Book Review - The Pet Shop at Pennycombe Bay by Sheila Norton - #HolidayReading Thailand

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Amazon UK

Title: The Pet Shop at Pennycombe Bay

Author: Sheila Norton

Format reviewed: Ebook 

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Ebury

Publication Date: 21st February 2019 

Rating: 5 Stars

When the going gets ruff, it's time to make a change...

In need of a fresh start, Jess has moved to the beautiful Devon seaside town of Pennycombe Bay. However, things aren't turning out exactly as she hoped. She enjoys her new job at the local pet shop but feels like she's treading on eggshells living with her moody cousin Ruth.

When she meets handsome stranger, Nick, on the beach, she thinks she's made a new friend. Or perhaps something more... Although her hopes of romance are quickly dashed when she finds out he's seeing another woman. But with faithful dog Prudence by her side, Jess is determined to become more involved in the local community.

Can Jess make Pennycombe feel like home?

Another wonderful story featuring some fabulous pets, from Sheila Norton.

I knew as I started it I would be in for a treat.  After all Jess not only talks to Pru her dog all the time, she imagines Pru's answers too.

To start with Jess is rather lacking in confidence,  but as the story progresses,  she really does grow. 

I loved her pets as therapy volunteering work, her attempts to help her cousin Ruth with a problem,  and Jess becoming a vital part of the Pennycombe Bay community. 

Pru isn't the only fabulous animal,  there are a whole host of others featured too. There is also a multitude of sub plots which get you really involved with this lovely local community. 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this,  and just wish I had a dog like Pru myself.

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

Book Review - The Pets At Primrose Cottage by Sheila Norton - #HolidayReading Book 12

Book 12 of 28 read on my holiday to Cyprus in June 2018.

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Amazon UK

Title: The Pets At Primrose Cottage

Author: Sheila Norton

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Ebury Press

Publication Date: 22nd March 2018 

Rating: 5 Stars

Emma Nightingale needs a place to hide away.

Fresh from the heartbreak of a failed relationship, she takes refuge In quiet Crickleford. And not before long – and quite accidentally too – Emma finds herself the town’s favourite pet-sitter, a role she isn’t certain of at first, but soon her heart is warmed by the animals; they expect nothing more of her than she is able to give.

The last thing Emma wants is for people to discover the real reason she is lying low, but then the handsome reporter from the local paper takes an interest in her story. Can Emma keep her secret and follow her heart’s desire…?

What an array of pets there are in this book and their owners too and as an animal lover I enjoyed meeting them all, as it turns out even the simplest sounding of pet sitting jobs can  cause mayhem!

Meet Emma, she is clearly hiding things about her past but even the reader can't full guess everything to start with ,but what is clear is that she needs to make a fresh start and she is trying to reinvent herself as a pet sitter. 

I loved everyone in the small town of Crickleford, and all their personalities are really distinct. 

Originally published in 4 parts, each part clearly deals with a different aspect of Emma's story and generally leaves you wanting a little bit more moving onto the next one.  As a full book it works really well, and I found this to be a very quick read, in part as I didn't put it down once!

I am loving Sheila Norton's way with words while describing animals, and I could really picture all of the various pets being featured.  I wasn't so keen on a few of the owners though!

A charming feel good story, that animal lovers will definitely adore!

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

Book Review - Oliver The Cat Who Saved Christmas by Sheila Norton

Amazon UK

Title: Oliver The Cat Who Saved Christmas

Author: Sheila Norton

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Ebury Press

Publication Date: 22nd October 2015

Rating: 4 Stars

A friend who brings light at the darkest of times...

Oliver the cat is a timid little thing, and rarely ventures from his home in the Foresters’ Arms. 

Then his life changes dramatically when a fire breaks out in the pub kitchen and he is left homeless and afraid. But, with the kindness of the humans around him, he soon learns to trust again. And, in his own special way, he helps to heal those around him.

However, it isn’t until he meets a little girl in desperate need of a friend that he realises this village needs a Christmas miracle...

I challenge you to read this book and not end up smiling for large parts of it. This is one of those incredibly sweet books, written from Oliver the cat's perspective, and it is clear he is full of love for his various humans, and tries his best to be helpful.

You see, as Oliver explains early on, all cats are born bilingual, so they can understand both cat and human, and he thinks its a shame that humans can't seem to learn cat. So Oliver is able to do all sorts of good deads for people in his little town, and noone quite believes it wasn't a coincidence that he was around every single time. 

Early on in the story, you realise that Oliver is telling his story of last Christmas, to a little kitten, its clear the little kitten is enjoying listening, when he stops playing with his tail and other such cattish behaviours!

From Oliver's point of view, you learn about the lives of people living in the town, mainly from him listening to them talk. He does also have cat friends, and I loved the interactions of Tabby and Suki. 

Oliver hasn't had an easy life, and he will slowly tell you himself, the reasons he finds it hard to trust male adult humans. I loved though how he referred to children, as human kittens, and that hands are paws! There is something so charming about seeing life from the eyes of a cat. 

I don't want to give too much away, but suffice to say Oliver is a truly special cat, and there is a decent helping of Christmas spirit, and the kindness of strangers, as well as a great community banding together feeling, from this story. 

I really enjoyed reading Oliver the Cat who Saved Christmas, and would recommend it to all animal or Christmas lovers. 

Thanks so much to Ebury and Netgalley for this review copy. This was my honest opinion.