Second Chances at Hollyhock Farm by Georgina Troy

Title: Second Chances at Hollyhock Farm (Hollyhock Farm #2)

Author: Georgina Troy

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Rating: ★★★★☆

Source: Rachel’s Random Resources/Netgalley

Blurb: Since his sister Lettie took over their parents’ farm on the beautiful island of Jersey at the start of the year, Zac Torel’s life has changed completely. Zac loves Hollyhock Farm, and he’s determined to help Lettie succeed, but when their insurance company refuses to pay for the restoration of one of their barns in time for winter, the clock is ticking for the Torels to raise the money themselves.

The siblings decide to host a wellness festival, but with the summer already well underway, they’ve got their work cut out to get everything ready before the season ends. Lettie recruits the help of Melody, a yoga teacher from Edinburgh. New to the island, Melody is determined to shake things up and make a success of Lettie’s festival.

But Melody has come to Jersey with more baggage than her small backpack implies. And as her friendship with Zac grows, will her past catch up with her?

Review: This is the second book in the Hollyhock Farm series, but my first visit. I really loved it! There’s a lovely sense of community, with fabulous characters.

Zac is a wonderful hero. He’s put his job as a sound engineer on hold while he helps his sister with the family farm. Problems arise when their insurance company refuses to pay to repair a barn roof, damaged in a storm. Zac’s sister Lettie decides to host a wellness festival on the farm grounds.

Meanwhile, Melody is on the run from her past and comes to stay at the farm. Her yogi background is perfect for the festival and she joins in with the planning… which means she’s bumping shoulders with Zac often.

Second Chances leans slightly more into women’s lit with a side of romance, but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment of this story. It’s really well-written and the prose pulls you gently along. The way everyone pitches in to help the festival – and the farm – is very heart-warming.

Of course, both Zac and Melody have their secrets. Pasts that threaten the present. When these comes back to haunt them, they’ve built a relationship with both each other and the community, and again everyone pulls together to overcome the difficulties.

This story is bright and sunny, making it an ideal escapist read in these dark, cold months!