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REVIEW
Set in a beautiful country town in Wales, this heart-warming family story reeled me in from the first page and kept my heart emotionally raw. I could feel each person’s pain, discomfort, loneliness, sorrow, separateness and fear caused by the move and culture shock. They experience realistic growing pains which at first are severe. Trying to manoeuvre through unfamiliar territory is never easy. Matthew is returning to his home country but his wife, Ellie, and their four children are American born and raised. They lived in Connecticut but when Matthew lost his job, he decided to move the family to Wales to his mother’s home to help restore and run her B&B at Bluebell Lane. This pulling up of stakes wreaks havoc on the family members, exposing cracks in their relationships. For the Americans, it is particularly hard because everything familiar has been taken away. Gwen and her daughter are not immune either as they must learn to adjust and deal with their own personal issues.
The relationship between Ellie and her mother-in-law, Gwen, is rather tense at the start of the story. Coming from two different cultures, they bump heads on ‘words’ and ‘customs’ different in the UK from America. For Matthew it’s not as challenging (he grew up there) and he quickly slips into his old habits. Tensions increase, though, when he is injured while fixing the Bed & Breakfast. Doubt sets in, along with self-pity but a positive turn is on the horizon.
Valuable insight is provided through three viewpoints of three generations: a child, parent and grandparent. We get to see how each reacts and feels about the changes thrust upon them. Ellie has tried hard to support her husband’s vision but must work through her own disappointments and sense of loss. She is living in her mother-in-law’s residence so it is not easy for a woman used to looking after her own family and home. And Gwen, who has lost her husband, now has gained her son back along with his family. She is happy to have them but adjustments must be made for everyone to get along. Something negative happens in Gwen’s life that puts everything into perspective that becomes a catalyst for positive change.
Jess, the teenager, is the most heartbreaking. She has moved away from home to become a stranger in a foreign country. Being far from her close friends would be very hard. At that age, social contacts are quite meaningful. I believe offering her point of view was a good move. Seeing from a youth’s perspective, allows us to grasp how tumultuous a move can be.
The message of this novel to me is that home is where your immediate family are: it is not so much an address. ‘Home’ is a place of acceptance, love and shelter from the storms of change— a refuge during the upheavals of life. Moving means movement. And that can be scary. Drawing close to our family members can provide stabilisation, helping us to not feel lost when the familiar sands drift from under our feet as the tides of change come sweeping in. I was stirred watching this family trying to make sense of their new environment and at last realising communication is the key to solving their problems, to easing their fears and in drawing them together to obtain that sense of oneness and ‘home’ feeling. There are a number of events and scares that happen in the plot to bring this about.
The Inn on Bluebell Lane is also a story about uncovering and healing hurts. To acknowledge each other’s differences and desires, appreciating what you have when all that is known is taken away such as health, mobility, culture and familiar settings. Humans are resilient and exchange of environments can push us out of our comfort zone but if we allow it to work its magic, positive growth can happen. I loved this novel by Kate Hewitt. It is a strong relationship story with personable characters, relatable problems and believable solutions. The start of a great series! 5 Stars for a solid heart-centred emotionally packed positive story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for my review copy.
