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The House Sitter
His house. Her rules. But who’s in charge?
Pippa Munro had everything planned for her perfect wedding. What she did not have planned, was for her boyfriend to break up with her. Or sell her beloved farm. So instead of being blissfully engaged, Pippa finds herself jobless, homeless and loveless. Things couldn’t be going better…
Wolfie Squires needs someone to look after his family’s ancient house. He’s too busy with his hot shot city job to deal with a country manor several hundred miles away.
The perfect solution? Find someone to house sit.
The less-than-perfect candidate? Pippa Munro.
Pippa is more comfortable working on a farm than dusting a chandelier, and definitely not the ideal choice for the job.
As tempers fray, ideas clash, and secrets are spilled, Pippa and Wolfie might realise they have the same ambitions for the house, if only they could stop arguing long enough to find out…
Pippa Munro had everything planned for her perfect wedding. What she did not have planned, was for her boyfriend to break up with her. Or sell her beloved farm. So instead of being blissfully engaged, Pippa finds herself jobless, homeless and loveless. Things couldn’t be going better…
Wolfie Squires needs someone to look after his family’s ancient house. He’s too busy with his hot shot city job to deal with a country manor several hundred miles away.
The perfect solution? Find someone to house sit.
The less-than-perfect candidate? Pippa Munro.
Pippa is more comfortable working on a farm than dusting a chandelier, and definitely not the ideal choice for the job.
As tempers fray, ideas clash, and secrets are spilled, Pippa and Wolfie might realise they have the same ambitions for the house, if only they could stop arguing long enough to find out…
384 pages, Paperback
Published February 29, 2024
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December 24, 2023
1⭐
I went into this book wanting the small-town, opposites-attract forced-proximity romance and came out of it FREE yet confused and miserable at the same time.
The story starts with a prologue with Pippa Munroe and Wolfie Squires first meeting at around A-level time, think 16-18. So I wasn't going to expect a very mature conversation, but Wolfie's portrayal was incredibly stilted and awkward, and Pippa was just so dumb I wanted to smack some sense into her. And then we move 10 years into the future with Alex and Pippa's break up that ends with her losing her job, her livelihood, and her home. She then takes a housesitting job at the Squires family mansion where she meets Wolfie again. I went from cringing at Pippa, to feeling sorry for her, to liking her, and then frustrated, exasperated, and quite frankly bored. Frankie, Mae, the neighbours, and the pig were the best part of this book, and their appearances were limited.
I felt sorry for Pippa, I truly did. I hated Alex's guts. But Pippa could not set boundaries, I mean this man left you homeless and made YOU work to support HIS farm that he sold without even TALKING to you despite you being his "life partner" for more than 10 years, and like 2 weeks later YOU'RE THANKING HIM FOR DOING THE BARE MINIMUM. Hon no, don't do this.
Miscommunication galore. Wolfie (I have lived in England for years and have never once met a Wolfie who was not a dog) was so bland I skimmed every page his name was on. The full name thing came across as annoying rather than endearing and there is no chemistry between him and Pippa. At first, he comes across as "I'm-a-rich-privileged-white-boy-you-know-nothing-about-me" and no matter how much the author tries to redeem him, he ends up as:
He's also blonde.
At one point it's mentioned that Wolfie goes to therapy, and all I'm going to say is - fire the therapist. Please.
I do like the cover though.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!
I went into this book wanting the small-town, opposites-attract forced-proximity romance and came out of it FREE yet confused and miserable at the same time.
The story starts with a prologue with Pippa Munroe and Wolfie Squires first meeting at around A-level time, think 16-18. So I wasn't going to expect a very mature conversation, but Wolfie's portrayal was incredibly stilted and awkward, and Pippa was just so dumb I wanted to smack some sense into her. And then we move 10 years into the future with Alex and Pippa's break up that ends with her losing her job, her livelihood, and her home. She then takes a housesitting job at the Squires family mansion where she meets Wolfie again. I went from cringing at Pippa, to feeling sorry for her, to liking her, and then frustrated, exasperated, and quite frankly bored. Frankie, Mae, the neighbours, and the pig were the best part of this book, and their appearances were limited.
I felt sorry for Pippa, I truly did. I hated Alex's guts. But Pippa could not set boundaries, I mean this man left you homeless and made YOU work to support HIS farm that he sold without even TALKING to you despite you being his "life partner" for more than 10 years, and like 2 weeks later YOU'RE THANKING HIM FOR DOING THE BARE MINIMUM. Hon no, don't do this.
Miscommunication galore. Wolfie (I have lived in England for years and have never once met a Wolfie who was not a dog) was so bland I skimmed every page his name was on. The full name thing came across as annoying rather than endearing and there is no chemistry between him and Pippa. At first, he comes across as "I'm-a-rich-privileged-white-boy-you-know-nothing-about-me" and no matter how much the author tries to redeem him, he ends up as:
He's also blonde.
At one point it's mentioned that Wolfie goes to therapy, and all I'm going to say is - fire the therapist. Please.
I do like the cover though.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!
December 18, 2023
I just finished this book and while the cover and blurb seemed reasonably good, I can't say the same about the plot tbh. The premise was interesting but the execution was poor. There were so many exaggerated details in the first half and Pippa was with her ex boyfriend in the first few chapters. She meets Wolfie (it's a ridiculous name that top for an MMC) just after her break up and we are supposed to believe that she's over her feelings for her ex in the span of just a few days. I did not feel any chemistry between her and the MMC and both of them were so immature. Pippa failed to set boundaries between her and her ex and he kept popping up to get her back. While Wolfie constantly kept misunderstanding her and behaved like a temperamental manchild. On top of that, there were a lot of endless and boring scenes which slowed down the story even further. So overall, I really couldn't enjoy this book. The plot wasn't interesting enough to keep me engaged, the writing was unnecessary detailed and the characters though had their own share of past trauma and difficulties, felt bland and had no depth. So I just could not connect with them. The only good part of this book was Pippa's friend Mae and her cousin Frankie, the rest was just all awful. I'm sorry but I feel like I wasted my time reading this book till the very end.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review
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January 9, 2024Elisabeth Drummond knows how to craft the perfect, broody, swoon-worthy hero, Wolfie had my heart at his first glower.
I also loved Pippa's journey from push-over to tough gal. I immediately liked her for her big heart, but by the end of the story, I also admired her for being brave and direct and for standing up for herself.
The small town of Hurst Bridge was the perfect backdrop for this rom-com. Together with the old Squires house, they felt like an extra supporting character in the book.
A special mention goes also to Juniper the pig :) I love cute pets in romances, and she was delightful...
An adorable grumpy-sunshine, small-town read that will have you swoon...
I also loved Pippa's journey from push-over to tough gal. I immediately liked her for her big heart, but by the end of the story, I also admired her for being brave and direct and for standing up for herself.
The small town of Hurst Bridge was the perfect backdrop for this rom-com. Together with the old Squires house, they felt like an extra supporting character in the book.
A special mention goes also to Juniper the pig :) I love cute pets in romances, and she was delightful...
An adorable grumpy-sunshine, small-town read that will have you swoon...
January 9, 2024
I don’t know where to start with this one. I’ve always been taught if you don’t have anything nice to say then don’t say anything at all, and I just did not like this book at all. I disliked Pippa whole heartedly. Wolfie wasn’t too bad, but this book wasn’t a good time for me. It would need a complete rewrite for me to thoroughly enjoy it.
I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is honest, unbiased, and completely my own.
I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is honest, unbiased, and completely my own.
March 13, 2024
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND PUBLISHER FOR THIS ADVANCE REVIEW COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
Pippa and her friends are finishing high school and figuring out the direction for their future. Pippa is waiting for her boyfriend who ditched her for another plan. Pippa is making excuses on his behalf and we are also semi-introduced to Wolfie (do people really name their kid Wolfie?) Suddenly we are 10 years in the future. Pippa is still in relation with the same boyfriend and spent all of those years helping to set up his farm and taking care of his family. She wants to be settled down badly but his boyfriend has other plans and decided to sell the farm and move to another state without any discussion with Pippa. Making Pippa basically homeless and jobless. Squire, a historical mansion and house of Wolfie, needs a house sitter and Pippa needs a house. Wolfie is on a mission to sell the house and for Pippa that is a historical building of the house that should be conserved not demolished for the sake of new construction.
This book claimed to be too much in synopsis but it really failed to deliver anything. It was indeed a small town and grumpy/sunshine story. The writing style made it so difficult to follow the story. Pippa didn't have any self-respect or respect for boundaries. Wolfie character is like a cardboard, I don't get it how he tolerated Pippa and her entitlement. I would've kicked her out of the house when she interfered in the first deal. The chemistry was forced, and all of the troops failed for me. I skimmed a huge chunk of the book and I still regret the time I spent on it.
Pippa and her friends are finishing high school and figuring out the direction for their future. Pippa is waiting for her boyfriend who ditched her for another plan. Pippa is making excuses on his behalf and we are also semi-introduced to Wolfie (do people really name their kid Wolfie?) Suddenly we are 10 years in the future. Pippa is still in relation with the same boyfriend and spent all of those years helping to set up his farm and taking care of his family. She wants to be settled down badly but his boyfriend has other plans and decided to sell the farm and move to another state without any discussion with Pippa. Making Pippa basically homeless and jobless. Squire, a historical mansion and house of Wolfie, needs a house sitter and Pippa needs a house. Wolfie is on a mission to sell the house and for Pippa that is a historical building of the house that should be conserved not demolished for the sake of new construction.
This book claimed to be too much in synopsis but it really failed to deliver anything. It was indeed a small town and grumpy/sunshine story. The writing style made it so difficult to follow the story. Pippa didn't have any self-respect or respect for boundaries. Wolfie character is like a cardboard, I don't get it how he tolerated Pippa and her entitlement. I would've kicked her out of the house when she interfered in the first deal. The chemistry was forced, and all of the troops failed for me. I skimmed a huge chunk of the book and I still regret the time I spent on it.
December 22, 2023
Jesus Christ, this book!
The premiso looked good, the cover looked amazing, you know what was worse?? The characters the story the everything!!
At first i had to get through the first chapters with the ex boyfriend, the i had to read constantly about him until the jesus if i saw the name alex one more time i was about to throw my kindle out of the house.
That wolfie guy did not bother me as much as the fmc, Pippa jesus but has no backbone she annoyed every chapter until the very end
I was so excited to read this but it did not worked out
Thank you netgalley for the arc
The premiso looked good, the cover looked amazing, you know what was worse?? The characters the story the everything!!
At first i had to get through the first chapters with the ex boyfriend, the i had to read constantly about him until the jesus if i saw the name alex one more time i was about to throw my kindle out of the house.
That wolfie guy did not bother me as much as the fmc, Pippa jesus but has no backbone she annoyed every chapter until the very end
I was so excited to read this but it did not worked out
Thank you netgalley for the arc
December 18, 2023
The best way to describe my experience reading "The House Sitter" is that the novel represents the romantic dream scenarios I make up inside my mind before I go to sleep at night. Those kind of dreams tend to take on a life of their own. That was exactly what this novel felt like to me.
Pippa, the novel's protagonist, goes through a breakup with her long-time boyfriend at the beginning of the book and is left to her own devices. This results in Pippa needing to establish a life for herself from scratch. While the novel is a romance novel, to me, it was also a novel of self-discovery and healing. This journey led her to work as a "house sitter" for the Squire family mansion.
Pippa's emotional journey felt reflected through the state of the mansion, whether or not it be intentional I found it to be a welcome coincidence. This is shown from the novel's beginning when it starts with a throwback describing how lively, stunning, and inviting the Squires' mansion is while simultaneously painting Pippa as a young woman blinded by her wishes and love. After the initial description of the mansion and Pippa, the story is moved to the present time where Pippa is losing herself after her break-up and gets a job at the now falling-apart mansion for the Squires.
"It smelled different; dank and abandoned. Yet there was something vital underneath that scent, a sense of promise."
In addition to the novel reflecting on Pippa's emotional journey, I also appreciated how the author took time to establish Pippa as the person she is which contributed to a complex character whose development I, as the reader, as rooting for.
The romance in the book is of course also worth mentioning. Wolfie, the heir of the Squire mansion, and Pippa seem to find each other throughout the book, with their connection found through mutual understanding. With the main trope being grumpy x sunshine I was expecting banter to create tension, however, the result of the banter created a more hostile feeling as opposed to tension. The romantic aspect of the novel only really took off after the halfway mark, and I suspect that has to do with me connecting more to Pippa's friendships when reflecting on the book. However, it is not to say I did not smile or feel a little giddy while reading the book, I seem to be drawn to questionable men too, but I do wish the establishment of their romantic relationship had been more prominent throughout the entirety of the novel. While I sometimes felt like their romance was chaotic, a bit rushed, and somewhat overwhelming through countless arguments and lack of communication, I was ultimately still rooting for them. I was pleased to see the romance blossom between the two.
I was contemplating what rating to give, and while I ultimately had a good time reading the novel, flying through it within a matter of hours, and loved the characters - Frankie and Mae specifically - I was still left feeling as though the romantic plot line was a bit too chaotic and confused by itself.
With the setting being a small town, yet in a stunning mansion, this felt very 21st-century gothic in the best way. It is quite a great read if you are looking for a charming, but slightly chaotic romance, with characters of emotional complexity.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an advanced reading copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Pippa, the novel's protagonist, goes through a breakup with her long-time boyfriend at the beginning of the book and is left to her own devices. This results in Pippa needing to establish a life for herself from scratch. While the novel is a romance novel, to me, it was also a novel of self-discovery and healing. This journey led her to work as a "house sitter" for the Squire family mansion.
Pippa's emotional journey felt reflected through the state of the mansion, whether or not it be intentional I found it to be a welcome coincidence. This is shown from the novel's beginning when it starts with a throwback describing how lively, stunning, and inviting the Squires' mansion is while simultaneously painting Pippa as a young woman blinded by her wishes and love. After the initial description of the mansion and Pippa, the story is moved to the present time where Pippa is losing herself after her break-up and gets a job at the now falling-apart mansion for the Squires.
"It smelled different; dank and abandoned. Yet there was something vital underneath that scent, a sense of promise."
In addition to the novel reflecting on Pippa's emotional journey, I also appreciated how the author took time to establish Pippa as the person she is which contributed to a complex character whose development I, as the reader, as rooting for.
The romance in the book is of course also worth mentioning. Wolfie, the heir of the Squire mansion, and Pippa seem to find each other throughout the book, with their connection found through mutual understanding. With the main trope being grumpy x sunshine I was expecting banter to create tension, however, the result of the banter created a more hostile feeling as opposed to tension. The romantic aspect of the novel only really took off after the halfway mark, and I suspect that has to do with me connecting more to Pippa's friendships when reflecting on the book. However, it is not to say I did not smile or feel a little giddy while reading the book, I seem to be drawn to questionable men too, but I do wish the establishment of their romantic relationship had been more prominent throughout the entirety of the novel. While I sometimes felt like their romance was chaotic, a bit rushed, and somewhat overwhelming through countless arguments and lack of communication, I was ultimately still rooting for them. I was pleased to see the romance blossom between the two.
