One Last Spring by Sian Ann Bessey + $25 Giveaway

The quiet village of Llanwddyn has long been a safe haven for Gwen, a young Welsh country girl whose life has been fraught with tragedy. Following the untimely death of her parents, it was her aunt's home in Llanwddyn that provided Gwen and her brother a refuge from their grief. Now, with the unwelcome news that the village is to be razed in the name of progress, an inescapable wave of change has begun.

When her brother departs to follow his dream of sailing the high seas, Gwen is left alone to navigate the shifting world around her. She soon finds herself relying on the support of her brother's best friend, Lewis, a gentle blacksmith whose kindness stirs her heart. Resigned to the fact that Lewis may never see her as more than a child, Gwen is soon swept off her feet by Thomas, a prosperous young Englishman. Torn between two men and two very different paths, Gwen has little time to determine what course her heart will follow. With time running out for her beautiful valley, will love come too late?

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This book wraps around you like a warm blanket on a cold day.  I loved it!  It was gentle and lulling and full of warmth.

I love that this book was based on actual events of a village in Wales.  It may seem like a relatively small event in the whole historical scheme of things, but for this one village it was the largest, hardest thing in their history.  They literally had to pack up and move their whole village.  Can you imagine?

Gwen is a sweet, gentle creature.  She has never had the praise and emotional building up that children and teens crave as she was raised by a no nonsense aunt who was more prone to criticize with a sharp tongue.  Gwen is lonely and a more solitary creature, especially after her brother leaves to follow his dream of adventure on the seas.  She is intelligent and artistic and spends many hours drawing and thinking.

I loved the gentle progression of events in this book.  It was like I sat in the pocket of the story while the events unfolded all around me.  You really get a deep sense of community as the villagers come together to support and help each other, especially in times of need.  It all felt so real and well defined to me.  So well done.  I really loved this book!

Content:  Clean.  No swearing or sexual content.

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