The Corner Shop on Foxmore Green - Lilac Mills

Reading Challenge Category: Free ARC from NetGalley

Official Blurb:

Can a new shop change the village’s future – and Rowena’s?
Single mum Rowena is always looking for ways for her and Nia, her four-year-old daughter, to live more sustainably. So when she visits a zero-waste shop in Cardiff, she’s inspired to start one up in her home village of Foxmore, where local businesses and artisan shops are a core part of the community.
For Huw, it’s love at first sight when he bumps into Rowena the day he moves to Foxmore. But a series of misunderstandings keeps the two from getting closer, and now a conflict of interest over Rowena’s shop might put a stop to any fledgling romance…
When a figure from Rowena’s past makes a surprise appearance, both her shop and her relationship with Huw are suddenly under threat. Can Rowena still realise her corner shop dreams and find love?

My Thoughts:

This was an excellent light book to read over Christmas. I didn’t want anything too heavy, but I needed a story to keep me interested while so many distractions were going on around me. This was the perfect book for my needs!
We have the chemistry between Rowena and Huw sizzling right from the beginning, and when you think the book is going to get predictable, it will throw a curveball to keep you turning that page!
I wasn’t too keen on the whole zero waste side of things; I felt Rowena was a bit judgemental towards people who didn’t have the same values as her. It felt at times like I was being shamed or made to feel bad for my actions. I’m sure this wasn’t the case, and the character was just passionate about what she believed in, but it did feel a bit too heavy at times. (I’ve just read some of the other reviews that have been left and see I’m not alone in feeling this way about Rowena!)
Overall, the book was fun to read, and I liked that it all didn’t come easy to Rowena when trying to set up her shop. It didn’t all fall into her lap like it often does in books; instead, she had to work and overcome some difficulties, making the story a little more believable.
This author only does three books per series, so this is the start of something exciting, and I’m looking forward to the next two books set in Foxmore!