Tongue in Cheek

Lodes Chronicles #2

by Fiona Walker

From the very first day that they move to the Oddlode Valley, Mo, Diana and Anke find themselves on a relocation collision course. As inept removal men deliver furniture - and even horses - to the wrong houses, other moves are being made.
Mo's bad boy lover takes Diana's eye, Anke's flirtatious husband suggests Mo hop into bed with him - and Diana's local heart-throb brother comes joyfully face to face with his teenage crush.
As a long, hot Indian summer burns its embers into winter, new passions ignite and old flames are fanned. The heat is on, and sparks fly - but is it just a flash in the pan or is somebody fuelling the fire?

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Romance, British Literature, Rom Com, Contemporary Romance

783 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 22, 2006

Reviews

[Sharon]

Started off really well but I thought this dragged on and on and on. Very hard to sympathise with any of the characters - those that were nice were a bit wet to say the least and the others were just downright dislikeable, nasty at times.

I get the feeling that the author was trying to do a Jilly Cooper Riders/Polo style story, but it just wasn't anywhere as good.

If you want a sexy romp, stick to Jilly Cooper, or try Veronica Henry her books are really very funny and sexy and have likeable characters too!

[Nicola Hession-Kent]

Tongue in Cheek, my favourite book ever. If you struggle to keep up with a lot of characters then this is not the book for you. I found it to be a book I couldn't put down and I have reread it on several occasions. I just want to climb into the book and live in the Oddlode Valley!

[Amanda]

This was poor, with but a hint of Walker's usually extraordinary sparkling prose. The plot was all over the place, with various red herrings thrown about, but no real mystery introduced for those red herrings to hang from. The final reveal was tiresome and overblown. Walker can do SO much better.

[Lorelle]

Another fantastic story from my favourite author. This is the 2nd book of a 4 book series called the 'Lodes Chronicles' which is brilliant. So many characters, so many twists and turns. Entertaining and highly recommended!

[Sunny Burns]

I wanted to read some light romantic story with the usual misunderstandings and happy endings. It started with some incredibly weird epilogue but then moved onto an exhausting furniture mix-up. The only completely hilarious exchange in the book was when the village ladies were gossiping about the school teacher Mo. After which the book got creepy.
There were two established couples in the book who seemed willing to cheat on their partners. None of the characters were likeable with the exception of Diana, a mother who returns to her hometown after some mystery scandal in her teens. And apparently whatever it had been seemed to be her fault. Turns out it wasn't. But it definitely was the fault of the adults around her. It was horrifying, I felt incredibly disgusted as pieces were revealed and in the end everyone was fine and dandy with everything. It was disturbing, it wasn't the cutesy romance I hoped it was but a thriller surrounded by people pretending to be in a cutesy romance. I hate myself for reading it. But I did keep on reading it with the hope that resolution would be the pay-off. I had liked Lucy Talk so that's why I picked it up.

[Grooveyem]

Read it. Enjoyed it. We're there things that could be improved? Yes. Too many characters; I can think of 35 off the top off my head. Plus they nearly all have silly nicknames meaning around 50-60 names to try and remember. Very difficult to keep up with who's who, who's related to who and who's sleeping with who. The story follows 3 main families and I felt a separate book could have been written about each to make the story less convoluted (I didn't realise this book was part of a set) and develop the characters better. Two of Anke's children seemed to serve no purpose whatsoever.

As I say, I enjoyed the story, but I won't be rushing out to read the rest of the Lode's Chronicles.

[Kami Thebus]

I prefer reading books easy on the imagination and that flow in sequence. I didnt like the "chaos" of some scenes and it wasnt even a murder or suspense scene - the ones i will lose sleep over!. i loved the beautiful english though, the humour was great. But overall not organised chaos and too many characters.
Will i get another book of hers...maybe ..40% chance

[Catherine]

This started off as interesting.. then went down this weird path of strange tales and relationships that made no sense. The whole story was weird and full of unnecessary characters and strange situations. It also went on and on. It could have been good... sadly wasn't - was just convoluted & weird

[Margaret Haigh]

A very light read but I enjoyed it, three couples/families struggling to get to a happy ending, not challenging but a nice relaxing read.

[Linda]

Just too jumbled!

[Alicia]

Wasn't interested

[Suzanne Christian]

Was very slow going, but did have some great characters in it. Felt like it could have done the about 100 fewer pages & it would have then been a perfect book for me.

[Vickie Taylor-Edwards]

I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it either. It felt too over complicated to me. Too many characters and sub plots that didn’t really add anything. The basic premise of the secret garden and Diana and Amos would have been enough without everything else.

[Louise Bishop]

Great plot, well written characters!

[Nancy]

A bit silly, British chick lit with all the required characters, intrigue, mystery, arson, horses, sex, one that you want to put in a different cover to read in public. But, difficult to stop reading.

[Shona]

Mo, Diana and Anke all meet upon moving to Oddlode Valley. The events that happen and the friendships made and ruined are crazy. It dragged on a bit I felt. I would not read this again.

[Jacqueline]

i did enjoy this book but there were parts i just couldnt fathom, relationships that didnt seem to fit and some character reactions which seemed not to fit in with the way the character had initially been developed - having read a few of fiona walkers books im starting to think she's got a habit of developing her characters so that we see them in one way and thing we understand them, then all of a sudden changing them so that they make an unbelievable swerve in attitude of values!having said that i did enjoy it,even though when i started it i didnt think i would finish it...

[Simone Keijzer]

I was exited about the representation of an asaexual person like myself, until it wasn´t. Of course there was a "cure all" bonk. What a bummer. It would have been so nice if there was a light bulb moment after hearing or reading about asexuality and think "that´s me!" and thát would have been the life altering thing.
If your are reading this, Fiona, please consider an asexual character in any of your books to write, it´s not hard, just don´t let them have sex. There is so little representation that people think they are abnomal or broken if they don´t think sex is the thing to want.

[Seadaz]

Hard going to read this one, I usually really enjoy Fiona’s books. I didnt like the characters, especially Pod, didnt get all the fires, I don’t mind the high number of characters, but the nicknames!

Large book, I read and listened to audio version (narrator was nice to listen too).

Nearly gave up, but did continue to the end.

[Sarah]

Her books are ok, getting a bit samey. Loved the first two the best.

[Tracey]

Was given to me as a gift (hrad back copy), wasn't really sure about it at first, BUT it was brilliant couldn't put it down. Re-read several times and will re-read again.....

[Laura]

Bought this book on a whim; it was on sale at B&N. Loved it!

[Vera]

I liked this book, the story is a bit hard to get into but as soon as you know everyone and where everything is, it's a fun and romantic book. I think I've read it three times!

[Jenn]

Cute! Not quite as good as her other stuff, but it was nice and horsey.

[Fez]

I really enjoyed this book. At times it seemed it was all about who was sleeping with who but it turned into something completely unexpected. Will read this one again for sure! :)

[Hilda]

I read this book a few years ago, i could barely put it down. Really great book

[Poppie Tee]

It started off awesome, but then it just dragged a bit too long in the mud.

But it had kind of had an appeal to it.

[Laura]

Little bit confusing in the beginning as there are so many characters. Enjoyable in retrospect, but the ending was flat and absolutely predictable. Will try another of this series....

[Lauren White]

Love this book... romance, mystery and everyone sorting their lives out in the end. Perfect :)