Welcome to my stop on “THE MAN ACROSS THE STREET” by Marcie Steele Blog Tour. This is a novel that I had the privilege of reading on behalf of Books on the Bright Side Publicity and Promo.

About the Book

Maybe I’m scared to be happy…

Meet Hannah – she’s been her mum’s sole carer since she was eighteen. Now alone after Martha’s sudden death, Hannah feels lost in the only place she’s known as home, Hope Street. Coming up to a milestone birthday, she’s wondering what her purpose in life is.

Meet Doug – a workaholic, he’s in the office from dusk ’til dawn, and when he has a heart attack. Now on the mend, he needs to de-stress his life and focus on living it, to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Doug moves to Hope Street, number 35. Hannah lives at number 34, directly opposite. From the moment they meet, there’s a spark.

But there are secrets too. Hannah’s mum has been keeping something from her, her sister left over twenty years ago, and there can’t be such a simple reason why Doug has moved to Somerley. Can there?

The Man Across the Street is the first of a new series by bestselling author, Marcie Steele. It features a host of characters living on Hope Street in the market town of Somerley, also featured in The Somerley Series. Each character will have their own standalone story in books to follow.

If you love an uplifting story about new beginnings, then The Man Across The Street is the perfect read to curl up with. Fans of Hannah Ellis, Debbie Johnson and Emily Harvale will love this book.

Blurbs

‘Marcie Steele writes with such down to earth warmth that you wish you could live in her stories. The Man Across the Street is no exception, full of characters that you’d love to be friends with.‘ – Tilly Tennant.

‘Love, secrets, intrigue, heartache. Find it all on Hope Street. An engaging tale of ordinary lives to warm you heart and restore your faith in mankind.’ – Imogen Clark

Review

I jumped at the chance to read this when Sarah asked me if I was interested in the blog tour. I have never read a Marcia Steele book before, but when I read the synopsis I just knew it was one for me. It seems I have a tendency towards older couples finding romance lately, and I don’t know why. Maybe because I’m getting older.

This is the first of hopefully many stories to come about the people living on Hope Street. This one centers around Doug and Hannah. Doug, moves to Hope Street after a sudden heart attack makes him realize he needs to stop working so much and take a break. He is hoping to recuperate away from the draw of his stressful job in hopes to change his lifestyle. Hannah, a longtime resident, lives across the street from Doug and is extremely lonely after the recent passing of her dependent mother. Needless to say there is a little attraction between these two when they meet, whether its because they are so hell bent on getting a life, or that they both just really need each other, but their proximity to each other seems to be quite beneficial for them both. As you continue to learn the intricacies of Doug and Hannah’s lives, and all the demons they are battling behind the scenes, you start to fall in love with them, you start to fall in love with Hope Street, and you try to find a way to never leave this neighborhood again.

Do Hannah and Doug find love? Is that love with each other? Does Hannah ever really find out about this secret her mom was afraid to tell? Does Doug stay on Hope Street permanently? And the neighbors, what happens with all the neighbors we become friends with too?? Oh this is one you are going to just have to read, and I promise you, when you are finished you are going to be waiting with bated breath just like I am to get ahold of the next installment. If you are a fan of community drama and small town stories with a little romance, excitement and flair, then this one is for you. Marcie Steele I love The Somerley Series. 5 stars easily from me. You now have a new reader, and this series will be on auto-buy! I’m so glad I read this.

Thank you to Marcie Steele, Blood Red Books, and Sarah Hardy from Book On The Bright Side Publicity and Promo for the gifted copy of this book for my unbiased and honest review.

Purchase Links

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AMAZON UK

AMAZON US

Author Bio

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a meddler of words. Born and raised in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. I’m a romantic at heart and have always enjoyed writing about characters that fall in and out of love, have good friends to hang around with, and live in communities with great spirit.
I have written three books in The Somerley Series and the first in The Hope Street Series, The Man Across The Street.
I can often be found sitting in my favourite coffee shop, sipping a cappuccino and eating a chocolate chip cookie, either catching up with friends or writing on my laptop.