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La mia piccola casa di campagna
Non esistono sogni irrealizzabili
Intenzionata a lasciarsi alle spalle Londra e il fallimento del suo matrimonio, Katie si è appena trasferita insieme alla figlia Poppy in un antico cottage nel caratteristico villaggio di Christmas Steepleton, nella contea del Dorset. La loro nuova casa è stata abbandonata per anni e ha bisogno di un’energica ristrutturazione, ma Katie non è disposta a scendere a compromessi con la propria felicità e quella di sua figlia. E così non si lascia scoraggiare e si getta anima e corpo nei lavori per trasformare il cottage nella casa dei suoi sogni. I soldi, però, iniziano a scarseggiare, e la sua determinazione vacilla. Se non riusciranno a sistemare tutto prima dell’arrivo dell’inverno, lei e Poppy saranno costrette a tornare a Londra… Per questo, quando una produzione cinematografica si offre di affittare il cottage per alcune riprese, Katie accetta senza pensarci un può essere l’aiuto di cui ha bisogno. E poi a sostenerla c’è Gabriel, un nuovo amico, così riservato e tanto diverso dal suo ex marito. Chissà che la loro amicizia non possa trasformarsi a poco a poco in qualcosa di più…
Autrice bestseller in Inghilterra
Vincitrice dell’RNA Award
«Un romanzo divertente, con personaggi magnifici, che scalda il cuore.»
Matt Dunn
«È difficile scegliere la cosa migliore di questo la protagonista, il finale, le descrizioni meravigliose… un vero tesoro.»
«Una storia d’amore che fa battere il cuore, mi ha ricordato quanto è piacevole concedersi qualche ora insieme a un libro.»
«La storia di Katie è veramente adorabile, impossibile non fare il tifo per lei!»
Jane Lovering
È un’autrice pluripremiata di romanzi d’amore. È stata più volte finalista e due volte vincitrice del prestigioso RNA Award. Insegna in una scuola dello Yorkshire, dove vive con i suoi cinque figli, e progetta laboratori di scrittura creativa.
Intenzionata a lasciarsi alle spalle Londra e il fallimento del suo matrimonio, Katie si è appena trasferita insieme alla figlia Poppy in un antico cottage nel caratteristico villaggio di Christmas Steepleton, nella contea del Dorset. La loro nuova casa è stata abbandonata per anni e ha bisogno di un’energica ristrutturazione, ma Katie non è disposta a scendere a compromessi con la propria felicità e quella di sua figlia. E così non si lascia scoraggiare e si getta anima e corpo nei lavori per trasformare il cottage nella casa dei suoi sogni. I soldi, però, iniziano a scarseggiare, e la sua determinazione vacilla. Se non riusciranno a sistemare tutto prima dell’arrivo dell’inverno, lei e Poppy saranno costrette a tornare a Londra… Per questo, quando una produzione cinematografica si offre di affittare il cottage per alcune riprese, Katie accetta senza pensarci un può essere l’aiuto di cui ha bisogno. E poi a sostenerla c’è Gabriel, un nuovo amico, così riservato e tanto diverso dal suo ex marito. Chissà che la loro amicizia non possa trasformarsi a poco a poco in qualcosa di più…
Autrice bestseller in Inghilterra
Vincitrice dell’RNA Award
«Un romanzo divertente, con personaggi magnifici, che scalda il cuore.»
Matt Dunn
«È difficile scegliere la cosa migliore di questo la protagonista, il finale, le descrizioni meravigliose… un vero tesoro.»
«Una storia d’amore che fa battere il cuore, mi ha ricordato quanto è piacevole concedersi qualche ora insieme a un libro.»
«La storia di Katie è veramente adorabile, impossibile non fare il tifo per lei!»
Jane Lovering
È un’autrice pluripremiata di romanzi d’amore. È stata più volte finalista e due volte vincitrice del prestigioso RNA Award. Insegna in una scuola dello Yorkshire, dove vive con i suoi cinque figli, e progetta laboratori di scrittura creativa.
282 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2020
549 people are currently reading
454 people want to read
About the author
Jane Lovering
52 books230 followersJane Lovering was born in Devon, England but, following extradition procedures, now lives in Yorkshire. She has five children, four cats, two dogs and doesn't believe in housework so the bacteria and dust are approaching sentience and now rank among the pets. Incidentally, she doesn’t believe in ironing either, and the children all learned self-defensive cookery at early ages. She works in a local school and also teaches creative writing, which are extreme ways of avoiding the washing up.
Published since 2008, she writes romantic comedies which are often described as ‘quirky’. One day she's going to find out what that means. Jane is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and has a first class honours degree in creative writing. In 2012, her novel Please Don't Stop the Music won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the RNA.
Published since 2008, she writes romantic comedies which are often described as ‘quirky’. One day she's going to find out what that means. Jane is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and has a first class honours degree in creative writing. In 2012, her novel Please Don't Stop the Music won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the RNA.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
September 3, 2020
Favorite Quotes:
… living with a fourteen-year-old gave a whole new insight into exactly how phoney people could be, although teenagers weren’t truly ‘people’ yet, more ‘humans in training ’.
… there’s not much of a dating pool round here. More of a puddle!
You’re the first woman to make me feel that I haven’t wasted my life making quilts and learning to crochet rather than strutting bare-chested down the street with power tools strapped to my body.
The other two men were just standing staring at Gabriel as though he’d suddenly ripped his clothes off to display Jean-Claude van Damme under his coat… Karen’s mouth fell open and the cocktail cherry dropped out.
I never knew bullies kept on being bullies when they were grown up… I thought you grew out of being a shithead like you grow out of wanting a fringe and sucking your thumb.
They looked a bit shocked and I realised that this was Poppy’s first exposure to a properly poorly person. My mother, despite her aches, pains and general incessant complaints, was fit and well and her grand -mère had the air of one who had had herself embalmed at the age of seventy to save time later.
My Review:
While continuing with my adoration of Jane Lovering (and I am totally enamored now), I giggle-snorted and smirked my way through this highly amusing tale, and will be honest and say I also barked a few times at the keen visuals and humorous imagery this talented wordsmith painted with her clever arrangements of words. Her crafty wordplay and impressive vocabulary skills rival Webster’s, although I believe he had a lot of help in amassing his.
The storylines were fresh and engaging and populated with an interesting mix of uniquely peculiar yet oddly intriguing characters, as well as a profoundly obnoxious teen named Poppy who was greatly annoying and had me wanting to glue her lips together. Poppy could be the poster child for birth control and the prime example of why many Brits send their offspring to boarding school. But of course, I was a total delight at age fourteen.
… living with a fourteen-year-old gave a whole new insight into exactly how phoney people could be, although teenagers weren’t truly ‘people’ yet, more ‘humans in training ’.
… there’s not much of a dating pool round here. More of a puddle!
You’re the first woman to make me feel that I haven’t wasted my life making quilts and learning to crochet rather than strutting bare-chested down the street with power tools strapped to my body.
The other two men were just standing staring at Gabriel as though he’d suddenly ripped his clothes off to display Jean-Claude van Damme under his coat… Karen’s mouth fell open and the cocktail cherry dropped out.
I never knew bullies kept on being bullies when they were grown up… I thought you grew out of being a shithead like you grow out of wanting a fringe and sucking your thumb.
They looked a bit shocked and I realised that this was Poppy’s first exposure to a properly poorly person. My mother, despite her aches, pains and general incessant complaints, was fit and well and her grand -mère had the air of one who had had herself embalmed at the age of seventy to save time later.
My Review:
While continuing with my adoration of Jane Lovering (and I am totally enamored now), I giggle-snorted and smirked my way through this highly amusing tale, and will be honest and say I also barked a few times at the keen visuals and humorous imagery this talented wordsmith painted with her clever arrangements of words. Her crafty wordplay and impressive vocabulary skills rival Webster’s, although I believe he had a lot of help in amassing his.
The storylines were fresh and engaging and populated with an interesting mix of uniquely peculiar yet oddly intriguing characters, as well as a profoundly obnoxious teen named Poppy who was greatly annoying and had me wanting to glue her lips together. Poppy could be the poster child for birth control and the prime example of why many Brits send their offspring to boarding school. But of course, I was a total delight at age fourteen.
February 11, 2022
Light and with an amusing tone and interesting turns of phrase. I really liked Katie, who leaves London and her French ex husband to move with her fourteen year old daughter Poppy, to Harvest cottage, a ramshackle cottage in the village of Christmas Steepleton in Dorset. Poppy is less than impressed with leaving friends behind. Like many teens portrayed in books, she is a bit of a brat at times. Given her own experience as a fourteen year old Katie is concerned about Poppy and tends towards overprotectiveness. At the cottage they encounter Gabriel, a guy who is very good looking despite the eyesight problems that require him to wear thick glasses. Gabriel also has a couple of interesting talents that set him apart from other men. And they encounter Granny May who lives in a caravan and has a horse called Patrick. These three, along with a film crew, all add complications to Katie’s new life. Though I liked Gabriel, at times he gets a bit too self pitying . But then which one of us who has had hard times in life does not let self pity intrude at times? This is, as I described it to the person who bought it for me as a cute and quirky read. I enjoyed it very much. Will look for more books by this author.
September 5, 2020
What a delightful read this proved to be! Divorcee Katie has moved to the outskirts of Christmas Steepleton, to an isolated rundown cottage which has lots of potential but needs lots of work - and the spiders and woodlouse evicting! She certainly hadn't anticipated awaking to discover a horse in their orchard! When Gabriel comes to explain why it is there, he also suggests the cottage might be just what the film company he works for are needing as a location for filming......Katie's daughter, fourteen year old Poppy, certainly hadn't appreciated being moved from London to the countryside, away from her father, her school and her friends, but maybe life's going to give both her and her Mum some unexpected opportunities as they settle into their new home and community . . . . Let the adventures begin!
This story is packed with delightful characters, from the rebellious Granny Mary to Rory and his Mum, the eccentric Thea and caring Gabriel. There are surprises galore in the story, which deals with many emotive issues - from the long term impact of bullying to sex stereotyping and the long term impact of potential sight loss. There are secrets from the past to be shared and some reevaluation of the present as well as dramatic events to unfold. It is a heartwarming read and I thoroughly enjoyed escaping to the country in it.
Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.
This story is packed with delightful characters, from the rebellious Granny Mary to Rory and his Mum, the eccentric Thea and caring Gabriel. There are surprises galore in the story, which deals with many emotive issues - from the long term impact of bullying to sex stereotyping and the long term impact of potential sight loss. There are secrets from the past to be shared and some reevaluation of the present as well as dramatic events to unfold. It is a heartwarming read and I thoroughly enjoyed escaping to the country in it.
Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.
October 1, 2020
Just didn't work for me. I got so tired of all the descriptions of Gabriel's "coke bottle" glasses and "magnified eyes" behind the lenses. Also somehow he can't see very well but also sees well enough to do small tasks and comment on things that a person with limited eyesight would not pick up on. A very messy character overall.
Kate/Katie was even worse.
Honestly the best character in the book was Patrick the horse. I felt he was constantly staring into Katie's house in a WTF is going on here kind of way. I genuinely felt bad when she used him as a taxi. Save Patrick! He deserves better.
I also feel the need to point out that crocheting and knitting are two very different things. Please stop using them interchangeably.
My copy was provided by NetGalley for review, all opinions are my own.
Kate/Katie was even worse.
Honestly the best character in the book was Patrick the horse. I felt he was constantly staring into Katie's house in a WTF is going on here kind of way. I genuinely felt bad when she used him as a taxi. Save Patrick! He deserves better.
I also feel the need to point out that crocheting and knitting are two very different things. Please stop using them interchangeably.
My copy was provided by NetGalley for review, all opinions are my own.
September 17, 2020
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
I found this mildly amusing, but a bit inconsequential, despite the author giving the romantic leads 'traumatic' childhoods. Having said that, I got a bit tired of Gabriel harping on constantly about his declining eyesight, and presenting Katie's 'secret' as something she felt guilty about was a lot of a stretch.
Not really for me, but I can see others might find it charming.
I found this mildly amusing, but a bit inconsequential, despite the author giving the romantic leads 'traumatic' childhoods. Having said that, I got a bit tired of Gabriel harping on constantly about his declining eyesight, and presenting Katie's 'secret' as something she felt guilty about was a lot of a stretch.
Not really for me, but I can see others might find it charming.
February 12, 2021
Really lovely. Well worth re-reading.
September 27, 2022
Recensione presente nel blog www.ragazzainrosso.wordpress.com
Dopo il fallimento del suo matrimonio, Katie lascia Londra e assieme alla figlia adolescente Poppy si trasferisce in un antico cottage nel villaggio di Christmas Steepleton nel Dorset. Il cottage necessita di numerosi lavori di ristrutturazione, tuttavia Katie, essendo stata costretta a lasciare la sua professione d’insegnante di francese, è a corto di denaro. Quando una produzione cinematografica le propone di affittare il cottage per girare alcune scene, Katie non esita ad accettare. Complice la presenza di Gabriel, un uomo del posto tanto affascinante quanto fragile, di Patrick, un simpatico pony, e del carrozzone di nonna Mary parcheggiati entrambi nel suo giardino, l’autunno per Katie sembra aver preso una piega alquanto interessante.
“Mi sentivo […] al sicuro. Sana e salva tra quelle vecchie pareti. Mi colpì ancora una volta, mentre sorseggiavo il tè che si raffreddava in fretta, il fatto di non essermi mai davvero sentita al sicuro prima.”
La campagna durante la stagione autunnale ha un certo fascino. È proprio l’ambientazione a essere uno dei punti di forza di questo romanzo. L’autrice, infatti, riesce a delineare in maniera ottima il contesto nel quale la narrazione si svolge, un piccolissimo centro nel quale tutti si conoscono, una località frequentata soprattutto in estate che in autunno rivela tutte le sue criticità.
Katie ha dovuto prendere in mano le redini della propria vita quando ha smesso di essere la moglie di un facoltoso uomo francese. Ha scelto di cambiare ambiente, di allontanarsi dal caos della metropoli e di rifugiarsi lì dove la vita scorre tranquilla. Donna sensibile, dal difficile passato e con una personalità alquanto complicata, Katie ha bisogno di ricominciare e di riacquistare la giusta dose di fiducia in se stessa che, a causa delle vicissitudini della vita accadute sin quando era poco più che una bambina, è inevitabilmente calata.
Al suo fianco c’è Poppy, una quattordicenne in piena fase ribelle. Alla giovane non va affatto bene aver lasciato Londra, si sente sola, lontana dagli amici, relegata in un posto senza alcuna opportunità, è sempre pronta a lamentarsi e a entrare in conflitto con la madre fino a quando si renderà conto che anche in un posto sperduto ci sono ragazzini suoi coetanei coi quali trascorrere momenti spensierati.
Un personaggio che personalmente ho ritenuto il migliore dal punto di vista della caratterizzazione è Gabriel, colui che proporrà a Katie di rendere disponibile il cottage alla casa di produzione cinematografica. Gabriel non è un maschio alfa, non è perfetto, anzi. Indossa occhiali dai vetri spessi a causa di un problema serio alla vista che non gli permette di svolgere alcune attività “normali”, è profondamente sensibile e timoroso nei rapporti con gli altri. A questo proposito è interessante la scelta dell’autrice di affrontare la tematica del bullismo, che segna profondamente le vittime tanto da pregiudicarne i rapporti anche in età adulta.
Lo stile della prosa è semplice, fluido e scorrevole. Il lettore è costantemente coinvolto nella vicenda, trasportato dall’eleganza e dalla tenerezza che traspare pagina dopo pagina.
Un romanzo piacevole e delicato. Una lettura nella quale non si ha alcuna paura ad ammettere le proprie fragilità.
Dopo il fallimento del suo matrimonio, Katie lascia Londra e assieme alla figlia adolescente Poppy si trasferisce in un antico cottage nel villaggio di Christmas Steepleton nel Dorset. Il cottage necessita di numerosi lavori di ristrutturazione, tuttavia Katie, essendo stata costretta a lasciare la sua professione d’insegnante di francese, è a corto di denaro. Quando una produzione cinematografica le propone di affittare il cottage per girare alcune scene, Katie non esita ad accettare. Complice la presenza di Gabriel, un uomo del posto tanto affascinante quanto fragile, di Patrick, un simpatico pony, e del carrozzone di nonna Mary parcheggiati entrambi nel suo giardino, l’autunno per Katie sembra aver preso una piega alquanto interessante.
“Mi sentivo […] al sicuro. Sana e salva tra quelle vecchie pareti. Mi colpì ancora una volta, mentre sorseggiavo il tè che si raffreddava in fretta, il fatto di non essermi mai davvero sentita al sicuro prima.”
La campagna durante la stagione autunnale ha un certo fascino. È proprio l’ambientazione a essere uno dei punti di forza di questo romanzo. L’autrice, infatti, riesce a delineare in maniera ottima il contesto nel quale la narrazione si svolge, un piccolissimo centro nel quale tutti si conoscono, una località frequentata soprattutto in estate che in autunno rivela tutte le sue criticità.
Katie ha dovuto prendere in mano le redini della propria vita quando ha smesso di essere la moglie di un facoltoso uomo francese. Ha scelto di cambiare ambiente, di allontanarsi dal caos della metropoli e di rifugiarsi lì dove la vita scorre tranquilla. Donna sensibile, dal difficile passato e con una personalità alquanto complicata, Katie ha bisogno di ricominciare e di riacquistare la giusta dose di fiducia in se stessa che, a causa delle vicissitudini della vita accadute sin quando era poco più che una bambina, è inevitabilmente calata.
Al suo fianco c’è Poppy, una quattordicenne in piena fase ribelle. Alla giovane non va affatto bene aver lasciato Londra, si sente sola, lontana dagli amici, relegata in un posto senza alcuna opportunità, è sempre pronta a lamentarsi e a entrare in conflitto con la madre fino a quando si renderà conto che anche in un posto sperduto ci sono ragazzini suoi coetanei coi quali trascorrere momenti spensierati.
Un personaggio che personalmente ho ritenuto il migliore dal punto di vista della caratterizzazione è Gabriel, colui che proporrà a Katie di rendere disponibile il cottage alla casa di produzione cinematografica. Gabriel non è un maschio alfa, non è perfetto, anzi. Indossa occhiali dai vetri spessi a causa di un problema serio alla vista che non gli permette di svolgere alcune attività “normali”, è profondamente sensibile e timoroso nei rapporti con gli altri. A questo proposito è interessante la scelta dell’autrice di affrontare la tematica del bullismo, che segna profondamente le vittime tanto da pregiudicarne i rapporti anche in età adulta.
Lo stile della prosa è semplice, fluido e scorrevole. Il lettore è costantemente coinvolto nella vicenda, trasportato dall’eleganza e dalla tenerezza che traspare pagina dopo pagina.
Un romanzo piacevole e delicato. Una lettura nella quale non si ha alcuna paura ad ammettere le proprie fragilità.
September 7, 2020
The Country Escape by Jane Lovering is a wonderful romance. Katie and her 14 year old daughter, Poppy, leave London and move to a village, in a run down cottage. When Poppy wakes up to find a horse in their back yard, she is all excited. Gabriel enters the story, a very handsome man with thick coke bottle glasses. I enjoyed the uniqueness of this story, and characters. I will be reading more books by this author, perfect to escape and relax for a few hours. I highly recommend this romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
September 4, 2020
There’s an awful lot of competition from her other wonderful books, but I think I just have to say it – this is my favourite book yet from an author whose books I’ve unfailingly loved. And I now have to try and explain why, don’t I – without entirely spoiling it for anyone who hasn’t read it yet…
We’re back in Christmas Steepleton again – if you haven’t visited before, it’s on the Dorset coast, with a very steep hill leading to a rather pretty harbour, a few shops selling knick knacks to tourists, a nice little community but also quite a few distinctly quirky residents. But Katie and daughter Poppy aren’t living in the village itself – they’ve found a neglected cottage in the depths of the countryside, complete with its own orchard (well, a few apple trees…), an interesting history, a bit of a damp problem, more than a few resident woodlice and a tree growing in the pantry. Katie’s a teacher – well, she would be if she could find a job, but until she does there’s not much chance of putting in proper heating or replacing the rattling windows. The perfect location for a film shoot maybe – and despite what it says about the place Katie calls “home”, it might just solve some of her money worries too.
Katie and Poppy aren’t alone in the countryside for long – a gypsy caravan is abandoned in the orchard, which also becomes home to Patrick, the rather lugubrious piebald horse, devouring the grass and watching them through the kitchen window. The caravan belongs to Granny Mary – and when we finally meet her, what a great character she is. She’s most definitely not what you’ll be expecting – not the cuddly grandmother you might picture, but with very sharp edges (just wonderfully written) and a few well-hidden secrets of her own.
And then there’s Gabriel, who I think might just be my favourite romantic lead that the author’s ever written – the problems with his failing eyesight figure large, but he’s a man with some big secrets too, quite a few issues from the past and a few surprises in his present that just made me love him all the more. His growing relationship with Katie is beautifully played – those wonderfully crafted exchanges that the author always does so well, those moments that make you laugh out loud, cringe in embarrassment, bring a tear to your eye and warm your heart.
Every single character in this book is just perfectly drawn – even minor ones like Katie’s persistent ex-husband Luc, Gabriel’s wonderfully eccentric sister, Karen (without filter) at the beachside cafe, even the wonderful Maisy who runs the cafe (or is it the estate agent?) on the hill in the village. I’ve mentioned Patrick already, but he’s a tremendous character too – and I thoroughly loved his moment of glory in one perfect dramatic sequence that has your heart in your mouth as you cheer him on. A word for Katie’s daughter Poppy too – the relationship between daughter and mother is wonderful, stroppy teen and overprotective mother, but with some of the loveliest “moments” in between.
If you’ve read the author’s earlier books – especially Christmas Secrets by the Sea – you’ll enjoy coming across characters you’ll recognise, and some nice small overlaps of the stories. But if you haven’t, it doesn’t matter a jot – this book is entirely complete in itself. It’s a fantastic story – and although it has a number of distinctly damaged characters (now something of an author trademark), it’s exceptionally funny for a great deal of the time. But there’s so much to it that’s immensely touching too – and the book’s ending is one of the most perfect I’ve had the pleasure to read.
This book was something very special indeed – I really loved it, and recommend it most highly…
We’re back in Christmas Steepleton again – if you haven’t visited before, it’s on the Dorset coast, with a very steep hill leading to a rather pretty harbour, a few shops selling knick knacks to tourists, a nice little community but also quite a few distinctly quirky residents. But Katie and daughter Poppy aren’t living in the village itself – they’ve found a neglected cottage in the depths of the countryside, complete with its own orchard (well, a few apple trees…), an interesting history, a bit of a damp problem, more than a few resident woodlice and a tree growing in the pantry. Katie’s a teacher – well, she would be if she could find a job, but until she does there’s not much chance of putting in proper heating or replacing the rattling windows. The perfect location for a film shoot maybe – and despite what it says about the place Katie calls “home”, it might just solve some of her money worries too.
Katie and Poppy aren’t alone in the countryside for long – a gypsy caravan is abandoned in the orchard, which also becomes home to Patrick, the rather lugubrious piebald horse, devouring the grass and watching them through the kitchen window. The caravan belongs to Granny Mary – and when we finally meet her, what a great character she is. She’s most definitely not what you’ll be expecting – not the cuddly grandmother you might picture, but with very sharp edges (just wonderfully written) and a few well-hidden secrets of her own.
And then there’s Gabriel, who I think might just be my favourite romantic lead that the author’s ever written – the problems with his failing eyesight figure large, but he’s a man with some big secrets too, quite a few issues from the past and a few surprises in his present that just made me love him all the more. His growing relationship with Katie is beautifully played – those wonderfully crafted exchanges that the author always does so well, those moments that make you laugh out loud, cringe in embarrassment, bring a tear to your eye and warm your heart.
Every single character in this book is just perfectly drawn – even minor ones like Katie’s persistent ex-husband Luc, Gabriel’s wonderfully eccentric sister, Karen (without filter) at the beachside cafe, even the wonderful Maisy who runs the cafe (or is it the estate agent?) on the hill in the village. I’ve mentioned Patrick already, but he’s a tremendous character too – and I thoroughly loved his moment of glory in one perfect dramatic sequence that has your heart in your mouth as you cheer him on. A word for Katie’s daughter Poppy too – the relationship between daughter and mother is wonderful, stroppy teen and overprotective mother, but with some of the loveliest “moments” in between.
If you’ve read the author’s earlier books – especially Christmas Secrets by the Sea – you’ll enjoy coming across characters you’ll recognise, and some nice small overlaps of the stories. But if you haven’t, it doesn’t matter a jot – this book is entirely complete in itself. It’s a fantastic story – and although it has a number of distinctly damaged characters (now something of an author trademark), it’s exceptionally funny for a great deal of the time. But there’s so much to it that’s immensely touching too – and the book’s ending is one of the most perfect I’ve had the pleasure to read.
This book was something very special indeed – I really loved it, and recommend it most highly…
September 2, 2020
Katie and her 14 year old daughter Poppy move to the tiny village of Christmas Steepleton in Devon from London after Katie's divorce from the wealthy, charming, but cheating frenchman Luc. Having bought the tiny tumbledown cottage outright from her share of the proceeds of the sale of their flat in London, Katie realises she has no job and the likelihood of an elite girls' school needing a French teacher is kind of remote.
Then a series of events bring a cantankerous old woman who goes by the name of Granny Mary, a fat pony, and a handsome but short-sighted local called Gabriel into her sphere.
I'm a great fan of Jane Lovering's novels, she writes interesting characters, often with unusual quirks or issues, set in charming places but with a healthy dose of reality. This one is no different, Gabriel is a breath of fresh air after all the alpha male heroes of so many romances, and Katie's anxieties are based on an event in her childhood.
If you are looking for a charming romance then look no further.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Then a series of events bring a cantankerous old woman who goes by the name of Granny Mary, a fat pony, and a handsome but short-sighted local called Gabriel into her sphere.
I'm a great fan of Jane Lovering's novels, she writes interesting characters, often with unusual quirks or issues, set in charming places but with a healthy dose of reality. This one is no different, Gabriel is a breath of fresh air after all the alpha male heroes of so many romances, and Katie's anxieties are based on an event in her childhood.
If you are looking for a charming romance then look no further.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
March 31, 2021
I struggled to connect with any of the characters and I found the writing to be all over the place.
The blurb details a film crew using the cottage as a set, but I failed to see how this held any significance to the story? There were other bits of the story that could have had more depth, e.g. the ex husband.
The blurb details a film crew using the cottage as a set, but I failed to see how this held any significance to the story? There were other bits of the story that could have had more depth, e.g. the ex husband.
September 5, 2020
A country escape? Who the heck wouldn’t want that? I know I would be down for that immediately, but the opportunity to move to a village named Christmas Steepleton? Christmas? Yes I said Christmas Steepleton. I would buy a broken-down cottage that needed fixed up and pack my bags immediately. Jane Lovering has written another family drama centered around this sweet little town in her newest book The Country Escape.
Katie and her 14 year old daughter end up purchasing the tiny, rundown Harvest Cottage in the village of Christmas Steepleton in Devon just after her divorce from her cheating husband. Though dilapidated and in much need of repair, she sees so much potential in the home, now she just needs to find a job to pay for the cost. When the opportunity to use the cottage as a filming location for a movie occurs, Katie can’t afford to turn it down. With some help from her new found friend Gabriel, and some other interesting characters, Katie finds a way to move into a new town, move on from her past, and possibly find new love.
With a lot of laughter and a ton of charm, The Country Escape is quite the heartwarming tale of second chances and starting over. Katie is the kind of girl you can sympathize with, trying to start over after a divorce, and dealing with secrets from her past. There is a cast of characters that are quite quirky and easy to love and Gabriel is the absolute best atypical hero. Not only is this a sweet and exhilarating read but it gives you a ton of chuckles and giggles along the way. Lovering knows how to write a heartfelt read while entertaining you at the same time. I didn’t want this story to end. And again, who wouldn’t want to live in a village named Christmas Steepleton? A delightful read.
Thank you so much to Jane Lovering, Rachel Gilbey from Rachels Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and Netgalley for my gifted copy of this book for my honest and unbiased opinion.
Katie and her 14 year old daughter end up purchasing the tiny, rundown Harvest Cottage in the village of Christmas Steepleton in Devon just after her divorce from her cheating husband. Though dilapidated and in much need of repair, she sees so much potential in the home, now she just needs to find a job to pay for the cost. When the opportunity to use the cottage as a filming location for a movie occurs, Katie can’t afford to turn it down. With some help from her new found friend Gabriel, and some other interesting characters, Katie finds a way to move into a new town, move on from her past, and possibly find new love.
With a lot of laughter and a ton of charm, The Country Escape is quite the heartwarming tale of second chances and starting over. Katie is the kind of girl you can sympathize with, trying to start over after a divorce, and dealing with secrets from her past. There is a cast of characters that are quite quirky and easy to love and Gabriel is the absolute best atypical hero. Not only is this a sweet and exhilarating read but it gives you a ton of chuckles and giggles along the way. Lovering knows how to write a heartfelt read while entertaining you at the same time. I didn’t want this story to end. And again, who wouldn’t want to live in a village named Christmas Steepleton? A delightful read.
Thank you so much to Jane Lovering, Rachel Gilbey from Rachels Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and Netgalley for my gifted copy of this book for my honest and unbiased opinion.
August 31, 2020
Oh, how I love cottage stories. If it's located in England it gains even more points. There’s just something incredibly alluring about an English cottage. I imagine the cozy warmth. The comfort. The homey-ness. The charm. Sooo… I was quite surprised that the Harvest Cottage didn’t fit very neatly into that image in my brain. This cottage was cold, drafty, run-down, and rumored to be haunted. The proposal to use her cottage for a filming location was an offer Katie really couldn’t afford to turn down.
This is such a fun and absorbing story. I sank in effortlessly and easily connected with Katie. I sympathized with her bumpy past, her taking a step back from her well-to-do ex-life, her spirited daughter, and her efforts at her new cottage. I enjoyed her feisty, energetic personality, felt her isolation, and rooted for her to find new happiness.
These characters are nicely developed. I LOVE that Gabriel is an unconventional hero. His disability makes him much more interesting, and his personality is amenable, making it easy to bond with him. I sympathized with him, rooted for him, and he touched my heart. Granny Mary is also interesting and gives the story a bit of fun. Poppy, though she’s annoying, sassy, and exasperating, holds her own sort of charm and gives an added layer to Katie’s story. And then there’s Patrick—the equine charmer. ;)
This is a delightful tale in a coastal England setting. A heart-warming second-chance story I didn’t want to end.
I received a complimentary ecopy of this book.
This is such a fun and absorbing story. I sank in effortlessly and easily connected with Katie. I sympathized with her bumpy past, her taking a step back from her well-to-do ex-life, her spirited daughter, and her efforts at her new cottage. I enjoyed her feisty, energetic personality, felt her isolation, and rooted for her to find new happiness.
These characters are nicely developed. I LOVE that Gabriel is an unconventional hero. His disability makes him much more interesting, and his personality is amenable, making it easy to bond with him. I sympathized with him, rooted for him, and he touched my heart. Granny Mary is also interesting and gives the story a bit of fun. Poppy, though she’s annoying, sassy, and exasperating, holds her own sort of charm and gives an added layer to Katie’s story. And then there’s Patrick—the equine charmer. ;)
This is a delightful tale in a coastal England setting. A heart-warming second-chance story I didn’t want to end.
I received a complimentary ecopy of this book.
September 19, 2020
Oh, I loved this book!
Katie has moved herself and her fourteen year old daughter, Poppy, go a damp cottage outside Christmas Steepleton. She wakes up one morning to find a pony in her back yard and a wooden caravan just outside.
It turns out the caravan (and Patrick the pony) belong to 'Granny Mary' - who is quite the character and they will be staying until Mary is well enough to move on. With Mary's arrival,comes Gabriel - who is slowly going blind and makes quilts and crochets for a living. I loved him. He's very much my kind of hero.
Katie is guarded, with good reason and takes a while to open up - to Gabriel and to the reader - but when she does, you understand why she's like she is. Her relationship with Poppy is very realistic. I loved that Poppy found friendship (and more) in Christmas Steepleton. It was also lovely to see Rory (who appears in Christmas Secrets by the Sea) again.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. There were places were I chuckled out loud. The descriptions of the house were so damp, I had to put on a jumper at one point.
I heartily recommend it.
[Usual disclaimer, I know the author in real life. I was a fan of her writing before I even met her.]
Katie has moved herself and her fourteen year old daughter, Poppy, go a damp cottage outside Christmas Steepleton. She wakes up one morning to find a pony in her back yard and a wooden caravan just outside.
It turns out the caravan (and Patrick the pony) belong to 'Granny Mary' - who is quite the character and they will be staying until Mary is well enough to move on. With Mary's arrival,comes Gabriel - who is slowly going blind and makes quilts and crochets for a living. I loved him. He's very much my kind of hero.
Katie is guarded, with good reason and takes a while to open up - to Gabriel and to the reader - but when she does, you understand why she's like she is. Her relationship with Poppy is very realistic. I loved that Poppy found friendship (and more) in Christmas Steepleton. It was also lovely to see Rory (who appears in Christmas Secrets by the Sea) again.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. There were places were I chuckled out loud. The descriptions of the house were so damp, I had to put on a jumper at one point.
I heartily recommend it.
[Usual disclaimer, I know the author in real life. I was a fan of her writing before I even met her.]
September 4, 2022
NON DISPIACE
Letto quasi totalmente come audiolibro (succede sempre così quando alterno una lettura in italiano ad una in lingua), devo dire che non mi è affatto dispiaciuto. La trama non brilla per originalità, specialmente il suo esito, ma ci sono alcune scene veramente d'effetto (tra tutte, quella in cui ) e complessivamente scorre via che è una bellezza grazie a dei dialoghi brillanti. Ho molto apprezzato anche i personaggi principali, che ho trovato molto dolci e complessi, con storie personali estremamente significative.
Letto quasi totalmente come audiolibro (succede sempre così quando alterno una lettura in italiano ad una in lingua), devo dire che non mi è affatto dispiaciuto. La trama non brilla per originalità, specialmente il suo esito, ma ci sono alcune scene veramente d'effetto (tra tutte, quella in cui ) e complessivamente scorre via che è una bellezza grazie a dei dialoghi brillanti. Ho molto apprezzato anche i personaggi principali, che ho trovato molto dolci e complessi, con storie personali estremamente significative.
September 15, 2022
Immaginare di poter abitare in uno splendido caratteristico cottage inglese ma di doverlo mettere in sesto per dargli, non solo un aspetto decente, una parvenza di vivibilità. La protagonista lo paragona a una possibile abitazione della famiglia dei Weasley e lo stato di abbandono in cui versa, richiede un enorme uso di olio di gomito e del sano ottimismo.
Katie è una insegnante di francese, divorziata e madre di Poppy. Il naufragio del suo matrimonio, con l'affascinante fedifrago Luc ha degli strascichi che li portano a non avere un rapporto pacifico, se non nei confronti della figlia Poppy. Di lei si nota immediatamente la stanchezza, la frustrazione e il nervoso, e solo con il proseguire della lettura si percepisce anche la sua voglia di rinascita, l'esigenza della sua rivincita con se stessa e con la parte di donna che negli anni ha sempre più ignorato.
Poppy è nel pieno dell'adolescenza e ne rispecchia tutte le caratteristiche: non le piace nulla, si lamenta della vita di campagna preferendo quella londinese, è oppositrice con la madre e desidera vivere al meglio delle loro possibilità. Il suo sguardo e le sue frecciatine, sono così taglienti da ferire chi li riceve.
Il pony di nome Patrick, appartenente a una signora chiamata nonna Mary, entra nel loro 'frutteto' e diventa il punto di aggancio per introdurre nella storia Gabriel. Lui è un bellissimo giovane uomo dall'aspetto di un modello, con un problema alla vista che lo limita in molte cose - ad esempio non guida - e che lavora per una casa di produzione cinematografica. Appare come una persona paziente, flemmatica e in sintonia con la vita di campagna.
La possibilità di guadagnare qualcosa, autorizzando alla troupe cinematografica di usare alcuni ambienti del cottage per la serie che stanno girando, permette a Katie di mantenersi in attesa di trovare lavoro come insegnante di francese.
Le descrizioni degli ambienti e della campagna inglese permettono al lettore di immaginare alla perfezione la località e gli interni del cottage, per non parlare del carrozzone che Katie e Poppy si trovano nel frutteto che fa venire il desiderio di vederlo con i propri occhi. Harvest cottage, e la natura della campagna circostante, fanno rilassare la mente solo leggendola e a questo si abbina l'indole delle persone del luogo che, per quanto siano inglesi, si mostrano calorosi e accoglienti.
La scrittura è piacevole e la personalità di Katie, unica narratrice della storia, dona una piacevole scorrevolezza del testo, dovuta anche all'alternanza degli stati d'animo che una donna trasmette. Il ponte generazionale fra madre e figlia è formato dai contrasti di aspettativa della vita, dalle esperienze e dall'atteggiamento verso di essa. Questo è un elemento che ho notato e apprezzato poiché descritto molto bene.
Infine, la possibilità di aprirsi all'amore, per Katie, è come un raggio di sole che appare fra le grigie nuvole e le lettrici romantiche troveranno nella sua storia qualcosa per cui sognare a occhi aperti.
Katie è una insegnante di francese, divorziata e madre di Poppy. Il naufragio del suo matrimonio, con l'affascinante fedifrago Luc ha degli strascichi che li portano a non avere un rapporto pacifico, se non nei confronti della figlia Poppy. Di lei si nota immediatamente la stanchezza, la frustrazione e il nervoso, e solo con il proseguire della lettura si percepisce anche la sua voglia di rinascita, l'esigenza della sua rivincita con se stessa e con la parte di donna che negli anni ha sempre più ignorato.
Poppy è nel pieno dell'adolescenza e ne rispecchia tutte le caratteristiche: non le piace nulla, si lamenta della vita di campagna preferendo quella londinese, è oppositrice con la madre e desidera vivere al meglio delle loro possibilità. Il suo sguardo e le sue frecciatine, sono così taglienti da ferire chi li riceve.
Il pony di nome Patrick, appartenente a una signora chiamata nonna Mary, entra nel loro 'frutteto' e diventa il punto di aggancio per introdurre nella storia Gabriel. Lui è un bellissimo giovane uomo dall'aspetto di un modello, con un problema alla vista che lo limita in molte cose - ad esempio non guida - e che lavora per una casa di produzione cinematografica. Appare come una persona paziente, flemmatica e in sintonia con la vita di campagna.
La possibilità di guadagnare qualcosa, autorizzando alla troupe cinematografica di usare alcuni ambienti del cottage per la serie che stanno girando, permette a Katie di mantenersi in attesa di trovare lavoro come insegnante di francese.
Le descrizioni degli ambienti e della campagna inglese permettono al lettore di immaginare alla perfezione la località e gli interni del cottage, per non parlare del carrozzone che Katie e Poppy si trovano nel frutteto che fa venire il desiderio di vederlo con i propri occhi. Harvest cottage, e la natura della campagna circostante, fanno rilassare la mente solo leggendola e a questo si abbina l'indole delle persone del luogo che, per quanto siano inglesi, si mostrano calorosi e accoglienti.
La scrittura è piacevole e la personalità di Katie, unica narratrice della storia, dona una piacevole scorrevolezza del testo, dovuta anche all'alternanza degli stati d'animo che una donna trasmette. Il ponte generazionale fra madre e figlia è formato dai contrasti di aspettativa della vita, dalle esperienze e dall'atteggiamento verso di essa. Questo è un elemento che ho notato e apprezzato poiché descritto molto bene.
Infine, la possibilità di aprirsi all'amore, per Katie, è come un raggio di sole che appare fra le grigie nuvole e le lettrici romantiche troveranno nella sua storia qualcosa per cui sognare a occhi aperti.
September 7, 2020
This was one of the best books I’ve read this year! Everything about the story just drew me in from the very first page. I’ve always wanted to spend some time on the south west coast of England and after reading The Country Escape, I really felt as if I’ve actually been there.
There’s not one thing I would change about the story – I loved the characters’ flaws and their quirks. It made me laugh, I cried and ultimately, I wanted more. I wonder if there will be a sequel? I certainly hope so.
There’s not one thing I would change about the story – I loved the characters’ flaws and their quirks. It made me laugh, I cried and ultimately, I wanted more. I wonder if there will be a sequel? I certainly hope so.
February 18, 2021
A lovely, cosy read
A lovely, gentle story that was just right for lockdown reading. Great characters, and a satisfying plot that kept me reading.
A lovely, gentle story that was just right for lockdown reading. Great characters, and a satisfying plot that kept me reading.
February 1, 2023
I’m still in a cottagecore sort of mood that was only partially quenched by The Write Escape. Actually, The Write Escape only served to fuel it further, so after The Secret Garden, I’m now turning to The Country Escape. So many ‘escapes’ in this short paragraph...
The beginning of this book really took me by surprise. I was only partially focused on the actual plot, as the rest of my attention was squarely on the writing style. It’s certainly unique in some ways. It isn’t that I’m unaccustomed to narratives that begin in medias res, but this one really takes the cake. Typically, books are reader-oriented—they ease you into the characters, their lives, problems, current circumstances and give you a few chapters to catch up before they really get going and jump into the plot.
Conversely, The Country Escape is very character-oriented. It doesn’t care whether you catch up, it plunges ahead at its own pace, making you feel like something of an intruder in the characters’ lives who feel more like real people whose house you barged into than fictional characters. That said, I don’t dislike the author’s style, though I’d be lying if I said it didn’t take me a bit to get used to her writing.
The setting is most definitely cottagecore—a tiny house called Harvest Cottage in the village of Christmas Steepleton on the Dorset coast. The village is, sadly, fictional. Trust me, I checked.
For all of the novel’s cottagey, vaguely magical charm, the characters are entirely realistic. Katie is a freshly divorced woman in her thirties who buys Harvest Cottage and moves in with her fourteen-year-old daughter Poppy. Katie is looking for something calmer and more serene after the discovery of her ex-husband Luc’s infidelity, the divorce and their fast-paced life in London.
I love that, once again, I get a grown-ass heroine. Katie isn’t some gullible, clueless eighteen-year-old, but a mother in her thirties—tired, unemployed, greying, gaining excess weight she doesn’t want and battling woodlice and mould in her new country abode.
I do believe Katie is my first romance/erotica heroine who is older than the hero, by two years. I do believe she is also my first romance/erotica heroine with a child. And not just a newly-hatched chick, but a teenager. Love it!
Gabriel, our hero and Christmas Steepleton local, is just as flawed, realistic and fleshed out. Far from a cocky bastard we’ve all become so used to in this genre, Gabriel is quiet, thoughtful, mild-mannered, a somewhat meek and passive man with eyesight so bad he can’t drive and has to significantly enlarge the font on his Kindle to be able to read. In his own words, he’s a beta male who’s endured a lot of bullying and has a penchant for self-pity. Love it!
