Wild Oats

by Veronica Henry

When Jamie Wilding returns home to find her father about to sell their family home to Rod Deacon, she is horrified. For Rod is Jamie's childhood sweetheart, who stole her heart 12 years ago and forgot to give it back. It's only a matter of time before she has to confront the fact that she and Rod have unfinished business.

Genres: Chick Lit, Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Audiobook

576 pages, Paperback

First published August 12, 2004

About the author

Veronica Henry was a television script writer before turning her hand to fiction. She has published sixteen novels which she describes as realistic escapism - her setting are gorgeous, but her characters have problems and dilemmas everyone can identify with.

Reviews

[Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to in audio format.

In my twenties I used to read nothing but chick lit, as I got older my tastes changed. Now I mostly read thrillers. However I do still enjoy books by Veronica Henry, Katie Fforde and Marian Keyes.

I have read/listened to a lot of thrillers this year and I fancied something light hearted for my next listen.

Jamie Wilding has returned after a 10 month trip to South America after the death of her Mother. Jamie's Father Jack Wilding is penniless and is about to sell their house and most of their land to Rod Deakin.

Jamie is shocked she is about to lose her home. She is especially upset that Jack is about to sell to Rod Deakin. Jamie and Rod went out together at school. Jamie loved Rod and lost her virginity to him. She was devastated when Rod's older brother told Jamie that Rod had told him all about it. Humiliated, Jamie promptly split up with Rod and never saw him again. Rod went on to marry Bella and they are unsuccessfully trying for a child.

Jamie's friend Chiff has returned to Shropshire from London after his Dad became unwell. Chiff and his sons love their new house and the countryside. His wife however hates the countryside and yearns to return to the city.

Wild Oats was an enjoyable feel good book. Jamie was older then normal chic lit heroines so I enjoyed it more. I will listen to more of Veronica's booksin the future.

[Alison Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, just when you think you know what is going to happen there is a twist in the story!! Nothing not to like, idyllic setting, relatable characters and easy read.

[Bookread2day · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written. Jamie Wilding was hired by an American family, she stayed only for eight weeks maximum, once the mother had recovered from the birth Jamie left. She prefered maternity nursing over nannying, so that she never got attached to a child or the family. I felt very sad close to tears to read that while Jamie was at a restaurant in Sausalito she got a telephone from her father to say her mother won't make it through the night. Jamie instantly returns back home to the changed picturesque of Shropshire.

[NoirBlogger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never been a fan of chic lit, always ridiculed it but I have to admit that there is a place in my life for Veronica Henry books. The first one I read was set on the Orient Express so having travelled on it I had to read it. This book is a bit Mills and Boon-y but very welcome relief after reading some very harrowing books.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and will read lots more-everyone needs light relief occasionally-reading should be fun and Veronica Henry seems to hit the spot nicely

[amanda stoward · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don’t bother

I read up to chapter 9 and couldn’t go any further. For a romance there was none and I still not sure who was going to be together? All the characters so far were either spoiled or just nasty females or asshole males and no character was likable. How did this book get such great comments?

[Helena Wildsmith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could have quite happily lost myself in this book for weeks! Veronica Henry has this incredibly beautiful way with her writing - there were so many characters yet they were all unique and had fantastic back stories and their own plots. I absolutely loved it!

[Siobhan Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life in the bosom of the Wilding family has its ups and downs...

From the moment she arrives back to find a half-naked man in the kitchen, nothing about returning to the Shropshire village of Upper Faviell is quite what Jamie Wilding expected. For much has changed at Bucklebury Farm in the months she's been travelling the world since the death of her mother...

Her best friend's wife has gone completely off the rails, her father is behaving like a love-sick teenager - and he's about to sell off the farm.

What's worse, the shark threatening to take away Jamie's family home is the man who made off with her heart twelve years ago.

To defend her legacy and have a chance to discover the true love she craves, Jamie will have to confront a long-running family feud, her father, and her own past.


It was a good story involving a lot of people each with a lot of of different issues. On the whole I didn't like most of the characters. There were only three decent ones amongst them!

[Anne Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without doubt, the best book I've read this year. I found myself totally absorbed in the lives of the characters and the difficulties they face before reaching a more than satisfactory conclusion. After bumming around South America, Jamie feels she needs to return to her family home to make her peace with her irresponsible father. There, she is horrified to learn that he is being forced to sell their home to the man whom she believes betrayed her many years before. Oodles of conflict between all the characters makes this an un-put-downable read. Thoroughly recommended!

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 2 out of 5]

A nice enough read, although I thought there were too many characters involved in the story. It would have been nice to focus on the main characters and develop from there.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book partly because Ludlow is such a wonderful place to visit. Really enjoyed the story.

[Kim Solleder · Rating 4 out of 5]

great light reading, enjoyable story

[Susanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Problematic views of women. First of Veronica Henry's books I've been disappointed in.

[Sarah Goodfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one. After the previous book I read by different author, it was nice to get back I to another of Veronica's stories, I prefer her style of writing. Great characters. The story is about Jamie, who comes back home after travelling abroad after she fled her grief after her mother's death. And everything has changed. And then she eventually finds out the truth of what happened years ago when on a family holiday that caused a big rift. And finds out that someone she was close to was not at all what she thought they were! A great book!

[Sarah Hills · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn't realised that I had read this book years ago until a few chapters in. Veronica is such a good author though so I knew I was still in for a good read. I had forgotten quite a bit of the book so it was well worth it.
There are a few characters lives we get caught up in and the tale has many highs and lows.
I enjoyed the motor racing side story, as well as Kif and Zoe's story even though that was more a sub plot.
This is a stand alone book but nice to have Honeycote mentioned in it.
A good all round read that I would recommend.

[Pippa · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first book I read by VH was "Love on the rocks" which I think was published a couple of years after this one but is a world away in style and quality. Wild Oats, like the Honeycote trilogy, is dull and flat. Having read 154 pages I have found little to like so I am not continuing this one but will most definitely be reading other titles by this author as I know she can wtite much better books.

[Gabrielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This took me about a quarter of the way through to get to know all the characters, as there were quite a few!
But then it was very entertaining, Jamie after working overseas returns home to find lots has changed in the Village where she grew up. Her family home is being sold, her father along with all her old acquaintances are behaving badly, with failing marriages and a long standing family feud involving her father.
But overall it was compelling, enjoyable and light hearted.

[Linda Cousens · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Set in the English countryside in Shropshire, the characters in this book, some being very dysfunctional, make many bad decisions. The plot develops in an interesting way and there are many ups and downs along the way. Ultimately with a happy ending, this book was a fun read.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. As there are a few characters I had to think a bit more. The story was fab and everything tied up well in the end, perfect. Looking forward now to reading Verónicas brand new book.

[Linda O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read from one of my favourite authors. She's good with character & scenery descriptions. Reels you into the plot & the characters. Have a really hard time putting her books down.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely, light-hearted romp through the English countryside, with some delightful characters. I hope there is a sequel, because I have been left wanting to know more about these people.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely sweet read - if only life worked out so neatly.

[Katie Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Needed something easier to read as l was stuck in a book and this did the trick. Always love reading Veronica Henry. Comforting but with a bit of a plot.

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, good twist at the end.

[Hilary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice easy read, lifelike characters really enjoyed it.

[A Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another quick enjoyable easy read.

[Sarah Oliver]

Enjoyed.

[Juliet · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book took me a few chapters (actually half way) to get into but then I found I didn't want to put the book down

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good easy reading chick lit

[Elephantom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I likwd thw fact that not everything was prwdictable from the start. It felt more real

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF