Author of feel-good escapes, cosy romances, and stories filled with sunshine, second chances, and a little magic along the way.
Rachel Barnett is a former primary schoolteacher who now spends her days writing romantic escapes to Europe's most beautiful destinations.
After years of managing classroom chaos (yes, it really is as exhausting as everyone says), she finally found time to pursue her lifelong dream of writing novels.
Rachel lives in the heart of rural Wiltshire, almost within touching distance of Stonehenge, where the spectacular countryside provides endless inspiration.
She shares her home with her family, and two Labradors – Murray, an expert on snoring, and Otto - the newest addition to the household menagerie. When she's not writing, you'll find her running a small livery stables on the farm, where she's surrounded by horses and the beautiful Wiltshire landscape.
Rachel began her publishing journey under the pen name Laura Leeson, with her debut novel The Valentine's Retreat and its sequel, Valentine's Revenge. She later published under her own name, Rachel Barnett, with Embla Books publishing A Summer on the Riviera (2023), Starlight at Snow Pine Lodge (which became a Kindle Top 50 bestseller), Escape to the French Chateau, and Christmas at a Highland Castle.
She now writes for Boldwood Books. The Italian Lakes Affair, set on the banks of glamorous Lake Garda, was published in February 2026 and Escape to the Sun follows on 17 August 2026, sweeping readers off to the islands of the Caribbean, and a third novel is already underway.
Rachel is a proud member of the Romantic Novelists' Association, and her books have been praised for their evocative settings, heartwarming characters, and transportive storytelling.
Readers describe her work as "the perfect escape," "impossible to put down," and "like a holiday between the pages." From the French Riviera to the Scottish Highlands, Rachel's novels celebrate friendship, second chances, and the transformative power of stepping out of your comfort zone - all set against backdrops so vivid, you'll want to pack your bags immediately.