Gabriel—what a beautiful name—works for a filming crew that wants to use Harvest Cottage as a serial killer’s house. Gabriel contacts Katie about it and, as they get to know each other better, drops a bombshell—he doesn’t simply have bad eyesight, but a degenerative disease that could leave him blind within a couple of years.
Not that I take joy in a person’s—fictional or otherwise—suffering, but this is just fantastic. And, while I don’t know a lot about the nature of degenerative ocular diseases, this seems like really good representation. A divorced, unemployed thirty-four-year-old mother and an unassuming local man slowly going blind... I’m only five chapters in, but already, this seems like a novel I will absolutely love for the sheer audacity of its uniqueness.
I love Katie’s attitude. She isn’t rude or belligerent by any stretch of the imagination, but she certainly knows how to say no to people. She’s wary of strangers, cautious and a tad cantankerous. She’s the kind of person lecturers would point at as a good example at a ‘Learn to say NO!’ workshop. Her somewhat aloof demeanour goes well with Gabriel’s humble politeness. They’re both somewhat quirky and awkward, the kind of people who struggle in social situations, and it’s a joy to read.
The novel is very descriptive, the writing style utterly gorgeous in its evocative descriptions of the clammy Dorset town and Katie’s small cottage. I had to deliberately make myself read slower or reread certain sections to ensure all the details get through. It’s the kind of writing that makes you notice the little things you haven’t bothered to pay attention to in years. The first half of the novel is especially wistful, the autumnal ambience perfectly reflecting Katie’s current state. She is desperately lonely, an idle woman not used to so much free time on her hands.
It’s almost uncomfortable, the way the author relates Katie’s unsettling melancholy, but it nonetheless suits the narrative. Katie has no idea what to do with herself. She spends most of her time alone, has no job, next to no meaningful relationships to speak of, at least not on a regular basis your average person needs. It’s too relatable, too unnerving to read about. If this were another genre, it’d make for a great peek inside the mind of a woman slowly going insane.
Without giving anything away, the only part of this novel I disliked was the handling of Katie’s past trauma. The explanation given for her fearful nature and overprotectiveness of Poppy is, well, ludicrous. What’s worse, despite all the build-up, the moment she confesses her big, bad, dark secret to Gabriel—which is so ridiculously tame, I feel silly even referring to it as anything remotely big, bad or dark—he gives almost no reaction. It’s only hours later that they actually discuss Katie’s past and her sad upbringing.
What is satisfying is Katie’s arc. She escaped the unbearable youth she spent under her mother’s resentful eye by marrying Luc, the adventurous wildcard who swept her off her feet with his debonair persona and grandiose lifestyle. Once Katie realised how unpredictable and unreliable he was as a partner and a parent, she divorced Luc.
Rather than make the same mistake twice, Katie completely turns her back on all would-be exciting bad boys and opts instead for someone steady and reliable, someone like Gabriel who isn’t “exciting” per se, but is there, as steady as a tree root. It’s a conscious, mature decision arrived at by examining one’s past mistakes that I can’t help but love Katie for.
Just as Katie goes from appreciating the tea that’s good and healthy for her in place of the enticing alcoholic beverages that ravage her system, so too does Gabriel undergo a neat arc. His relationship with Katie gives him the confidence he is so sorely lacking at the beginning of the narrative when all he seems capable of is making self-deprecating comments about his lack of traditional masculinity. By the end of the book, Gabriel learns to break out of ‘victim mode’ and stand up to his bullies.
I’m not a fan of how the sexy times are handled. Firstly, the sex follows the first kiss too closely for my liking. It feels not so much like an organic desire on the characters’ parts that happens spontaneously, but rather like something they’re “supposed to” do now that they’re dating. It just felt very unnatural, like a series of items being crossed off an arbitrary bucket list.
Secondly, the author doesn’t dwell on the details of the sex. It’s all done almost offscreen, a stylistic choice I respect, though not one I prefer. Sex is a part of people’s lives and, especially when it comes to a romance novel about two characters who aren’t asexual, I want my steam to be steamy. My preferences aside, I still enjoyed Katie and Gabriel’s chemistry, mutual attraction and the way they decided to sleep together.
The side characters are somewhat bland, I’m sorry to say, some even annoying, though tolerable. Poppy especially resembles more a caricature of a teenager than an actual teenager. Must all literary adolescents be of the door-slamming, I-hate-you, you-ruined-my-life, you’re-embarrassing-me variety? Some of us were actually quite subdued and mature at that age, so it wouldn’t hurt if fiction portrayed other types of adolescents more frequently.
Other than all that, no major complaints. This was a pretty satisfying read with surprisingly fresh romantic leads and an enchanting, storybook-like, vaguely gothic atmosphere I’d recommend to romance fans who want a break from more conventional narratives and more conventional chest-thumping heroes.
The beginning of this book really took me by surprise. I was only partially focused on the actual plot, as the rest of my attention was squarely on the writing style. It’s certainly unique in some ways. It isn’t that I’m unaccustomed to narratives that begin in medias res, but this one really takes the cake. Typically, books are reader-oriented—they ease you into the characters, their lives, problems, current circumstances and give you a few chapters to catch up before they really get going and jump into the plot.
Conversely, The Country Escape is very character-oriented. It doesn’t care whether you catch up, it plunges ahead at its own pace, making you feel like something of an intruder in the characters’ lives who feel more like real people whose house you barged into than fictional characters. That said, I don’t dislike the author’s style, though I’d be lying if I said it didn’t take me a bit to get used to her writing.
The setting is most definitely cottagecore—a tiny house called Harvest Cottage in the village of Christmas Steepleton on the Dorset coast. The village is, sadly, fictional. Trust me, I checked.
For all of the novel’s cottagey, vaguely magical charm, the characters are entirely realistic. Katie is a freshly divorced woman in her thirties who buys Harvest Cottage and moves in with her fourteen-year-old daughter Poppy. Katie is looking for something calmer and more serene after the discovery of her ex-husband Luc’s infidelity, the divorce and their fast-paced life in London.
I love that, once again, I get a grown-ass heroine. Katie isn’t some gullible, clueless eighteen-year-old, but a mother in her thirties—tired, unemployed, greying, gaining excess weight she doesn’t want and battling woodlice and mould in her new country abode.
I do believe Katie is my first romance/erotica heroine who is older than the hero, by two years. I do believe she is also my first romance/erotica heroine with a child. And not just a newly-hatched chick, but a teenager. Love it!
Gabriel, our hero and Christmas Steepleton local, is just as flawed, realistic and fleshed out. Far from a cocky bastard we’ve all become so used to in this genre, Gabriel is quiet, thoughtful, mild-mannered, a somewhat meek and passive man with eyesight so bad he can’t drive and has to significantly enlarge the font on his Kindle to be able to read. In his own words, he’s a beta male who’s endured a lot of bullying and has a penchant for self-pity. Love it!
Gabriel—what a beautiful name—works for a filming crew that wants to use Harvest Cottage as a serial killer’s house. Gabriel contacts Katie about it and, as they get to know each other better, drops a bombshell—he doesn’t simply have bad eyesight, but a degenerative disease that could leave him blind within a couple of years.
Not that I take joy in a person’s—fictional or otherwise—suffering, but this is just fantastic. And, while I don’t know a lot about the nature of degenerative ocular diseases, this seems like really good representation. A divorced, unemployed thirty-four-year-old mother and an unassuming local man slowly going blind... I’m only five chapters in, but already, this seems like a novel I will absolutely love for the sheer audacity of its uniqueness.
I love Katie’s attitude. She isn’t rude or belligerent by any stretch of the imagination, but she certainly knows how to say no to people. She’s wary of strangers, cautious and a tad cantankerous. She’s the kind of person lecturers would point at as a good example at a ‘Learn to say NO!’ workshop. Her somewhat aloof demeanour goes well with Gabriel’s humble politeness. They’re both somewhat quirky and awkward, the kind of people who struggle in social situations, and it’s a joy to read.
The novel is very descriptive, the writing style utterly gorgeous in its evocative descriptions of the clammy Dorset town and Katie’s small cottage. I had to deliberately make myself read slower or reread certain sections to ensure all the details get through. It’s the kind of writing that makes you notice the little things you haven’t bothered to pay attention to in years. The first half of the novel is especially wistful, the autumnal ambience perfectly reflecting Katie’s current state. She is desperately lonely, an idle woman not used to so much free time on her hands.
It’s almost uncomfortable, the way the author relates Katie’s unsettling melancholy, but it nonetheless suits the narrative. Katie has no idea what to do with herself. She spends most of her time alone, has no job, next to no meaningful relationships to speak of, at least not on a regular basis your average person needs. It’s too relatable, too unnerving to read about. If this were another genre, it’d make for a great peek inside the mind of a woman slowly going insane.
Without giving anything away, the only part of this novel I disliked was the handling of Katie’s past trauma. The explanation given for her fearful nature and overprotectiveness of Poppy is, well, ludicrous. What’s worse, despite all the build-up, the moment she confesses her big, bad, dark secret to Gabriel—which is so ridiculously tame, I feel silly even referring to it as anything remotely big, bad or dark—he gives almost no reaction. It’s only hours later that they actually discuss Katie’s past and her sad upbringing.
What is satisfying is Katie’s arc. She escaped the unbearable youth she spent under her mother’s resentful eye by marrying Luc, the adventurous wildcard who swept her off her feet with his debonair persona and grandiose lifestyle. Once Katie realised how unpredictable and unreliable he was as a partner and a parent, she divorced Luc.
Rather than make the same mistake twice, Katie completely turns her back on all would-be exciting bad boys and opts instead for someone steady and reliable, someone like Gabriel who isn’t “exciting” per se, but is there, as steady as a tree root. It’s a conscious, mature decision arrived at by examining one’s past mistakes that I can’t help but love Katie for.
Just as Katie goes from appreciating the tea that’s good and healthy for her in place of the enticing alcoholic beverages that ravage her system, so too does Gabriel undergo a neat arc. His relationship with Katie gives him the confidence he is so sorely lacking at the beginning of the narrative when all he seems capable of is making self-deprecating comments about his lack of traditional masculinity. By the end of the book, Gabriel learns to break out of ‘victim mode’ and stand up to his bullies.
I’m not a fan of how the sexy times are handled. Firstly, the sex follows the first kiss too closely for my liking. It feels not so much like an organic desire on the characters’ parts that happens spontaneously, but rather like something they’re “supposed to” do now that they’re dating. It just felt very unnatural, like a series of items being crossed off an arbitrary bucket list.
Secondly, the author doesn’t dwell on the details of the sex. It’s all done almost offscreen, a stylistic choice I respect, though not one I prefer. Sex is a part of people’s lives and, especially when it comes to a romance novel about two characters who aren’t asexual, I want my steam to be steamy. My preferences aside, I still enjoyed Katie and Gabriel’s chemistry, mutual attraction and the way they decided to sleep together.
The side characters are somewhat bland, I’m sorry to say, some even annoying, though tolerable. Poppy especially resembles more a caricature of a teenager than an actual teenager. Must all literary adolescents be of the door-slamming, I-hate-you, you-ruined-my-life, you’re-embarrassing-me variety? Some of us were actually quite subdued and mature at that age, so it wouldn’t hurt if fiction portrayed other types of adolescents more frequently.
Other than all that, no major complaints. This was a pretty satisfying read with surprisingly fresh romantic leads and an enchanting, storybook-like, vaguely gothic atmosphere I’d recommend to romance fans who want a break from more conventional narratives and more conventional chest-thumping heroes.
October 21, 2020
This is the first novel I’ve read by Jane Lovering and I really enjoyed it. The story charmed me with it’s gorgeous idyllic setting and I fell in love with the characters, even the sub-characters.
Katie and her teenage daughter, Poppy, have escaped their lifestyle in London and following the divorce of her ex-husband she has purchased a dilapidated cottage in the Dorset countryside not too far from the coastline. Harvest Cottage sounds idyllic but it’s far from perfect with it’s damp walls and resident woodlice but Katie sees potential in the building and I do too see character and charm within the walls.
Harvest Cottage is isolated from the village but Katie soon finds she has a neighbour; a whimsical gypsy caravan and piebald horse have turned up in the lane adjoining her property. As there is no owner for either the horse or caravanin sight Katie feels they have been left abandoned. A kindly gentleman in the name of Gabriel, full of quirks and as handsome as they come, soon visits Katie to inform her of the horse and van’s owner.
The arrival of the new neighbour and of Gabriel start a catalyst of new beginnings for Katie and Poppy. Life will never be the same for the girls and Katie starts to appreciate her past and acknowledge the secrets she has held with such emotional pressure. She learns to accept the simpler things and the new people that enter her life enrich her beyond anything she’s received from the big city.
A delightful story that is about new beginnings, new friendships and new opportunities. About learning from the past and accepting life with it’s all bumps in the road. I fell in love with Harvest Cottage, with Katie and Poppy but most of all I fell in love with Gabriel. Such a beautiful person inside and out; humble, intelligent, creative and community minded. Katie and Gabriel are two vulnerable people learning from their past, will fate play it’s hand in bringing these two insecure individuals together? Can Katie and Poppy learn to appreciate life at a different pace to the city of London?
Delightful, charming and I didn’t want the story to end.
Katie and her teenage daughter, Poppy, have escaped their lifestyle in London and following the divorce of her ex-husband she has purchased a dilapidated cottage in the Dorset countryside not too far from the coastline. Harvest Cottage sounds idyllic but it’s far from perfect with it’s damp walls and resident woodlice but Katie sees potential in the building and I do too see character and charm within the walls.
Harvest Cottage is isolated from the village but Katie soon finds she has a neighbour; a whimsical gypsy caravan and piebald horse have turned up in the lane adjoining her property. As there is no owner for either the horse or caravanin sight Katie feels they have been left abandoned. A kindly gentleman in the name of Gabriel, full of quirks and as handsome as they come, soon visits Katie to inform her of the horse and van’s owner.
The arrival of the new neighbour and of Gabriel start a catalyst of new beginnings for Katie and Poppy. Life will never be the same for the girls and Katie starts to appreciate her past and acknowledge the secrets she has held with such emotional pressure. She learns to accept the simpler things and the new people that enter her life enrich her beyond anything she’s received from the big city.
A delightful story that is about new beginnings, new friendships and new opportunities. About learning from the past and accepting life with it’s all bumps in the road. I fell in love with Harvest Cottage, with Katie and Poppy but most of all I fell in love with Gabriel. Such a beautiful person inside and out; humble, intelligent, creative and community minded. Katie and Gabriel are two vulnerable people learning from their past, will fate play it’s hand in bringing these two insecure individuals together? Can Katie and Poppy learn to appreciate life at a different pace to the city of London?
Delightful, charming and I didn’t want the story to end.
March 17, 2021
Nice, gentle read, and I loved that the hero was a professional , but I felt like the anti-bullying message was ham-handed and pushed a little too hard.
October 31, 2020
Brilliant and funny
Lovering throws over all the old romance cliches, turns a beta male into a hero you’ll want to take home with you, and she does it with language that will make you grin from ear to ear.
Lovering throws over all the old romance cliches, turns a beta male into a hero you’ll want to take home with you, and she does it with language that will make you grin from ear to ear.
February 6, 2023
La mia piccola casa di campagna.
Semplicemente, una casa di campagna nel Dorset.
Un po' malandata, bisognosa di una ristrutturazione, con un frutteto occupato abusivamente da un cavallo di nome Patrick e un carrozzone la cui inquilina, Nonna Mary, è una simpatica, scorbutica, cinica e ficcanaso vecchietta.
Ma a Katie e Poppy va bene così, è la loro occasione di ricominciare dopo una vita passata tra la frenesia di Londra. Katie, madre sposata a un uomo troppo libertino, finalmente decide di lasciarlo e prendere in mano la sua vita. Poppy è sua figlia, una quattordicenne che come tutti gli adolescenti non vuole che ‘la madre rimanga alla fermata ad aspettare l’autobus con lei’, richiesta più che ragionevole, se solo Katie non fosse quel tipo di madre super apprensiva e preoccupata che a causa di una tragedia vissuta proprio alla stessa età della figlia, ha paura che Poppy possa soffrire come ha sofferto lei.
E poi c’è Gabriel, un affascinante abitante di Bridport, con seri problemi di vista e un lavoro nella squadra di produzione di una serie tv che, guarda caso, sta girando i nuovi episodi a Steepleton, altro paesino della costa del Dorset.
Sembra che la casa trasandata, ma pittoresca di Katie e Poppy sia perfetta come location.
Katie, insegnante di francese, al momento non lavora e il conto sta per diventare rosso. Non sarebbe intelligente rifiutare un po' di soldi in più.
Tra attori che si comportano da divi, un cottage invaso da cavi, telecamere, schermi, oggetti e costumi di scena, e ospitante troppe persone per un ambiente così piccolo, i continui impicci di Nonna Mary e Patrick che sta mangiando tutta l’erba del frutteto… Katie cerca di ritrovare se stessa, di indossare quella nuova vita come una comoda mantella e sentirsi bene, dopo anni passati a vivere come quella moglie e madre perfetta che alla fine si accorge essere stata solo per compiacere Luc.
E poi c’è Gabriel.
C’è sempre Gabriel e i suoi modi timidi e ponderati e le sue confessioni sul passato, caratterizzato da atti di bullismo e molta insicurezza che ancora si porta dietro. Sembra che Katie sia la persona giusta con cui essere libero di essere se stesso.
Un uomo che, questione di anni, potrebbe perdere del tutto la vista e con un lavoro – il suo vero lavoro, l’essere consulente del regista Keenan è solo un di più – che lui stesso non considera abbastanza mascolino (niente spoiler!)
▪
Katie e la sua preoccupazione esagerata per l’incolumità di Poppy, che invece sembra essersi ambientata perfettamente nel Dorset, spensierata e pronta a vivere al meglio quella nuova avventura;
Gabriel e il suo sentirsi sempre meno, in ogni circostanza, ma che in realtà è un uomo gentile, comprensivo, serio, onesto, un’ottima persona che si prende cura di Nonna Mary nel momento del bisogno anche se non è sua nonna, che capisce Katie e le sue ansie, che l’ascolta ed è l’uomo che avrebbe sempre dovuto avere sul fianco, che a volte finisce per cadere nella lamentela e nella commiserazione, con la mente ancora intrappolata nelle sofferenze del passato, ma di cui si accorge sempre e cerca di perderne il vizio;
Patrick e la sua pacatezza, Nonna Mary e i suoi problemi di salute e la sua lingua tagliente che non risparmia nessuno, il Dorset con le sue tempeste, raffiche di vento, mare mosso, quella pioggerellina fitta fitta ma al tempo stesso fine e fragile che inumidisce i vestiti e ti si attacca addosso come una seconda pelle, una serie tv da realizzare, un’atmosfera autunnale descritta da parole che sembrano uscire dalle pagine e formare quella stessa atmosfera attorno a te, con i suoi colori, profumi e tè, tanto tè!
Non è solo la storia di Katie, non è solo la storia di Katie e Gabriel, ma di tutti i personaggi, per niente secondari e di uno spaccato di costa inglese in cui personalmente non vivrei a causa del freddo! Ma che sembra quel luogo tranquillo e ideale per prendersi una pausa dalla frenesia della vita, affittare un cottage, sedersi di fronte al camino e passare ore e ore a bere tè caldo, mangiando cookies, scrivendo o leggendo.
▪
Ho concluso l’anno precedente leggendo di un piccolo villaggio di cuori solitari ('Il piccolo villaggio di cuori solitari' sempre edito dalla Newton Compton) e nel leggere il romanzo di Jane Lovering ho trovato le stesse emozioni, lo stesso senso di famiglia, accoglienza, cura, comprensione, calore, una storia d’amore semplice, pura, senza dramma inutili, ma ricca di dialogo, compromessi, gentilezza, ricca di un sentimento che nasce da una scintilla scoppiata tra le mura di un cottage trascurato e in occasione di una conversazione su un cavallo abusivo, che cresce e si sviluppa piano, che è tenerezza e cuore che salta i battiti (quanto ho apprezzato le conversazioni tra Gabriel e Katie, così vere, così genuine, con quel pizzico di imbarazzo e goffaggine di chi si è innamorata di un solo uomo nella sua vita e non è più abituata agli appuntamenti e di chi si sente da sempre troppo inferiore per anche solo essere guardato dalle donne, figuriamoci uscire con loro a cena), che finisce per dar vita a qualcosa di meraviglioso💖
Sara
ilnarrastorie.jimdofree.com
Semplicemente, una casa di campagna nel Dorset.
Un po' malandata, bisognosa di una ristrutturazione, con un frutteto occupato abusivamente da un cavallo di nome Patrick e un carrozzone la cui inquilina, Nonna Mary, è una simpatica, scorbutica, cinica e ficcanaso vecchietta.
Ma a Katie e Poppy va bene così, è la loro occasione di ricominciare dopo una vita passata tra la frenesia di Londra. Katie, madre sposata a un uomo troppo libertino, finalmente decide di lasciarlo e prendere in mano la sua vita. Poppy è sua figlia, una quattordicenne che come tutti gli adolescenti non vuole che ‘la madre rimanga alla fermata ad aspettare l’autobus con lei’, richiesta più che ragionevole, se solo Katie non fosse quel tipo di madre super apprensiva e preoccupata che a causa di una tragedia vissuta proprio alla stessa età della figlia, ha paura che Poppy possa soffrire come ha sofferto lei.
E poi c’è Gabriel, un affascinante abitante di Bridport, con seri problemi di vista e un lavoro nella squadra di produzione di una serie tv che, guarda caso, sta girando i nuovi episodi a Steepleton, altro paesino della costa del Dorset.
