My Perfect Life at Cornish Cottage

by S.J. Crabb

A deliciously romantic and humorous read about love, loss and starting again.

Sophie Bailey has it all or so she thinks until one day she wakes up to find that her husband of 20 years is leaving her for a younger woman.

With no job, no money, no self esteem and the threat of losing her home Sophie will have to push aside her heartbreak and act fast. With a 6 year old son and wayward puppy to care for failure is not an option.

As if things aren't bad enough she finds herself village gossip fodder, pursued by the mafia - playground variety, forced into servitude and resigns herself to a lifetime of shopping in Poundland. On the plus side there is the gorgeous Mr Rainford on hand to fantasise about twice a day.

The only one she can count on is her totally mad friend who thinks that life is like one of the books on her Kindle.

With her 40th birthday looming Sophie doesn't think that it can get any worse - she was wrong. Suddenly Sophie's life goes Viral!

A bittersweet love story that will have you laughing out loud before crying into your latte. When life explodes around you who can you really count on?

This is a story of shattered dreams and broken promises. When life deals you a hard blow you have no choice but to carry on. Throw in a mad dose of humour and you can get through anything. Can't you?

Genres: Romance, Chick Lit, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Rom Com, Audiobook

ebook

First published November 9, 2016

About the author

S J Crabb lives in the UK in the South of England and when she isn't writing feels pressured to go to the nearby Zumba class because apparently, that's what you should do these days.
She loves Krispy Kreme doughnuts, shopping and Florida.
You may also find her pretending she can act in her village drama group and she always wants to play the Fairy. One of her goals in life is to take a selfie without looking like she's escaped from somewhere and discover a filter that takes at least twenty years off.
Having tried every craft going she tried her hand at writing and discovered a new passion. If you love Romantic Comedy and happy endings these books may be for you.
She has featured in many bestseller charts on Amazon and her books have been enjoyed around the world.
You can follow her on the usual social media so head on over to her website and click on the links to follow. sjcrabb.com

Reviews

[Alayne Emmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely story this was, my only complaint was is that it was a bit short and I read it very quickly. Nevertheless I throughly enjoyed it and had a chuckle now and again. This author has written other books and I will be looking out for them in the future.

[⭒Christie ☽✯➳✯☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adored it! 💕😍📖👏💕 Sophie Bailey was a delightful character.

[Deb · Rating 1 out of 5]

The person who typed this book (I cannot dignify it by using the terms author/writer or novel) should be ashamed of him/herself. Or, should submit it to the Hemingway bad writing contest. No cliche of romantic fiction is left out. The dialog is terribly stilted. Yes, one does not use contractions in writing formal pieces such as essays, articles, etc. but real people use them in everyday speech! Do not waste your time.

[Lucía · Rating 3 out of 5]

A corny and sweet novel

[Lucy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was awful. Why did I finish reading it? I was on the train and I had nothing else to do but read and I guess I wanted to find out whether this book got any better. It did not.

Plot
-ten billion things happened at once and then were dealt with ridiculously quickly
-plot stuff happened for no reason at all apart from they had to happen. For example: the video livestreaming onto the internet for no other reason apart from it was the only way to get Sophie's feelings out in the open because she was too stupid and cowardly to bring it up again
-so you bring up Sophie's internet fame and her awful parents right before you end the book because...?

Characters
-if I was getting divorced, I would want my best friend to be there for me, not trying to set me up on various blind dates and dating websites
-Sophie, get a grip. Don't tell your husband you'll only communicate through emails and solicitors, only to go back on what you said
-Sophie as a general character seemed to change scene by scene
-for someone who loves her son and her dog so much, Sophie doesn't spend a lot of time thinking about them at all
-does she like her husband or not? Is he a bad guy who threatens his soon to be ex wife or is he a good father who only wants what is best for his son?
-seriously, Sophie, suck it up. Your situation sucks and now you have to deal with it.
-Ocean being young and pretty doesn't mean she's a gold-digging tramp. Ridiculous name aside, you know nothing about her and it was your husband who chose to leave you. You are not five years old, Sophie.
-why is everyone so selfish
-why are we supposed to care about these characters at all
-seriously I know twelve-year-olds who would handle the situations in this book better
-ball-busting female divorce lawyer who hates men, that's not a stereotype at all
-and then she never shows up again

Romance
-the man is pretty and nice to Sophie even though she seems to burst into tears around him a lot
-so you just assume he's gay because he has a roommate and he's kind and dresses nicely
-contrived plot twist to get them together because they were both obviously too stupid to ask each other out on a date

Other Stuff
-why does the author hate punctuation and grammar
-the author also seems to hate continuity because Sophie told David in three separate conversations that she had no one around her because her parents lived in Spain and she was an only child

I'm so glad I got this on Kindle Unlimited because I would have been so annoyed if I spent actual money on it. Definitely a book that needs major, major editing.

[Melissa Borsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this ARC from Library Thing and the author in exchange for my honest review. This book is alot of fun. I absolutely adored Sophie who is suddenly thrown into the role of being a single mum when her husband announces that he is in love with someone else. When it rains it pours and the rumors being spread by the playground mafia aren't helping. I highly recommend this fun and warm-hearted read!

[Blanka Lednická · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well... Easy and quite funny story, but the language was not that easy for me. I really missed punctuation!

[Beryl Weller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t often give a book 5 stars but this was an excellent listen. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The narrator was brilliant and it made me laugh out loud in places. It just had everything in it. Having been in Sophie’s position myself I could so relate to her and she came out best with a great guy just like me x

[Joan · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf at 3%

This didn't get off to a good start - Sophie waking to the sound of her husband's 'bodily functions emanating from the ensuite'

Euw. And WHICH bodily functions? ;)

I didn't warm to Sophie - she clearly has a problem with her husband wanting sex (though she seems to label sex as just another bodily function) She is also uncomfortably dismissive of her husband and clearly has little interest in him. Her impression of him is frankly extremely unpleasant and to be honest, I'm not surprised he wants a divorce. She's a miserable cow, really.

But the thing that stopped me reading on, was this (Besides the appallingly fake dialogue between Sophie and her husband)

Her son (who is six) runs into the bedroom to tell her that 'Fireman Sam has wetted the bed with his hose.'
WTF????? And then she pulls him to her tightly and cuddles him. err... He has wet the bed. He is probably still in his soggy pyjamas. And what the hell is that with Fireman Sam's hose??? Is THAT what she calls a penis?? No wonder her hubby wants a divorce!

ROTFL!!

But seriously, would you really??? Fireman Sam's hose?? FFS, call it what it is. He's wet the bed (which strikes me as odd seeing as how its morning and her hubby is already off to work and the son has to go to school) so I am betting he would have been awake for some time.

Sophie asks herself: "Why me?"

I'll tell you why, Sophie. Because you treat your six year old like a toddler, you despise your husband and all you can think about is that fact that you might have to actually go out to work. No wonder your child wets the bed.

Good for her husband. (Whose name isn't mentioned once before I decided to drop out of this story) I hope he has a great life away from her!

[Allyson Abbott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this story. It was one of those that grabbed me at the first page and I needed to follow it though. There would be a lot of women out there who will connect to the first few paragraphs and chuckle. I am also happy to say that the story did not fade away and I read it in a couple of sittings, eager to find out what was going to happen. A romantic comedy, with a few good laughs along the way. I received this book though a giveaway for an honest review. I am just sorry it too me so long to read it.

[Ellie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing nothing funny or feel good about it

I had to leave a bad review as I know that the author has put their heart & soul into their work....however, I didn't like this book. The characters were self absorbed and not ones that you even cared about. I found the end so cheesy & predictable. I love a light hearted read but I was just frustrated with the asinine characters & boring predictable plot. Don't waste your time.

[Sherry Sharpnack · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stay-at-home mum thinks she has the perfect life. She doesn’t. Husband leaves
Her for younger model. Mum has to share son w/ now-horrible husband. Thank God for best friends and the son’s
Hot pre-school teacher, who gets her a part-time job at the school. But she thinks he’s gay. Divorce gets nasty but BF blackmails hot-shot lawyer into taking the case.

All ends well, as you might expect.

Sigh. I just don’t like spoiled, helpless modern Brit “heroines.”

[Carys Jeffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very nice and easy read that I still felt invested in depsite being able to pick up and put down as I pleased. Sophie was a delightful character and I really enjoyed her adventures through newly single life and felt her frustrations at her new ex husband. I wish it was a bit longer as I would’ve enjoyed the climax and the falling action to have lasted a bit longer to enjoy it all

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great story!!! This is my 3rd book by this Author and it was so much fun to read. There are places where I laughed out loud and people look at me like I am nutso. I can't wait to see what is in store next.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romantic, witty read

I really enjoyed this book, I was hooked from the first page. Humorous, romantic, feel good read, so loved the ending. Will read more by S J Crabb!!

[Tmstprc · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and very entertaining read.

[Virginia Cruz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute

[Lily Sketcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

accidentally downloaded the wrong audiobook and got a glimpse at the life of a melodramatic, middle-aged white woman. I wasn't mad about it. fantastic narrator!

[Hazel Attwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Great Lighthearted Read

This is a good book for curling up with on a winter's evening. The characters are real and totally believable. Parts of the story make you sad others make you laugh.

[Pat Langhelt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it especially mr rainford X

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophie wakes up one morning and her husband tells her that he has found someone else and he is divorcing her.
He has a plan. He will sell the house, he and his new junior girlfriend will move to an area near the junior girlfriend's family and Sophie will have to move too. Because Harry, their little boy, will have to be near his Dad.
Sophie has a wonderful inner life. The reader is carried along with her thoughts. At times her thoughts are absolutely funny, and at others they are very sad. But, those inner thoughts always hold the reader's interest.
The stars align for Sophie. She gets a wonderful divorce attorney for free. She finds a job at her son's elementary school. She becomes friends with a lovely man and his “gay” partner. Most of all, she finds that as bad as her life might be, there are worse things.
This is the first book I have read by Ms Crabb. She is a talented author who has plotted a story that is very true to real life, but at the same time, it is very entertaining. Sophie is like many women who find that their life has become new territory. At times she feels very lost. But, even when she is lost, she is strong and smart and she will eventually move forward.

[Dani Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this book may have been a much better read than a listen. The narrator was just... awkward. She made everything sound very slow and sexy, even the sad bits or the cute moments with Sophie's (the main character) son. Odd timing, too.

The story was fine, though moved at the speed of light. One thing I really appreciated was the dialogue between Sophie and her soon-to-be ex. It felt real. The absolute rage was fantastic!

[Suzanne Paschke · Rating 2 out of 5]

With a good edit this book would have rated higher. I loved the idea of the story, and a few errors I can easily overlook. However there were so many editing needs in regards to punctuation in this book that I found myself needing to reread lines to make sense of them, getting pulled out of the story line all too frequently and finding my overall reading experience diminished. It's a shame as there genuinely was a lot to like about this book.

[Jan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an amusing book but frankly I couldn't get past the poor editing. Did anyone even READ this book before it was printed? I think Ms. Crabb has a decent premise, while predictable, but the grammar, spelling and especially punctuation are deplorable. At the end everything was all tied up neatly within about 6 pages. I probably won't be reading any more of her books unfortunately.

[Pussycaty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised how much I liked this book.
I liked the characters and the book is well written.
I liked the story and I kept on guessing what is going to happen next till the end.
I am looking forward to read the author's next book.

[Alexandra Huguelet · Rating 2 out of 5]

It needed an editor.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book even though it was quite predictable who Sophie would end up with in the end. The book starts with Sophie in her bed trying to get a few more minutes of sleep before she got up to face the day when her husband comes in the room before going to work to tell her he has something important to tell her. That important thing involved telling her he no longer wanted to be with her, that he had met someone knew and that he was leaving her for this other woman. He proceeds to tell her how things are going to go such as he was moving out and he would have their son every weekend and they would sell the house. So Sophie and her world were shattered immediately. She has a great friend, Simone, who steps immediately to help Sophie get her head on straight and fight back to the demands of her soon to be ex-husband. I was with her the whole way fighting with her the whole way. The fact that her soon to be husband had such demands and he expected Sophie to just go along with everything that he said was just ridiculous. And then Sophie has had a crush on her son's teacher, Daniel, for ages and she has convinced herself that he is gay. He takes her in immediately and listens to her and tries to comfort her, gives her a job at the school, hangs out with her and has fun doing things with her. There is another aspect to the novel when it comes to the other moms of the kids in the school. Sophie doesn't want anyone knowing about her life because she doesn't want to be the subject of gossip within the mom group but inevitably becomes it whether she likes or not. Daniel helps her to see that it doesn't matter what they think. When Sophie becomes totally fed up and lets it all out only to find out that her little tantrum was broadcast live over the internet, she thinks her life is completely over. But it turns out that letting it all out has it's benefits.
All in all this is a fun read . You will cry with Sophie and especially laugh with Sophie at some of the funnier moments.

[Jilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chic lit at it's best. A fabulous, romantic and humorous read about love, loss and starting again. I loved it. Just what I needed for a cold evening, snuggled up with a glass of wine. Light hearted, funny and a nice easy read.

***************************************

Sophie Bailey has it all or so she thinks until one day she wakes up to find that her husband of 20 years is leaving her for a younger woman.

With no job, no money, no self esteem and the threat of losing her home Sophie will have to push aside her heartbreak and act fast. With a 6 year old son and wayward puppy to care for failure is not an option.

As if things aren't bad enough she finds herself village gossip fodder, pursued by the mafia - playground variety, forced into servitude and resigns herself to a lifetime of shopping in Poundland. On the plus side there is the gorgeous Mr Rainford on hand to fantasise about twice a day.

The only one she can count on is her totally mad friend who thinks that life is like one of the books on her Kindle.

With her 40th birthday looming Sophie doesn't think that it can get any worse - she was wrong. Suddenly Sophie's life goes Viral!

A bittersweet love story that will have you laughing out loud before crying into your latte. When life explodes around you who can you really count on?

This is a story of shattered dreams and broken promises. When life deals you a hard blow you have no choice but to carry on. Throw in a mad dose of humour and you can get through anything. Can't you?

[Christia · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read.

I finished this book in less than 24 hours and it was refreshing to immerse myself in a not so perfect world with a character whom I, and I'm sure many other women, can relate to. You are enticed by the first page as you come to understand how poor Sophie's life is about to come crumbling down around her, wanting to read on and see what becomes of her sudden problems.

The characters are interesting but not overly detailed (other than Daniel) however I feel that more attention should have been played to other, less centred, characters. I would loved to have learnt more about both Barry and Annabelle. I also wished that more detail was given towards the end of the book, I feel as though I want to know more about Sophie's new life!

I have enjoyed reading this book, however reading could have been made easier through using punctuation in the appropriate places; I felt as if I was pausing in places where I did not need to.

Overall a fun read and I would recommend this to my friends.

[Cindy Caron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I've had the distinct pleasure of reading from this author, and I have to say, I loved it! From start to finish, Sophie and Daniel will steal you heart.
Just when Sophie believes she's got everything she could ever want in life, everything turns upside down. With her husband leaving her and their son for a much younger woman, she's faced with many obstacles and hurdles. When her sons' teacher, Daniel, offers her a shoulder to cry on, she manages to see a bit of light at the end of her tunnel.
Quirky and fun, this tale will have you rolling on the floor laughing one minute, and crying in your hanky the next. A beautifully written story about moving on and love.
Definitely a must read!