From London With Love

by Katie Fforde

It’s 1968 and it’s cold when Felicity arrives in London to stay with her mother, improve her English, do a secretarial course - and meet a suitable man.

She is already missing her home in Provence and her father and his new wife and their extended family. But it’s only for a year she tells herself - and then she can go back to France and do what she really wants and become a painter.

And then she bumps into Oliver who is quite the most interesting young man she has ever met. He lives on a barge for one thing and has a selection of jobs including looking for hidden treasures along the shores of the river Thames.

In a word he’s a mudlarker - and before long Felicity is mudlarking too. She is also pursuing her dreams and painting scenery for Oliver’s actor friends.

But is Oliver a Suitable Man of whom her mother will approve? Felicity knows she will not …

Love, tangled relationships, and a real life adventure lie at the heart of Katie’s Fforde’s heart-warming new novel.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, London, Womens Fiction, Contemporary

407 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 13, 2025

About the author

Catherine Rose Gordon-Cumming was born 27 September 1952 in England, UK, the daughter of Shirley Barbara Laub and Michael Willoughby Gordon-Cumming. Her grandfather was Sir William Gordon-Cumming. Her sister is fellow writer Jane Gordon-Cumming. Katie married Desmond Fforde, cousin of the also writer Jasper Fforde. She has three children: Guy, Francis and Briony and didn't start writing until after the birth of her third child. She has previously worked both as a cleaning lady and in a health food cafe.

Published since 1995, her romance novels are set in modern-day England. She is the founder of the "Katie Fforde Bursary" for writers who have yet to secure a publishing contract. Katie was elected the twenty-fifteenth Chairman (2009-2011) of the Romantic Novelists' Association. She is delighted to have been chosen as Chair of the Romantic Novelists' Association and says, "Catherine Jones was a wonderful chair and she's a very tough act to follow. However, I've been a member of the RNA for more years than I can actually remember and will have its very best interests at the core of everything I do."

Katie lives in Stroud, Gloucestershire, England with her husband, some of her three children and many pets. Recently her old hobbies of ironing and housework have given way to singing, Flamenco dancing and husky racing. She claims this keeps her fit. The writers she likes herself is also in the romantic genre, like Kate Saunders.

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this one more than I did. I loved the setting of 1960's London I loved the friendship between the two lead female characters. The first two thirds of the book however were a struggle. It was set too posh in most parts with snobby dinner tables and alike. I preferred the mud larking parts but felt the ending between them a little rushed. The secondary romance with Violet had me more rooting for it than Felicity's. The last third was the quickest part of the book. I wish it had been more like that then I'd have scored higher. If you want the sterotypical happy ending you might like it more than me.

[Judith van Wijk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice, but not spectacular. The women were really quick to think the men didn’t like them.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

London, 1968. Felicity has moved from Provence to London to live with her estranged mother for a year before she goes to Paris to study art. While here she plans to improve her English, take a secretarial course and meet a suitable man. She’s feeling homesick but things start to look up when she meets Violet, who has recently moved from the countryside, works in a bookshop and is living in her godmother’s flat, which happens to be in the old servants quarters of the house that Felicity’s mother rents. The pair quickly become friends and help each other as they adjust to life in the city. And when Felicity meets Oliver, a man like no-one she’s ever met before who lives on a barge, works a number of jobs and enjoys mudlarking as his hobby, Violet is there for her to talk to. But is Oliver the suitable man that Felicity is searching for?

Katie Fforde can always be relied upon to deliver a heartwarming and uplifting romance and her latest novel, From London with Love, has all of that and more. Charming, witty, romantic and nostalgic, this is a story about family, friendship and falling in love that will take you back to when you were young and finally discovering the world for yourself.

Well-written and enthralling, it is filled with compelling characters who I loved reading. Felicity and Violet were fantastic central characters and I adored their friendship. Fforde also explored the complicated relationship that can exist in our families but also the great relationships, such as the sweet relationship that Felicity shared with her stepmother which proves not all of them are wicked. The romantic interests were superb and Fforde perfectly captured the pain, uncertainty and misunderstandings that can come with the joy of falling in love, which is made all the more complicated by the class element that surrounds these characters. But my favourite character was Mrs. Wynter, who was delightful comic relief and I loved reading.

A gorgeous escapist romcom that will make you smile, add this to your TBR now.

[Alyce King · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick (1 day 👀), easy read, that totally enveloped you into London life with elements of France. Delightful if needing a lighter read.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

An endearing read set years ago, following on with characters from a previous book, although you don't need to have read the previous ones, it can be read as stands alone.
As Felicity leaves France to spend time with her mother in London to do a shorthand course, she falls for Oliver, a keen mudlarker on the Thames, but things do not go smoothly, especially when her mother begins saying Oliver's father Hector.
Felicity also befriends Violet, who lives upstairs, who has her own romance issues with the dashing book shop owner Henry.
A heartwarming read of love, forgiveness and hope.

[Maria Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a delightful romance with all the usual wine, food tension etc. Interesting knowledge about the mudlarking. Sometimes a light romantic novel is a nice escape.

[Bella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I too want to be a girl from Paris living in London and painting scenery in the 60s!!! It lacks much substance, but that's all, truthfully, my moving flats brain wanted this month.

[LindyLouMac · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I want to read some romantic fiction, Katie Fforde is an author I turn to first. As I have been reading and enjoying her novels since 1995, I think I can safely say her writing never fails to provide just what I need at the time. Romantic escapism.

The novel is set in the final years of the swinging sixties and follows the lives of two young ladies, Felicity de Belville and Violet Stone, both living in the same house in London. They have only just met but soon become good friends and support each other in their romantic endeavours. There are plenty of tears as well as laughter as their romances progress with a great cast of supporting characters.

I am adding this author's note to this review ' It is important to note that this book is set between 1968 and 1969 when there were no rules about mudlarking. Today you cannot do it without a licence, even if you go with an experienced mudlarker.

Recommended as a perfect read for when one is in the mood for a readable romance, with the inevitable happy ending. Relax and enjoy.

With thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for the opportunity to read and review 'From London With Love'

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[Shirley King · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read from start to finish

[GemsLiteraryGems · Rating 3 out of 5]

You always know what you're getting with a Katie Fforde novel, and this one is no exception. It's a lovely cosy story, set in 60's London and follows Felicite/Felicity who has grown up in France with her father but has now moved to live with her mother in England while she studies to be a secretary, but dreams of being an artist. She's sweet and naive, just as Violet, her upstairs neighbour and new friend also is. They meet Oliver, a mudlark, and before long she is painting him and joining him in the mud.

Although there's plenty of references to it being the sixties, it's all a bit vague for me and could've just done with a bit more depth to the story. Just like the author's last book, it was surface level nice but I kept hoping for more from the characters or setting. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice easy read, and perfect for taking on a holiday, but beyond a few bits of miscommunication, the chemistry was all a bit lacking.

Thanks to Netgalley for a free ARC in return for an honest review.

[Essie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first, and the last, Fforde book I will read. Nothing about this novel felt like the Swinging Sixties! At times, I wondered whether I was in the 1860s when talk of chaperons came up. I prefer my authors to weave their research into the plot, as Natasha Lester and Claire Van Ryn do. Apparently, Fforde doesn't think readers want to read about the fascinating history of mudlarking! She seems to think I'd rather read about endless cups of tea and cheese biscuits. Felicity was a dull character who occasionally painted murals. This point was included just to give her some interest. I am happy to have Natasha Lester waiting on my table!

[Roo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Katie Fforde’s books, but this one wasn’t my favourite. I found it slow to start, it did get better though. Felicity has arrived in London to live with her mother and to study, there is a lovely lady Violet that loved in the flat upstairs and they hit it off. It takes you through the romance of Felicity and Daniel, the book was written in 1968, but it felt the romance was dated much earlier. The plot was too slow for me. 3 stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

London, Autumn 1968. Felicity arrives in London to stay with her mother for a year, while she takes a secretarial course - and to possibly enjoy a taste of the swinging times she keeps hearing about, especially when it comes to a little romance (with a 'suitable' man, course).

