About Books #78: A Vicarage Homecoming

I can’t believe I’ve actually read the final book in the Holley Sisters of Thornthwaite series. This series was, if I recall correctly, one of the first ever ARCs I got to read – it seems kind of odd that now the entire series is just… Done? Over? Luckily, though – the sisters went out with a bang. And with a Vicarage Homecoming!

I was offered an ARC by Netgalley in exchange for a review. All opinions are strictly my own.

The story

As the youngest Holley sister, Miriam has always been a bit of a rebel. After spending several years backpacking through Europe and Australia, she’s now back home… unemployed and pregnant, with no boyfriend or husband in sight. 

At first, Miriam only wants to hide away from the shocked and prying eyes of her father’s parishioners, but her sisters won’t let her. Determined to help her find her way, they urge Miriam to accept a job working as an assistant to Simon, the new vicar… and to think about what will happen when the baby comes. 

As Miriam starts putting down roots, she finds an unexpected friendship in her sister Rachel’s ex-fiancé, Dan Taylor. And as she thinks about her future, she finds hope and healing in the most unexpected places. But when the past rushes up to meet both her and Dan, can Miriam stay the course?

The opinion

Here’s the thing – Miriam has been, throughout the Holley Sisters-series, a bit of an enigma. She’s the one that’s not home, a rebel, the world traveller… And the one to get pregnant before marriage. Which, if you read the rest of the series – or if you can just imagine: her dad is a vicar, her sister’s marrying the next vicar? Not really something that would be expected, with her background.

Throughout this book, we really got to see Miriam develop from a sort of “rebel without a cause” (which she comes to realise she might have been all along) to someone who finds her place – both within her family, and for herself. And we all know I love a good self-discovery story, right?

What I liked most, though, was how Kate Hewitt managed to – yet again, I can add at this point – nail the slow build up of the romance. It’s fairly obvious from the get-go who the romantic interest will be. It’s not, however, that clear how they will get there. The author seems to have made it her thing that she can throw the best kind of twists and turns at her characters.

Combine those believable bumps in the road to *love*, wiht the amazing scenery that has been maybe my favourite constant throughout this series? And then, of course, even more of the other Holley sisters? Well, this was just the perfect read for a rainy day!

The rating: 3.5/5

I’d figure it’s pretty clear now that I really enjoyed this book. Kate Hewitt manages to capture the picturesque of the English countryside just beautifully. Getting to see all of the Holley Sisters live their own happy ever after in a Vicarage Homecoming? Well, that was just the icing to the cake, really! (Goodreads)

-Saar