After being caught up in a traumatic event, Ava decides to find solace and peace in Bluebell Wood. The complete opposite to her hustle and bustle of life she is leaving behind in London but she needs to find peace and heal.
With a rescue dog called Merlin accompanying her Ava finds herself in this little cottage on the edge of the woods, with plans to keep herself to herself. Unfortunately coming to live in a small village means you are going to be the source of much interest and it isn’t long before Ava finds herself slowly being swept into village life.
Callum, the good looking vicar, is one of the first to meet Ava and leaves a lasting impression, though it takes a while for Ava to reconcile this man of god with the vision in her imagination. Jenny in the village shop is welcoming and helpful, the local teacher Jemima encourages Ava’s gift with the children. Linnet and Robin, a single mum and an autistic boy pull not just at Ava’s heart strings but mine as well.
With any village there is always something going on whether it is the local quiz, the school jumble sale or even Easter Egg hunts and Ava despite her fears and misgivings seems to become part of it all. As the new development starts on some fields adjacent to Bluebell Wood, she finds herself very passionately protesting that something must be done. It seems that miracles come in strange place.
Whilst the book encompass a wonderful village tale full of community spirit, Ali McNamara has taken the power of nature and used it to her advantage to add an almost ethereal tone to one of the storylines. The beauty of nature and particularly the birds that are attracted to no doubt Bluebell Wood but Ava’s bird food lead to something that will put the village on the map forever.
It seems that Ava’s solace and peace is what she has been looking for all along.
This is another wonderful book from an author who seems to be getting better with the depth of her stories and the wonderful scenes and characters she weaves into the pages of the book.
Thoroughly recommended for that feel good nature of a book bursting full of nature too!
Thank you to the publisher via netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Hope and Happiness in Bluebell Wood is out now.
The Book Jotter 