Rosie's life has become one long string of exhausting worries and stresses, getting her four-year-old daughter Cass to school, getting to work on time, conjuring up 'clever' and 'original' ideas for marketing campaigns. She's only 28, for heaven's sake, so why does she feel 101?
Sarah Webb is an award-winning children’s writer. Her books include Blazing a Trail: Irish Women who Changed the World (illustrated by Lauren O’Neill) and A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea: Favourite Rhymes from an Irish Childhood (illustrated by Steve McCarthy), both winners of Irish Book Awards.
Sarah also runs creative writing clubs for children and teens, reviews children’s books for the Irish Independent, and programmes children’s and family events for book festivals and MoLI (Museum of Literature Ireland). She also works part-time in a children’s bookshop.
Sarah is passionate about bringing children and books together and was awarded the Children’s Books Ireland Award for Outstanding Contribution to Children’s Books in Ireland. Her latest book, The Little Beekeeper of Henrietta Street (illustrated by Rachel Corcoran) was published in 2021.
Rosie is devastated when her husband Darren reveals that he has been having an affair for some time and that he is leaving her. Determined for a fresh start, she moves to a new village with her young daughter Cass. She begins working in an art gallery and meeting new people. Slowly, her broken heart begins to mend. The book started out very slowly. It seemed like a bunch of little scenes just clumped together, without real story to it. It got better as the characters of Martina and Anna were introduced and we got the story from three different perspectives. The storyline was rather boring, I kept waiting for something to happen. I enjoyed the book more as it went on and towards the end, I was enjoying it and wanted to find out what was going to happen. I probably would not read another book by this author, but it was an okay read.
First time reading Sarah Webb and I'm hooked. Her writing is so descriptive you are pulled into each moment of the book, watching the story unfold in front of you and almost feel like you are an extra in it. I almost felt I knew Redwood by the end of the book. Brilliant read
I spent 24 hours searching and searching for the name of this book because i remembered the plot so so vividly but forgot the title, author and names of charavters. And now i have found it and will never let it go. 10/10. Feel good story. Fun for all ages.
Set in Ireland the story centres around the life of Rosie, stressed at work and trying to raise her daughter Cass, she is shocked when her husband Darren announces he is moving out and in with the much younger Tracey. Devastated she pretends nothing is wrong until her sister Kim discovers the truth. When the secret is out her dad, Rex helps her with opening up a small art gallery in the Redwood estate. Having gone to school with Rory the estate owner's son she decides to move to Wicklow and change her life, for once doing something she loves and getting more time to spend with her daughter. Once there she is introduced to some colourful characters, Martina who is in love with Rory but cannot commit and won't say why.Leo, the surly gamekeeper in the wildlife park on the estate and Anna, the estate's housekeeper. The book details the lives of these characters, love, devastation and friendship being the core themes throughout. Can Rosie pick up her life and make something of it or will she always have a hankering for what she knows best, being Darren's wife and Cass' mother? Told mostly from Rosie's point of view some of the other key characters also get to narrate a chapter and as those of you who know me, know this is my favourite style of writing.The novel worked well for me and I read it in quite a short space of time. I defy you not to fall in love with Wicklow ( which I can say is a fantastic area) and the female characters in the book.
This book is great. All of Sarah Webb's are a great easy read. Her characters are strong inspirational women who go through all the problems us everyday ladies have, yet Sarah Webb seems to keep humour which to me is a major factor in the characters lives. Another fantastic read can not wait to read more of her brilliance.
After a break away from chick-lit style books for a while, I was unsure as to whether or not I would enjoy this. I admit, it wasn't bad, and I've always had a thing for confident women and their friends, but alas the story was just far too similar to other ones I've read for me to really get into it.