’s dad was born in Cardiff, but his family moved to Princes Risborough in Buckinghamshire when he was three years old. He was a grocers’ delivery boy before the war, but then went into the Royal Marines. He rarely spoke of his time in the war. All I know is that he carved his name into the toe of the Sphinx in Egypt ( I told him off for that act of vandalism!), that something happened which meant he didn’t like enclosed spaces, and that, if it wasn’t for the Salvation Army’s practical help during the war years, he and his best friend would not have survived. He never said why, but, despite not being a religious man, he always gave to the Salvation Army at Christmas – a tradition I keep up on his behalf.

A gentle giant, of a man, he married my Nan after the war, soon becoming a cobbler in her families business. (They owned Wainwright Shoes in Buckinghamshire.) Every time I go into a shoe menders, the aroma of leather and cobblers glue, takes me on a nostalgia trip back to the many times I’d sit with my grandad in his workshop, helping him polish and bag up shoes for the shop’s customers.

Every summer, I was lucky enough to spend time with both sets of grandparents. At the time I was so busy enjoying myself on the beach at Marazion or Sennen Cove – or watching the people come and go from St. Michael’s Mount through my grandad’s extra powerful war time binoculars – or helping in both their greenhouses – or walking Brandy, the Golden Labrador through the woods of Buckinghamshire while picking up sling shot left over from the civil war – or helping in the shoe shop, sorting paper bags and playing with laces – that I didn’t stop to think that one day, these amazing men wouldn’t be there to laugh with any more.

Nor did I imagine, that they would work their way quite so profoundly into my fiction.

Stan Abbey – in A Cornish Escape and A Cornish Wedding – is based more on my Cornish Grandad than my Buckinghamshire one. Although, Stan’s dog, Sadie, is very much based on Buckinghamshire Grandad’s dog, Brandy.

Bert Hastings – in the Mill Grange series – is based more on my Buckinghamshire Grandad. Bert shares some of his war time experiences, as well as his willingness to drop anything to help anyone. Also – Bert’s wife, Mabel (stalwart of the community), is a carbon copy of his wife, my wonderful Nan.

Even thought there isn’t a day goes by when I don’t miss my beloved grandparents, I’m extremely lucky to be able to capture their spirit in the characters I write. I think they’d approve – at least, I hope they would.

Happy reading,

Jenny x

Opening Lines: A Cornish Wedding

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On January 26, 2023

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Fiction, Jenny Kane, Opening Lines Blog, Romance

This week, I thought I’d share some on my own Opening Lines.

Here’s the beginning of A Cornish Wedding (previously published as Abi’ Neighbour)

Sequel to A Cornish Escape, this feel good romance returns you to the world of Abi, Max, Beth and Stan in sunny Sennen Cove.

Blurb

Perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley, Heidi Swain and Milly Johnson, A Cornish Wedding is the best kind of summer escape.

Abi has what she’s always dreamed of: her perfect Cornish cottage, great friends and a gorgeous boyfriend. But her idyll is shattered when a new neighbour moves in next door.

Rude and obnoxious, Cassandra doesn’t make a good first impression on Abi. But with the unexpected wedding of one of Abi’s friends to prepare for, Abi has bigger things to worry about.

However, avoiding her new neighbour proves harder than expected and Abi and Cassandra soon realise they might have more in common than they first thought. . .

But with the wedding only weeks away, can they set aside their differences before the big day?

FIRST 500 WORDS

Cassandra stared at the ‘For Sale’ sign in the front garden. A fresh slogan had been pasted proudly across it, proclaiming Another House Sold!

She frowned. The estate agents must have made a mistake. Justin had talked about renting the cottage, this poky little two-bed terrace in some Cornish backwater, but he’d never once suggested buying it.

Sitting on the low stone wall that ran in front of the row of cottages, with her back to the sold sign, she let out a string of vehemently whispered expletives. Resisting the temptation to throw a pebble at the seagulls which were squawking their hearts out on the roof behind her, she steadied her breathing, like she did when faced with a particularly demanding client.

Shrugging off her suit jacket in deference to the early summer sunshine that poured from a cloud-free sky, Cassandra tried to focus, but doubts continued to assail her. She hadn’t misunderstood Justin, had she?

They’d been laughing over the breakfast table at one of the most exclusive hotels in London when the subject of Cornwall had first come up. Making plans for their future life together, they’d celebrated in grand style the fact that Justin had, after six years of secret trysts and stolen nights together, decided to leave his wife; the dreadful Jacinta.

Excitedly they’d plotted and planned over plates of eggs Benedict and smoked salmon, raising their glasses of Buck’s Fizz to Justin’s promotion to senior partner at the law firm. A promotion which meant that, providing they merged their finances, Justin could afford to get a divorce without being catapulted into penury.

There was only one snag.

The legal company Justin now worked for, Family Values, prided itself on its moral integrity. There was no way he could risk a scandal after securing the promotion he’d coveted for so long. It would be bad enough when he explained to his colleagues that he was getting a divorce – suddenly producing a long-term mistress would be too much for them to accept in one go.

So Justin had asked Cassandra to move away for a while. He’d suggested they use this short diplomatic period of separation to their advantage, and rent a property to later sublet – at a vast profit – to exhausted executives seeking a spot of relaxation. Cassandra, who could run her own business from anywhere via the Internet, would go and make sure the property was up to date, arrange any decorating that was required, and then rejoin Justin in London once things had died down.

Thinking back, Cassandra realised she should have asked a lot more questions about exactly how much research Justin had already done into this move. But under the influence of the early-morning alcohol, not to mention the triumph she felt at having finally succeeded in persuading Justin to leave his wife, she had suppressed all her instincts and agreed to everything he’d said.

The untidy, clipboard-wielding woman started talking as soon as she climbed out of her Mini….

If you’d like to read A Cornish Wedding, you can buy it as a paperback or ebook from all good retailers, including

Universal link – mybook.to/CornishWedding

Happy reading everyone.

Jenny xx

COVER REVEAL: Misty Mornings at The Potting Shed

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On January 16, 2023

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Fiction, Jenny Kane, Romance, The Potting Shed

Today I’m delighted to be able to share the gorgeous cover for the third book in #ThePottingShed #series!

Misty Mornings at The Potting Shed.

I hope you love it as much as I do.

Misty Mornings at The Potting Shed is to be published in October.

This, the third outing for Maddie, Ed, Jo, and the garden centre gang, follows on from Frost Falls at The Potting Shed (out now) and Bluebell Season at The Potting Shed (out in March).

You can pre-order both Bluebell Season and Misty Mornings from all good retailers.

I’ll have more information about this Devon based, feel good, series soon!

In the meantime, I’d better get on with writing it!

Happy pre-ordering and reading,

Jenny x

 

Focus on: A Cornish Escape

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On January 9, 2023

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Cornwall, Fiction, Jenny Kane, Romance

This week, let’s grab some much needed sunshine and focus on my first Cornish romance/romcom – A Cornish Escape.

Abi’s life is turned upside down when she is widowed before her thirtieth birthday. Determined to find something positive in the upheaval, Abi decides to make a fresh start somewhere new. With fond childhood memories of holidays in a Cornish cottage, could Cornwall be the place to start over?

With all her belongings in the boot of her car but no real plan, a chance meeting in a village pub brings new friends Beth and Max into her life. Max soon helps Abi track down the house of her dreams but things aren’t as simple as Abi hoped.

Can Abi leave her past behind and finally get her happy ending?

(A Cornish Escape was previously published as Abi’s House)

Buy Links– A Cornish Escape is available from all good bookshops and e-retailers – including…

Amazon – mybook.to/ACornishEscape 

Waterstones- https://www.waterstones.com/book/a-cornish-escape/jenny-kane/9781786157683

Kobo – A Cornish Escape eBook by Jenny Kane – 9781472275431 | Rakuten Kobo United Kingdom

Nook – A Cornish Escape eBook by Jenny Kane – 9781472275431 | Rakuten Kobo United Kingdom

***

Here are some of the lovely reviews my kind readers have given A Cornish Escape

‘…I often caught myself smiling for pages on end and found it nearly impossible to put down. It’s a genuine treat to read, with a dual narrative (easy to follow) and not too short chapters to allow you to get into the story, but not too long so it breaks the flow.

‘It had the right amount of romance, to perfect scenery, and exciting plot which just makes A Cornish Escape an all-round lovely read.

‘It’s got an original concept and is all about finding yourself with a gorgeous backdrop – I often want to escape and move to France/ New York, so it was nice to see someone else do this (albeit fictional, but Abi feels real!), and her journey towards becoming happier.

‘I genuinely sit on the edge of my seat waiting for the next book by this author – I can’t get enough of Kane’s writing style and heart-warming stories which keep you engaged throughout….’

You can read the rest of this incredible review at Bookmark That 

‘…I absolutely loved it and only have positive things to say!  The storyline is wonderful, enchanting and draws you in. Jenny Kane does such an amazing job of describing the scenery and I honestly felt like I was there, in Cornwall, on the adventure with Abi.  It made me really want to be in Cornwall right now!  From the sea, to the little tea/coffee shops, to the shop and the houses – you can see and feel it all.  I could even imagine the seagulls having a sing in the morning (easy when I live near the sea I suppose!).  A Cornish Escape has just re-enforced the fact that I have to visit Cornwall at some point – I seem to be drawn to it and this made me love it so much more.

So on to the characters…….I adore Abi, the protagonist.  She has had a bit of rough time, her Husband has recently passed away, and she is trying to re-find herself.  Learning about what she’s been through, and making new friends with her, you can’t help but fall in love with her. I was behind her every decision and felt so protective; just like she’s one of my real life friends!!  Beth and Max are both equally amazing.  They’re exactly the sort of people you’d want to bump into and be taken under their wing.  Again, you can’t help but love them and only want the best for them.  And probably my ultimate favourites – Stan and his dog!  Amazing and utterly adorable, I just wanted to hug him constantly! But as you would expect, not everyone can be nice…..and there is one character you will not love and not route for.  He is a piece of work and the things he gets up to will shock you – I honestly just wanted to punch him myself!

Although this is a happy and heartwarming story, don’t be fooled.  This will also take you on a bit of a rollercoaster as you go on the journey with Abi.  At points I was fuming, then I was hoping and had everything crossed, then I was nearly in tears, and then I’d be smiling!  But this is because Jenny Kane has done such a wonderful job of making the characters relatable, real and loveable.

The story is enjoyable to read; a dual-narrative that is easy to follow with a beautiful plot.  I honestly couldn’t give this any more praise!  If you’re looking for your next read and fancy something that you will enjoy reading, will draw you in and make you completely invested in the characters; whilst taking you on a journey to beautiful Cornwall then this is for you.  You really don’t want to miss this, it will warm your insides and put a big smile on your face.  This comes highly recommended by me – I’m glad I have the paperback to keep and read again and I’m so excited that there is another book, A Cornish Wedding which I cannot wait to read!… ‘  You can read the rest of this amazing review at Curled Up With A Good Book 

 

‘…Chicken soup for the soul!

A Cornish Escape isn’t just about romance. It is also about loss, recovery, starting over, and many acts of basic human kindness. It doesn’t feature only the young and the beautiful. There is a wide spectrum of characters, including the elderly who are portrayed with great sensitivity. Stan is my absolute hero, and he is no spring chicken!

If you’re feeling slightly under the weather and a little bit stuck in emotional lockdown, warm your heart up with that lovely story. It is well written with beautiful descriptions of Cornwall which are vivid enough to make you feel, just for that one fleeting moment, that you are actually there….’ BookMarkedReviews 

‘…A Cornish Escape by Jenny Kane was a wonderfully uplifting, cosy and fun-loving story with a cast of chatty, vibrant characters and a setting so delightfully charming it will entice you in a way that you’ll find impossible to ignore. This is the first of Jenny Kane’s books I’ve had the pleasure of reading and I can honestly say I’m already looking forward to more from the author. This story tugged me into its pages and wrapped me up in the wonderful world within, so much so that I really didn’t want to stop reading for having to return to reality, which seemed nowhere near as picturesque and romantic as the Cornish coast….’ The Book Babe Reviews

‘I love this book so much…just reading it can make me smell the beaches, the vinegar on the chips, the clotted cream mmmmmm …’  Reader review from Facebook.

‘Its’ a fabulous fabulous fabulous. You wont just read it, you will live it…and who wouldn’t want to live in the best place called Cornwall…’ Reader review from Facebook.

2023: Bring it on

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On January 3, 2023

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Fiction, Jennifer Ash, Jenny Kane, Romance, The Potting Shed

2022 was – shall we say – challenging?

It definitely had it’s good points. On a personal note, I had my 25th wedding anniversary and I turned 50. Both of these events brought lots of fun with them, and many nights away, exploring various parts of the UK, and walking miles and miles of beautiful countryside. (Not to mention eating far more scones than I ought to have done. I will gloss over how many cups of coffee I’ve drunk in the cafes of England.)

On a writing note, 2022 was fairly quiet on the publication front – with just Frost Falls at The Potting Shed hitting the world.

Frost Falls at The Potting Shed

However, a quiet publication year can only mean one thing. Lots and lots of writing.

In 2022 I finished writing Frost Falls (which I began in 2021), wrote its sequels, Bluebell Seasons at The Potting Shed and Misty Mornings at The Potting Shed.

As Jennifer Ash, I’ve made a start on a new novel and I’ve written 5 short scripts, had a stab at a sitcom, wrote a long script based on a real life war time adventure – and can tell you nothing more about any of them!

2022 ended with a few upheavals in my non-writing life. None of them catastrophic- but all time consuming and are likely to slow my output a fraction in 2023.

Having said that – my next novel, the aforementioned Bluebell Seasons at The Potting Shed will be published in March, and Misty Mornings in October. (You can already pre-order them on Amazon!)

2023 will, as ever, come with a full creative writing teaching schedule, two retreats at the fabulous Northmoor, and a heap of lit fest appearances and book events.

For now however, it’s back to work and full steam ahead with the next novel.

Happy reading everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful year.

Jenny xx

 

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

By

On December 24, 2022

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Fiction, Historical fiction, Jennifer Ash, Jenny Kane, medieval, Romance

I would like to wish you each and every one of you…

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Many many thanks for all your support over the last year.

I hope you are all having a truly peaceful – and safe – Christmas, with extra coffee and a mince pie or three.

Jenny xx

 

 

 

Coffee at Christmas: Jenny Kane’s Christmas Collection

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On December 20, 2022

In Another Cup of..., Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Fiction, Jenny Kane

It’s been some time now since I wrote these seasonal coffee shop specials, Another Cup of Christmas, Christmas in the Cotswolds, and Christmas at the Castle .

It’s been fun looking back over the stories of my past. The longer the period of time between writing and now, the more it feels like reading the words that someone else has created. I often have to remind myself that these stories are actually mine!

Blurb

The Jenny Kane Christmas Collection combines all three seasonal shorts from Jenny’s best-selling Another Cup of … series in one festive anthology.

In ‘Another Cup of Christmas’, we return to Pickwicks Coffee House in London, the setting for Jenny’s bestselling novel Another Cup of Coffee. Together with old friends Kit, Amy, Scott and Peggy, we meet new waitress Megan, who’s in charge of organising a charity event for the local hospital. Is romance as well as seasonal goodwill in the air?

‘Christmas in the Cotswolds’ sees Megan, now an established face at Pickwicks, travelling to the beautiful Cotswold countryside after an emergency call from her friend Izzie. Can Megan help Izzie pull off the perfect Christmas at her Arts and Crafts Centre – and save the business from disaster?

Kit Lambert, Pickwicks’ writer-in-residence, takes centre stage in ‘Christmas at the Castle’. Already nervous about appearing at her very first literary festival, in the grounds of a magnificent Scottish castle at Christmas time, Kit suddenly finds herself co-organising the whole thing – and trying to repair old friendships – with the deadline fast approaching…

Although these stories follow on from the novel,  Another Cup of Coffee, they also work as standalone stories in their own right.

You can buy these three books together or you can buy them individually by following the following links.

Jenny Kane’s Christmas Collection

Another Cup of Christmas

Christmas in the Cotswolds

Christmas at the Castle

Happy Christmas clicking!!

Jenny xx

Frost Falls at Christmas

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On December 13, 2022

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Fiction, Jenny Kane, Romance, The Potting Shed

I love a story set over the festive season, so when I discovered that the first in #ThePottingShed #series was to be published in time for Christmas, it was the only excuse I needed to include a festive celebration within the novel.

While Frost Falls at The Potting Shed doesn’t cover Christmas Day itself, it does include the run up to Christmas, and all that entails when running a plant growing business.

Frost Falls at The Potting Shed

Blurb

It has always been Maddie Willand’s dream to take over her father’s plant nursery. But after his sudden death, she is devastated to discover that she might lose The Potting Shed forever.

Maddie’s bossy older sister, Sabi, is joint owner of the nursery, and she’s convinced that the best thing for both of them would be to sell up.

Determined to keep the business going, Maddie can’t afford any distractions, but staying focused might be harder than she thinks. Especially when a major garden centre chain puts in an offer for the land – and her search for legal advice throws her into the path of attractive lawyer Ed…

As frost begins to fall over The Potting Shed, will Maddie find the strength to save her father’s legacy and open herself up to new beginnings?

Here’s a little snippet of The Potting Shed at Christmas time.

It’s morning – Maddie is thinking back to the evening before, when she and her sister, Sabi, decorated their small shop…

By the time they’d left it, the shop smelt like Christmas. Packets of star-shaped ginger biscuits lay next to a basket of cinnamon sticks. Next to these, a trug of locally made Christmas puddings — which Maddie hadn’t realised Petra had ordered — waited for their big moment on the festive dinner table. On the opposite side of the shop, an old fire bucket was filled with logs, around which Jake had placed small sacks of firewood to buy.

Mini olive trees, resplendent in silver and gold terracotta pots, lined the far wall, beneath the seed racks – all of which had been restocked – the lowest rung dedicated to seeds for children. A string had been hung across the ceiling, on which were draped individually designed Christmas cards showing every festive scene imaginable, from jolly snowmen to biblical nativities.

‘All that’s missing are wreaths and garlands.’ Sabi linked arms with her sister. ‘And I flatly refused to let Petra order any of those. I’d have made some if I had time, but sadly…’

Maddie laughed. ‘If you’d managed to knock up some wreaths and garlands as well as a grotto, and sort the market, I’d have started to think some sort of magic was at work here.’

‘Well,’ Sabi grinned, ‘I’ve never been averse to a Christmas miracle.’

‘It might take a miracle to make our money back on this, Sab. I hadn’t realised you and Petra had ordered in so much stock.’ Maddie rearranged a coil of tinsel that had escaped from its basket by the door.

‘It might, or it might be fine.’

 

With the memory of her sister’s optimism echoing in her ears, Maddie decided to head straight to the shop once she was up, in the hope that the festive atmosphere they’d created would bolster her mood for the day ahead.

Opening her curtains, she offered up muttered thanks. The rain had stopped, and a weak sun was highlighting a light frost that hung across the nursery. Maddie shuddered at the drop in the external temperature, wrapping her arms around her pyjamaed chest, and couldn’t help but admire the glisten of silver that tipped the Christmas trees and the gravelled paths….

You can buy a copy of Frost Falls at The Potting Shed from Amazon UK, Amazon US, Kobo, Nook, Waterstones and all good retailers. It is available as a paperback, ebook or as an audiobook.

***

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny x

 

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