Blog Tour Book Review: A Secret at Tansy Falls by Cate Woods

A Secret at Tansy Falls

by

Cate Woods

 

Publisher: Bookouture

 

Publication date: 20th January 2022

 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Romance

 

Pages: 222

 

Format read: Ebook

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley

 

About the book

 

As the summer sun sets over the sleepy Vermont town of Tansy Falls, Connie is reminded of how lucky she is. Every day, when she leaves the job she loves, managing the Covered Bridge Inn with her best friend Piper, she looks forward to returning to the farmhouse she shares with her husband Nate. At home, her flowerbeds overflow with day lilies and the weathered brick walls of her beautiful house glow in the evening light. The air is filled with the scent of the puffed apple pancakes she prepared that morning.

But one night, when Nate returns home, he is distant. He and Connie have been married for a long time, and while the laughter and lingering kisses have dwindled, Connie believed they would be together forever. So when a stranger arrives on their doorstep with a shocking secret about Nate, Connie’s life changes beyond all recognition.

Connie never thought she’d need to start over and live a life without Nate by her side. But as her heart breaks, Piper and the team at the inn are ready to help stitch it back together, with thoughtful advice washed down with warm spiced cider. As Connie begins to feel whole again, distraction arrives in the form of olive-skinned, broad-shouldered newcomer James. Nate has taught Connie that she doesn’t need a man, but James’s arrival helps her discover that she can follow her own dreams too. But as more secrets come to the surface, Connie wonders if she’ll ever truly be able to leave behind her past for good…

 

My review

 

We are back in the picturesque town of Tansy Falls with book 2 in the Tansy Falls series. Connie is the main character of this story. She is the manager of the Covered Bridge Inn owned by Piper and Spencer.

 

Connie is worried her husband has become distant since he lost his job and she feels her 20 year marriage is at an end, her father has a new girlfriend that is a decade younger than her and she is trying to organise a publicity weekend for the inn.

Cate Woods has piled dilemma after dilemma onto Connie as she struggles with her marriage, her job and her father's new relationship.

 

I really enjoyed book 1 with Nell's story and following her character growth. Nell's story was relatable however, Connie's story didn't affect me the same way. She wasn't likeable and her lack of communication with her husband was frustrating.

 

The imagery is vivid as Tansy Falls and its surrounds are described throughout the story. Characters  from book 1 have very brief appearances and I would have liked to have seen more of them.

Woods highlights the consequences of making assumptions and jumping to conclusions, along with the need for communication in marriage.

 

I have fallen in love with the beautiful town of Tansy Falls and even though the plot of book 2 didn't resonate with me I am looking forward to book 3 to see what's in store for this town and its residents.

 

My rating  3 / 5    ⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author

 

Cate Woods made the most of her degree in Anglo-Saxon Literature by embarking on a career making tea on programmes including The Big Breakfast, Who Wants to be a Millionaire and French & Saunders. After narrowly missing out on the chance to become a Channel 5 weather girl she moved into the world of magazine journalism, then ghostwriting and now writes novels under her own name. She has written two best-selling romantic comedies, Just Haven't Met You Yet and More Than a Feeling - and a festive novel, The Christmas Guest, under the name Daisy Bell. Cate lives in London with her husband and two children.