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The Not So Perfect Plan To Save Friendship House
Meet Phoebe, who’s 28, and Laney, Dot and Maggie, who are 68, 78, and none of your business. Together they'll prove that age doesn’t matter when it comes to friendship, belonging and an unquenchable zest for life.
When Framlingham’s famously all-female retirement home goes co-ed, a war between the sexes is declared.
Stuck in the middle, chef Phoebe Stockton is desperate to help her friends plot to keep the community that means so much to them. It’s become her life raft, too. She finds comfort in her beloved career that might finally make her parents proud. But Phoebe’s darling Nick is lining up on the other side of the battle, and their romance is suffering collateral damage.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. If the home’s owner can’t improve business by moving the men in, he’ll have to close down Friendship House.
The women aren’t about to let that happen.
When Framlingham’s famously all-female retirement home goes co-ed, a war between the sexes is declared.
Stuck in the middle, chef Phoebe Stockton is desperate to help her friends plot to keep the community that means so much to them. It’s become her life raft, too. She finds comfort in her beloved career that might finally make her parents proud. But Phoebe’s darling Nick is lining up on the other side of the battle, and their romance is suffering collateral damage.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. If the home’s owner can’t improve business by moving the men in, he’ll have to close down Friendship House.
The women aren’t about to let that happen.
327 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2018
1046 people are currently reading
650 people want to read
About the author
Lilly Bartlett
10 books88 followersLilly Bartlett’s cosy comedies are full of warmth, quirky characters and guaranteed happily-ever-afters.
Lilly is the pen-name of Sunday Times and USA Today best-selling author, Michele Gorman, who writes best friend-girl power comedies under her own name.
BE SURE NOT TO MISS LILLY'S NEXT BOOK. Sign up for the newsletter (only around 3 per year) ang get the chance to get her books on sale or even for free, or read her books before they are published! Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/b96-Yz
Lilly is the pen-name of Sunday Times and USA Today best-selling author, Michele Gorman, who writes best friend-girl power comedies under her own name.
BE SURE NOT TO MISS LILLY'S NEXT BOOK. Sign up for the newsletter (only around 3 per year) ang get the chance to get her books on sale or even for free, or read her books before they are published! Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/b96-Yz
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
September 14, 2018
Book Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
Twenty-eight-years-old Phoebe Stockton works as a chef at a ladies care home in Framlington, Suffolk. She is a qualified chef who used to work in a restaurant until it burnt down (no fault of hers).
The care home has been struggling financially so owner Max has an idea to raise some money, move his father Terrence in and sell his cottage. This news doesn’t go down well with the ladies, especially as Terrence is well-known to them and is always up to mischief.
However, it would seem that moving his father in was the tip of the iceberg. Max decides that now the home is co-ed he can now allow men to apply to live there too. The ladies are not impressed. They like it being all female and they are determined to let Max know exactly what they think of his plan.
The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House is a fun, energetic (even if most of the characters are elderly) book that puts a smile on your face. The book is told from the point of view of Phoebe and opens with the death of her mother, a mother she had a turbulent relationship with. Whilst the main story is set around the home and the residents, Phoebe’s Mums death plays a secondary role, especially when she discovers information she never knew about her and the fact that her father doesn’t seem to be bothered that his wife has just died.
Another secondary plot is that of a love interest in the form of Occupational Therapist Nick who works at the home. The two clearly like one another but they skirt around each other, neither willing to make the first move. Phoebe does make a bit of a fool of herself in front of him though after drinking alcohol after having sedative – Trust me, never ever do this. There is also the matter that Max the care home owner seems to treat Nick like dirt and pays him very little, yet he stays and does more than his fair share of other jobs around the home too.
The most delightful characters in the book are the residents, even Terrence. Maggie, Sophie, Dot, and Laney are just beautiful older women who have all lived varied lives and know what they want in their senior years and it’s not men spoiling their care home. They each had their own personalities and their mannerisms and actions made you feel like you were stood in the care home watching them. I just loved them all – even Maggie who is so stubborn.
The book is easy to read and uplifting. I just adored it and read it in one sitting, I didn’t want to put it down. Phoebe’s voice is authentic and it was lovely to get to know her and all the other residents and staff too.
Twenty-eight-years-old Phoebe Stockton works as a chef at a ladies care home in Framlington, Suffolk. She is a qualified chef who used to work in a restaurant until it burnt down (no fault of hers).
The care home has been struggling financially so owner Max has an idea to raise some money, move his father Terrence in and sell his cottage. This news doesn’t go down well with the ladies, especially as Terrence is well-known to them and is always up to mischief.
However, it would seem that moving his father in was the tip of the iceberg. Max decides that now the home is co-ed he can now allow men to apply to live there too. The ladies are not impressed. They like it being all female and they are determined to let Max know exactly what they think of his plan.
The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House is a fun, energetic (even if most of the characters are elderly) book that puts a smile on your face. The book is told from the point of view of Phoebe and opens with the death of her mother, a mother she had a turbulent relationship with. Whilst the main story is set around the home and the residents, Phoebe’s Mums death plays a secondary role, especially when she discovers information she never knew about her and the fact that her father doesn’t seem to be bothered that his wife has just died.
Another secondary plot is that of a love interest in the form of Occupational Therapist Nick who works at the home. The two clearly like one another but they skirt around each other, neither willing to make the first move. Phoebe does make a bit of a fool of herself in front of him though after drinking alcohol after having sedative – Trust me, never ever do this. There is also the matter that Max the care home owner seems to treat Nick like dirt and pays him very little, yet he stays and does more than his fair share of other jobs around the home too.
The most delightful characters in the book are the residents, even Terrence. Maggie, Sophie, Dot, and Laney are just beautiful older women who have all lived varied lives and know what they want in their senior years and it’s not men spoiling their care home. They each had their own personalities and their mannerisms and actions made you feel like you were stood in the care home watching them. I just loved them all – even Maggie who is so stubborn.
The book is easy to read and uplifting. I just adored it and read it in one sitting, I didn’t want to put it down. Phoebe’s voice is authentic and it was lovely to get to know her and all the other residents and staff too.
August 30, 2018
Ahh chick lit is my first true love and it’s so nice to go back and read it from time to time! Bartlett is quickly becoming one of my go to authors to turn to when I need an uplifting read full of positivity and hope and her latest provided me with just what I was looking for. If you want a book that will make you forget about all the terrible things going on in the world for a few hours and leave you with a smile on your face then look no further, Bartlett has you covered.
I loved the premise of this, a chef working in a senior living home, because I just knew it would be full of fun and memorable characters and I was so right. Phoebe was exactly the kind of character I love in CL, she’s a normal woman living an ordinary life but she’s someone I would want to be friends with and she has a wonderful personality. The residents of the senior home were an eclectic bunch and they both made me laugh and made me say aww so many times.
This was just an adorable read with a ton of heart, it was a delightful way to spend an afternoon and I was sad to see it end, though it did end on a high note. Recommended to curl up with when you’re having a bad day and want to change that, super light and breezy!
The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House in three words: Warm, Sweet and Fun.
I loved the premise of this, a chef working in a senior living home, because I just knew it would be full of fun and memorable characters and I was so right. Phoebe was exactly the kind of character I love in CL, she’s a normal woman living an ordinary life but she’s someone I would want to be friends with and she has a wonderful personality. The residents of the senior home were an eclectic bunch and they both made me laugh and made me say aww so many times.
This was just an adorable read with a ton of heart, it was a delightful way to spend an afternoon and I was sad to see it end, though it did end on a high note. Recommended to curl up with when you’re having a bad day and want to change that, super light and breezy!
The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House in three words: Warm, Sweet and Fun.
March 10, 2019
Always a joy to read a book from Lilly Bartlett and this really is no exception.
I loved getting to know all the residents at The Happy Home for Ladies, which is care home for ladies of a certain age, and has far more of a community feel to it than some. There are many clubs and activities daily, and it sounded like a really pleasant place to live.
We meet Phoebe on the day of her mother;s funeral, and I instantly felt a sort of kinship with her, as her relationship with her mother isn't simple, and neither is mine,
Phoebe is the cook at the care home, but not only that her best friend is the manager, her crush is the all around dogsbody of the place, and they are all friends to ladies that live there.
I loved hearing about the ins and outs of the home and its various residents, there were some very interesting sub plots at play, in addition to a few more serious ones too.
It is a well thought out, fun book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Impulse for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,
I loved getting to know all the residents at The Happy Home for Ladies, which is care home for ladies of a certain age, and has far more of a community feel to it than some. There are many clubs and activities daily, and it sounded like a really pleasant place to live.
We meet Phoebe on the day of her mother;s funeral, and I instantly felt a sort of kinship with her, as her relationship with her mother isn't simple, and neither is mine,
Phoebe is the cook at the care home, but not only that her best friend is the manager, her crush is the all around dogsbody of the place, and they are all friends to ladies that live there.
I loved hearing about the ins and outs of the home and its various residents, there were some very interesting sub plots at play, in addition to a few more serious ones too.
It is a well thought out, fun book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Impulse for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,
August 29, 2018
Phoebe is a chef at all-female senior living home. She loves her job and she loves the home's residents, so when the new owner Max concocts a plan of opening its doors to male residents as well, together with her best friend June - and the women at home! - she decides to do something against it. She also works hard to make her parents proud of her, and there is also Nick - can there be a happy end for them?
Personally I had a problem with Phoebe. I just couldn't warm to her, and sadly it didn't change throughout the whole book. The way she was everywhere around the house was for me a little confusing because well, she was a cook, right, not a manager or something like this and I just couldn't stop thinking that she was just meddling, she just wanted to know everything. I could understand her being a part of the Book Club but her taking part in all the confidential meetings? For me - too strange. Also, I couldn't help the feel that she's very pushy, that she's expecting all people to like her and do as she wishes. The way she was around Nick - though it can also go the other way round because Nick was not much better - was incredibly childish, she was assuming things and she also was expecting things without telling a word. Phoebe's family was also not the most charming one, what with her father's first questions when she came to visit was what food did she bring this time for example. The whole thing with her mother who seemed not to value and appreciate her daughter's job - why can't you simply tell your daughter that you're proud of her, instead leaving her in the belief that she's a disappointment to you? Somehow strange, somehow not working for me.
The promised plan to save the Friendship House appeared on the pages somewhere around the middle - relatively late for my liking. Except for one or two chapters where the characters tried to sabotage the owner's new plan there was actually nothing more on this subject. Sadly - it could be brilliantly refreshing. Some of the things happened so out of the blue, like the chapter when Phoebe meets Bill - it happened so suddenly and only because it was needed for the rest of the story, to complicate things a little - so convenient.
The intrigue was such a great idea however it lacked in execution, but throughout we got to know the residents of the house much better - and it doesn't happen often but personally I think that the characters in this book were better developed than the plot - , together with their secrets and often poignant pasts. But there are also other things to keep you hooked to the pages, as there is are also some romances with happy - or not - endings, some broken hearts, some family secrets and lies.
It was this kind of book where - unfortunately - synopsis is better than the story. I loved this blurb and I started reading this book with great expectation, hoping for brilliant antics and fun. Maybe it's me, maybe I'm expecting too much but if a book doesn't work for me then it simply doesn't work. altogether it was a light and uplifting read about friendship and second chances, about accepting people just as they are. If you like your characters to be a little overdone and for the things to go smoothly with a few predictable twists and turns, then don't hesitate and go for this book. It has this feel - good factor to it and the background characters - the residents of the house - are wonderful, colourful bunch of characters, with their foibles and habits, that add tons of humour to this book.
Copy provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
August 16, 2018
I have always enjoyed books by this author and thos ne didn't let me down at all it's well written and has warm characters and really makes you laugh as well so funny. It's only based around a few characters but they are all close friends and shows how they can pull themselves together. It's uplifting, funny, romantic and shows how a community can pull together and show their friendship.
Chef phoebe works in a senior living home and her mother passes away and she's always felt she let her mother down and she didn't do what they wanted her to do. She's desperate to help her friends in the living home as war is declared as a a males is moved into the home and it's been an all female home. The females aren't happy and she wants to keep the community together and make her parents happy so can she do it or not. She's also started seeing Nick but he's on the other side with the war so will it damage their relationship or not. The home owners need to improve business by moving men in otherwise all the woman will be evicted as well so will they let this happen or not. Will they all pull this together and all be happy or not.
A great read and very well written highly recommend reading this.
Chef phoebe works in a senior living home and her mother passes away and she's always felt she let her mother down and she didn't do what they wanted her to do. She's desperate to help her friends in the living home as war is declared as a a males is moved into the home and it's been an all female home. The females aren't happy and she wants to keep the community together and make her parents happy so can she do it or not. She's also started seeing Nick but he's on the other side with the war so will it damage their relationship or not. The home owners need to improve business by moving men in otherwise all the woman will be evicted as well so will they let this happen or not. Will they all pull this together and all be happy or not.
A great read and very well written highly recommend reading this.
October 10, 2022
This is the feel-good book I needed to read right now!
July 16, 2018
A light, feel-good read, for those who enjoy choral books full of larger-than-life characters. I write this review as a member of Rosie’s Book Review Team and thank Rosie Amber (check here if you would like to have your book reviewed) and the author for providing me an ARC copy of this novel, which I freely chose to review.
Sometimes it seems as if all the books and movies on offer are centred on young protagonists, and I’m not only talking about Young Adult books. However, recently there has been a move towards including older protagonists and subjects. I enjoyed the two Dutch books about Hendrik Groen, a man in his eighties living in a nursing home, and have watched a few movies, usually choral, about older protagonists (like The Exotic Marigold Hotel). The setting of this novel, in a residential home, and the promise of a comedy made it sound like the perfect choice for me.
The first-person narrator of the story is Phoebe, a chef who had a very successful career in a bistro before disaster struck. She loves her job at the residential home (The Jane Austen Home for Ladies, and, as we discover, the name is meaningful in several ways), but has always felt frustrated because her parents (and her mother, in particular) do not seem to value her job and are dismissive of her career. To make matters worse, her mother (a larger-than-life character) dies suddenly at the beginning of the book, but her internalised voice keeps gnawing on her confidence. Her best friend, June, is the manager of the home, and she fancies Nick, who is the official physiotherapist but also takes on any odd jobs going on (art therapy, gardening, handyman…). I know some readers don’t like first-person narratives, although Phoebe is unassuming, witty and an excellent friend. (On the minus side, her lack of self-confidence can make her sound paranoid and bitchy, and she keeps mulling over things, unable to decide what to do, trying hard to feel comfortable in her own skin and accept the credit for her achievements). We learn some surprising things about her family life together and by the end of the book, although I don’t have much in common with her character, I felt connected to her and appreciated her role as a narrator. Her friendship with June is convincing and their relationship is one of the strongest points of the book.
I also loved the residents of the home, and in many ways (not only due to my age, I hope), I felt closer to them than to the protagonist. We get to know some of them more than others (Maggie is fabulous and I loved Dot, Laney, Sophie, and yes, even Terence). They all feel real, with their foibles and their endearing traits, and make the book memorable. We follow the intrigues that have to do with the home and the changes that take place there (from a women’s only place to a mixed one) and learn about its inhabitants, their secrets, and their past lives. We are both observers and participants in much of the action, and we feel invested in their fates. We learn the importance of accepting people for who they are and moving beyond appearances and prejudices.
There are several romances with happy, or at least hopeful, endings (for the young and the older generations), broken hearts and disappointments, secrets and lies, and there is also the connection (pointed out through references to the book club and their discussions) to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I would not call the novel a variation on Pride and Prejudice but if we think of Austen’s text as we read it we can discover nuances that might be easily missed otherwise.
Although there are many amusing lines in the novel (and some pretty touching ones as well. As we know, humour can be an excellent defence mechanism against hurt), I thought I’d share a few (remember that I got an ARC copy, so there might be some changes to the final version of the novel):
We’ve never let something as trifling as the spectre of death stand in the way of a good snipe.
My mother didn’t get ulcers, she gave them.
He’s a perv-whisperer.
She wouldn’t like my ponytail, though. I did try taking it down, but having it up in a hair tie the entire weekend meant my hair had a ridge along the back that gave it a very White Cliffs of Dover effect.
I’m surprised he doesn’t need an oxygen tank with all the social climbing he’s been doing.
The writing flows well and fits in perfectly with the voice of the narrator, who can spend inordinate amounts of time thinking about her beau but is also attuned to the feelings of the residents and her friend. There are plenty of amusing events taking place throughout the novel that keep the action moving, but the characters are much stronger than the plot and by the end of the book (that I enjoyed) they have all become good friends (or most of them have).
The author defines her books as light reads, as beach novels, and says her readers describe them as “feel-good.” All that is true, although behind all the funny goings-on the book illustrates the importance of keeping expectations and prejudices under control, and it reminds parents that they should encourage their children to find fulfilment in their own terms rather than expect them to make their parent’s dreams come true. If you are looking for a light read, full of memorable characters, plenty of humour, and a big deal of heart, I’d recommend this novel. And, if it existed in real life, I wouldn’t mind working at the home (and in time even living there) either.
Sometimes it seems as if all the books and movies on offer are centred on young protagonists, and I’m not only talking about Young Adult books. However, recently there has been a move towards including older protagonists and subjects. I enjoyed the two Dutch books about Hendrik Groen, a man in his eighties living in a nursing home, and have watched a few movies, usually choral, about older protagonists (like The Exotic Marigold Hotel). The setting of this novel, in a residential home, and the promise of a comedy made it sound like the perfect choice for me.
The first-person narrator of the story is Phoebe, a chef who had a very successful career in a bistro before disaster struck. She loves her job at the residential home (The Jane Austen Home for Ladies, and, as we discover, the name is meaningful in several ways), but has always felt frustrated because her parents (and her mother, in particular) do not seem to value her job and are dismissive of her career. To make matters worse, her mother (a larger-than-life character) dies suddenly at the beginning of the book, but her internalised voice keeps gnawing on her confidence. Her best friend, June, is the manager of the home, and she fancies Nick, who is the official physiotherapist but also takes on any odd jobs going on (art therapy, gardening, handyman…). I know some readers don’t like first-person narratives, although Phoebe is unassuming, witty and an excellent friend. (On the minus side, her lack of self-confidence can make her sound paranoid and bitchy, and she keeps mulling over things, unable to decide what to do, trying hard to feel comfortable in her own skin and accept the credit for her achievements). We learn some surprising things about her family life together and by the end of the book, although I don’t have much in common with her character, I felt connected to her and appreciated her role as a narrator. Her friendship with June is convincing and their relationship is one of the strongest points of the book.
I also loved the residents of the home, and in many ways (not only due to my age, I hope), I felt closer to them than to the protagonist. We get to know some of them more than others (Maggie is fabulous and I loved Dot, Laney, Sophie, and yes, even Terence). They all feel real, with their foibles and their endearing traits, and make the book memorable. We follow the intrigues that have to do with the home and the changes that take place there (from a women’s only place to a mixed one) and learn about its inhabitants, their secrets, and their past lives. We are both observers and participants in much of the action, and we feel invested in their fates. We learn the importance of accepting people for who they are and moving beyond appearances and prejudices.
There are several romances with happy, or at least hopeful, endings (for the young and the older generations), broken hearts and disappointments, secrets and lies, and there is also the connection (pointed out through references to the book club and their discussions) to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I would not call the novel a variation on Pride and Prejudice but if we think of Austen’s text as we read it we can discover nuances that might be easily missed otherwise.
Although there are many amusing lines in the novel (and some pretty touching ones as well. As we know, humour can be an excellent defence mechanism against hurt), I thought I’d share a few (remember that I got an ARC copy, so there might be some changes to the final version of the novel):
We’ve never let something as trifling as the spectre of death stand in the way of a good snipe.
My mother didn’t get ulcers, she gave them.
He’s a perv-whisperer.
She wouldn’t like my ponytail, though. I did try taking it down, but having it up in a hair tie the entire weekend meant my hair had a ridge along the back that gave it a very White Cliffs of Dover effect.
I’m surprised he doesn’t need an oxygen tank with all the social climbing he’s been doing.
The writing flows well and fits in perfectly with the voice of the narrator, who can spend inordinate amounts of time thinking about her beau but is also attuned to the feelings of the residents and her friend. There are plenty of amusing events taking place throughout the novel that keep the action moving, but the characters are much stronger than the plot and by the end of the book (that I enjoyed) they have all become good friends (or most of them have).
The author defines her books as light reads, as beach novels, and says her readers describe them as “feel-good.” All that is true, although behind all the funny goings-on the book illustrates the importance of keeping expectations and prejudices under control, and it reminds parents that they should encourage their children to find fulfilment in their own terms rather than expect them to make their parent’s dreams come true. If you are looking for a light read, full of memorable characters, plenty of humour, and a big deal of heart, I’d recommend this novel. And, if it existed in real life, I wouldn’t mind working at the home (and in time even living there) either.
August 14, 2019
This is an enjoyable read! Great book for summer. Nice pacing. I like this author already and the writing is good. I also like it is centered on people who are a bit older, that’s a lovely idea we don’t see enough of, or at least I haven’t. That makes it different, in a positive way.
August 31, 2018
THE NOT SO PERFECT PLAN TO SAVE FRIENDSHIP HOUSE by Lilly Bartlett is a heartwarming and enjoyable story that has something for everyone.
Phoebe has just lost her mum with whom she had a complicated relationship and she is worried about her dad who doesn't seem to be behaving the way that she would have expected. But at least she has a job that she loves as a chef in the ladies care home where she gets to work for her best friend, June, even if it means she sees Nick every day - the man she yearns for but can never have. There is a lot going on in her life but when the care home owner decides that it is time for the home to house men and women together, the trouble is only beginning and as the battle lines are drawn, friends may even find themselves on opposite sides ...
THE NOT SO PERFECT PLAN TO SAVE FRIENDSHIP HOUSE by Lilly Bartlett has a wonderful mix of characters, some outrageous and funny, while others are more reserved and emotional, but all of them are loveable in their own way. This story will make you smile and make you think about old age in a new way that is refreshing and welcome. The setting and the feel of community and belonging is very well portrayed throughout and I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish.
THE NOT SO PERFECT PLAN TO SAVE FRIENDSHIP HOUSE by Lilly Bartlett is a delightful novel of life, love, and the pursuit of happiness regardless of age and everything else in between and I highly recommend it.
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the author
Phoebe has just lost her mum with whom she had a complicated relationship and she is worried about her dad who doesn't seem to be behaving the way that she would have expected. But at least she has a job that she loves as a chef in the ladies care home where she gets to work for her best friend, June, even if it means she sees Nick every day - the man she yearns for but can never have. There is a lot going on in her life but when the care home owner decides that it is time for the home to house men and women together, the trouble is only beginning and as the battle lines are drawn, friends may even find themselves on opposite sides ...
THE NOT SO PERFECT PLAN TO SAVE FRIENDSHIP HOUSE by Lilly Bartlett has a wonderful mix of characters, some outrageous and funny, while others are more reserved and emotional, but all of them are loveable in their own way. This story will make you smile and make you think about old age in a new way that is refreshing and welcome. The setting and the feel of community and belonging is very well portrayed throughout and I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish.
THE NOT SO PERFECT PLAN TO SAVE FRIENDSHIP HOUSE by Lilly Bartlett is a delightful novel of life, love, and the pursuit of happiness regardless of age and everything else in between and I highly recommend it.
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the author
August 31, 2018
Phoebe is the chef at an aged care home for ladies, after working in a bistro which burned down. Her best friend is June, the Manager of the home, and she is good friends with the residents as well as Nick, the physical therapist.
Phoebe grew up with parents who were high-flyers and her mother in particular expressed her disappointment with Phoebe, time and again, whilst praising her brother. Her father wasn't much better. As I grew up with a mother who was very, very similar to this, including her dying of cancer and feeling very angry afterwards, I could really relate to this. I am glad that the author described Phoebe's feelings towards her mother in a realistic way, even after her father gave her a gift which explained a few things.
All in all though, I found it quite hard to warm to Phoebe, for some reason, and her relationship with Nick was kind of strange and not all that believable.
The other part of this book is that the care home is at risk of being sold, if new residents aren't found. How that all worked out, was quite funny. The residents were an interesting bunch and I enjoyed reading about them.
All in all, this was a light, easy read but I guess I was expecting a little more depth.
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
Phoebe grew up with parents who were high-flyers and her mother in particular expressed her disappointment with Phoebe, time and again, whilst praising her brother. Her father wasn't much better. As I grew up with a mother who was very, very similar to this, including her dying of cancer and feeling very angry afterwards, I could really relate to this. I am glad that the author described Phoebe's feelings towards her mother in a realistic way, even after her father gave her a gift which explained a few things.
All in all though, I found it quite hard to warm to Phoebe, for some reason, and her relationship with Nick was kind of strange and not all that believable.
The other part of this book is that the care home is at risk of being sold, if new residents aren't found. How that all worked out, was quite funny. The residents were an interesting bunch and I enjoyed reading about them.
All in all, this was a light, easy read but I guess I was expecting a little more depth.
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
September 7, 2018
This fun chick lit book is filled with quirky characters, plenty of laughs, and a lot of feel good moments. I loved the introduction to the book and our first peek into Phoebe’s life, and she was a very likeable and also relatable character to follow. Her love life is a bit of a disaster most of the way through the book, but fun to follow the twists and turns that get thrown at her. The Friendship House was a sweet setting, and the residents all brought a little something to the plot. I thought the pacing was great throughout though it did feel a little rushed at the end as everything was wrapping up, but still a very enjoyable chick lit read.
I received a review copy
I received a review copy
June 7, 2021
Omg. I FINISHED A BOOK. THIS IS SO EXCITING. I have no thoughts currently. I'll write a review on my blog one day. All I can currently say is that I LOVED this book so much.
August 24, 2018
Phoebe finds herself stuck in the middle. Her mom's just died, things aren't working out with her love interest Nick, and now the retirement home where she works is in total upheaval over a plan to bring in male residents. The charm of this light read is in the characters, especially the older women, who have distinct and strong personalities. Laney, Dot, and Maggie will remind you of people you know. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good end of summer read.
August 5, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. I love fun cozy enlightening reads. This book especially had a special meaning for me. In the book Phoebe loses her mom and it dealt with the feelings and emotions of her loss. My mom was just diagnosed with cancer and I have been reacting to the same scenarios she is discussing. My mom and I have a similar relationship as Phoebe and her mom. It was nice to hear and read how Pheobe dealt with the loss of her mom. This was only a minor sub plot to the story. I loved the characters and the ladies vs gents discrepancies of the Friendship House. This is a feel good book and very uplifting. I just hope there is a Friendship House i can live in when I become a senior.
September 8, 2018
To read full review here mariesbookboutique.wordpress.com/2018...
I'm a massive fan of all her book's so was extremely excited to see what her next story is all about.
Let's get into the cover (as you know I love that bit!). I have to say I like the UK's front cover rather than the US cover! This one feel's more prettier, with the silhouette of a house coloured in a turquoise colour, in the top left of the house is a mug of a hot drink surrounded by pretty flowers, and in the right bottom of the house is a comfy chair again with flowers. The long title is in white and is housed (excuse the pun!) in the house silhouette. Lilly's name is coulure of the house which look's great against the cream backing. I adore this cover for the bright colours; it's very eye catching.
Friendship House care home for lady's only; set up by Mrs Greene, located in a small Suffolk town of Framlingham. Now Mrs Greene has passed on, her son is no at the helm. With the care home losing money Max often makes visits; with not always the best news! With Max's father living in the cottage behind Friendship house, he often makes visit's to the home and causes mayhem. What will Max's changes mean to the lady residence? Will the lady's co-operate? What will happen to friendship house? Can it be saved?
Phoebe is the cook at the home love's her job and is a bit of a workaholic as is her co-worker, manager and best friend June. She also works with totally handsome and kind Nick ( the homes Occupational therapist); but when there 'date' with his friend; doesn't quit go to plan Phoebe is mortified! Although there are question's as to why he is always sucking up to the boss! Why is Nick always happy to do more than his share of the work? What is with there relationship? Will they get over the misunderstanding? Can her and Nick be more than just good friends?
When Phoebe loses her mother suddenly, and now she has all these feeling's she doesn't know what to do with. Her mother and father have built there business from scratch, and always thought their daughter could do much better than just being a cook. All these feeling begging to surface and niggle her. Will she find anything out about why her mother was like that? Will she find out more about her mother?
On reading The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House, I enjoyed the story been written in the first person, which helped me feel connected to Phoebe. However I felt the storyline just didn't draw me in this time, as in her previous books. The characters are funny and quirky thought, which was why I finished the book.
I'm a massive fan of all her book's so was extremely excited to see what her next story is all about.
Let's get into the cover (as you know I love that bit!). I have to say I like the UK's front cover rather than the US cover! This one feel's more prettier, with the silhouette of a house coloured in a turquoise colour, in the top left of the house is a mug of a hot drink surrounded by pretty flowers, and in the right bottom of the house is a comfy chair again with flowers. The long title is in white and is housed (excuse the pun!) in the house silhouette. Lilly's name is coulure of the house which look's great against the cream backing. I adore this cover for the bright colours; it's very eye catching.
Friendship House care home for lady's only; set up by Mrs Greene, located in a small Suffolk town of Framlingham. Now Mrs Greene has passed on, her son is no at the helm. With the care home losing money Max often makes visits; with not always the best news! With Max's father living in the cottage behind Friendship house, he often makes visit's to the home and causes mayhem. What will Max's changes mean to the lady residence? Will the lady's co-operate? What will happen to friendship house? Can it be saved?
Phoebe is the cook at the home love's her job and is a bit of a workaholic as is her co-worker, manager and best friend June. She also works with totally handsome and kind Nick ( the homes Occupational therapist); but when there 'date' with his friend; doesn't quit go to plan Phoebe is mortified! Although there are question's as to why he is always sucking up to the boss! Why is Nick always happy to do more than his share of the work? What is with there relationship? Will they get over the misunderstanding? Can her and Nick be more than just good friends?
When Phoebe loses her mother suddenly, and now she has all these feeling's she doesn't know what to do with. Her mother and father have built there business from scratch, and always thought their daughter could do much better than just being a cook. All these feeling begging to surface and niggle her. Will she find anything out about why her mother was like that? Will she find out more about her mother?
On reading The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House, I enjoyed the story been written in the first person, which helped me feel connected to Phoebe. However I felt the storyline just didn't draw me in this time, as in her previous books. The characters are funny and quirky thought, which was why I finished the book.
July 31, 2018
It's not often that I come across a book where the leading characters of aged folks plays prominently in the story. Several of the characters are a hoot, and I loved some of the bantering that took place. I thought that this book was a delightful read with some humor, romance, love, and forgiveness. Comfort read at its best. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would love to see more of these staff and occupants of this happy place. I was given an ARC from the publisher for an honest review.
September 26, 2018
Review coming!
July 16, 2018
I write this review as a member of Rosie’s Book Review Team and thank Rosie Amber (check here if you would like to have your book reviewed) and the author for providing me an ARC copy of this novel, which I freely chose to review.
Sometimes it seems as if all the books and movies on offer are centred on young protagonists, and I’m not only talking about Young Adult books. However, recently there has been a move towards including older protagonists and subjects. I enjoyed the two Dutch books about Hendrik Groen, a man in his eighties living in a nursing home, and have watched a few movies, usually choral, about older protagonists (like The Exotic Marigold Hotel). The setting of this novel, in a residential home, and the promise of a comedy made it sound like the perfect choice for me.
The first-person narrator of the story is Phoebe, a chef who had a very successful career in a bistro before disaster struck. She loves her job at the residential home (The Jane Austen Home for Ladies, and, as we discover, the name is meaningful in several ways), but has always felt frustrated because her parents (and her mother, in particular) do not seem to value her job and are dismissive of her career. To make matters worse, her mother (a larger-than-life character) dies suddenly at the beginning of the book, but her internalised voice keeps gnawing on her confidence. Her best friend, June, is the manager of the home, and she fancies Nick, who is the official physiotherapist but also takes on any odd jobs going on (art therapy, gardening, handyman…). I know some readers don’t like first-person narratives, although Phoebe is unassuming, witty and an excellent friend. (On the minus side, her lack of self-confidence can make her sound paranoid and bitchy, and she keeps mulling over things, unable to decide what to do, trying hard to feel comfortable in her own skin and accept the credit for her achievements). We learn some surprising things about her family life together and by the end of the book, although I don’t have much in common with her character, I felt connected to her and appreciated her role as a narrator. Her friendship with June is convincing and their relationship is one of the strongest points of the book.
I also loved the residents of the home, and in many ways (not only due to my age, I hope), I felt closer to them than to the protagonist. We get to know some of them more than others (Maggie is fabulous and I loved Dot, Laney, Sophie, and yes, even Terence). They all feel real, with their foibles and their endearing traits, and make the book memorable. We follow the intrigues that have to do with the home and the changes that take place there (from a women’s only place to a mixed one) and learn about its inhabitants, their secrets, and their past lives. We are both observers and participants in much of the action, and we feel invested in their fates. We learn the importance of accepting people for who they are and moving beyond appearances and prejudices.
There are several romances with happy, or at least hopeful, endings (for the young and the older generations), broken hearts and disappointments, secrets and lies, and there is also the connection (pointed out through references to the book club and their discussions) to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I would not call the novel a variation on Pride and Prejudice but if we think of Austen’s text as we read it we can discover nuances that might be easily missed otherwise.
Although there are many amusing lines in the novel (and some pretty touching ones as well. As we know, humour can be an excellent defence mechanism against hurt), I thought I’d share a few (remember that I got an ARC copy, so there might be some changes to the final version of the novel):
We’ve never let something as trifling as the spectre of death stand in the way of a good snipe.
My mother didn’t get ulcers, she gave them.
He’s a perv-whisperer.
She wouldn’t like my ponytail, though. I did try taking it down, but having it up in a hair tie the entire weekend meant my hair had a ridge along the back that gave it a very White Cliffs of Dover effect.
I’m surprised he doesn’t need an oxygen tank with all the social climbing he’s been doing.
The writing flows well and fits in perfectly with the voice of the narrator, who can spend inordinate amounts of time thinking about her beau but is also attuned to the feelings of the residents and her friend. There are plenty of amusing events taking place throughout the novel that keep the action moving, but the characters are much stronger than the plot and by the end of the book (that I enjoyed) they have all become good friends (or most of them have).
The author defines her books as light reads, as beach novels, and says her readers describe them as “feel-good.” All that is true, although behind all the funny goings-on the book illustrates the importance of keeping expectations and prejudices under control, and it reminds parents that they should encourage their children to find fulfilment in their own terms rather than expect them to make their parent’s dreams come true. If you are looking for a light read, full of memorable characters, plenty of humour, and a big deal of heart, I’d recommend this novel. And, if it existed in real life, I wouldn’t mind working at the home (and in time even living there) either.
Sometimes it seems as if all the books and movies on offer are centred on young protagonists, and I’m not only talking about Young Adult books. However, recently there has been a move towards including older protagonists and subjects. I enjoyed the two Dutch books about Hendrik Groen, a man in his eighties living in a nursing home, and have watched a few movies, usually choral, about older protagonists (like The Exotic Marigold Hotel). The setting of this novel, in a residential home, and the promise of a comedy made it sound like the perfect choice for me.
The first-person narrator of the story is Phoebe, a chef who had a very successful career in a bistro before disaster struck. She loves her job at the residential home (The Jane Austen Home for Ladies, and, as we discover, the name is meaningful in several ways), but has always felt frustrated because her parents (and her mother, in particular) do not seem to value her job and are dismissive of her career. To make matters worse, her mother (a larger-than-life character) dies suddenly at the beginning of the book, but her internalised voice keeps gnawing on her confidence. Her best friend, June, is the manager of the home, and she fancies Nick, who is the official physiotherapist but also takes on any odd jobs going on (art therapy, gardening, handyman…). I know some readers don’t like first-person narratives, although Phoebe is unassuming, witty and an excellent friend. (On the minus side, her lack of self-confidence can make her sound paranoid and bitchy, and she keeps mulling over things, unable to decide what to do, trying hard to feel comfortable in her own skin and accept the credit for her achievements). We learn some surprising things about her family life together and by the end of the book, although I don’t have much in common with her character, I felt connected to her and appreciated her role as a narrator. Her friendship with June is convincing and their relationship is one of the strongest points of the book.
I also loved the residents of the home, and in many ways (not only due to my age, I hope), I felt closer to them than to the protagonist. We get to know some of them more than others (Maggie is fabulous and I loved Dot, Laney, Sophie, and yes, even Terence). They all feel real, with their foibles and their endearing traits, and make the book memorable. We follow the intrigues that have to do with the home and the changes that take place there (from a women’s only place to a mixed one) and learn about its inhabitants, their secrets, and their past lives. We are both observers and participants in much of the action, and we feel invested in their fates. We learn the importance of accepting people for who they are and moving beyond appearances and prejudices.
There are several romances with happy, or at least hopeful, endings (for the young and the older generations), broken hearts and disappointments, secrets and lies, and there is also the connection (pointed out through references to the book club and their discussions) to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I would not call the novel a variation on Pride and Prejudice but if we think of Austen’s text as we read it we can discover nuances that might be easily missed otherwise.
Although there are many amusing lines in the novel (and some pretty touching ones as well. As we know, humour can be an excellent defence mechanism against hurt), I thought I’d share a few (remember that I got an ARC copy, so there might be some changes to the final version of the novel):
We’ve never let something as trifling as the spectre of death stand in the way of a good snipe.
My mother didn’t get ulcers, she gave them.
He’s a perv-whisperer.
She wouldn’t like my ponytail, though. I did try taking it down, but having it up in a hair tie the entire weekend meant my hair had a ridge along the back that gave it a very White Cliffs of Dover effect.
I’m surprised he doesn’t need an oxygen tank with all the social climbing he’s been doing.
The writing flows well and fits in perfectly with the voice of the narrator, who can spend inordinate amounts of time thinking about her beau but is also attuned to the feelings of the residents and her friend. There are plenty of amusing events taking place throughout the novel that keep the action moving, but the characters are much stronger than the plot and by the end of the book (that I enjoyed) they have all become good friends (or most of them have).
The author defines her books as light reads, as beach novels, and says her readers describe them as “feel-good.” All that is true, although behind all the funny goings-on the book illustrates the importance of keeping expectations and prejudices under control, and it reminds parents that they should encourage their children to find fulfilment in their own terms rather than expect them to make their parent’s dreams come true. If you are looking for a light read, full of memorable characters, plenty of humour, and a big deal of heart, I’d recommend this novel. And, if it existed in real life, I wouldn’t mind working at the home (and in time even living there) either.
October 23, 2018
Just look at the cover for The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House – it’s just so inviting that I could not pass it by…
We meet Phoebe at her mum’s funeral, with who she has had a slightly tricky relationship with over the years. She’s a chef working at an all female retirement home, where her best friend June is the manager, and it’s a job she absolutely loves.
Not only trying to come to terms with her feelings about her mum dying, she’s also recently messed up with her love interest and fellow colleague, Nick, and to top it all off, owner Max then announces that he’s going to open the doors to men moving in!
This doesn’t go down well with anyone, so, Phoebe, June and the ladies in the home decide to do something about it and start a campaign against it….
It took me a little while to warm to Phoebe, but I don’t find this a bad thing in a novel – just like in real life we sometimes don’t quite fully get and understand a person until more of their story comes to light, and this was how I felt with Phoebe, and her situation with Nick especially. Once more light was shed on this, I really warmed to her. She’s a character who I’m guessing a lot of people will be able to relate to; she values her job, she loves coming to work everyday and it fulfils her completely, but her parents wanted more and she’s always been made to feel a disappointment to them – all the while they constantly praise her brother Will, for going to University and having the high flying/paying job. Despite this, Phoebe never let anyone deter her away from what she loved and it shows how strong a person she is.
The biggest charm for me in this story and what I loved most was the retirement home itself and the colourful bunch of ladies living there. Dot, Maggie and (my favourite) Laney are all unique individuals, but I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them all and learning about their past lives and hidden secrets. I’ve worked in care for many, many years and currently in a residential environment, and let me tell you, the elderly are every bit as territorial and petty as they are in this story – you can’t actually believe what they can be like until you witness it, therefore the author captured this wonderfully for me – I was just nodding along and laughing at how real it all was!
I really enjoyed having the mix of young and old in this novel as main characters – it’s something we don’t see very much in a rom-com and I’m definitely open to more. I loved how the story really captured the friendships between the varying ages and backgrounds and highlighted how age is nothing when it comes to forming friendships. It has all the easy, light-heartedness that you want in a rom-com, but with a little added depth in looking at old age and pushy parents, and the importance of following YOUR dreams, doing what makes YOU happy and not fitting to how someone else wants to shape you!
The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House is a story about new beginnings, community and friendships, with the right mix of heart-warming, poignant and very funny moments. It’s a novel that gradually grew on me, but by the end I was most sad to be saying goodbye to ‘Friendship House’ – but none the less was left with a smile on my face.
Thank you to Harper Impulse and Netgalley for allowing me to read The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House in exchange for my honest thoughts.
We meet Phoebe at her mum’s funeral, with who she has had a slightly tricky relationship with over the years. She’s a chef working at an all female retirement home, where her best friend June is the manager, and it’s a job she absolutely loves.
Not only trying to come to terms with her feelings about her mum dying, she’s also recently messed up with her love interest and fellow colleague, Nick, and to top it all off, owner Max then announces that he’s going to open the doors to men moving in!
This doesn’t go down well with anyone, so, Phoebe, June and the ladies in the home decide to do something about it and start a campaign against it….
It took me a little while to warm to Phoebe, but I don’t find this a bad thing in a novel – just like in real life we sometimes don’t quite fully get and understand a person until more of their story comes to light, and this was how I felt with Phoebe, and her situation with Nick especially. Once more light was shed on this, I really warmed to her. She’s a character who I’m guessing a lot of people will be able to relate to; she values her job, she loves coming to work everyday and it fulfils her completely, but her parents wanted more and she’s always been made to feel a disappointment to them – all the while they constantly praise her brother Will, for going to University and having the high flying/paying job. Despite this, Phoebe never let anyone deter her away from what she loved and it shows how strong a person she is.
The biggest charm for me in this story and what I loved most was the retirement home itself and the colourful bunch of ladies living there. Dot, Maggie and (my favourite) Laney are all unique individuals, but I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them all and learning about their past lives and hidden secrets. I’ve worked in care for many, many years and currently in a residential environment, and let me tell you, the elderly are every bit as territorial and petty as they are in this story – you can’t actually believe what they can be like until you witness it, therefore the author captured this wonderfully for me – I was just nodding along and laughing at how real it all was!
I really enjoyed having the mix of young and old in this novel as main characters – it’s something we don’t see very much in a rom-com and I’m definitely open to more. I loved how the story really captured the friendships between the varying ages and backgrounds and highlighted how age is nothing when it comes to forming friendships. It has all the easy, light-heartedness that you want in a rom-com, but with a little added depth in looking at old age and pushy parents, and the importance of following YOUR dreams, doing what makes YOU happy and not fitting to how someone else wants to shape you!
The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House is a story about new beginnings, community and friendships, with the right mix of heart-warming, poignant and very funny moments. It’s a novel that gradually grew on me, but by the end I was most sad to be saying goodbye to ‘Friendship House’ – but none the less was left with a smile on my face.
Thank you to Harper Impulse and Netgalley for allowing me to read The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House in exchange for my honest thoughts.
August 31, 2018
I sometimes forget how nice it is to have a little trip away from the dark world of crime. What I never forget is how much fun it is to spend that time immersed in a new book from Lilly Bartlett. If I am looking for something to bring a smile to my face, elicit a few of those often missing chuckles and generally make me feel a whole lot better, this is a brilliant place to go looking and her latest, The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House gave me all of that and a whole lot more.
In this book we meet Phoebe, a chef at a home for retired ladies, who has reached a big moment of upheaval in her life. Her mother has only recently passed away, the object of her affections is tantalisingly close by and yet the chasm between them seems impossible to get over. Used to being the family disappointment, her career never quite going as her Mother wished it to, it is only her job, her best friend June, and her unrequited love which is keeping her going. If she were to lose any of those ... When the owner of the Home decides it is time to open up it's doors to the male of species, old grudges and new jealousies surface and with over amorous Ladies on the loose, it looks like things are about to get interesting.
I love the way in which Lilly Bartlett is able to take an everyday situation and make it fun, make you absolutely certain of a smile. Not because of any over the top, slap stick comedy, but because the simplicity of the interaction, the very believable way in which it all happens, makes it so very relatable to your own life. The easy going back and forth between best friends Phoebe and June. The overly embarrassing moments when Phoebe gets a little too enthusiastic and fawning over her crush, Nick. The sure fire embarrassment and bad decision making that can only come from an ill advised drink or two ...
Another big win for me in these books are the characters what she creates. Phoebe is someone that I think a lot of people could relate to, not just because of her antics, which do make me chuckle, but because of that feeling of never quite making your parents proud even though you try your best. I think we all know a pushy mom or two. But there are also things we can learn from her, one being that doing what makes you happy, finding that job you really love rather than conforming to a mould, is all that truly matters in life. She is a brilliant, larger than life character who I instantly liked and I was more than happy to go on this all too brief journey with her.
Then there are the Ladies. What a bunch. Not just best friend June, although she is a fabulous character too, but the women she shares her days with. From health obsessed Sophie whose attentions are turned when the men arrive to wonderful Laney, so accepting of her lot in life, including her dementia, that she is perhaps the happiest of them all. Then there is Dot, so vehemently against the men's arrival, especially that of terrible Terrence, widowed husband of her best friend, so much so that you know there is a story there to be uncovered. And then there is Maggie, a woman so proud and proper that she scares the living daylights out of everyone. Well nearly everyone. And then there is Nick. Perhaps honorary Lady, certainly the token male allowed in the book club, he is kind, generous, always looking for the best in folk ... no wonder Phoebe is smitten.
Full of moments of humour, there are also those perfectly placed poignant moments that we've come to expect too. Moment that will break your heart, quickly followed by ones which will make you melt a little. After all this is a book about a place called Friendship House. Even the best of friends fall out from time to time. But if you are looking for a quick, fun and ultimately heart warming read then pick this book up. It's gonna make you smile.
In this book we meet Phoebe, a chef at a home for retired ladies, who has reached a big moment of upheaval in her life. Her mother has only recently passed away, the object of her affections is tantalisingly close by and yet the chasm between them seems impossible to get over. Used to being the family disappointment, her career never quite going as her Mother wished it to, it is only her job, her best friend June, and her unrequited love which is keeping her going. If she were to lose any of those ... When the owner of the Home decides it is time to open up it's doors to the male of species, old grudges and new jealousies surface and with over amorous Ladies on the loose, it looks like things are about to get interesting.
I love the way in which Lilly Bartlett is able to take an everyday situation and make it fun, make you absolutely certain of a smile. Not because of any over the top, slap stick comedy, but because the simplicity of the interaction, the very believable way in which it all happens, makes it so very relatable to your own life. The easy going back and forth between best friends Phoebe and June. The overly embarrassing moments when Phoebe gets a little too enthusiastic and fawning over her crush, Nick. The sure fire embarrassment and bad decision making that can only come from an ill advised drink or two ...
Another big win for me in these books are the characters what she creates. Phoebe is someone that I think a lot of people could relate to, not just because of her antics, which do make me chuckle, but because of that feeling of never quite making your parents proud even though you try your best. I think we all know a pushy mom or two. But there are also things we can learn from her, one being that doing what makes you happy, finding that job you really love rather than conforming to a mould, is all that truly matters in life. She is a brilliant, larger than life character who I instantly liked and I was more than happy to go on this all too brief journey with her.
Then there are the Ladies. What a bunch. Not just best friend June, although she is a fabulous character too, but the women she shares her days with. From health obsessed Sophie whose attentions are turned when the men arrive to wonderful Laney, so accepting of her lot in life, including her dementia, that she is perhaps the happiest of them all. Then there is Dot, so vehemently against the men's arrival, especially that of terrible Terrence, widowed husband of her best friend, so much so that you know there is a story there to be uncovered. And then there is Maggie, a woman so proud and proper that she scares the living daylights out of everyone. Well nearly everyone. And then there is Nick. Perhaps honorary Lady, certainly the token male allowed in the book club, he is kind, generous, always looking for the best in folk ... no wonder Phoebe is smitten.
Full of moments of humour, there are also those perfectly placed poignant moments that we've come to expect too. Moment that will break your heart, quickly followed by ones which will make you melt a little. After all this is a book about a place called Friendship House. Even the best of friends fall out from time to time. But if you are looking for a quick, fun and ultimately heart warming read then pick this book up. It's gonna make you smile.
August 31, 2018
From Goodreads: “The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House: A heartwarming, uplifting comedy about friendship, community and love. Meet Phoebe, who’s 28, and Laney, Dot and Maggie, who are 68, 78, and none of your business. Together they'll prove that age doesn’t matter when it comes to friendship, belonging and an unquenchable zest for life. When Framlingham’s famously all-female senior living home goes co-ed, a war between the sexes is declared. Stuck in the middle, chef Phoebe Stockton is desperate to help her friends plot to keep the community that means so much to them. It’s become her life raft, too. She finds comfort in her beloved career that might finally make her parents proud. But Phoebe’s darling Nick is lining up on the other side of the battle, and their relationship is suffering collateral damage. The stakes couldn’t be higher. If the home’s owner can’t improve business by moving the men in, he’ll have to evict everyone. The women aren’t about to let that happen.”
The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House by Lilly Bartlett is a sweet, sweet story, but a story with some substance to it. Phoebe just wants to be happy and to make others happy, through her cooking and through her day-to-day actions. She’s that person we all want to be around, because she makes us want to be better ourselves. Her mother’s treatment of her, whether intended to hurt and belittle or not, has really damaged her self-confidence, so much so that she can’t even allow herself to believe Nick (stubbornly fanciable Nick, Nick the perv whisperer, Nick who I absolutely loved!) could be interested in her, even when it’s so obvious to us.
This book is full of fascinating, well-developed characters. Even if they aren’t all very likable, or in the case of Terence not at all likable, author Lilly Bartlett makes you care about what happens to them and to Friendship House. And some of the ladies are so sweet you wish they were your grandmother.
There’s danger, drama, and action, some mystery, some surprises, some unexpected developments about and connections between the characters, and a really nice love story. Even if you’re just about certain there will be a happy-ever-after, you fret and worry and cry with Phoebe when things happen and she has to make choices.
I laughed out loud reading about some of the women, and then men, who lived at Friendship House. I could relate to Laney, even though I’m not THAT old; I, too, was a Jane Fonda workout devotee in 1982. Long live legwarmers. The story is funny and warm, about friendship and love and surprise, and I didn’t want it to end. As a bonus, it’s a bit of a foodie book as we get to observe Phoebe put together some pretty tasty meals. The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House was a delightful read and I thoroughly recommend it.
The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House by Lilly Bartlett is a sweet, sweet story, but a story with some substance to it. Phoebe just wants to be happy and to make others happy, through her cooking and through her day-to-day actions. She’s that person we all want to be around, because she makes us want to be better ourselves. Her mother’s treatment of her, whether intended to hurt and belittle or not, has really damaged her self-confidence, so much so that she can’t even allow herself to believe Nick (stubbornly fanciable Nick, Nick the perv whisperer, Nick who I absolutely loved!) could be interested in her, even when it’s so obvious to us.
This book is full of fascinating, well-developed characters. Even if they aren’t all very likable, or in the case of Terence not at all likable, author Lilly Bartlett makes you care about what happens to them and to Friendship House. And some of the ladies are so sweet you wish they were your grandmother.
There’s danger, drama, and action, some mystery, some surprises, some unexpected developments about and connections between the characters, and a really nice love story. Even if you’re just about certain there will be a happy-ever-after, you fret and worry and cry with Phoebe when things happen and she has to make choices.
I laughed out loud reading about some of the women, and then men, who lived at Friendship House. I could relate to Laney, even though I’m not THAT old; I, too, was a Jane Fonda workout devotee in 1982. Long live legwarmers. The story is funny and warm, about friendship and love and surprise, and I didn’t want it to end. As a bonus, it’s a bit of a foodie book as we get to observe Phoebe put together some pretty tasty meals. The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House was a delightful read and I thoroughly recommend it.
September 10, 2018
I loved the setting of this book - The Jane Austen Happy Home for Ladies, sometimes known as Friendship House. Doesn't that sounds wonderful? It's a sort of retirement home for women of a variety of ages. Laney, Dot and Maggie are three of the ladies and I loved each one in different ways, particularly the prickly Maggie who probably undergoes the most change over the course of the book. The main character, however, is the very much younger Phoebe, the chef in charge of the restaurant at the home.
Phoebe narrates her own story and whilst she was a generally lovely person, sometimes I did find her a bit frustrating. She's mad about Nick, occupational therapist/gardener/jack of all trades. Apart from being a bit too nice at times, I can understand what she liked about him as he's a (half) Greek God! Actually, Phoebe's the same, a bit too nice if that's possible. The pair of them wanted their heads banging together for much of the novel as a number of misunderstandings cause them to skirt around their feelings for each other.
There are two main strands to the story. One is Phoebe coping with the death of her mum with whom she had a sometimes tricky relationship, whilst dealing with her feelings for Nick. The other strand is about the owner of the home wanting to start introducing male residents, something that the female ones aren't too keen on. I must admit I much preferred the second strand, as I particularly liked the characters involved.
I thought this was a sweet rom-com, a feel-good read with some lovely characters. I didn't find myself drawn into the story as much as the last Lilly Bartlett story I read, but it's got a nice vibe to it and a great ending. If you like light-hearted story with a bit of conflict to be surmounted and a helping of fun then this is one for you.
Phoebe narrates her own story and whilst she was a generally lovely person, sometimes I did find her a bit frustrating. She's mad about Nick, occupational therapist/gardener/jack of all trades. Apart from being a bit too nice at times, I can understand what she liked about him as he's a (half) Greek God! Actually, Phoebe's the same, a bit too nice if that's possible. The pair of them wanted their heads banging together for much of the novel as a number of misunderstandings cause them to skirt around their feelings for each other.
There are two main strands to the story. One is Phoebe coping with the death of her mum with whom she had a sometimes tricky relationship, whilst dealing with her feelings for Nick. The other strand is about the owner of the home wanting to start introducing male residents, something that the female ones aren't too keen on. I must admit I much preferred the second strand, as I particularly liked the characters involved.
I thought this was a sweet rom-com, a feel-good read with some lovely characters. I didn't find myself drawn into the story as much as the last Lilly Bartlett story I read, but it's got a nice vibe to it and a great ending. If you like light-hearted story with a bit of conflict to be surmounted and a helping of fun then this is one for you.
August 31, 2018
☺ Chef Phoebe is enlisted in a battle of the sexes for retirement home domination!😯
August 31, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition
👍4.5 stars
Wonderful range of idiosyncratic characters and warm fuzzies as a women's retirement home weathers drastic changes and their chef adjusts to life without her mum's constant critiques. Chef Phoebe, the main heroine, knows what she wants career-wise no matter how much her family belittles her choices. She's warm and loyal to her ladies at the retirement home but has a challenged love life and major qualms about whether her mother (recently deceased) ever really appreciated her achievements. The story revolves around her life but the residents and their struggles to maintain quality of life provide an amusing backdrop to her tale.
The writing is great and I especially love the humorous moments. My favorite lol scene involved a concerted effort by the ladies to discourage newcomers during an open house organized by Max, the less than sympathetic director of the facility. Each new maneuver made me laugh more! From the food to the entertainment, these ladies pull out the stops to keep men from moving in and co-opting their comfortable, single sex way of life. Max is full of ideas for change to get revenue up and Dot, Sophie, Laney, Maggie and the rest put up a valiant effort to fight the changes. Let the hostilities begin!
There's some sweet romance and a bit of a mystery associated with Nick, the male member of the staff's constant efforts to ingratiate himself with the owner's family members, but I loved it for the humor and camaraderie. Author Michele Gorman's Lily Bartlett stories excel in highlighting community, kindness and finding joy in life with the ones you love.
August 31, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition
👍4.5 stars
Wonderful range of idiosyncratic characters and warm fuzzies as a women's retirement home weathers drastic changes and their chef adjusts to life without her mum's constant critiques. Chef Phoebe, the main heroine, knows what she wants career-wise no matter how much her family belittles her choices. She's warm and loyal to her ladies at the retirement home but has a challenged love life and major qualms about whether her mother (recently deceased) ever really appreciated her achievements. The story revolves around her life but the residents and their struggles to maintain quality of life provide an amusing backdrop to her tale.
The writing is great and I especially love the humorous moments. My favorite lol scene involved a concerted effort by the ladies to discourage newcomers during an open house organized by Max, the less than sympathetic director of the facility. Each new maneuver made me laugh more! From the food to the entertainment, these ladies pull out the stops to keep men from moving in and co-opting their comfortable, single sex way of life. Max is full of ideas for change to get revenue up and Dot, Sophie, Laney, Maggie and the rest put up a valiant effort to fight the changes. Let the hostilities begin!
There's some sweet romance and a bit of a mystery associated with Nick, the male member of the staff's constant efforts to ingratiate himself with the owner's family members, but I loved it for the humor and camaraderie. Author Michele Gorman's Lily Bartlett stories excel in highlighting community, kindness and finding joy in life with the ones you love.
September 3, 2018
I love a good Michele Gorman book and when I see she’s writing as Lily Bartlett, I am intrigued. Authors with Pen names can go one of two ways. In the books I read, I see them take on a different genre of writing or take it further than their real name. It’s always fun to see how it will play out when discovering a pen name of an author I follow. In this situation, Lilly did a fabulous job!
This book is the best chick lit and rom com I’ve read in a while. It’s got the sweet element again that I just don’t see in the other genre’s I read. It was a very fun and has a way to distract you and pull you into the world of Friendship House.
In The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House, we see the story of a young and fresh Phoebe. She’s the chef at the house and is eager to save the home of the ones who have become friends to her. She has become close to the ladies living there and at moments I had Golden Girls flashbacks. Their personalities have you laughing and enjoying the story the entire time. She is desperate to save the home, and when the new plan is to move men into a once all female home, the stuff hits the fan. They know they must make it work to keep the home open and thriving, but it’s a challenge for everyone.
Phoebe’s own relationship with Nick is tested throughout as well. They are on different sides of the fence and must find a way to mend it before it breaks.
This was a light hearted and quick read for me and it’s nice to get away from the distractions of real life and read a tale that isn’t so much a tale as something that could really happen. It’s these books that feel real, plausible and entertaining that I live for. Congrats Lilly on another job well done!
This book is the best chick lit and rom com I’ve read in a while. It’s got the sweet element again that I just don’t see in the other genre’s I read. It was a very fun and has a way to distract you and pull you into the world of Friendship House.
In The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House, we see the story of a young and fresh Phoebe. She’s the chef at the house and is eager to save the home of the ones who have become friends to her. She has become close to the ladies living there and at moments I had Golden Girls flashbacks. Their personalities have you laughing and enjoying the story the entire time. She is desperate to save the home, and when the new plan is to move men into a once all female home, the stuff hits the fan. They know they must make it work to keep the home open and thriving, but it’s a challenge for everyone.
Phoebe’s own relationship with Nick is tested throughout as well. They are on different sides of the fence and must find a way to mend it before it breaks.
This was a light hearted and quick read for me and it’s nice to get away from the distractions of real life and read a tale that isn’t so much a tale as something that could really happen. It’s these books that feel real, plausible and entertaining that I live for. Congrats Lilly on another job well done!
September 14, 2018
Phoebe works in the senior living house. There are living few senior women all of them have charm and power to spin around the reader who only could feel compassion reading about them and their community.
This book warms my heart, all those incredible women, and handsome Nick, and there is also the owner, the good Max.
The book starts with an unpleasant event, but the author cheering voice made me cross it easily.
Phoebe is that kind of character that can’t don’t like it. I like her sense of humor and her ability to be adorable and kind.
“When I got to Mum’s room the next morning, all I saw was a lump in her bed with a sheet pulled over it. Exactly like they did in films when the paramedics had done all they could to save the patient.
She was dead! ‘Mum!’
“What!’ snapped the voice under the bedding.
“What are you doing?”
Mum appeared with an angry yank of the sheet. She had her phone to her ear.”
“My unprofessionalism was boundless from day one.”
I feel the same and I also suffer from the thoughts that I am not good enough for the job I do because of some of my colleagues.
“Plus look at him, I’d thought.
You know those adverts where the tanned, shirtless guy tantalizingly licks the yogurt pot lid and makes you want to eat Bifidus activertium…”
This description is very clever and funny. LOL, I spit out the milk which I was drinking reading this paragraph.
Phoebe looks at Nick as a god, I must admit I was in love with him too:
“They love Nick, though. Who wouldn’t? He’s fifty per cent Greek and one hundred per cent Greek god. He is well over six feet tall and built like a swimmer, and somehow his features combine into the most beautiful face I’ve ever seen in real life.”
This book warms my heart, all those incredible women, and handsome Nick, and there is also the owner, the good Max.
The book starts with an unpleasant event, but the author cheering voice made me cross it easily.
Phoebe is that kind of character that can’t don’t like it. I like her sense of humor and her ability to be adorable and kind.
“When I got to Mum’s room the next morning, all I saw was a lump in her bed with a sheet pulled over it. Exactly like they did in films when the paramedics had done all they could to save the patient.
She was dead! ‘Mum!’
“What!’ snapped the voice under the bedding.
“What are you doing?”
Mum appeared with an angry yank of the sheet. She had her phone to her ear.”
“My unprofessionalism was boundless from day one.”
I feel the same and I also suffer from the thoughts that I am not good enough for the job I do because of some of my colleagues.
“Plus look at him, I’d thought.
You know those adverts where the tanned, shirtless guy tantalizingly licks the yogurt pot lid and makes you want to eat Bifidus activertium…”
This description is very clever and funny. LOL, I spit out the milk which I was drinking reading this paragraph.
Phoebe looks at Nick as a god, I must admit I was in love with him too:
“They love Nick, though. Who wouldn’t? He’s fifty per cent Greek and one hundred per cent Greek god. He is well over six feet tall and built like a swimmer, and somehow his features combine into the most beautiful face I’ve ever seen in real life.”
October 11, 2018
Phoebe, a chef at a retirement home unlike what you would expect, has enough on her plate without anything needed to be added to it! Her overly critical mother has just died, leaving her dad a widower and a cause for concern for Phoebe, and her unrequited crush happens to work where she does and is always popping up unexpectedly! Add to this the fact that Phoebe's residents are very picky about what they eat and are very vocal about that fact, and it is just about all that Phoebe can do to get through the day!
When the persnickety owner of the retirement home declares that they will have to start housing men or else all get evicted, the ladies of Friendship House aren't about to let that happen! These are not your average retirees, and be prepared for an all-out battle of the sexes! These ladies aren't going down without a fight!
This is a light, fun book with lots of laugh-out-loud scenes. I loved the residents of Friendship House and all of their quirks and antics. They were what kept me reading! Phoebe was a great character bringing them all together, and I liked the fact that there was a more serious tone to her recollections about her mom and making her proud. The only thing that I could have done without would have been Phoebe's crush on Nick- the book would have been great without all of the pining and descriptions of him!
Overall, a very fun read, and one that I can recommend if you're looking for something light and fun to read while on vacation or to keep you warm through the winter months.
I received a gifted copy of this book from the author and chose to voluntarily review it after reading.
When the persnickety owner of the retirement home declares that they will have to start housing men or else all get evicted, the ladies of Friendship House aren't about to let that happen! These are not your average retirees, and be prepared for an all-out battle of the sexes! These ladies aren't going down without a fight!
This is a light, fun book with lots of laugh-out-loud scenes. I loved the residents of Friendship House and all of their quirks and antics. They were what kept me reading! Phoebe was a great character bringing them all together, and I liked the fact that there was a more serious tone to her recollections about her mom and making her proud. The only thing that I could have done without would have been Phoebe's crush on Nick- the book would have been great without all of the pining and descriptions of him!
Overall, a very fun read, and one that I can recommend if you're looking for something light and fun to read while on vacation or to keep you warm through the winter months.
I received a gifted copy of this book from the author and chose to voluntarily review it after reading.
August 9, 2019
Not a romantic comedy
Rating: PG13 for language
Sex: 1 scene, but it's as if they go to the bedroom and the screen fades to black
Language: 1 F word
Violence: none
HEA: yes
Would I read more of the series: no
----SPOILERS----
Phoebe works at a retirement home for women as the chef. She's got a crush on Nick, the occupational therapist. Her boss, June, is her best friend. Phoebe's mom dies, and she's working through grief and anger because Phoebe felt she was never good enough. Nick is a kiss-up to the boss, the boss's father, and the boss's daughter, who he may be dating. The boss decides to open the house for men, and it causes an uproar. They host an open house for which Phoebe bakes buns that look like breasts and serves tripe soup. One of the residents pulls out the photo albums of all her nine children. Another resident implies that they're fed as long as they behave. It's really a ridiculous scene! Phoebe and Nick get everything figured out, and the residents learn to get along, mostly.
I would classify this as a romance. The first kiss happened at 74%. Technically, it's a comedy because of ends with hope for marriage for a number of couples. However, other than the open house scene, the comedy didn't make me laugh out loud. Maybe it's because it's a British book and I'm American? This is really the story of a woman and the people at the nursing home come up and there happens to be a little romance involved. Phoebe as well developed as a character, but not anyone else. The plot is nonexistent, and the pacing is slow.
Rating: PG13 for language
Sex: 1 scene, but it's as if they go to the bedroom and the screen fades to black
Language: 1 F word
Violence: none
HEA: yes
Would I read more of the series: no
----SPOILERS----
Phoebe works at a retirement home for women as the chef. She's got a crush on Nick, the occupational therapist. Her boss, June, is her best friend. Phoebe's mom dies, and she's working through grief and anger because Phoebe felt she was never good enough. Nick is a kiss-up to the boss, the boss's father, and the boss's daughter, who he may be dating. The boss decides to open the house for men, and it causes an uproar. They host an open house for which Phoebe bakes buns that look like breasts and serves tripe soup. One of the residents pulls out the photo albums of all her nine children. Another resident implies that they're fed as long as they behave. It's really a ridiculous scene! Phoebe and Nick get everything figured out, and the residents learn to get along, mostly.
I would classify this as a romance. The first kiss happened at 74%. Technically, it's a comedy because of ends with hope for marriage for a number of couples. However, other than the open house scene, the comedy didn't make me laugh out loud. Maybe it's because it's a British book and I'm American? This is really the story of a woman and the people at the nursing home come up and there happens to be a little romance involved. Phoebe as well developed as a character, but not anyone else. The plot is nonexistent, and the pacing is slow.
September 5, 2018
There's something about Lilly Bartlett's writing which warms my soul and no matter how tired or fed up I feel, the instant I start to read one of her delicious romantic comedies I am taken to a comforting warm place and get to meet some really lovely characters.
Phoebe is struggling to come to terms with her mother's recent death, and she is also worried about how her father is dealing with it all. At the same time, Phoebe is also coping with significant changes to Friendship House, a care home for the elderly, where she works as a chef. When plans to turn the home from single sex occupancy to mixed sexes, the scene is set for some memorable encounters with some strong and determined characters. The group of feisty older women who call Friendship House their home are a great bunch of ladies and I really enjoyed spending time in their company and watching how the dynamics of the care home started to evolve and change. As always, the author captures those little idiosyncrasies of personality and the generous quirks of character which make her stories such a joy to read.
The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House is filled with lovely warm details about life and love at Friendship House. As always, the story comes alive like a breath of fresh air, and the author gives the characters, who flit into and out of the story, such a great sense of purpose that there is always something there to make you smile.
Phoebe is struggling to come to terms with her mother's recent death, and she is also worried about how her father is dealing with it all. At the same time, Phoebe is also coping with significant changes to Friendship House, a care home for the elderly, where she works as a chef. When plans to turn the home from single sex occupancy to mixed sexes, the scene is set for some memorable encounters with some strong and determined characters. The group of feisty older women who call Friendship House their home are a great bunch of ladies and I really enjoyed spending time in their company and watching how the dynamics of the care home started to evolve and change. As always, the author captures those little idiosyncrasies of personality and the generous quirks of character which make her stories such a joy to read.
The Not So Perfect Plan to Save Friendship House is filled with lovely warm details about life and love at Friendship House. As always, the story comes alive like a breath of fresh air, and the author gives the characters, who flit into and out of the story, such a great sense of purpose that there is always something there to make you smile.
July 2, 2018
I enjoyed this cute book by Lily Bartlett. Phoebe is a chef for The Happy Home for Ladies, a retirement community. Her best friend, June, runs the place. Her long-time crush, Nick, is the physical therapist. Boss Max is all about the money. The book begins with a funeral- Phoebe’s mom died and she has complicated feelings about it. She feels like her mother was always critical of her and never proud.
One of the conflicts of the book is Phoebe’s relationship with Nick. They almost had something, but Phoebe messed it up. We don’t find out how until later. Another conflict is when greedy Max decides to open he home up to gentlemen and the ladies aren’t too happy. Phoebe is also trying to ensure her dad is okay after the death of her mom.
I loved the relationship between Phoebe and the residents. The residents had different personalities and were so likeable. Phoebe had a great best friend in June. Nick was decent, but not my favorite, mainly because of things that were revealed at the end.
I loved that everyone can relate to this book- whether it’s because or your relationship with your mom, your romantic interest, your best friend, or older mentors. Phoebe was a very likeable main character and a loyal friend. It definitely kept my interest and I read it quickly. This is a great read for fans of Chick lit!
One of the conflicts of the book is Phoebe’s relationship with Nick. They almost had something, but Phoebe messed it up. We don’t find out how until later. Another conflict is when greedy Max decides to open he home up to gentlemen and the ladies aren’t too happy. Phoebe is also trying to ensure her dad is okay after the death of her mom.
I loved the relationship between Phoebe and the residents. The residents had different personalities and were so likeable. Phoebe had a great best friend in June. Nick was decent, but not my favorite, mainly because of things that were revealed at the end.
I loved that everyone can relate to this book- whether it’s because or your relationship with your mom, your romantic interest, your best friend, or older mentors. Phoebe was a very likeable main character and a loyal friend. It definitely kept my interest and I read it quickly. This is a great read for fans of Chick lit!
August 31, 2018
Who let the men in?
Seems strange to write this is a brilliant romantic comedy when it starts with a funeral, a heart attack and someone missing - but it really is! Get ready for great characters across the generations! Phoebe works as a chef in a retirement home for ladies but it is struggling financially so the owner decides to encourage male residents, too! Now don't think this is a home where people sit around all day, the residents are alert and ready to rebel when the first men arrive - cue a war between the sexes! Add in budding romances, secret relationships, behind the scenes manoeuvring and string pulling and you're certain to find this a fun read with plenty of surprises along the way!
This story also explores expectations, dreams, parental expectations and misunderstandings, demonstrating just how easily what is intended as encouragement to achieve more can actually be wrongly interpreted as being told you are a failure.... It is a story to acknowledge that everyone is an individual and no one is ordinary. It is a lovely story involving many characters who are senior citizens and bring their own take on plans and events which may impact on them. It is an enjoyable, enthralling and potentially inspiring read.
I was gifted a copy of this book without obligation and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.
Seems strange to write this is a brilliant romantic comedy when it starts with a funeral, a heart attack and someone missing - but it really is! Get ready for great characters across the generations! Phoebe works as a chef in a retirement home for ladies but it is struggling financially so the owner decides to encourage male residents, too! Now don't think this is a home where people sit around all day, the residents are alert and ready to rebel when the first men arrive - cue a war between the sexes! Add in budding romances, secret relationships, behind the scenes manoeuvring and string pulling and you're certain to find this a fun read with plenty of surprises along the way!
This story also explores expectations, dreams, parental expectations and misunderstandings, demonstrating just how easily what is intended as encouragement to achieve more can actually be wrongly interpreted as being told you are a failure.... It is a story to acknowledge that everyone is an individual and no one is ordinary. It is a lovely story involving many characters who are senior citizens and bring their own take on plans and events which may impact on them. It is an enjoyable, enthralling and potentially inspiring read.
I was gifted a copy of this book without obligation and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.
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