Book Review: The Holiday Escape by Heidi Swain #TheHolidayEscape @Heidi_Swain @TeamBATC

Synopsis

Her dream holiday is his everyday life. His dream holiday is her normal life. What happens when they collide?
 
Ally and her dad, Geoff, run the family business, a creative retreat, from their home Hollyhock Cottage in picturesque Kittiwake Cove. They give their guests their dream break, but Ally hankers after glamourous city living, fancy restaurants and art galleries.

Ally’s survival strategy is to escape out of season, take a break abroad and pretend to be the person she always imagined she would be. She meets Logan while she’s away and he turns out to be exactly the kind of distraction she’s looking for.

With her spirits restored, Ally returns home, picks up the reins again and sets her sights on another successful season, but when Logan unexpectedly arrives on the scene, she soon realises she’s in for a summer that’s going to be far from straightforward…

My Review

When Ally and Logan meet it is inevitable that they will have a holiday fling. But what happens when a holiday fling doesn’t stay on holiday. Well Ally is about to find out when Logan rents out one of the holiday cottages run by Ally’s family for the summer.

I would describe this book as warm and cosy and that’s why I loved it. I spent the weekend reading this book and was transported to Hollyhock Cottage and Kittiwake Cove. As soon as I started to read I was ready to pack my bags and go to Kittiwake Cove because it sounded perfect, picturesque and a place I’d like to escape to. I liked the sound of Hollyhock Cottage especially the idea of a retreat where you could take classes and connect with your creative side.

The characters were brilliant. There are the main characters Ally and Logan and also secondary characters including Flora, Ally’s best friend and Ally’s dad. Ally is someone who I would describe as very selfless, always putting others first but this has meant that her own life is unfulfilled. She made a promise to her mom that she would help her dad with the cottage and the running of it but then found herself bound to that promise. It meant that she was never able to pursue her own career and goals and they took a backseat in her life. So I can understand why Ally enjoys her holidays away when she can disappear and pretend to be someone else. That is until Logan appears. I loved the first scene with Ally and Logan because it was the perfect meet cute especially when they end up sitting next to each other on the plane with a nun who plays matchmaker. It was a sign that they were destined for each other especially with the added feature of divine intervention. It prompts Ally and Logan to spend time together but then Ally doesn’t return Logan’s call and then he appears at the cottage and both are taken aback. I think that Ally dealt with that encounter well and when Logan told her why he was in the local area she spent time with him and went with him to see the local sights. However as it transpired there was another reason that Logan had rented out the cottage and when that plot twist was revealed I was very shocked.

A book that will sweep you away to a picture perfect place.   

Author Bio

Heidi Swain is a Sunday Times Top Ten best-selling author who writes feel good fiction for Simon & Schuster. She releases two books a year (early summer and winter) and the stories all have a strong sense of community, family and friendship. She is currently writing books set in three locations – the Fenland town of Wynbridge, Nightingale Square in Norwich and Wynmouth on the Norfolk coast, as well as summer standalone titles.

Heidi lives in beautiful west Norfolk. She is passionate about gardening, the countryside, collecting vintage paraphernalia and reading. Her tbr pile is always out of control!

Heidi loves to chat with her readers and you can get in touch via her website or on social media.