A Village Affair - Julie Houston

Date of Reading: 04/09/2018

Author: Julie Houston

Publisher: Aria

Expected Publication: November 6, 2018

Source: NetGalley

Rating: 4.5/5

About the book:

Cassie Beresford has recently landed her dream job as deputy head at her local, idyllic village primary school, Little Acorns. So, the last thing she needs is her husband of twenty years being 'outed' at a village charity auction - he has been having an affair with one of her closest friends.

As if that weren't enough to cope with, Cassie suddenly finds herself catapulted into the head teacher position, and at the forefront of a fight to ward off developers determined to concrete over the beautiful landscape.

But through it all, the irresistible joy of her pupils, the reality of keeping her teenage children on the straight and narrow, her irrepressible family and friends, and the possibility of new love, mean what could have been the worst year ever, actually might be the best yet...

My Review:

        Simply Wow!!! This is one of the amazing books that I have had the pleasure of reading this year. Being a teacher, I don't usually wait on 'to be or not to be' talk with myself when it comes to novels centred on schools and universities and of course on teachers. And quite rightly, Cassie turned out to be a perfect ally.
        Cassie Beresford had the perfect life with her new job, handsome and well to do husband, and two brilliant kids, until the night of the charity auction. She learns that her husband of ten years is having an affair for two years with her best friend, Tina. What a way to begin a new job! Needless to say, she was an emotional wreck and added to that is the threat of her school and her grandfather's meadow being taken over by Edward Bamforth intending to concretise the farming land with houses.
     Well, the first half gives us a picture of Cassie standing up for herself, slowly and steadily recovering from the great shock she suffered. Both her adolescent kids were quite supportive of her and I was immediately attached to both of them. I would really welcome a sequel featuring those two because truth to be told, I would like to see more of Cassie and her new life. Sorry, I can't elaborate on the last part without revealing the surprise you will have to face at the end. 
      Let me put it this way then, I envy all the readers who are yet to read this beautiful story. Remember that feeling you had, when you just finished your chocolate and your sister is yet to unwrap the cover? She is going to enjoy the sweet treat while you sit there sulking only because you finished  yours too soon. . . You get my drift. If there was a machine to wipe out specific memories, then I would have jumped at the chance so I can reread this book again and again and again without knowing what is to unfold.
       So keep open your eyes to the publication day, this is going to be a roller coaster ride (especially the latter half). A surprising but cute turn of events and a contenting HEA and what is more to look out for? 

Meet the author:

Julie Houston is Yorkshire born and bred. She lives in Huddersfield where her novels are set and her only claims to fame are that she taught at ‘Bridget Jones’ author Helen Fielding’s old school, her neighbour is ‘Chocolat’ author Joanne Harris and her friend is about to marry Tracy Emin’s cousin! Oh, and she was rescued by Frank Bough when, many years ago, she was ‘working as a waitress in a cocktail bar’ at the Kensington Hilton in London

After University, where she studied Education and English 

 

Literature, she taught for many years as a junior school teacher. As a newly qualified teacher, broke and paying off her first mortgage, she would spend every long summer holiday working on different Kibbutzim in Israel. After teaching for a few years she decided to go to New Zealand to work and taught in Auckland for a year before coming back to this country. 

 

She now teaches part time, and still loves the buzz of teaching junior-aged children. She has been a magistrate for the last thirteen years, and, when not distracted by ebay, geneology (so time consuming but so interesting - she recently discovered her husband is descended from the poet Shelley and the Duke of Milan!!) and crosswords, she spends much of her time writing.

 

Julie is married, has a nineteen-year-old son and sixteen-year-old daughter and a mad cockapoo called Lincoln. She runs and swims because she’s been told it’s good for her, but would really prefer a glass of wine, a sun lounger and a jolly good book.