A strong, beautiful, poignant story, with wonderful characters, set in an enviable location, that had me gripped from beginning to end, desperate for Mim and Corin, to end up together. A wonderful testament to the fact that those with money can be generous beyond words and to the fact that couples do not have to come from the same background in order to succeed. What’s not to love! I defy you not to love this book, when you read it for yourself – what better way to while away a day or too, than immersed in this book! No sooner had I finished reading, I wanted to start the book again, desperate to find some morsel that I had missed the first time around!
Please someone, assure me this is the first in a series of books!
Mim’s life changes the day she does a favour for a pair of strangers; driving them back to their stately home in Devon after their car breaks down in Lancashire. it’s no odds to Mim, who is jobless and homeless and has been living out of her car. It’s a godsend for Bea and Bill Howard, who are due to be at their Niece’s wedding in their house the following day. The good deed is of no consequence to Mim as she has nothing better to do!
Mim soon finds herself being immersed into The Howard family. She comes up with the idea of a charity to offer caravan holidays to disadvantaged people and she is really starting to feel at home. That is until her half Brother turns up and she is torn between her new life in Devon and spending more time with her new Brother.
Mim ends up going back to Lancashire, but will absence make the heart grow fonder and make her want to go back to spend more time with her ‘friend’ Corin (Bea’s Son) in Devon? You will have to read for yourself to find out.
An hilarious book with humour abound and threads of middle aged romance running through it. A book that I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend to all, especially as it offers a different view to the usual romantic novel and that difference is utterly refreshing throughout. Romance is most definitely not restricted to beautiful young ‘twenty-somethings’!
Neville has lost both his wife (divorce) and his job (redundancy) in fairly quick succession. Some might call that careless. He has become, quite frankly ‘a bit of an old fart’ and has rapidly aged beyond his actual years. He meets Laura when they are involved in a car accident in a supermarket car park and she seems takes him under her wing, almost as a project. She persuades him to book a holiday to Switzerland (it rains all week) and she takes him out to buy clothes for his holiday (varying degrees of success)! She opens his mind to a realm of new possibilities. She also introduces him to her Mother, Caroline. Neville likes Caroline and could see himself in a relationship with her. Things progress nicely on that front, although Caroline seems to be holding back to a certain extent, for example not wanting to spend the night in the same bed as Neville. Could it be that she is embarrassed by him?
As Neville is reinvented, the relationship develops between Him and Caroline – please read for yourself about the fun they have. But will their romantic rapport be ruined by past demons or the threat of ill health? One does hope not!
A beautiful yet poignant tale about love and romance that is sure to leave you on the edge of your seat, wanting more; a reminder to ourselves that we shouldn’t always assume the worst of people, when we only know half a story. What better way to while away lockdown days! Make sure you add this to your ‘Must Read’ list.
Juliette is a former London journalist; she gave up her high flying career 17 years ago to come and live near her Mum and to run the local newspaper, the Ticklemore Tattler, alongside bringing up her Baby Daughter. Unfortunately the Son of the owner takes over the business and announces his intention to close the newspaper, due to it not being a money making enterprise.
Juliette brings her former colleague, Oliver into her confidence, to see if he can think of any way to improve the newspaper’s profit margin. She decides she is going to try and buy the newspaper, but is struggling to get the owner to agree a reasonable price. To both their surprise there is immediate sexual chemistry between Oliver and Juliette and they cautiously embark on a new relationship.
There is a potential problem with Oliver, due to the fact that he is currently writing the biography of Otis Coles. Otis believes he is about to become Britain’s next Prime Minister, whilst Oliver suspects that he is the Father of Juliette’s Daughter, Brooke. This would of course be a huge story for Oliver, but he is anxious not to hurt Juliette.
When Juliette discovers whom Oliver is writing about, could this mean the end of their new relationship, when she worries that Oliver is only seeing her to find out more about Otis? You will have to read for yourself to find out!
A glorious romantic romp spanning London and the Scottish Highlands, not to be missed.
Clem goes up to the Scottish Highlands to take stock of the Castle her family have inherited. It is clearly rundown, but before long Clem falls in love with the place and tries to come up with a plan to make enough money to restore the place and keep it running; she has a skeleton staff of ten to pay, after all and she can’t let them down. The romantic interest comes in the form of Rory, a gorgeous local farmer, but is he still interested in his ex Janet? Clem also gradually forms a glowing relationship with Otto, the self appointed housekeeper of the castle.
Fast forward to a London Fashion Week show at the V & A museum and a potential art fraud scandal, which Otto May or may not be able to rectify. Can Clem and Rory get together, can Otto save a scandal and can Clem come up with a plan to save the castle? You will have to read for yourself to find out!
A thought provoking story about what was in this case perceived as illicit love. Bigotry and prejudice abound in this tale, which makes for an at times difficult, uncomfortable read, but perhaps one that we should all read, if we are to understand the underlying issues involved and be aware of the kind of prejudices that sadly all too often exist in real life.
Shane Johnston of the Johnston whiskey distillery family has a problem; it doesn’t help living in a village with a population of 192 people. EVERYONE knows EVERYTHING about EVERYONE!
Shane is in a horrible mood after being stood up by a blind date the night before. He is actually secretly in love with Andy who owns the pub, but he promised Him years ago, that they would never be anything more. One evening though, whilst in the pub, Alex notices that there is some kind of spark between Andy and Shane. In fact it turns out that almost all of Shane’s family have guessed about his sexuality, but choose to ignore it. It takes a near tragedy for everything to come out into the open. Once things are in the open, will people be accepting of the relationship, or will Shane’s family and friends still be living in the Middle Ages?
Please read this book, if only it might temper your attitude,Mir faced with the same kind of issue in your life.
A wonderful, thought provoking novel that brings something different to the literary world. Not all contemporary fiction has to be about ‘beautiful young things’; older, more lived in characters can equally be brought to life, especially by Judy Leigh, who has a talent for telling tales with a more irreverent outlook on life, using such pre-loved personalities. The world is surely a better place, for having her edifying creations in it. If you want to read beyond the normal stereotypical characters, please don’t hesitate to buy this book, which you are sure to enjoy, as the characters develop and are brought to life.
Molly has just attained membership of the Septuagenarian club and is embracing her new decade with open arms. After all, she feels the same now as she did at 30 or 40. It feels as though she has earned the right to behave badly, should she so choose.. Molly is enjoying her Birthday, sat in the garden with a cup of tea, comparing her looks to the garden – a little unkempt and would benefit from some tlc. She cannot help feeling sad about her partner Rich, who died in his sleep 15 years ago.
Molly’s Sister, Nell suddenly moves in with her, after being dumped by her Husband Phil. Phil has replaced her with a pregnant woman 30 years his junior. Molly is desperate that Nell doesn’t find out that Phil’s new partner is expecting, as Nell herself was never able to have children and had suffered 5 miscarriages.
Molly and Nell are agreed on one thing – they both need something new in their lives. Before you know it, Molly has booked them both a holiday – 3 x months in a ‘luxurious’ apartment in Spain. I love Molly’s enthusiasm for life – like a baby encountering something new with unbounded excitement. Molly’s zest for life overlooks the fact that their ‘luxury’ accommodation is actually rather shabby. Indeed their luxury sun terrace, with accompanying hot tub is the biggest let down, when it turns out to be shared by a number of apartments. For me, the laugh out loud moment was when they not only find a stranger in ‘their’ hot tub, but when they send him packing, it turns out that it is very much de rigueur to be starkers in the said hot tub – or was he wearing a peach coloured thong?
Another laugh out loud moment is delivered when Nell has stayed in with a headache and Molly’s impetuous side is brought to the fore, when she decides to go skinny dipping at night. Unfortunately it is a lot darker by the tune she has finished swimming, and she is unable to find her clothes! Rather than panicking, Molly rather be ones the Queen of ‘making do’!
Ulla and Bernt are their Swedish neighbours who quickly become friends, especially as the four of them seem to be the only four in the block who use the sun terrace.
Ronnie Barnes is another new friend for Molly. He is struggling to get takers for his sea cruises, so Molly takes it upon herself to get him more customers, by writhing around in a too tight children’s cod costume! Another laugh out loud moment. Molly’s marketing ploy works though and leads to Ronnie asking her out for a date. This leads to the inevitable ‘what to wear’ dilemma. On a more serious note, Molly realises in a moment of poignancy that this is her first date since her partner Rich.ie passed away. The date passes pleasantly enough, but it seems pretty clear to Molly that this relationship will never be anything more than friendship. Indeed Molly cannot help but compare Ronnie with her late partner. In short, she realises that she isn’t yet ready for dating.
After a fabulous evening with Ronnie and Molly, it starts to look as though Nell might have taken quite a fancy to Ronnie, a relationship which Molly is only too happy to endorse. The questions are whether Spain and/or Ronnie have any kind of future prospects with Nell? If Nell and Ronnie become an item, how will this affect the rest of Molly’s trip away from home? You may be surprised at what Molly does and where she goes next, but you will have to read the novel for yourself to find out how things pan out for our superlative leading lady.
A thoroughly charming novel exploring family bonds and about doing your absolute best for those you love. I defy you not to enjoy this book, and fall in love with Cranbridge and it’s inhabitants. Buy this book and immerse yourself in a literary wonderland that will leave you utterly charmed from beginning to end.
Former ‘wild child party girl’ Lucy has been sent to stay with her uncle in the countryside by her wealthy parents, after embarrassing them with a tabloid headline. Jamie had assured Lucy that he was separated form his wife, but alas that turned out not to be true. Uncle Frank has offered Lucy a job that doesn’t really exist at his ailing newspaper business, but Lucy doesn’t know at first the kind of trouble the paper is in. Lucy used to be shipped off to stay with her Aunt and Uncle in Cranbridge as a child, and so feels happy at the thought of going back to stay, while the tabloid furore blows over.
Lucy has been constantly undermined and belittled by her demanding parents and it has affected her confidence, to the extent that she feels she has nothing to offer the newspaper. Tom the newspaper editor seems far more easy going however and confirms some temporary work for Lucy in the newspaper office, if only to tidy up the terrible mess everywhere. Lucy worries however that Cranbridge will simply become the latest in a long line of places, where she simply feels that she doesn’t fit in.
Tom, is young and good looking and one can’t help but wonder whether there will be any romantic spark between him and Lucy, or merely sparks of irritation? A warning though reader – Tom does seem to have some kind of skeleton in his closet. Tom has been keeping the full extent of the newspaper’s circulation and financial issues from Frank – trying to protect him, but how long until Lucy discovers the truth? Another potential love interest is introduced in the form of Henry the farmer, who is undoubtably very good looking, but is he in the market for a bit of romance? However Lucy is concerned at the way Henry seems treat his dog; the dog, ‘Keith’ seems intent on escaping and one has to wonder why!
When Tom upsets Lucy after an incident with a bull in a field, it feels as though any spark between them cannot possibly be ignited, but Lucy warms towards him a little after she rescues him from the office in a drunken state and brings him upstairs to her flat to sleep it off on the sofa.
The morning after, Tom lets Lucy know about the newspaper’s problems and they become united in a campaign to stop a quarry being established in the village, fearing it will destroy the village. They are hoping that a big campaign to save the village from the quarry, will also provide a lifeline for the Cranbridge Times.
So my unanswered questions:
Will Lucy find love at last – with either Tom or Farmer Henry?(Note – myself I would far prefer Tom.
Will Lucy and Tom be able to banish their prospective demons!
Can the village be saved by stopping the establishment of the quarry?
is there still life in the Cranbridge Times?
In order to find the answers to these questions and more, you will need to read the book for yourself.
A beautiful, sensitive story about true love, family, friends and the angst associated with both the death of a love one and the coming to terms with the diagnosis of a terrible, life changing condition. Please read this book, but be prepared for an emotional journey, from beginning to end, with tears, laughter and sheer joy.
There is a definite spark between Sam and Gemma, but are either of them ready to commit to a new relationship, having been so badly affected in the past? The odds seem even longer against them, when Jemma moves back to their home town in order to help her Mum.
Dr Sam has also been unlucky in love, in that his fiancée Nikki died in his arms. Sam and Nikki come from the same home town, but had both moved to London, where they met when Jemma was trying to get a second opinion on her Mum’s diagnosis, after she became worried that she might have dementia too, after a series of incidents.
Jemma is living in London and has had an unlucky brush with love. To add to her woes, her Mum has been diagnosed with Parkinsons and she is desperate to help, although worried about how that will be received.
Will the spark of love shine through and ignite? I’m not going to spoil it; you will have to read for yourself to find out.
A wonderful story about love and family members finding each other. The descriptive language is so perfect, I could practically taste freshly picked strawberries as I read. This book is the perfect read to take you out of lockdown and into spring, and I defy you not to want to devour it in one sitting. Heidi Swain has a gift for the written word and I just can’t wait until the next book, wondering if we will revisit former characters, or meet new ones.
Floss is devastated by her Mother’s precipitous death. She has left her a legacy though, in the form of a letter, telling her about her own Norfolk fruit farm roots. Her last wish was for Fliss to leave the Puglian farm that she calls home, to go and visit her Grandparents on their farm.
Fliss’s Grandmother had unfortunately passed away, but her Grandfather acceptance her with open arms. Fliss is full of ideas to get the farm trading and making money again. Romantic interest abound, in the firm of the mysterious Anthony and with Eliot, her Grandfather’s carer.
There is however something not quite right about Anthony though, and he has nothing good to say about Eliot and his family. The outcome though – you will have to read for yourself to find out.
A romantic novel that straddles the modern, with old fashioned romance.
Mia has moved to a new area where she knows no one, after a relationship that ended badly. She starts watching the guy in the flat opposite working out, while she’s working and then discovers that he owns and works in the bar below the flats. He seems to like her and keeps sending her flirty messages via signs in his window, and she likes him – but she suspects he’s a bit of a player, so can she trust him? She doesn’t want to get into another bad relationship.
Luke starts to show Mia the sights of Manchester ‘as friends’, but it’s clear that he is in fact very taken with her. The thing is, can he manage to woo her using old fashioned romance? You will have to read to find out.
![The Village of Lost and Found (The Riverside Lane Series Book 2) by [Alison Sherlock]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Jm8-KTY8L.jpg)
Eatwell Reads-Well 