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The Vintage Springtime Club
It's never too late for an adventure . . .
Newly retired Philip returns home to Cologne and is thrown into emotional turmoil upon bumping into his long-lost sweetheart. In the midst of a domestic crisis, Ricarda confides in Philip that she is looking for somewhere to live. And there and then, Philip suggests that she move in with him - he is setting up a flatshare. Will she join him with his mischievous dachshund named Ralf?
To his surprise, Ricarda agrees, leaving Philip to scramble together a crew of retires in time for spring, for the most unlikely of social experiments. There's grumpy cigarette-smoking grandfather Harry; quiet and discreet Eckart, curiously carting around his late wife's headstone; Uschi, brimming with life, harbouring a passion for leotards and aerobics, along with sausages and outrageous knitting patterns; and then, ever-practical and warm-hearted Ricarda, towards whom Phillip is developing real feelings.
Despite their differences, the flatmates thrive and embark on a series of new adventures. But when Uschi falls unwell, familiar cracks begin to show and this uniquely spirited club of friends must work together in order to survive - and truly blossom.
Newly retired Philip returns home to Cologne and is thrown into emotional turmoil upon bumping into his long-lost sweetheart. In the midst of a domestic crisis, Ricarda confides in Philip that she is looking for somewhere to live. And there and then, Philip suggests that she move in with him - he is setting up a flatshare. Will she join him with his mischievous dachshund named Ralf?
To his surprise, Ricarda agrees, leaving Philip to scramble together a crew of retires in time for spring, for the most unlikely of social experiments. There's grumpy cigarette-smoking grandfather Harry; quiet and discreet Eckart, curiously carting around his late wife's headstone; Uschi, brimming with life, harbouring a passion for leotards and aerobics, along with sausages and outrageous knitting patterns; and then, ever-practical and warm-hearted Ricarda, towards whom Phillip is developing real feelings.
Despite their differences, the flatmates thrive and embark on a series of new adventures. But when Uschi falls unwell, familiar cracks begin to show and this uniquely spirited club of friends must work together in order to survive - and truly blossom.
336 pages, Paperback
First published February 9, 2015
11 people are currently reading
279 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
July 15, 2017
I appreciate a good romance book, but I'm reaching that age where I appreciate one with characters that are a bit older. Betrice Meier's new book, The Vintage Springtime Club is a perfect fit! But it's not just a romance tale, it is one of friendship as well.
Let me back up. Philip returns home to Cologne, Germany. His mother has passed away and he needs to take care of her affairs and decide what to do with her apartment. And he just happens to run into Ricarda, his old flame. Who just happens to need a place to live. The apartment is large and to make Ricarda comfortable, he finds another three old friends that are happy to be part of the 'flatshare.' They each have their own eccentricities and habits. Can they all live together?
I enjoyed the characters as they felt 'real'. Five new roommates creates the same issues for any age - food, noise, rooms - and Ralf the dog. Although this story has been told before from varying ages and viewpoints, I appreciated Meier's making her cast older. (sixty somethings in this case). Their troubles, ailments, worries and joys come from a different place - one with experience. But older doesn't mean done with life. The yes/no/maybe so between Ricarda and Philip keeps the reader wondering until the end. A serious illness befalls one of the five and brings a sobering reality to their shared home.
Younger readers may find this story a bit slow moving. Older readers will appreciated the pacing of The Vintage Springtime Club. It's a lovely little read in the vein of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
Let me back up. Philip returns home to Cologne, Germany. His mother has passed away and he needs to take care of her affairs and decide what to do with her apartment. And he just happens to run into Ricarda, his old flame. Who just happens to need a place to live. The apartment is large and to make Ricarda comfortable, he finds another three old friends that are happy to be part of the 'flatshare.' They each have their own eccentricities and habits. Can they all live together?
I enjoyed the characters as they felt 'real'. Five new roommates creates the same issues for any age - food, noise, rooms - and Ralf the dog. Although this story has been told before from varying ages and viewpoints, I appreciated Meier's making her cast older. (sixty somethings in this case). Their troubles, ailments, worries and joys come from a different place - one with experience. But older doesn't mean done with life. The yes/no/maybe so between Ricarda and Philip keeps the reader wondering until the end. A serious illness befalls one of the five and brings a sobering reality to their shared home.
Younger readers may find this story a bit slow moving. Older readers will appreciated the pacing of The Vintage Springtime Club. It's a lovely little read in the vein of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
July 8, 2017
This lovely book would have been a 5 star if some of the characters hadn't been so grumpy sometimes.
An interesting look at what happens to older people who find themselves with nobody else as a regular feature in their lives, and less than ideal living situations.
I hope that there is a follow up!
An interesting look at what happens to older people who find themselves with nobody else as a regular feature in their lives, and less than ideal living situations.
I hope that there is a follow up!
September 17, 2025
3.5* I was disappointed by the ending: I know it's a novel, but the ending was sooo unrealistic. It was enjoyable to read about people in their sixties living life and discovering new things about themselves.
April 20, 2022
3.5
My Interest
“Yet ever since she’d had this six in front of her age, things hadn’t been exactly as they were before. The six had sucked some of the life out of her.”
Well, the obvious word her is “Springtime”–this one fits in nicely with reading according to the season of the year. Second, the people are all my age–60 and up. Third, a lot of us NEED a “flatshare” or “houseshare” to live a comfortable retirement. But, will this idea catch on in time for me? I wonder. I should have listened to my grandmother on money.
The Story
“‘Old-age flatshares are such a lovely idea….’ the woman remarked. ‘A nice boost at the onset of the third age. Being there for one another when someone needs help. Doing things together, cooking together, going to the theatre and the cinema, playing sports….’ She leaned forward kindly. ‘What were your reasons?’ [He] narrowed his eyes like Clint Eastwood as he sized her up in the rear-view mirror. ‘Old-age poverty,’ he said through gritted teeth.”
In Cologne, Germany, Philip has inherited his mother’s pre-war apartment. It has numerous bedrooms, good living space (only one bathroom) and her beloved, fat, dachshund, Ralf. Having spent his life as a doctor Mali, Philip is coming to terms with moving back to his childhood home. His friend from college and nuclear protest days, Ricarda–widow of his best friend, has just found out she must vacate her flat so the whole place can be totally rebuilt and redone. Voila, a “flatshare” is born. Once Eckart, Harry, and Uschi move in they all have a new family. Until…. [No spoilers].
What will communal living do for these five 60-somethings?
My Thoughts
“I always thought that some day I’d do this or that….When I ‘grow up’ I’ll do this or that. I didn’t notice that, if I really wanted to do something, that ‘some day’ has to be now. I just let time tick away. As if it would go on and on forever, you know? And suddenly, I’m past sixty…..Past sixty! I can’t get used to the thought.”
I liked ALL of these characters, but had a special fondness for Ralf. Who doesn’t love a chubby Dachshund with a love of salami? I thought the conflict in the book was very real–as in real life. It was believable.
I love this idea of same age (more or less) co-housing (as opposed to co-housing with multiple ages), but not sure if I could cope with four housemates! Still, economic necessity will likely drive many of my generation (the not-really-baby-boomers born in ’60 to ’64) to seek out solutions like this. I have friends in mind who’d fit the bill nicely, but I only know of one who is as badly prepared for retirement as I am.
My Verdict
3.5
Funny note: I keep noticing how books today mention the “notes” or whatever of a man’s cologne. In this book it was the woman’s perfume. And, another thing that seems only to happen in books–someone sticks the tip of their tongue out in concentration. Something I have never, ever seen in anyone other than in books and movies or in an early elementary school classroom.
My Interest
“Yet ever since she’d had this six in front of her age, things hadn’t been exactly as they were before. The six had sucked some of the life out of her.”
Well, the obvious word her is “Springtime”–this one fits in nicely with reading according to the season of the year. Second, the people are all my age–60 and up. Third, a lot of us NEED a “flatshare” or “houseshare” to live a comfortable retirement. But, will this idea catch on in time for me? I wonder. I should have listened to my grandmother on money.
The Story
“‘Old-age flatshares are such a lovely idea….’ the woman remarked. ‘A nice boost at the onset of the third age. Being there for one another when someone needs help. Doing things together, cooking together, going to the theatre and the cinema, playing sports….’ She leaned forward kindly. ‘What were your reasons?’ [He] narrowed his eyes like Clint Eastwood as he sized her up in the rear-view mirror. ‘Old-age poverty,’ he said through gritted teeth.”
In Cologne, Germany, Philip has inherited his mother’s pre-war apartment. It has numerous bedrooms, good living space (only one bathroom) and her beloved, fat, dachshund, Ralf. Having spent his life as a doctor Mali, Philip is coming to terms with moving back to his childhood home. His friend from college and nuclear protest days, Ricarda–widow of his best friend, has just found out she must vacate her flat so the whole place can be totally rebuilt and redone. Voila, a “flatshare” is born. Once Eckart, Harry, and Uschi move in they all have a new family. Until…. [No spoilers].
What will communal living do for these five 60-somethings?
