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Singled Out
Cassandra Leigh has a long-term lover who is handsome, charismatic, sophisticated--and married. Now Max has abandoned Cass and taken his wife off to America, leaving Cass all alone in her damp little cottage.
Cass always dreamed that one day she and Max would be married and have children, but now she is waking up to reality. Not only is the prince missing, there isn't even a half-way decent frog in the vicinity.
Meanwhile, Jason, one of her oldest friends, has developed a worrying crush on her--she's also had an encounter of a closer kind than she bargained for with Dante Chase, the new owner of the U.K.'s most ghost-infested manor house, a man even more haunted by his past than Cass is by hers.
Now, the vicar wants to sell Cass off to the highest bidder at the local charity slave auction, and Max, Jason and Dante are each determined to bid for her. And somehow Cass knows that they're all after more than a little light dusting . . .
Cass always dreamed that one day she and Max would be married and have children, but now she is waking up to reality. Not only is the prince missing, there isn't even a half-way decent frog in the vicinity.
Meanwhile, Jason, one of her oldest friends, has developed a worrying crush on her--she's also had an encounter of a closer kind than she bargained for with Dante Chase, the new owner of the U.K.'s most ghost-infested manor house, a man even more haunted by his past than Cass is by hers.
Now, the vicar wants to sell Cass off to the highest bidder at the local charity slave auction, and Max, Jason and Dante are each determined to bid for her. And somehow Cass knows that they're all after more than a little light dusting . . .
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 30, 2003
224 people are currently reading
898 people want to read
About the author
Trisha Ashley
50 books1,095 followersTrisha Ashley is now a full-time novelist, but she has been known to work for stained glass makers and/or plumbers. She likes to paint, eat, drink, and read literary biographies. Her previous hobbies included getting divorced and packing to move. She claims to have once actually eaten Bronte burgers at the Branwell café, but her publisher declines to verify this. She lives in North Wales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
January 19, 2019
I haven’t read many of Trisha’s books before but I am glad I picked this one up. The cover of the book is beautiful and at the same time totally deceiving and you realise this once you get into the story!
It’s certainly a love story with a twist (a dark and spooky one!) Cass isn’t the type of character I normally read about with her interest of writing dark and twisted novels and her attitude towards love. At first she is the mistress of a very arrogant man who clearly doesn’t care about her and only wants one thing from her (you can probably guess what that is) You end up wanting her to get out of that situation and find someone who will care about her and love her for who she is. Will she find someone who will give her the happen ending she deserves? Well you will have to read the book to find out.
I found all of the other characters likeable and interesting in their own unique ways. Orla seems to be the total opposite to Cass yet they are really close friends. Jason seems like a lovely man. As for Dante, well he is such a mystery and your intrigued to find out his backstory. Don’t even get me started on Cass’s parents!
I love the way Trisha describes the scene in each chapter to the pub to haunted Manor House, you can see each setting in your own head so clearly. ‘A Good Heart is Hard to Find’ is a beautifully, gripping and unique read you just don’t want to put down. I give this book 4*/5* 😊
It’s certainly a love story with a twist (a dark and spooky one!) Cass isn’t the type of character I normally read about with her interest of writing dark and twisted novels and her attitude towards love. At first she is the mistress of a very arrogant man who clearly doesn’t care about her and only wants one thing from her (you can probably guess what that is) You end up wanting her to get out of that situation and find someone who will care about her and love her for who she is. Will she find someone who will give her the happen ending she deserves? Well you will have to read the book to find out.
I found all of the other characters likeable and interesting in their own unique ways. Orla seems to be the total opposite to Cass yet they are really close friends. Jason seems like a lovely man. As for Dante, well he is such a mystery and your intrigued to find out his backstory. Don’t even get me started on Cass’s parents!
I love the way Trisha describes the scene in each chapter to the pub to haunted Manor House, you can see each setting in your own head so clearly. ‘A Good Heart is Hard to Find’ is a beautifully, gripping and unique read you just don’t want to put down. I give this book 4*/5* 😊
December 24, 2017
PSA: This is a re-published early Ashley. Originally titled "Singled Out". It's utter quirkiness makes it one of my favorites, but, be warned, it is a lot odder and much less bland than her more recent writing.
I love the gothic spoofy humor.
I love the gothic spoofy humor.
February 24, 2019
Delving into another Trisha Ashley novel, the cover of the book really caught my eye and suggested to me that this would be a typical chick flick, romantic read. However, looks can definitely be deceiving as here, Ashley attempts to combine love and laughter with a bit of gothic too. The result? A tedious read, deserving of a few titters, but one I am grateful to have finished.
I simply could not connect with the lead character, Cass, and am puzzled why this was the case. Maybe because she is so much older than typical chick flick characters and that she is desperate to have a baby before “her time runs out”. I feel that Cass is an a-typical heroine and because of her unusual personality, found her more irritating than pleasing. Her illicit, long term affair with married man, Max, was infuriating for me because it was so obvious that she was being used and cheated on! I dislike reading of characters that are so naive and blindsided by flawed love, that I just wanted to give her a shake and make her realise all of the good things that she had going for her.
Similar to Ashley’s other novel that I read a couple of months ago, the protagonist is a writer and readers are provided with snapshots of her writing. However, Cass is a gothic/horror/romance writer and not only do we read excerpts and reactions to her novels, but she also has an internal monologue commentating on events as they unfold around her. At times these were funny and deserved a chuckle however, the rest of the time I found they disrupted the flow of the story and made the story less interesting.
To add extra dimension to Cass’s character, readers learn that she can read other people's mind/emotions. This was ridiculous in my opinion and also seemed as an afterthought to the plot, as if Ashley has hastily added it in. It was, thankfully, infrequently referred to, but I did find it all verging on the surreal and incomprehensible. Furthermore, Cass has a deep terror of cupboards (!) because of her childhood and the role that her father plays is irritating and disruptive again to the narrative. I found her father’s ranting merely based on a religious fanatic stereotype and thought that the writer could have added another angle to his character instead. When the novel does reach its final conclusion and Cass seems to have moved on from these terrors, the resolution felt awkward and cheesy - more than usual for a chick flick romantic novel.
I found this read dull. I was glad to finally finish it and it felt like it dragged, even though in reality it did not. The characters were not appealing: I found it difficult to picture Dante, and Cass’s friends just seemed like odd-balls. A predictable storyline, I was disappointed in my second Trisha Ashley read. I am always reluctant to offer one star ratings but this read really wasn’t for me. The genre felt muddled - as if it was trying too hard - and, though I was desperate to enjoy this, I could not connect. I will try to give this writer another read at a later time and am desperately hoping I can find a better novel than this.
I simply could not connect with the lead character, Cass, and am puzzled why this was the case. Maybe because she is so much older than typical chick flick characters and that she is desperate to have a baby before “her time runs out”. I feel that Cass is an a-typical heroine and because of her unusual personality, found her more irritating than pleasing. Her illicit, long term affair with married man, Max, was infuriating for me because it was so obvious that she was being used and cheated on! I dislike reading of characters that are so naive and blindsided by flawed love, that I just wanted to give her a shake and make her realise all of the good things that she had going for her.
Similar to Ashley’s other novel that I read a couple of months ago, the protagonist is a writer and readers are provided with snapshots of her writing. However, Cass is a gothic/horror/romance writer and not only do we read excerpts and reactions to her novels, but she also has an internal monologue commentating on events as they unfold around her. At times these were funny and deserved a chuckle however, the rest of the time I found they disrupted the flow of the story and made the story less interesting.
To add extra dimension to Cass’s character, readers learn that she can read other people's mind/emotions. This was ridiculous in my opinion and also seemed as an afterthought to the plot, as if Ashley has hastily added it in. It was, thankfully, infrequently referred to, but I did find it all verging on the surreal and incomprehensible. Furthermore, Cass has a deep terror of cupboards (!) because of her childhood and the role that her father plays is irritating and disruptive again to the narrative. I found her father’s ranting merely based on a religious fanatic stereotype and thought that the writer could have added another angle to his character instead. When the novel does reach its final conclusion and Cass seems to have moved on from these terrors, the resolution felt awkward and cheesy - more than usual for a chick flick romantic novel.
I found this read dull. I was glad to finally finish it and it felt like it dragged, even though in reality it did not. The characters were not appealing: I found it difficult to picture Dante, and Cass’s friends just seemed like odd-balls. A predictable storyline, I was disappointed in my second Trisha Ashley read. I am always reluctant to offer one star ratings but this read really wasn’t for me. The genre felt muddled - as if it was trying too hard - and, though I was desperate to enjoy this, I could not connect. I will try to give this writer another read at a later time and am desperately hoping I can find a better novel than this.
November 13, 2017
FUN FUN FUN.
January 26, 2018
Cass has been Max's mistress for over twenty years. Max promised her he'd leave his wife, so they could start a family together, but he never did. When he gets a job offer in America he leaves Cass behind for a year and takes his wife instead. Cass desperately wants a child and at forty-four the clock is ticking. Max's wife is disabled and he told Cass she'd die soon, but that hasn't happened and Cass doesn't wish the woman an ill fate either. Now that Max is out of the picture for a while Cass can finally start thinking clearly and maybe see his true colors?
Cass has never waited for Max to fill her time, there's much to keep her occupied. She's a horror writer and is always working on a story, she regularly visits the local graveyard for inspiration, she does crypt-o-grams, singing her telegrams dressed up as a vampire, and she regularly meets her best friends at the local pub. Her best friend Jason would love to go out with her, but Cass isn't interested and just likes him as a friend. This doesn't even change when she starts to dislike Max more and more each day. There's one man who keeps fascinating her though, Dante. He's just bought the local haunted manor and they meet on a dark and eery night. Max will come back eventually, but should Cass wait for him or follow her heart? It's time for Cass to make the right choice for her future, what or who will she choose?
A Good Heart is Hard to Find is a fantastic whirlwind of a story. I immediately loved Cass. She's eccentric, fierce and has a wonderful dark sense of humor. I liked her boldness and her honesty. She's a confident woman who can take care of herself and who forms her own opinions, which is something I really liked. There are several men in her life. It was obvious from the beginning that Max isn't a good catch and I kept hoping Cass would open her eyes eventually. Fortunately she meets someone much, much nicer and I loved the chemistry between Cass and Dante. I couldn't wait to find out if Cass would find her happily ever after, something she doesn't really believe in herself. She writes the most horrible stories and it was fun to read them and see what was going on inside her mind. I loved that Trisha Ashley shares them together with Cass's own story. It makes the story versatile and entertaining.
Trisha Ashley has a fabulous distinctive writing style. I love the energy she brings. The fast pace combined with many surprising twists and turns and plenty of hilarious situations are making the story a joy to read. I was spellbound by Cass's adventures, every day brings something new in the form of family, friends and relationships. The characters in the story are colorful and vibrant with plenty of delightful flaws. I absolutely loved A Good Heart is Hard to Find, I was captivated and amused from beginning to end.
Cass has never waited for Max to fill her time, there's much to keep her occupied. She's a horror writer and is always working on a story, she regularly visits the local graveyard for inspiration, she does crypt-o-grams, singing her telegrams dressed up as a vampire, and she regularly meets her best friends at the local pub. Her best friend Jason would love to go out with her, but Cass isn't interested and just likes him as a friend. This doesn't even change when she starts to dislike Max more and more each day. There's one man who keeps fascinating her though, Dante. He's just bought the local haunted manor and they meet on a dark and eery night. Max will come back eventually, but should Cass wait for him or follow her heart? It's time for Cass to make the right choice for her future, what or who will she choose?
A Good Heart is Hard to Find is a fantastic whirlwind of a story. I immediately loved Cass. She's eccentric, fierce and has a wonderful dark sense of humor. I liked her boldness and her honesty. She's a confident woman who can take care of herself and who forms her own opinions, which is something I really liked. There are several men in her life. It was obvious from the beginning that Max isn't a good catch and I kept hoping Cass would open her eyes eventually. Fortunately she meets someone much, much nicer and I loved the chemistry between Cass and Dante. I couldn't wait to find out if Cass would find her happily ever after, something she doesn't really believe in herself. She writes the most horrible stories and it was fun to read them and see what was going on inside her mind. I loved that Trisha Ashley shares them together with Cass's own story. It makes the story versatile and entertaining.
Trisha Ashley has a fabulous distinctive writing style. I love the energy she brings. The fast pace combined with many surprising twists and turns and plenty of hilarious situations are making the story a joy to read. I was spellbound by Cass's adventures, every day brings something new in the form of family, friends and relationships. The characters in the story are colorful and vibrant with plenty of delightful flaws. I absolutely loved A Good Heart is Hard to Find, I was captivated and amused from beginning to end.
December 19, 2017
I was really looking forward to this book as so enjoy the author but wasn't one of her best I still enjoyed it and was full of second chances and loves affairs and can they work through that. I did find at times it lost its thread in the story and wasn't as good as usual but I still enjoyed it. Cass has been having a love affair with a married man for years and she's realised she is in her forties and hasn't settled down and had children and is her time running out. Max will not leave his wife as she had an accident and is disabled and he has an affair with her but she suddenly wonders if he's the man for her. His wife dies while they are away for a year and she realises she's not right with him but who does she think is best. Is it Jason a long term friend but she isn't sure then there is Dante who she strangely meets on a dark night and he's living in a new haunted manor. She realises she needs to go for someone and settle down but who is best for her.
This is funny at times along with also being sad and heartwarming.
This is funny at times along with also being sad and heartwarming.
October 25, 2021
Really hate giving up on books but this one was just rubbish. The characters were really boring and I just couldn’t get into it.
January 25, 2018
Trisha world really is one of my favourite places to be. This is a re-release of an older book and so is perhaps a little rougher round the edges than the latest novels, but it is still full of warmth, wit , quirky characters and great storylines. I loved Cassie (even forgave her long term affair with a married man), loved Dante, loved Cassie's friends, didn't like Max (said married man, bit seedy) and even had a soft spot for Max's recently deceased wife as she seeks vengeance from beyond the grave! As well as being a long term mistress with a ticking biological time clock, Cassie is a writer of gothic horror novels and part time singing telegram. The plots for her novels are cleverly interwoven with the story (loved the review snippets) and her late night graveyard prowling in search of inspiration is quite amusing. She meets the new owner of the local (supposedly) haunted house and from then on we are all rooting for her and broody hero Dante to get together. The supporting cast of friends and family make for a really entertaining read - especially Cassie's god- fearing father and her odd but loveable brother. Thanks, Trisha for another comfort blanket read!
I was lucky enough to have a review copy (thanks NetGalley and the publisher) but I went straight to Amazon and bought a copy for my Mum as I know she will love it too!
I was lucky enough to have a review copy (thanks NetGalley and the publisher) but I went straight to Amazon and bought a copy for my Mum as I know she will love it too!
July 14, 2024
Although I enjoyed the romance as a nice easy read. There are plot lines that just disappear and never have an ending and actions that clearly come from conversations that we don't witness. Also the talk about women's body types is very clearly of the early 2000s which just didn't sit right with me.
June 19, 2021
I wasn't sure about this book to begin with but got into the quirky gothic nature of horror story writer Cass. Her disastrous long term affair with a married man and her obsession to have a baby and her lifestyle of late night visits to graveyards and old buildings researching for her novels made for a very unique Trish Ashley read.
August 18, 2020
Cassandra Leigh is a horror author, 44, desperate for children but stuck as a mistress in a 20 year relationship.
Her friends Orla and Jason can see through Max's lies, one day they will marry and have kids but Cass can't until she finds out for herself then it's a choice between The devious Max, having a baby of convenience with Jason or the dark, brooding new owner of Kedge hall, the dashing Dante Chase.
Time is running out for Cass to pursue her dreams but she must take that first step and decide what she really wants out of life.
A funny, modern romance with a healthy dose of drama and real life situations that drag you into the characters situations so that you at times laugh and cry along with them.
