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The Love of a Family
*
Myra and Graham Butler lead the kind of lives where everything is neat, tidy and predictable. That is until they're named guardians to their young nephews.
Myra makes it clear she doesn't want the responsibility. After a terrible loss early in their marriage, she vowed never to open her heart again, and has turned her back on friends and family since. Now she has two children and a rabbit turning her house - and her heart - upside down.
It will take danger, more heartbreak and a small dog for Myra and Graham to realise that, even if you don't know what you're doing, sometimes love is enough. That they're going to need help to muddle through. That, sometimes, it takes a village.
*
Myra and Graham Butler lead the kind of lives where everything is neat, tidy and predictable. That is until they're named guardians to their young nephews.
Myra makes it clear she doesn't want the responsibility. After a terrible loss early in their marriage, she vowed never to open her heart again, and has turned her back on friends and family since. Now she has two children and a rabbit turning her house - and her heart - upside down.
It will take danger, more heartbreak and a small dog for Myra and Graham to realise that, even if you don't know what you're doing, sometimes love is enough. That they're going to need help to muddle through. That, sometimes, it takes a village.
*
269 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 18, 2018
18 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Shaw
74 books109 followersSunday Times bestselling author Rebecca Shaw is known for her heartwarming tales of country life.
Rebecca grew up in Yorkshire and attended a Quaker boarding school before becoming a teacher of deaf children.
She wrote 28 novels. Her biggest series of 19 books set in a fictional English village called TURNHAM MALPAS chart the lives and loves of the village inhabitants.
A further six novels tell the stories of the vets, veterinary nurses and animals at a veterinary practice in the fictional English market town of BARLEYBRIDGE.
She also wrote three standalone novels.
Rebecca lived with her husband in a beautiful Dorset village where she found plenty of inspiration for her contemporary stories about rural life. Rebecca sadly passed away in 2015, but her stories continue to be enjoyed by readers across the globe.
Rebecca has been translated and sold in Denmark, Germany, Hungary and Norway. She is also published in the US.
Rebecca grew up in Yorkshire and attended a Quaker boarding school before becoming a teacher of deaf children.
She wrote 28 novels. Her biggest series of 19 books set in a fictional English village called TURNHAM MALPAS chart the lives and loves of the village inhabitants.
A further six novels tell the stories of the vets, veterinary nurses and animals at a veterinary practice in the fictional English market town of BARLEYBRIDGE.
She also wrote three standalone novels.
Rebecca lived with her husband in a beautiful Dorset village where she found plenty of inspiration for her contemporary stories about rural life. Rebecca sadly passed away in 2015, but her stories continue to be enjoyed by readers across the globe.
Rebecca has been translated and sold in Denmark, Germany, Hungary and Norway. She is also published in the US.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 27, 2018
I couldn't wait to read this book as she is one of my favourite authors and so sad to think she has passed and will not have her books any more. She didn't disappoint me at all as such an amazing book so heartwarming and shows a story of hope and love through grief and sadness and all about family life. Simply brilliant and didn't want to finish it. Worth far more than the five stars I have it for sure.
Myra and Graham are married but life a life that is neat she tidy and nothing is out of place and they don't show each other love at all. Their lives are changed as they become guardians for Graham's two young nephews and can they ride to it and bring them up together and with love or not as they really have to change. Myra is adamant that she doesn't want to have the young boys and usually Graham will always back down to his wife but this time he doesn't and as well as the two boys there ids a rabbit which will bring mess to wish she doesn't do everything has her place so how does she do. Can they bring them up and change their lives and make the boys happy with them going through so much. Can the boys settle in to their new home and can they all find love again and be a happy family or not the boys really need it for sure and Myra and Graham have always wanted a family but couldn't have one so can they be happy and find love with the young boys.
A simply excellent read.
Myra and Graham are married but life a life that is neat she tidy and nothing is out of place and they don't show each other love at all. Their lives are changed as they become guardians for Graham's two young nephews and can they ride to it and bring them up together and with love or not as they really have to change. Myra is adamant that she doesn't want to have the young boys and usually Graham will always back down to his wife but this time he doesn't and as well as the two boys there ids a rabbit which will bring mess to wish she doesn't do everything has her place so how does she do. Can they bring them up and change their lives and make the boys happy with them going through so much. Can the boys settle in to their new home and can they all find love again and be a happy family or not the boys really need it for sure and Myra and Graham have always wanted a family but couldn't have one so can they be happy and find love with the young boys.
A simply excellent read.
September 15, 2018
Found it a bit old fashioned in outlook, then found it had been an early work re-imagined or re edited for publication after authors death. Sweet story.
March 17, 2018
Yet another wonderful book sensitively written. An absorbing gentle family affair !
Lovely story of family life... Heart warming with lots of twists and turns.
Its always a pleasure to read yet another of Rebecca's books
Lovely story of family life... Heart warming with lots of twists and turns.
Its always a pleasure to read yet another of Rebecca's books
January 30, 2018
Loved this book. 😊
Give stars for this book! I couldn't put it down. I love all Rebecca Shaws books. Good read on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
Give stars for this book! I couldn't put it down. I love all Rebecca Shaws books. Good read on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
July 17, 2018
I have read a great number of Rebecca Shaw's books over the years; in particular her Turham Malpas series. This is a stand alone book which definitely lived up to my expectations of this author.
Graham and Myra are in a middle aged rut. They have drifted apart and their lives have become very predictable. Their closeness has gone and it isn't just separate bedrooms but separate lives. Then Graham's brother dies and two young orphaned nephews are thrust into their ordered lives. Can Myra open her heart to these young boys who bring chaos to her home? Can Graham find the fun in life again? Can they become a couple once more and maybe even a family?
Rebecca Shaw is skilled in description. Her characters are very three dimensional to the point that you feel sure you must have met this person somewhere. The reader gets right inside the characters and, in this book, particularly into Myra's thoughts. It was quite heart breaking to read of the circumstances which led them to drift apart. As Myra rediscovers herself and sees Graham in a new light, we join her on her rediscovery of herself.
This is the sort of book that the reader has a fair idea as to the ending right from the beginning. However the story to get to that point is interesting and well written.
I am sad that this is Rebecca Shaw's last book. I will miss her characters and her detailed descriptions. I did, however, enjoy this book very much and suspect I shall re-read her previous work in the near future.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.
Graham and Myra are in a middle aged rut. They have drifted apart and their lives have become very predictable. Their closeness has gone and it isn't just separate bedrooms but separate lives. Then Graham's brother dies and two young orphaned nephews are thrust into their ordered lives. Can Myra open her heart to these young boys who bring chaos to her home? Can Graham find the fun in life again? Can they become a couple once more and maybe even a family?
Rebecca Shaw is skilled in description. Her characters are very three dimensional to the point that you feel sure you must have met this person somewhere. The reader gets right inside the characters and, in this book, particularly into Myra's thoughts. It was quite heart breaking to read of the circumstances which led them to drift apart. As Myra rediscovers herself and sees Graham in a new light, we join her on her rediscovery of herself.
This is the sort of book that the reader has a fair idea as to the ending right from the beginning. However the story to get to that point is interesting and well written.
I am sad that this is Rebecca Shaw's last book. I will miss her characters and her detailed descriptions. I did, however, enjoy this book very much and suspect I shall re-read her previous work in the near future.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.
July 22, 2018
I requested this book via NetGalley because I was in the mood for a family feel good book amidst more serious ambitions.
The story is of an ordinary couple who are living in a sort of limbo. Into this sedentary life their nephews move in with them when their father dies. Myra is not so pleased with her husband's stance that this should happen.It is a tale of two unhappy people whose existence changes drastically.
You watch the changes, but the constant back and forth in the mind of Myra(she has never healed from her past) was starting to get annoying, she gives in to change and then reconsiders her position.Her husband was the saving grace who decides to suddenly stop being a doormat. If it had happened even one less time, or more gradually (that us if eventually she decided on a stand) I would have given this book five stars. For those who are not as finicky as me, it will be a good read. It is the journey of lost souls who find a way to make it work.
for other unrelated reviews: www.superfluousreading.wordpress.com
The story is of an ordinary couple who are living in a sort of limbo. Into this sedentary life their nephews move in with them when their father dies. Myra is not so pleased with her husband's stance that this should happen.It is a tale of two unhappy people whose existence changes drastically.
You watch the changes, but the constant back and forth in the mind of Myra(she has never healed from her past) was starting to get annoying, she gives in to change and then reconsiders her position.Her husband was the saving grace who decides to suddenly stop being a doormat. If it had happened even one less time, or more gradually (that us if eventually she decided on a stand) I would have given this book five stars. For those who are not as finicky as me, it will be a good read. It is the journey of lost souls who find a way to make it work.
for other unrelated reviews: www.superfluousreading.wordpress.com
August 16, 2019
Myra has suffered one of the worst losses any person can have....she had a miscarriage, a stillborn child and a hysterectomy. How does anyone recover from these body blows?
Myra and her husband stay together but Myra is frozen emotionally by these blows...and 10 years pass.
Then her husband Graham, looses his brother leaving 2 nephews needing a home.
How Myra becomes “unfrozen”, and deals with their lives being turned upside down, is dealt with very realistically. I love her neighbor Viv too!
Myra and Graham make mistakes....who wouldn’t suddenly have a 9 year old and a 12/13 year old suddenly live with you....but they also find unexpected strengths in both themselves and each other.
There’s also a rabbit named Pete, a dog called Tyke and lots of baking!
I love the “turn a bad situation around become a better person”, type of story and THIS IS A VERY good one! Very realistic too....you can’t turn perfect overnight! (She doesn’t turn perfect...just more human and motherly). Very well done.
Myra and her husband stay together but Myra is frozen emotionally by these blows...and 10 years pass.
Then her husband Graham, looses his brother leaving 2 nephews needing a home.
How Myra becomes “unfrozen”, and deals with their lives being turned upside down, is dealt with very realistically. I love her neighbor Viv too!
Myra and Graham make mistakes....who wouldn’t suddenly have a 9 year old and a 12/13 year old suddenly live with you....but they also find unexpected strengths in both themselves and each other.
There’s also a rabbit named Pete, a dog called Tyke and lots of baking!
I love the “turn a bad situation around become a better person”, type of story and THIS IS A VERY good one! Very realistic too....you can’t turn perfect overnight! (She doesn’t turn perfect...just more human and motherly). Very well done.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2022
As usual, Rebecca Shaw is a tremendous storyteller. Shaw's portrayal of Myra and Graham adjusting to their new lives as a mum and dad is quite striking. I found myself being quite proud of Graham for standing up to Myra and adopting his nephews to keep them in the family. While Graham was seemingly destined to be a great dad, it was heartwarming to see Myra's transition into a great mum who finally overcame her earlier losses.
September 9, 2018
Read this in a day
July 3, 2019
A nice easy summer read! About parenting, and marital relationship! I've not read her books before and this was the last book written before her death in 2015.
September 29, 2022
A good ole family story.. didn’t find it engaging really but sensitively told and an easy read.
January 6, 2023
The second time I have read this; a couple of things I'd missed the first time a page turner like all her books
February 12, 2023
Fantastic
Brilliantly written. Graham loses his brother and takes on his two nephews, but Graham's wife is definitely not keen on the idea. She has closed off herself to her husband after having a miscarriage years earlier. Can the boys help them to heal.
Brilliantly written. Graham loses his brother and takes on his two nephews, but Graham's wife is definitely not keen on the idea. She has closed off herself to her husband after having a miscarriage years earlier. Can the boys help them to heal.
June 10, 2020
I've so loved the Turnham Malpas series by Rebecca Shaw, but this one was okayish. The plot was a good one, but it seemed to drag on and on unnecessarily.
June 4, 2018
A lovely easy to read and easy to relate to story about things that happen in the world today. It is heart warming with lots of twists that you don’t expect and it is a pleasure to read this book.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews