Stevie‘s review of The House on Blackberry Hill (Jewell Cove, Book 1) by Donna Alward
Contemporary Romance published by St. Martin’s Paperbacks 29 Apr 14
All kinds of stories can be enhanced by the addition of an understated ghost, and this is no exception, although even without the ghost I’d have enjoyed the characters, plot, and setting. Small-town America doesn’t always work for me, but when it does, I’m gripped by the place and its inhabitants. In this case, we get to learn about the town along with the heroine – an outsider, for all that her family name and history are well-known to just about everyone she encounters.
Abby Foster’s grandmother had been estranged from her Jewell Cove relatives since she was a small child and had told her nothing about that side of the family, so not only does the news that she’s an heiress come as a complete surprise to Abby, she’s not at all keen to find out about her inheritance and pretty much wants to offload the property part as soon as she can. But first she needs to visit the house and find out what needs to be done to it in order to put it on the market.
When Abby finally gets the time to visit the house on Blackberry Hill, it turns out to be far more impressive than she’d been expecting, but also rather more run-down than she’d been counting on. Fortunately local contractor Tom Arseneault is not only very fond of the house, he’s also at a bit of a loose end, having had several jobs unexpectedly fall through. And he really needs the work, not just for the money, but also to take his mind off the fact that his cousin and former best friend is moving back to the town. The pair were in love with the same woman, and Tom lost out, but now she’s dead and Tom isn’t looking forward to all the old memories and rivalries that are about to get raked up.
Abby and Tom start work on clearing out, and fixing up, the house, only to start uncovering all kinds of mysteries relating to Abby’s great-grandmother, who died in a fall just as the Second World War came to an end – after which Abby’s grandmother was sent away. Encounters with the resident ghost lead Abby to believe that the fall wasn’t an accident, and she’s curious to find out more, although still convinced that selling the house is to be her eventual best option.
Of course, Tom and the other locals know better, and slowly the house becomes an important presence in Abby’s life. As does Tom, of course. The story of what happened to Abby’s great-grandmother is heart-breaking, although the way her great-aunt (who left the house to Abby) turned her life around and helped others after her father’s death is suitably heart-warming. The house has other secrets to give up too, and one of those sets the scene nicely for the next book in this charming series.
Overall, this was a lovely and mostly cheering read, and so I’m looking forward to the next one (with fingers crossed that it will also have a ghost in the background somewhere).
Grade: B
Summary:
When a young woman inherits a rundown mansion, the last thing she expects to find is the key to her heart…
Abby Foster is a fish out of water in the Maine coastal town of Jewell Cove. The crumbling Foster estate, left to her by a relative she never even knew, has everyone’s eyes on her—an eerie reminder of the long-buried family secrets that have haunted her…forever. Single, stunning, and sometimes too strong-willed for her own good, Abby’s plan is to sell the house and hightail it back to Nova Scotia. But another part of her is intrigued by the idea of starting over somewhere new—and finally learning the truth about her heritage.
THE HOUSE ON BLACKBERRY HILL
Enter Tom Arseneault. The best contractor in Jewell Cove, Tom is determined to restore the beauty and prestige of the Foster mansion—and maybe even work his charms on its beautiful new heir. The attraction between him and Abby is undeniable, and the more time Tom spends on the house the more he wants to be in it with her. But Abby’s not sure she can trust him—or anyone in Jewell Cove who seems to know more about her family history than she does. Home: Is it really where the heart is after all?
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
Treasure on Lilac Lane
