Book Review - A Country Escape by Katie Fforde

Amazon UK

Title: A Country Escape

Author: Katie Fforde

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Cornerstone Digital 

Publication Date: 22nd February 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Fran has always wanted to be a farmer. And now it looks as if her childhood dream is about to come true.

She has just moved in to a beautiful but very run-down farm in the Cotswolds, currently owned by an old aunt who has told Fran that if she manages to turn the place around in a year, the farm will be hers.

But Fran knows nothing about farming. She might even be afraid of cows.

She's going to need a lot of help from her best friend Issi, and also from her wealthy and very eligible neighbour - who might just have his own reasons for being so supportive.

Is it the farm he is interested in? Or Fran herself?

Warm, funny and wonderfully romantic, this is Katie Forde at her very best.

What a wonderful warm hug of a story, I felt completely at home reading this book right from the first pages and really didn't want it to end, as the characters were so lovely. 

It is such a shame that I'm not a fan of cheese, as I think this book is even better for those that can't live without cheese, as it is one of the main features of book. I have learnt far more about dairy farming and the making of soft cheese than I ever thought possible.   This is just one in a long line of professions that I feel I know a lot better after reading a book by Katie Fforde. 

There are two potential heirs for Hill Top Farm, but its Fran who responds to the letter and agrees to live at the farm for a year and try to make it profitable in order to gain the inheritance as and when Mrs Flowers does pass away.   I loved Frans regular visits to Amy Flowers, and it was clear she came to care for the old lady a great deal. 

Being a chef Fran's solutions to how to make more money from a dairy farm involved food, but none of her plans would ever come to anything without a large injection of cash.

There are some adorable scenes involving baby animals, and even if Fran isn't a native farmer she does clearly care about animals, although I'm not sure she will ever love the cows.   She does love the views on the farm, and I loved seeing her determination to turn the farm around, along with her best friend. 

Easily one of my favourite books by this always talented author, I loved every second of A Country Escape and it almost made me want to leave London in order to become a farmer myself. 

Thank you to Cornerstone Digital and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - A Secret Garden by Katie Fforde

Amazon UK

Title: A Secret Garden

Author: Katie Fforde

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 13th September 2017

Rating: 4 Stars

In spite of everything her heart lifted a little as she opened the gate to the secret garden…

Lorna and her friend Philly work together in the grounds of a beautiful manor house in the Cotswolds.

But even though they are surrounded by family and friends, the door to true love remains resolutely closed.

Could their discovery of a secret garden mean this is about to change? 

Two gardens, three fledgling friendships that could turn into more, all wrapped up in a story that was very pleasurable to read. 

Although the book is called A Secret Garden, I had completely forgotten there was meant to be one while reading, as it took so long to be discovered. Instead at first the book is about the grounds of a huge manor house, and the intention to reopen the garden that is being restored, in order to raise funds. 

Lorna is the gardener in charge of the garden restoration, and she meets stone mason Jack at a dinner party. It is very obvious very quickly how Jack feels but Lorna seems oblivious and rather lacking in confidence when it comes to men. 

Philly is young, grows her own flowers and has a bit of a crush on the man who runs the cheese stall opposite her at the market. And it is Philly and Lucien's story that I loved the most, they are rather different in background, but have plenty of similarities and I enjoyed seeing how their acquaintance develops. 

There is one other burgeoning friendship between really unlikely people, but I'll leave you to read and spot that one for yourself, as its rather sweet. 

If you know your daisies from your dahlias and your lilies from your laburnum then you will probably be able to picture the descriptions in the gardens a lot more than me, as although the names and colours of flowers were mentioned, unless I had google open while reading I wouldn't be able to get a clear idea of just how pretty these gardens were, although they sounded fantastic. 

I read A Secret Garden in an afternoon out in my own garden, and found it to be a peaceful and warm hearted story that drew me in and I didn't really notice the pages go past.  This is a good book from an author that I tend to love, which is full just a really pleasant story. 

Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Merry Christmas! - Selection box of Festive Short Story Reviews

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas this year, and if you don't celebrate that you have an enjoyable day regardless.

I'm not really doing much for Christmas this year, so will probably be making in-roads into my TBR piles instead, while hopefully watching some festive films and listening to some Christmassy music!

As it's Christmas Day, I thought I would offer you today a selection box of short story reviews, so that if you do have any time to read today, you can see some of my recommendations, from short stories I have downloaded over the past few months.

Candlelight at Christmas by Katie Fforde - 5 Stars

Amazon UK

It seems to be practically an annual tradition now, that Katie Fforde will release a Christmas short story, and this year is of course no exception. In fact I think I loved this one more than some of the previous ones, purely because I recognised the setting and some of the characters instantly from Recipe for Love. 

There is a welcome return to Somerby, where Fenella and Rupert are having a massive friends and family Christmas celebration this year, complete with in-laws, assorted children, and couple of even more unexpected guests. 

As the amount of people having Christmas day grows, Fenella is getting a bit more stressed, so once Christmas Day finally arrives, the power cut doesn't help matters. 

I loved the solutions as to how they cope with no power over Christmas, and really enjoyed a snapshot look at how Zoe and Gideon were getting on with life, years after we first met them. There is also a very promising and tender romance, between two of the younger extra guests, which was very sweet to read. 

All in all a lovely short story that won't take too long to read, but will fill your heart with the joy of Christmas. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Cornerstone Digital for my copy of this story that I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Justice at Christmas by M. A. Comley - 5 Stars

Amazon UK

As a huge fan of the Justice series, I was delighted to spot this brand new short story, but when I read the blurb, I did wonder how I'd feel about reading a story set quite a bit before where the series currently is, while a certain character is still alive. 

My doubts were short lived as I got into the story very fast, and actually found it to quite a fun little thriller, as its not every day you read about a stampede of Santa's attempting armed robbery!

I loved the plan D.I. Lorne Simkins came up with to infiltrate the Santa's, as well as this reminder as to just how far she has come in the newer books. 

For a fan of the series this is definitely a great addition, and up to the usual standards. If you are only just discovering this series or author, then I think its a fun way to get a feel for the writing, and just what D.I. Lorne Simpkins is like. 

A hugely enjoyable short story, that took me very little time to read, as I was loving the action. 

A Fairytale Christmas by Melissa Hill - 4 Stars

Amazon UK

Delightful short story from Melissa Hill, featuring Christmas, New York and a gentle romance. 

Once I worked out who the characters were, I really enjoyed this story, especially the budding whirlwind romance between Mike and Penny.  I also loved seeing some of New York's landmarks at Christmas, as that always feels like a magical setting.

There is a story arc and there is a bit of depth to the characters, which can sometimes be missing from short stories, and it really is a short and sweet story that can be read in under and hour! 



A Cornish Christmas Carol by Liz Fenwick - 5 Stars

Amazon UK

Beautifully written re-telling of the Charles Dickens' classic story A Christmas Carol. Believe it or not until I read this version, I had never read any version of the story, despite having seen a lot of the film variants - in fact Muppet's Christmas Carol is my favourite Christmas film. 

In Liz Fenwick's story, we still have the three ghosts, and by the middle of the ghost of Christmas past, I was on the verge of crying. The writing just really got to me, and Abigail Scorrier is a woman who is need of this wake up call. 

I love that the Scrooge character is female, and she has had a lot varied Christmas's in the past, but a lot of bad things have occurred at this time of year. There is very good reasons why she has become the person she is but it isn't too late for her to right her wrongs.

I loved the comforting nature of a story that is familiar to me, but being told in a new way. The spirits appear while Abigail is on the sleeper train from London to Cornwall, and there is also a sub storyline that is quite interesting about Christmas carols in Cornwall. 

This is the perfect story for anyone wanting a new take on an old story this Christmas, from a talented writer. I loved reading every last word in this book.  

Comfort and Joy by Cathy Bramley  - 5 Stars

Amazon UK

If you are looking for a story that epitomises Christmas spirit, then look no further than Comfort and Joy, it is one of my favourite stories, and just shows how a community can come together even when things are looking bleak. 

This is a wonderfully festive sequel to what was a brilliant book, The Plumberry School of Comfort Food. Comfort and Joy can easily be read as a standalone story, but as someone who has read the original book, I can say it was brilliant as a short story extra. It gives you a sense of fulfillment as you see what the familiar characters are all up to this Christmas in Plumberry. 

If you like Christmas food, then you won't be disappointed, as there is a veritable treasure trove of a festive feast within these pages, between the Christmas classes being run at the cooking school on Christmas eve, to Christmas day itself. I especially liked the turkey called Kevin, and what happened to him! 

I truly believe that Comfort and Joy will bring you just that, when it is read, its a delightful short story featuring all the warmth and loveliness that Cathy Bramley is becoming very known for, in a bite sized package. 

If you have never read a book by Cathy Bramley, then Comfort and Joy is definitely a good taster for her easy to read writing style, as well as a heart warming story. 

Book Review - A Summer At Sea by Katie Fforde

Amazon UK

Title: A Summer at Sea

Author: Katie Fforde

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 11th August 2016

Rating: 5 Stars

Emily is happy with her life just as it is. 

She has a career as a midwife that she loves . She enjoys living on her own as a single woman. But she’s also feels it’s time for a change and a spot of some sea air. 

So when her best friend Rebecca asks whether she’d like to spend the summer cooking on a ‘puffer’ boat just off the Scottish coast, she jumps at the chance.

But she barely has time to get to grips with the galley before she finds herself with a lot on her plate. 

Rebecca is heavily pregnant and is thrilled to have her friend on board doing most of the work. Then there’s Emily’s competitive and jealous kitchen assistant who thinks she should be head-cook, not Emily. 

And there’s Alasdair, the handsome local doctor who Emily is desperately trying not to notice. 

Because if she falls in love with him, as he appears to be falling for her, will she ever want her old life back again?

I really don't know what to say, I feel like I have waxed lyrical about Katie Fforde's books a fair amount in the past, and no idea how to come up with anything original to talk about how brilliant A Summer At Sea is. 

Because needless to say I absolutely loved this book, from the first few pages I was drawn into another cosy  and comforting story that this always talented author has written. With a great location of the wilds of Scotland, and Emily has two jobs which are both very interesting. Normally she is a midwife, and after particularly awkward birth, she is finding herself a bit disillusioned. 

Enter Rebecca her heavily pregnant best friend, who offers her the chance to work as a cook on their puffer boat that does Scottish Island tourist trips for the summer. I loved all the action on the boat, and thought it was a bit of a different setting for a story. 

The scenery in Scotland was breathtaking too, watch out for some very cute wildlife making an appearance, as well as an adorable 9 year old girl, and her dishy doctor dad! 

The action was pottering along at a reasonable pace that I was enjoying and then suddenly there was a period of the book that became energizing and unputdownable, while a multitude of things happened, and from there a good become great. 

I always have the sense of walking away from a big comforting hug when I finish a Katie Fforde book, and this was no exception. The characters were all believable and likeable, the story was interesting and at times compelling and the descriptions of both setting and jobs were superb. All in all another masterpiece from one of the great women's fiction writers around. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for this review copy. This was my honest opinion. 

Book Review - Stately Pursuits by Katie Fforde - Rachel Reads Randomly Book #29 - #20BooksofSummer Book 1

Amazon UK

Title:  Stately Pursuits

Author: Katie Fforde

Format reviewed: Paperback

Source: Competition Win

Publisher: Arrow

Publication Date: 6th November 2003 

Rating: 4 Stars

'I don't suppose you'd care to house-sit for a while...' 

Hetty Longden's mother thinks that looking after Great Uncle Samuel's crumbling stately home will be just the thing for Hetty's broken heart. Hetty doesn't mind; at least she can be miserable in private. But 'private' is a relative term in a village which revolves around the big house. Particularly when you are expected to thwart Great Uncle Samuel's awful heir, and his nefarious plans for his inheritance. 

Pitchforked into the community's fight to save the manor, Hetty has no time to wallow. And once she has shared her troubles with one neighbour (Caroline: a very understanding shoulder, despite her glamorous appearance and impossibly long legs), and cast an appreciative eye over another (Peter: equally long-legged, but offering rather more practical help), she wonders if her heart is irretrievably broken after all...

It's been a while since I was able to treat myself to one of Katie Fforde's huge back catalogue of books, and I'm glad the opportunity finally presented itself. However I can't help but think I would have enjoyed it even more had I read it when it was first printed, instead, of many years laters, after having read her later books which do get better and better by the book. 

Unfortunately some of the slight problems I had with this book, were nothing to do with the content itself, but that I had won a paperback of it in a competition, and its only as I started reading, I discovered it had that old second hand book smell to it, which unfortunately I don't find that pleasant, so I found I was struggling to read the book for comprehensive periods of time despite enjoy the story. 

I would describe this as a warm hearted book, and that if you love your stately home renovations and tours then this will be ideal for you. Hetty and Connor are at loggerheads from the start, but they do say there is a fine line between love and hate, and with both of them incapable of expressing how they may feel, I found it really frustrating to read and not want to knock some sense into them. 

I just didn't really take to Hetty, she seems to remind me of myself in some respects and that is quite uncomfortable to read. She is a character who seems unable to take control of her own life, allowing others to dictate her job, her love life, her role in life generally. 

The writing feels like it is the early basis of how Katie Fforde is as a writer today, in that is very descriptive draws you into the story and is fairly easy to read. The story flows well, and you are introduced to some lovely characters. 

Thank you to everyone that voted for Stately Pursuits this week. It was probably about time that I read this and it was enjoyable. Up on the blog today, is the last vote before I break for my holiday... please take the time to make it a good one. 

Merry Christmas Everyone (and a review of A Christmas in Disguise by Katie Fforde)

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone who has followed or supported Rachel's Random Reads, since its start in April, a Very Merry Christmas. I hope you all have a wonderful day. 

So long as everything goes to plan, I will be by a pool still enjoying my holiday in Fuerteventura on Christmas morning, having saved myself at least 1 Christmas book to read on the day, and will be looking forward to seeing my sister over the next few days.

See you all once I am back and I'll leave you on this glorious Christmas Day with a review of a new Christmas short story by one of my favourite authors...

Amazon UK

Title: A Christmas in Disguise

Author: Katie Fforde

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Cornerstone

Publication Date: 25th November 2015

Rating: 4 Stars

When Jo’s friend Andi asks if she’ll stand in to cook Christmas lunch for her employer, Jo reluctantly agrees. She knows Andi will lose her job if she doesn’t, and wants to help out her friend.

Jo is nervous because Andi’s boss is a well-known celebrity diva, who outright refuses to have anyone but Andi cook for her. But she also insists Andi wears full chef's whites so the girls think they’ll get away with it … it’s the perfect Christmas disguise.

But when Jo runs into one of the guests - good looking and very smart Anthony - things get even more complicated…

A Christmas in Disguise is a perfect Christmas day read, when you just need an hour to yourself, to remind yourself that your Christmas isn't the only that may not be going exactly to plan, then take a quick nip into this short story by Katie Fforde. 

In a short space of time you are introduced to Jo, who has agreed to cook Christmas dinner instead of Andi, for Andi's boss, and pretend to be Andi too. You also soon after meet Anthony, one of Caroline's Christmas day guests who would quite like Jo's help in some subterfuge of his own. 

Jo ends in a sticky situation that is downright amusing, and good fun, and some of the food sounds so tasty. 

A Christmas in Disguise is a story about a Christmas day, and you get quite a bit of depth to the characters, including the other guests, and get a good sense of what the dinner would be like. It feels like a passage of classic Katie Fforde writing, and was warm and well written. 

An enjoyable Christmas read, to enjoy when you need a bit of a break from your own real life Christmas festivities. 

Thank you so much to  Random House, Cornerstone and Netgalley for this review copy. This was my honest opinion.