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Lavender Lane
Lavender Cabs, in the small Oxfordshire market town of Appleford, was the livelihood of Bob and Amy Phillips and their four adult children. The firm had grown, through three generations, into a thriving taxi and garage business - but things were about to change. After Bob suffered a bout of angina, he and Amy decided it was time for them to retire. But to fulfil their dream of moving to Devon, they would have to sell the business, which would throw their children's lives into turmoil....
328 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2004
21 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
About the author
Christina Jones
85 books192 followersI've written all my life, but only became a published novelist in 1997. Before that, I wrote short stories and newspaper articles for pin money while doing a series of naff jobs. In fact I've had twenty seven jobs and been sacked from nineteen of them for writing when I should have been working. I've been, among other things, a shop assistant, waitress, cleaner, secretary, factory worker, market-researcher, nanny, bookseller, night-club dancer, civil servant, blood donor attendant, fruit-picker and barmaid. I'm now, apparently, a Real Writer.
Writing for a living is wonderful - a dream come true - and I now manage to combine writing novels, short stories and articles with not doing the housework, not doing the gardening, not cooking much, but at least attempting to look after my husband - the Toyboy Trucker - and my daughter and our 17 rescued cats.
I was born in Oxford and have lived in Berkshire, Bedfordshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Northumberland, London and Jersey. I blame my parents both for my itchy feet and my romantic soul. My Dad was a circus clown - Poor Billy, Prince of Laughter Makers - and my Mum who trained as a teacher, came from an army family, and had lived in six countries before she was 15. They met and fell in love while the circus was off the road and my Dad was working as Santa Claus in a department store. My Mum, at home for Christmas, was the fairy in his grotto. I was entranced by the way they met, that they were from such different backgrounds, and that their love for one another managed to survive every obstacle and objection thrown in its path. Every book I've written has their story at its core.
I grew up in a Berkshire village, in a tight, happy, secure and very working class community. My childhood was idyllically happy, and my friends from those days are still my best friends now. My novels reflect this community spirit, and all have small groups of people - crossing class, age and gender - who are friends and work together through the roller coaster ride of life. Also, because the women I grew up with were, by necessity, tough and go-getting with a sense of humour, my heroines are gutsy and strong. Real women in real situations. And the fact that the backgrounds to my books mirror my own past experiences is no coincidence, either.
My parents were great storytellers and avid readers, and taught me to read long before I started school, so I started writing my own stories at about five years old without thinking it in the least odd. Writing was an obsession, a friend, a way of life. I had my first short story published at 14, still blissfully unaware this was unusual. However, having a novel published was my life's ambition - and one that took another thirty writing years to achieve.
Having won a couple of awards for my short stories, I joined the Romantic Novelists' Association in 1993, and was lucky enough to be voted runner-up for the New Writers' Scheme Award at my second attempt in 1995. Dancing in the Moonlight was published by My Weekly Story Library, and as it didn't have an ISBN wasn't classed as a novel. I was, of course, ecstatic at this literary elevation - and it was at the RNA Awards Lunch that I was approached by an agent who suggested I should try writing full length commercial fiction. Going the Distance was the result, and amazingly it was sold to a publisher straight away and then, equally amazingly, chosen for the 1997 WH Smith Fresh Talent Promotion - and I haven't (touch wood and fingers and all other extremities crossed!) - looked back since.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Writing for a living is wonderful - a dream come true - and I now manage to combine writing novels, short stories and articles with not doing the housework, not doing the gardening, not cooking much, but at least attempting to look after my husband - the Toyboy Trucker - and my daughter and our 17 rescued cats.
I was born in Oxford and have lived in Berkshire, Bedfordshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Northumberland, London and Jersey. I blame my parents both for my itchy feet and my romantic soul. My Dad was a circus clown - Poor Billy, Prince of Laughter Makers - and my Mum who trained as a teacher, came from an army family, and had lived in six countries before she was 15. They met and fell in love while the circus was off the road and my Dad was working as Santa Claus in a department store. My Mum, at home for Christmas, was the fairy in his grotto. I was entranced by the way they met, that they were from such different backgrounds, and that their love for one another managed to survive every obstacle and objection thrown in its path. Every book I've written has their story at its core.
I grew up in a Berkshire village, in a tight, happy, secure and very working class community. My childhood was idyllically happy, and my friends from those days are still my best friends now. My novels reflect this community spirit, and all have small groups of people - crossing class, age and gender - who are friends and work together through the roller coaster ride of life. Also, because the women I grew up with were, by necessity, tough and go-getting with a sense of humour, my heroines are gutsy and strong. Real women in real situations. And the fact that the backgrounds to my books mirror my own past experiences is no coincidence, either.
My parents were great storytellers and avid readers, and taught me to read long before I started school, so I started writing my own stories at about five years old without thinking it in the least odd. Writing was an obsession, a friend, a way of life. I had my first short story published at 14, still blissfully unaware this was unusual. However, having a novel published was my life's ambition - and one that took another thirty writing years to achieve.
Having won a couple of awards for my short stories, I joined the Romantic Novelists' Association in 1993, and was lucky enough to be voted runner-up for the New Writers' Scheme Award at my second attempt in 1995. Dancing in the Moonlight was published by My Weekly Story Library, and as it didn't have an ISBN wasn't classed as a novel. I was, of course, ecstatic at this literary elevation - and it was at the RNA Awards Lunch that I was approached by an agent who suggested I should try writing full length commercial fiction. Going the Distance was the result, and amazingly it was sold to a publisher straight away and then, equally amazingly, chosen for the 1997 WH Smith Fresh Talent Promotion - and I haven't (touch wood and fingers and all other extremities crossed!) - looked back since.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 11, 2019
If you're looking for a read purely for relaxation then this is the book for you. I enjoyed this story . There were a few aspects that I felt mirrored my own life and that may at some other point, mirror my life. This book is a gentle read about family, priorities and putting yourself first when needed but it's about finding all that out. I often say that fiction can still help the reader to either make a decision or learn something and this book does this. I also enjoyed the little references in it that referred to the storyline in one of Christina's previous novels. I never talk about plot as there are plenty of reviews which tell this. I enjoyed all the characters and think they were most definitely real and reflected real life. Can recommend.
May 11, 2017
A pleasant read, about a family and their garage business. It's a wholesome story, a bit old-fashioned perhaps but nonetheless will appeal to those who don't want swearing and sex on every other page. It would benefit from proofreading though!
August 19, 2017
A light easy read, a bit predictable...
February 24, 2018
Another delightful easy to read story from Christina Jones. I had come across some of these characters in another story and it was nice to read about their backgrounds.
December 30, 2021
A lovely book all about a family business but not really my sort of book but did enjoy it to a certain extent
March 13, 2016
An uncomplicated read
The storyline was ok, but, maybe because I tend to read thrillers, it was all a bit too twee, sickly sweet and convenient for me. Not even any tension with the will they won't they love stories or the situation with Judith and Paul. A nice uncomplicated read though.
The storyline was ok, but, maybe because I tend to read thrillers, it was all a bit too twee, sickly sweet and convenient for me. Not even any tension with the will they won't they love stories or the situation with Judith and Paul. A nice uncomplicated read though.
May 23, 2016
A family in a crisis? well, it said so on the cover, but didn't deliver to the scale it could have. its definitely a fun romp with family drama and some brilliant characters that could have been developed more to bring the dramas to life. That said, who wouldn't want to know their granny was a wing walker?? A perfect holiday read.
March 27, 2012
This is the first time I've read a book by Christina Jones that focused on a family as opposed to a single character and their interactions with a village and its inhabitants. It's a very pleasant story and a fast read. It's also a hard to find book and out of print as well.
July 11, 2011
Utterly cute and charming, the story centres around a family that runs a taxi service. She's really a funny writer, and the story shines with working class humour.
April 25, 2014
Really quite enjoyed this family saga - don't let the cover put you off.
October 19, 2014
a nice little read
October 27, 2014
A bit dull and too sickly!
December 13, 2014
Nice happy family story.
January 17, 2015
enjoyable read
Read
June 11, 2015False
January 3, 2015
Pure daft, but good fun.
April 10, 2016
A good feel good read.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews