Book Review: The House of Hopes and Dreams by Trisha Ashley

It’s Sunday. It’s snowing. Therefore it’s the perfect time to snuggle up with a Trisha Ashley novel and it’s lovely to welcome Trisha and the blog tour for her latest book, The House of Hopes and Dreams to Novel Kicks today. 

When Carey Revell unexpectedly becomes the heir to Mossby, his family’s ancestral home, it’s rather a mixed blessing. The house is large but rundown and comes with a pair of resentful relatives who can’t be asked to leave.
Still, newly dumped by his girlfriend and also from his job as a TV interior designer, Carey needs somewhere to lick his wounds. And Mossby would be perfect for a renovation show. He already knows someone who could restore the stained glass windows in the older part of the house…

Angel Arrowsmith has spent the last ten years happily working and living with her artist mentor and partner. But suddenly bereaved, she finds herself heartbroken, without a home or a livelihood. Life will never be the same again – until old friend Carey Revell comes to the rescue.

They move in to Mossby with high hopes. But the house has a secret at its heart: an old legend concerning one of the famous windows. Will all their dreams for happiness be shattered? Or can Carey and Angel find a way to make this house a home?

As a long time follower of Trisha’s novels, I was delighted to receive a copy of her new novel from the publisher. I had intended taking my time, rationing myself, savouring each page so the experience would take a week or so, so much for good intentions as I started this on a Friday and was finished on Sunday evening.

What to tell you about the story? Well, as little as I can get away with, as I don’t like giving away too much.

Angel Arrowsmith’s life is thrown into confusion by the sudden death of her partner, causing her to lose her home and livelihood. Her best friend Carey Revell is recovering from a bad accident that lost him his job when he is bequeathed a slightly run down ancestral home.

Thrown together, Carey uses his skills as a TV interior designer. Angel moves into help him/sets up her own studio as she is an artisan with stained glass and the building is a trove of history for her art. Throw in vindictive relatives a plenty, along with the house which itself contains secrets that may be better left un-found. What will life bring for Angel and Carey?

If you wish to know any more about the story, then I suggest you go elsewhere.

This is one of Trisha’s most complex stories, and it’s all the more engrossing for that. Like most readers, I have my favourite authors. That’s not to say that every book by them is as good as, let alone better than the previous. However, I can say that, to this reader at least, this novel takes the author to a new level in this genre, and having read every one of her books that is saying something.

We have interwoven plot elements that could have left you scratching your head as to how they will all come together, but there’s no need to worry as the writing flows seamlessly. The pace canters along drawing you into the lives of the characters as if you’re watching your favourite film.

If you’re new to Trisha Ashley’s novels, then I envy you the body of work that you will undoubtedly discover upon finishing this. If you’re a seasoned reader of this lady as I am, then you will be looking forward to wallowing in the comfort that reading one of Trisha’s books brings – pull up your favourite chair, brew a cup of tea and a slice of cake.

(My thanks to the publisher for sending me the review copy.)

About Trisha:

Trisha Ashley writes romantic comedies and her latest novel is called The House of Hopes and Dreams and was published by Transworld in March 2018. 

She is from St Helens in West Lancashire. Several of her novels are set in rural West Lancashire, West Yorkshire and Wales. They frequently explore aspects of the three F’s that are a constant in her own life: Food, Flowers and Friendship and include delicious recipes at the back.

Nowadays she lives in North Wales and she is the founder member of NW Novelistas Ink, a group of twelve novelists, several of whom are bestselling, who meet regularly in North Wales. 

Trisha has a website at www.trishaashley.com.

You will also find her on twitter as @trishaashley.

by

Mick Arnold

Mick reviews books and will also be chatting about his experience as a male author in the romantic genre. Mick is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association, New Writers Scheme. He lives in Northamptonshire and is the proud keeper of two cats, Gus and Elphaba. When he’s not trying to write books, Mick has a deep-seated love of reading that he’s brought from his teens to the current day with no signs of waning. He’s also mad on the music of the Beach Boys and enjoys the theatre and humouring his Manchester United supporting wife. Mick can be followed on Twitter: @mick859