by Milly Johnson
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Release: 16th June 2016
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Source: Copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Synopsis:
" Viv doesn't like animals. And the feeling is mutual: animals seem to hate Viv too. So when she applies for a job at Wildflower Cottage, a tumbledown animal sanctuary which caters for a variety of unloved animals, she is not sure she will fit in. But then she catches sight of Heath, the owner, and things start looking up...
Geraldine runs the Wildflower Cottage sanctuary. She's a woman who has a secret in her past and who was drawn to the sanctuary just as Viv was. But her sanctuary is about to come under threat. Can she keep her past a secret and her future safe?
Back home, Viv's mother Stel thinks she might have found a man who will treat her right for once. Ian is kind, considerate, and clearly head over heels for her. That's what she has wanted all along, isn't it...?"
Review
I’m a big fan of Milly Johnson, I look forward to the arrival of a new book from her every year and she never lets me down! Sunshine Over Wildflower Cottage is an absolute pleasure to read, as always Milly’s writing is full of warmth, love and humour and sweeps you away to a place that you never want to leave.
The book follows a young woman called Viv who takes on an admin job at Wildflower Cottage – a home for mistreated animals and birds of prey. Despite the beautiful animals and gorgeous countryside setting, Viv is here for more than just a new job. As kindly Geraldine and grumpy vet Heath take Viv into their hearts as well as their home, can Viv bare to tell them the real reason as to why she’s here?
Back at home, Viv’s mum Stel is missing her daughter terribly but manages to get by with the support of her friends the Old Spice Girls who meet every week to put the world to rights. When Stel gets together with a guy from her work she quickly finds herself in a whirlwind relationship but is Ian all he seems to be?
One of my favourite things about Milly Johnson’s books is that her characters feel like the women that I know and love in my own life making them so easy to root for. We meet and hear from lots of different characters in this book and each of them has their own unique story. I’m always in awe of how Milly ties each characters story into the overall plot so that by the end of the book all of the little jigsaw pieces fall into place nicely creating a bigger picture.
Stel’s chapters were my favourite to read. They’re so cleverly written and show how misleading appearances can be. I also loved the Old Spice Girls and their weekly meetings, their friendship and support of one another was so lovely to read.
Sunshine Over Wildflower Cottage is without doubt one of Milly Johnson’s best books to date. It’s a beautiful story of strength, new beginnings and friendship with an unexpected sprinkling of magic and mystery. Milly Johnson manages to make the world a little bit sunnier with her books and I’d recommend this to any reader looking for a heart-warming summer read.
