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A Family Holiday
A heartwarming summer romance for fans of Katie Fforde
She’ll do whatever it takes to keep this family together…
As the nanny to four quirky but loveable children, Charlie French has learnt that if there was ever a cement shortage Weetabix would be a viable substitute and that YouTube videos can go viral in seconds, much to her horror. But, most importantly, she's learnt that whatever happens you stick together as a family.
When tragedy strikes, Charlie is forced to decide whether it’s time to move on or fight to keep the children she loves. With the distraction of the children's gorgeous Uncle Felix and the chance of a holiday in stunning Antigua, she’s left wondering if turquoise seas can wash away their present troubles. Is the pull of white sand beaches too tempting to resist or will paradise fail to keep them all together?
A gorgeous summery beach read, perfect for fans of Katie Fforde, Carole Matthews and Jill Mansell.
She’ll do whatever it takes to keep this family together…
As the nanny to four quirky but loveable children, Charlie French has learnt that if there was ever a cement shortage Weetabix would be a viable substitute and that YouTube videos can go viral in seconds, much to her horror. But, most importantly, she's learnt that whatever happens you stick together as a family.
When tragedy strikes, Charlie is forced to decide whether it’s time to move on or fight to keep the children she loves. With the distraction of the children's gorgeous Uncle Felix and the chance of a holiday in stunning Antigua, she’s left wondering if turquoise seas can wash away their present troubles. Is the pull of white sand beaches too tempting to resist or will paradise fail to keep them all together?
A gorgeous summery beach read, perfect for fans of Katie Fforde, Carole Matthews and Jill Mansell.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2016
198 people are currently reading
390 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
December 25, 2016
Charlie works as a nanny. She never had a real family of her own, but spending time with Ted, George, Eleanor and Millie has brought her a lot of love and contentment. Unfortunately the parents of the children died in an accident and now they need a new guardian. This is quite complicated as they only have their aunt Ruth, who isn't good with children at all, and uncle Felix, who lives abroad and isn't interested in moving back to London to be with them. Charlie wants to help, but that isn't easy, everything she comes up with backfires.
A holiday will cheer them all up, which is exactly what they need in this tragic and uncertain time. That is something Charlie can do for the children. Charlie takes them to Antigua on a trip their parents had initially booked. A lot of sunshine, water and beautiful beaches will do them good. Charlie can also use a distraction and a month on a stunning island is also exactly what she needs. A lot can change in four weeks, but is it enough for Charlie to have made a difference?
A Family Holiday is a wonderful story. Charlie is a kindhearted person. She has a lot of love to give and she's an amazing nanny. She wants nothing more than to keep taking care of Ted, George, Eleanor and Millie, but she doesn't know if she will be allowed to do that. I felt for them and had tears in my eyes sometimes when I read about their sadness. The kids are all sweethearts, especially Millie. I had to smile plenty of times because of her funny actions. Fortunately she has loving siblings who are keeping an eye on her as well. The connection the children have with each other is heartwarming and it makes the story really special.
Bella Osborne's writing is warm and welcoming. Her dialogue flows naturally, which is something I really like. I especially admire the way she writes about children, it's realistic and filled with humor. I loved the balance between sadness, hope and happiness, it's exactly right. The ending of the story is very romantic, it was what I hoped it would be and more. A Family Holiday is a fantastic book, it's an absolute summer must-read.
A holiday will cheer them all up, which is exactly what they need in this tragic and uncertain time. That is something Charlie can do for the children. Charlie takes them to Antigua on a trip their parents had initially booked. A lot of sunshine, water and beautiful beaches will do them good. Charlie can also use a distraction and a month on a stunning island is also exactly what she needs. A lot can change in four weeks, but is it enough for Charlie to have made a difference?
A Family Holiday is a wonderful story. Charlie is a kindhearted person. She has a lot of love to give and she's an amazing nanny. She wants nothing more than to keep taking care of Ted, George, Eleanor and Millie, but she doesn't know if she will be allowed to do that. I felt for them and had tears in my eyes sometimes when I read about their sadness. The kids are all sweethearts, especially Millie. I had to smile plenty of times because of her funny actions. Fortunately she has loving siblings who are keeping an eye on her as well. The connection the children have with each other is heartwarming and it makes the story really special.
Bella Osborne's writing is warm and welcoming. Her dialogue flows naturally, which is something I really like. I especially admire the way she writes about children, it's realistic and filled with humor. I loved the balance between sadness, hope and happiness, it's exactly right. The ending of the story is very romantic, it was what I hoped it would be and more. A Family Holiday is a fantastic book, it's an absolute summer must-read.
June 6, 2017
An okay summer read, Charlie is the long term babysitter of 4 kids who have recently lost both of their parents and are now facing uncertainty as to where and who they will now be living with, will it be with the dreaded Aunt Ruth(less) or their houdini uncle Felix?
So yeah this was ok, it kept me reading till the end as I wanted to see what the outcome would be, which was as I expected.
But, on that note I have to say that I found Felix/Blue to be an incredibily annoying person, he spends like 95% of the book being adamant that he will not take these kids on, refuses to see that they'll most likely end up in care and instead insists that everything will be fine.
If he stuck his head any deeper in the sand he'd suffocate.
I also didn't buy the relationship between himself and Charlie at all, also I couldn't believe that he thought Charlie would be ok with and want to follow his plan of ditching the kids back in London with their nasty Aunt and then them both living the high life in Antigua. How selfish can you be?
The kids were pretty fun to read about and so was Charlie, I liked the way she treated the kids with respect and love and in return was treated the same way.
Lastly, I still haven't been able to figure out why Fleur needed to have her own side plot, it was really boring and I'm not sure what the point of it was, I'd rather the pages had been spent expanding on Charlie's past and how she met the Cobley's etc.
But anyway, if you just want something light and easy, with nice chatter about holidays in the sun, then this is alright.
So yeah this was ok, it kept me reading till the end as I wanted to see what the outcome would be, which was as I expected.
But, on that note I have to say that I found Felix/Blue to be an incredibily annoying person, he spends like 95% of the book being adamant that he will not take these kids on, refuses to see that they'll most likely end up in care and instead insists that everything will be fine.
If he stuck his head any deeper in the sand he'd suffocate.
I also didn't buy the relationship between himself and Charlie at all, also I couldn't believe that he thought Charlie would be ok with and want to follow his plan of ditching the kids back in London with their nasty Aunt and then them both living the high life in Antigua. How selfish can you be?
The kids were pretty fun to read about and so was Charlie, I liked the way she treated the kids with respect and love and in return was treated the same way.
Lastly, I still haven't been able to figure out why Fleur needed to have her own side plot, it was really boring and I'm not sure what the point of it was, I'd rather the pages had been spent expanding on Charlie's past and how she met the Cobley's etc.
But anyway, if you just want something light and easy, with nice chatter about holidays in the sun, then this is alright.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2016
A Family Holiday is one of those books that had me saying at 2am, just one more chapter and then I'll go to bed, I had only started it a couple of hours earlier, and was half way through not wanting to put it down for real life things like sleep. It is a warm loving tale, a story of family and guardianship, and a young nanny that is temporarily in charge of her children, but she is determined to only let them go to the best potential guardian.
Before the book starts, the parents of Charlie's young charges die tragically in a car accident, leaving her in loco parentis. She loves the children and will do anything for them, and helps them with their grief. The will states that the options are either that Aunt Ruth or Uncle Felix take legal guardianship of the children. Just one small snag, Ruth is not a people person and doesn't like Charlie at all, and Felix went awol years ago and hasn't yet been located.
The four children, Ted, George, Eleanor and Millie all have brilliantly different personalities, and its easy to forget at times that Ted is only 15, as a large amount of the time he is feeling like the "man of the house" and trying to be very adult.
In amongst all of this there is also a family holiday to Antigua for Charlie and the children, booked while the parents were still alive. Now how realistic it is that Charlie would have been allowed to leave the country with the children, I'm not sure, but it meant for the second half of the book there was a much more light hearted dynamic at work, with their 4 week trip to Antigua.
I'm not going to give any details for the plot at this point, other than to say I wish I had been in Antigua alongside the family, as I got a great feel for the island, and made me look forward to my own holiday even more.
There are moments where you will be laughing out loud, and others where your heart strings will be pulled, and its just the most wonderful story. I really enjoyed every second of the book, and was gutted that it had to end. I thought that Bella Osbourne's first book was brilliant, but I think I loved this one even more, and that I definitely need to read her future releases.
June 21, 2016
This was a gorgeous read- ideal to pack in your suitcase . I enjoyed the descriptions of Antigua- which looks and sounds stunning. It has an unusual premise and didn't follow the path I was expecting from the cover- which makes for a much more intriguing read.
It has at it's heart- a family who are currently being looked after by Charlie, an unqualified Nanny, after an horrific accident. When social services meet up with the trustees they need to sort out a guardian - hopefully from one of the family members. I loved the children's interactions in this meeting and can just imagine how they would have acted together causing mayhem and mischief.
Charlie herself is a young girl with a tough past- but I loved the way she connected with each child on their level and found ways to smooth their days in troubled times. I loved the way she soothed Millie, but also the way she could connect with Ted, the eldest lad who wasn't that much younger than she was.
You really warm to Charlie for the security she wants to provide. The other characters add humour, romance also rears it's head amongst the heady days in Antigua. You really immerse yourself in their holiday- hoping some miracle is going to happen, but also that they could all stay there and enjoy the 'family holiday' complete with bucket and spades, boats, excursions to exotic locations and eating the delicious fresh fruit. You really do feel like you are there with them.
It's the second book I've read by Bella and I do love her writing . I am looking forward to reading Willow Cottage.
With many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this one.
It has at it's heart- a family who are currently being looked after by Charlie, an unqualified Nanny, after an horrific accident. When social services meet up with the trustees they need to sort out a guardian - hopefully from one of the family members. I loved the children's interactions in this meeting and can just imagine how they would have acted together causing mayhem and mischief.
Charlie herself is a young girl with a tough past- but I loved the way she connected with each child on their level and found ways to smooth their days in troubled times. I loved the way she soothed Millie, but also the way she could connect with Ted, the eldest lad who wasn't that much younger than she was.
You really warm to Charlie for the security she wants to provide. The other characters add humour, romance also rears it's head amongst the heady days in Antigua. You really immerse yourself in their holiday- hoping some miracle is going to happen, but also that they could all stay there and enjoy the 'family holiday' complete with bucket and spades, boats, excursions to exotic locations and eating the delicious fresh fruit. You really do feel like you are there with them.
It's the second book I've read by Bella and I do love her writing . I am looking forward to reading Willow Cottage.
With many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this one.
April 10, 2017
Bella Osborne’s writing is warm and welcoming and A Family Holiday is a beautiful and unusual story about love and family which entwines stories of two well-crafted female characters but centres around, Charlie, a nanny who is temporarily in charge of four quirky but loveable children.
When tragedy strikes, Charlie is forced to decide whether it’s time to move on or fight to keep the children she loves.
Part of the story is set in Antigua and the descriptions of the island are so utterly gorgeous that I could almost feel the sand between my toes!
I fell in love with these warm and engaging characters that make you root for them all to have a happy ending.
The story has exactly the right balance between humour, sadness, hope and happiness. There are moments where you will be laughing out loud, and others where your heartstrings will be pulled by this extraordinary story.
With a smattering of romance and a wonderful real cast this is an ideal summery beach read, perfect for the fans of Katie Fforde and Carole Matthews.
When tragedy strikes, Charlie is forced to decide whether it’s time to move on or fight to keep the children she loves.
Part of the story is set in Antigua and the descriptions of the island are so utterly gorgeous that I could almost feel the sand between my toes!
I fell in love with these warm and engaging characters that make you root for them all to have a happy ending.
The story has exactly the right balance between humour, sadness, hope and happiness. There are moments where you will be laughing out loud, and others where your heartstrings will be pulled by this extraordinary story.
With a smattering of romance and a wonderful real cast this is an ideal summery beach read, perfect for the fans of Katie Fforde and Carole Matthews.
October 26, 2017
So much of this book made no sense. What was glaringly wrong was the fact that Charlie and Fleur were in foster care together and very attached, so why didn't Fleur's family adopt Charlie too? Yet it is made clear that the two were allowed to remain in touch with each other during their childhood. I couldn't get past that. Really the whole story is off, I don't think it was well thought out at all. Charlie is such an amazing character, but Felix/Blue was a cowardly loser. I didn't believe in his transformation one iota. Too many unbelievable situations even for fiction.
November 2, 2020
This was a wonderful story, thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. There was plenty of drama and eventful antics going on within the story and plenty of characters to love, like and be annoyed at.
My favourite characters would have to be the Nanny, Charlie, who really loved those four children as if they were her own and she clearly proves on numerous occasions that there is nothing she won’t do for these kids if it is within her capabilities. I also felt for Charlie a lot, given her up bringing and all that she had been through, certainly didn’t sound like she had an easy time of it.
The other character that quickly became a favourite of mine was little three year Millie, she sounds like such an adorable child, with her own very unique personality and ways about her. It’s easy to see why her three other siblings and. Charlie love her so much.
There were a couple of scenes within the story that did make me giggle, namely those that featured Wriggly the dog and an unfortunate event involving poo (I’ll not elaborate anymore on that for obvious reasons).
There was in my opinion, only one thing that let this story down, and that was the romance, love interest between that of Charlie and Felix, I hate to say it but it just wasn’t believable, they didn’t come across as being a likely couple, there didn’t seem much chemistry or much of anything between them that would bring them together, other than the four children.
But despite that, it didn’t stop me from enjoying the story in anyway, as this story is so much more than a love story, it’s about family, friendship, creating me movies, being there for one another and fighting for what you believe to be right.
This is probably my third or fourth book that I’ve read of this author, and it certainly won’t be the last. I’m very much looking forward to reading her other books.
My favourite characters would have to be the Nanny, Charlie, who really loved those four children as if they were her own and she clearly proves on numerous occasions that there is nothing she won’t do for these kids if it is within her capabilities. I also felt for Charlie a lot, given her up bringing and all that she had been through, certainly didn’t sound like she had an easy time of it.
The other character that quickly became a favourite of mine was little three year Millie, she sounds like such an adorable child, with her own very unique personality and ways about her. It’s easy to see why her three other siblings and. Charlie love her so much.
There were a couple of scenes within the story that did make me giggle, namely those that featured Wriggly the dog and an unfortunate event involving poo (I’ll not elaborate anymore on that for obvious reasons).
There was in my opinion, only one thing that let this story down, and that was the romance, love interest between that of Charlie and Felix, I hate to say it but it just wasn’t believable, they didn’t come across as being a likely couple, there didn’t seem much chemistry or much of anything between them that would bring them together, other than the four children.
But despite that, it didn’t stop me from enjoying the story in anyway, as this story is so much more than a love story, it’s about family, friendship, creating me movies, being there for one another and fighting for what you believe to be right.
This is probably my third or fourth book that I’ve read of this author, and it certainly won’t be the last. I’m very much looking forward to reading her other books.
June 14, 2016
Charlie is the nanny to four children of varying ages. But the twist to this tale is that the parents of the children and been killed in a car accident. So, for the moment, Charlie is their sole carer.
The story follows the legal and emotional twists as Aunt Ruth and Uncle Felix are approached regarding guardianship. Ruth is a very cold unemotional fish and Felix has never really grown up and faced his own responsibilities, never mind those of his late brother.
The first half of the book really sets the characters in stone and we learn all about their personalities. Millie (3) is wonderful and Bella obviously had a lot of fun regressing to that age! She is funny and typical of a modern 3 year old. The first line of the book tells you so much about her! "Millie had forgotten her knickers again."
George (10) and Eleanor (8) come next. George is pushing his boundaries as only a pre-adolescent boy can and Eleanor is the quiet one - she is still suffering terribly with grief and has a very strong attachment to Wriggly, the Llaso Apso puppy, who never seems to be able to behave.
The oldest is Ted, who has a different father and, at 15, is trying to wear the mantle of head of the family, while still trying to come to terms with the situation.
Charlie had a hard childhood and this strongly influences her desire to protect the children. When it all seems impossible, she takes them off to Antigua for a four week holiday, previously booked by their parents.
I'm not going to say much more about the actual plot, as it would automatically contain spoilers. Bella's descriptions of the island are lovely, and made me want to jump on a plane. (Actually, I may volunteer to accompany her on any future fact-finding missions!)
Suffice to say approaches can be deceiving and one character goes through a real sea-change.
Wasn't so sure about Fleur - her story seemed a little superfluous but certainly served to show the difference in people can depend a lot on their upbringing. And I did admire her trying to change her life - with mixed results.
I cried at the beginning, I cried in the middle and I really cried at the last line. Which was embarrassing as I was on a packed plane!
Thank you Bella - enjoyed this book so much - you just get better and better!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story follows the legal and emotional twists as Aunt Ruth and Uncle Felix are approached regarding guardianship. Ruth is a very cold unemotional fish and Felix has never really grown up and faced his own responsibilities, never mind those of his late brother.
The first half of the book really sets the characters in stone and we learn all about their personalities. Millie (3) is wonderful and Bella obviously had a lot of fun regressing to that age! She is funny and typical of a modern 3 year old. The first line of the book tells you so much about her! "Millie had forgotten her knickers again."
George (10) and Eleanor (8) come next. George is pushing his boundaries as only a pre-adolescent boy can and Eleanor is the quiet one - she is still suffering terribly with grief and has a very strong attachment to Wriggly, the Llaso Apso puppy, who never seems to be able to behave.
The oldest is Ted, who has a different father and, at 15, is trying to wear the mantle of head of the family, while still trying to come to terms with the situation.
Charlie had a hard childhood and this strongly influences her desire to protect the children. When it all seems impossible, she takes them off to Antigua for a four week holiday, previously booked by their parents.
I'm not going to say much more about the actual plot, as it would automatically contain spoilers. Bella's descriptions of the island are lovely, and made me want to jump on a plane. (Actually, I may volunteer to accompany her on any future fact-finding missions!)
Suffice to say approaches can be deceiving and one character goes through a real sea-change.
Wasn't so sure about Fleur - her story seemed a little superfluous but certainly served to show the difference in people can depend a lot on their upbringing. And I did admire her trying to change her life - with mixed results.
I cried at the beginning, I cried in the middle and I really cried at the last line. Which was embarrassing as I was on a packed plane!
Thank you Bella - enjoyed this book so much - you just get better and better!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 7, 2016
Although this was supposed to be a light summer holiday read I'm afraid I found it rather hard going. Some of the phraseology and dialogue was a little clumsy and contrived and the story was very easy to work out. Sometimes the flow of the main story was interrupted by the sub plot at very odd places. The premise was good and I believe it's by a new writer so I hope she relaxes into her writing style and she's not discouraged by the above feedback. It is, as always, a personal viewpoint.
October 25, 2019
Thank you to Harper Collins Uk and Netgalley for allowing me to review this book.
I adored the cover, so clean and welcoming and the story really had me gripped too. I had a lump in my throat on numerous occasions, I laughed loudly at certain things too. In all this really was such an enjoyable read which really touched my heart.
I adored the cover, so clean and welcoming and the story really had me gripped too. I had a lump in my throat on numerous occasions, I laughed loudly at certain things too. In all this really was such an enjoyable read which really touched my heart.
September 16, 2019
A really moving story about making your own family and dealing with the blows life gives you. Very uplifting.
June 15, 2016
A Family Holiday is the second novel from Bella Osborne following her début It Started at Sunset Cottage which I read and enjoyed last year. The cover for this new book is simple yet attractive and colourful and makes you want to dive in to the story patiently waiting between the covers to be read. Instantly I felt this book was going to be excellent and I wasn't proven wrong, there is just something about it that draws you in right from the very first page and doesn't let go until you read the final word. If you were to judge this book on it's cover you would be forgiven for thinking this was going to be a light, fluffy, summery read one that you enjoy whilst reading but isn't the most memorable and you have forgotten most of it by the summers end. But A Family Holiday couldn't be further from this, the book had substance and well rounded characters each with their good points and bad and combined together these people provided an engaging, heartfelt story that has you chuckling away to yourself one minute and the next you are in a more sombre mode as you contemplate the future of the family.
The author has struck the perfect balance between humour and the more sensitive issues being dealt with. This has made for a more deeper read that had me deeply invested in the outcome for our main female protagonist Charlie and the children she is caring for. In It Started at Sunset Cottage I felt it dragged on a bit and she went off on tangents that weren't relevant to the overall plot but reading this book it's like reading something from a totally different author and I mean that in a good way. The writing has stepped up a gear and the plot was tighter and didn't stray from the overall themes. At one point I was worried that the holiday mentioned in the title would never materialise as there had be no talk of it for half of the book but at the 50% mark this came into play and it provided the perfect contrast between the first and second half of the book.
Chapter one of this book had me laughing away to myself and that is all thanks to one person and though that person may only be three years old, she truly is a superstar. Millie the youngest member of the Cobley family is the breakout character from this book, the author completely nailed her humour on one hand and her pure innocence on the other. Millie always says what she thinks at the most inopportune times but yet at other times she is the one who offers light relief from the pain that is ongoing. I just couldn't get enough of the scenes where she featured and was dying to find out what cracker of a one liner she would come out with next. Millie was given free rein as a character to just be the young kid she is oblivious in one sense to all that has happened and is still ongoing yet there is a subtle contemplative side to her that is aware that all is not once as it was nor will it ever will be. It may sound silly to be raving about such a young character but the way she was written in fact the manner in which every character was written was fantastic and they soon became your friends and you had your fingers firmly crossed that they would find the happiness they deserved. So obviously there were more characters that feature in this story apart from Millie.
Our main female protagonist is Charlie French and really she is the glue that is attempting to put the broken fragments of the family together or at least she is attempting to do so but there are family members who don't want Charlie to achieve this. Charlie is not the mother of the Cobley clan consisting of Ted(15), George(10), Eleanor (8) and of course the little charmer that is Millie, no she is their nanny who has been left in sole charge of the children (for the moment) following the tragic death of Helen and Toby Cobley in a car accident. The family has been torn in two, their beloved parents are gone, their future is uncertain and most of all they are sad, lonely and lost. The future doesn't seem bright as Ruthless Ruth their aunt battles over guardianship of the children, Uncle Felix has been awol for years but will he make a reappearance and step in when he is needed the most?
Charlie was much more than a nanny to the children, she shared a deep connection with each of them and understood how they all had distinct individual personalties that needed to be protected and nurtured. She knew if Ruth got her way the children would have a succession of professional nanny's that wouldn't care for them the way she did and soon they would end up separated and send to various foster homes. Charlie is determined that this won't happen if their mother can't be there for them she knows Helen would have wanted the children to stay together and to be loved and allowed to grow and to achieve all their dreams. Charlie seemed to be wise beyond her years and she loved the children like they were her own. She did everything she possibly could for them and she helped them try to heal and navigate through their grief by carrying on with life as normal as much as possible. Charlie was an instantly likeable character and for once the focus of a book like this wasn't all about Charlie searching for love to achieve fulfilment in her life. The issue with the children and finding a positive resolution was what took centre stage and I enjoyed how this aspect of the plot was allowed to shine without love and romance and dates etc overtaking the children's situation. Don't get me wrong some love did feature here but it was slotted in just at the right times and not shoved in your face becoming overbearing and detracting from the overall themes. Charlie throughout the book grew in strength and courage, she knew she had a battle on her hands but she wanted to win it no matter what it took. She has the children's best interests at heart and not her own. She always stood up for them and deep down she knows what the right outcome should be and fervently wishes that things will go in the right direction.
