Dreams Come True at Primrose Hall

Jill Steeples

Description

'A gorgeous setting and wonderful characters, just the loveliest place to cosy up and escape to.' Beth Moran

Pia Temple has always had a soft spot for Jackson Moody following a passionate teenage love affair that burnt out over one long summer, more than ten years ago. First loves can be hard to forget, and the devastatingly gorgeous Jackson, is harder to forget than most.

After putting aside her ambitions while she cared for her parents, it is finally time for Pia to think about herself. So, when she’s offered the perfect job running the social calendar at Primrose Hall, with a dreamy flat included, how can she refuse? There’s only one problem… The new owner of the refurbished seventeenth-century manor house set in the idyllic Primrose Woods, is none other than Jackson, the man she’s thought about every day for years.

In a whirl of weddings and craft fairs, literary festivals and tea parties, Pia blossoms in her new role. But with the delectable Jackson a daily distraction, maybe this isn’t the dream job after all – especially when Jackson’s unfeasibly beautiful ex-girlfriend Tara, comes back to visit the hall…

Dreams Come True at Primrose Hall is the perfect feel-good love story to brighten even the darkest day. Just right for fans of Cathy Bramley, Heidi Swain and Julie Houston.

What readers say about Jill Steeples:

‘Jill Steeples skilfully weaves together the contrasting lives of these three likeable women. I soon found myself rooting for each of their journeys and I loved the beautiful setting of Primrose Woods. Romantic, feel-good and heartwarming, I loved it!’

‘This book was wonderful and heartwarming and a lovely romance featuring friendships and second chances. I also fell in love with the setting of Primrose Woods. The descriptions had me wanting to go and visit there. Starting Over at Primrose Woods was a wonderful, uplifting book that left me with a warm and happy feeling.’

‘After finishing reading this book I felt like I had had a hug from a mug of hot chocolate – I was left feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.’

'If you are after a heart-warming and uplifting story, with side orders of romance, enchanting backdrops and loveable characters… Then I HIGHLY recommend reading Jill Steeples!'

Sujets

• Romance contemporaine
• Fiction
• England
• Romance
• Family Life
• Contemporary
• Wedding
• Animals
• The Women
• 21st Century
• Marriage
• Woman
• Romantic Comedy
• Workplace
• Contemporary history
• Friendship
• Dalmatian
• Inglaterra
• Women
• World Literature
• Holidays
• Mashups

Informations

• Publié par: Boldwood Books
• Date de parution: 22 février 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781802807158
• Langue: English

Extrait

DREAMS COME TRUE AT PRIMROSE HALL


JILL STEEPLES
To Dearest Darling Ellie
CONTENTS



Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40


Acknowledgments

More from Jill Steeples

About the Author

About Boldwood Books
1

Pia Temple emerged from the Wildflower Trail in Primrose Woods, clipped Bertie, the Dalmatian, onto his lead, patting his head for his uncharacteristically good behaviour today, and took the path that led towards home. She paused outside the entrance to the visitors’ centre and Treetops Cafe to read the notices in the window, as she always did, interested to see what was going on in the local area. Most of them she’d seen before and her eyes skittered over those, before her gaze alighted on a new postcard that immediately drew her interest.

Man/Girl Friday required!
Personal assistant required to work for the MD of a private company within a busy household environment. Duties to include admin work, personal organisation, animal care and so much more. Enthusiasm and a willingness to learn more important than experience. This is a full-time live-in position with a good salary for the right applicant. Please apply to JM Enterprises on the following email address.
Pia pulled out her phone and took a snap of the advert. She’d fire off an application as soon as she got home. If there was one thing Pia was in desperate need of right now, it was a job. And if there was one thing she needed even more than a job, it was a place to live. She scanned the words again, in search of anything that might preclude her from applying. Admin work? That would be a doddle, and organisation was her middle name – she’d spent the last few years organising all sorts of things: doctors’ visits, hospital appointments, bed pans – surely some of those skills would be transferable. As for animals, she absolutely loved them. Dogs, cats, budgerigars – you name it, Pia had an affinity with them. It was what she’d always wanted to do after leaving school, train in animal management, but life had got in the way of that particular dream, even if her love for animals hadn’t diminished in the meantime. And while she knew that at twenty-eight she didn’t have much, or indeed any experience, in an office environment, she had plenty of enthusiasm and willingness to do almost anything, within reason.
As she walked home with Bertie, a kernel of excitement ran through her veins. The job would suit her perfectly. She knew better, though, than to get her hopes up. She’d applied for enough jobs in recent months to know that a lot of employers didn’t even bother to reply, and in the few interviews she had attended, she’d lost out to other more experienced applicants. There were no details on the ad as to where the job would be based, but it would have to be locally or why else would it be advertised in Primrose Woods?
‘It’s only us!’ Pia called out, a little while later, as she let herself in through the back door of her neighbour, Wendy’s, house. She immediately grabbed the towel from the cupboard to wipe down Bertie’s muddy paws. ‘Will you keep still,’ she gently scolded him as he danced around on his tiptoes, eager to be freed so that he could go and greet his mum. With paws cleaned as well as possible with a wriggly, unhelpful Dalmatian, Pia unclipped his lead and he went bouncing off into the living room. Pia heard Wendy’s laughter ring out as she made a fuss of her beloved dog’s return, while Pia flicked the kettle on and pulled two mugs out from the corner cabinet. She pottered around the kitchen, putting away the crockery on the draining board and running a cloth across the surfaces. She liked to help out where she could. She spotted the opened post on the kitchen table and her gaze drifted over the contents of the letter sitting at the top of the pile. When she saw who it was from, she couldn’t stop herself from reading on, the contents of the letter stirring all sorts of emotions within her. She took a big breath before joining Wendy in the living room with the mugs of tea, whose face lit up at the sight.
‘Ooh, what a sweetheart you are. I’m not sure what I’d do without you. Did Bertie behave himself on his walk?’
‘He did, and we met a ten-month-old black Lab called Leo who gave him a right run around. They had such fun together, although I think Bertie was quite relieved when they left in the opposite direction. Anyway, how are you feeling now, Wendy?’ Pia sat down on the end of the sofa nearest to Wendy’s chair, her hands cupped around her mug of tea, while Bertie stretched out in the space in front of the fireplace.
‘All right. If it wasn’t for these useless legs of mine. Some days they just refuse to work.’
Pia had lived next door to Wendy all her life. She remembered her from when she was a little girl, a good friend to her parents, a happy and smiling face over the garden fence, and when she wasn’t busy with her job as a teaching assistant at the village school or running the local Brownies group, then she was baking cakes or pottering about in her garden. Then she’d been a vibrant, energetic woman, always on the go, a well-known and much-loved member of the local community, always eager to help out anyone in need. These days, Wendy’s spirit and compassion were still very much in evidence, but sadly her body was less willing, and Pia hated to see her friend so frustrated by her incapacity.
‘Sorry, but I couldn’t help noticing when I was out in the kitchen, the letter from Rushgrove Lodge?’ Pia kept her tone light, knowing she needed to tread carefully as far as this particular subject was concerned.
‘You can put that straight in the bin. I’m not interested,’ said Wendy vehemently. ‘That’s Simon, you know, interfering from afar.’
‘He’s worried about you and only trying to help.’
‘Well, he doesn’t need to. I’ve managed all these years on my own; I’ll get through this little hiccup as well.’
Pia reached out a hand and laid it on Wendy’s arm, unable to quash the thought that this crisis was more than a minor hiccup. Wendy’s arthritis had seriously impacted on her mobility in recent months and she was worryingly unsteady on her feet. She’d already had a couple of falls that had resulted in bruised ribs and a broken wrist.
‘I’ve heard it’s really lovely at Rushgrove Lodge. My best friend from school, Abbey, is the manager there.’
‘I’m sure it is, but I won’t be moving there. Someone else can have my spot.’
‘All I’m saying is that it might be worth you going along for a viewing, just to see what it’s like. You never know, you might decide you like it if you see it for yourself.’
‘I won’t,’ said Wendy firmly. ‘I’m not going anywhere without Bertie and no one can force me, so I would save your breath.’
Suitably chastised, Pia gave a kindly smile, knowing now wasn’t the time to press the point. It really wasn’t her place to do so anyway. She’d spoken to Wendy’s son, Simon, several times on the phone, usually after the latest crisis, and he was just as concerned about Wendy as Pia was but there was only so much he could do from the other side of the world. He worked in the copper mines in Australia and only managed to get back to the UK every couple of years.
‘Anyway, enough about me,’ said Wendy, obviously eager to move the conversation on. ‘What’s the latest on the house?’
‘It’s all going through as planned; we have a completion date now, three weeks on Friday.’ Pia kept her tone light, upbeat, although whether it was for Wendy’s benefit or her own she wasn’t entirely sure.
‘I still can’t believe Connor would do that to you, force you out of your own home. After everything you did for your mum and dad. All those years you spent caring for them, putting your own life on hold.’
‘About time, then, that I got on with living my life,’ said Pia brightly. ‘Besides, it isn’t like that. Mum and Dad left the house to both of us. Connor’s getting married this year, so it’s only natural that he and Ruby want to find a place of their own, somewhere to buy.’
‘But they’re making you homeless. Where will you go? Oh, I am going to miss you, Pia.’
‘I shall miss you too, Wendy, but you won’t be able to get rid of me that easily. I’ll be calling round on a regular basis, that’s for sure. And until I find a place of my own, I’m going to be staying with Connor and Ruby.’
Wendy let out a heartfelt sigh and Pia knew exactly how she felt. She was dreading moving out of the house that had been her home ever since she was a baby, with all the memories it held from her childhood and of her late parents. To her it was so much more than the unremarkable three-bedroom terraced house that it might appear to others. It was her home, her safe place and she could still feel the presence of her mum and dad within the fabric of the walls. She would miss it so much more than she was willing to admit to anyone, but it was time to move on. She’d stood still for far too long, as Wendy was keen to remind her often.
‘Well, that’s hardly ideal, is it?’ the older woman said now and although Pia was inclined to agree with her, she just shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.
If she stopped to think too long about all the changes she had in front of her then she might be too frozen with fear to do anything. She had to clear her parents’ house of all the years of accumulated possessions, not an easy task when almost everything sparked an emotional reaction within her, find a new place to live and find