Sembra che la casa trasandata, ma pittoresca di Katie e Poppy sia perfetta come location.
Katie, insegnante di francese, al momento non lavora e il conto sta per diventare rosso. Non sarebbe intelligente rifiutare un po' di soldi in più.
Tra attori che si comportano da divi, un cottage invaso da cavi, telecamere, schermi, oggetti e costumi di scena, e ospitante troppe persone per un ambiente così piccolo, i continui impicci di Nonna Mary e Patrick che sta mangiando tutta l’erba del frutteto… Katie cerca di ritrovare se stessa, di indossare quella nuova vita come una comoda mantella e sentirsi bene, dopo anni passati a vivere come quella moglie e madre perfetta che alla fine si accorge essere stata solo per compiacere Luc.
E poi c’è Gabriel.
C’è sempre Gabriel e i suoi modi timidi e ponderati e le sue confessioni sul passato, caratterizzato da atti di bullismo e molta insicurezza che ancora si porta dietro. Sembra che Katie sia la persona giusta con cui essere libero di essere se stesso.
Un uomo che, questione di anni, potrebbe perdere del tutto la vista e con un lavoro – il suo vero lavoro, l’essere consulente del regista Keenan è solo un di più – che lui stesso non considera abbastanza mascolino (niente spoiler!)
▪
Katie e la sua preoccupazione esagerata per l’incolumità di Poppy, che invece sembra essersi ambientata perfettamente nel Dorset, spensierata e pronta a vivere al meglio quella nuova avventura;
Gabriel e il suo sentirsi sempre meno, in ogni circostanza, ma che in realtà è un uomo gentile, comprensivo, serio, onesto, un’ottima persona che si prende cura di Nonna Mary nel momento del bisogno anche se non è sua nonna, che capisce Katie e le sue ansie, che l’ascolta ed è l’uomo che avrebbe sempre dovuto avere sul fianco, che a volte finisce per cadere nella lamentela e nella commiserazione, con la mente ancora intrappolata nelle sofferenze del passato, ma di cui si accorge sempre e cerca di perderne il vizio;
Patrick e la sua pacatezza, Nonna Mary e i suoi problemi di salute e la sua lingua tagliente che non risparmia nessuno, il Dorset con le sue tempeste, raffiche di vento, mare mosso, quella pioggerellina fitta fitta ma al tempo stesso fine e fragile che inumidisce i vestiti e ti si attacca addosso come una seconda pelle, una serie tv da realizzare, un’atmosfera autunnale descritta da parole che sembrano uscire dalle pagine e formare quella stessa atmosfera attorno a te, con i suoi colori, profumi e tè, tanto tè!
Non è solo la storia di Katie, non è solo la storia di Katie e Gabriel, ma di tutti i personaggi, per niente secondari e di uno spaccato di costa inglese in cui personalmente non vivrei a causa del freddo! Ma che sembra quel luogo tranquillo e ideale per prendersi una pausa dalla frenesia della vita, affittare un cottage, sedersi di fronte al camino e passare ore e ore a bere tè caldo, mangiando cookies, scrivendo o leggendo.
▪
Ho concluso l’anno precedente leggendo di un piccolo villaggio di cuori solitari ('Il piccolo villaggio di cuori solitari' sempre edito dalla Newton Compton) e nel leggere il romanzo di Jane Lovering ho trovato le stesse emozioni, lo stesso senso di famiglia, accoglienza, cura, comprensione, calore, una storia d’amore semplice, pura, senza dramma inutili, ma ricca di dialogo, compromessi, gentilezza, ricca di un sentimento che nasce da una scintilla scoppiata tra le mura di un cottage trascurato e in occasione di una conversazione su un cavallo abusivo, che cresce e si sviluppa piano, che è tenerezza e cuore che salta i battiti (quanto ho apprezzato le conversazioni tra Gabriel e Katie, così vere, così genuine, con quel pizzico di imbarazzo e goffaggine di chi si è innamorata di un solo uomo nella sua vita e non è più abituata agli appuntamenti e di chi si sente da sempre troppo inferiore per anche solo essere guardato dalle donne, figuriamoci uscire con loro a cena), che finisce per dar vita a qualcosa di meraviglioso💖
Sara
ilnarrastorie.jimdofree.com
September 5, 2020
I was so pleased to find out that Jane Lovering has a new book out as I’ve read and enjoyed so many of her previous novels. One thing I love about her books is that there is always a lot of humour in them and this latest novel is no different.
Following her divorce from Frenchman Luc, Katie has moved from London to a tiny cottage in the fabulously named Christmas Steepleton in Dorset. Some of the author’s other books (which I somehow haven’t read) have been set here but this is a standalone. I would imagine if you have read the previous books, you will recognise the setting and some of the other characters.
Katies’s teenage daughter Poppy is less than impressed at being taken away from her friends and city life. Harvest Cottage isn’t the cosy quaint cottage you might be imagining though. Oh no, this is a chilly place with dark small rooms, leaks in the ceiling and damp on the walls. In fact, when by chance Katie meets location scout Gabriel he declares it the ideal location to be the house of the serial killer in the TV show he is working on! In desperate need of money, she agrees to her cottage being used for filming. Add to the mix the fact that she has acquired a Romany caravan and a piebald pony called Patrick from their ill owner, Granny Mary, and the scene is set for the usual madcap fun I’ve come to expect from Jane Lovering.
There’s a little mystery from Katie’s past that she is keen to hide which adds another intriguing element to the story. The author dropped little clues every now and then as to what this might be and how it affects Katie’s attitude to life especially as a parent.
The other characters were a quirky bunch and great fun to meet. There’s Granny Mary who is a fantastic no nonsense character and whose Romany caravan is temporarily parked in Katie’s orchard. She’s definitely not a sweet little old lady, just says things straight. There’s Poppy’s friend Rory providing her first sweet taste of romance. Patrick is the horse who usually pulls Mary’s caravan and he is a fantastic addition to the story with some of the funniest scenes and a very dramatic one too. And then there’s Gabriel. What can I say about Gabriel? Such a sensitive character who also has issues from his past affecting the present, and an issue in the present which could well affect his future. And he’s gorgeous of course, totally gorgeous, one of those romantic leads which Jane Lovering does so well.
The Country Escape is set during my favourite season of Autumn so there’s plenty mist, cool mornings, brambles and falling leaves to keep me happy. Jane Lovering’s trademarks of humour and romance tinged with poignancy is apparent throughout. This is a lovely book to curl up with in front of the fire as the nights draw in.
Following her divorce from Frenchman Luc, Katie has moved from London to a tiny cottage in the fabulously named Christmas Steepleton in Dorset. Some of the author’s other books (which I somehow haven’t read) have been set here but this is a standalone. I would imagine if you have read the previous books, you will recognise the setting and some of the other characters.
Katies’s teenage daughter Poppy is less than impressed at being taken away from her friends and city life. Harvest Cottage isn’t the cosy quaint cottage you might be imagining though. Oh no, this is a chilly place with dark small rooms, leaks in the ceiling and damp on the walls. In fact, when by chance Katie meets location scout Gabriel he declares it the ideal location to be the house of the serial killer in the TV show he is working on! In desperate need of money, she agrees to her cottage being used for filming. Add to the mix the fact that she has acquired a Romany caravan and a piebald pony called Patrick from their ill owner, Granny Mary, and the scene is set for the usual madcap fun I’ve come to expect from Jane Lovering.
There’s a little mystery from Katie’s past that she is keen to hide which adds another intriguing element to the story. The author dropped little clues every now and then as to what this might be and how it affects Katie’s attitude to life especially as a parent.
The other characters were a quirky bunch and great fun to meet. There’s Granny Mary who is a fantastic no nonsense character and whose Romany caravan is temporarily parked in Katie’s orchard. She’s definitely not a sweet little old lady, just says things straight. There’s Poppy’s friend Rory providing her first sweet taste of romance. Patrick is the horse who usually pulls Mary’s caravan and he is a fantastic addition to the story with some of the funniest scenes and a very dramatic one too. And then there’s Gabriel. What can I say about Gabriel? Such a sensitive character who also has issues from his past affecting the present, and an issue in the present which could well affect his future. And he’s gorgeous of course, totally gorgeous, one of those romantic leads which Jane Lovering does so well.
The Country Escape is set during my favourite season of Autumn so there’s plenty mist, cool mornings, brambles and falling leaves to keep me happy. Jane Lovering’s trademarks of humour and romance tinged with poignancy is apparent throughout. This is a lovely book to curl up with in front of the fire as the nights draw in.
September 7, 2020
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This was such an adorable book and made me want to live in the country and get a pony.
The characters are the highlight! Gabriel was my favorite character in the story (and one of my favorite leads period). I loved that the author wrote him with flaws. He faces a lot health issues but that doesn’t stop him from living the life he wants. He is going blind, he was bullied, and he has unconventional hobbies like sewing and knitting. But, he is still charming, adorable, sexy and shares an endearing chemistry with Katie. Katie is also adorable with her sense of humor and awkwardness. The author wrote her character in a fun and breezy manner. I also loved the supporting characters like Granny Mary and Keenan. Even Patrick was adorable in the role for just being there.
The author also tells the story in such a whimsical way that you don’t know what Katie would experience. I loved the whole angle of how they could use her location for a serial killer shoot. The dialogues and banter between the characters were humorous and made me smile
Probably the only criticisms I had with the story was how over-descriptive it got at certain parts. The author tends to describe many scenes in detail (and few felt repetitious). Also, I didn’t really liked Poppy in the story. She comes across as rude and snobbish, more than the average teenage mood swings. I don’t think I would ever connect to someone who called their mother a cow.
But apart from that, I loved this story and thought it was the perfect contemporary romance. Overall, The Country Escape is one of those books that will make you feel good all over, and I really enjoyed it!
October 28, 2020
The Country Escape is a delightful story of new beginnings. Katie and her daughter Poppy have moved to a run-down cottage in Christmas Steepleton on the Dorset coast. This is to be their safe haven away from her controlling ex-husband, Luc. Harvest Cottage needs a bit of work, but for the immediate future it will suit Katie and Poppy just fine. A local film production company sees its potential as the ‘house of a serial killer’, and the fees they are willing to pay will give Katie a bit of breathing space to sort her life out.
One morning, not long after they moved in, they wake to find a horse in the back garden, and this is how they meet Gabriel. He explains that Patrick was pulling a traditional gypsy caravan owned by Granny Mary, who was suddenly taken ill and had to go to hospital. Although not keen, Katie agrees he can stay until alternative arrangements can be made, and the caravan in the garden makes a great refuge when the filming has taken over the house.
Despite the cover, there is nothing twee about this book; it depicts flawed characters with real-life problems such as bullying, sexual stereotyping and the devastating prospect of sight loss. As a refreshing change, Gabriel is not the usual ‘alpha male’ main character. He is very creative and among other things makes and sells beautiful patchwork quilts.
The atmospheric setting is shown in the vivid descriptions of the autumnal Dorset countryside. The cast of quirky but believable secondary characters results in a humorous story with a positive message; no matter what the problem is, there is always hope.
I read and enjoyed a lot of Jane Lovering’s early books, so when The Country Escape came up on NetGalley I jumped at the chance to review it, and was not disappointed. Katie and Gabriel help each other to see their problems in a new light, and so are able to overcome the past and move on.
Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.
One morning, not long after they moved in, they wake to find a horse in the back garden, and this is how they meet Gabriel. He explains that Patrick was pulling a traditional gypsy caravan owned by Granny Mary, who was suddenly taken ill and had to go to hospital. Although not keen, Katie agrees he can stay until alternative arrangements can be made, and the caravan in the garden makes a great refuge when the filming has taken over the house.
Despite the cover, there is nothing twee about this book; it depicts flawed characters with real-life problems such as bullying, sexual stereotyping and the devastating prospect of sight loss. As a refreshing change, Gabriel is not the usual ‘alpha male’ main character. He is very creative and among other things makes and sells beautiful patchwork quilts.
The atmospheric setting is shown in the vivid descriptions of the autumnal Dorset countryside. The cast of quirky but believable secondary characters results in a humorous story with a positive message; no matter what the problem is, there is always hope.
I read and enjoyed a lot of Jane Lovering’s early books, so when The Country Escape came up on NetGalley I jumped at the chance to review it, and was not disappointed. Katie and Gabriel help each other to see their problems in a new light, and so are able to overcome the past and move on.
Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.
May 26, 2024
Katie si è separata dal marito e con la figlia Poppy inizia una nuova vita lontano da Londra, un una piccola casa di campagna in un paesino del Dorset, dove può ricostruire se stessa e la sua nuova vita.
Una mattina madre e figlia si svegliano trovando un pony e un carrozzone, e Poppy sente la felicità esplodere, perché uno dei suoi grandi desideri è poter avere un pony e pensa che la madre le abbia voluto fare questo regalo, ma di fronte allo sbigottimento di Katie la figlia comprende che è solo un caso.
Katie deve scendere a compromessi se vuole continuare a vivere in questa casa senza dover tornare a Londra, non ha un lavoro, e può solo continuare a tenere il pony e il carrozzone e accettare l'aiuto di Gabriel, un uomo comparso alla sua porta all'improvviso.
Ha deciso di affittare il cottage per delle riprese cinematografiche in modo che possa affrontare l'inverno con qualche soldo in più e continua la sua amicizia con Gabriel, un uomo diverso dal suo ex marito, un uomo che sta perdendo la vista, che ha un passato che ha sempre cercato di nascondere alla sua famiglia.
L'inizio del libro mi è subito apparso coinvolgente e a tratti anche divertente, per la figura della donna proprietaria del carrozzone e del pony, per la giovane Poppy, per personaggi che vengono abilmente descritti, ma a metà romanzo ovviamente la figura di Gabriel si definisce sempre di più e l'ovvio diventa sempre più ovvio, una storia d'amore già delineata alle prime pagine, che si sviluppa per tutta la storia.
Una mattina madre e figlia si svegliano trovando un pony e un carrozzone, e Poppy sente la felicità esplodere, perché uno dei suoi grandi desideri è poter avere un pony e pensa che la madre le abbia voluto fare questo regalo, ma di fronte allo sbigottimento di Katie la figlia comprende che è solo un caso.
Katie deve scendere a compromessi se vuole continuare a vivere in questa casa senza dover tornare a Londra, non ha un lavoro, e può solo continuare a tenere il pony e il carrozzone e accettare l'aiuto di Gabriel, un uomo comparso alla sua porta all'improvviso.
Ha deciso di affittare il cottage per delle riprese cinematografiche in modo che possa affrontare l'inverno con qualche soldo in più e continua la sua amicizia con Gabriel, un uomo diverso dal suo ex marito, un uomo che sta perdendo la vista, che ha un passato che ha sempre cercato di nascondere alla sua famiglia.
L'inizio del libro mi è subito apparso coinvolgente e a tratti anche divertente, per la figura della donna proprietaria del carrozzone e del pony, per la giovane Poppy, per personaggi che vengono abilmente descritti, ma a metà romanzo ovviamente la figura di Gabriel si definisce sempre di più e l'ovvio diventa sempre più ovvio, una storia d'amore già delineata alle prime pagine, che si sviluppa per tutta la storia.
January 28, 2021
The Country Escape
By Jane Lovering
🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
Katie and her 14 year old daughter Poppy move to a small.. Possibly haunted cottage in Dorset. Escaping London, her ex husband and an awful past.
Katie meets some amazing people, real friends, Gabriel and amazing Grammy Mary who make her realise home is where you feel safe.
The story between Katie and Gabriel I love, it's realistic and not far fetched. There's no love at first sight and ripping clothes off. It's two normal people with some issues, they address those issues and plan a realistic relationship around a teenager who they don't want affected by it. It's wonderful.
Granny Mary, is just fabulous. She speaks her mind and takes no prisoners.
The reason I gave this book 4 stars and not 5 was Poppy... I'm sorry but she's just nasty work.
The way she speaks to her mum is awful and was quite uncomfortable to read. She calls her mum a cow and a bitch on occasions. Now I know teenagers slam door, scream and shout that the world is against them but calling your mum those kind of names just doesn't sit right with me even in a book. Maybe just me 🤔 also the fact Katie let her away with it 🙄
I loved the issues that the book addresses, talking about Granny Mary's stroke and Gabriel's almost blindness. Horrible past relationships, bullying etc
Overall this book is a lovely read, I listened to this book on Audio and really liked the narrator.🔉
Definitely recommend
By Jane Lovering
🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
Katie and her 14 year old daughter Poppy move to a small.. Possibly haunted cottage in Dorset. Escaping London, her ex husband and an awful past.
Katie meets some amazing people, real friends, Gabriel and amazing Grammy Mary who make her realise home is where you feel safe.
The story between Katie and Gabriel I love, it's realistic and not far fetched. There's no love at first sight and ripping clothes off. It's two normal people with some issues, they address those issues and plan a realistic relationship around a teenager who they don't want affected by it. It's wonderful.
Granny Mary, is just fabulous. She speaks her mind and takes no prisoners.
The reason I gave this book 4 stars and not 5 was Poppy... I'm sorry but she's just nasty work.
The way she speaks to her mum is awful and was quite uncomfortable to read. She calls her mum a cow and a bitch on occasions. Now I know teenagers slam door, scream and shout that the world is against them but calling your mum those kind of names just doesn't sit right with me even in a book. Maybe just me 🤔 also the fact Katie let her away with it 🙄
I loved the issues that the book addresses, talking about Granny Mary's stroke and Gabriel's almost blindness. Horrible past relationships, bullying etc
Overall this book is a lovely read, I listened to this book on Audio and really liked the narrator.🔉
Definitely recommend
April 19, 2023
This was my first book by this author ( #4 of 23 for 23 ) and I really liked it.
Leaving London and her ex husband Luc behind Katie, along with her fourteen year old daughter Poppy, move into a ramshackle cottage on the Dorset coast.
Poppy it has to be said is less than impressed about the move, Katie is a tad over-protective of her daughter, but the reason for this is revealed as the book progresses.
As they attempt to settle in at the cottage - made rather more difficult with the onset of Autumn - they encounter a couple of interesting characters, Granny Mary, who lives in a traditional gypsy caravan, and arrives along with a horse called Patrick.
Then there is Gabriel, a tall, dark, handsome man, Gabriel has his own problems, his incredibly poor eyesight requires him to wear thick lensed glasses, and he could very well be completely blind within a few years, but this doesn't stop him from having a couple of rather unusual talents, which in turn is how he makes a living.
When a film crew approach Katie with a view to using the cottage as a location, winter is fast approaching and funds are running low, she jumps at the chance of the extra income.
The light relief from their new friends, might not be enough to persuade them from running back to the bright lights and comfort of the city.
This is such a warm and sometimes quirky read, and I would have no hesitation in picking up another book by this author in future.
Leaving London and her ex husband Luc behind Katie, along with her fourteen year old daughter Poppy, move into a ramshackle cottage on the Dorset coast.
Poppy it has to be said is less than impressed about the move, Katie is a tad over-protective of her daughter, but the reason for this is revealed as the book progresses.
As they attempt to settle in at the cottage - made rather more difficult with the onset of Autumn - they encounter a couple of interesting characters, Granny Mary, who lives in a traditional gypsy caravan, and arrives along with a horse called Patrick.
Then there is Gabriel, a tall, dark, handsome man, Gabriel has his own problems, his incredibly poor eyesight requires him to wear thick lensed glasses, and he could very well be completely blind within a few years, but this doesn't stop him from having a couple of rather unusual talents, which in turn is how he makes a living.
When a film crew approach Katie with a view to using the cottage as a location, winter is fast approaching and funds are running low, she jumps at the chance of the extra income.
The light relief from their new friends, might not be enough to persuade them from running back to the bright lights and comfort of the city.
This is such a warm and sometimes quirky read, and I would have no hesitation in picking up another book by this author in future.
September 5, 2020
I’ve recently been into romantic comedies, not just in books but apparently in movies I watch too! So, I’m glad to bring you my tour stop for The Country Escape, which was such a fun and cozy book to read! At first, I didn’t have any kind of expectations as this is the first book I’ve read from the author, so I’m really glad that I ended up liking this one.
I think the big part as to why I enjoyed this so much is the characters. It was very interesting for me to read, not only about the main characters, but also the side characters. I also have to say that I absolutely love Poppy and her adolescent attitude, which made me laugh a lot and ultimately made her one of my favorite characters. Also, I think I connected to her more because I’m closer to her age. But that’s not to say that I did not connect with the other characters!
With that, the character arcs is another aspect I adore in this book. Gabriel’s backstory, specifically, I was the most interested in. He definitely feels like a real person instead of a fictional character in a book.
The plot itself is delightful to read about, and the setting adds even more to the reader’s experience! I mean, who doesn’t love rom-coms set in a small town? If you’re a fan of romantic comedies, or just entertaining and heartwarming reads in general, I suggest you pick this book up!
I think the big part as to why I enjoyed this so much is the characters. It was very interesting for me to read, not only about the main characters, but also the side characters. I also have to say that I absolutely love Poppy and her adolescent attitude, which made me laugh a lot and ultimately made her one of my favorite characters. Also, I think I connected to her more because I’m closer to her age. But that’s not to say that I did not connect with the other characters!
With that, the character arcs is another aspect I adore in this book. Gabriel’s backstory, specifically, I was the most interested in. He definitely feels like a real person instead of a fictional character in a book.
The plot itself is delightful to read about, and the setting adds even more to the reader’s experience! I mean, who doesn’t love rom-coms set in a small town? If you’re a fan of romantic comedies, or just entertaining and heartwarming reads in general, I suggest you pick this book up!
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