Country Plot

by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

Jenna’s life is perfect . . . perfect chaos! - One lousy Monday, Jenna loses her gorgeous job, her even more gorgeous boyfriend, and her home. In an attempt to put aside her personal woes, Jenna goes to catalogue books for an elderly cousin, Kitty Everest, at her country mansion. Horrified to discover that Kitty may be forced to sell Holtby House, Jenna throws herself into a scheme to save it. But when an attempt is made on her life, Jenna finds herself in a race to save Holtby, Kitty – and herself.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, British Literature

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Cynthia Harrod-Eagles (aka Emma Woodhouse, Elizabeth Bennett)

Cynthia Harrod-Eagles was born on 13 August 1948 in Shepherd's Bush, London, England, where was educated at Burlington School, a girls' charity school founded in 1699, and at the University of Edinburgh and University College London, where she studied English, history and philosophy.

She had a variety of jobs in the commercial world, starting as a junior cashier at Woolworth's and working her way down to Pensions Officer at the BBC.

She wrote her first novel while at university and in 1972 won the Young Writers' Award with The Waiting Game. The birth of the MORLAND DYNASTY series enabled Cynthia Harrod-Eagles to become a full-time writer in 1979. The series was originally intended to comprise twelve volumes, but it has proved so popular that it has now been extended to thirty-four.

In 1993 she won the Romantic Novelists' Association Romantic Novel of the Year Award with Emily, the third volume of her Kirov Saga, a trilogy set in nineteenth century Russia.

Reviews

[Damaskcat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenna loses her home, her boyfriend and her job all within a few hours on one horrible Monday. Shattered, she returns to the bosom of her family - or in this case her brother, Oliver and his wife and children. Fortunately another relative offers her a temporary job which includes living in. Kitty Everest Kitty and Jenna hit it off immediately and the job proves to be very interesting - cataloguing Kitty's miscellaneous collection of objets d'art. But Jenna soon gets caught up in plans to help Kitty increase her income so that she can stay in Holtby House rather than selling it.

In spite of the interesting job and the idyllic surroundings, Jenna soon finds there are always one or two serpents in paradise. Somehow she needs to find out what's going on and put a stop to it as there seem to be rather a lot of people working against Kitty.

I loved the characters and the dialogue in this well written novel. Jenna is very far from being a helpless heroine and I really warmed to her and wanted things to work out for her. This is light entertaining reading with a nice soupcon of skulduggery to stop it being too frothy. If you want a book which will cheer you up on a wet winter afternoon then you could do worse than read this one.

[Sandy Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Just a slower, easy story about a young lady who had an abrupt change in her circumstances so moved from London to a country village. It was a delight to "be with her" as she came to know the village and its ways. Jenna, the young lady, and Kitty, a very distant, older cousin were delightful. I should very much like to visit with them and stay there for a while.

[Jon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been reading this author's police procedurals, which are very good--maybe it's just that they are in a genre that I enjoy. But this is a different genre--romance--and it's not for me. The opening chapter is like an episode of Sex and the City: the heroine awakens late, having slept through her alarm, dresses hurriedly for work while her boyfriend sleeps (or pretends to), arrives late, is soon called into her supervisor's office she hopes for a commendation, but actually to be let go, and she drags herself dejectedly back home to find her boyfriend in bed with another woman. She then gets a job at the archetypal English 18th century manor, and the book becomes Pride and Prejudice. There is a Mr. Darcy figure who doesn't quite say "My good opinion once lost is lost forever," but he comes very close. He is taciturn and snobbish, but there are hints of a real person underneath. Will they.....? There is also a Mr. Bingley figure, happy-go-lucky, aimless, and rich, whose sister (actually named Caroline!) is the obvious villain. I guess I'll call this an homage, since I hope the author is too smart to try to compete with Jane Austen on her own turf. The inevitable happy ending seems peremptory, all the plot points are completely predictable. But there are beautiful descriptions of English countryside, and the banter between characters, while not as good or as funny as in the detective novels, is mildly entertaining.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main appeal of this book is the banter between most of the characters, and the lovely descriptions of the English countryside/village life.

Otherwise, it's a fairly generic romance novel: you can guess every plot twist, you can spot the ultimate romantic interest right off, the usual misunderstandings between hero and heroine occur, and the heroine's rival is a relatively 2D mean girl type. The banter, descriptions, and some of the characters (Harry!) redeemed this for me; ymmv on whether it will/would do so for you.

Additionally, the opening and ending are very rushed. The rest of the book flows at a good, even pace, though.

[Phoebe]

Fun, English, light, with a happy-ever-after ending, this is a quick read that doesn't really stand out from other British chicklit, but that's not a criticism. One feels as if one is in an Shirley Hughes/ Alfie all grown up world, safe with beautiful gardens, a lovely country estate whose owner needs to find a way to save it, happy dogs, a handsome Mr. Darcy-ish male lead, and Jenna--whom we meet on Lousy Monday, a very bad day when her world is yanked out from under her, and so who must figure out a new life direction. She goes to a distant relative in the countryside, ostensibly to research the many treasures and collectibles in Kitty's magnificent estate and figure out a solution to the lack of cashflow, but she ends up making a good friend. There is much consumption of alcohol, good dinners, walks and horseback rides, and plenty of drama surrounding the estate and local developers as well as the fiancee of the aforementioned Mr. Darcy. The ending is predictable, but no less satisfying. Adult.

[Rita Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heart-warming story about a city girl who moves to the country temporarily after losing her boyfriend, flat and job. The characters are real and believable, Cythia Harrod-Eagles descriptions of the house she goes to stay in, its gardens and the surrounding countryside are delightful. A lovely romance.

[Rochelle Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about Jenna who within a few hours on a Monday loses her job her boyfriend and her home, she goes and stays with her brother Oliver for a few days and then goes out to a elderly relative in the country. Love the interaction of Henna and all the country people.

This book had a fabulous feel to it and loved it

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, I liked the story. What I wasn't expecting was that this was a romance. The romance wasn't the main feature in most of the story, so that worked for me. I was expecting a strong mystery based on the author's other works, so a bit disappointed when it wasn't. However, with her strong writing and interesting characters, it was still a very good story. The narration was excellent.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another enjoyable read from the author, although perhaps not up to the standard of her historical novels. The characters are a slightly two dimensional, but suit the style of the writing which is light and an easy read.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

blissful brain candy. finished in a day.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost old fashioned in the writing style, but well written and a cosy story.

[Nightwitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a perfect feel good romance/chick lit novel that my main regret is that I wasn’t sick while I was reading it because it would have been a perfect bed rest book.

[Morggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Light, enjoyable book with good characterization.

[Lindsey Sparks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not nearly as good as her historical fiction.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favourite authors in terms of the Morland books and found this a wonderful read! Didn't put this down until I had finished

[Mrs VTJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a fairly daft love story with a house and a friend and a man, but pure escapism and I loved it.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely.

[Sahara · Rating 1 out of 5]

soo boring

[Jo Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is true that I enjoyed reading this book, but it had the feel of True Romance, not quite my kind of reading. Jenna endures Lousy Monday as an avenue to starting a whole new life. Without job, lover or home, she goes to the country to Holtby House and meets a whole new life, including a long distant cousin who takes Jenna under her wing, a truly unpleasant viper named Caroline, a smoldering, gorgeous wimp, Xander,with whom she falls in love, and a mission to save Holtby House..

[Guna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jenna has a good life, with a wonderful partner, and a great job. All of a sudden, she loses both, and needs to find a place to stay and recuperate. She goes to help an aunt catalog her possessions, and finds herself in the middle of a 'baffling plot', while needing to help her aunt find some way to keep her home. The story is set in England and is a pleasure to read.

[Cati · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. I've never been to England, and the descriptions of the countryside were nice. Generally this book followed the "cookie-cutter guide to romance writing" and wasn't very intriguing. I never really felt close to any of the characters and I knew what was going to happen before I read it. The end seemed very rushed.

[Madeleine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this light, easy read.
The complicated land-owning plot was perhaps not necessary, as I enjoyed the descriptions, the banter and the characters as a light romance.

I read a lot of Cynthia Harrod-Eagles (one of the sagas) as a child - it feels like welcoming back an old friend.

[Monty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cynthia Harrod-Eagles visits and often travelled light literary trail of a disillusioned woman Jenna discarding her London lifestyle; travelling to the well-borne country set and discovering a sense of belonging, purpose and love.

A quick, undemanding read, ideally suited for travelling in planes, trains, ships and reclining in a deck chair on some tropical beach.

[Maam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read. I enjoy the authors descriptions of the English country side and the dialogue and banter between characters. I thought Jenna was quite funny. The story is a bit of a predictable romance novel but that was no surprise given its description. I have liked both books by this author and will look for more.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

An English romance, light but loaded with lots of English country flavor. It came home from the library with me at the perfect time, the zillionth ice and snow storm arrived shortly after the book which made it a perfect "cozy".

[Lucy Harney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute english novel, good description of english countryside, little romance, little intrique.

[Naomi Ashwood · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh, how this book sucked. Boring dialog, boring love story, uninteresting characters, no thrill, no nothing. How I finished this book, I will never know.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 2.5 really.

[Julia Payson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was sooooooooo slow to get going. I really got excited when I thought there was a side plot developing. But I was wrong. Booo.

[Deborah Sigel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to have to find more books by this author. I really enjoyed this.