As I have mentioned Uncle Felix has been off the scene for several years but after the death of his brother he is tracked down and given the opportunity to apply for guardianship of the children but will he accept this and allow the children to attempt to live a happy life? Felix seemed to be such a free spirit, yes we can sense there was a bit of history between himself and Toby and the reasons do become clear but I felt he was allowed away with things and now it was time for him to step up to the plate and accept full responsibility. If you knew that by saying a simple yes that it would allow a young family to stay together you'd jump at the chance right. At least Charlie thinks so. So why is Felix so stubborn and obstinate? Can't he see that Ted although the eldest is putting on a front as to how he feels? George too is hurting but he covers it up getting involved in devilment with his siblings and as for poor gentle, sweet Eleanor you see her raw pain and grief missing her mother and although Charlie is so good to her no one can ever your replace your mum. Felix breezed into their lives, heard what the solicitor had to say and almost immediately said that's not for me, I can't handle a responsibility like that not even taking many factors into consideration. To me Felix was just selfish pure and simple and I couldn't see how any amount of persuasion would make him change his mind.
Around the half way mark we finally get to the holiday as mentioned in the title - Antigua being the destination of choice. The author made the island seem so idyllic and that all your worries would be washed away but for Charlie this wasn't the case as she could never fully relax knowing issues remained unresolved and the children’s future wasn't secure. She wanted to treasure these times as she knew Ruthless Ruth wanted her away from her charges and out the door. Bella Osborne kept the flow of humour and comedic moments coming even on the island, Millie and water are all I will say but it's everyone's worst nightmare that had me cringing and laughing in equal measure.
Does everything work out for the Charlie and the children? Well to discover the answer you really need to pick up this book, it will soon have you hooked. To be honest I hadn't heard much about this pre-publication until it popped up on NetGalley and I had a few slight hesitations about reading it as although I enjoyed Bella Osborne's first book it didn't tick all the boxes for me. A Family Adventure certainly ticked all my requirements for a good summer read. In fact it was so much better than the author's début it blew the first book out of the water by a long shot. There wasn't any long and meandering scenes or aspects of the book stretched out for no apparent reason. It just seemed a whole lot more in tune with what readers want from a book that keeps you interested and engaged rapidly turning the pages saying to yourself just one more page and then you find yourself having read 100 or more.
Just one brief mention of Charlie's best friend Fleur who had her own storyline she was the only slight, tiny fault I could find with the book (not that I was looking for one as I was enjoying it so much), I didn't really relate to her and although she was a good support system for Charlie I felt the book would have managed perfectly fine without her storyline as the others characters and the story were strong enough to stand on their own two feet. It's clear Bella Osborne enjoyed writing this book, so much thought and effort has gone into each character even the puppy Wriggly who I almost failed to mention. When he is let loose havoc ensues. The author deserves great praise for writing about an issue or indeed a reality that many authors would shy away from and to have pulled it off so well. Charlie, Millie and co won't be forgotten by me in a hurry and I do sincerely hope they are getting on well now. I'd love a follow up book or short story as there is more that could be told.
Don't let this treat of a book pass you by this summer, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. Often it's the book we don't expect the most from that gives us several hours of reading pleasure and I can guarantee you that A Family Holiday will do just that and bring a smile to your face.
The author has struck the perfect balance between humour and the more sensitive issues being dealt with. This has made for a more deeper read that had me deeply invested in the outcome for our main female protagonist Charlie and the children she is caring for. In It Started at Sunset Cottage I felt it dragged on a bit and she went off on tangents that weren't relevant to the overall plot but reading this book it's like reading something from a totally different author and I mean that in a good way. The writing has stepped up a gear and the plot was tighter and didn't stray from the overall themes. At one point I was worried that the holiday mentioned in the title would never materialise as there had be no talk of it for half of the book but at the 50% mark this came into play and it provided the perfect contrast between the first and second half of the book.
Chapter one of this book had me laughing away to myself and that is all thanks to one person and though that person may only be three years old, she truly is a superstar. Millie the youngest member of the Cobley family is the breakout character from this book, the author completely nailed her humour on one hand and her pure innocence on the other. Millie always says what she thinks at the most inopportune times but yet at other times she is the one who offers light relief from the pain that is ongoing. I just couldn't get enough of the scenes where she featured and was dying to find out what cracker of a one liner she would come out with next. Millie was given free rein as a character to just be the young kid she is oblivious in one sense to all that has happened and is still ongoing yet there is a subtle contemplative side to her that is aware that all is not once as it was nor will it ever will be. It may sound silly to be raving about such a young character but the way she was written in fact the manner in which every character was written was fantastic and they soon became your friends and you had your fingers firmly crossed that they would find the happiness they deserved. So obviously there were more characters that feature in this story apart from Millie.
Our main female protagonist is Charlie French and really she is the glue that is attempting to put the broken fragments of the family together or at least she is attempting to do so but there are family members who don't want Charlie to achieve this. Charlie is not the mother of the Cobley clan consisting of Ted(15), George(10), Eleanor (8) and of course the little charmer that is Millie, no she is their nanny who has been left in sole charge of the children (for the moment) following the tragic death of Helen and Toby Cobley in a car accident. The family has been torn in two, their beloved parents are gone, their future is uncertain and most of all they are sad, lonely and lost. The future doesn't seem bright as Ruthless Ruth their aunt battles over guardianship of the children, Uncle Felix has been awol for years but will he make a reappearance and step in when he is needed the most?
