Series Name: The Railway Lane, # 4
‘You did all this for me?’ she asked him. ‘Why?’
‘Because I wanted to see your face light up like it’s doing right now,’ he said, taking a step forward so that they were almost touching
Winter Magic on Railway Lane is a heartwarming second-chance romance that I simply adored.
Join the residents of Railway Lane for one last magical adventure…
Globetrotting Libby Jacobs has lost her job but is looking forward to spending more time in her home village of Cranfield.
She dreams of turning her chocolate making hobby into something more permanent. There’s only one problem – Ethan Connolly.
Despite being soul mates growing up, Libby hasn’t been close to Ethan since their disastrous date at the school prom. But now he’s back and he has just what Libby needs… a large kitchen! But can they even bear to be in the same room together?
Ethan never stays in Cranfield too long as it reminds him of his parents’ terrible marriage. But when disaster strikes, he’s forced to stay and help realise his grandad’s dream of a Christmas train. Can the whole village help Ethan create a seasonal spectacular in time?
Can Libby confront her secrets and realise her dreams?
And can Ethan ever stop running from his past and trust his heart?
Perhaps the magic of winter on Railway Lane might just give Libby and Ethan a second chance after all…
I’ve been excited about Libby’s story for a while now. Throughout this series, we have seen the chemistry between Libby and Ethan, which has an enemies-to-lovers feel to it. These two have a history, and whatever happened between them didn’t end well. I’ve been dying to find out what happened. This is the fourth installment in the Railway Lane series, but it can be read as a stand-alone. Each book focuses on a different couple, and Alison does a wonderful job at catching readers up to speed on what happened in prior books. But if you are looking for a cozy and heartwarming series to dive into this fall, you should try this series and all of Alison’s other books. For those who are new to Alison’s books, you are in for a real treat. Her books, including this one, have that wonderful Hallmark charm. Reading her stories is like being wrapped in a cozy blanket. The pacing of this book is perfect. There are moments when things move slowly, but then some sort of twist or event happens and then the pacing picks up for a bit. I really enjoyed the ebb and flow of this story.
Fans of the series will be delighted that most of the characters from the previous books appear in this book. I always love it when authors bring previous MCs into other stories because it feels like you get to catch up with old friends. I especially loved that Doggy Del made an appearance or two in this story. Wherever that man is chaos is sure to follow. Libby and Ethan’s story was everything I hoped it would be. Libby has always felt like a bit of a mystery. She was putting up walls to keep those around her at arm’s length. It was great to see what was going on in her head and learn more about her past and how it shaped her as an adult. Libby’s growth is around learning to be a little less independent. She doesn’t believe in asking for help and thinks that she can take care of everything on her own. But when her new chocolate business starts to become overwhelming, disaster strikes, and she realizes that asking for help is ok. Ethan was a delight. He often comes across as this carefree guy, but underneath that exterior is some serious emotional baggage. Ethan struggles with what happened in his parents’ marriage and has chosen never to fall in love or get married. But of course, Libby will tear down every one of those carefully built walls around his heart and show him how wonderful it is to be with someone you love.
This is a second-chance romance. I loved that sparky, feisty chemistry between Ethan and Libby. These two have this wonderful playfulness that you cannot help but love. This is a closed-door sweet romance, which means you will get a lot of moments between these two love birds that will have you oh-so-happy. I adored the history that these two shared. It added much depth and richness to their love story. We get flashbacks of moments they shared growing up and get to see how close they were and how everything fell apart. You will devour this love story if you are a fan of second-chance romances, friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, small-town romances, and forced proximity.
Winter Magic on Railway Lane is a charming heartfelt romance that I simply adored.
Thank you, Boldwood Books and Rachel Random Resources, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
