Author Bio:
Linn B Halton lives in the UK, in the small Gloucestershire village of Arlingham, on
the banks of the River Severn with her adorable husband and cat with attitude – Mr Tiggs! She writes romantic fiction with a psychic or astrological theme and many of the paranormal events that feature in her books are real life experiences.
Linn is also a featured new Author on http://loveahappyending.com/ and Editor of the feature ‘Author & Associate Catch-Ups’ including ‘Reader/Author Team Reports’ on the website’s magazine-style blog.
For more info, please visit Ms. Halton on the web: Publisher Author Page * Love Happy Ending Author Page * Twitter * Facebook
Purchase Links for The Restaurant @ the Mill: Amazon Kindle * Nook Book * Paperback
Title: The Restaurant @ the Mill by Linn B. Halton
Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction
Length: 312 pages
Book Rating: B+
Summary:
Age, relationships, and careers —we are all unique. Yet beneath the exterior facade we choose to show to the world at large, what do we have in common? The things we bury deep inside—the worries and fears we are unable to verbalize, and the hand fate takes in our lives is a common thread. Sometimes we fail to recognize in each other that innermost struggle on the path to true love.
Six very different stories, six couples linked by The Restaurant @ The Mill, owned by Hilary Marks and Ben Adams. As the restaurant thrives the atmosphere is alive with conversation, snapshots of lives unfolding, each one a personal journey.
Will Hilary learn to trust a man with her heart ever again? Why does Ben prefer the sanctuary of his kitchen? Will he finally open up and let the world in?
And the diners—how will their lives play out?
Charlotte kissed a lot of frogs before she found her Prince, but will it all fall apart after an accident changes the man she loves?
Grace and Lawrence have been parted for more than half a century. Can an old secret bring them together for their twilight years?
Isobel and David’s love is strong, but everything in their lives is changing. Isobel is attractive and still a catch, but will she begin to tire of him now that it’s just the two of them?
Will Sadie ever get Sam to see her as a serious love interest when he used to be engaged to her sister? Or will she always be the younger sibling?
And Thomas, rich beyond most people’s wildest dreams, but still in love with the girl he knew at school – is he destined to be a sought-after bachelor for the rest of his life?
The Review:
The Restaurant @ the Mill by Linn B. Halton is a delightful novel about the relationships of six different couples and the restaurant that holds a special place in all of their hearts.
Hilary and Ben own the restaurant and they share both a professional and personal connection. Lack of communication and trust issues are two of the problem areas in their relationship. Their employee Sadie is finishing up her degree and she is at a crossroads in her life both professionally and personally.
An assortment of their customers are also experiencing challenges in their relationships as well. Charlotte and Nick’s fairytale marriage is slowly crumbling in the aftermath of an accident that forever changes Nick and leaves him struggling to overcome post traumatic stress. Reunited after a fifty year separation, Grace worries that her secret will ruin her relationship with Lawrence a second time. As Isobel and David enter a new phase in their lives, they must redefine themselves both as a couple and as individuals. Successful, middle-aged businessman Thomas gets a second chance with the woman he has loved since he was a teenager.
Ms. Halton takes a unique and refreshing approach to storytelling in The Restaurant @ the Mill. Each chapter is written in first person from a different characters’ perspective. This provides the reader with clear insight into their lives, their private thoughts and the emotions they are experiencing.
The Restaurant @ the Mill is well-written and quite compelling. The various characters are interesting, well-developed and at different stages in their lives. The issues facing them are believable and all of their storylines are wrapped up in a realistic manner. Linn B. Halton’s epilogue is the perfect ending to a truly wonderful novel.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*
Excerpt:
The first time I walked around the flour mill at Huntingbridge in Gloucestershire turned out to be a life-changing moment. Reminiscent of the first time I met my business partner, Ben Adams. The initial thought that struck me on both occasions was “Great, not perfect, but I can work with this.” It was enough to clinch the deal for me.
You see, I thought I had a “perfect” life once a long time ago. I married Josh, the man of my dreams, only to find out one failed marriage and a broken heart later, that everything can change in an instant. What you see depends upon where you’re standing when you admire it. If you’re on the outside looking in on someone else’s life, it’s only natural to form an opinion based on the façade you see. What I would eventually discoverrf was that even when you’re on the inside looking out, it’s easy to be fooled into thinking everything is fine. On that fateful day many years ago, what I hadn’t appreciated was that what we had was in fact a love triangle, and knowing that would have given me a whole new perspective.
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