I was contemplating what rating to give, and while I ultimately had a good time reading the novel, flying through it within a matter of hours, and loved the characters - Frankie and Mae specifically - I was still left feeling as though the romantic plot line was a bit too chaotic and confused by itself.
With the setting being a small town, yet in a stunning mansion, this felt very 21st-century gothic in the best way. It is quite a great read if you are looking for a charming, but slightly chaotic romance, with characters of emotional complexity.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an advanced reading copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 29, 2023
4.5 ⭐️
pippa is left jobless, homeless, and heartbroken when her boyfriend of 13 years decides to sell the farm they've been living and working on out from under her feet. soon she finds herself working as a house sitter at an antique home she grew up around. here, she meets wolfie, the owner of the house, whom is desperately trying to sell the house.
this book took me about 10% to really get into, but once i did, i couldn't put it down and i was fully immersed in the story. reading about pippas healing journey outside of her relationship with wolfie was really beautiful to see. i thought that the writing was absolutely beautiful and i overall really enjoyed the story. wolfie is an absolute doll of a book boyfriend, and i really enjoyed reading of him. if this was dual pov i would have adored it even more.
i do wish that we got to see more moments of tension between the couple before they ended up getting together, and would have loved a chapter more of them together.
overall, i really recommend it! i had a lovely time reading it.
pippa is left jobless, homeless, and heartbroken when her boyfriend of 13 years decides to sell the farm they've been living and working on out from under her feet. soon she finds herself working as a house sitter at an antique home she grew up around. here, she meets wolfie, the owner of the house, whom is desperately trying to sell the house.
this book took me about 10% to really get into, but once i did, i couldn't put it down and i was fully immersed in the story. reading about pippas healing journey outside of her relationship with wolfie was really beautiful to see. i thought that the writing was absolutely beautiful and i overall really enjoyed the story. wolfie is an absolute doll of a book boyfriend, and i really enjoyed reading of him. if this was dual pov i would have adored it even more.
i do wish that we got to see more moments of tension between the couple before they ended up getting together, and would have loved a chapter more of them together.
overall, i really recommend it! i had a lovely time reading it.
February 25, 2024
2.5⭐️
Pippa Munro’s life is turned on it’s head when her long time boyfriend and business partner decides to sell their farm, and Pippa’s home, out of the blue. Pippa is left heartbroken, single, jobless, and homeless. After some wallowing, Pippa takes a job as a house sitter at Squires, the local manor house that has fallen from its former glory. Hot but grumpy Wolfie Squires, now the man of the house, needs someone to look after the old house whenever he’s away. Pippa and Wolfie bump heads in this opposites attract romance, but come to find out that they have more in common than they once assumed.
Ughhh this book was so aggressively…ok. Pippa was so frustrating from the very beginning and barely even grew any backbone by the end of the story. The plot was just not interesting at all and the writing was way too detailed to keep me properly engaged. And there was absolutely NO chemistry between Pippa and Wolfie. They had maybe like 5 interactions before they were sleeping together, and then a couple days later they were in love? K bye, no.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy to read and review.
Pippa Munro’s life is turned on it’s head when her long time boyfriend and business partner decides to sell their farm, and Pippa’s home, out of the blue. Pippa is left heartbroken, single, jobless, and homeless. After some wallowing, Pippa takes a job as a house sitter at Squires, the local manor house that has fallen from its former glory. Hot but grumpy Wolfie Squires, now the man of the house, needs someone to look after the old house whenever he’s away. Pippa and Wolfie bump heads in this opposites attract romance, but come to find out that they have more in common than they once assumed.
Ughhh this book was so aggressively…ok. Pippa was so frustrating from the very beginning and barely even grew any backbone by the end of the story. The plot was just not interesting at all and the writing was way too detailed to keep me properly engaged. And there was absolutely NO chemistry between Pippa and Wolfie. They had maybe like 5 interactions before they were sleeping together, and then a couple days later they were in love? K bye, no.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy to read and review.
July 23, 2025
I picked this up hoping for a nice fluffy quick read, but it’s taken me 5 long days to finish this book and unfortunately I feel that it wasn’t really time well spent.
The premise of the book is good and I actually really enjoyed the beginning. But soon after Pippa moves into the squires house it just loses its way and the middle section of this book is just dull.
Wolfie is really stand offish until all of a sudden they’re in love and all over each other with very little explanation or evidence as to how or why they’ve got there. Then you discover it’s basically love at first sight for Wolfie which doesn’t really match with the grumpy/sunshine vibe this book was going for.
Alex kissing her and Wolfie arriving at the wrong time is so cliche, so overdone and just really unoriginal. I also feel the ending with Alex and Pippa is just unsatisfying, she never really gets to make him understand her point and she never tells him she’s moved on. It just seems to fall flat.
Overall this book just left me disappointed, it could have had something there, but it feels like it was rushed and could have done with a rewrite or two. Not the worse book I’ve read this year at all, but unfortunately I’m not going to be rushing to pick up more from this author any time soon.
Additionally: Wolfie feels like a silly name for a grown man and personally I found it really off-putting as my brain kept imagining him as some teenager that wouldn’t have looked out of place on Skins. Not ideal.
The premise of the book is good and I actually really enjoyed the beginning. But soon after Pippa moves into the squires house it just loses its way and the middle section of this book is just dull.
Wolfie is really stand offish until all of a sudden they’re in love and all over each other with very little explanation or evidence as to how or why they’ve got there. Then you discover it’s basically love at first sight for Wolfie which doesn’t really match with the grumpy/sunshine vibe this book was going for.
Alex kissing her and Wolfie arriving at the wrong time is so cliche, so overdone and just really unoriginal. I also feel the ending with Alex and Pippa is just unsatisfying, she never really gets to make him understand her point and she never tells him she’s moved on. It just seems to fall flat.
Overall this book just left me disappointed, it could have had something there, but it feels like it was rushed and could have done with a rewrite or two. Not the worse book I’ve read this year at all, but unfortunately I’m not going to be rushing to pick up more from this author any time soon.
Additionally: Wolfie feels like a silly name for a grown man and personally I found it really off-putting as my brain kept imagining him as some teenager that wouldn’t have looked out of place on Skins. Not ideal.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2024
Three and a half stars.
Pippa Munro has helped her long-term boyfriend Alex turn his family farm into a successful business, so when he says he wants to discuss something important with her she is expecting an engagement ring so that they can finally start the family she's been dreaming of, at the heart of Hurt Bridge, the Yorkshire village in which she grew up. Unfortunately, what Alex wants to discuss is something very different. Now Pippa is single, homeless, and jobless, sleeping on her cousin Frankie's sofa.
Pippa is informed that the current owner of Squires House, Wolfie Squires, needs a live-in caretaker urgently since his current caretaker needs to take care of his wife who is suffering from early onset dementia. Pippa remembers Wolfie and his sister from when she was a child and their grandfather hosted an annual Summer Fair which culminated in a series of Wheelbarrow Races. Wolfie and his sister always held themselves aloof from the village kids and it seems nothing has changed, now he's some big city hotshot and rarely visits Squires House.
Despite having never lived or worked in a stately home, Pippa gets the job, but its only a short-term thing because Wolfie is in the process of selling the house; something Pippa can't understand, she thinks, even in its slightly dilapidated state, it is still an amazing home. However, despite their initial antipathy, there may just be a spark between Wolfie and Pippa if the two of them can let go of the past.
When the local school needs a new roof urgently Pippa and her friends decide the only way to raise the necessary £8,000 is to revive the Summer Fair; ticket sales and pitch fees should easily net them what they require.
I did enjoy this but I felt that Wolfie in particular seemed to be stuck in a bit of a loop of feeling that Pippa had rejected him/got back together with Alex - I mean once is okay but he seemed to default time and time again. Also, Wolfie's motives for selling Squires House seemed a bit muddled, two reasons were given and all I kept thinking about was his father's wine collection gathering dust in the cellars. On the positive side, there's a fabulous pig with a mind of her own :)
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
Pippa Munro has helped her long-term boyfriend Alex turn his family farm into a successful business, so when he says he wants to discuss something important with her she is expecting an engagement ring so that they can finally start the family she's been dreaming of, at the heart of Hurt Bridge, the Yorkshire village in which she grew up. Unfortunately, what Alex wants to discuss is something very different. Now Pippa is single, homeless, and jobless, sleeping on her cousin Frankie's sofa.
Pippa is informed that the current owner of Squires House, Wolfie Squires, needs a live-in caretaker urgently since his current caretaker needs to take care of his wife who is suffering from early onset dementia. Pippa remembers Wolfie and his sister from when she was a child and their grandfather hosted an annual Summer Fair which culminated in a series of Wheelbarrow Races. Wolfie and his sister always held themselves aloof from the village kids and it seems nothing has changed, now he's some big city hotshot and rarely visits Squires House.
Despite having never lived or worked in a stately home, Pippa gets the job, but its only a short-term thing because Wolfie is in the process of selling the house; something Pippa can't understand, she thinks, even in its slightly dilapidated state, it is still an amazing home. However, despite their initial antipathy, there may just be a spark between Wolfie and Pippa if the two of them can let go of the past.
When the local school needs a new roof urgently Pippa and her friends decide the only way to raise the necessary £8,000 is to revive the Summer Fair; ticket sales and pitch fees should easily net them what they require.
I did enjoy this but I felt that Wolfie in particular seemed to be stuck in a bit of a loop of feeling that Pippa had rejected him/got back together with Alex - I mean once is okay but he seemed to default time and time again. Also, Wolfie's motives for selling Squires House seemed a bit muddled, two reasons were given and all I kept thinking about was his father's wine collection gathering dust in the cellars. On the positive side, there's a fabulous pig with a mind of her own :)
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
March 10, 2024
I am such a sucker for a book set in the English countryside. I will totally look the other way if a plot is weak (i.e. a little on the boring side) because i am legitimately enjoying the setting so much.
Pippa is devastated after her relationship of ten years implodes so she takes a job as a house sitter for this gorgeous old mansion in her village. The house has been falling into disrepair and is now owned by Wolfie (I know…the name killed me) who is young and hot and brooding. He plans to sell it which is very upsetting to Pippa because only an idiot wouldn’t be devastated to see a beautiful old home torn down. Wolfie also lives in the home…and you can see where this is going…
I found Wolfie and Pippa’s chemistry went from zero to sixty pretty quickly. The pacing of their relationship felt off. But, the setting is great and I enjoyed supporting characters. I think Wolfie and Pippa both get a compelling backstory that goes a long way towards making up for the “miscommunication” that causes their third act troubles.
This was one of those cozy British romances that I always enjoy and absolutely make me want to live in a giant old mansion in a little English village.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exact for an honest review.
Pippa is devastated after her relationship of ten years implodes so she takes a job as a house sitter for this gorgeous old mansion in her village. The house has been falling into disrepair and is now owned by Wolfie (I know…the name killed me) who is young and hot and brooding. He plans to sell it which is very upsetting to Pippa because only an idiot wouldn’t be devastated to see a beautiful old home torn down. Wolfie also lives in the home…and you can see where this is going…
I found Wolfie and Pippa’s chemistry went from zero to sixty pretty quickly. The pacing of their relationship felt off. But, the setting is great and I enjoyed supporting characters. I think Wolfie and Pippa both get a compelling backstory that goes a long way towards making up for the “miscommunication” that causes their third act troubles.
This was one of those cozy British romances that I always enjoy and absolutely make me want to live in a giant old mansion in a little English village.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exact for an honest review.
January 29, 2024
This book is an absolutely lovely light hearted romance and is very typically English, I loved it! Pippa finds herself completely turned upside down when her over a decade long relationship ends, and with it her job and her home. She takes a job caretaking at an old English manor that featured in her youth and growing up. Man of the manor, grumpy and standoffish Wolfie, can't find the same charms in the quaint town as Pippa can and is determined to get rid of the place. I'm sure most of us can relate to Pippa in one way or another, and her strength and dedication is admirable. Seeing Wolfie's softer side appear was delightful after cracking the grumpy exterior. Special mention also to Juniper the pig 😂 Thank you to netgalley and Harper Collins UK for providing me with this copy to review.
February 27, 2024
[3.5/5 ★★★☆̸☆]
“You made my world slow down, Pippa Munro . In a good way. It was the thing I needed most, and I didn’t know it.”
Pippa is left jobless and homeless after realizing that she wasted 13 years of her life with her high school boyfriend when he decides to sell the farm where they both lived and that she had been in charge of running. This is how she ends up working as a house sitter at the Squire house, where she meets Wolfie, the owner of the property who is desperately trying to sell it.
It took me a little while to get through the first section of the book but God, it had me hooked until the end. I really like how Pippa and Wolfie's relationship developed little by little, and that they had these moments where they allowed themselves to get to know more about each other (+) the scenes where she'd make the possible buyers run away were so funny. Pippa is a great main character, I loved to see her growth and how she got to moved on and prove to herself that she didn't need anyone to fulfill her happiness. I would've love a few Wolfie chapters to get to know him a little better, but overall he was great.
My only problem with the book is that the descriptions were immense and most of them not very necessary, there were many moments where I considered abandoning the book or I simply ended up skimming entire paragraphs because otherwise I wouldn't make any progress. I also feel that in the last 20-15% a lot happened and from one moment to the next the protagonists already loved each other and would leave everything for each other, that part I feel was kind of unreal (+) the mini drama with the miscommunication was mid.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. 💘
Pippa is left jobless and homeless after realizing that she wasted 13 years of her life with her high school boyfriend when he decides to sell the farm where they both lived and that she had been in charge of running. This is how she ends up working as a house sitter at the Squire house, where she meets Wolfie, the owner of the property who is desperately trying to sell it.
It took me a little while to get through the first section of the book but God, it had me hooked until the end. I really like how Pippa and Wolfie's relationship developed little by little, and that they had these moments where they allowed themselves to get to know more about each other (+) the scenes where she'd make the possible buyers run away were so funny. Pippa is a great main character, I loved to see her growth and how she got to moved on and prove to herself that she didn't need anyone to fulfill her happiness. I would've love a few Wolfie chapters to get to know him a little better, but overall he was great.
My only problem with the book is that the descriptions were immense and most of them not very necessary, there were many moments where I considered abandoning the book or I simply ended up skimming entire paragraphs because otherwise I wouldn't make any progress. I also feel that in the last 20-15% a lot happened and from one moment to the next the protagonists already loved each other and would leave everything for each other, that part I feel was kind of unreal (+) the mini drama with the miscommunication was mid.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. 💘
February 12, 2024
When Pip’s boyfriend tells her he’s sold their home and business without consulting her and that they’re moving to the other end of the country rather than him finally proposing to her, she breaks up with him instead. But that leaves her single, heartbroken and homeless. Wolfie Squires needs someone to look after his big old house whilst it’s on the market and he’s busy travelling for work and Pip gets the job. He’s Mr Grumpy, she’s Miss Sunshine but will they still fall for each other?
A lovely romcom set in glorious Yorkshire (I might be a tad biased), with a man that for once seems to have real feelings and is a bit shy rather than the typical annoying alpha male that chick lit seems to portray. It has all the elements of small village life with nosy neighbours and even an escaping pig, and all the best parts of a predictable will they, won’t they romance. A solid 4.5/5, I just wanted to see Alex really get his comeuppance a bit more for being an idiot or it’d have been a 5! Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy in return for an honest review.
A lovely romcom set in glorious Yorkshire (I might be a tad biased), with a man that for once seems to have real feelings and is a bit shy rather than the typical annoying alpha male that chick lit seems to portray. It has all the elements of small village life with nosy neighbours and even an escaping pig, and all the best parts of a predictable will they, won’t they romance. A solid 4.5/5, I just wanted to see Alex really get his comeuppance a bit more for being an idiot or it’d have been a 5! Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy in return for an honest review.
February 6, 2024
*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*
Oh how I desperately wanted to love this book. It had such a promising premise– please give me all the charming English villages and crumbling manor houses and Mr. Darcy-esque pseudo-aristocratic love interests– but unfortunately it fell flat on pretty much everything for me.
First off, the romance. I, as a person and reader, love love. I will find the tiniest crumbs of a relationship and honestly, that’s usually enough for me. But there was no chemistry between Wolfie (ugh) and Pippa, and any interaction between the two of them felt not only flat, but incredibly forced.
Which leads me to my second concern, the characters. I loved the secondary characters– the delightful organic farmer neighbors, Pippa’s lovely cousin and his steamboat roommate, even Juniper the rare heritage breed pig. However, Pippa continued to lack boundaries concerning her ex boyfriend and fall into the same pattern of devoting herself to a project for someone else’s benefit. Wolfie never seemed to have much personality at all. I figured out he liked piano, but mostly he was just there to prove Pippa had moved on from her ex and provide a beautiful historic home.
I feel like this book was crying to be a women’s lit detailing Pippa’s recovery and growth as a single person– instead it felt like wasted potential.
Oh how I desperately wanted to love this book. It had such a promising premise– please give me all the charming English villages and crumbling manor houses and Mr. Darcy-esque pseudo-aristocratic love interests– but unfortunately it fell flat on pretty much everything for me.
First off, the romance. I, as a person and reader, love love. I will find the tiniest crumbs of a relationship and honestly, that’s usually enough for me. But there was no chemistry between Wolfie (ugh) and Pippa, and any interaction between the two of them felt not only flat, but incredibly forced.
Which leads me to my second concern, the characters. I loved the secondary characters– the delightful organic farmer neighbors, Pippa’s lovely cousin and his steamboat roommate, even Juniper the rare heritage breed pig. However, Pippa continued to lack boundaries concerning her ex boyfriend and fall into the same pattern of devoting herself to a project for someone else’s benefit. Wolfie never seemed to have much personality at all. I figured out he liked piano, but mostly he was just there to prove Pippa had moved on from her ex and provide a beautiful historic home.
I feel like this book was crying to be a women’s lit detailing Pippa’s recovery and growth as a single person– instead it felt like wasted potential.
December 12, 2023
I really enjoyed this small town romance, it was also really refreshing to be set in Yorkshire, UK. This had all the cosy feelings and just made it so much more nostalgic.
It was a really quick read for me and I loved the writing, it has an ease that pulls you in and keeps you engaged while also dealing with some complex issues that are done in a relatable and respectful way.
I loved Pippa and Wolfie’s dynamic and how they slowly built their relationship. Wolfe was the perfect grumpy mmc who learnt to deal with his emotions and especially when it came to Pippa. The miscommunication part was dealt with quickly which I really loved as a reader.
I highly recommend if you’re looking for an easy and quick read that while dealing with some complex issues it still ends up being an endearing read.
Thank you to NetGalley and OneMoreChapter for this eArc.
It was a really quick read for me and I loved the writing, it has an ease that pulls you in and keeps you engaged while also dealing with some complex issues that are done in a relatable and respectful way.
I loved Pippa and Wolfie’s dynamic and how they slowly built their relationship. Wolfe was the perfect grumpy mmc who learnt to deal with his emotions and especially when it came to Pippa. The miscommunication part was dealt with quickly which I really loved as a reader.
I highly recommend if you’re looking for an easy and quick read that while dealing with some complex issues it still ends up being an endearing read.
Thank you to NetGalley and OneMoreChapter for this eArc.
February 18, 2024
The House Sitter - Elizabeth Drummond 🏡
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pippa Munro has the perfect life, on track to get married to her high school sweetheart and running the families farm or so she thinks. The shock of her boyfriend dumping her and being forced out leaving her homeless and unemployed sends Pippa into a rut, however a house sitting gig in her local area may be exactly what she needs.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The perfect start to my romance binge in February. The concept of house sitting and the mysterious owner was perfect.
I thought that this was really well written and I don't think I have come across this concept before so I really enjoyed it, would love to read more Elizabeth Drummond books in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for sending me this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own*
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pippa Munro has the perfect life, on track to get married to her high school sweetheart and running the families farm or so she thinks. The shock of her boyfriend dumping her and being forced out leaving her homeless and unemployed sends Pippa into a rut, however a house sitting gig in her local area may be exactly what she needs.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The perfect start to my romance binge in February. The concept of house sitting and the mysterious owner was perfect.
I thought that this was really well written and I don't think I have come across this concept before so I really enjoyed it, would love to read more Elizabeth Drummond books in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for sending me this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own*
July 28, 2024
Once I got past the rather boring first chapters and the 'titular' housesitting job began, I rooted for Pippa. She's a strong female character, who's had a bad breakup and needs to find her feet. Her strength and determination keep her going, once she's picked herself up, and she won't be fooled again so easily. Can Pippa convince Wolfie about the beauty of his home and hometown and keep him from selling the house she's sitting?
There were wonderful secondary characters too and I wouldn't mind revisiting this small Yorkshire town to find out how Mae and Erin are doing. And I need to know whether Juniper finds the perfect mate.
There were wonderful secondary characters too and I wouldn't mind revisiting this small Yorkshire town to find out how Mae and Erin are doing. And I need to know whether Juniper finds the perfect mate.
April 28, 2025
Albeit a very slow start (seriously, prologues should NEVER be 30 minutes) I throughly enjoyed this read! Although I do hate the fact that the ex-boyfriend’s name is Alex, I digress😅 Wolfie and Pippa absolutely precious in their own self-loathing ways, I adored the slow burn that they established through quick quips and awkward bodily run-ins—seriously Pippa, my girl, EYES UP WHEN WALKING👀
Only thing that kept this from being 5 stars for me was the fact that it was read in a 3rd person’s perspective/narration that mainly revolved around the MFC.. I would have LOVED to have gotten some POV on how Wolfie was feeling at times!😩
Only thing that kept this from being 5 stars for me was the fact that it was read in a 3rd person’s perspective/narration that mainly revolved around the MFC.. I would have LOVED to have gotten some POV on how Wolfie was feeling at times!😩
September 4, 2024
3.5*
What happens when you break up with your childhood sweetheart and you’re left homeless, jobless and heartbroken? You house-sit for the richest family in town and make the grumpy, handsome, brooding son your boss 🙂↕️
This entirely fluffy story is exactly what I needed, although, it did feel like swallowing a dictionary at some points and I definitely cringed more than once 🥴
What happens when you break up with your childhood sweetheart and you’re left homeless, jobless and heartbroken? You house-sit for the richest family in town and make the grumpy, handsome, brooding son your boss 🙂↕️
This entirely fluffy story is exactly what I needed, although, it did feel like swallowing a dictionary at some points and I definitely cringed more than once 🥴
September 28, 2024
5 👏 STARS 👏 EVERY 👏 TIME 👏
this is everything, literally EVERYTHING
loveable characters who feel like your best friends that can make you laugh regardless? ✅
the epitome of a man written by a woman (he’s perfect)✅
the embodiment of that pure comfort read feeling ✅
a story that will have you punching the air, kicking your feet and giggling and swooning?????? ✅✅✅✅
ALSO THE EPILOGUE 🥹
this is everything, literally EVERYTHING
loveable characters who feel like your best friends that can make you laugh regardless? ✅
the epitome of a man written by a woman (he’s perfect)✅
the embodiment of that pure comfort read feeling ✅
a story that will have you punching the air, kicking your feet and giggling and swooning?????? ✅✅✅✅
ALSO THE EPILOGUE 🥹
Read
April 29, 2024DNF. Un bolazo así que bai
Read
November 16, 2024DNF 52% when the writer misused like the ninth idiom. “I’m off the shelf” instead of I’m on the shelf… literally the whole point of the idiom… mega eye roll. Lots of weird typo things like this.
October 30, 2024
Ughhhh this started off really good but then BAM!! *sprinkles insta love* they were in love. Like what. I liked the brooding and she just got out of a TEN YEAR RELATIONSHIP where she thought she’d marry the dude, and then BAM!! *sprinkles MORE insta love* “I think I’m in love with him”.
Literally went from 4.5 stars to 3 stars in like the last 5 chapters ugh (but I give it 3 because I couldn’t put it down for the rest of the book)
Literally went from 4.5 stars to 3 stars in like the last 5 chapters ugh (but I give it 3 because I couldn’t put it down for the rest of the book)
November 14, 2024
it was alright i got bored in the beginning and solfie is too much for me it was alright ish i think i was just bored and needed a new read
February 28, 2024
The House Sitter is the second book of Elizabeth Drummond. This book will yet again be an enemies-to-lovers romance. I did enjoy reading her debut The Reunion but felt like the story missed a spark making it just a decent read. Will this book have that spark? What will I think of The House Sitter?
The inconsistencies in the storyline, the personality of the characters as well as the slow pace of the book, just make The House Sitter a disappointment. In my opinion the story lackes the romantic spark and is just blunt. I was really hoping the second book by this author would be even better than The Reunion, however this didn’t come true.
Check out my full review on my blog Boekensteeg
The inconsistencies in the storyline, the personality of the characters as well as the slow pace of the book, just make The House Sitter a disappointment. In my opinion the story lackes the romantic spark and is just blunt. I was really hoping the second book by this author would be even better than The Reunion, however this didn’t come true.
Check out my full review on my blog Boekensteeg
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