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From Shetland, With Love #1
From Shetland, With Love
Friendship can blossom in the most unexpected places...
When Jemima loses her beloved grandfather, keeping his allotment alive seems like the ideal way to feel close to him. She's never fitted in before - is this her chance to find where she really belongs?
Finally Melissa has the allotment she's been longing for to distract her while her husband works away - even if it is chest-high in weeds. But when she looks for help in the wrong place, she finds she's the hottest topic of gossip.
For Dottie, her allotment and part-time job of 'a little light dusting' at Lerwick Manor keeps a spring in her eighty-year-old step - and her ears open for secrets.
Though generations apart, these three women are about to find a common bond in a new-found passion and that true friendship can grow anywhere.
When Jemima loses her beloved grandfather, keeping his allotment alive seems like the ideal way to feel close to him. She's never fitted in before - is this her chance to find where she really belongs?
Finally Melissa has the allotment she's been longing for to distract her while her husband works away - even if it is chest-high in weeds. But when she looks for help in the wrong place, she finds she's the hottest topic of gossip.
For Dottie, her allotment and part-time job of 'a little light dusting' at Lerwick Manor keeps a spring in her eighty-year-old step - and her ears open for secrets.
Though generations apart, these three women are about to find a common bond in a new-found passion and that true friendship can grow anywhere.
382 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 27, 2021
103 people are currently reading
272 people want to read
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Erin Green
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
May 29, 2021
Lovely. What more could you want from a book? Loss, friendship, romance and intrigue.... add the daily shenanigans of an allotment community and you have a simple, heart felt and warm ‘it’s the good life story’. More detailed review to follow.
May 26, 2021
I love Erin Green's books, so I was delighted to receive an early preview copy of this book.
The location in The Shetland Isles is wonderful I love Scotland and I think that it makes a fantastic setting for books.
I loved the three characters Jemima, Melissa and Dottie.and the friendships that developed between them. It was very relatable and uplifting.
I found it very enjoyable and engaging to read about the allotments. It made me want to go out and grow my own produce. I've had to be content with just growing strawberry plants this year. Maybe next year could be different though.
I an so excited to read that there will be a sequel, a Christmas book. This couldn't be any more perfect. I am eagerly awaiting it.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.
The location in The Shetland Isles is wonderful I love Scotland and I think that it makes a fantastic setting for books.
I loved the three characters Jemima, Melissa and Dottie.and the friendships that developed between them. It was very relatable and uplifting.
I found it very enjoyable and engaging to read about the allotments. It made me want to go out and grow my own produce. I've had to be content with just growing strawberry plants this year. Maybe next year could be different though.
I an so excited to read that there will be a sequel, a Christmas book. This couldn't be any more perfect. I am eagerly awaiting it.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.
August 20, 2021
Light, entertaining read about people gardening in an allotment in Shetland. Friendships are made and of course a romance blossoms. Delightful and entertaining. I can't imagine a 400 lb pumpkin or that it would be edible but am willing to accept it. The one thing I minded, and this may be just me, is that I could not get any idea of the setting being in Shetland. Place names were dropped including drives to see scenery or whales and birds but it just didn't seem real. The allotment could just as easily have been anywhere on the coast of Scotland or even England. There was not the feel of the place one gets in a novel by Anne Cleeves. Minor quibble though, nice book when you need a light read.
May 13, 2021
Essentially the story of three women, Melissa, Dottie and Jemima, set in and around an allotment - yes, you heard right - on Shetland.
A story which deals with how people are affected and react to death and loneliness, this is an enthralling story that's chock full to the brim of diverse characters, some you'll love and some you'll hate; but only because you're supposed to.
I enjoyed my time reading this novel and would like to thank both Netgalley and Headline for allowing me the ARC.
A story which deals with how people are affected and react to death and loneliness, this is an enthralling story that's chock full to the brim of diverse characters, some you'll love and some you'll hate; but only because you're supposed to.
I enjoyed my time reading this novel and would like to thank both Netgalley and Headline for allowing me the ARC.
February 12, 2022
I didn't actually finish this book, first of all it's definitely not realistic to be set in Shetland. I don't know of any allotments there.... and there are definitely no foxes for the allotment owners to worry about! I tried to continue imagining it set somewhere else, but it was very slow, so I gave up maybe a third of the way through.
June 22, 2021
Lovely book that’s Beautifully written. Plenty of love and laughter, as well as a few tears along the way.
I thought Erin’s previous book ‘The Single Girl’s Calendar’ was my favourite but I think this was even better. I loved it!
I thought Erin’s previous book ‘The Single Girl’s Calendar’ was my favourite but I think this was even better. I loved it!
October 23, 2021
A thoroughly enjoyable Christmas read set in beautiful Shetland, with crafts aplenty and hidden secrets too. The friendships, lives and loves of three women interweave beautifully in this stunning tale from Green. Adored every minute and left me feeling festive and content. Super, super read.
June 23, 2021
So want to go to Shetland now!
May 18, 2021
From Shetland, With Love by Erin Green
As a book lover who also enjoys gardening, I was so excited when I saw From Shetland, With Love - sounded like my perfect read! And it certainly was. Based in the stunning Shetland, this book has everything you could possibly want and so much more! From wonderful friendships, to an amazing community, to love and romance. Allotmenteering at Lerwick Manor does not always run smoothly or go to plan but everyone helps each other out - even under cover!
So much is packed into this wonderful storyline. Great characters - Dottie is The Bee's Knees! Every allotment needs a Dottie! All the characters were brought alive in the book. I loved Jemima and Melissa and I loved how their friendship blossomed over their love for their allotments.
A very funny read - I could not stop laughing at some of the antics that went on! I was totally immersed in the storyline, very invested in the characters and I was rooting for Jemima and Ned to get together - they make a wonderful couple and a super team! I loved how they turned the outbuildings at Lerwick Manor into outlets for small businesses to help them and the Island thrive.
The book was extremely emotional in parts too - a lump was certainly brought to my throat in a few places. Topics of death, loss, loneliness and anxiety were covered so sensitively. Gardening definitely helps us not only physically but supports us emotionally and the help that the three ladies gained from owning an allotment shined through - enabling them to see a future where they could achieve their hopes and dreams. Dottie, Jemima and Melissa all had their own journey but owning an allotment brought them together and enabled them to help each other in their own ways - more than each other would ever know.
I think readers will definitely want to have an allotment after reading From Shetland, With Love and also add a visit to the Shetland Islands too! A brilliant brilliant read!
I am very much looking forward to the second Shetland book: From Shetland, With Love At Christmas and meeting Verity, Isla and Nessie!
Thank you very much for my advanced copy. This review is based on a NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.
As a book lover who also enjoys gardening, I was so excited when I saw From Shetland, With Love - sounded like my perfect read! And it certainly was. Based in the stunning Shetland, this book has everything you could possibly want and so much more! From wonderful friendships, to an amazing community, to love and romance. Allotmenteering at Lerwick Manor does not always run smoothly or go to plan but everyone helps each other out - even under cover!
So much is packed into this wonderful storyline. Great characters - Dottie is The Bee's Knees! Every allotment needs a Dottie! All the characters were brought alive in the book. I loved Jemima and Melissa and I loved how their friendship blossomed over their love for their allotments.
A very funny read - I could not stop laughing at some of the antics that went on! I was totally immersed in the storyline, very invested in the characters and I was rooting for Jemima and Ned to get together - they make a wonderful couple and a super team! I loved how they turned the outbuildings at Lerwick Manor into outlets for small businesses to help them and the Island thrive.
The book was extremely emotional in parts too - a lump was certainly brought to my throat in a few places. Topics of death, loss, loneliness and anxiety were covered so sensitively. Gardening definitely helps us not only physically but supports us emotionally and the help that the three ladies gained from owning an allotment shined through - enabling them to see a future where they could achieve their hopes and dreams. Dottie, Jemima and Melissa all had their own journey but owning an allotment brought them together and enabled them to help each other in their own ways - more than each other would ever know.
I think readers will definitely want to have an allotment after reading From Shetland, With Love and also add a visit to the Shetland Islands too! A brilliant brilliant read!
I am very much looking forward to the second Shetland book: From Shetland, With Love At Christmas and meeting Verity, Isla and Nessie!
Thank you very much for my advanced copy. This review is based on a NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.
May 16, 2021
From Shetland, With Love - Erin Green
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review thanks to Headline and Netgalley.
Friendship can blossom in the most unexpected places...
When Jemima loses her beloved grandfather, keeping his allotment alive seems like the ideal way to feel close to him. She's never fitted in before - is this her chance to find where she really belongs?
Finally Melissa has the allotment she's been longing for to distract her while her husband works away - even if it is chest-high in weeds. But when she looks for help in the wrong place, she finds she's the hottest topic of gossip.
For Dottie, her allotment and part-time job of 'a little light dusting' at Lerwick Manor keeps a spring in her eighty-year-old step - and her ears open for secrets.
When I started this book I thought that it wasn’t for me, very quickly it began to grow on me. The story focuses mainly on Jemima, Melissa and Dottie and their friendship forged at the allotment. The writing flits perspectives between the three friends but it is very easy to follow.
This is the first book I have read by Erin but I am sure that it won’t be the last. To say this story is about dealing with grief and loneliness it is a beautifully written, uplifting book that I would definitely recommend.
Rating 4/5
This is a very enjoyable read about life in Shetland.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review thanks to Headline and Netgalley.
Friendship can blossom in the most unexpected places...
When Jemima loses her beloved grandfather, keeping his allotment alive seems like the ideal way to feel close to him. She's never fitted in before - is this her chance to find where she really belongs?
Finally Melissa has the allotment she's been longing for to distract her while her husband works away - even if it is chest-high in weeds. But when she looks for help in the wrong place, she finds she's the hottest topic of gossip.
For Dottie, her allotment and part-time job of 'a little light dusting' at Lerwick Manor keeps a spring in her eighty-year-old step - and her ears open for secrets.
When I started this book I thought that it wasn’t for me, very quickly it began to grow on me. The story focuses mainly on Jemima, Melissa and Dottie and their friendship forged at the allotment. The writing flits perspectives between the three friends but it is very easy to follow.
This is the first book I have read by Erin but I am sure that it won’t be the last. To say this story is about dealing with grief and loneliness it is a beautifully written, uplifting book that I would definitely recommend.
Rating 4/5
This is a very enjoyable read about life in Shetland.
May 10, 2021
Wow! Reading this book was like comfrey tea. The more it fermented the better it got.
I started this book and initially I wasn’t sure it was for me, and then before I knew it I was flipping the pages faster to see what Dottie and Mungo and Old Bill were up to. The friendships that they forged over the years were beautifully shown and I liked how , even though a little gruff they tried to help and welcome Melissa and Jemima.
The scene in the allotment when Dottie finds Bill was so moving and the love and respect all the allotment holders showed him, even the far siders was beautiful.
I have to say my heart still goes out to Levi, the nicest, most helpful man and he’s still left on the shelf and all alone. His love and devotion to Melissa was obvious from early on and I finally thought he was going to be rewarded but sadly it wasn’t meant to be. Is Hamish really the right one for Melissa? Who knows, but like real life, happy endings aren’t always nicely tied up.
Ned and Jemima are lovely together, they both know how they feel but don’t know how or when to act on those feelings. The friendship they develop really helps bond them and when Ned finally tells her how he feels it really made me smile. The ending was beautiful, Jemima really helps bring everyone together.
I started this book and initially I wasn’t sure it was for me, and then before I knew it I was flipping the pages faster to see what Dottie and Mungo and Old Bill were up to. The friendships that they forged over the years were beautifully shown and I liked how , even though a little gruff they tried to help and welcome Melissa and Jemima.
The scene in the allotment when Dottie finds Bill was so moving and the love and respect all the allotment holders showed him, even the far siders was beautiful.
I have to say my heart still goes out to Levi, the nicest, most helpful man and he’s still left on the shelf and all alone. His love and devotion to Melissa was obvious from early on and I finally thought he was going to be rewarded but sadly it wasn’t meant to be. Is Hamish really the right one for Melissa? Who knows, but like real life, happy endings aren’t always nicely tied up.
Ned and Jemima are lovely together, they both know how they feel but don’t know how or when to act on those feelings. The friendship they develop really helps bond them and when Ned finally tells her how he feels it really made me smile. The ending was beautiful, Jemima really helps bring everyone together.
June 2, 2021
This is a story that follows 3 women as they deal with loss, love, and ultimately finding a life that makes them happy.
I was really excited to read this book, but somehow I ended up a bit disappointed. It is not bad, and there are some great characters. At it's core there are some sweet stories to tell. However for me it seemed to drag, and I found there was more gardening then Shetland for my liking. I also found some of the treatment from the longer term allotment members towards to the new ones mean - I understand the point was maybe to produce banter, and show how the community is tight nit but loyal once you are one of them. If I was Michelle or Jemima though, I would ignored them all. I also got frustrated with Michelle in terms of her marriage.
Perhaps I was just too grumpy when I read the book?
Overall an easy read, that has some enjoyable aspects. For me though, not what I was hoping for, so not one I would pass on and recommend to friends.
Thanks to Net Galley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
I was really excited to read this book, but somehow I ended up a bit disappointed. It is not bad, and there are some great characters. At it's core there are some sweet stories to tell. However for me it seemed to drag, and I found there was more gardening then Shetland for my liking. I also found some of the treatment from the longer term allotment members towards to the new ones mean - I understand the point was maybe to produce banter, and show how the community is tight nit but loyal once you are one of them. If I was Michelle or Jemima though, I would ignored them all. I also got frustrated with Michelle in terms of her marriage.
Perhaps I was just too grumpy when I read the book?
Overall an easy read, that has some enjoyable aspects. For me though, not what I was hoping for, so not one I would pass on and recommend to friends.
Thanks to Net Galley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
May 15, 2021
Thanks to Headline and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.
Set on allotments in Shetland the story is told through the eyes of 3 women - Jemima, Dottie and Melissa. At first I found the skipping between women a bit off putting but soon got in to the swing of it and what a lovely gentle story it is! Really enjoyed this one and noticed at the end there is a Christmas book to follow - I look forward to reading that one too.
Set on allotments in Shetland the story is told through the eyes of 3 women - Jemima, Dottie and Melissa. At first I found the skipping between women a bit off putting but soon got in to the swing of it and what a lovely gentle story it is! Really enjoyed this one and noticed at the end there is a Christmas book to follow - I look forward to reading that one too.
May 30, 2021
An easy entertaining read following two newbies to the allotment scene. Jemima’s granpop dies so she decides to keep his allotment going strong on his behalf and Melissa wants to fill her time whilst her husband is working away from home. There’s lots of fun along the way as you get to know the ‘allotment community’ and follow how their lives change from taking on something completely new to them.
July 12, 2021
This was a lovely, uplifting story set against a Scottish background. The three main characters were well drawn and their stories beautifully interwoven. The allotment setting worked really well, giving us some great side characters. A great summer read, or any time of year read come to that. I hope there is a sequel.
January 24, 2022
Heartwarming
January 6, 2022
Synopsis: “After the loss of her beloved grandfather, 28-year-old Jemima Button is unexpectedly handed the keys to his allotment plot. She doesn’t share his enthusiasm for gardening but can’t follow through when the time comes to give it up. Now she has five chickens and a garden to care for, and her amateur mistakes are catching unsolicited criticism.
After ages of being a name on a waiting list, 42-year-old Melissa Robins finally has an allotment plot to call her own. She dives right in, eager to be creative and take her mind off her husband who is working away from home. When loneliness pushes her into a close friendship with a fellow allotmenter, tongues start wagging, and her reputation takes a nosedive.
Despite her age, 80-year-old Dorothy “Dottie” Nesbit maintains a three-days-a-week dusting routine at Lerwick Manor, a job that dates back to her parents. She also grows prize-winning delphiniums and serves as secretary on the allotment association committee. Becase of her unofficial title as local matriarch, her eyes and ears are everywhere, and she is not afraid to get involved and give an opinion.
These three women lead very different lives, but now find themselves neighbors at the Lerwick Manor Allotment Association. Together they will face the barrage of drama that is a typical day at the allotment plot. Will they weather the storm, or is one of them on her way out?”
I started this book at a sluggish pace thanks to pages of drawn out description. For example, the section that describes Jemima Button’s first visit as plot owner to the Lerwick Manor Allotment Association: she enters the gate, notices the more unique gardens while following the figure eight pathway, & arrives at her destination six pages later. The detail about her grandparents’ front door is lovely, how after generations of memories it now decorates the plot which is passing from Thomas Quinn to his granddaughter. Some of the description adds to the story, but there could’ve been more editing to remove the pages of tedium, especially in the first half of the book.
Initially Melissa’s point-of-view interested me the most because I liked her personality, but by the end I found her attitude off-putting. I know gossip is an ugly thing, but she could’ve handled herself better. When you choose to spend time alone with a handsome, single man while your husband’s away for work, don’t be shocked when your small, tight-knit community starts to talk. To balance things out, I did appreciate her genuine care for Jemima as they became friends. Dottie is likeable but experiences very little development. She’s more of a bridge between characters and storylines. I enjoyed the Sassy Dottie moments; they added some spice to her character. Her POV lands in the middle which leaves Jemima, my favorite. I found her personal journey relatable, and her potential romance is what truly kept me invested in the book. The pace of her story picked up too quickly in the final chapters, but I like where people, places, and things ended up so I’m not too upset about it.
I now want chickens and an allotment plot, specifically on Shetland, so I think Erin Green did her job. However, I’m lowering my rating because of lengthy descriptions and slow pace, giving “From Shetland With Love” three stars. Don’t expect fireworks-level excitement because this book is exactly what the cover sets it up to be, a slice of life story centered around allotment plot owners and their day-to-day issues. If you like to sit outside in the sunshine and read to unwind, this might be the book for you; if you enjoy gardening, even better!
Fun Fact: Thomas Quinn named his chickens Tonight, Madras, Korma, Roast, and Nugget (or possibly Kiev); all of them are affectionately known as “his ladies.” As a tribute, Jemima named her duck Crispy. I felt you should know all that because it tickled me throughout the entire book.
Content Warnings
Alcohol & Drugs
Mentions of alcohol & drinking - Pages 3, 12, 34, 57, 85, 90, 93, 94, 105, 106, 107, 121, 244, 245, 247, 264, 290, 325, 326, 327, 328, 331, 336, 337, 338, 339, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 349, 350, 351, 356, 359, 358, 360, 361, 368, 369, 376, 377, & 378
Mentions of drugs & smoking - Pages 106, 109, 121, 159, 223, 245, 290, 298, & 360
Grammar & Spelling
Page 22 - “Gazelle on heat” instead of “Gazelle in heat”
Page 57 - “ . . . ask Levi” instead of “ . . . asks Levi”
Page 62 - “ . . . there is defies logic” instead of “ . . . there defies logic”
Page 85 - Smoother those in gravy” instead of “Smother those in gravy”
Page 129 - “I found large two pumpkins” instead of “I found two large pumpkins”
Page 184 - “Dotty” instead of “Dottie,” not sure if this was intentional or not
Language
A$$ or Ar$e - Pages 71, 125, 201, 327, 331, & 353
Balls Up or Ballsing it up - Pages 54 & 57
Bastards - Page 335
Bloody or Bloody H*ll- Pages 11, 16, 18, 19, 20, 22, 54, 59, 64, 68, 69, 72, 73, 116, 117, 118, 137, 161, 170, 171, 177, 187, 195, 196, 206, 216, 229, 255, 260, 261, 289, 293, 300, 322, 331, 335, 345, 355, 364, & 365
Bugger(s) or Buggered off - Pages 11, 51, 54, 55, 72, 85, 91, 182, 183, 205, 217, 274, 289, 299, 306, 307, 323, 327, 328, & 360
Cheeky Sod - Page 194
Chr*st - Page 364
D*mn, D*mn it, or D*mned - Pages 22, 59, 80, 157, 197, 256, 309, & 375
For F*ck’s Sake - Page 355
Git - Pages 181 & 337
H*ll - Pages 29, 59, 67, 72, 172, 195, 247, 261, 273, 280, & 364
Go to H*ll - Page 241
Haven’t a Hope in H*ll - Page 194
What, Where, or Who the H*ll - Pages 94, 101, 104, 117, 125, 167, 202, 204, 218, 224, 264, 270, 286, 304, 315, 320, 335, 347, & 354
L*rd Knows - Page 250
My G*d - Page 70
Piss-Taking - Page 195
Pissing Me Off - Page 54
Pull His Finger Out - Page 203
Shagathon - Page 241
Shagging - Page 237
Sh*t - Pages 37 & 47
Sh*te - Page 61
Sh*tty - Page 61
Sodding - Pages 22, 73, 121, 169, 172, 206, 212, 241, 242, 243, 335, 344, & 365
Taking the Piss - Page 5
Tits up - Page 180
Tiny as or Tinier than a newborn’s winky - Pages 33 & 301
Sensual/Sexual Moments
*DISCLAIMER: In order to be thorough, there are moments that will be spoiled in this section of my review.
SPOILERS INCOMING
Page 104 - Melissa feels attraction to Levi, a man who is not her husband
Page 169 - It’s implied that Melissa doesn’t want to mention Levi’s name to her husband
Pages 171 to 173 - Melissa hugs Levi & cries on his shoulder after a tense FaceTime conversation with her husband
Pages 190 to 195 - Melissa spends the day with Levi alone, having conflicting thoughts about her marriage. Aside from being alone together in a car on a day-long roadtrip, nothing inappropriate happens.
Page 206 - Melissa & Mungo are tangled up on the floor of The Veggie Rack covered in Jemima’s pumkin chutney which has exploded. Dottie walks in on them & assumes something else is happening. Melissa humorously describes the scene as looking like a “kinky sex session with a fetish for orange lube.”
Page 231 - Jemima describes Ned’s strong jawline & cleft chin as sexy, feeling nervous flutters as he’s buttoning up a coat she’s borrowing from him
Pages 236 to 238 - Jemima lets Melissa know the allotmenters are gossiping about her & Levi’s possible affair, & the latter exclaims “You wanted to be the one to blow the story wide open, and then you can confirm that we’re shagging like rabbits in the potting shed!”
Pages 240 to 241 - Melissa contemplates the affair rumours flying around & the silly idea that she’s “conducting a full-blown knocking shop.” She glances around her small potting shed & remarks “ . . . there’s hardly enough room to stash a folded deckchair, let alone perform some sordid affair or energetic sexual gymnastics! There’s a sodding window, for God’s sake! Someone must think I’m a right exhibitionist if this is my place of choice for frolicking.”
Page 241 - While conversing with Jemima, Melissa exclaims “Seriously, don’t you? Don’t you believe me and Levi are arranging sordid shagathons in here . . . me propped up on the rickety workbench over there and him squashed in between the sodding window and my new paraffin heaters!” Jemima humourously responds “I can just imagine it, though I suggest you focus a little more on comfort and ambience: a few candles and a swathe of rich fabric might enhance the boudoir effect for both of you.”
Page 242 - Levi tells Melissa the allotmenters are gossiping about Jemima & Ned possibly sleeping together
Pages 245 to 247 - While in The Cabbage Patch, Melissa takes the opportunity to tell off the allotmenters who are present, setting the record straight that she & Levi have never kissed or slept together.
Pages 262 to 264 - Melissa scolds Levi for not backing up her outburst in The Cabbage Patch, exclaiming “We aren’t a couple. We’re not having an affair or getting jiggy in my potting shed!” Levi criticies her husband’s disinterest in her needs & wants & implies he wants more in their relationship.
Page 335 - Dottie describes Natalia as “a real-life stunner exuding sex appeal and class”
Pages 344 to 347 - Levi and Melissa have a serious conversation in front of people at the festival before slipping away to a private corner and kissing. The chapter ends suggestively with both agreeing to meet back at Levi’s place.
Pages 348 to 349 - Melissa’s husband Hamish shows up at the festival to surprise her. While helping him look for his wife, Dottie spots Levi and Melissa gleefully leaving the manor together. Hamish doesn’t mention seeing them, but it’s implied that he did.
Page 351 - Jemima walks in on Natalia sitting on Ned’s desk and describes her skimpy attire.
Pages 356 to 358 - Dottie warns Melissa about Hamish being at the festival, and she goes straight home, kissing and making up with him.
Pages 366 to 367 - Jemima and Ned share their first kiss in the Lerwick Manor garden during the sweetest, most romantic moment in the whole book.
Page 378 - Jemima and Ned kiss again.
Trigger Warnings
Anxiety - Jemima’s struggles with anxiety are mentioned throughout the book. The worst & most described panic attack takes place on pages 353 to 355.
Infertility & Death/Loss - Jemima is dealing with the recent loss of her grandfather Thomas. There are also mentions of how she coped when her mother died of cancer.
There is a brief mention of Ned’s parents struggling to have a child as well as their untimely deaths from cancer.
On pages 306 to 310, Dottie and Melissa find Bill who has died while sitting on his allotment plot bench; his body is removed from the property by an undertaker.
After ages of being a name on a waiting list, 42-year-old Melissa Robins finally has an allotment plot to call her own. She dives right in, eager to be creative and take her mind off her husband who is working away from home. When loneliness pushes her into a close friendship with a fellow allotmenter, tongues start wagging, and her reputation takes a nosedive.
Despite her age, 80-year-old Dorothy “Dottie” Nesbit maintains a three-days-a-week dusting routine at Lerwick Manor, a job that dates back to her parents. She also grows prize-winning delphiniums and serves as secretary on the allotment association committee. Becase of her unofficial title as local matriarch, her eyes and ears are everywhere, and she is not afraid to get involved and give an opinion.
These three women lead very different lives, but now find themselves neighbors at the Lerwick Manor Allotment Association. Together they will face the barrage of drama that is a typical day at the allotment plot. Will they weather the storm, or is one of them on her way out?”
I started this book at a sluggish pace thanks to pages of drawn out description. For example, the section that describes Jemima Button’s first visit as plot owner to the Lerwick Manor Allotment Association: she enters the gate, notices the more unique gardens while following the figure eight pathway, & arrives at her destination six pages later. The detail about her grandparents’ front door is lovely, how after generations of memories it now decorates the plot which is passing from Thomas Quinn to his granddaughter. Some of the description adds to the story, but there could’ve been more editing to remove the pages of tedium, especially in the first half of the book.
Initially Melissa’s point-of-view interested me the most because I liked her personality, but by the end I found her attitude off-putting. I know gossip is an ugly thing, but she could’ve handled herself better. When you choose to spend time alone with a handsome, single man while your husband’s away for work, don’t be shocked when your small, tight-knit community starts to talk. To balance things out, I did appreciate her genuine care for Jemima as they became friends. Dottie is likeable but experiences very little development. She’s more of a bridge between characters and storylines. I enjoyed the Sassy Dottie moments; they added some spice to her character. Her POV lands in the middle which leaves Jemima, my favorite. I found her personal journey relatable, and her potential romance is what truly kept me invested in the book. The pace of her story picked up too quickly in the final chapters, but I like where people, places, and things ended up so I’m not too upset about it.
I now want chickens and an allotment plot, specifically on Shetland, so I think Erin Green did her job. However, I’m lowering my rating because of lengthy descriptions and slow pace, giving “From Shetland With Love” three stars. Don’t expect fireworks-level excitement because this book is exactly what the cover sets it up to be, a slice of life story centered around allotment plot owners and their day-to-day issues. If you like to sit outside in the sunshine and read to unwind, this might be the book for you; if you enjoy gardening, even better!
Fun Fact: Thomas Quinn named his chickens Tonight, Madras, Korma, Roast, and Nugget (or possibly Kiev); all of them are affectionately known as “his ladies.” As a tribute, Jemima named her duck Crispy. I felt you should know all that because it tickled me throughout the entire book.
Content Warnings
Alcohol & Drugs
Mentions of alcohol & drinking - Pages 3, 12, 34, 57, 85, 90, 93, 94, 105, 106, 107, 121, 244, 245, 247, 264, 290, 325, 326, 327, 328, 331, 336, 337, 338, 339, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 349, 350, 351, 356, 359, 358, 360, 361, 368, 369, 376, 377, & 378
Mentions of drugs & smoking - Pages 106, 109, 121, 159, 223, 245, 290, 298, & 360
Grammar & Spelling
Page 22 - “Gazelle on heat” instead of “Gazelle in heat”
Page 57 - “ . . . ask Levi” instead of “ . . . asks Levi”
Page 62 - “ . . . there is defies logic” instead of “ . . . there defies logic”
Page 85 - Smoother those in gravy” instead of “Smother those in gravy”
Page 129 - “I found large two pumpkins” instead of “I found two large pumpkins”
Page 184 - “Dotty” instead of “Dottie,” not sure if this was intentional or not
Language
A$$ or Ar$e - Pages 71, 125, 201, 327, 331, & 353
Balls Up or Ballsing it up - Pages 54 & 57
Bastards - Page 335
Bloody or Bloody H*ll- Pages 11, 16, 18, 19, 20, 22, 54, 59, 64, 68, 69, 72, 73, 116, 117, 118, 137, 161, 170, 171, 177, 187, 195, 196, 206, 216, 229, 255, 260, 261, 289, 293, 300, 322, 331, 335, 345, 355, 364, & 365
Bugger(s) or Buggered off - Pages 11, 51, 54, 55, 72, 85, 91, 182, 183, 205, 217, 274, 289, 299, 306, 307, 323, 327, 328, & 360
Cheeky Sod - Page 194
Chr*st - Page 364
D*mn, D*mn it, or D*mned - Pages 22, 59, 80, 157, 197, 256, 309, & 375
For F*ck’s Sake - Page 355
Git - Pages 181 & 337
H*ll - Pages 29, 59, 67, 72, 172, 195, 247, 261, 273, 280, & 364
Go to H*ll - Page 241
Haven’t a Hope in H*ll - Page 194
What, Where, or Who the H*ll - Pages 94, 101, 104, 117, 125, 167, 202, 204, 218, 224, 264, 270, 286, 304, 315, 320, 335, 347, & 354
L*rd Knows - Page 250
My G*d - Page 70
Piss-Taking - Page 195
Pissing Me Off - Page 54
Pull His Finger Out - Page 203
Shagathon - Page 241
Shagging - Page 237
Sh*t - Pages 37 & 47
Sh*te - Page 61
Sh*tty - Page 61
Sodding - Pages 22, 73, 121, 169, 172, 206, 212, 241, 242, 243, 335, 344, & 365
Taking the Piss - Page 5
Tits up - Page 180
Tiny as or Tinier than a newborn’s winky - Pages 33 & 301
Sensual/Sexual Moments
*DISCLAIMER: In order to be thorough, there are moments that will be spoiled in this section of my review.
SPOILERS INCOMING
Page 104 - Melissa feels attraction to Levi, a man who is not her husband
Page 169 - It’s implied that Melissa doesn’t want to mention Levi’s name to her husband
Pages 171 to 173 - Melissa hugs Levi & cries on his shoulder after a tense FaceTime conversation with her husband
Pages 190 to 195 - Melissa spends the day with Levi alone, having conflicting thoughts about her marriage. Aside from being alone together in a car on a day-long roadtrip, nothing inappropriate happens.
Page 206 - Melissa & Mungo are tangled up on the floor of The Veggie Rack covered in Jemima’s pumkin chutney which has exploded. Dottie walks in on them & assumes something else is happening. Melissa humorously describes the scene as looking like a “kinky sex session with a fetish for orange lube.”
Page 231 - Jemima describes Ned’s strong jawline & cleft chin as sexy, feeling nervous flutters as he’s buttoning up a coat she’s borrowing from him
Pages 236 to 238 - Jemima lets Melissa know the allotmenters are gossiping about her & Levi’s possible affair, & the latter exclaims “You wanted to be the one to blow the story wide open, and then you can confirm that we’re shagging like rabbits in the potting shed!”
Pages 240 to 241 - Melissa contemplates the affair rumours flying around & the silly idea that she’s “conducting a full-blown knocking shop.” She glances around her small potting shed & remarks “ . . . there’s hardly enough room to stash a folded deckchair, let alone perform some sordid affair or energetic sexual gymnastics! There’s a sodding window, for God’s sake! Someone must think I’m a right exhibitionist if this is my place of choice for frolicking.”
Page 241 - While conversing with Jemima, Melissa exclaims “Seriously, don’t you? Don’t you believe me and Levi are arranging sordid shagathons in here . . . me propped up on the rickety workbench over there and him squashed in between the sodding window and my new paraffin heaters!” Jemima humourously responds “I can just imagine it, though I suggest you focus a little more on comfort and ambience: a few candles and a swathe of rich fabric might enhance the boudoir effect for both of you.”
Page 242 - Levi tells Melissa the allotmenters are gossiping about Jemima & Ned possibly sleeping together
Pages 245 to 247 - While in The Cabbage Patch, Melissa takes the opportunity to tell off the allotmenters who are present, setting the record straight that she & Levi have never kissed or slept together.
Pages 262 to 264 - Melissa scolds Levi for not backing up her outburst in The Cabbage Patch, exclaiming “We aren’t a couple. We’re not having an affair or getting jiggy in my potting shed!” Levi criticies her husband’s disinterest in her needs & wants & implies he wants more in their relationship.
Page 335 - Dottie describes Natalia as “a real-life stunner exuding sex appeal and class”
Pages 344 to 347 - Levi and Melissa have a serious conversation in front of people at the festival before slipping away to a private corner and kissing. The chapter ends suggestively with both agreeing to meet back at Levi’s place.
Pages 348 to 349 - Melissa’s husband Hamish shows up at the festival to surprise her. While helping him look for his wife, Dottie spots Levi and Melissa gleefully leaving the manor together. Hamish doesn’t mention seeing them, but it’s implied that he did.
Page 351 - Jemima walks in on Natalia sitting on Ned’s desk and describes her skimpy attire.
Pages 356 to 358 - Dottie warns Melissa about Hamish being at the festival, and she goes straight home, kissing and making up with him.
Pages 366 to 367 - Jemima and Ned share their first kiss in the Lerwick Manor garden during the sweetest, most romantic moment in the whole book.
Page 378 - Jemima and Ned kiss again.
Trigger Warnings
Anxiety - Jemima’s struggles with anxiety are mentioned throughout the book. The worst & most described panic attack takes place on pages 353 to 355.
Infertility & Death/Loss - Jemima is dealing with the recent loss of her grandfather Thomas. There are also mentions of how she coped when her mother died of cancer.
There is a brief mention of Ned’s parents struggling to have a child as well as their untimely deaths from cancer.
On pages 306 to 310, Dottie and Melissa find Bill who has died while sitting on his allotment plot bench; his body is removed from the property by an undertaker.
October 13, 2021
Don’t you just love when a book provides you with so much more than you could have ever hoped for? Well From Shetland, With Love by Erin Green was that book for me. I honestly can’t believe that I have never read anything by Erin Green before because this story was insanely good and one that I couldn’t leave out of my hands until I had reached the very last page. After a run of reading lots of historical fiction, I needed something totally different to read and this wonderful, feel-good story really reminded me just how much I love reading. It’s an uplifting, cosy read with the picturesque setting of the Shetland Islands at its centre. To be more specific the allotments on the land of Lerwick Manor. It’s packed full of a wide ranging and diverse cast of characters who each bring that something special to the overall story. There’s lots going between the pages of what is a fabulous cover but it’s easy to keep track of everything going on with some romance, intrigue and what I came to call the allotment wars.
Initially I did think oh allotments, gardens, flowers and veg etc, these aren’t my cup of tea or genuine interest but thanks to the brilliant writing from the author I soon fell completely in love with the setting, the characters and all the goings on. To turn what I might consider a boring subject into something gripping and exciting is no mean feat but Erin Green certainly did this to perfection. I loved the community feeling that was built upon throughout the story and I soon forgot everything going on around me and in the world as I escaped for a few pleasurable hours of reading. I quickly became engrossed in the lives of our three main characters Jemima, Dottie and Melissa who come from different backgrounds, are vastly different ages but yet are united by their connection to the allotment. Each have their own little problems and issues but soon a strong bond of friendship is formed and lots of fun, laughter, understanding, affection and solidarity ensues.
Jemima Button hasn’t had it easy in recent times. Her mother died 9 months ago and now she finds herself in a solicitors office listening to her grandfather's will being read. Her mother had been divorced from her father for many years and his side of the family are not overly enamoured with Jemima and are more than perturbed when they hear she has inherited the keys to his allotment at Lerwick Manor. Jemima herself is still shell shocked from the loss of her mother and doesn’t really need any extra aggro from anyone but she wonders why her grandfather left her the allotment. Surely it goes to the next in line on the waiting list for plots? Jemima was a lovely character and one which many people will identify with. She was vulnerable with her anxiety levels being sky high and she feels left out and that her life is spiralling out of control. She is on sabbatical from her job at the tourist office and perhaps this gift from her grandfather whom she loved so much may very well have been a much needed blessing in disguise.
Jemima, similar to myself, was a little bit sceptical that an allotment would be the right place for her. When you have no previous experience of or interest in something how can you put your heart and soul into it? But as time passes by she finds herself with a renewed energy and this was just so wonderful to see. She has lots of plans and ideas but she soon comes to realise the allotment community has rules and regulations and time honoured traditions of doing things. Bill and Mungo laugh at her efforts but secretly you just know that they are willing her on in the right direction to continue the legacy left by her grandfather and to also help her find her new direction in life. Tending to the plot and setting new plans in motion makes Jemima realise that she had sat around feeling sorry for herself for too long when she could have been out doing stuff or achieving something. She needs to broaden her horizons and take some risks in life.
I thoroughly enjoyed accompanying Jemima on her journey and with short chapters and just the most gorgeous conversational style writing I was gripped by all the goings on that Jemima became involved in. There are lots of funny moments thrown in at the most appropriate of times and the unlawful deeds of the Far Siders provide lots of mystery and suspense. When Ned was introduced, as he tended the beehives he keeps on the allotment, the reader learns quickly of his secret but others are kept in the dark. He was a man of few words and someone who had lost all sense of purpose and to be honest I thought he was a little under utilised and only came into his own towards the end as the attention shifted towards the setting up of some new initiatives on the estate. I loved how these tied into the title and also introduced a new character which at this point had me thinking there would be another book. I didn’t feel I got to know Ned well enough even though he did prove to be an essential element to the overall plot.
Mellisa was the second main character to be introduced and she has been keen to get her hands on a plot as she needs the outlet to help her work/life balance. She has been in a long distance marriage for ten years as her husband works away on the oil rigs for months at a time. You could tell that Melissa feels abandoned and forgotten about and that all she really wants is for her husband to be by her side so they can live a normal life like a husband and wife do and start a family. This was such a wish of hers but really the way things were you couldn’t see it coming to fruition at any point in the immediate future. What came across from Melissa was this overwhelming desire to nurture and I think when she got a space on the allotment she channelled all this energy she had into nurturing what she was growing as what she wanted in her personal life never seemed likely to happen. Melissa’s story was really personal and at one point I felt it was venturing in a direction that seemed very inevitable and just too cliched for this kind of book. I was pleasantly surprised by how her story developed and concluded so to speak and was glad the author choose to do it in this manner.
Alongside Jemima, Dottie was my favourite character amongst the many that featured. She is in her 80's and had worked as a scullery maid at Lerwick Manor and now just keeps her hand visiting every few days to do some light cleaning. Dottie has an invisible thread which ties her to the islands and she is so at home working on her allotment. She is the matriarch figure in the book and takes people under her wing and you can tell she gets so much enjoyment and pleasure from this. She has her fingers in so many pies in the allotment community and I just love how she threw herself into everything but was never pushy, rude or insensitive. OK, she is in everyone’s business but it’s all done with the best of intentions and she has such a good and kind heart at her centre. I loved how she became involved with attempting to solve the mysterious goings on at the allotment and that when things went wrong for Jemima, Dottie didn’t jump to judge or blame her. Dottie is the glue that holds the allotment together and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how she interacted with everybody as she made for such a fabulous character to read about and connect with.
It takes a lot to get me excited about women’s fiction these days when I have read so many books in the genre. The same storylines start to be repeated with minor adjustments and recently I haven’t been as drawn to this genre as I have been for so many years but this highly impressive and entertaining story reaffirmed my love for this genre. I was truly gutted to reach the end as I just didn’t feel ready to let go of the characters but reading the last few chapters I sensed the way it was being written and how certain things were being set up that perhaps there would be more to come from this very special cast of characters who inhabit the most wonderful setting. So to say I was thrilled when I discovered there would be a Christmas book was an understatement. From Shetland, With Love at Christmas is the next book in what I hope will be a long running series and I can’t wait to read it. In the meantime, do yourself a favour and get your hands on this real treat of a book.
Initially I did think oh allotments, gardens, flowers and veg etc, these aren’t my cup of tea or genuine interest but thanks to the brilliant writing from the author I soon fell completely in love with the setting, the characters and all the goings on. To turn what I might consider a boring subject into something gripping and exciting is no mean feat but Erin Green certainly did this to perfection. I loved the community feeling that was built upon throughout the story and I soon forgot everything going on around me and in the world as I escaped for a few pleasurable hours of reading. I quickly became engrossed in the lives of our three main characters Jemima, Dottie and Melissa who come from different backgrounds, are vastly different ages but yet are united by their connection to the allotment. Each have their own little problems and issues but soon a strong bond of friendship is formed and lots of fun, laughter, understanding, affection and solidarity ensues.
Jemima Button hasn’t had it easy in recent times. Her mother died 9 months ago and now she finds herself in a solicitors office listening to her grandfather's will being read. Her mother had been divorced from her father for many years and his side of the family are not overly enamoured with Jemima and are more than perturbed when they hear she has inherited the keys to his allotment at Lerwick Manor. Jemima herself is still shell shocked from the loss of her mother and doesn’t really need any extra aggro from anyone but she wonders why her grandfather left her the allotment. Surely it goes to the next in line on the waiting list for plots? Jemima was a lovely character and one which many people will identify with. She was vulnerable with her anxiety levels being sky high and she feels left out and that her life is spiralling out of control. She is on sabbatical from her job at the tourist office and perhaps this gift from her grandfather whom she loved so much may very well have been a much needed blessing in disguise.
Jemima, similar to myself, was a little bit sceptical that an allotment would be the right place for her. When you have no previous experience of or interest in something how can you put your heart and soul into it? But as time passes by she finds herself with a renewed energy and this was just so wonderful to see. She has lots of plans and ideas but she soon comes to realise the allotment community has rules and regulations and time honoured traditions of doing things. Bill and Mungo laugh at her efforts but secretly you just know that they are willing her on in the right direction to continue the legacy left by her grandfather and to also help her find her new direction in life. Tending to the plot and setting new plans in motion makes Jemima realise that she had sat around feeling sorry for herself for too long when she could have been out doing stuff or achieving something. She needs to broaden her horizons and take some risks in life.
