🏠 Jess Allen has always played it safe. 🏠
She married her high school sweetheart, stayed in her hometown and lives right next door to her mum Lisa and younger sister Sorrel. But with a new job on the horizon and her family no longer living a stone’s throw away, she’s going to have to get used to her comfortable life shifting into something new.
Jess finds the idea of being a part of the White House – the village’s new and stylish restaurant – incredibly daunting, but she knows she is more than capable. And with her role at the care home uncertain, this would give her the chance to finally pursue her passion for cooking.
But as her professional life soars, her romantic life is thrown into turmoil. Having welcomed back into her life her no-good ex, she’s quickly questioning her decision – especially as new faces in Beddingfield begin to catch her eye.
As the familiar rhythms of life shift and long-held routines are upended, she starts to see that sometimes change is no bad thing at all. And someone who encourages her to take a risk – even if it’s the last person she ever expected – might be just the thing she needed.
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My Review
This is a warm, charming and heartfelt novel brimming with northern spirit and gentle humour. It’s the kind of story that feels like a cosy chat over tea — comforting, sincere and quietly uplifting.
Jess Allen is an instantly relatable heroine. Having spent her life playing safe — marrying young, staying close to family, and living a predictable routine — she’s suddenly forced to face change when her job at the local care home becomes uncertain. An unexpected opportunity at the stylish new White House restaurant nudges her towards the dream she’s long buried: cooking. Watching Jess step out of her comfort zone is both touching and inspiring.
Houston beautifully captures small-town life: the pull of family, familiar routines, and the fear that comes with new beginnings. Add in the return of an unreliable ex and the possibility of new love, and the story becomes rich with emotional depth, humour and heart.
this is a delightful reminder that sometimes life’s biggest changes lead to the happiest chapters.
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