Spring (Ivy Lane, #1)

by Cathy Bramley

[Leah]

When I read Cathy Bramley’s debut novel Conditional Love in September last year, I quite liked it – it wasn’t perfect, but it was a very enjoyable read so imagine my surprise when Cathy announced she had signed a book deal with Transworld to publish a new book! The catch is that the book is a serial and is split into 4 parts – one for each season and they’re the perfect bite size reads for people on the go! I was delighted to spot Ivy Lane: Spring on Netgalley and even happier to download it onto my kindle and I couldn’t wait to get stuck in!

The Ivy Lane series is such a clever little idea, with four parts coming out during 2014, but I was also slightly concerned that it would mean cliffhangers all the way until the end. So it was quite a relief to find that Ivy Lane: Spring came to a natural conclusion, which will lead very nicely into Ivy Lane: Summer without me feeling cheated! If the first part is anything to go by it very much is a bite size novel and it’s very well contained! It took me an hour or so to read and it was delightful!

I loved Tilly Parker immediately – she seems such a lovely lead character and I enjoyed getting to know her – although I am dreadfully curious to know her secret regarding James. It’s hinted at throughout the novella, but Tilly isn’t very forthcoming. The idea of renting an allotment was sweet – not my idea of a way to get out more, but it appeals to some and i liked the community feel to the Ivy Lane allotments. It always makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside when a community makes a new member welcome, and they certainly gave Tilly a warm welcome!

I very much look forward to the three other Ivy Lane novellas. Cathy is such a wonderful writer that it’s not surprising she was snapped up to write this series! I thoroughly enjoyed Ivy Lane: Spring, it was filled with some great gardening knowledge (not my forte at all), some memorable characters and a wonderful leading heroine! I loved Tilly and I can’t wait to read more from her!