Date of Reading: 05/02/2019
Author: Julie Houston
Publisher: Aria
Publication Date: February 5, 2019
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 5/5
About the book:
Charlie Maddison loves being an architect in London, but when she finds out her boyfriend, Dominic is actually married, she runs back to the beautiful countryside of Westenbury and her parents. Charlie's sister Daisy, a landscape gardener, is also back home in desperate need of company and some fun.
Their great-grandmother, Madge – now in her early nineties – reveals she has a house, Holly Close Farm, mysteriously abandoned over sixty years ago, and persuades the girls to project manage its renovation.
As work gets underway, the sisters start uncovering their family's history, and the dark secrets that are hidden at the Farm. A heart-breaking tale of wartime romance, jealousy and betrayal slowly emerge, but with a moral at its end: true love can withstand any obstacle, and, before long, Charlie dares to believe in love again too...
My Review:
I have been a hardcore Houston fan ever since reading 'A Village Affair'. So I approached this new book of hers with some trepidation since a tiny voice inside me was reminding that I don't like war stories. Ya, you got it right! Never been a fan of guns and bombs . . . I am more of a bow and arrow girl. Thus I am happy to announce that out of the two interconnected stories, I enjoyed the world war love the most. Well, that is Julie's writing for you. Who could ever disregard a star crossed love story?
As you must have figured out already, there are two stories, going simultaneously in the past and the present. While Madge and James' story is the perfect love story that will give you dreamy eyes for some days, Charlie's story is more about family, sisterly bond and of course finding love again. If I have to pick my favourite characters, that is going to be Daisy and Madge. The former, because she reminds me a lot about my own younger sister who came to my defence all the time at school and Madge . . . because she is one hell of a lady.
And there is the typical Houston humour which surfaces often enough, even with the serious theme . . . not surprising considering the number of grannies taking part in the story 😆
Altogether a vibrant read you won't dare to put down. Highly recommended!!!
Meet the author:
Julie lives in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire where her novels are set, and her only claims to fame are that she teaches part-time at ‘Bridget Jones’ author Helen Fielding’s old junior school and her neighbour is ‘Chocolat’ author, Joanne Harris.
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 just two days a week, and still loves the buzz of teaching junior-aged children. She has been a magistrate for the past nineteen years, and, when not distracted by eBay, Twitter and Ancestry, spends much of her time writing. Julie is married, has a twenty-four-year-old son and twenty-one-year-old daughter and a ridiculous Cockerpoo 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 - preferably with Matthew Mcconaughay in attendance.
As you must have figured out already, there are two stories, going simultaneously in the past and the present. While Madge and James' story is the perfect love story that will give you dreamy eyes for some days, Charlie's story is more about family, sisterly bond and of course finding love again. If I have to pick my favourite characters, that is going to be Daisy and Madge. The former, because she reminds me a lot about my own younger sister who came to my defence all the time at school and Madge . . . because she is one hell of a lady.
And there is the typical Houston humour which surfaces often enough, even with the serious theme . . . not surprising considering the number of grannies taking part in the story 😆
Altogether a vibrant read you won't dare to put down. Highly recommended!!!
Meet the author:
Julie lives in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire where her novels are set, and her only claims to fame are that she teaches part-time at ‘Bridget Jones’ author Helen Fielding’s old junior school and her neighbour is ‘Chocolat’ author, Joanne Harris.
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 just two days a week, and still loves the buzz of teaching junior-aged children. She has been a magistrate for the past nineteen years, and, when not distracted by eBay, Twitter and Ancestry, spends much of her time writing. Julie is married, has a twenty-four-year-old son and twenty-one-year-old daughter and a ridiculous Cockerpoo 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 - preferably with Matthew Mcconaughay in attendance.
This sounds like a great read.
ReplyDeleteTerrific review.
ReplyDeleteI need to move this up in my calendar after reading your lovely review
ReplyDeleteA 5 star read whoopie! Great review.
ReplyDeleteGemma @ www.gemmasbooknook.blogspot.com
Awesome review! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteVery nice. Looks like a great book.
ReplyDeleteGreat review. I don't know if this is one I would pick up or not but I'm glad to see you enjoyed it, despite it being a war story.
ReplyDelete