Charlie was much more than a nanny to the children, she shared a deep connection with each of them and understood how they all had distinct individual personalties that needed to be protected and nurtured. She knew if Ruth got her way the children would have a succession of professional nanny's that wouldn't care for them the way she did and soon they would end up separated and send to various foster homes. Charlie is determined that this won't happen if their mother can't be there for them she knows Helen would have wanted the children to stay together and to be loved and allowed to grow and to achieve all their dreams. Charlie seemed to be wise beyond her years and she loved the children like they were her own. She did everything she possibly could for them and she helped them try to heal and navigate through their grief by carrying on with life as normal as much as possible. Charlie was an instantly likeable character and for once the focus of a book like this wasn't all about Charlie searching for love to achieve fulfilment in her life. The issue with the children and finding a positive resolution was what took centre stage and I enjoyed how this aspect of the plot was allowed to shine without love and romance and dates etc overtaking the children's situation. Don't get me wrong some love did feature here but it was slotted in just at the right times and not shoved in your face becoming overbearing and detracting from the overall themes. Charlie throughout the book grew in strength and courage, she knew she had a battle on her hands but she wanted to win it no matter what it took. She has the children's best interests at heart and not her own. She always stood up for them and deep down she knows what the right outcome should be and fervently wishes that things will go in the right direction.
As I have mentioned Uncle Felix has been off the scene for several years but after the death of his brother he is tracked down and given the opportunity to apply for guardianship of the children but will he accept this and allow the children to attempt to live a happy life? Felix seemed to be such a free spirit, yes we can sense there was a bit of history between himself and Toby and the reasons do become clear but I felt he was allowed away with things and now it was time for him to step up to the plate and accept full responsibility. If you knew that by saying a simple yes that it would allow a young family to stay together you'd jump at the chance right. At least Charlie thinks so. So why is Felix so stubborn and obstinate? Can't he see that Ted although the eldest is putting on a front as to how he feels? George too is hurting but he covers it up getting involved in devilment with his siblings and as for poor gentle, sweet Eleanor you see her raw pain and grief missing her mother and although Charlie is so good to her no one can ever your replace your mum. Felix breezed into their lives, heard what the solicitor had to say and almost immediately said that's not for me, I can't handle a responsibility like that not even taking many factors into consideration. To me Felix was just selfish pure and simple and I couldn't see how any amount of persuasion would make him change his mind.
Around the half way mark we finally get to the holiday as mentioned in the title - Antigua being the destination of choice. The author made the island seem so idyllic and that all your worries would be washed away but for Charlie this wasn't the case as she could never fully relax knowing issues remained unresolved and the children’s future wasn't secure. She wanted to treasure these times as she knew Ruthless Ruth wanted her away from her charges and out the door. Bella Osborne kept the flow of humour and comedic moments coming even on the island, Millie and water are all I will say but it's everyone's worst nightmare that had me cringing and laughing in equal measure.
Does everything work out for the Charlie and the children? Well to discover the answer you really need to pick up this book, it will soon have you hooked. To be honest I hadn't heard much about this pre-publication until it popped up on NetGalley and I had a few slight hesitations about reading it as although I enjoyed Bella Osborne's first book it didn't tick all the boxes for me. A Family Adventure certainly ticked all my requirements for a good summer read. In fact it was so much better than the author's début it blew the first book out of the water by a long shot. There wasn't any long and meandering scenes or aspects of the book stretched out for no apparent reason. It just seemed a whole lot more in tune with what readers want from a book that keeps you interested and engaged rapidly turning the pages saying to yourself just one more page and then you find yourself having read 100 or more.
Just one brief mention of Charlie's best friend Fleur who had her own storyline she was the only slight, tiny fault I could find with the book (not that I was looking for one as I was enjoying it so much), I didn't really relate to her and although she was a good support system for Charlie I felt the book would have managed perfectly fine without her storyline as the others characters and the story were strong enough to stand on their own two feet. It's clear Bella Osborne enjoyed writing this book, so much thought and effort has gone into each character even the puppy Wriggly who I almost failed to mention. When he is let loose havoc ensues. The author deserves great praise for writing about an issue or indeed a reality that many authors would shy away from and to have pulled it off so well. Charlie, Millie and co won't be forgotten by me in a hurry and I do sincerely hope they are getting on well now. I'd love a follow up book or short story as there is more that could be told.
Don't let this treat of a book pass you by this summer, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. Often it's the book we don't expect the most from that gives us several hours of reading pleasure and I can guarantee you that A Family Holiday will do just that and bring a smile to your face.
June 12, 2019
I really enjoyed this book, it was my 2nd time of starting it and I wish I'd persevered the 1st time round, however I found it hard to put down this time and finished it in a couple of days.
Charlie is nanny to 4 children (Ted, George, Eleanor and Millie) who have tragically just lost their parents (Helen and Toby), the will states 2 guardians (members of the family) can come to an agreement to look after the children, but neither of them have ever spent time with the children. Ruth (Helen's Sister), is only interested in the trust fund and not the children, the other, Felix (Toby's Brother), is a strange one, after spending a few days with the children he escapes back to where he lives. The other issue is Ruth and Charlie really don't get on! Having been brought up in care herself, Charlie is adamant the children will stay together.
Then there's Fleur, Charlie's best friend with whom she became friends with in the care system, but Fleur was adopted by a wealthy family, however, has that helped Fleur?
An answer appears when it's really needed, tickets purchased before Helen and Toby died arrive for a 4 week holiday, could this be the answer Charlie and the children need?
Fun and laughter permeate the book, but there's some seriousness too, along with a naughty dog and stubborn pony!
This is a great book and well worth a read.
Charlie is nanny to 4 children (Ted, George, Eleanor and Millie) who have tragically just lost their parents (Helen and Toby), the will states 2 guardians (members of the family) can come to an agreement to look after the children, but neither of them have ever spent time with the children. Ruth (Helen's Sister), is only interested in the trust fund and not the children, the other, Felix (Toby's Brother), is a strange one, after spending a few days with the children he escapes back to where he lives. The other issue is Ruth and Charlie really don't get on! Having been brought up in care herself, Charlie is adamant the children will stay together.
Then there's Fleur, Charlie's best friend with whom she became friends with in the care system, but Fleur was adopted by a wealthy family, however, has that helped Fleur?
An answer appears when it's really needed, tickets purchased before Helen and Toby died arrive for a 4 week holiday, could this be the answer Charlie and the children need?
Fun and laughter permeate the book, but there's some seriousness too, along with a naughty dog and stubborn pony!
This is a great book and well worth a read.
January 17, 2018
A modern drama about a nanny, less hired help and more family, fighting to keep the kids together after both parents die in a fatal accident. Oh, and romance happens.
I found this British Chick Lit interesting, though a few things got to me. First off, there are cliffhangers every five to ten pages, which can be jarring at times. Second, I honestly got distracted by Fleur's story. It feels like there are two books in one, vying more attention. Perhaps it is the pacing that is throwing me off... oh and more of those cliffhangers. Unfortunately, I also just got tired of how aimless and man hungry she was. Yes, she is a character, but why is she such a characterization?
Last but not least... I have some reservations about the male lead. Felix is interesting, yet I don't feel like we ever REALLY got to know him till super late. It was hard to sympathize with him cause he just vanishes.
Otherwise, decent read and learned about British CPS.
I found this British Chick Lit interesting, though a few things got to me. First off, there are cliffhangers every five to ten pages, which can be jarring at times. Second, I honestly got distracted by Fleur's story. It feels like there are two books in one, vying more attention. Perhaps it is the pacing that is throwing me off... oh and more of those cliffhangers. Unfortunately, I also just got tired of how aimless and man hungry she was. Yes, she is a character, but why is she such a characterization?
Last but not least... I have some reservations about the male lead. Felix is interesting, yet I don't feel like we ever REALLY got to know him till super late. It was hard to sympathize with him cause he just vanishes.
Otherwise, decent read and learned about British CPS.
June 30, 2016
"A Family Holiday" is Bella Osborne's second novel but my first read by this author. I've already heard some good things about Ms Osborne so when I've spotted her novel on NetGalley I didn't hesitate to request it - the cover of "A Family Holiday" is gorgeous - simple but in this case less is more - , it has a family and holiday in the title, and yes, the synopsis was very promising, and without further ado I started to read.
I must admit, I was sure that it is going to be a fluffy, sunny, light read about family holiday, full of sunshine, sunbathing and ice - cream eating and while there is plenty of humour, this book has a much serious side to it. It had you in giggles at the children's antics and in the next moment you were looking soberly at the text, with your heart slowly breaking in two parts. The author has brilliantly captured the feelings and emotions of the characters and she especially excelled herself when it came to the children - their grief, sadness and their hard trying to cope with the awful situation they found themselves in were incredibly well, incredibly touching and incredibly well nailed and written.
But it is Charlie French that is our main protagonist and I admired her from the beginning for her devotion and commitment and motives. She was trying so hard to save this what has been left of the Cobley family, even when law and some other people were doing everything to make it so hard for her. She's been left as a sole charger for the four Cobley children after their parents died in a car accident but she was so much more than just a nanny to them. She knew them all so well, in contrast to their aunt (Ruthless) Ruth and uncle Felix who were coming in question as potential guardians of the children, and while Ruth wanted to be their guardian and immediately let Charlie go, Felix didn't want to be their guardian but wanted Charlie to stay. Charlie cared for the children and she knew that should they land into care, they will never be together again, and she desperately wanted to prevent it - she also knew how it is to be in the care, as Charlie had a very unhappy past herself. Really, she had the biggest heart in the world, her love to the children was palpable through the pages and I hated to see her struggle so much. For the children she wasn't afraid to fight and put her own interest aside and yet she was aware that she has her own life as well.
Now, I know that we were supposed to dislike Ruth, and sure, I didn't like her, but I think that the scenes with her were hilarious and added a lot of pepper to the story. We also have Felix, who, after being found again in Antigua expected us to call him Blue, which made me roll my eyes to be honest, but well, whatever. However, I couldn't warm to Felix, or Blue (I can't. Not sure why but it would be impossible for me to call someone Blue) not for a single second, even though throughout the story he was developing and coming out of his shell and we slowly got to know his thoughts, his past and his priorities. As much as I really appreciate that he knew what he wanted and he was sure he doesn't want to change his life, I also couldn't shake off the feeling that he could have at least try a little more for the sake of his brother's children.
Gosh, guys, when we eventually arrived to Antigua I was so tired of waiting for the holidays that I didn't enjoy them as much as they deserved to be enjoyed - sadly. I liked how Charlie dealt with all the issues on the island, how much patience and understanding she had, but I couldn't stop feeling that we are running in circles all the time, and it just made me feel frustrated. Though the island itself looked brilliant in the descriptions, so exotic and vivid and full of water.
However, I had a feeling that I'm never going to finish this book - I just somehow couldn't totally, absolutely, deeply engage with the story, with the characters even though, after reading all those raging reviews I was sure this book is the next jackpot for my book shelf. It's just that for me the book has two parts: the first one is a very long introduction to the whole situation, intertwined with adventures of Charlie's best friend, Fleur, and as much as it was humorous and added a lot of lightness to the story I couldn't help thinking what does she actually have to do with the exact plot? Yes, she was a great support for Charlie but nothing more and for me Fleur could easily get her own novel, she's for sure worth it. And the second part is the holiday itself that, even though in an exotic place - Antigua - with a lot of sunshine, blue waters and accidents, dragged on and on for me and it was more as if the author wanted to share her own memories about her own holidays with the readers. I wanted to love this story, I really wanted it, and it is worth to be loved, but somehow I just couldn't engage with the characters and the dragging on events and I just had a feeling that there are too many things that are neither relevant, nor significant, to the plot.
But apart of me having the few issues with the book, I enjoyed it and there was so much potential, and the author's writing style really took to my liking, so I'll be for sure looking for her other works. I highly appreciate that Bella Osborne has written a book about such important issue (that I think I haven't read before about!) in such a thoughtful way and for creating a fantastic, loving family and people who would support this family no matter what.
Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for a review.
December 14, 2020
I did love this book. It made my heart feel warm. I loved the characters, the nice ones you really loved and like pantomime baddies i didn't like the ones who were troublesome. Bu i can't put my finger on what it was that made me not give it 5 stars, maybe it was the predictability, but that's not dissimilar to a lot of books of the same genre.
It did have an interesting back story of grief, i didn't read the synopsis so didn't know what it was about so it did bring something different to the usual chick lit reads.
It did have an interesting back story of grief, i didn't read the synopsis so didn't know what it was about so it did bring something different to the usual chick lit reads.
June 5, 2022
Another great book! I’m on a roll!! Everything about this was warm and lovely and just made you itch for more! Would be nice to have a follow up! There is one criticism! Felix (Blue) changed his mind in what I felt was a rushed ending!! I’m also left a bit wanting as to Charlie’s aversion to flies. It wasn’t really explained -just in a short paragraph after building throughout the book! I loved it though and have another Bella Osborne on my TBR pile!!!
May 4, 2024
fun light read
I read this after reading the library which is so good that anything suffers in comparison. I liked the children and their characters worked well. The adults were less well drawn, I find it hard to believe anyone would think that children would be better off without them when there aren’t any alternatives . Surely everyone would want to keep the children together. I plan to read other books by this author
I read this after reading the library which is so good that anything suffers in comparison. I liked the children and their characters worked well. The adults were less well drawn, I find it hard to believe anyone would think that children would be better off without them when there aren’t any alternatives . Surely everyone would want to keep the children together. I plan to read other books by this author
August 24, 2019
I could not put this book down, it’s one of those stories that you must read.
Meet Charlie, a fab nanny to a family who has suffered a great loss, despite what happened in her past she is the modern day Mary Poppins who tries so hard to hold this family together. Heartwarming, sad, funny, add some truly likeable characters and I assure you, you will not be disappointed.
Meet Charlie, a fab nanny to a family who has suffered a great loss, despite what happened in her past she is the modern day Mary Poppins who tries so hard to hold this family together. Heartwarming, sad, funny, add some truly likeable characters and I assure you, you will not be disappointed.
June 28, 2017
An enjoyable tale of Charlie and her battle to stay on as the nanny to four orphaned kids
Written in an easy style, this book made you feel for Charlie and the kids whilst longing for a holiday in Antigua. Light hearted moments from Charlie's best friend Fleur
A good beach read - 3.5*
Written in an easy style, this book made you feel for Charlie and the kids whilst longing for a holiday in Antigua. Light hearted moments from Charlie's best friend Fleur
A good beach read - 3.5*
November 1, 2017
A good read. It's about children whose parents died in an accident. All the ups & downs of the childrens' emotions, as they deal with it all. It's more uplifting than sad & also funny. This author's only written a couple of books,so far, but I'm sure she'll have a long career.
December 8, 2017
A perfect family story
Of you like Stories about how familiares of every kind are made this is your cup of tea. I really loved it. But I would have liked more if less of the Fleur’s story was told
Of you like Stories about how familiares of every kind are made this is your cup of tea. I really loved it. But I would have liked more if less of the Fleur’s story was told
January 5, 2018
I loved the plot, and the characters, I really did! I just didn't always follow the writing - sometimes the pacing seemed off, sometimes I felt there was repetition. Not quite as tight as a Katie Fforde novel I think.
August 16, 2018
Kept you interested without being too taxing
I liked the speed at which the story moved it is an easy read but had a story that kept you interested. You could guess the end but it wasn't 100% sure so you had to keep reading to make certain
I liked the speed at which the story moved it is an easy read but had a story that kept you interested. You could guess the end but it wasn't 100% sure so you had to keep reading to make certain
June 9, 2020
So very different
Wasn't sure when I first started reading this as it was so sad. Glad I carried on as I couldn't put it down. Everything happy, sad and not knowing how it would end until the very last chapter
Wasn't sure when I first started reading this as it was so sad. Glad I carried on as I couldn't put it down. Everything happy, sad and not knowing how it would end until the very last chapter
May 4, 2021
Great
Great story of a beautiful family.. a broken family that becomes fixed once more. My only wish would be that it went on longer before it ended... a bit more of the happy ending would have been amazing.
Great story of a beautiful family.. a broken family that becomes fixed once more. My only wish would be that it went on longer before it ended... a bit more of the happy ending would have been amazing.
May 22, 2021
Wonderful
I knew from the first page that I was going to enjoy this book, my first by Bella Osborne but it won't be the last. I truly believed in the characters and was captivated. I didn't want the book to end and absolutely loved the story
I knew from the first page that I was going to enjoy this book, my first by Bella Osborne but it won't be the last. I truly believed in the characters and was captivated. I didn't want the book to end and absolutely loved the story
February 27, 2022
Brilliant
I really enjoyed this book it was a brilliant read and a lovely story at the end of the book I had a tear in my eye.I have read Bella.s books before and was not disappointed in this one.
I really enjoyed this book it was a brilliant read and a lovely story at the end of the book I had a tear in my eye.I have read Bella.s books before and was not disappointed in this one.
March 13, 2022
This book was a delight to read and made me long for a trip to Antigua. Charlie is on a mission to keep the four children out of care, but everything seems against her. The story kept me guessing until the very end as to how it would turn out.
March 28, 2022
A beautiful story
You got to know the characters in the book even though there are many. All the extra side stories made it more interesting. It was a real feel good read and I would recommend it as a happy escape into another families life
You got to know the characters in the book even though there are many. All the extra side stories made it more interesting. It was a real feel good read and I would recommend it as a happy escape into another families life
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