Missing her father, step-mother, and siblings, who she has left behind at their rambling chateau in rural Provence, not to mention the comfort of the family dogs, Felicity finds it hard to settle into city life with her stiffly correct mother, and the women on her course who she has little in common with. She longs for the next few months to be over so she can return to France and follow her passion to become an artist.

But she soon finds a welcoming presence in Violet, who has also recently arrived in London from her father's sprawling manor house in the country to take a job in a London book shop, and who is staying in the apartment upstairs. The two quickly become firm friends. Then the chance of romance appears in the form of the handsome, dramatic, and often inconveniently muddy, Oliver, who lives on a barge and loves to go mudlarking on the banks of the Thames. But Felicity fears he is definitely not the kind of man her mother would approve of...

This latest gorgeous novel from Katie Fforde picks up the reins of her earlier stories about family, friendship, and romance - this time through the adventures of Felicity, who travels to England for a taste of Swinging London, under the beady eye of her mother, the terribly proper Lucinda. Fans will be very pleased to know that several familiar faces from the series appear in this story, particularly the chateau crowd, but this book is very much about Felicity and Violet, so can be read as a standalone.

With elegant charm, and a nicely wrought backdrop that sizzles with 1960's atmosphere and social history, Fforde weaves two central love stories which will keep you in perfectly pitched romantic suspense until the warm and wonderful threads work themselves out - the stop-start, bumpy love affair of Felicity and chaotic Oliver, and the more gentle meanderings of the courtship of Violet and her bumbling academic romantic prospect, Henry. There are little flirtatious asides for some of the fabulous supporting cast too, which will warm the cockles of your heart, make you indignant, and set you giggling, all of which have direct bearing on the bumps in the road on the way to happiness for the central characters. I have several new favourites from this lovely new set of gems, especially the incredible Miss Wynter, who I really hope will crop up again in Fforde's books - and who frankly, deserves a novel all of her own.

I always love the way Fforde writes her female characters with relatable hopes and dreams, and just the right touch of vulnerability, whatever the time period, but I think she does this particularly well when she is looking back in time. She touches lightly on many of the changes in the lives of women in the 1960s here, such as female independence, sexual freedom and the clash between older ideas and new about romantic relationships, and delves into fashion and popular culture quite naturally as part of the story. There are fascinating threads about history and mudlarking that connect different storylines together beautifully too.

I loved it, and really did not want to leave the characters behind when I came to the classic Fforde, heart-warming conclusion. Until next time old (and new) friends!

[TrishAM · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was invested in this story from the start, I hadn't read the previous books in the series but it really didn't matter.
This story is basically about two young women from privileged backgrounds following their very different journeys to romance.
Felicity de Belville had left her father's country chateaux in the Provence region of France for life in swinging London, she wasn't really looking forward to living with her socialite mother, Lucinda, whose parenting skills left a lot to be desired but she had promised to do a secretarial course in London before studying art in Paris.
Violet Stone was living in her Godmother's house in fashionable Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, Lucinda and her daughter Felicity were renting an apartment in the three story building. Violet's father was Lord Marchfont and lived in his stately pile, Stoneyhays, her godmother had secured her a job in a bookshop and although she spent most of her time in the basement she was enjoying her job.
Felicity and Violet soon become firm friends and support one another as they chase romance.
Felicity met handsome Oliver Ward, Oliver did odd jobs here and there, his passion was mudlarking on the Thames embankment looking for treasures, his ambition to become a jeweller was thwarted by his bombastic father who wanted him to follow the family tradition with a military career, was he the type of young man to gain Lucinda's approval ?
Violet fell head over heels for her handsome boss, Henry Halford, who also happened to be a friend of her fathers, but when the beautiful Dr. Saunders insisted on Henry accompanying him on a worldwide lecture tour, he was too eager, heartbroken Violet must forget him.
This is a lovely well told story, both romances have drama, laughter and tears before they reach their HEA. I look forward to reading more of Katie Fforde's books.
Thank you Net Gallery for this ARC, my review is voluntary.

[Josephine · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a book that has characters from previous books that Fforde has written, we find Felicite in the 1960s, just moving to London to live with her mother. She is half French and half English but has lived most of her life in Provence. She finds adapting to London life, living with her well-to-do mother and her secretarial course challenging. But she finds a friend in Violet, the lodger in the flat upstairs and also nearly literally bumps into Oliver, a fan of mudlarking and soon a fan of Felicite too. Meanwhile, Violet has also recently moved to London from the countryside and has started a new job even though she’s never met her boss and doesn’t know what she should be doing. She has a Father back home who has just inherited a lordship and is attracting women because of his newfound wealth. And what made Violet’s best friend suddenly rush off to France? As with all of Fforde’s books, the course of true love never runs smoothly but you will have to read it to find out if there is a happy ending.

I have read a few of Fforde’s books including “A Wedding in Provence” (which included some of the same characters and I enjoyed) and more recently “Island in the Sun” (which I have to be honest and say I didn’t enjoy). While I feel this one is better than the latter, it still had some of the same issues. Parts of the behaviour, thoughts and conversations between the characters just didn’t seem realistic (even when you suspend a certain amount of disbelief!). But also it feels like there are really unnecessary explanations and information is often repeated when most readers don’t need to be reminded of it.

But it’s a very easy, cosy read and one that will appeal to anyone who wants to find out what happens next to some of Fforde’s previous characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

[Jenny Sanders · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's 1968 and Felicity comes to stay with her mother in London, leaving her father and step mother in France. She arrives to take up a secretarial course and find a suitable husband. Her mother, Lucinda, is not naturally maternal and has a social life that includes a lot of men friends. Being half French does not help Felicity who struggles to make friends herself but connects with Violet who lives upstairs in a flat. She has been working in a bookshop sorting papers but never met the owner despite him employing her.

Felicity meets Oliver, who may or may not be suitable as a husband but is a mudlarker on the shores of the Thames, finding old bits and pieces and, occasionally, treasures. Inviting Felicity on a trip with him is exciting at first but their second trip almost ends tragically.

Violet goes home for Christmas to discover that the lady who has been renting from her Father may now have designs on him and his fortune. Her best friend, Jenny is also there having been rescued from a tricky situation in France by a friend of Felicity's. Violet's employer, Henry turns up – he is a friend of her father – and Jenny's affections become more obvious.

Both Violet and Felicity are at hinge points in their lives where everything could change, might change, probably will change.

This is a book about friendship, love and changing seasons against the backdrop of a changing London. The narrative holds together well but is slow. I spent almost half of it waiting for something to happen before I realised whatever that was wouldn't be as dramatic as I'd anticipated. I also floundered for two thirds of the book to work out how old Jenny and Violet are. A pleasant read but not as good as others I've read by Katie Fforde.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

From London with Love is set in 1968 and carries on from where her recent 1960s trilogy left off, with some familiar characters making an appearance. Felicity has come to London to stay with her mother, Lucinda, and attend a secretarial course before going to art college in Paris. Her mother does not really approve of her plans and thinks she should set her sights on a suitable husband instead. Violet is living in her godmother’s flat upstairs in the same house, while working in a bookshop for a boss she has yet to meet.
Some of the more recent books by this author have fallen a bit flat for me, but this one reminded me of her earlier work, though I would have liked a bit more interaction between Felicity and Oliver, and Violet and Henry. Part of the problem is that the story is told only from the points of view of the women, so we have no idea what is going on in the lives of Oliver and Henry which ramps up the tension.
The misunderstanding trope is used to good effect here, though it’s not one I particularly enjoy. The writer has captured life in 1968 very well, especially attitudes to class and women; it was a totally different world and must seem strange to anyone who did not experience it for themselves.
The characters are well drawn and believable, even the disagreeable ones. My favourite was Miss Wynter who hid behind her gruff nature, but really had a heart of gold. You always learn about something new in a Katie Fforde novel, and here it was mudlarking – a fascinating if muddy occupation. I have read all her books and really enjoyed From London with Love and look forward to reading her next one, A Cottage in the Country. Thanks to Penguin and NetGalley for a digital copy to review, though I also bought the paperback for my collection.

[Elizabeth Currie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re looking for some delightful escapism, then you can’t go wrong with a Katie Fforde book. And her latest, From London With Love, is a hugely enjoyable story of friendship and love, set in 1960s London.

Felicity lives in France with her father, but moves to London to stay with her mother and attend secretarial college. She meets Violet, who lives in the flat upstairs and despite their ten year age difference, they develop a firm friendship as they support each other through family drama and romantic entanglements with two very different men - Felicity with mudlarker Oliver and Violet with academic Henry.

Following both women’s personal journeys as they blossom whilst dealing with societal expectations and the very real class system of the time makes for an enjoyable read - there are the inevitable ups and downs as you long for them both to find their happy ever after.

It’s another feel-good book from Fforde, and one that will leave you with a smile on your face - and sometimes that’s exactly what you need.

[Felicity Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another glorious winner from Katie Fforde!
Absolutely revelled and enjoyed this latest book, based in London in the late 1960’s.
Felicity has come to stay with her birth mother Lucinda in Chelsea to attend a secretarial college from Provence in France, and although Felicity is bilingual the English can be challenging.
Violet lives in the flat at the top of the Lucinda’s house where Felicity is staying and they become great friends. Through love and family complications the two new friends support each other.
Amazingly reminiscent of late 60’s London, English culture and class. Refreshingly good, this tale is full of kindness and love.
A hugely feel-good book that will lighten up anyone’s day! Another absolute classic which I loved from the first page to the last!
Thank you to NetGalley for the early read, loved this book!!

[Beverley Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

From London with Love - Katie Fforde due for publication 13/2/2025

Felicity moves from France to stay with her mother for a while in London and meets up with Violet who lives upstairs. Felicity meets Oliver and Violet meets Henry. As usual love does not run smooth with misunderstandings along the way.

The novel is set in the swinging 60's and feels somewhat reminiscent of that period. Oliver is into mudlarking which was interesting to read about. Throw in Felicity's father and stepmother back in France and her annoying mother in London along with Violet's best friend Jenny and her love for Violet's father (the new Lord of the Manor) and you get a delightful feel good read. My only criticisim is that the encounter Violet had with Miss Wynter was so short. It felt like the old lady had a good back story that deserved more air time.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful story about friendship, first loves, and navigating societal expectations. I loved the dynamic between the two strong female protagonists, Felicity and Violet, who, despite different family situations, offer each other support and understanding. Felicity explores first love, while Violet, a 30-year-old single woman, embraces independence. The 1960s London setting adds extra charm, and the men—Oliver and Henry—are well-developed and bring their own unique energy to the story. I was fully invested in the characters' journeys and thrilled with the heartwarming conclusion. A book full of warmth, friendship, and love.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, and Cornerstone for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Karen Farrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed this authors previous books so was excited to read this one. Ms Fforde does what she does best in this book, taking ordinary characters and making them extraordinary. The book starts by concentrating on Félicité who has moved to England to do a typing and shorthand course and is to live with her mother (divorced from her father). Soon, many more characters are introduced, Violet (her upstairs neighbour) Henry (Violet’s absent employer), Oliver (Felicity’s ((as her mother has requested she be called)) love interest.

The story is cleverly interwoven bringing all the main characters together and a wonderful supporting cast. I finished the book, almost guessing the ending, it with a big smile on my face. All in a very heartwarming read and a perfect summer read.

[Jade aka MrsTosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

When picking up a Katie Fforde book you always know you are getting a warm hug in book form. This was no exception.

Felicity moves from Provence, France to stay with her mother in London whilst she attend a secretarial course, and meets Violet who lodges upstairs. The pair become fast friends even through they are not very much alike and on different journeys a beautiful friendship emerges. Set in the swinging 60's London. I would have liked to have heard a bit more about this, as I personally would have lived to live through the era. But nether the less, It is a really nice book full of friendship, love and finding our places in the world.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Ava Houston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a cute book, but very different than what I was expecting! The summary only talks about Felicity, but in reality it’s a duel perspective about both Felicity AND a woman named Violet, along with both of their love stories. Being neither French, English, nor alive during the 1960-70s, I learned a lot about those two countries during that time period, and though it took a bit to become accustomed to all the references that are specific to those places & time period, it was a charming read! The heartache is REAL and I read the entire book during one flight lol! Not spicy at all (perfect for me haha) but yet you can feel the characters’ affection for each other in non-explicit ways! Cheers to the author for this undertaking — a great read and one I will think about often :)

[Nic Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know what you’re getting with a Katie Fforde book - a story full of friendship and love. A cosy read to curl up with a hot drink.

This book focuses on Felicite, a young woman who has moved from Paris to live with her mother in London with a big dream of becoming an artist. We also follow Violet, the woman who lives in the upstairs apartment and becomes fast friends with Felicite.

This is an easy read, the romance is sweet with a few twists along the way. Sometimes you just need a sweet,easy read and this fits that bill perfectly

Thanks to NetGalley for sharing a copy of this book with me

[Hannah Symonds · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not read many of Katie's books but the ones I have read I have enjoyed. I liked the sound of the plot for this one, Felicity is living in France with her dad and his new wife when her mother decides it would be best if Felicity came to stay with her in London, there are great opportunities for Felicity in London. When she meets Oliver she is instantly taken with him and he is quirky but that is what she likes about him, but what will her family think of him? I liked how the story flowed, it was an easy and light read for me, I liked the way they both connected and how the story continued with them both. A story full of warmth and love.

[Sarah Hills · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do enjoy books by this author but I'm afraid this one seems to have fallen a bit flat for me. It's set back in the sixties as three of her other books have been, which I did enjoy. However this one came across as a bit twee with no real gravitas to our two leading ladies or their beau's.
I must note for those who have not read the other books you certainly don't have to have read them to enjoy this book.
It's a sweet cosy read, perfect to while away a day or two over a rainy weekend, but not a huge amount of depth of story or characters. It's a shame as I do enjoy Katie's other works immensely.

[Jennifer Griffin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the first Katie Fforde book I have read after wanting to try her books for a long time. I must say - I was very disappointed. I didn’t feel affection towards any of the characters and found the stories of both girls quite boring at times. The parts where they go mud larking becomes interesting but there wasn’t much romance - just snippets here and there but the characters seemed to fall in love extremely fast and then overreact the whole way through which I found frustrating. I felt the ending was very rushed and didn’t tie in well with everything that had happened. I may try another Katie Fforde book to see if they are all the same but this one has put me off slightly.

[Sally Tyrer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another lovely read by Katie fforde set in 1960s London
This book felt like a real step back in time pre mobile phones, computers etc and a totally different dating scene, it was interesting to compare and contrast how much things have changed within my own lifetime!
Violet and Felicity seemed so young and gauche with the dating scene but had a lovely friendship and seemed to live a very privileged existence in London with very little money!
Lovely insight into the world of barge dwellers and the activity of mudlarking which I found very interesting and enlightening
Overall a nice read
Thank you NetGalley for this early read

[Emma Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good book but not quite up to the usual books from this author.

Felicity has moved to London as her Mother has paid for her secretarial course from France. She meets Violet who lives in the flat above and also Oliver who she seems to have a connection with. Violet meets Henry through her Father and would like to get to know him better. Through a lot of miscommunication and mishaps things don’t go to plan.

I thought it was a nice cosy book and the characters were nice but it didn’t really feel there was much to this book.

The book was ok.