Definitely a hot contender in the women's fiction genre.
Her friends Orla and Jason can see through Max's lies, one day they will marry and have kids but Cass can't until she finds out for herself then it's a choice between The devious Max, having a baby of convenience with Jason or the dark, brooding new owner of Kedge hall, the dashing Dante Chase.
Time is running out for Cass to pursue her dreams but she must take that first step and decide what she really wants out of life.
A funny, modern romance with a healthy dose of drama and real life situations that drag you into the characters situations so that you at times laugh and cry along with them.
Definitely a hot contender in the women's fiction genre.
February 15, 2018
Great characters and lots of laughs.
July 10, 2018
An ok read , not the strongest of plots from Trisha Ashley . It’s interesting to read her earlier writing and see the changes that have happened over the years.
June 8, 2021
Less than 1 *
DNF. I think the main reason I can't get into this story is that the 44 year old Cass sounds so much older, than her age, the tone of her voice doesn't ring true. While 44 might be a bit on the older side in a romance, it is not that old.
The main character is also such a victim (of her own choices), I have no sympathy for her.
DNF. I think the main reason I can't get into this story is that the 44 year old Cass sounds so much older, than her age, the tone of her voice doesn't ring true. While 44 might be a bit on the older side in a romance, it is not that old.
The main character is also such a victim (of her own choices), I have no sympathy for her.
November 29, 2017
A good heart is hard to find is a lovely Trisha Ashley book. Trisha has been in my list of favourite authors for some time now, and I love all her books.
This book felt a little bit different to the norm, as it was about a horror writer Called Cassandra who is having a twenty plus year old affair with a married man named Max.
As we get introduced to Cassandra she is in her forties, MAx has just gone away on business for a year with his disabled wife, Cassandra is feeling the tug of her biological clock ticking away and she is desperate to have a baby. But every time she talks to Max he isn’t interested in having a baby and has no real intentions of leaving his wife.
When Max’s wife dies in an accident. Cassandra is handed a letter from his wife which says that she knew all along about their affair, and that Cassandra and Max would never be able to get married because it would mean Max wouldn’t get her inheritance.
All at once everything comes into perfect clarity for Cassandra and she is left wondering what on Earth she has been doing for the past 20+ years.
On a mission to find a mate and have a baby before it is too late. Cassandra is left with the possibility of having one with her oldest male friend Jason. Who has never hidden his true feelings towards her or the new curator of the oldest most haunted house in the village who has moved to town.
With the chemistry at an all time high and everything up in the air. Cassandra has a lot of thinking and choices to make. Will Cassandra’s love life work out and will she get her one wish that she is so desperate for?
I really enjoyed this book. Got me it wasn’t my most favourite of Trisha books. But I did really enjoy it in any case. As always it was well written and it was mixed with love, friendship, hard work, whit and Trishas unmistakable ability to write a great book.
I can’t wait for the next one.
This book felt a little bit different to the norm, as it was about a horror writer Called Cassandra who is having a twenty plus year old affair with a married man named Max.
As we get introduced to Cassandra she is in her forties, MAx has just gone away on business for a year with his disabled wife, Cassandra is feeling the tug of her biological clock ticking away and she is desperate to have a baby. But every time she talks to Max he isn’t interested in having a baby and has no real intentions of leaving his wife.
When Max’s wife dies in an accident. Cassandra is handed a letter from his wife which says that she knew all along about their affair, and that Cassandra and Max would never be able to get married because it would mean Max wouldn’t get her inheritance.
All at once everything comes into perfect clarity for Cassandra and she is left wondering what on Earth she has been doing for the past 20+ years.
On a mission to find a mate and have a baby before it is too late. Cassandra is left with the possibility of having one with her oldest male friend Jason. Who has never hidden his true feelings towards her or the new curator of the oldest most haunted house in the village who has moved to town.
With the chemistry at an all time high and everything up in the air. Cassandra has a lot of thinking and choices to make. Will Cassandra’s love life work out and will she get her one wish that she is so desperate for?
I really enjoyed this book. Got me it wasn’t my most favourite of Trisha books. But I did really enjoy it in any case. As always it was well written and it was mixed with love, friendship, hard work, whit and Trishas unmistakable ability to write a great book.
I can’t wait for the next one.
February 23, 2025
Fun read, nice to read a quirky book, that isn't based around 20-30 year olds, but more mature people. Enjoyed it so much, read it in one sitting and couldn't help laughing out loud.
March 30, 2022
Chick lit novel with a middle-aged heroine
Cass is a beautiful, svelte, 44-year-old, unmarried woman, who lives alone in a rather primitive cottage, with an outhouse instead of an indoor toilet, in a small village in England. She is a popular author of horror fiction, who has wasted 20 years of her life, and very likely any possibility of ever conceiving the biological child she yearns for, in a dead-end affair with a married, 54-year-old college professor named Max. His wife is a paraplegic who is quite wealthy, which is the entire reason that Max has never divorced her. When Max leaves the country for a year of sabbatical, taking his wife with him, he insists that Cass not call or email him, stating that when he feels like it he will call her periodically. Because of this cavalier treatment, even worse than how much he has been taking her for granted the past two decades, Cass finally starts to realize that she can do far better than the narcissistic jerk she's sacrificed her youth for. This crucial decision is made a lot easier when she has a drunken one-night stand with a handsome 38-year-old investigative journalist named Dante, who has recently returned from being a kidnap victim in South America and has inherited a creepy mansion in the village.
This is one of the strangest books I've ever read. It's billed as being a comedy, but I didn't personally find it particularly funny. I got really tired of far too many scenes with the following irritatingly bizarre subcharacters: Cass's Mean Girl, fraternal-twin sister, who has done nothing but sneer at Cass their whole lives; her lunatic, religious-fanatic father, who horrendously abused her as a child and has continued to verbally abuse her throughout her adulthood; her long-time friend, Jason, who may or may not have murdered his wife, and her nutty, promiscuous, divorcee best friend, Orla, who has inveigled Cass into participating in her singing telegram business, dressed as a sexy vampire.
I'm not a big fan of chick lit, and this book did not change my opinion. I don't really enjoy reading about codependent, doormat heroines, who take 3/4 of a long novel to finally become the worm that turns.
Cass is a beautiful, svelte, 44-year-old, unmarried woman, who lives alone in a rather primitive cottage, with an outhouse instead of an indoor toilet, in a small village in England. She is a popular author of horror fiction, who has wasted 20 years of her life, and very likely any possibility of ever conceiving the biological child she yearns for, in a dead-end affair with a married, 54-year-old college professor named Max. His wife is a paraplegic who is quite wealthy, which is the entire reason that Max has never divorced her. When Max leaves the country for a year of sabbatical, taking his wife with him, he insists that Cass not call or email him, stating that when he feels like it he will call her periodically. Because of this cavalier treatment, even worse than how much he has been taking her for granted the past two decades, Cass finally starts to realize that she can do far better than the narcissistic jerk she's sacrificed her youth for. This crucial decision is made a lot easier when she has a drunken one-night stand with a handsome 38-year-old investigative journalist named Dante, who has recently returned from being a kidnap victim in South America and has inherited a creepy mansion in the village.
This is one of the strangest books I've ever read. It's billed as being a comedy, but I didn't personally find it particularly funny. I got really tired of far too many scenes with the following irritatingly bizarre subcharacters: Cass's Mean Girl, fraternal-twin sister, who has done nothing but sneer at Cass their whole lives; her lunatic, religious-fanatic father, who horrendously abused her as a child and has continued to verbally abuse her throughout her adulthood; her long-time friend, Jason, who may or may not have murdered his wife, and her nutty, promiscuous, divorcee best friend, Orla, who has inveigled Cass into participating in her singing telegram business, dressed as a sexy vampire.
I'm not a big fan of chick lit, and this book did not change my opinion. I don't really enjoy reading about codependent, doormat heroines, who take 3/4 of a long novel to finally become the worm that turns.
January 7, 2018
***Copy From NetGalley in return for an honest review*****
I'm a big fan of Trisha Ashley's and was looking forward to reading this - knowing it was one of her early novels reissues under a new title and thinking it was one I hadn't read. However, it was clear to me within a few pages that I had read it back in the day - before I started obsessively tracking my reading (or possibly when I was using a different book tracker which shut down and I had to migrate across and lost a few things in the process).
Anyway, this is Singled Out under a new title and tells the story of schlock horror writer Cass, who was disowned by her parents when she took up with a married man 20 years ago and who is now wondering whether he really is the man for her at all. She's approaching her mid40s and desperately wants a baby, but Max has just taken a job in America for a year with the disabled wife he told Cass only had a few years to live two decades ago. So she starts to look around for other options - maybe her best friend Jason, but he has a wicked temper and his wife is mysteriously AWOL or there's the new mysterious bloke up at the Hall who she finds disturbingly appealing. Add to this her twin sister - always her parent's favourite - turning up suddenly out of favour and Cass's life is taking a turn.
I enjoyed this mostly for the clues it gives to what Trisha has go on to do - there's an eccentric dad, a hippy-ish heroine, the dark and brooding hero and the tight-knit female friendships that we've got used to all here in slightly proto form. This is a bit weirder and a bit less developed that once Trisha hit her stride a few novels later and Cass is one of the wetter and weirder heroines. The big absence (compared to Ashley's most recent books) is that there's no cooking. Cass lives off pub food and shop-bought pizzas and so there's no lovely collection of recipes for baking or chocolatey treats to imagine. So it may split the established fans a bit as it's so different.
I'm a big fan of Trisha Ashley's and was looking forward to reading this - knowing it was one of her early novels reissues under a new title and thinking it was one I hadn't read. However, it was clear to me within a few pages that I had read it back in the day - before I started obsessively tracking my reading (or possibly when I was using a different book tracker which shut down and I had to migrate across and lost a few things in the process).
Anyway, this is Singled Out under a new title and tells the story of schlock horror writer Cass, who was disowned by her parents when she took up with a married man 20 years ago and who is now wondering whether he really is the man for her at all. She's approaching her mid40s and desperately wants a baby, but Max has just taken a job in America for a year with the disabled wife he told Cass only had a few years to live two decades ago. So she starts to look around for other options - maybe her best friend Jason, but he has a wicked temper and his wife is mysteriously AWOL or there's the new mysterious bloke up at the Hall who she finds disturbingly appealing. Add to this her twin sister - always her parent's favourite - turning up suddenly out of favour and Cass's life is taking a turn.
I enjoyed this mostly for the clues it gives to what Trisha has go on to do - there's an eccentric dad, a hippy-ish heroine, the dark and brooding hero and the tight-knit female friendships that we've got used to all here in slightly proto form. This is a bit weirder and a bit less developed that once Trisha hit her stride a few novels later and Cass is one of the wetter and weirder heroines. The big absence (compared to Ashley's most recent books) is that there's no cooking. Cass lives off pub food and shop-bought pizzas and so there's no lovely collection of recipes for baking or chocolatey treats to imagine. So it may split the established fans a bit as it's so different.
January 31, 2018
Cass Leigh is a writer of horror books but her life is far more interesting than a book. Her lover of twenty years has moved to California with his wife for a year, leaving her behind to wonder about their relationship; her estranged God-fearing father leaves messages on her machine damning her to Hell; her sister uses her as an excuse when she is visiting her lover; she dresses up as a vampire to earn more money; she yearns for a baby so badly that she is considering her friend Jason as a donor despite his temperament and his strange son; she can't stand Dante, the new guy in the village, but she can't seem to be able to stay away from him; and, last but not least, she pretends to be a ghost in a haunted house to scare visitors.
It took me a while to get into this book but, once I did, I found it quite captivating. Previously published in 2003 as Singled Out, this is a very enjoyable novel with a pinch of fantasy and religious elements and full of very colourful and weird characters - there is not a normal person in the whole book. Add the small village atmosphere and the ridiculous situations that Cass keeps getting herself into and you have an hilarious and engaging novel.
It took me a while to get into this book but, once I did, I found it quite captivating. Previously published in 2003 as Singled Out, this is a very enjoyable novel with a pinch of fantasy and religious elements and full of very colourful and weird characters - there is not a normal person in the whole book. Add the small village atmosphere and the ridiculous situations that Cass keeps getting herself into and you have an hilarious and engaging novel.
February 27, 2018
This is my second Trish Ashley book, and I really enjoyed it. It’s fun and light hearted! I like reading this sort of novel, especially after reading a really intense, heavy book.
Cass Leigh is a horror novelist, and is mistress to Max - and has been ever faithful for over 20 years, in the hope that his wife will die, or he will leave her.
Max has taken a sabbatical and gone to America with his wife for a year....leaving poor old Cass to reflect on her relationship...or lack of. Cass is 44 years old and desperate for a baby.....there are other options to take into consideration....there’s Jason - who’s wife mysteriously disappeared one night, never to return. Or there’s Jack, the caretaker for Kedge Hall.....then there’s lord of the manor himself - Dante Chase - journalist come author.....which one will she choose, if any?!....
Loved the humour and gothic feel. Thought all the characters were interesting in there own unique quirky ways. The plot dealt with a lot of issues in a light hearted manor and with humour. I wouldn’t change a thing about it! I’ll definitely be buying more Trish Ashley novels!
5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cass Leigh is a horror novelist, and is mistress to Max - and has been ever faithful for over 20 years, in the hope that his wife will die, or he will leave her.
Max has taken a sabbatical and gone to America with his wife for a year....leaving poor old Cass to reflect on her relationship...or lack of. Cass is 44 years old and desperate for a baby.....there are other options to take into consideration....there’s Jason - who’s wife mysteriously disappeared one night, never to return. Or there’s Jack, the caretaker for Kedge Hall.....then there’s lord of the manor himself - Dante Chase - journalist come author.....which one will she choose, if any?!....
Loved the humour and gothic feel. Thought all the characters were interesting in there own unique quirky ways. The plot dealt with a lot of issues in a light hearted manor and with humour. I wouldn’t change a thing about it! I’ll definitely be buying more Trish Ashley novels!
5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 18, 2022
A Good Heart is Hard to Find by Trisha Ashley
She has left the Night Court - and her High Lord - and is playing a deadly game of deceit. In the Spring Court, Tamlin Cassandra Leigh has woken as if from a bad dream: forty-four, childless and twenty-plus years into an affair with a married man. Max assures her they just need a little more patience and for his wife to die (!) but Cass is desperate for a baby and running out of time. Maybe Max is not the only man for her?
There’s her friend Jason – though he’s perhaps a little too rugged, and there’s something strange about the way his wife disappeared . . . Or there’s Dante, the mysterious stranger she meets on a dark night in his haunted manor house . . .
The cover for this title really jumped out at me whilst I was choosing books in my local library. I used to really enjoy books by Trisha Ashley and I am trying to regain this enjoyment following a few poor reads. This is a book full of second chances and whilst it was a quick read it just struggled to hold my attention. However, as a reader I always find it interesting to go back and read some of the first books by an author to see how far they have come.
Rating 3/5
She has left the Night Court - and her High Lord - and is playing a deadly game of deceit. In the Spring Court, Tamlin Cassandra Leigh has woken as if from a bad dream: forty-four, childless and twenty-plus years into an affair with a married man. Max assures her they just need a little more patience and for his wife to die (!) but Cass is desperate for a baby and running out of time. Maybe Max is not the only man for her?
There’s her friend Jason – though he’s perhaps a little too rugged, and there’s something strange about the way his wife disappeared . . . Or there’s Dante, the mysterious stranger she meets on a dark night in his haunted manor house . . .
The cover for this title really jumped out at me whilst I was choosing books in my local library. I used to really enjoy books by Trisha Ashley and I am trying to regain this enjoyment following a few poor reads. This is a book full of second chances and whilst it was a quick read it just struggled to hold my attention. However, as a reader I always find it interesting to go back and read some of the first books by an author to see how far they have come.
Rating 3/5
August 7, 2018
I think Ms Ashley missed her calling, whilst her romantic comedies are actually pretty good I think her Gothic horror could be even better - judging by the excerpts in this book attributed to our heroine Cass Leigh. They certainly have the ring of authenticity of the genre and,in some cases I was more interested in how that story worked out than in Cass's story.
It did feel a little odd to be reading a Trisha Ashley novel not set in or around The Mosses if I'm being honest. However, as this is one of her early books (Singled Out) titivated up a little and released under a new name maybe The Mosses just don't exist in her literary orbit yet - although there was a nod to another book tucked discretely in there (Wish Upon A Star). As I have come to expect from her books the tale is told with a gentle humour by a self-aware narrator who you instantly feel you have known for ever.
This is a warm hug of a book that will leave you with a smile on your face and a slight sense of unease relating to graveyards.
It did feel a little odd to be reading a Trisha Ashley novel not set in or around The Mosses if I'm being honest. However, as this is one of her early books (Singled Out) titivated up a little and released under a new name maybe The Mosses just don't exist in her literary orbit yet - although there was a nod to another book tucked discretely in there (Wish Upon A Star). As I have come to expect from her books the tale is told with a gentle humour by a self-aware narrator who you instantly feel you have known for ever.
This is a warm hug of a book that will leave you with a smile on your face and a slight sense of unease relating to graveyards.
July 19, 2019
If you’re going to make your protagonist someone who participated in adultery, you have to be willing to do a fair amount of angst and soul-searching in order to keep your protagonist sympathetic and even likeable, which is why all of the good adultery novels engage in some pretty intense discussions about love, marriage, and women’s roles in society. Ultimately, it requires a level of moral ambiguity in the protagonist that the romance genre simply isn’t equipped for. So it’s not really surprising that Singled Out doesn’t work; there are a bunch of smaller issues with the characters and plot which don’t help matters, but ultimately what clinches it is that we know from the first page that the heroine is involved in ruining another woman’s life. Though the heroine is extremely upset about the fact that her lover has lied to her, and more than a little concerned that he may have been involved in his wife’s death (a plot point which is never really cleared up to any satisfaction), she seems remarkably unconcerned with her role in destroying another woman’s marriage and turning that woman into a fairly bitter person, indeed, our heroine seems to consider the wife’s posthumous shaming of her to be a mark of the wife’s cruelty rather than her own misconduct. All of this makes it really hard to see how our heroine actually deserves her happily ever after when Mr Right comes along, especially since Miss Ashley has been none-too-kind to women who dally with other women’s husbands in her other books.
March 20, 2020
This was a bit of a slow burner for me really. It took a bit to get into, and then I raced to the end. Maybe that's a good thin??
The story centres on Cass, a trash horror writer of the finest calibre (sounds a bit like a Shaun Huston type writer - gory to the max) and her love life, especially when Dante comes into the frame. The eclectic mix of friends and family make it all the more an interesting read too.
All the characters are well written, and Eddie reminds me of my own brother (also Eddie) who was a traveller and free spirit but didn't find his Rosetta. Each is troubled in their own way, but make fine companions for each other. The father figure was a little over the top, but I suppose mental health issues manifest in different ways.
I think I'm going to be reading a lot over the coming weeks, in between home working and trying not to watch too many Korean dramas on Netflix!
The story centres on Cass, a trash horror writer of the finest calibre (sounds a bit like a Shaun Huston type writer - gory to the max) and her love life, especially when Dante comes into the frame. The eclectic mix of friends and family make it all the more an interesting read too.
All the characters are well written, and Eddie reminds me of my own brother (also Eddie) who was a traveller and free spirit but didn't find his Rosetta. Each is troubled in their own way, but make fine companions for each other. The father figure was a little over the top, but I suppose mental health issues manifest in different ways.
I think I'm going to be reading a lot over the coming weeks, in between home working and trying not to watch too many Korean dramas on Netflix!
March 3, 2022
I was pretty sure this book wasn't aimed at 'me'--the cover and back cover seemed more aimed at a chicklit age? So one of the reasons I wanted to mention it--and praise it--because I thought the cover was misleading. It's not 'a rom'. It's not a 'serious single title.' I thought of it as a one-of-
a-kind woman's book that has mountains of humor, a totally insane cast of characters, and a hero and heroine who are made for each other--even if no one else initially thinks so. Everyone in the story is a little off the wall, but that works for me--I've never thought 'normal' was a sacred word--and Ashley's voice just had a *delight* to it. She had fun with the characters, her story, all of it--and that joy came through in her voice and style. Fresh language. Her terrible family--his terrible family--it would all have been so dark if the author hadn't had such a totally great time with it.
Fun read with some real issues hidden in the humor. Recommend
a-kind woman's book that has mountains of humor, a totally insane cast of characters, and a hero and heroine who are made for each other--even if no one else initially thinks so. Everyone in the story is a little off the wall, but that works for me--I've never thought 'normal' was a sacred word--and Ashley's voice just had a *delight* to it. She had fun with the characters, her story, all of it--and that joy came through in her voice and style. Fresh language. Her terrible family--his terrible family--it would all have been so dark if the author hadn't had such a totally great time with it.
Fun read with some real issues hidden in the humor. Recommend
May 23, 2018
Utterly awful title - meant I was stuck with that horrible song in my head for the entire time while reading this. But WHAT a gem this book is! It's one of Trisha's older ones that has been republished and it really shows up her newer books, I'm afraid. Her most recent work has been sadly disappointing - written too quickly, FAR too much talking (which is SO much easier than actually developing a plot, describing anything or creating atmosphere.) All my favourite Trisha-tropes are here: a fab heroine who is getting on a bit, a gloomy hero, a ghastly ex-boyfriend, gorgeous countryside, several ridiculous characters and an hysterical plot. This has shot to the top of my Most Fav Trisha book list!
(ps you need to understand that I don't read chick lit and never read romances, so if I say I like a romance, then it must be good!)
(ps you need to understand that I don't read chick lit and never read romances, so if I say I like a romance, then it must be good!)
July 9, 2018
I really enjoy Trisha Ashley books and my parents bought this one for my birthday.
This story, starring Cass who has been a mistress to Max for over 20 years, contains all of Ashley’s usual wonderful twists and fabulous characters. I love Cass and Orla is just magnificent as the best friend. Cass is a successful horror novelist which threw me a bit as I’m not a fan of horror novels. However Ashley manages to throw enough quotes and reviews in the book to keep the plot going without adding the horror.
The book reminded me so much of Northanger Abbey - a young lady on an adventure for love and horror!
Whilst it had wonderful characters and plot, this book just didn’t interest me as much as some of her others. I preferred chocolate and candy and English country village shops to the horror and ghostly appearances found here.
This story, starring Cass who has been a mistress to Max for over 20 years, contains all of Ashley’s usual wonderful twists and fabulous characters. I love Cass and Orla is just magnificent as the best friend. Cass is a successful horror novelist which threw me a bit as I’m not a fan of horror novels. However Ashley manages to throw enough quotes and reviews in the book to keep the plot going without adding the horror.
The book reminded me so much of Northanger Abbey - a young lady on an adventure for love and horror!
Whilst it had wonderful characters and plot, this book just didn’t interest me as much as some of her others. I preferred chocolate and candy and English country village shops to the horror and ghostly appearances found here.
April 30, 2023
i originally read this book back in 2018 but decided to give it a re read as I just remember loving the dark humour in it.
I hadn't realise how many of the nuances I had forgotten and I fell in love with this book again from page one. The book is written in such a way, with little asides, I just couldn't help but laugh all the way through.
Our heroine is called Cass and is a horror writer. I don't like to give spoilers so I feel you have to read this book or read other reviews to glean much more.
Just take it from me there are great characters and wonderful situations galore as well as the dark humour that pervades the whole book. Cass has to sing cryptograms and do a haunting as a ghost as well as deal with a raving religious father!
A great book from Trisha, she is such a good author that I would highly recommend any of her books to be honest.
I hadn't realise how many of the nuances I had forgotten and I fell in love with this book again from page one. The book is written in such a way, with little asides, I just couldn't help but laugh all the way through.
Our heroine is called Cass and is a horror writer. I don't like to give spoilers so I feel you have to read this book or read other reviews to glean much more.
Just take it from me there are great characters and wonderful situations galore as well as the dark humour that pervades the whole book. Cass has to sing cryptograms and do a haunting as a ghost as well as deal with a raving religious father!
A great book from Trisha, she is such a good author that I would highly recommend any of her books to be honest.
January 23, 2018
I found it hard to get into this story, and I don't think it is one of Trisha's best books, but then, it is one of her earlier works, having been published as 'Singled Out' around 15 years ago.
That said, I persevered (given that this was an ARC in exchange for an honest review), and I was glad I did because I found myself laughing out loud in some parts. Trisha's trademark style is present, albeit a bit less polished.
I did warm to the heroine, Cass, and felt sorry for her at times. I also liked Dante, the hero shall we say. I would have liked to have heard a bit more from him actually.
I found the Gothic parts a distraction to be honest, although I supposed they added a certain quirky charm. And that is how I would describe this book - quirky.
That said, I persevered (given that this was an ARC in exchange for an honest review), and I was glad I did because I found myself laughing out loud in some parts. Trisha's trademark style is present, albeit a bit less polished.
I did warm to the heroine, Cass, and felt sorry for her at times. I also liked Dante, the hero shall we say. I would have liked to have heard a bit more from him actually.
I found the Gothic parts a distraction to be honest, although I supposed they added a certain quirky charm. And that is how I would describe this book - quirky.
March 23, 2018
A Good Heart is Hard to Find by Trisha Ashley was previously published as Singled Out. Now, I looked on my bookshelf and couldn't find this book but after reading this, I know I have read it before. Nonetheless, this did not detract from my enjoyment of the novel. I just love anything that Trisha Ashley writes, so i knew I would enjoy it.
Cass is 44, childless and in a 20 plus year relationship that is going no where. There are 3 men in her life, Max her lover, who s married and taken off to America with his wife for a year, her friend Jason and newcomer Dante, a mysterious stranger who has just moved into the haunted manor house. All have an interest in Cass, but who will she choose?
A great read. If you like Trisha Ashley you will love this.
Cass is 44, childless and in a 20 plus year relationship that is going no where. There are 3 men in her life, Max her lover, who s married and taken off to America with his wife for a year, her friend Jason and newcomer Dante, a mysterious stranger who has just moved into the haunted manor house. All have an interest in Cass, but who will she choose?
A great read. If you like Trisha Ashley you will love this.
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