River Lodge

by Elizabeth Cadell, Aparna Bera (Illustrator)

When, like Ruth and Roger Mallard, you inherit a large house but no money to keep it up, one thing you can do is turn it into a guest-house. And having made up their minds, the Mallards decided that River Lodge was to be a guest-house of the very best kind. The first week’s guests were specially chosen—or self invited: a rich aunt; a theatrical producer and the lovely Felicity; Felicity’s sister and her twins; a famous artist and the amiable “Goosey” ; the fattest dog in fiction; and a not-so-rich but very comic uncle and aunt—these make up the list of guests at River Lodge’s grand opening. With the guests comes trouble in the form of Roger’s brother, Paul who casts an uneasy shadow over the forthcoming engagement between Felicity and her producer. Felicity has to choose between her former lover and the producer. Once again, Elizabeth Cadell reveals her flair for elegant comedy and her wit and charm with which she guides them through their summer storms, in the true tradition of the English humorous novel.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Audiobook

325 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1948

About the author

Violet Elizabeth Vandyke was born on 10 November 1903 in Calcutta, British Raj, daughter of British parents, Elizabeth Lynch and Frederick Reginald Vandyke, a colonial officer. During the Great War she studied music in London, but refused a musical career and returned to India where she married in 1928 Henry Dunlop Raymond Mallock Cadell, and they had a son and daughter. After she was widowed ten years later, she returned to England.

Elizabeth wrote her first book 'My Dear Aunt Flora' during the Second World War in 1946, there after producing another 51 light-hearted, humourous and romantic books which won her a faithful readership in England and America. In addition to England and India, many of her books are set in Spain, France, and Portugal. She finally settled in Portugal, where her married daughter still lived.

She died on 9 October 1989, aged eighty-five.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again, I am dipping into this paperback while reading other books on my e-reader, so it may take a while!
Finally finished it. I enjoyed it, but it seemed that some of the 'sparkle' that I find in Cadell's books was missing. Perhaps it is just because I didn't devour it all at once, as I usually do. A young couple inherits a house they can't afford and decides to turn it into a guest lodge. Their opening is mostly invited guests - relatives and friends and friends-of-friends - a very mixed bag. The funniest, and also most annoying, character was Nan, the young mother of twins who wants everybody else to take care of them for her - she never expected that marriage would result in children (!) and her husband is away in the service. Her helpful sister is a lovely would-be actor who can't act - her producer and the lodge owner's brother Paul (also an actor) are competing for her attentions. Paul's friend Goosey and Goosey's silent friend also show up - Goosey's forte is making plans that always go awry, while his silent friend is a somewhat famous artist who specializes in mermaids (don't ask.) Then there are the elderly relatives who aren't quite sure what's going on. A delightful set of characters, but there really isn't much of a plot - just a series of happenings with a satisfying wrap-up at the end.
February 2022 Reading it again. Enjoyed it, but still not on my top 5 list.

[Sep · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruth and Roger inherited a house and decide to make it a luxurious guest house.

This book is about the first group of guests who come for a week. They are quirky, difficult and
charming just as Cadell knows how to make them.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

a new-to-me Cadell.

Not too post WWII. He inherits a large house, but not the money to carry on as a large independent country house. So, he, his wife, and cousin set it up as a guest house. (All his and hers in following description refer to the owners of large house, Roger and Ruth).The first weeks guests include: her dotty aunt and uncle, his rich, perilous aunt, his bff from college and service days, bff’s friend-who doesn’t speak but has made a fortune drawing adorable mermaids, her best friend who has made an impressive debut on stage, the sister of Ruth’s bff who got married at 18, had twins at 19, and at 22 just wants to leave them with someone “for a tiny bit” so she can ”just have some fun” (the father of the twins makes a short appearance), a high in demand theatre producer currently courting Ruth’s bff, and finally, Paul, Roger’s brother, a rising star in the theatrical world, who, until recently, had been involved with Ruth’s bff. A week of misunderstandings, rained out picnics, sunny picnics, general mix ups, ensues. The book is made somewhat unpleasant by three of the male protagonists are rude, abrasive, and unpleasant; not the usual Cadel male protagonist.

[Ellen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok, so perhaps it is unfair to judge a 1950s book by today's standards. Usually I can read a cozy village tale from that era or earlier and overlook the sexism; usually it consists of very constrained life choices for the women and an accepted intellectual superiority of the men. However, the supposedly lovable husband in this book borders on a wife abuser; he is certainly emotionally abusive and lacks any and all charm, yet is portrayed as just so lovable. His brother manipulates his intended lady love to an unforgivable degree. I just couldn't like this book.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it, but I didn't love it. One of Cadell's earlier efforts and I don't think it worked as well as My Dear Aunt Flora. It's a light read with the usual Cadell cast of interesting characters. Most of whom I liked much more than I did the two lead men. Their main shared characteristic seeming to be a propensity to barely controlled anger. That aside it was an engaging way to pass a quiet afternoon. I wouldn't recommend this as someone's first Cadell but anyone who is already a fan won't be disappointed.

[Miriam · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were a lot of interesting characters, but it was maybe a bit more mean-spirited than some of her other books, I didn't like most of the people as much. It is interesting and a little distressing to see that even though the two main male characters have bad tempers and like to yell at the women in their lives they are still supposed to be positive characters.

[Carolyn Agosta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite Elizabeth Cadell book - mainly because, as others have mentioned two of the primary male characters are supposed to be love interests, but my instincts would be to say "run away, girl!". Given that it was written in 1948, some cultural expectations have certainly changed, but still, it did not hold up to her usual level of story. Not to worry, I'll still read more of her books!

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read with humor and suspense.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have enjoyed most of her books

[Ymt01 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of her best, quite unattractive characters and a drawn out, indeterminate romance

[Jannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun! Nan really got my goat though

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh my, not my favorite Cadell. However, even Agatha Christie had some books that she should have published under an alias. A new hotel opens in an old family manor. Several family friends gather to inaugurate its beginning. A mystery begins. An unmotherly mother foists her twins onto all and sundry. The right man gets the darling girl. Why does Cadell write her romances from the man's point of view?