Isobel has is the first to have rented a cottage at Joy Acre for six weeks. She is working on a music composition with plans of possibly jumpstarting her career as a violinist. She has a lot angst resulting from a troubled past. Tom is a thatcher who is working on the cottages at the farm. Isobel is quite uncomfortable around the affable Tom, who is quite drawn to her. Meanwhile, the rest of the folks there, Seth, Maddie, Clara and Trixie, as well as Tom, are quite like a family, one where Isobel doesn't fit in. These relationships are all important, however, and in time, Isobel begins to relax.

Tom has his own demons. He is finally overcoming them as he gets deeper involved in his work on the far. Meeting Isobel is truly a balm to his soul. Not only does his music affect him in a powerful way, her beauty, as well as her reticence makes her quite desirable to him. Their relationship begins to build as they develop trust in one another's feelings. At one point Tom is asked by Clara if he believes he has found a kindred spirit in Isobel. Indeed, they are perfect for one another, as they can read each other quite well, despite Isobel's initial reluctance to draw close to Tom.

Summer at the Cottage on the Hill is the second in a four-part series. I read and reviewed the first book immediately before reading this one. This helped me to feel strongly connected to all of the characters. Continuity in stories is highly favorable to me. Just as Tom, I was a strong fan of Isobel's violin playing. I sensed that I could hear the plaintive notes playing! I was also drawn to the intensity of emotion shared between Isobel and Tom. Kudos to Emma Davies for delivering such a powerful connection to her readers. Quite well done! This is truly a feel-good story. I so look forward, not only to the other books in this series, but to the rest of this author's work.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. ( )

Summer at the Little Cottage on the Hill by Emma Davies
Book #2: Little Cottage Series
Source: Purchase
My Rating: 4/5 stars

In just thirty-two years, Isobel has known both the heights and highs of greatness and the deep depths of despair of depression. As a child and teenager, Isobel achieved the pinnacle of success, she was known far and wide as a prodigy. Unfortunately, what goes up must come down, and Isobel’s fall from grace was both devastating and never-ending. In a last-ditch effort to turn it all around, Isobel slipped the chains of her keepers and reserved a cottage for the summer at Joy’s Acre.

Isobel’s first weeks at Joy’s Acre are not at all what she had hoped they would be. With nothing familiar and nothing to distract her, Isobel planned to pound out a new composition for violin that will astound all and resurrect her reputation. As it happens, there is much to distract at Joy’s Acre; among the distractions are the kindness of the employees, the breathtaking scenery, the hot thatcher, and the demons of her past. Isobel is nothing if not a professional and as she attempts to work despite the distractions, she finds herself falling further and further and beyond and becoming evermore frustrated with her attempts.

Tom long ago came to terms with his reputation as the love ‘em and leave ‘em type. However, of late, Tom has begun to rethink his life, its direction, and how he can finally put down the demons of his own past. When Isobel arrives at Joy’s Acre, she is certainly a sight, but it is her brilliant talent that truly peaks Tom’s interest. Though she has no idea he can hear her playing, he often indulges in her music rather than working. Though Tom isn’t certain he’s ready for a proper relationship, he is intrigued by Isobel and would relish the opportunity to know her just a bit better.

While Tom is a generally affable character, Isobel is a bit prickly which makes their early encounters awkward and uncomfortable. It isn’t until Isobel begins to acknowledge her own issues, see them for what they are, and settle on dealing with those issues that she is able to come out her shell and properly interact with Tom. Each interaction not only allows Tom to talk about some of his own issues, but to help Isobel get a handle on her own. What’s more, Tom, also a musician introduces Isobel to a far more relaxed world of music, a place where people play for the pure pleasure of the music, to entertain, and to connect with others through their gift. For the first time in her life, Isobel begins to understand the healing power of music, how her talents can impact others, and how she can a life with music that isn’t also filled with hurt, anger, and the fear of ruin.

The Bottom Line: I am loving the progression of this series and there is absolutely no sophomore slump to found in this addition to the series! For myself, this book really revolved around Isobel and the experiences she has had over the course of her life. She is well and truly broken when she arrives at Joy’s Acre, but after her summer she is well on the road to recovery and true happiness. While Tom is certainly responsible for some of Isobel’s breakthroughs and happiness, he isn’t solely responsible, and I particularly loved this aspect of the book. Once Isobel comes to terms with her past, she able to take control of her present and her future. Of the two, Isobel shows the most growth and it was a pleasure to watch her heal and become who she was surely meant to be from a very early age. As you know, dear reader, I also very much adore the reappearance of characters from books past, and I got so much of that in this read. In fact, I don’t feel there will be a book in this series that won’t have the full cast as the cast is an absolutely inseparable part of the location. As it stands, I should continue to quite like this series for the foreseeable future. ( )