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Clover House
Clover House
By
Alan Cuthbertson
How many rules would you break to fulfil a loved one’s wishes?
Clover House is a home run by the local council. It’s residents are there because their parents, family or the community can no longer deal with their behaviour. Leo French has lived at Clover House for nearly 8 years. For Leo life was dull and mundane, that was until Julie Sykes arrived.
After uncovering Julie’s secret, Leo uses his limited time and resources to make her wishes come true. At the time he had no idea it would include foreign travel, theft and attempted murder...
This tear jerker has so many twists and turns, but I guarantee, you didn’t see the last one coming.
This is the second novel by Alan Cuthbertson. His first ‘Fiestas and Siestas Miles Apart’ told the funny story about his family’s move from England to Spain, and was featured on the BBC web site.
By
Alan Cuthbertson
How many rules would you break to fulfil a loved one’s wishes?
Clover House is a home run by the local council. It’s residents are there because their parents, family or the community can no longer deal with their behaviour. Leo French has lived at Clover House for nearly 8 years. For Leo life was dull and mundane, that was until Julie Sykes arrived.
After uncovering Julie’s secret, Leo uses his limited time and resources to make her wishes come true. At the time he had no idea it would include foreign travel, theft and attempted murder...
This tear jerker has so many twists and turns, but I guarantee, you didn’t see the last one coming.
This is the second novel by Alan Cuthbertson. His first ‘Fiestas and Siestas Miles Apart’ told the funny story about his family’s move from England to Spain, and was featured on the BBC web site.
ebook
Published May 9, 2016
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About the author
Alan Cuthbertson
6 books1 followerAlan Cuthbertson was born and brought up in Leeds, England. He was married at 19, and in partnership with his wife, Heather, started the family stationery business. During this time Alan served 4 years as an Officer in The Royal Airforce Reserves and became an accomplished aerobatics pilot. 18 years on and frustrated with the commitment the family business demanded he decided, along with his wife and 2 daughters, to move to Spain where they now live in a small Andalucian village. It was here that Alan started contributing to local magazines and newspapers. He then began his first book Fiestas and Siestas Miles Apart.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 21, 2015
Clover House is women's fiction, or as I call it, "Chick Lit" with a splash of romance. But that doesn't mean that just women will enjoy it.
This is probably one of the hardest book reviews I've ever written. One wrong word and the whole book is totaled. Please bear with me.
It's a beautiful story set in Leeds, England at a place called, Clover House. Leo has been a resident there for quite some time and when new people come, he's sort of the ambassador. He shows them around, befriends them, and tries to make their transition easier. He's friendly, outgoing, and everyone seems to like him, except for one bully, who will not be named in this review. The bully is an antagonist but a minor character.
Julie is new to Clover House, and like all other new patrons, is paired with Leo. She's young and pretty and he takes a liking to her right away. Soon, they become more than friends and the two of them embark on endeavor to fulfill Julie's dreams.
The book is long but I was so drawn into the story, I never wanted it to end. I loved Leo and Julie; the story was well-thought out; and the plot was solid and a filled with emotion. The ending was a huge surprise. I can't say anymore than that. Suffice it to say, I was blindsided.
I would advise the readers of this book to be patient. There are reasons why key elements are left out of the characters. It all comes together and your questions will be answered.
Oh, and watch out for that poem. It had me crying like a baby. I've read it over and over and still can't get enough of it. Ironically, I'm not a huge fan of poetry. I've always said, anything can make you laugh but it takes something special to make you cry.
I received an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review. As long as the minor errors were corrected, this book is an easy 5-stars. I can also see a movie deal for it should it get into the right hands.
This is probably one of the hardest book reviews I've ever written. One wrong word and the whole book is totaled. Please bear with me.
It's a beautiful story set in Leeds, England at a place called, Clover House. Leo has been a resident there for quite some time and when new people come, he's sort of the ambassador. He shows them around, befriends them, and tries to make their transition easier. He's friendly, outgoing, and everyone seems to like him, except for one bully, who will not be named in this review. The bully is an antagonist but a minor character.
Julie is new to Clover House, and like all other new patrons, is paired with Leo. She's young and pretty and he takes a liking to her right away. Soon, they become more than friends and the two of them embark on endeavor to fulfill Julie's dreams.
The book is long but I was so drawn into the story, I never wanted it to end. I loved Leo and Julie; the story was well-thought out; and the plot was solid and a filled with emotion. The ending was a huge surprise. I can't say anymore than that. Suffice it to say, I was blindsided.
I would advise the readers of this book to be patient. There are reasons why key elements are left out of the characters. It all comes together and your questions will be answered.
Oh, and watch out for that poem. It had me crying like a baby. I've read it over and over and still can't get enough of it. Ironically, I'm not a huge fan of poetry. I've always said, anything can make you laugh but it takes something special to make you cry.
I received an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review. As long as the minor errors were corrected, this book is an easy 5-stars. I can also see a movie deal for it should it get into the right hands.
June 3, 2017
Alan Cuthbertson’s second novel is a well-written and wild ride!
Read full review in the 2017 June issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2017 June issue of InD'tale Magazine.
April 12, 2017
Review originally published at: http://www.lomeraniel.com/audiobookre...
I have received a copy of this book in audio format from the author in exchange for an honest review.
From all the residents Leo French is the one who has lived the longest at Cover house, a place where residents end up when their parents, families and loved ones cannot care for them. Leo's life is monotone but not unpleasant, until the day Julie Sykes arrives. Something in her will make Leo break all the possible rules at Clover House and maybe find love.
I have read Cuthbertson's previous book 'Fiestas and Siestas' and I have to say that 'Clover House' theme caught me completely by surprise. I had not read the blurb before starting the book and was expecting some kind of light memoir again. I liked 'Fiestas and Siestas' but I have to say that I absolutely loved 'Clover House'.
The characters are the residents and people in charge of Clover House. Leo and Julie are the main characters, and the most developed ones, but on hindsight, it is amazing how Cuthbertson has depicted them so well but hiding other aspects at the same time, in a way in which the reader does not even suspect that there is something missing.
The book is full of funny scenes where Leo is breaking the rules for Julie, and many of them brought a smile to my face. There were though, a couple of events that I found hard to believe, and in a way, that would have affected my overall experience, but after reading the final twist everything fell into place and made sense. I am not going to give any spoilers since this twist is what makes this book especially charming.
Gaynor M. Kelly did a good job with the narration and expressing the character's emotions. I had the impression though, that she was smiling while narrating, and sometimes during not so happy scenes. It felt like she was doing a narration for kids. Even like that I think the tone was the adequate to the story, and she made clear differences between characters. There is a loud noise just at the end of chapter fifteen, something that should have been edited out.
This is a sad story, but one in which there are small moments of happiness. It is a book to smile, to laugh, but also to cry and think. I treasure books that move me, and this is one of them.
I have received a copy of this book in audio format from the author in exchange for an honest review.
From all the residents Leo French is the one who has lived the longest at Cover house, a place where residents end up when their parents, families and loved ones cannot care for them. Leo's life is monotone but not unpleasant, until the day Julie Sykes arrives. Something in her will make Leo break all the possible rules at Clover House and maybe find love.
I have read Cuthbertson's previous book 'Fiestas and Siestas' and I have to say that 'Clover House' theme caught me completely by surprise. I had not read the blurb before starting the book and was expecting some kind of light memoir again. I liked 'Fiestas and Siestas' but I have to say that I absolutely loved 'Clover House'.
The characters are the residents and people in charge of Clover House. Leo and Julie are the main characters, and the most developed ones, but on hindsight, it is amazing how Cuthbertson has depicted them so well but hiding other aspects at the same time, in a way in which the reader does not even suspect that there is something missing.
The book is full of funny scenes where Leo is breaking the rules for Julie, and many of them brought a smile to my face. There were though, a couple of events that I found hard to believe, and in a way, that would have affected my overall experience, but after reading the final twist everything fell into place and made sense. I am not going to give any spoilers since this twist is what makes this book especially charming.
Gaynor M. Kelly did a good job with the narration and expressing the character's emotions. I had the impression though, that she was smiling while narrating, and sometimes during not so happy scenes. It felt like she was doing a narration for kids. Even like that I think the tone was the adequate to the story, and she made clear differences between characters. There is a loud noise just at the end of chapter fifteen, something that should have been edited out.
This is a sad story, but one in which there are small moments of happiness. It is a book to smile, to laugh, but also to cry and think. I treasure books that move me, and this is one of them.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews