Scan barcode
A review by clair_82
Coming Home to Glendale Hall by Victoria Walters
5.0
Coming Home to Glendale Hall is the perfect festive read…it has all the key components of an ideal Christmas book to me; a wonderful wintery setting (Glendale Hall and its village fit the bill perfectly), a cause to fight for, community spirit and just the right amount of romance!
I absolutely adored Coming Home to Glendale Hall right from the outset, Victoria Walter’s narrative transports the reader to Glendale and feeling like we already know Beth and her daughter Izzy. The book opens with Beth’s return to Glendale Hall, 10 years after she fled to London and never returned. Whilst her parents and grandmother have visited Beth and Izzy in London on occasion, it is clear from the outset that their relationship is, at best, strained. Beth and Izzy are back in Glendale for Christmas as it is feared that this will be Beth’s grandmother’s final Christmas as she is terminally ill and her health is deteriorating. Izzy is thoroughly excited to visit her mother’s childhood home and spend time in Scotland, although for Beth it brings back difficult memories that she has tried to bury for years – which are exacerbated when she unexpectedly bumps into Drew, her first love.
In addition to the family issues, Beth finds that the village is no longer the community that she left, it is now largely abandoned with developers circling around like vultures to purchase the vacant shops and convert them into flats. Beth is devastated that Glendale has seemingly lost its heart, its community spirit so she is determined to do something about it.
Coming Home to Glendale Hall is a beautiful heart-warming read with brilliant characters who come alive from the pages. Beth is a strong, independent woman who has raised Izzy alone in London, working just to make ends meet. Her relationship with Izzy is lovely, because it’s always been just them two their bond is very strong. Beth’s strength wavers a little bit when she comes back to Glendale Hall but she soon gives herself a talking to, reminding herself that she’s no longer the frightened 16-year-old who ran away all those years ago. Izzy is also a wonderful character who really brings the excitement of Christmas to life with her enthusiasm for all things festive…including tacky inflatables and gaudy tree decorations - much to Beth’s mother’s disgust! I also liked Beth’s grandmother who is trying to make amends for her actions 10 years ago which, at the time she did in good faith but now sees that there were alternatives.
Coming Home to Glendale Hall is the perfect book for curling up in front of a fire with a steaming hot chocolate on a cold day when you have no other plans so you can lose yourself in the narrative. Whilst this is a Christmas book, it is much more that that – its an exploration into family dynamics and putting to bed the past, realising that you cannot change it, only focus on the here and now. Another fabulous book from Victoria Walters!
I absolutely adored Coming Home to Glendale Hall right from the outset, Victoria Walter’s narrative transports the reader to Glendale and feeling like we already know Beth and her daughter Izzy. The book opens with Beth’s return to Glendale Hall, 10 years after she fled to London and never returned. Whilst her parents and grandmother have visited Beth and Izzy in London on occasion, it is clear from the outset that their relationship is, at best, strained. Beth and Izzy are back in Glendale for Christmas as it is feared that this will be Beth’s grandmother’s final Christmas as she is terminally ill and her health is deteriorating. Izzy is thoroughly excited to visit her mother’s childhood home and spend time in Scotland, although for Beth it brings back difficult memories that she has tried to bury for years – which are exacerbated when she unexpectedly bumps into Drew, her first love.
In addition to the family issues, Beth finds that the village is no longer the community that she left, it is now largely abandoned with developers circling around like vultures to purchase the vacant shops and convert them into flats. Beth is devastated that Glendale has seemingly lost its heart, its community spirit so she is determined to do something about it.
Coming Home to Glendale Hall is a beautiful heart-warming read with brilliant characters who come alive from the pages. Beth is a strong, independent woman who has raised Izzy alone in London, working just to make ends meet. Her relationship with Izzy is lovely, because it’s always been just them two their bond is very strong. Beth’s strength wavers a little bit when she comes back to Glendale Hall but she soon gives herself a talking to, reminding herself that she’s no longer the frightened 16-year-old who ran away all those years ago. Izzy is also a wonderful character who really brings the excitement of Christmas to life with her enthusiasm for all things festive…including tacky inflatables and gaudy tree decorations - much to Beth’s mother’s disgust! I also liked Beth’s grandmother who is trying to make amends for her actions 10 years ago which, at the time she did in good faith but now sees that there were alternatives.
Coming Home to Glendale Hall is the perfect book for curling up in front of a fire with a steaming hot chocolate on a cold day when you have no other plans so you can lose yourself in the narrative. Whilst this is a Christmas book, it is much more that that – its an exploration into family dynamics and putting to bed the past, realising that you cannot change it, only focus on the here and now. Another fabulous book from Victoria Walters!