Friday 8 February 2019

❤ The House of Second Chances ❤ Esther Campion ❤



Pubished by Hachette Australia
12th February 2019


Can a house heal heartache? From coastal Australia to the rugged beauty of Ireland, an enchanting novel of starting over, in the tradition of Maeve Binchy and Monica McInerney.

Their grandmother's stone cottage was always a welcome retreat in the childhood summers of Ellen and Aidan O'Shea. After a trip home from Australia, Ellen is keen to bring the neglected home back to its former glory and enlists the help of her dear friend and one of Ireland's top interior designers, Colette Barry.

Aidan is already begrudging the work on the house he has avoided for nearly twenty years. The last thing the builder needs is an interior designer who seems to do nothing but complicate his life. With their own personal heartaches to overcome, will Aidan and Colette find the courage to give the house and themselves a second chance?



Copy received from Hachette Australia for an honest review

When I picked up this book, I was not aware that it was connected to Esther Campion's first book, Leaving Ocean Road, so that was a pleasant surprise.

Back in Ireland, Ellen's (from Ocean Road) brother is a bit curmudgeonly and has become an expert at keeping people out of his life.

Colette  has had a crappy time of things lately, and throws herself into her work.

When they are thrown together on a job, neither of them is looking for anything other than getting a house renovated.  But what they got was so much more.

Their "relationship" is one of begrudging acceptance, to friendship, to more.  It is a slow burn of a story, and I could feel their attraction and emotions leap off the page

Ms Campion has brought us wonderful characters.  Colette and Aidan are so wonderful, but the secondary characters just bring this story so, so much, and show our lovelies that there is more out there for them if they are willing to open their hearts again.

Beautiful writing drew me right into the scenes.  It was wonderful be back in Australia and Ocean Road, where we also get little snippits of Ellen's life after that book ended.

Trials, tribulations, a bit of heartbreak along the way.  Ms Campion swept me up in this story, and I didn't want it any other way.

I can't wait to see what Ms Campion brings us next.