Book Review: Welcome to Pennycress Inn by Sarah Hope

I’m excited to be welcoming Sarah Hope to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, Welcome to Pennycress Inn, book one in the brand new Pennycross Inn series. 

Laura wants to shake things up. She’s thirty-eight, and has been living in her parents’ house since her divorce last year. Her siblings seem to have got their lives together: successful careers, happy marriages, beautiful children.

Laura’s determined to prove herself. And buying the beautiful Pennycress Inn in the idyllic Cotswolds village of Meadowfield could be just the way to do it.

But getting the inn ready for its first guests proves easier said than done! With crumbling walls, dangerous woodwork and loose roof tiles, not to mention unfriendly locals and even errant sheep, Laura soon fears she’s made the wrong choice.

Luckily a friendly face is on hand in the form of gorgeous chef, Jackson. But is he too good to be true? And just why are the villagers so against her?

Can Laura turn her life around and get the fresh start she longs for at Pennycress Inn?

*****

Welcome to Pennycress Inn. 

Laura is looking for a change. She’s in her late thirties, divorced and back with her parents. She’s determined to change her life. Despite her family’s objections, she buys Pennycress Inn in the village of Meadowfield. Not everyone is pleased by her arrival though. 

One of the things I love most about running Novel Kicks is when I get the chance to discover a new author. This was the case with Sarah Hope. I was delighted to be invited onto the blog tour for her latest novel, Welcome to Pennycress Inn. 

Meadowfield sounds so incredibly pretty and a place I’d really love to visit. 

The story is told from the point of view of Laura (great name, haha. Although I have to admit, sharing my name with the main character felt lovely and strange all at the same time).

She is so much stronger than she believes. I love the determination she shows. Laura’s got a plan and she wants to see it through even when she’s not made to feel entirely welcome. 

Jackson is a wonderful ally against a village full of people who should know better. Lol. 

The moral of the story is to not always believe what you’ve been told. Check your facts, basically. 

Laura’s family, despite the lack of support are good additions and I loved seeing their interactions. There was one particular character I didn’t like but that’s all I’ll say about that. 

The story is developed well and moves at a good pace. I never felt like there were slow moments. I was completely invested in Laura’s story. The inn had a Gilmore Girls inn kind of feel – a place that’s really pretty and somewhere I would totally love to step into the story and stay in. 

Welcome to Pennycress Inn is full of warmth, humour, love, friendship and family. It teaches us to be brave and to have faith. I had all the fuzzy feels by the time I finished reading it. It’s the first in a brand new series and I can’t wait to visit my friends in Meadowfield again soon. 

About Sarah Hope –

Sarah Hope is the author of many successful romance novels, including the bestselling Cornish Bakery series.

The first book in her new series with Boldwood, The Wagging Tails Dogs Home, is set in a fictional Cornish village and will be published in May 2023.

Say hello to Sarah on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Bookbub. Click here to sign up to her newsletter.

Welcome to Pennycress Inn is the first novel in the Pennycress Inn series and was released on 11th January 2025. Click here to buy on Amazon and Waterstones. 

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.