THE FLOUR MILL
The Restaurant @ The Mill; the owners, the staff and the the customers – each of the six individual stories reflect a different set of life and love problems. One thing ties them together, they all frequent the Mill.
Is happiness guaranteed? Not necessarily, but when love fails it simply means it’s time to move on. Can young love survive when two people have been parted for most of their lives? Can a lonely man ever find the peace and true love he seeks? Will old wounds ever heal and can people learn to love again?
And then there is the spirit of a young woman name Sarah, who wanders the Mill looking for her beloved husband, will she ever be able to rest? The Restaurant has it all.
Read some of the reviews on Amazon:-
Susan Livingston When I decided to read The Restaurant @ The Mill I couldn’t wait to start. As I have said previously in my blog, Linn has quickly become my new favorite author, passing Dean Koontz. Not an easy feat, considering I’m a huge Odd Thomas fan. I was not disappointed in Linn’s latest book. She has the ability to intricately weave several different stories into a grander scheme. The Restaurant @ The Mill is a brilliantly written work of art. The characters blend together beautifully expanding on story lines which began in Touched by the Light. Linn, you’ve done it again. If you haven’t purchased this book, go now and get it. You’ll love it!!!! Five stars and 2 thumbs up.
Kim The Bookworm Nash (click here to read the full review)
I’m writing this review a couple of days after I finished reading the book (because I immediately picked up another book of Linn’s – The Quintessential Gemini!) and I’m still thinking about the characters and how their lives will go on from here and what will become of them all. I could have continued to read about them forever and just looking at the picture on the front of the book I can still imagine myself there even now. I could easily have read about each of the characters in their own separate books – when you’re ready Linn!
Linn is an author who makes it easy for a reader to create pictures of people and places in their minds, making you feel part of the story somehow or as if you are just sitting on the sidelines watching in. I feel that this is such a clever skill because as a reader, there is nothing better than feeling the emotions of the characters and knowing what all the places you are reading look like and she does this particularly well.
Queen B I loved this book! It’s a story about the relationships of the owners and the customers of The Restaurant @ The Mill. You will be drawn into all their lives by Linn Halton’s wonderful writing. Dealing with love, relationships, spiritualism, retirement, death, divorce, the characters are well-rounded and instantly likeable. Sections of the book are told in different points of view and this worked well and was seamlessly woven together. Another great read!
lilgracielou Have you ever thought about how your life affects another person? How some place you go and something you do is heard or seen from other person? How your events intertwine in another person’s life? This is a captivating story of multiple people that have one connection. The Restaurant at The Mill. One thing meaning so much to so many different lives. Each life having its own trouble, fear and unresolved problem.
Can a marriage that was supposed to be happy ever after last much longer? Can a secrete stay a secrete or will it destroy the relationship that has just recovered from the last secrete? Second chances and teenage lovers once lost? And a ghost? Each chapter is written from the point of view of a different person sharing with you what they see, think, say, believe and feel. You get to experience and connect with each character on deeper levels.
This is a book that you need to pick up. It may take a bit to really sink into the story but it is worth going from cover to cover and letting your mind join The Restaurant at The Mill.
The Book Faery Reviews THE RESTAURANT @ THE MILL was a different reading experience for me I have to say. Right from the first page, I felt lured into the restaurant; literally into the restaurant. It was as if someone led me to a private table inside and just started talking to me. Directly to me. The place and people were unfamiliar at first yet they were rather open with me. Each sharing a moment of their life and then passing on to the other while they regained the courage to speak to me again or to just take a breather. The characters ranged from the owners, a staff member, some frequent diners, and the ghost, Sarah. Don’t be fooled when I say ghost into thinking this is a ghost story. While it has some elements of the paranormal (those who can see, feel spirits) and of course you can’t forget the restaurant’s ghost Sarah, THE RESTAURANT is about the people connected with the restaurant. They were all likeable and realistic characters. Each one I enjoyed “listening” to. These people shared a part of their lives with me through an entire season at the restaurant. You won’t find action or romantic passion, but you will find plenty of human emotions between the pages as you get to know a bit about each of them. Emotions that are bound to tug at your own heart, have you jumping with glee, and even have you frustrated. But in the end, you’ll feel lighter than you were in the middle of the stories. I recommend this book to others who enjoy “listening” to another share a bit of their life and are not afraid to feel sadness, happiness, and victory in one sitting.
Pirate2240 “Kat” For me, most memorable times and conversations have always taken place around a wonderfully prepared meal and delightful company, whether at family gatherings, holidays or just a special occasion. In the novel by Linn B. Halton, The Restaurant @ The Mill which used to be a flour mill at Huntingbridge in Gloucestershire involves the owners, Hilary Marks and Ben Adams and six different encounters with six very delightful and unique couples. This book is truly like getting six books in one beautiful written novel. The book opens with a brief history about each of the owners, first beginning with Hilary and her meeting with Ben Adams, her business partner. Hilary had what she believed was the perfect marriage with Josh, but then after a heartbreak she now views things from a different perspective looking back on things. She initially saw what she wanted to see instead of the reality of what was really happening and who Josh was after all. In hindsight, it’s always easier to look back and see where the mistakes were made. How falling in love too fast often comes with blinders on. Had she taken a different approach to this relationship and slowed things down, perhaps she might have seen the signs that he was cheating on her. Perhaps she could have prevented opening her heart too quickly but once again love is blind when you are deeply involved. Now if she could simply find a way to trust a man again and realize they are all NOT like Josh! For now, she simply has chosen to immerse herself in work and running a restaurant. It is through this experience that her and Ben met and decide to become partners. The novel then moves into introducing us to the couples, first Sarah Lemington and her husband Michael Caringdale who received the Inn as a wedding present in the early 1800’s. It is Sarah’s ghost that the customers feel still lives at the Inn. It was called Huntingbridge Mill during their time as the first owners of mill before Sarah died in Michael’s arms. He vowed never to remarry. It is believed that she remained at the Inn in spirit because it’s where she feels closest to Michael and she was simply here to visit him. She didn’t even realize she has passed on. The book goes on to detail the lives of the other couples at the mill during the seven years that Ben and Hilary have been the owners and how they each have had an impact on one another as well as a connection to the Mill; Charlotte and Nick, Grace and Lawrence, Isobel and David and Sadie and Sam. But you’ll have to pick up a copy of this book to get to know their stories and how they are all intertwined in a most delightful way!
I received The Restaurant @ The Mill by Linn B. Halton compliments of Reading Addictions Blog Tours for my honest review and have to say, I really enjoyed this one. I could completely imagine owning an renovated flour mill in the heart of a hamlet in England and could hear the babbling stream that Linn describes as they were beginning their business. A kitchen has always been the heart of a home and for me as a book lover, this one really appealed to my book lover’s heart as well with the warmth and love she spent creating her characters and each of their personal stories! I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars and can only hope Linn will write more like this in the future.
My Cozie Corner {Book Reviews} “The Restaurant @ the Mill” is a well written, well developed story of 6 couples, the restaurant and their challenges. Ms. Halton pens her characters believable and interesting, with realistic storylines behind them. A really nice read intertwined with romance, mystery and a touch of ghostly paranormal happenings.
Janice Horton I was immediately interested in the idea of this novel; different couples, different stories, all being told by the characters dining in a restaurant. It works really well. I really felt like I was part of it all, sitting at a table in The Restaurant @ The Mill, owned by Hilary Marks and Ben Adams, having a delicious meal and drinking in the wine and the atmosphere. The first person view point that the author has chosen is crucial in my opinion, to the success of this wonderful novel, as it is cleverly done – being both in depth and emotive. It’s as if each character is personally telling you their unique story. You will care about these people, who by the end of the novel will have become your friends. Highly recommended.
Andrea J. Guy “moodylady” This is really a unique read. I wasn’t sure how I was going to like it at first because Hillary’s story felt a bit 2 dimensional, but after a few chapters as well as meeting the other characters that make up this story, I found myself loving it. OK, how could you not love a book that has one of the characters getting her ass burned on the oven? (I would so do something like that).
I loved how all the characters were connected with The Restaurant @ The Mill and how their stories intertwined. One of my favorite things about the book was the ghost, Sarah who haunts the Mill, but not in a bad way. I loved how she touched the lives of Grace, Lawrence, David and Ben. I also liked that the Epilogue was told from her point of view. It allowed us to get a glimpse at what was keeping her at the Mill. It is just a shame that in the end she couldn’t have gone into the light and be at peace.The Restaurant @ The Mill is a very clean read. Think of it like an extended Harlequin Romance. The romance in the book is very light, the focus is more on relationships.
Me, My Books and I I struggled to get into the story to begin with but I’m not sure if that was the books fault or because I had just returned from holiday, either way it didn’t last long and I was soon hooked by the characters and each of their personal stories, which were told through the seasons. Hilary was a lovely character who was always there for others, she definitely gave off a caring agony aunt vibe. She knew that Ben wasn’t telling her everything about himself and yet she still didn’t push him to open up, instead waiting for him to share when he felt ready. It took me a while to figure Ben out, he was very quiet and reserved and this just made me want to know his secrets more!
I absolutely loved Sadie, even after a family tragedy she was still a happy and bubbly character and this made her really likeable to me. I enjoyed watching her grow in confidence throughout the book as she came to some firm decisions about what she wanted out of life.
Thomas was a shrewd businessman but wasn’t so good with his personal life, the reasons behind this were something that I hadn’t expected and I liked that I hadn’t been able to figure it out before.
At times I found Charlotte and Nick’s story difficult to read but only because I felt so worried for them, they were struggling with their life together and I found myself really hoping things would turn out for the best between them.
Grace was an amazing character, tales from her past made me feel so sad and later on when things were starting to go right for her she received some devastating news that brought tears to my eyes.
I really enjoyed reading about Isobel’s first steps into writing fiction, it was fascinating to find out about the thought processes that go along with writing a book. When she met Lionel I had a feeling that it would only end in disaster especially with David being around so much after his retirement.
On top of all these characters was the addition of a spirit called Sarah, she was a fabulous twist to the story and her tale was as interesting as the rest. The epilogue was great, it was very different and really left me smiling!
This book covered some very difficult issues (bereavement, family rifts and an unplanned pregnancy to name just a few) but I felt that they were written well and with care, I feel confident that most people would be able to relate to at least one character and that is what makes this book so readable for me.
I loved how the individual stories tied together and made me feel personally involved with them all, also the descriptions of the mill and it’s surroundings enabled me to picture everything so easily.
This is a thought-provoking book that has everything from romance to ghosts, definitely worth a read!