The Village of Lost and Found – Alison Sherlock

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.

Lucy and Tom end up joining forces

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