The Hidden Secrets of Bumblebee Cottage: The most uplifting, feel good novel of 2023 from the bestselling author! (Love Heart Lane, Book 10)

I adore this series and it is great to meet another character who is due to become the next resident of Heartcross in the Love Heart Lane series.Jinny is a journalist in London, he father owns the paper and she wants nothing. It is her father's attitude that makes her stop and want to evaluate what she is doing. After an exchange of words, Jinny leaves London, her flat and her job to try to get a job in the adorable Scottish village.Bumblebee Cottage used to belong to Dixie and George, it is now empty and waiting for the next chapter in its history. Jinny has big boots to follow but the gorgeous Gabe will be around to help her when she needs it. Did I mention that Gabe has a secret? No! Oh, he isn't the only one who does though...This is another gorgeous read and one that I really enjoyed from the outset. Jinny is a character who I liked, while she has had everything handed to her, including her job, flat and car, she has not had much in the way of choice. It is when her father wants her to intrude on someone's private life that she realises that she doesn't want this life, that people have rights and that her father has no moral boundaries.Coming to Heartcross is a step away from everything she knows. Luckily the community is supportive and amazing, if you have read any of this series then you will already know this. If you haven't then go to the beginning of the series and dread them, you will get to know the area, and the community and they are all amazing books.Anyway, where was I? Yes, supportive community... and they do look out for visitors and guests. It turns out that Gabe has a few secrets and this is something that the journo in Jinny just has to delve into. Apart from that, if you knew you liked someone and wanted to know a bit more you would do the same thing. Before you sit there and shake your head and deny it, have you looked people up on Facebook, Instagram or other social media sites? Yep, I knew you had!So the secrets, are good and they are also heartbreaking. But this is not a sad book, it is one about making fresh starts and Bumblebee Cottage is just the place for that. Once a thriving business makes chutneys and honey, it needs a new occupier to breathe fresh air into the jars and recipes. Will Jinny be the one to do that and can Gabe help her or is there too much hurt for them?This is a fabulous book and one fan of cosy, heartwarming, contemporary fiction and romance will adore it. I have loved every book in the series and this is another that hits all the right spots and I would definitely recommend it.

Read it in just over a day, couldn’t put it down. Now over too quick . Could have read more. Loved to have had the wedding.really a must to read.great storyline

found it a nice read but the beginning was a bit slow and boring, then once it picked up it was better. Predictable.

I loved this book. Won’t lie – to took a little while to warm to Jinny. It wasn’t an immediate affinity as it has been with some of the other characters in the series, but when i say a little while, I mean only a page or two. Maybe one chapter. The more we learn about her, about her past and her desire to step out of the shadow of her father and his dubious approach to journalism, the more I liked her. And then, as the book progresses and it is clear just how determined and yet hideously out of her depth she is taking over a jam making business, the more of a smile she brought to my face. Jinny is refreshingly honest, eventually, and a little accident prone in a way that will make anyone laugh, especially, it seems her new colleague Gabe.It’s maybe not quiet love at first sight, but it’s a pretty close run thing and you know from the very moment they meet that there is a spark between the pair. Christie Barlow excels at pulling us into the thick of these relationships, making the meet cute moments pack a punch, and setting us up for what will be the highlight of the book. And what a pair they make too. Not because of the obvious either. Both of them are nursing secrets. Jinny disguising her identity and hiding any link to her father’s legacy. Gabe … well his is an entirely different story, one which Jinny’s journalistic instinct drives her to get to the bottom of.Neither life, or love, seem to run smoothly for Jinny, a few little hiccups adding emotion and a touch of conflict to her story. But there is no denying that she means well, especially when she determines to put Bee’s Knees on the map by winning the Summer Fair’s best local produce competition. She puts heart and soul into her entry, despite a few heartbreaks along the way, set on repaying the trust that Molly and Cam placed in her, and honouring the memory of the businesses founders, Dixie and George Bird. It echoes the warmth at the heart of this book, and the final chapter really encapsulates the joy that is the Heartcross family.There is a brief shadow cast over this story though, one that links back to Jinny in unexpected ways. Far from a random town in a remote part of Scotland that was meant to be an entirely new start for her, she actually finds herself caught up in a truly tragic story which has an air of authenticity about it and is very reminiscent of a not too distant event that has been back in the headlines not too long ago.Christie Barlow has done a great job of drawing attention to the integrity of celebrity journalists and the lengths some people will go to in order to get a story, not matter what the cost. The consequences in this case are far reaching, and emotional, but not too a point that will overwhelm the story. The author is too skilled for that, giving the storyline just enough gravitas to leave a mark but bookending it with the warmth and acceptance that comes from the very heart of Heartcross.Another beautiful, heartwarming and sometimes thought provoking story and a wonderful addition to the Love Heart Lane series. Fans are going to love Jinny and Gabe, and just get swept up in their story.

Thankyou I loved reading this book

I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. The characters are well drawn and the storyline had enough humor and surprises to keep the reader engaged. Jinny was brave to leave home and her dad in search of a place to live and work without sacrificing her morals.I recommend The Hidden Secrets of Bumblebee Cottage to all who enjoy a light romance and a story about two people starting over.

Trigger WarningsThis book contains:• Manslaughter that was never identified or owned• Troubled relationships with parents.CharactersJinny is a top journalist from London who’s had turbulent feelings about her job, and the demands her father (as her boss) has made on her. When she reaches her breaking point, she’s determined to find a life that’s aligned with what she wants, even if she must fight to get it.Gabe is a highly secretive man working at Bumblebee Cottage, and yet, isn’t quite what he seems. While he appears to be devoted to the Cottage and it’s produce, there are a few too many inconsistencies in his life to make someone like Jinny comfortable.StorylineJinny leaves London after she reaches the breaking point of writing stories for her father’s tabloid by invading the privacy of celebrities. The only problem is, she doesn’t exactly have much of a skillset to do anything other than journalism. When she sees an opportunity in the Scottish Highlands for a job that comes with a home, she didn’t expect to get the job and meet a mysterious man.Overall ThoughtsI really enjoyed the mystery element of this story, especially alongside the romance story.We get hints throughout the book of what’s going on, and yet you’re still missing a few pieces until right near the reveal. These little hints, and suggestions keep you thinking, keep you involved and gives you a reason to keep reading even if the romance doesn’t keep you hooked.The romance element is intricately entwined with the mystery I mentioned, and yet in a way separate from it. While we get the attractive guy who’s immediately nice to Jinny, he’s kind and appears to be a loving member of his family. He’s also very reserved and doesn’t tend to open up making the development of their relationship something that takes time and slowly built trust.That slow burn, the carefully built trust that creates a strong bond between the two characters was something that kept me hooked wondering when it would be consummated. The careful dance between them was beautiful, slightly stressful and fun to read.My only problem with this one is that neither of the characters were Heartcross locals from childhood. I feel like it’s been a while since I’ve read one of those, so I’m hoping we’ll get back to some of those more “local” stories in the series soon.

Finding peace was exactly what Jinny wanted. She gave up her previous job as a journalist, gave up her fancy car and apartment. Jenny answered the ad for Bumblebee Cottage and changed her life forever!

Love this series and love this book

Such a feel good book! I had mixed emotions. I wanted to read it straight thru to see what would happen but then I didn't want it to end. Can't wait for the next book.