Ella is a successful chef who is looking for a temporary change of pace so she can figure out her next career steps. She's been living in the past for so many years, it's time she started living for herself. Luckily, Halesmere House in the Lake District is in need of a manager to kick-start its artists' residence and Ella can't wait to start.
There she meets single dad Max, the son of her eccentric new boss. He's rattled by her presence and is convinced that Ella's passing involvement in Halesmere will only prove painful to his children, who are already growing attached to the fun and lovely manager.
It isn't long before Ella realises she's falling in love with more than Halesmere and its community. But if she stays, is she really choosing a career for herself, or yet again for someone else?
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Snowfall Over Halesmere House by Suzanne Snow was published in paperback on 18 August 2022 by Canelo. As part of this Blog Tour, I am delighted to share an extract from the book with you today.
Extract from Snowfall Over Halesmere House by Suzanne Snow
As a writer, I’m inspired by many things and a love of landscape is one of them. My inspiration often begins with the setting, and I knew I had found it for Love in the Lakes when I discovered a beautiful Georgian house and garden in Cumbria. I could easily imagine my characters here and saw their story playing out in my mind. This scene is a Sunday evening when Ella is feeling tense, alone in the house on her first weekend at Halesmere. Active by nature, she heads out into the icy night for a walk to settle herself before bed:
Not a thing seemed to be stirring when Ella reached the empty lane; she felt like the only person awake and watching the world at this hour. She really ought to go back to bed; midnight would soon be past, and she couldn’t spend the night marching up and down the drive.
She heard Prim before she saw her as she neared the house. She saw the dog freeze, then her tail shot up and Prim barked once, cautiously, then let out a volley of noise that had Max running after her.
‘Prim, shut up, there’s nothing there,’ he hissed. ‘Be quiet, you’ll wake the kids up.’
Ella had been looking for a tree or convenient spot where she might hide, but it was too late. Prim had found her and immediately swapped the barking for a madly wagging tail and a desperate wish to put her paws on Ella’s shoulders.
‘Who’s there?’ Max called sharply.
‘It’s me.’ She stepped forward, offering a quick smile she wasn’t sure Max would see through the dark. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to set Prim off like that.’
‘Ella! You had me worried for a minute, Prim’s never barked like that before.’
‘Just doing her job, aren’t you, girl.’ Ella stroked the dog leaning against her legs.
‘I suppose.’ Max was wearing a T shirt over lounging trousers, and he shivered. ‘It’s pretty late to be out for a stroll. Couldn’t sleep?’
‘No,’ she admitted. ‘Walking usually helps.’
‘I work rather than walk when I can’t sleep.’ He wrapped his arms across his body. ‘Not so easy for me to leave the house.’
‘Of course.’ She thought of his children, cosy in their beds. ‘But doesn’t working too many hours late at night just make you more tired?’
‘Yeah.’ She saw the gleam of his smile. ‘But I’ve got two excellent alarm clocks who like crashing on my head first thing, so there’s not much danger of me sleeping in.’
A gorgeous new image jumped into Ella’s mind, one featuring Max being woken with cuddles and love every morning by Lily and Arlo tumbling over him. ‘You’re not still working?’
‘Just finished. I let Prim out last thing before I head up.’ Max stamped his feet, blew out a breath. ‘It’s freezing. You don’t fancy a hot drink, do you?’
Not wise, Ella, she told herself. Not wise at all. But exactly what she wanted and quite possibly just what she needed. ‘I’d love one. Maybe not coffee though.’
‘No problem. I do a mean hot chocolate, and I could throw in a shot of brandy to warm us up.’
‘Perfect.’ It was, and Prim seemed delighted to be escorting Ella safely into the cottage instead of seeing her back to the silent house.
I loved writing this scene as it marks a change in Ella and Max’s relationship as they begin to understand one another and the circumstances which have led them to Halesmere House in search of new beginnings.
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community connecting the lives of her characters.
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