Review: 'Appleby Farm' by Cathy Bramley (2015)

Freya Moorcroft has wild red hair, mischievous green eyes, a warm smile and a heart of gold. She’s been happy working at the café round the corner from Ivy Lane allotments and her romance with her new boyfriend is going well, she thinks, but a part of her still misses the beautiful rolling hills of her Cumbrian childhood home: Appleby Farm.
Then a phone call out of the blue and a desperate plea for help change everything…
The farm is in financial trouble, and it’s taking its toll on the aunt and uncle who raised Freya. Heading home to lend a hand, Freya quickly learns that things are worse than she first thought. As she summons up all her creativity and determination to turn things around, Freya is surprised as her own dreams for the future begin to take shape.
Love makes the world go round, according to Freya. Not money. But will saving Appleby Farm and following her heart come at a price?
Doesn’t the book cover of Cathy Bramley’s ‘Appleby Farm’ just make you want to smile? I love the gorgeous and colourful cover and it immediately makes me long for a trip to a small and lovely UK village where I never want to leave again! On August 13th, Corgi released the paperback version of ‘Appleby Farm’ and I was so happy when I found a review copy in my mailbox (which was made even more special when I discovered I was mentioned in the Acknowledgements, thanks so much, Cathy!). The novel was actually already released as an e-book series consisting of 4 separate parts last year, but now the stunning paperback version has also hit the book shop shelves. I just knew I would end up falling head over heels in love with this book as soon as I turned to the very first page, and I definitely did!
Freya Moorcraft has never been able to really settle down. She flies from one project to another; spreading her wings whenever she thinks it's time for something new. While Freya really likes her job at a small cafe in the town of Kingsfield, and is busy falling in love with her lovely boyfriend Charlie, one phone call from her aunt changes all of that. Her uncle has had an accident which means Freya's help is desperately needed at Appleby Farm, the gorgeous place where Freya spent a lot of time when she was younger. It doesn't take long before Freya discovers the farm is in financial trouble and she decides she will do anything it takes to save it. However, this does mean leaving her new life and boyfriend behind and starting over again. Will following her heart bring Freya what she wants and will it be worth risking everything she has?
Cathy Bramley is undoubtedly becoming one of my favourite chick lit authors. After the absolutely lovely 'Ivy Lane', she has now treated us to another amazing read in the form of 'Appleby Farm', which I loved from start to finish. Cathy Bramley really has her own writing style which manages to completely grab the reader and pull them into the story. She knows how to create simply wonderful places, such as Appleby Farm (in the beautiful Lake District), and groups of fascinating and just lovely characters. Protagonist Freya was such a loveable ball of energy and some of you might remember her from 'Ivy Lane', in which she already made an appearance. I loved discovering more about Freya, her past and her dreams. But there are numerous other great characters which I fell in love with straight away, such as Freya's lovely aunt and uncle, her childhood friend Harry, and her new friend Lizzie. 
I personally really loved the storyline, especially that it consisted of numerous aspects that held my attention throughout and resulted in me not wanting to put the book down. I was completely immersed in the world of Appleby Farm and didn't want to leave! There is also a great touch of romance in the story which made my heart beat a bit faster... I don't have anything else but positive things to say about this read! It really had absolutely everything I look for in an entertaining read and it has made me fall in love with Cathy Bramley even more. 'Appleby Farm' is a fabulously feel-good, warm-hearted and simply delightful read which I didn't want to ever end. A must-read for any chick lit/rom com fan and one of my personal favourites of 2015!

Rating:10/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.