Spills On A Page

What would you do if:

• You lost your job?
• Found your husband in bed with another man?
• Informed that your self-absorbed mother was pregnant (from her thirty-year old boyfriend, who also happens to be an ex-classmate of yours)?

Now, what would you do if this all happened in the same day?

Natalie Spencer from Milwaukee, does what I, and many others, would want to do, but probably wouldn't have the courage (or money) to pull off. She jumps on the  first international flight to any English speaking country!



Four Thousand Miles, by Jesi Lea Ryan, is about healing and creating a life again after losing it all. Natalie finds a friend in Gavin Ashby, a songwriter from Pluckley.  Thinking that her life can't get any worse, she accepts an offer to recuperate on his family farm while helping renovate the stables into guest rooms. She becomes fast friends with Gavin's sister, Maggie, and her daughter, Emma.

However, this family is  full of secrets and struggles of its own. Gavin is introverted and recovering from his past, while Maggie and Emma struggle to connect as mother and daughter.  Natalie lands  in the midst of their struggles as she finds herself falling in love with Gavin, an idea that is not acceptable to some at Flenley Farm.

While reading Four Thousand Miles, I found Natalie's time at Flenley Farm a bit too perfect. She fell into life there easily, and for a bit, there seemed to be a lack of drama in the story. However, all good things come to an end and Natalie's life gets more complicated as the story goes on.  She realizes that the life she is creating in England may not be right for her and has to make important decisions for her future, including what continent to call home.

Overall, I enjoyed the novel. I'm not one for heavy romance, so I was happy with the love story that developed between Natalie and Gavin.  I also enjoyed the plot lines that developed between secondary characters and how those interwove with the bigger picture. Most of all, I loved the imagery of the English countryside.  I have always had a fascination with England, and Ryan makes the country come to life.

My favorite line from the book is a spoiler, so scroll over the space below only if you've already read the book:

Read this book of you like contemporary women's lit or romance novels (even though I wouldn't classify this as a romance novel, I think you will still enjoy it).

Get your copy of Four Thousand Miles by Jesi Lea Ryan HERE!