I thoroughly enjoyed accompanying Jemima on her journey and with short chapters and just the most gorgeous conversational style writing I was gripped by all the goings on that Jemima became involved in. There are lots of funny moments thrown in at the most appropriate of times and the unlawful deeds of the Far Siders provide lots of mystery and suspense. When Ned was introduced, as he tended the beehives he keeps on the allotment, the reader learns quickly of his secret but others are kept in the dark. He was a man of few words and someone who had lost all sense of purpose and to be honest I thought he was a little under utilised and only came into his own towards the end as the attention shifted towards the setting up of some new initiatives on the estate. I loved how these tied into the title and also introduced a new character which at this point had me thinking there would be another book. I didn’t feel I got to know Ned well enough even though he did prove to be an essential element to the overall plot.
Mellisa was the second main character to be introduced and she has been keen to get her hands on a plot as she needs the outlet to help her work/life balance. She has been in a long distance marriage for ten years as her husband works away on the oil rigs for months at a time. You could tell that Melissa feels abandoned and forgotten about and that all she really wants is for her husband to be by her side so they can live a normal life like a husband and wife do and start a family. This was such a wish of hers but really the way things were you couldn’t see it coming to fruition at any point in the immediate future. What came across from Melissa was this overwhelming desire to nurture and I think when she got a space on the allotment she channelled all this energy she had into nurturing what she was growing as what she wanted in her personal life never seemed likely to happen. Melissa’s story was really personal and at one point I felt it was venturing in a direction that seemed very inevitable and just too cliched for this kind of book. I was pleasantly surprised by how her story developed and concluded so to speak and was glad the author choose to do it in this manner.
Alongside Jemima, Dottie was my favourite character amongst the many that featured. She is in her 80's and had worked as a scullery maid at Lerwick Manor and now just keeps her hand visiting every few days to do some light cleaning. Dottie has an invisible thread which ties her to the islands and she is so at home working on her allotment. She is the matriarch figure in the book and takes people under her wing and you can tell she gets so much enjoyment and pleasure from this. She has her fingers in so many pies in the allotment community and I just love how she threw herself into everything but was never pushy, rude or insensitive. OK, she is in everyone’s business but it’s all done with the best of intentions and she has such a good and kind heart at her centre. I loved how she became involved with attempting to solve the mysterious goings on at the allotment and that when things went wrong for Jemima, Dottie didn’t jump to judge or blame her. Dottie is the glue that holds the allotment together and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how she interacted with everybody as she made for such a fabulous character to read about and connect with.
It takes a lot to get me excited about women’s fiction these days when I have read so many books in the genre. The same storylines start to be repeated with minor adjustments and recently I haven’t been as drawn to this genre as I have been for so many years but this highly impressive and entertaining story reaffirmed my love for this genre. I was truly gutted to reach the end as I just didn’t feel ready to let go of the characters but reading the last few chapters I sensed the way it was being written and how certain things were being set up that perhaps there would be more to come from this very special cast of characters who inhabit the most wonderful setting. So to say I was thrilled when I discovered there would be a Christmas book was an understatement. From Shetland, With Love at Christmas is the next book in what I hope will be a long running series and I can’t wait to read it. In the meantime, do yourself a favour and get your hands on this real treat of a book.
July 19, 2022
It's an easy light read. It is not how I expect Shetland to be in many parts but still an enjoyable story and read
March 26, 2025
Such a joyful, feelgood story about gardening and friendships, sure to make you smile.
January 14, 2025
I'm already getting irritated by the constant mention of foxes raiding chicken coops. I live in Orkney and the only fox here was a dead one brought in as a joke. I'm pretty certain Shetland, being islands even further north than Orkney don't have loads of allotments, nor foxes preying on chickens. Basic research would have told the author that. Cashing in on the popularity of Cleeves' Shetland series (she DID do her research) is a cheap way of getting readers, but all of us up north of Scotland can tell a fake. There is - two chapters in, still no sense of the Shetland landscape other than describing it as wonderful.
Read local Shetland authors instead- for example Marsali Taylor's great sailing murder mysteries, with their psychological twists, and wonderful recreations of the landscapes and culture.
I wish this author had either stuck to places she knows, or done adequate research. There is a lack of creation of a real landscape, and many details that jar, such as growing tall vegetables and trees on top of a hill in Shetland. It's a pity, because the basic plot might have been enjoyable were it not spoiled by these mistakes.
Read local Shetland authors instead- for example Marsali Taylor's great sailing murder mysteries, with their psychological twists, and wonderful recreations of the landscapes and culture.
I wish this author had either stuck to places she knows, or done adequate research. There is a lack of creation of a real landscape, and many details that jar, such as growing tall vegetables and trees on top of a hill in Shetland. It's a pity, because the basic plot might have been enjoyable were it not spoiled by these mistakes.
July 26, 2021
Story based in Shetland and on a community allotment with its mix of older people who have been working their allotment space for decades and newbies arriving with no idea but willing to learn.
The main female characters are well developed and how they are coping with choices they have made or not. The men are a whole mix of characters some who would wind you up all the time and some that offers help when ever its needed even if not asked.
So a great basis for the stories and community that flow and weave through the Delphiniums blooms on Dottie's allotment on to Jemima taking over her beloved grandads plot. Melissia needing something to fill her hours in each day and not a clue how to remove all the weeds on her piece of allotment area. Possibly a goat?
At some points it had me laughing out loud as the sagas that went on, then next feeling cross on how they 2 younger women being treated and spoken to. But this down to the difference in age and knowledge and some giving their thoughts and how to do that with out being asked.
But in all a genuine heart felt story that shows all the best in people and support for each other even in tough times and relationships formed between the ages.
The reason I gave this 3 starts was due to the booking being broken down into mini episodes with the persons name above. I have not read a book like this and found it hard to get into. But once I thought about it was the best way to present this story. Each named section whether 4 pages long or just 2 was what that person was doing or thinking at that moment in time.
Dottie may of been checking for slugs and next door on her area of allotment Jemima may of been battling with weeds separate moments but in the same time frame.
I will certainly try another book by this author as it was well constructed, depth in characters and beauty of the landscape of the Shetlands.
The main female characters are well developed and how they are coping with choices they have made or not. The men are a whole mix of characters some who would wind you up all the time and some that offers help when ever its needed even if not asked.
So a great basis for the stories and community that flow and weave through the Delphiniums blooms on Dottie's allotment on to Jemima taking over her beloved grandads plot. Melissia needing something to fill her hours in each day and not a clue how to remove all the weeds on her piece of allotment area. Possibly a goat?
At some points it had me laughing out loud as the sagas that went on, then next feeling cross on how they 2 younger women being treated and spoken to. But this down to the difference in age and knowledge and some giving their thoughts and how to do that with out being asked.
But in all a genuine heart felt story that shows all the best in people and support for each other even in tough times and relationships formed between the ages.
The reason I gave this 3 starts was due to the booking being broken down into mini episodes with the persons name above. I have not read a book like this and found it hard to get into. But once I thought about it was the best way to present this story. Each named section whether 4 pages long or just 2 was what that person was doing or thinking at that moment in time.
Dottie may of been checking for slugs and next door on her area of allotment Jemima may of been battling with weeds separate moments but in the same time frame.
I will certainly try another book by this author as it was well constructed, depth in characters and beauty of the landscape of the Shetlands.
December 21, 2022
This story centres around three women: Jemima, Melissa and Dottie. Jemima has recently lost her grandfather and decides on a period of sabbatical from her job in the tourist office to take over her grandfather’s allotment. Melissa is missing her husband who works on the oilrigs away from home and so takes up an allotment to find an outlet for her need to nurture. Dottie is the mother hen of the allotments, keeping an eye out for other allotment members and an ear out for gossip.
All three women bond with one another through their common love of the allotments. There are a few side characters too: Mungo and Old Bill, the experienced allotment growers and key members of the committee; Levi who is looking for love; Ned who is quiet and struggling to keep the local manor and grounds financially viable; and the “Far Siders” – the dubious characters on the allotment.
Some characters were likeable, but I didn’t enjoy the typecasting of older characters who were repeatedly ageist towards the newcomers and it became tiresome reading about it. I was drawn to this book because it was set in Shetland and I am going through a Shetland phase. I didn’t feel that this book reflected Shetland. It could have been set anywhere.
This is an easy, gentle and relaxing read. There is a bit of romance, which doesn’t really happen until the last few chapters, so if you are after romance, be warned, you will have to read a lot about carrots and allotments before you get there!
All three women bond with one another through their common love of the allotments. There are a few side characters too: Mungo and Old Bill, the experienced allotment growers and key members of the committee; Levi who is looking for love; Ned who is quiet and struggling to keep the local manor and grounds financially viable; and the “Far Siders” – the dubious characters on the allotment.
Some characters were likeable, but I didn’t enjoy the typecasting of older characters who were repeatedly ageist towards the newcomers and it became tiresome reading about it. I was drawn to this book because it was set in Shetland and I am going through a Shetland phase. I didn’t feel that this book reflected Shetland. It could have been set anywhere.
This is an easy, gentle and relaxing read. There is a bit of romance, which doesn’t really happen until the last few chapters, so if you are after romance, be warned, you will have to read a lot about carrots and allotments before you get there!
December 6, 2021
Charming read. As a gardener I loved the inclusion of garden journal entries. It's the kind of book that inspires you. Dottie has me wanting to try growing delphiniums. And I enjoyed the activities at the allotment. But at times the continued silliness of some characters actions had me shaking my head.
My main complaint was that while the Allotment really came to life while reading, Shetland as place not as much. Yes there are mentions of places and sites. But at times it could have been any coastal town in Scotland. That seems to be a recurring theme with many cozy reads. Although I may be unfairly comparing to Shetland Mysteries which I love. Ann Cleeves is a master at turning settings into character.
Nevertheless I've already got next book From Shetland with Love At Christmas. And excited that there are going to be 2 more books after that.
My main complaint was that while the Allotment really came to life while reading, Shetland as place not as much. Yes there are mentions of places and sites. But at times it could have been any coastal town in Scotland. That seems to be a recurring theme with many cozy reads. Although I may be unfairly comparing to Shetland Mysteries which I love. Ann Cleeves is a master at turning settings into character.
Nevertheless I've already got next book From Shetland with Love At Christmas. And excited that there are going to be 2 more books after that.
June 27, 2021
When I spotted this book for sale on Amazon for only 99p i couldn’t not download it. The author Erin Green messaged me and said “I promise, it’ll make you laugh and possibly cry” and guess what it did just that!! I loved it!! The story is about a young lady who’s grandfather sadly passes, and she is left with his allotment, it seems like a great way to distract herself and find a place to really belong! The allotment is home to many characters who I’m sure you will love just as much as I did. The story is heart warming, easy read and shows that Friendship does truly blossom in unexpected places!! Since reading this I’ve actually taken to the garden and weeded my vegetable patch and plan to get planting!! @erin_green_author #fromshetlandwithlove ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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May 18, 2021From Shetland, With Love is a feel-good book set at Lerwick Manor and the nearby allotments on Shetland. It follows Jemima and her fellow allotment-holders' stories as they navigate allotment politics and personal challenges. Three women feature prominently - Dottie, an 80 year-old allotment holder was a particular favourite of mine - Jemima and Melissa, who's husband works on the rigs. Although set on Shetland, there is little that gives it a true Shetland flavour, however this doesn't detract from the storyline.
With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 20, 2022
I love Scotland and think that it makes this book a really great read, what a fantastic setting!
It's a lovely book, well written, lots of charm, plenty of laughter and I really loved all the characters and the friendships they kept, it was all very believable and realistic! I particularly liked how this tickled my green thumbs especially after reading about the allotments, I have lots of inspiring ideas already!
I really liked the writing and how it flowed, so I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for Erin Green in the supermarkets!
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this lovely and free ARC!
It's a lovely book, well written, lots of charm, plenty of laughter and I really loved all the characters and the friendships they kept, it was all very believable and realistic! I particularly liked how this tickled my green thumbs especially after reading about the allotments, I have lots of inspiring ideas already!
I really liked the writing and how it flowed, so I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for Erin Green in the supermarkets!
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this lovely and free ARC!
May 10, 2021
I really enjoyed this heartwarming story about a woman who's just lost her Grandpops, and inherited his allotment!
I thought at first, how is this going to work, but it did. Its enjoyable to get to know the various characters, young and old. But I did at times to struggle to picture it, as description of the allotment and the area were a little limited.
The various back and fro of chat regarding their allotments did get a little tedious at times though
An enjoyable easy read about life on Shetland
Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for ARC
I thought at first, how is this going to work, but it did. Its enjoyable to get to know the various characters, young and old. But I did at times to struggle to picture it, as description of the allotment and the area were a little limited.
The various back and fro of chat regarding their allotments did get a little tedious at times though
An enjoyable easy read about life on Shetland
Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for ARC
August 18, 2021
Wonderful Book
I really enjoyed this first book in this series. So much so, that I have already pre- ordered the Christmas follow up on Kindle.
I loved the process of meeting the allotment gang, seeing their personalities be revealed, and see their friendships and relationships grow and change.
I loved the ending in regards to most of the characters, however without giving spoilers, there is a certain friendship that I was hoping would evolve differently. Maybe in the next book I can see that change.
5/5 stars
I really enjoyed this first book in this series. So much so, that I have already pre- ordered the Christmas follow up on Kindle.
I loved the process of meeting the allotment gang, seeing their personalities be revealed, and see their friendships and relationships grow and change.
I loved the ending in regards to most of the characters, however without giving spoilers, there is a certain friendship that I was hoping would evolve differently. Maybe in the next book I can see that change.
5/5 stars
July 5, 2021
What a delightful read!
I was transported into the character's lives and enjoyed following them down their allotment paths. The many twists and turns the relationships took kept me engrossed and the way Erin skilfully nurtures her storyline is akin to an allotmenteer growing prize winning produce. First class! A stunning setting (Shetland is now on my travel wishlist) I'm looking forward to the next instalment 'From Shetland with love at Christmas'
I was transported into the character's lives and enjoyed following them down their allotment paths. The many twists and turns the relationships took kept me engrossed and the way Erin skilfully nurtures her storyline is akin to an allotmenteer growing prize winning produce. First class! A stunning setting (Shetland is now on my travel wishlist) I'm looking forward to the next instalment 'From Shetland with love at Christmas'
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