Review: 'A Leap of Faith' by Trisha Ashley (2016)

Sappho Jones stopped counting birthdays when she reached 30 but, even with her hazy grip on mathematics, she realizes that she's on the slippery slope to the big four-oh! With the thought suddenly lodged in her mind that she's a mere cat's whisker away from becoming a single eccentric female living in a country cottage in Wales, she has the urge to do something dramatic before it's too late. The trouble is, as an adventurous woman of a certain age, Sappho's pretty much been there, done that, got the T-shirt. In fact, the only thing she hasn't tried is motherhood. And with sexy potter Nye on hand as a potential daddy—or at least donor—is it time for her to consider the biggest leap of all? It's either that or buy a cat…
I was quite surprised when I found an unexpected review copy of Trisha Ashley's 'A Leap of Faith' on my doorstep quite a few weeks ago. Don't get me wrong, book post is one of the best things there is, but I hadn't heard or read anything about this particular release, so was pleasantly surprised by it, especially since it is set in the Gower in Wales, a place where I spent quite some time myself. In the past I've read 'Wish Upon a Star' and 'Creature Comforts' (click here to read my review), which I both really enjoyed, and I looked forward to reading more of Trisha's work and making a fictional trip to the lovely Gower!
Thirty-nine-year-old Sappho Jones knows she can't really complain about her life. She's made a career of writing fantasy novels, has a lovely cottage in the Gower in Wales to call her own, good friends around her... She just misses a bit of romance and, with her biological clock suddenly ticking louder than ever, a baby or two. While helping her close friends Mu and Miranda with the issues they are currently facing and hiding from her slightly stalkerish ex-boyfriend Dave, Sappho continues to bump into local potter Nye; a handsome single man who lives in the Gower and definitely makes Sappho feel all the good things. But is Sappho sure this is what she wants for herself and is there even a slight chance that Nye would be up for it...?
I've had the pleasure of reading a few of Trisha Ashley's other novels before starting 'A Leap of Faith' and she's definitely an author whose books I pick up without reading the blurb; I already know it will most likely turn out to be a read I will enjoy, and luckily that was also the case with this particular title. Even though Sappho is quite the main character, she made me laugh and I was curious to learn more about her. As readers we are also quickly introduced to Sappho's friends Mu and Miranda, and part of the storyline is also focused on them and some of these issues they are dealing with, which resulted in an entertaining storyline with lots of different things going on.
What really made this novel quite special to me personally is the setting. My grandparents used to live in the Gower, in Rhossili, and I spent a lot of my summers there. It's still one of my most favourite places in the world and it was just lovely to read a book that's actually set in that place. Trisha Ashley has her own unique writing style, which is unlike anyone else's, and while it does always take me a bit of time to get used to, I once again really enjoyed it. While I wouldn't say 'A Leap of Faith' is my favourite Trisha Ashley novel, it's definitely a fun and enjoyable read, and the setting, for me, turns this into a read I most likely won't forget about anytime soon.

Rating:8,5/10

  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.