My Thoughts
“I always thought that some day I’d do this or that….When I ‘grow up’ I’ll do this or that. I didn’t notice that, if I really wanted to do something, that ‘some day’ has to be now. I just let time tick away. As if it would go on and on forever, you know? And suddenly, I’m past sixty…..Past sixty! I can’t get used to the thought.”
I liked ALL of these characters, but had a special fondness for Ralf. Who doesn’t love a chubby Dachshund with a love of salami? I thought the conflict in the book was very real–as in real life. It was believable.
I love this idea of same age (more or less) co-housing (as opposed to co-housing with multiple ages), but not sure if I could cope with four housemates! Still, economic necessity will likely drive many of my generation (the not-really-baby-boomers born in ’60 to ’64) to seek out solutions like this. I have friends in mind who’d fit the bill nicely, but I only know of one who is as badly prepared for retirement as I am.
My Verdict
3.5
Funny note: I keep noticing how books today mention the “notes” or whatever of a man’s cologne. In this book it was the woman’s perfume. And, another thing that seems only to happen in books–someone sticks the tip of their tongue out in concentration. Something I have never, ever seen in anyone other than in books and movies or in an early elementary school classroom.
July 10, 2024
I was disappointed with this book as I had been hoping for great things. It all felt a bit flat, possibly because some nuances were lost in translation.
April 5, 2020
What a great story!! A lovely idea, my only problem was keeping the unfamiliar character names straight, lol!!
March 27, 2016
I received this book through Goodreads Giveaways. I thought it was very well written, I liked the characters and was eager to learn how they all got on together. It was a heartwarming story and a quick, easy read. I enjoyed it.
September 13, 2016
So much promise, so little delivered.
Not my style of writing, that engages and delights with clever phrases and perfect prose. This was just a pile of words thrown together like a salad, nothing wrong with it, just another lettuce salad.
Not my style of writing, that engages and delights with clever phrases and perfect prose. This was just a pile of words thrown together like a salad, nothing wrong with it, just another lettuce salad.
April 7, 2016
4.5 stars. Review to follow.
May 7, 2018
This was an interesting read. An oft neglected section of society is that older group of people - especially those who don't have a close family to support them as they age. As a group of retirees get together to share a flat, share experiences, grow their lives, they encounter many hurdles to living peaceful days.
While I did like the idea of this book, and really enjoyed the first third, it quickly fell into a more cliched path. When tragedy strikes, everyone ended up suffering. When hard decisions were finally made, it was like the author could not let her ideal go and she contrived for that "happy ending". But I was left wondering - how long could this happy ending last? How real was this? Life is tough, it is not perfect and this book really attempted to give the author and the readers perfection that just was too glossy and not true to life.
While I did like the idea of this book, and really enjoyed the first third, it quickly fell into a more cliched path. When tragedy strikes, everyone ended up suffering. When hard decisions were finally made, it was like the author could not let her ideal go and she contrived for that "happy ending". But I was left wondering - how long could this happy ending last? How real was this? Life is tough, it is not perfect and this book really attempted to give the author and the readers perfection that just was too glossy and not true to life.
March 14, 2020
A flatshare when you are in your sixties?
Philip, Ricarda, Harry, Eckart and Uschi have different reasons for the flat sharing (like Philip fancying Ricarda, Eckert feeling alone, Harry feeling upset with his daughter's do-gooder boyfriend etc.). But they seems to get together well when sharing a flat - and while in the first days they experience small misunderstandings, they also have a great fun. Then one of them suffers a stroke. They decide to care for the patient - yet, this os hard. And they are not even a family!
While I would love for this novel to have a harsh editor (as the plot gets uneven in some places and the situations can get the shallow way), I also appreciate the message of creating a family of your own choices. No one is an island and we can gain more when we are willing to overstep the boundaries of our very personal box we are living in.
Philip, Ricarda, Harry, Eckart and Uschi have different reasons for the flat sharing (like Philip fancying Ricarda, Eckert feeling alone, Harry feeling upset with his daughter's do-gooder boyfriend etc.). But they seems to get together well when sharing a flat - and while in the first days they experience small misunderstandings, they also have a great fun. Then one of them suffers a stroke. They decide to care for the patient - yet, this os hard. And they are not even a family!
While I would love for this novel to have a harsh editor (as the plot gets uneven in some places and the situations can get the shallow way), I also appreciate the message of creating a family of your own choices. No one is an island and we can gain more when we are willing to overstep the boundaries of our very personal box we are living in.
Want to read
July 29, 2024Beatrice Meier was born in Germany and studied literary translation at Düsseldorf University. She then went on to complete a scriptwriting programme at Munich Film School in 2002-03, and attended the Cologne International Film School in 2006. She won the Best Screenplay Award at the German Film Festival in Ludwigshafen in 2013 for the feature film Offside Trap, which was screened at festivals, the European Parliament and at trade union events. The Vintage Springtime Club is her first novel. A German television adaptation was broadcast in spring 2015. Beatrice Meier lives and works in Strasbourg.
August 25, 2021
Ik heb het boek in het Duits gelezen, maar mijn Duits is even niet goed genoeg voor een recensie.
Later misschien.
Een erg goed boek. Mooie beschrijving hoe mensen met elkaar proberen samen te leven en hoe moeilijk dat is. Mooie verschillende mensen, die ieder hun leuke èn hun lastige kanten hebben.
De ramp die in het begin van het boek gebeurt, heeft inderdaad grote gevolgen voor de hele WG (WoonGemeenschap). Mooi hoe ieder probeert dingen op te lossen en hoe mis dat toch kan gaan.
Ik mocht Ricarda niet zo, maar ik had helemaal problemen met haar dochter.
Goed einde!
Later misschien.
Een erg goed boek. Mooie beschrijving hoe mensen met elkaar proberen samen te leven en hoe moeilijk dat is. Mooie verschillende mensen, die ieder hun leuke èn hun lastige kanten hebben.
De ramp die in het begin van het boek gebeurt, heeft inderdaad grote gevolgen voor de hele WG (WoonGemeenschap). Mooi hoe ieder probeert dingen op te lossen en hoe mis dat toch kan gaan.
Ik mocht Ricarda niet zo, maar ik had helemaal problemen met haar dochter.
Goed einde!
August 27, 2017
eine tolle Geschichte um ein ungewöhnliche Wohngemeinschaft mit fünf unterschiedlichen Charakteren und einem Dackel; flüssiger und lockerer Schreibstil; die Kapitel werden aus der Sicht der verschiedenen Protagonisten erzählt, was einen guten Einblick in die verschiedenen Charaktere gibt und das Ganze sehr kurzweilig macht
April 23, 2019
Took me quite a while to get into, but once I got 50 or so pages in I really got into the story. I think having 5 main characters for me was a bit overwhelming as I'm not used to it, I used to get confused remember their individual stories. However, you get to know each of them through out so it becomes a lot easier. It's a nice wholesome book and would recommend it as good, light read to anyone.
August 26, 2019
Ok. This was just average. The book is based all around the characters and, in fact, there was not enough of a story, I wanted a bit more to happen. The characters are not bad, a bit annoying at times, but generally quite believable. The story does explore aspects of old age, which is interesting. Overall it is an average read and nothing special. I would not recommend it.
February 25, 2018
A light, good-hearted read. The bits from the dog's point of view were odd, and they didn't add anything to the story, but they don't detract from it either. Overall this book is a nice fit for when you want to be entertained but don't want to go on a huge emotional journey.
March 26, 2019
Wasn't expecting this to be so heartwarming and emotional. So much more than the easy light-hearted book it's marketed as. Very poignant and realistic writing about how a stroke affects someone both physically and emotionally.. And who says you're told old to fall in love at 60!
May 25, 2019
A fun read about a group of 5 people (sixty year olds) and a dog who end up together and find friendship and family in each other. They only realise what they had after the lose it. Although it is melancholic at times, it can be considered as a light read and funny at times too.
February 2, 2025
An easy read that highlights the importance of surrounding yourself with good people. The trials of getting older and themes of grief, relationships between mothers and daughter. Found it hard to recall the stories of all the characters at times.
April 4, 2018
Fun and light-hearted with well drawn characters and an unusual story-line.
April 27, 2019
What an amazing read. Gives you an insight into how it feels to care for someone as i have done. Really good x
April 29, 2019
Strange story. Not really sure it went anywherr, although the idea behind it was great. Maybe it was the German based town, I struggled with this book. Characters were interesting though.
June 4, 2019
A lovely heartfelt read about some people who find each other in the autumn of their lives.
July 20, 2019
Quirky but a nice pleasant enough read about people who decide to'flatshare' in their golden years.
October 22, 2019
Not a lot happened but it was a lovely book; romance, tales of life and a touch of humour.
March 28, 2020
Very enjoyable, and uplifting. Good prep if you're not yet in your 60s! Very good translation from the German.
April 5, 2020
A fun quick read with good characters. No real meat to the story.
May 11, 2021
It was ok. I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it either. An easy read.
October 6, 2021
A charming life affirming book that was a litytle twee a tad predictable but the author had enough flair to get away with it. If you enjoyed A Man Called Ove then this book is for you
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews