Snowdrops at the Star and Sixpence | Holly Hepburn

Title | Snowdrops at the Star and Sixpence

Author | Holly Hepburn 

Publisher | Simon & Schuster UK

Publication Date | 5th November 2015 

Source | Review Copy from Netgalley

Purchase | Amazon 

A Page of Fictional Love Rating | 4/5 



When sisters Nessie and Sam inherit a little pub in a beautiful country village they jump at the chance to escape their messy lives and start afresh. But when they arrive at the Star and Sixpence, it's not quite what they imagined - it's pretty much derelict, ruined by debts, and it's going to be a huge job to get it up and running again. 

It's just before Christmas but they are determined to relaunch on New Year's Eve, to bring the new year in with a bang. But with nosy neighbours, miserable locals and no money to contend with, it's not going to be easy. 

And when the sisters' past comes back to haunt them, they start to think that the fresh start they needed is very far away indeed…

One of the main reasons why I urged myself to read this festive story was mainly it's length. It is a short story and one that at this time of the year where we are all so busy with prepping our homes, ourselves and hurting our debit/credit cards we find that as much as we'd like to read, some of the books are too lengthy and we won't finish. This one, is one you will finish.

If you're like me you'll grab those few moments in a queue to read it on your Kindle Reading App on your mobile, you'll grab a few minutes whilst dinner is cooking, whilst waiting for the kids to get dressed for school (maybe!), and even sitting at your desk during your lunch hour. 

Many other attractions of this book drew me in, the cover for a start is gorgeous! The blurb made me really intrigued as to how these two sisters would in fact start over again. And it was a story featuring a pub - I have to say, lately we've had a lot of cake shops, tea rooms, and island getaways... the traditional english pub was a nice and very welcome change of scenery. 

Holly gets the reader right there with the characters with her carefully selected chosen wordery to create such imagery that would be welcome on a christmas card. The characters are ... how can I describe them... honest, traditional, good people of the Country, salt of the earth folk who either set your heart rate racing, get you laughing, or even delicately encouraging the edge of your mouth to turn up slightly. 

I particularly loved the post office lady - she knows everyone and their business. And everyone does as she says. She's kind of like a character that would not seem out of place in Coronation Street, and you could imagine only Ken Barlow could sweet talk her - Maybe! 

As the sisters didn't really know their father towards the end of his life, it was nice watching them get to know him through the people in the village, even if it did mean that their father's grieving girlfriend was first spotted by one of the sisters wearing tights with the seam riding up the back of the leg.

All in all, it's a beautiful story, and I can't honestly wait for the next installment - yes there is one, its called "Valentines Day at the Star and Sixpence" and you can PRE-ORDER it now - and you can PRE-ORDER "Summer at the Star and Sixpence"

Thank you to Simon & Schuster UK for allowing me to review this book.