What do you think?
Rate this book
Holding on
Everyone has secrets…
The Gordon-Fenn family had been wealthy for generations, but after Samuel falls into misfortune, he’s forced to live in much-reduced circumstances with his penny-pinching son Edward and daughter-in-law Edith.
If only elderly widow Lily Gudgeon would vacate the cottage on his land, he could make a fortune in construction and his family’s troubles would be over. But she refuses to leave, and even befriends Samuel’s twelve-year-old granddaughter Felicity. Secrets are shared between the unlikely friends and Lily reveals to the girl the painful secret of her residence at the cottage. But Samuel’s patience is running thin and with his financial burdens ever-increasing, a plan is hatched to remove poor Lily.
‘Small and perfect’ - Daily Telegraph
‘Precise and witty’ - Sunday Telegraph
‘A subtle and complicate plot, richly satisfying’ - London Evening Standard
‘Wittily observant’ - Daily Express
‘Exquisite’ - Kirkus Reviews
Eva Hanagan was a Scottish author. Her novels include Playmates, In Thrall and A Knock at the Door .
The Gordon-Fenn family had been wealthy for generations, but after Samuel falls into misfortune, he’s forced to live in much-reduced circumstances with his penny-pinching son Edward and daughter-in-law Edith.
If only elderly widow Lily Gudgeon would vacate the cottage on his land, he could make a fortune in construction and his family’s troubles would be over. But she refuses to leave, and even befriends Samuel’s twelve-year-old granddaughter Felicity. Secrets are shared between the unlikely friends and Lily reveals to the girl the painful secret of her residence at the cottage. But Samuel’s patience is running thin and with his financial burdens ever-increasing, a plan is hatched to remove poor Lily.
‘Small and perfect’ - Daily Telegraph
‘Precise and witty’ - Sunday Telegraph
‘A subtle and complicate plot, richly satisfying’ - London Evening Standard
‘Wittily observant’ - Daily Express
‘Exquisite’ - Kirkus Reviews
Eva Hanagan was a Scottish author. Her novels include Playmates, In Thrall and A Knock at the Door .
201 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 20, 2016
6 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 13, 2016
What a lovely book. If this wasn't republished, I would never have heard about this perhaps.
'When Lily Dudgeon died - and it must be 'when' and not 'if': after all, death came to everyone in the end, even the Samuels and Lily Gudgeons of this world (although one could appreciate the Almighty's reluctance to gather them in)(..)'
I like it for its simplicity, it is not overly dramatic, it is well written and the characters who are so plain it makes an interesting family. And of course... there is a secret in the painful history between Lily and Samuel...
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.
'When Lily Dudgeon died - and it must be 'when' and not 'if': after all, death came to everyone in the end, even the Samuels and Lily Gudgeons of this world (although one could appreciate the Almighty's reluctance to gather them in)(..)'
I like it for its simplicity, it is not overly dramatic, it is well written and the characters who are so plain it makes an interesting family. And of course... there is a secret in the painful history between Lily and Samuel...
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.
September 21, 2020
Holding On......I held on to the end.
I forced myself to finish this book but it wasn’t worth the wasted time I can never get back, it’s the sort of book you find on a share pile whilst on holiday when there is nothing else and no internet. Don’t waste your time
I forced myself to finish this book but it wasn’t worth the wasted time I can never get back, it’s the sort of book you find on a share pile whilst on holiday when there is nothing else and no internet. Don’t waste your time
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews