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Skimmerdale #2
Being Emerald
Welcome back to the beautiful Yorkshire Dales.
Emerald Carmichael has always been the black sheep of the family, so she's not impressed when fate — in the form of her father Cain's annoying and grossly misdirected generosity — leads her to act as wedding planner to his former employee Eden Robinson.
To add insult to injury, it turns out that Eden's fiancé is none other than the gorgeous Eliot Harland, the only man Emerald has found attractive for simply ages.
Emerald, however, has plans of her own, and if that means living on a sheep farm in a remote corner of the Yorkshire Dales, while organising the grand wedding for Eden her father demands, she'll do it. That's if the happy couple ever make it to the altar, of course …
But Emerald's not the only one making plans, and as events unfold that could destroy the Harlands' lives for good, Eliot and Eden are torn apart.
With their family in crisis, and secrets and lies exposed, can peace ever return to Skimmerdale?
Emerald Carmichael has always been the black sheep of the family, so she's not impressed when fate — in the form of her father Cain's annoying and grossly misdirected generosity — leads her to act as wedding planner to his former employee Eden Robinson.
To add insult to injury, it turns out that Eden's fiancé is none other than the gorgeous Eliot Harland, the only man Emerald has found attractive for simply ages.
Emerald, however, has plans of her own, and if that means living on a sheep farm in a remote corner of the Yorkshire Dales, while organising the grand wedding for Eden her father demands, she'll do it. That's if the happy couple ever make it to the altar, of course …
But Emerald's not the only one making plans, and as events unfold that could destroy the Harlands' lives for good, Eliot and Eden are torn apart.
With their family in crisis, and secrets and lies exposed, can peace ever return to Skimmerdale?
524 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 11, 2018
29 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 17, 2018
Sharon Booth is one of the few authors I read who can take an unlikeable character and turn them around. In this case, I despised Emerald at the beginning of the book; she's an entitled brat who's lazy and mean. By the ending, I can't say I liked her much better, but I did understand her and was willing to forgive her for her actions.
Emerald is the middle child of Cain Carmichael, an aging rock star in the mode of Bill Nighy in Love Actually. Cain hasn't had much contact with Emerald over the years, and quite frankly doesn't know what to do with her when she shows up at his youngest daughter's wedding (Honey and Teddy from This Other Eden, the first book in the series). He pawns her off as a wedding planner on Eden and Eliot who are trying to fit a wedding of their own into their busy lives.
All the Skimmerdale characters show up in the book; the story is about so much more than Emerald. While Emerald causes a lot of trouble, all sorts of other goings-on are fracturing relationships and building new ones. Ms. Booth creates the most authentic characters. For example, while Eden can be very understanding and patient (she's sometimes known at Saint Eden), when she blows it's spectacular. Life on a sheep farm can be stressful, even in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales, but there's plenty of love and new beginnings here also. The children are adorable, Cain is hysterically funny, James finally gets his comeuppance, and even Emerald grows up. As an aside, as someone who just recently hiked through Yorkshire, I loved the parts about the bunk barns and the walkers.
Emerald is the middle child of Cain Carmichael, an aging rock star in the mode of Bill Nighy in Love Actually. Cain hasn't had much contact with Emerald over the years, and quite frankly doesn't know what to do with her when she shows up at his youngest daughter's wedding (Honey and Teddy from This Other Eden, the first book in the series). He pawns her off as a wedding planner on Eden and Eliot who are trying to fit a wedding of their own into their busy lives.
All the Skimmerdale characters show up in the book; the story is about so much more than Emerald. While Emerald causes a lot of trouble, all sorts of other goings-on are fracturing relationships and building new ones. Ms. Booth creates the most authentic characters. For example, while Eden can be very understanding and patient (she's sometimes known at Saint Eden), when she blows it's spectacular. Life on a sheep farm can be stressful, even in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales, but there's plenty of love and new beginnings here also. The children are adorable, Cain is hysterically funny, James finally gets his comeuppance, and even Emerald grows up. As an aside, as someone who just recently hiked through Yorkshire, I loved the parts about the bunk barns and the walkers.
July 16, 2019
Just wonderful, set briefly in the Cotswolds and mostly in a sheep farm in Yorkshire, the Skimmerdale Collection follows Eden, firstly in her job working for Honey, the wild-child daughter of rockstar Cain Carmichael. And secondly, Cain's other daughter Emerald, who has middle-child syndrome - and more! I've never seen Sharon Booth write an unlikeable character before - and she did it so well! There's romance, nail-biting twists, the word 'mardy' (love that) and the sentence 'But this is Yorkshire' Eliot said, in a voice that clearly ruled out a croquembouche' ! Just brilliant! I am recommending buying the collection together, because you'll want to read on, trust me!
September 23, 2018
Oh yes! Sharon Booth does it again!
We are back to Skimmerdale with an impressive number of intertwing storylines that are masterfully held together and a set of characters that, in true Sharon's style, are ever so real and ever so unforgettable. I can't praise this book enough. If I loved the previous in the series, and all the others she has written truth be told, I think this latest is outstanding. We read in the acknowledgements that it was a hard labour of love for the author; I can assure her that she did a wonderful job!
We are back to Skimmerdale with an impressive number of intertwing storylines that are masterfully held together and a set of characters that, in true Sharon's style, are ever so real and ever so unforgettable. I can't praise this book enough. If I loved the previous in the series, and all the others she has written truth be told, I think this latest is outstanding. We read in the acknowledgements that it was a hard labour of love for the author; I can assure her that she did a wonderful job!
April 10, 2021
I did enjoy this book, albeit feeling stressed in places, so much went on I could barely catch my breath.
I don’t think I’ve quite ever disliked a character as I did Emerald, but some how you end up loving her and understanding her.
Eden and Eliot are a fab couple that navigate life’s troubles together.
I would have liked to have got to known George a little better and heard more from his sisters in this book.
I’m so happy for Beth, she deserves all the happiness and more.
I don’t think I’ve quite ever disliked a character as I did Emerald, but some how you end up loving her and understanding her.
Eden and Eliot are a fab couple that navigate life’s troubles together.
I would have liked to have got to known George a little better and heard more from his sisters in this book.
I’m so happy for Beth, she deserves all the happiness and more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2019
Skimmingdale 2
Fabulous from start to finish, so many twists kept me glued, not putting it down til the early hours as in silly o clock..lol...the characters so believable the story line great ..Was sad when I finished it...hope Sharon writes another book looking at all their lives a few years down the line..
Fabulous from start to finish, so many twists kept me glued, not putting it down til the early hours as in silly o clock..lol...the characters so believable the story line great ..Was sad when I finished it...hope Sharon writes another book looking at all their lives a few years down the line..
April 13, 2021
Gripping
Slow in parts but full of anticipation. Couldn't put it down. I look forward to reading a follow up. Thanks
Slow in parts but full of anticipation. Couldn't put it down. I look forward to reading a follow up. Thanks
June 22, 2025
Brilliant read
Thoroughly enjoyed wildflower farm 1 & 2 brilliant reads. Happy/sad/ family. Village. Rich. Poor these books have it all . Thank you
Thoroughly enjoyed wildflower farm 1 & 2 brilliant reads. Happy/sad/ family. Village. Rich. Poor these books have it all . Thank you
June 30, 2025
Sharon Booth never disappoints and she has done it again, I couldn't put this book down I loved most of the characters apart from the (VILLAINS) in the story.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews