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Love in the Dales #2
The Perfect Fit
Escape to the frost-sparkling Yorkshire Dales for some festive fun under the mistletoe! A saucy comedy-romance with more than a sprinkle of Christmas spice – this will lift your spirits! It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas for costume shop owner Becky Finn. Leaving London to move back home to the twinkly rural village of Egglethwaite, she plans to build a new life for herself with fiancé, Cole. Keen to raise funds for the struggling village hall she loved as a child, Becky finds herself at the head of a colorful group aiming to revive the Egglethwaite Christmas pantomime. But when that festive feeling sets in, she discovers there's more to panto than innuendo and slapped thighs. Falling in love was not in the script! But as opening night grows closer, she starts to wonder if the panto will ever make it to the stage and, with handsome co-star Marcus on the scene, if she has chosen her right leading man... The perfect stocking stuffer gift! 'A rollicking romantic read!' Phillipa Ashley
416 pages, Paperback
Published June 17, 2022
20 people are currently reading
325 people want to read
About the author
Mary Jayne Baker
14 books296 followersMary Jayne Baker grew up in rural West Yorkshire, right in the heart of Brontë country... and she's still there. After graduating from Durham University with a degree in English Literature, she dallied with living in cities including London, Nottingham and Cambridge, but eventually came back with her own romantic hero in tow to her beloved Dales, where she first started telling stories about heroines with flaws and the men who love them.
Mary Jayne also writes uplifting, feelgood romances under the pen name Lisa Swift.
Mary Jayne also writes uplifting, feelgood romances under the pen name Lisa Swift.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
November 27, 2019
Favorite Quotes:
I’ll never get the British pantomime tradition. Still remember the first time I saw one. I thought you must be slipping psychedelic drugs into the tea.
Him? I wouldn’t widdle on him if he’d been stung by a flock of jellyfish then set on fire.
‘She’s volunteering me for stuff again,’ Gerry muttered. ‘I’ll never get a moment’s peace while I’m married to that woman.’ ‘You’ll get plenty of peace when you’re dead,’ Sue told him. ‘I bet even then I won’t be allowed. I bet you’ll be there, standing over the fresh-shoveled earth.’ He put on a high-pitched voice, jamming his hands on his hips. ‘“Gerald! What’re you lying about down there for? Don’t you know it’s lambing time?”’
‘You gotta have Baby Jesus at Christmas,’ the child repeated stubbornly. She puffed herself up. ‘Last year I was Mary and I had him. Hid him in my dress so’s he could pop out when Miss said and I put him in his manager.’ ‘Manager?’ Marcus said. ‘’S’like a cot what cows eat their tea off.’
It was a baptism of fire, for Dad especially, but he took to it like a duck to hoisin.
‘You’re, er, a bit lopsided there.’ Gerry glanced down at his bosom, which had deflated on one side. ‘Oh. Right. Just a sec.’ He started pumping his arm like a one-winged chicken, and Yolanda giggled as his left breast grew before our eyes… ‘Now you’ve got one bigger than the other,’ my dad told Gerry. ‘You’re just jealous.’
‘My official age is forty-five, thank you, and I plan on keeping it that way until I’m at least seventy… Well, I think I can pass for forty if the lighting’s right.’ ‘She means if there’s a blackout,’ Sue whispered to us.
My Review:
I smirked, giggle-snorted, and gleefully barked my way through this delightfully witty and deftly crafted tale. Written from the first-person POV of returning village resident Becky Finn, this wily author’s highly engaging and deliciously alluring writing style left me unable to put my Kindle down. Her clever and enticing arrangements of words were laced with humorous observations and perceptive insights that were keenly honed, brilliantly paced, and vividly detailed in a highly comical manner. This quirky little village housed an odd assortment of uniquely dynamic personalities who were lured into staging an original pantomime performance to raise funds to save their community center. Bedlam and chaos befell the unusual production at various times throughout their rehearsals with an ever-changing script, wardrobe, ego, and talent issues that caused an alarming eye-twitch to the beleaguered director and new alliances and interesting exchanges among the cast and crew. I had a fantabulous time in the Yorkshire Dales and hope to return soon.
Mary Jane Baker is a comedic genius and I covet her mad word skills and creative imagination. In addition to an excellent day of indulgent reading, she has also provided me with two new words for my Brit Word and Phrases List with widdle – urinate; and manky – worthless, rotten, in bad taste. While the later does not apply to this book, the former may have occurred during reading due to uncontrollable eruptions of mirthful amusement.
I’ll never get the British pantomime tradition. Still remember the first time I saw one. I thought you must be slipping psychedelic drugs into the tea.
Him? I wouldn’t widdle on him if he’d been stung by a flock of jellyfish then set on fire.
‘She’s volunteering me for stuff again,’ Gerry muttered. ‘I’ll never get a moment’s peace while I’m married to that woman.’ ‘You’ll get plenty of peace when you’re dead,’ Sue told him. ‘I bet even then I won’t be allowed. I bet you’ll be there, standing over the fresh-shoveled earth.’ He put on a high-pitched voice, jamming his hands on his hips. ‘“Gerald! What’re you lying about down there for? Don’t you know it’s lambing time?”’
‘You gotta have Baby Jesus at Christmas,’ the child repeated stubbornly. She puffed herself up. ‘Last year I was Mary and I had him. Hid him in my dress so’s he could pop out when Miss said and I put him in his manager.’ ‘Manager?’ Marcus said. ‘’S’like a cot what cows eat their tea off.’
It was a baptism of fire, for Dad especially, but he took to it like a duck to hoisin.
‘You’re, er, a bit lopsided there.’ Gerry glanced down at his bosom, which had deflated on one side. ‘Oh. Right. Just a sec.’ He started pumping his arm like a one-winged chicken, and Yolanda giggled as his left breast grew before our eyes… ‘Now you’ve got one bigger than the other,’ my dad told Gerry. ‘You’re just jealous.’
‘My official age is forty-five, thank you, and I plan on keeping it that way until I’m at least seventy… Well, I think I can pass for forty if the lighting’s right.’ ‘She means if there’s a blackout,’ Sue whispered to us.
My Review:
I smirked, giggle-snorted, and gleefully barked my way through this delightfully witty and deftly crafted tale. Written from the first-person POV of returning village resident Becky Finn, this wily author’s highly engaging and deliciously alluring writing style left me unable to put my Kindle down. Her clever and enticing arrangements of words were laced with humorous observations and perceptive insights that were keenly honed, brilliantly paced, and vividly detailed in a highly comical manner. This quirky little village housed an odd assortment of uniquely dynamic personalities who were lured into staging an original pantomime performance to raise funds to save their community center. Bedlam and chaos befell the unusual production at various times throughout their rehearsals with an ever-changing script, wardrobe, ego, and talent issues that caused an alarming eye-twitch to the beleaguered director and new alliances and interesting exchanges among the cast and crew. I had a fantabulous time in the Yorkshire Dales and hope to return soon.
Mary Jane Baker is a comedic genius and I covet her mad word skills and creative imagination. In addition to an excellent day of indulgent reading, she has also provided me with two new words for my Brit Word and Phrases List with widdle – urinate; and manky – worthless, rotten, in bad taste. While the later does not apply to this book, the former may have occurred during reading due to uncontrollable eruptions of mirthful amusement.
October 18, 2019
This one didn’t work for me. I was so excited, especially after reading A Bicycle Made For Two, but somehow, this did not fulfil my expectations. I felt a little flat when reading this book – maybe I had too high hopes? – and finished wishing that a different angle had been taken for the second book set in the Yorkshire dales.
We return to the little village of Egglethwaite and there is a return of the familiar characters from the previous novel. Having read the series in order, I can honestly say that each story can be read as a stand-alone – always a bonus. However, the first book was more entertaining, more humorous, and I was able to connect with the characters. This time, the protagonist, Becky, felt more remote and I was unable to connect to her feelings. A lot of time has passed since the previous story – maybe this was the issue – and I was left feeling that I had missed out on important developments.
The theme of the novel is performing a pantomime at Christmas to raise funds to save the village hall. Becky has the idea and recruits recognisable characters to help with the script and performance. Deano’s role as director is most entertaining and I loved how he threatened all the other characters to improve the performance! He provided the most humour, whereas Becky came across far more serious and irritatingly naive. I could not fathom out her relationship with Cole and I wished she had been far more aware about her friendship with Marcus. I think this lessened my enjoyment of the story: if you can’t enjoy the main character, it is quite off-putting when reading the book.
The idyllic setting of the Yorkshire dales takes a backseat in this story because it is about staging the pantomime. I enjoyed the reappearance of Harper and his wife but did not find Becky’s procrastinating very memorable. I wanted to be taken back outside to the dales or for the scenes to stick to the eventual performance and my anticipated happy ending.
Whilst this book is about a pantomime, the Christmas theme does feature too largely. You can easily read this all year round and the happy ending does provide a lovely, warm feeling. I’m disappointed that this book was not as enjoyable as the first and think that Baker could have done more to develop Becky’s character. Indeed, the developments with other characters, that are barely referenced, could have been made into another book itself. The adoption theme was poorly executed and I think the writer would have benefited from further research; it was not a reflection of a reality that I am quite familiar with.
An easy-going read, I’m sure this will appeal to many readers out there. Personally, this was not as strong as the story in the first series, but it was still pleasant to read about the characters from Egglethwaite again.
With thanks to Mirror books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
We return to the little village of Egglethwaite and there is a return of the familiar characters from the previous novel. Having read the series in order, I can honestly say that each story can be read as a stand-alone – always a bonus. However, the first book was more entertaining, more humorous, and I was able to connect with the characters. This time, the protagonist, Becky, felt more remote and I was unable to connect to her feelings. A lot of time has passed since the previous story – maybe this was the issue – and I was left feeling that I had missed out on important developments.
The theme of the novel is performing a pantomime at Christmas to raise funds to save the village hall. Becky has the idea and recruits recognisable characters to help with the script and performance. Deano’s role as director is most entertaining and I loved how he threatened all the other characters to improve the performance! He provided the most humour, whereas Becky came across far more serious and irritatingly naive. I could not fathom out her relationship with Cole and I wished she had been far more aware about her friendship with Marcus. I think this lessened my enjoyment of the story: if you can’t enjoy the main character, it is quite off-putting when reading the book.
The idyllic setting of the Yorkshire dales takes a backseat in this story because it is about staging the pantomime. I enjoyed the reappearance of Harper and his wife but did not find Becky’s procrastinating very memorable. I wanted to be taken back outside to the dales or for the scenes to stick to the eventual performance and my anticipated happy ending.
Whilst this book is about a pantomime, the Christmas theme does feature too largely. You can easily read this all year round and the happy ending does provide a lovely, warm feeling. I’m disappointed that this book was not as enjoyable as the first and think that Baker could have done more to develop Becky’s character. Indeed, the developments with other characters, that are barely referenced, could have been made into another book itself. The adoption theme was poorly executed and I think the writer would have benefited from further research; it was not a reflection of a reality that I am quite familiar with.
An easy-going read, I’m sure this will appeal to many readers out there. Personally, this was not as strong as the story in the first series, but it was still pleasant to read about the characters from Egglethwaite again.
With thanks to Mirror books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 25, 2019
A small confession: I have never been to a pantomime. Oh! please don't put that horrified looks. Yes, I know this is new territory, but that didn't hinder me from enjoying it, thanks to Baker's writing skills and also to my powerful imagination.
Becky and her fiance Cole has moved back to her native village Egglethwaite and now she is determined to save their village hall through a pantomime. So while Cole is immersed in his creative pursuits as a painter, she is fighting her own demons by making a panto from scratch with handsome Marcus. Well, we could easily guess how this story goes from the blurb itself, but I was not prepared for the way Cole is presented. He is talented and loving, in the way a genius approaches love. So I was more invested in him than Marcus and loved how Baker has ended things amicably. And I so wish, we will have a sequel continuing Cole's story.
As with all Baker's novels, here too we find a gay couple and their adorable child named Pip who really charms everyone. We are not exempted. She is the fun resource and her words will put a smile on you as only a child can. Many of the characters from the previous book in the series ('A Bicycle Made for Two') find prominent roles here but the book can very well be read as a standalone. The panto rehearsals around which the story revolves are not only humorous but also quite refreshing. It made me so interested that I watched some pantos on youtube. Maybe one day I can watch them for real!
On the whole, a light-hearted rom-com set in a cosy community perfect for a relaxing weekend. So forget your worries and enjoy the panto because Christmas is near . . .
Becky and her fiance Cole has moved back to her native village Egglethwaite and now she is determined to save their village hall through a pantomime. So while Cole is immersed in his creative pursuits as a painter, she is fighting her own demons by making a panto from scratch with handsome Marcus. Well, we could easily guess how this story goes from the blurb itself, but I was not prepared for the way Cole is presented. He is talented and loving, in the way a genius approaches love. So I was more invested in him than Marcus and loved how Baker has ended things amicably. And I so wish, we will have a sequel continuing Cole's story.
As with all Baker's novels, here too we find a gay couple and their adorable child named Pip who really charms everyone. We are not exempted. She is the fun resource and her words will put a smile on you as only a child can. Many of the characters from the previous book in the series ('A Bicycle Made for Two') find prominent roles here but the book can very well be read as a standalone. The panto rehearsals around which the story revolves are not only humorous but also quite refreshing. It made me so interested that I watched some pantos on youtube. Maybe one day I can watch them for real!
On the whole, a light-hearted rom-com set in a cosy community perfect for a relaxing weekend. So forget your worries and enjoy the panto because Christmas is near . . .
January 3, 2020
Mary Jayne Baker's hit The Perfect Fit is an amazingly British story that brightened up my day!
Mary Jayne is one of my newest, most favourite authors around. Her stories are full of romance and comedy, as well as so much British slang and jokes that I can't help but be addicted to them! My childhood was full of family members from England, so I absolutely dig all of the British-ness packed tight into this story. Let alone, the fact that this story has an awesome plot and continues the story started in A Bicycle Made for Two.
This time around, Becky Finn is putting on a pantomime for charity! She came up with the idea after taking a special little girl to a special little production of Peter Pan ("Why are pirates called pirates? Because they arrrrrrre." Seriously, this book is a gem, people!). Becky is engaged to a wonderful man but is feeling left out. She wants kids but he wants to get married first and he is always away. In walks Marcus - a friend who she may have some feelings for. Who will she end up with?! Will the pantomime be successful? Will there be more cheesey jokes? You will have to read to find out.
Although, I promise there are LOTS of cheesey jokes. Lots of innuendos too! My gosh, the innuendos were amazing...
This book definitely far exceeded my expectations. I find that most sequels are hit and miss, but this book did the impossible! It grew the story and made me love it just as much as the first one! I definitely want to continue picking up books by Ms. Baker (Mrs. Baker? Dr. Baker? Whatever). I feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside after reading books like this.
You definitely don't need to read the first book to understand this one. Yes, there are some characters present from the other book in this series, but it doesn't affect the story. As a reader, you are given all of the information you need to understand and read your little heart out! That being said, I would highly recommend reading the first book because it's funny and romantic like this one!
But... you may be thinking... this review is way too positive! There must be some negatives! And there absolutely are. While I think this book is definitely amazing and worth reading, it falls flat with some of the character development. It felt very stereotypical, but that doesn't bother me too much. I didn't come for an Oscar-winning movie-esque book. I came for funny jokes, a splash of romance and lots of British slang. If you're looking for the next Notebook, you've come to the wrong place. This book is all about fun! I was smirking most of my way through it because it was such a treat.
On a side note: I did enjoy that there was a lot of realism in this book despite all of the comedy. This book features a gay couple who adopts a beautiful, little girl named Pip and it felt very fitting. It wasn't used as a joke or a gag, it just fit right in. Throw in the parenting struggles about adopting to begin with (since a straight couple is also trying to adopt) and having life pass adults by. All of those struggles are super real but addressed very well in this book. I applaud Mary Jayne for adding these. It felt really good to see them.
Overall, this book gets five inflatable boobs out of five inflatable boobs.
If you don't understand the reference, read the book to find out!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Mary Jayne is one of my newest, most favourite authors around. Her stories are full of romance and comedy, as well as so much British slang and jokes that I can't help but be addicted to them! My childhood was full of family members from England, so I absolutely dig all of the British-ness packed tight into this story. Let alone, the fact that this story has an awesome plot and continues the story started in A Bicycle Made for Two.
This time around, Becky Finn is putting on a pantomime for charity! She came up with the idea after taking a special little girl to a special little production of Peter Pan ("Why are pirates called pirates? Because they arrrrrrre." Seriously, this book is a gem, people!). Becky is engaged to a wonderful man but is feeling left out. She wants kids but he wants to get married first and he is always away. In walks Marcus - a friend who she may have some feelings for. Who will she end up with?! Will the pantomime be successful? Will there be more cheesey jokes? You will have to read to find out.
Although, I promise there are LOTS of cheesey jokes. Lots of innuendos too! My gosh, the innuendos were amazing...
This book definitely far exceeded my expectations. I find that most sequels are hit and miss, but this book did the impossible! It grew the story and made me love it just as much as the first one! I definitely want to continue picking up books by Ms. Baker (Mrs. Baker? Dr. Baker? Whatever). I feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside after reading books like this.
You definitely don't need to read the first book to understand this one. Yes, there are some characters present from the other book in this series, but it doesn't affect the story. As a reader, you are given all of the information you need to understand and read your little heart out! That being said, I would highly recommend reading the first book because it's funny and romantic like this one!
But... you may be thinking... this review is way too positive! There must be some negatives! And there absolutely are. While I think this book is definitely amazing and worth reading, it falls flat with some of the character development. It felt very stereotypical, but that doesn't bother me too much. I didn't come for an Oscar-winning movie-esque book. I came for funny jokes, a splash of romance and lots of British slang. If you're looking for the next Notebook, you've come to the wrong place. This book is all about fun! I was smirking most of my way through it because it was such a treat.
On a side note: I did enjoy that there was a lot of realism in this book despite all of the comedy. This book features a gay couple who adopts a beautiful, little girl named Pip and it felt very fitting. It wasn't used as a joke or a gag, it just fit right in. Throw in the parenting struggles about adopting to begin with (since a straight couple is also trying to adopt) and having life pass adults by. All of those struggles are super real but addressed very well in this book. I applaud Mary Jayne for adding these. It felt really good to see them.
Overall, this book gets five inflatable boobs out of five inflatable boobs.
If you don't understand the reference, read the book to find out!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 27, 2018
It's panto season!!
Oh not it isn't - I hear you cry!
Oh yes it is! - or at least it feel like it having just read The Perfect Fit.
If you are a fan of the good old British tradition of a pantomime, then you will love this book as putting on a panto to save a village hally is exactly what this book is all about.
The real life situations of Becky and the cast are mirroring the fairytale ones where reality and fiction can become blurred.
All of my favourite sections revolve around the panto, the writing sessions between Becky and Marcus, full of innuendo and groan worthy jokes. The sections of the script we see read and sound just like any panto I've seen, with the right mix between child friendly and hilarious for an adult too. They also I was glad to see were inserting all the key elements of a panto - song and dance numbers, a messy scene with custard pies and the like, audience participation and generally a feeling of a fabulous night out.
The book opens with Becky taking her niece Pip to a panto, and seeing it through the eyes of a 5 year old really set the tone for the book. If you have read the previous book in the Love in the Dales series, then like me you will be delighted to see a whole host of very familiar faces, even if as the story progresses you are seeing them in a completely new light!
It does work as a standalone though, so if you haven't read the first book don't worry you won't be at a disadvantage.
There are some plot lines that address all manner of topics some far more frivolous than others and this really is a feel good read that will make you keen for the festive season to start without it being a Christmassy book. In fact the story takes place over a year and we don't get a proper sense of Christmas, so although its very panto-centric, its a really pleasurable book to read year round!
So slap your thigh, unleash your inner child and sit back and relax with this joyous book that wil make you groan and also smile, laugh, believe in magic and fairy tales and generally feel like you have had a good night out at the local panto.
Thank you to Netgalley and Mirror Books for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Oh not it isn't - I hear you cry!
Oh yes it is! - or at least it feel like it having just read The Perfect Fit.
If you are a fan of the good old British tradition of a pantomime, then you will love this book as putting on a panto to save a village hally is exactly what this book is all about.
The real life situations of Becky and the cast are mirroring the fairytale ones where reality and fiction can become blurred.
All of my favourite sections revolve around the panto, the writing sessions between Becky and Marcus, full of innuendo and groan worthy jokes. The sections of the script we see read and sound just like any panto I've seen, with the right mix between child friendly and hilarious for an adult too. They also I was glad to see were inserting all the key elements of a panto - song and dance numbers, a messy scene with custard pies and the like, audience participation and generally a feeling of a fabulous night out.
The book opens with Becky taking her niece Pip to a panto, and seeing it through the eyes of a 5 year old really set the tone for the book. If you have read the previous book in the Love in the Dales series, then like me you will be delighted to see a whole host of very familiar faces, even if as the story progresses you are seeing them in a completely new light!
It does work as a standalone though, so if you haven't read the first book don't worry you won't be at a disadvantage.
There are some plot lines that address all manner of topics some far more frivolous than others and this really is a feel good read that will make you keen for the festive season to start without it being a Christmassy book. In fact the story takes place over a year and we don't get a proper sense of Christmas, so although its very panto-centric, its a really pleasurable book to read year round!
So slap your thigh, unleash your inner child and sit back and relax with this joyous book that wil make you groan and also smile, laugh, believe in magic and fairy tales and generally feel like you have had a good night out at the local panto.
Thank you to Netgalley and Mirror Books for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
October 9, 2019
Funny, warm, and entertaining!
Full review to follow shortly.
Full review to follow shortly.
January 3, 2020
Becky Finn moves back to her home town, the village of Egglethwaite from London. Her fiancée Cole has a rather hard time adapting to country life, and feels like an outsider. Becky is hoping that moving back home would be an ideal situation for her future being married and having children. Becky is adjusting well to life in the village and gets involved with helping raise funds for the community hall by bringing the panto back to life, a memory that Becky remembers well from her childhood.
When I started reading this book, I was not aware of the British pantomime or panto. My understanding of pantomime being an American, are clowns with white painted faces who do not speak a word and entertain audiences with the invisible mirror as their main act and usually done as a solo show. The panto that is described in this amazing story is actually the opposite, where it is a winter musical comedy theater that is raucous, rowdy, silly and loud. The panto has very deep roots, drawing on the 15th and 16th century traditions with characters that include the boy, the dame, a sidekick, lots of audience participation and of course enough innuendos to keep the grown ups entertained as well.
This is the first book I have read from author Mary Jayne Baker, and is the second book of the Love in the Dales series, and it worked for me well as a standalone. I love how funny and sweet the story is and the writing is absolutely amazing and highly entertaining. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments and I loved that this book I am enjoying after a series of thrillers I have been reading. I also enjoyed the characters and the love triangle trope between Becky, her fiancée Cole and the ever so handsome Marcus.
Baker has such a knack for amazing characters and writes a beautiful village life full of funny antics and dialogue that is highly entertaining and also heartwarming. “The Perfect Fit” is an amazing book that I recommend for a fun, hilarious and heart warming read that will put you in a great holiday mood.
When I started reading this book, I was not aware of the British pantomime or panto. My understanding of pantomime being an American, are clowns with white painted faces who do not speak a word and entertain audiences with the invisible mirror as their main act and usually done as a solo show. The panto that is described in this amazing story is actually the opposite, where it is a winter musical comedy theater that is raucous, rowdy, silly and loud. The panto has very deep roots, drawing on the 15th and 16th century traditions with characters that include the boy, the dame, a sidekick, lots of audience participation and of course enough innuendos to keep the grown ups entertained as well.
This is the first book I have read from author Mary Jayne Baker, and is the second book of the Love in the Dales series, and it worked for me well as a standalone. I love how funny and sweet the story is and the writing is absolutely amazing and highly entertaining. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments and I loved that this book I am enjoying after a series of thrillers I have been reading. I also enjoyed the characters and the love triangle trope between Becky, her fiancée Cole and the ever so handsome Marcus.
Baker has such a knack for amazing characters and writes a beautiful village life full of funny antics and dialogue that is highly entertaining and also heartwarming. “The Perfect Fit” is an amazing book that I recommend for a fun, hilarious and heart warming read that will put you in a great holiday mood.
July 26, 2018
I was really looking forward to reading this book and it didn't disappoint me at all it was simply brilliant and has to be Mary's best by far she just keeps improving with each book. I was hooked from the first page didn't want to put it down and it's romantic while being fun and laugh out loud but also heartbreaking and the plot is so amazing along with the characters. It's a heartwarming story and a fantastic read worth far more than the five stars.
Becky who has lived in London and has a fiancé called Cole but Becky wants to move back to her village where she grew up which in the Yorkshire Dales. Becky moves first and stays in every night to chat with Cole but her family are wanting her to have fun and she is asked to the pub to meet people. She gets involved in try to save the village hall and is organising a panto like they use to have. Cole finally moved on but Becky is out most nights and can he settle and when there is a handsome bloke in the panto called Marcus and the further they get into doing the panto Becky wonders if she is with the right person or not. Can Cole be happy or does he move back to London or stay who will Becky be happy with. Also can Becky make money and save the village hall and how does the panto go as its had a number of problems along the way.
This is a great read and highly recommend anyone to read it so fantastic.
Becky who has lived in London and has a fiancé called Cole but Becky wants to move back to her village where she grew up which in the Yorkshire Dales. Becky moves first and stays in every night to chat with Cole but her family are wanting her to have fun and she is asked to the pub to meet people. She gets involved in try to save the village hall and is organising a panto like they use to have. Cole finally moved on but Becky is out most nights and can he settle and when there is a handsome bloke in the panto called Marcus and the further they get into doing the panto Becky wonders if she is with the right person or not. Can Cole be happy or does he move back to London or stay who will Becky be happy with. Also can Becky make money and save the village hall and how does the panto go as its had a number of problems along the way.
This is a great read and highly recommend anyone to read it so fantastic.
October 6, 2020
I loved this book!!! It was sweet, a little bit Christmassy and just what I needed. Ok so the story was a little predictable but, I still enjoyed it. I loved pantomime as a child, still do no this was what the story was all about with love thrown in the mix. It made me chuckle at time and I warmed to the characters very quickly. I could just imagine the countryside and all the buildings in this quaint village, lovely read.
October 20, 2019
WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE HOW MUCH I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! Ok. So I thought I loved the first one in this series, because… Hell, it was SO GOOD!! But, then I read this one and I wish there was a different rating scale. I was laughing out loud far too frequently. I’m pretty sure my man thought that maybe he should call in some professional help.
I was absolutely TITILLATED by the British wit and charm (did I just want to use the word “titillated”??? …possibly). I’m such a sucker for all of the slang! I love comparing expressions around the world, and I feel like the U.K in general has some of the BEST!!! Now, for some of my FAVOURITES!!!
“Jiggered”
“She’ll be well chuffed”
“Cheeky git”
“Daft sod”
“Plummy, isn’t he?”
“Take the piss”
“Keep your Gob shut”
“Miserable old Giffer”
“Mardy bugger”
Come on, don’t these terms just tickle your funny bone??? I LOVE IT!
This book also had my view on certain things like it was written by me,
“Poor old Phil Donati, Egglethwaite’s slapstick king, seemed to have a stage direction instructing another actor to either kick him in the pants or whack him over the head every other line. Kids loved that stuff apparently, the little psychopaths.”
And, the best phrase,
“Well, no good crying over spilt adultery, eh?”
The best part, though, was how Becky makes references to geeky things like it’s the most natural thing in the world (a woman after my own heart): Manga, x-men, etc. So, I MAY have related to her a little bit more, which is what definitely put this one over the edge! And, Becky and Marcus are just the best together,
“‘My brother thinks that me and Marcus are using the panto as a cover for our torrid affair.’
‘Suits me,’ Marcus said. ‘Oh, but I can’t do Tuesdays.’
‘Sorry then, no go,’ I said. ‘If you’re going to be my bit on the side I expect 100% commitment, seven days a week. I’m a hot-blooded woman, you know.'”
This has probably been my favourite read of the summer! I can’t wait to read more of Mary Jayne’s work.
I was absolutely TITILLATED by the British wit and charm (did I just want to use the word “titillated”??? …possibly). I’m such a sucker for all of the slang! I love comparing expressions around the world, and I feel like the U.K in general has some of the BEST!!! Now, for some of my FAVOURITES!!!
“Jiggered”
“She’ll be well chuffed”
“Cheeky git”
“Daft sod”
“Plummy, isn’t he?”
“Take the piss”
“Keep your Gob shut”
“Miserable old Giffer”
“Mardy bugger”
Come on, don’t these terms just tickle your funny bone??? I LOVE IT!
This book also had my view on certain things like it was written by me,
“Poor old Phil Donati, Egglethwaite’s slapstick king, seemed to have a stage direction instructing another actor to either kick him in the pants or whack him over the head every other line. Kids loved that stuff apparently, the little psychopaths.”
And, the best phrase,
“Well, no good crying over spilt adultery, eh?”
The best part, though, was how Becky makes references to geeky things like it’s the most natural thing in the world (a woman after my own heart): Manga, x-men, etc. So, I MAY have related to her a little bit more, which is what definitely put this one over the edge! And, Becky and Marcus are just the best together,
“‘My brother thinks that me and Marcus are using the panto as a cover for our torrid affair.’
‘Suits me,’ Marcus said. ‘Oh, but I can’t do Tuesdays.’
‘Sorry then, no go,’ I said. ‘If you’re going to be my bit on the side I expect 100% commitment, seven days a week. I’m a hot-blooded woman, you know.'”
This has probably been my favourite read of the summer! I can’t wait to read more of Mary Jayne’s work.
November 30, 2019
If you’ve ever been to a good old-fashioned British panto, you’re going to giggle your way through a lot of this book, because every groan-worthy pun, innuendo and bit of slapstick humour has found its way in here. If you have no idea what a panto is - well, you’re going to think everyone is quite, quite insane.
Becky Finn is back in Egglethwaite, running a costume shop with a photography business on the side and getting involved in the village’s efforts to save their heritage hall by reviving the tradition of the Christmas panto. There’s a hilarious cast of characters Becky needs to recruit in order to make things work, all while trying to maintain a long-distance relationship with Cole, her artist boyfriend.
There’s something of a love triangle set up in this book because although Becky genuinely loves Cole and wants to settle down with him and start having kids, Cole isn’t the endgame for her. Now, I’m really not a fan of love triangles, and though there was no actual cheating going on - Becky waits until after she and Cole have broken up before anything happens with Marcus - Cole exits the story way too late, in my opinion. It’s past the 80% mark and Becky’s still engaged to him, which just makes it hard to buy this as a romance between Becky and Marcus. I’d rather Becky and Cole had broken up at the START of the story, and she was then nursing a broken heart throughout as her relationship with Marcus slowly grew. It would have been just as believable and have a lot less of the love triangle about it.
This is very well-written, and has a truly genuine flavour of Yorkshire village life to it, with a wonderful cast of colourful side characters, but the love story part of it just felt a bit off, with Cole hanging around way too long. Four stars for an enjoyable read that didn’t quite click in the romance department.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book via Rachel’s Random Resources.
Becky Finn is back in Egglethwaite, running a costume shop with a photography business on the side and getting involved in the village’s efforts to save their heritage hall by reviving the tradition of the Christmas panto. There’s a hilarious cast of characters Becky needs to recruit in order to make things work, all while trying to maintain a long-distance relationship with Cole, her artist boyfriend.
There’s something of a love triangle set up in this book because although Becky genuinely loves Cole and wants to settle down with him and start having kids, Cole isn’t the endgame for her. Now, I’m really not a fan of love triangles, and though there was no actual cheating going on - Becky waits until after she and Cole have broken up before anything happens with Marcus - Cole exits the story way too late, in my opinion. It’s past the 80% mark and Becky’s still engaged to him, which just makes it hard to buy this as a romance between Becky and Marcus. I’d rather Becky and Cole had broken up at the START of the story, and she was then nursing a broken heart throughout as her relationship with Marcus slowly grew. It would have been just as believable and have a lot less of the love triangle about it.
This is very well-written, and has a truly genuine flavour of Yorkshire village life to it, with a wonderful cast of colourful side characters, but the love story part of it just felt a bit off, with Cole hanging around way too long. Four stars for an enjoyable read that didn’t quite click in the romance department.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book via Rachel’s Random Resources.
October 27, 2018
Becky has moved back from London to Eggelthwaite, but her fiance Cole is still there until he can move as well which is always a recipe for disaster...... especially with leading man Marcus on the scene! To start off with Becky stays at home talking to Cole every night but then she gets involved with trying to save the village hall and organising a pantomime with hilarious results...... how will her relationship with Cole pan out now that she is back here on her own territory?
Loved this book and it was great being back in Egglethwaite with old friends. A great fun book with loads of comic episodes that leaves you with a big smile on your face
Loved this book and it was great being back in Egglethwaite with old friends. A great fun book with loads of comic episodes that leaves you with a big smile on your face
May 4, 2019
The Perfect Fit is the first book I've read from the author. This is a charming and fun read with loads of humor and shenanigans. The characters are likeable, witty and engaging. I'm a fan of romcoms and retellings, so I enjoyed many aspects of the story. I will read more from this author. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
February 22, 2023
I thought that this book was good
September 24, 2018
Set three or four years after A Bicycle Made for Two, there have been changes in the town of Egglethwaite, if most of the people remain. Becky Finn has returned to her childhood hometown as she awaits her fiancé, he’s still working as a lecturer in London, painting on the side, and hoping to find a job closer to the little Yorkshire town. A move that makes financial sense, and provides the environment that Becky wants to raise her children in: she’s doing the wedding planning (without a date), managing a small costume for hire shop, and photographing clients in her tiny studio, waiting, planning and clinging to a relationship that, from the start, never quite felt that it fit. Reuniting with her friend Lana, meeting her husband Stew, her brother Colin (now Lana’s brother in law) and Colin and Tom’s daughter Pippa: she’s brought right back into the community with an invitation to the town council meeting at the Temp – a community hall now desperately in need of refurbishment and repair, particularly since the funding for the building was cut.
Brilliant idea – a Panto, bringing back the amateur dramatics society that produced a Panto at Christmas, one of Becky’s favorite memories from childhood. Having an idea and actually being ‘put in charge’ she starts to spend more time with other townspeople and less time waiting on her nightly skype call from Cole, or her dining alone while perusing wedding plans. And the story here starts to resemble a panto in many ways – the conversations, outbursts, steps forward and back, and the return of Hunter Brady with his ‘glamour model’ wife and a cameraman in tow. When you mix in Deano as a director, his older brother Marcus, magician by trade, and Lana and Stew’s wait to hear about their own adoption, Becky’s own desire for a baby (or more) with Cole, and her father’s sudden transformation with Billy-Idol bleached hair and staying out all night, concerning and worrying his partner Cynthia who worries he’s having an affair, there seem to be so many things playing at the edges that things could be lost.
And here is where the writing and characters that Baker has developed so well comes into play, and everything seems to fit together, perhaps not comfortably, but it fits and makes sense – if you’ve lived in a small town. At the core is Becky’s attraction to Marcus, someone she’s pending a ton of time with as they re-wrote the original script, laughed and bonded as friends, and are as well-suited as anyone could think. But she’s got a fiancé who now spends all of his time at lectures or in the attic painting, her friends and family still wonder if he’s real (they’ve gone past asking her if he’s right) and the reality television show that is Harper’s brainchild shows everyone BUT Becky and Marcus just what a bond they’ve created. Utterly British in feel, the interactions, clearly present emotions and friendships, and the interactions of these people, most of whom have known one another for years gives just the right mix of accepting eye-rolls and true heart – from grumpy Santa to reigniting long relationships, YoYo’s attempts to ‘pink up’ the world and the inability for Deano to keep his cool for more than thirty seconds at a time, the story allows us to check in with characters so loved in the first introduction to Egglethwaite, see a new love develop, and bring the community together for a show that will be remembered for years to come.
“Well I’m not doing it,” Gerry said, folding his arms. “Red’s not my colour.”
Sue nodded. “Clashes with the blood vessels in his nose.”
“Come on, Gerry, why not?” Tom said.
“I’ll look daft, that’s why not.”
Lana snorted. “And yet, you and the Egglethwaite Morrismen’ll happily attach bells to your arses every first of May.”
“That’s different. We have to do that to summon the summer.”
“This is Yorkshire, Gerry. We don’t get summer.”
He shrugged. “Never said we were any good at it.”
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
Brilliant idea – a Panto, bringing back the amateur dramatics society that produced a Panto at Christmas, one of Becky’s favorite memories from childhood. Having an idea and actually being ‘put in charge’ she starts to spend more time with other townspeople and less time waiting on her nightly skype call from Cole, or her dining alone while perusing wedding plans. And the story here starts to resemble a panto in many ways – the conversations, outbursts, steps forward and back, and the return of Hunter Brady with his ‘glamour model’ wife and a cameraman in tow. When you mix in Deano as a director, his older brother Marcus, magician by trade, and Lana and Stew’s wait to hear about their own adoption, Becky’s own desire for a baby (or more) with Cole, and her father’s sudden transformation with Billy-Idol bleached hair and staying out all night, concerning and worrying his partner Cynthia who worries he’s having an affair, there seem to be so many things playing at the edges that things could be lost.
And here is where the writing and characters that Baker has developed so well comes into play, and everything seems to fit together, perhaps not comfortably, but it fits and makes sense – if you’ve lived in a small town. At the core is Becky’s attraction to Marcus, someone she’s pending a ton of time with as they re-wrote the original script, laughed and bonded as friends, and are as well-suited as anyone could think. But she’s got a fiancé who now spends all of his time at lectures or in the attic painting, her friends and family still wonder if he’s real (they’ve gone past asking her if he’s right) and the reality television show that is Harper’s brainchild shows everyone BUT Becky and Marcus just what a bond they’ve created. Utterly British in feel, the interactions, clearly present emotions and friendships, and the interactions of these people, most of whom have known one another for years gives just the right mix of accepting eye-rolls and true heart – from grumpy Santa to reigniting long relationships, YoYo’s attempts to ‘pink up’ the world and the inability for Deano to keep his cool for more than thirty seconds at a time, the story allows us to check in with characters so loved in the first introduction to Egglethwaite, see a new love develop, and bring the community together for a show that will be remembered for years to come.
“Well I’m not doing it,” Gerry said, folding his arms. “Red’s not my colour.”
Sue nodded. “Clashes with the blood vessels in his nose.”
“Come on, Gerry, why not?” Tom said.
“I’ll look daft, that’s why not.”
Lana snorted. “And yet, you and the Egglethwaite Morrismen’ll happily attach bells to your arses every first of May.”
“That’s different. We have to do that to summon the summer.”
“This is Yorkshire, Gerry. We don’t get summer.”
He shrugged. “Never said we were any good at it.”
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
December 23, 2018
If you've read Bicycle Made for Two then The Perfect Fit will be a welcome return to some of the characters, however, it's not essential to have read the first book in the Love in the Dales series as this story works equally well as a stand alone.
Becky Finn has returned to her home village of Egglethwaite to try and make a new life with her fiancé, Cole. Becky fits into village life much easier than Cole, and when Becky volunteers to help to organise the village pantomime, Cole, always an outsider, really struggles to find his comfort zone and Becky's cheeky little relationship with the handsome, Marcus, doesn't help !
The Perfect Fit continues the village theme which started in book one of the series and it is a delightful mix of showcasing the best of village life with all of its petty squabbles and warm companionship, and yet, it also highlights just how difficult it can be to settle somewhere different in a place where everyone knows each other. There's a lovely seasonal aspect to this story, and the run up to the Pantomime, with all of its many problems, makes it all such a perfect fit for this time of year.
This series has such potential to run and run and I really look forward to seeing where the characters in these delightful stories will take us to next.
Becky Finn has returned to her home village of Egglethwaite to try and make a new life with her fiancé, Cole. Becky fits into village life much easier than Cole, and when Becky volunteers to help to organise the village pantomime, Cole, always an outsider, really struggles to find his comfort zone and Becky's cheeky little relationship with the handsome, Marcus, doesn't help !
The Perfect Fit continues the village theme which started in book one of the series and it is a delightful mix of showcasing the best of village life with all of its petty squabbles and warm companionship, and yet, it also highlights just how difficult it can be to settle somewhere different in a place where everyone knows each other. There's a lovely seasonal aspect to this story, and the run up to the Pantomime, with all of its many problems, makes it all such a perfect fit for this time of year.
This series has such potential to run and run and I really look forward to seeing where the characters in these delightful stories will take us to next.
October 23, 2018
What I love about this author and this series is the humour that dominates the plot and acts as the perfect counterpoint to the deep emotion of some scenes. Again, this story concentrates on community spirit. How after a little persuasion and give and take, they work as one for the good of the village.
The storyline is engaging and unique, again a characteristic of this author. The quality of characters, the events and emotions bring James Herriot's Vet stories to mind, which I love.
There's romance too, which is a realistic mix of poignancy and laughter and adds just the right amount of sweetness and spice to this delightful story.
Love in the Dales is a great series, well worth reading.
I received a copy of this book from Mirror Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The storyline is engaging and unique, again a characteristic of this author. The quality of characters, the events and emotions bring James Herriot's Vet stories to mind, which I love.
There's romance too, which is a realistic mix of poignancy and laughter and adds just the right amount of sweetness and spice to this delightful story.
Love in the Dales is a great series, well worth reading.
I received a copy of this book from Mirror Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
August 18, 2018
This is a wonderful and charming story of a local amateur group putting on a panto in a bid to save their local village hall - the Temperance Hall, which holds lots of memories for the various members of the village committee.
Becky Finn is our leading lady, a reluctant amateur dramatic player who has recently moved back home to Egglethwaite in Yorkshire from the bright lights of London. The plan for her and fiancé, Cole, was that they would leave London to settle in the country near Becky's family ,get married and start having children, but with Becky back in Yorkshire and Cole still in London you can tell that it is not going to be plan sailing.
I really enjoyed this, the eccentricities of village life, the family spirit and how it made me feel all festive in August.
Becky Finn is our leading lady, a reluctant amateur dramatic player who has recently moved back home to Egglethwaite in Yorkshire from the bright lights of London. The plan for her and fiancé, Cole, was that they would leave London to settle in the country near Becky's family ,get married and start having children, but with Becky back in Yorkshire and Cole still in London you can tell that it is not going to be plan sailing.
I really enjoyed this, the eccentricities of village life, the family spirit and how it made me feel all festive in August.
August 16, 2022
Just the right level of overlaps from book one - some clever connections and references that I appreciated. An interesting story that seemed to focus more on social dynamics than romance. The construction of the panto itself was hilarious in places... Emphasises how that British tradition really is odd.
September 9, 2018
A sweet, endearing read that is especially good if you love pantomime/theatre. The characters are amusing and the story line is fun, it was just not as captivating to me as I was hoping but I think that's because I've read a few wow books recently.
July 31, 2018
eARC received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Oh my goodness where to start? I loved this book and I'm still laughing about things days later.
It was so good to be back in Egglethwaite. I hadn't realised how much I missed everyone until I saw them all again. All the characters I've come to know and love are back and what characters they truly are. As well as the return of everyone some new characters were introduced. The Perfect Fit is set about four years after A Bicycle Made for Two and let me tell you how good it was to see how much for the better certain characters lives had changed and moved forward.
The Perfect Fit had me laughing in the most unladylike way. I literally laughed until my stomach ached. I will never see, eat or think of Madeira cake again and not chuckle.
Just like with A Bicycle Made for Two this book is full of community spirit and is a gorgeous example of what happens when a community pulls together. This time I think it was even better. It's like all the towns people are parts of a well oiled machine and work together for the cause. Not seamlessly at first much to Deano's distress. Poor Deano!
I love the theatre but haven't seen a panto in years and quite frankly if I ever did again I don't think it would be a patch on what Mary cooked up here. The Perfect Fit might be a book but everything was so vivid, vibrant and alive that I became so immersed I forgot I was reading a book. I felt like I was watching everything play out in front of me for real. From Becky's first rumblings of an idea, through planning, casting, rehearsals and costume changes. By the end I felt like I was sat in the audience watching the panto's opening night. I wanted to stand up and applaud but I'd have dropped my kindle.
This was the sequel I didn't know what happening or that I needed. I don't know if there are plans for a third but if there is sign me up!
Oh my goodness where to start? I loved this book and I'm still laughing about things days later.
It was so good to be back in Egglethwaite. I hadn't realised how much I missed everyone until I saw them all again. All the characters I've come to know and love are back and what characters they truly are. As well as the return of everyone some new characters were introduced. The Perfect Fit is set about four years after A Bicycle Made for Two and let me tell you how good it was to see how much for the better certain characters lives had changed and moved forward.
The Perfect Fit had me laughing in the most unladylike way. I literally laughed until my stomach ached. I will never see, eat or think of Madeira cake again and not chuckle.
Just like with A Bicycle Made for Two this book is full of community spirit and is a gorgeous example of what happens when a community pulls together. This time I think it was even better. It's like all the towns people are parts of a well oiled machine and work together for the cause. Not seamlessly at first much to Deano's distress. Poor Deano!
I love the theatre but haven't seen a panto in years and quite frankly if I ever did again I don't think it would be a patch on what Mary cooked up here. The Perfect Fit might be a book but everything was so vivid, vibrant and alive that I became so immersed I forgot I was reading a book. I felt like I was watching everything play out in front of me for real. From Becky's first rumblings of an idea, through planning, casting, rehearsals and costume changes. By the end I felt like I was sat in the audience watching the panto's opening night. I wanted to stand up and applaud but I'd have dropped my kindle.
This was the sequel I didn't know what happening or that I needed. I don't know if there are plans for a third but if there is sign me up!
October 25, 2019
I started reading this book and felt I’d met an old friend. Having read “A Bicycle Made For Two” I could associate with some of the characters and loved meeting the new ones.
I adore the Yorkshire charm and wit, and the Pantomime rehearsals where so funny, I felt as if I were there!
It’s such a heartwarming story with VERY laugh out loud moments in typical Mary Jayne Baker style. If you know someone, who needs cheering up, just purchase this book. I guarantee it will be the best tonic ever.
I adore the Yorkshire charm and wit, and the Pantomime rehearsals where so funny, I felt as if I were there!
It’s such a heartwarming story with VERY laugh out loud moments in typical Mary Jayne Baker style. If you know someone, who needs cheering up, just purchase this book. I guarantee it will be the best tonic ever.
February 5, 2024
Started with 3 stars, ended with 4
November 27, 2019
'The Perfect Fit' is the second of Mary Jayne's books that I have had the pleasure of reading and reviewing. I read the synopsis and I just knew that it would be the kind of read I needed at that moment- a light hearted, fun romantic comedy that would whisk me away from the horrible weather outside. Can I just say that this book was as described and so much more. I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Perfect Fit' but more about that in a bit.
I couldn't help but take to Becky Finn from the first moment I met her. She is the typical girl next door. She is bright and bubbly but at the same time I got the vibe that she had a vulnerability about her. She moves back to the village where she was brought up as she wants to escape the rat race in London and she sees Egglethwaite as the perfect place to live and to hopefully bring up her future children. When she moves back, her boyfriend stays behind in London to work. He says that he is waiting for a vacancy to come up near Egglethwaite. I just got the impression that he was a snobby love rat and he was coming up with excuse after excuse as to why he can't move up or he can't socialise with her friends. Becky throws herself into village life and she is shocked to learn that the community centre (the Temperance Hall) is in need of vital funds, so she and her friends come up with the idea of putting on the sort of pantomime that Becky used to love attending at the Temp when she was a child. Becky is also a determined, optimistic, fun loving, tenacious and funny young lady. I kept everything crossed that she achieved the happy ever after ending that she so deserved. Does this happen? Where does Becky's future lie? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Oh my word, 'The Perfect Fit' was a hoot and the ideal tonic for a rainy day. I was gripped by the story and I was under the book's spell from the moment I picked the book up until the moment I closed the back cover. 'The Perfect Fit' was a brilliant read from start to finish. Reading 'The Perfect Fit' soon became an addiction. I couldn't bear to be parted from the book for any length of time. If I had to put the book to one side for any reason then I would immediately look forward to be picking the book up again. I found every excuse that I could to ensure that I didn't have to move anywhere and that I could keep on reading. I loved the description of Egglethwaite as it sounded so much like my own home village- even down to the fact that the Temperance Hall is the hub of community activities. Our local village hall is a former Temperance Hall and at the centre of many community activities. I also loved the descriptions of the different villagers and I found that I was comparing the villagers in the book to the villagers in our village. I absolutely adored this book.
'The Perfect Fit' is brilliantly written but then I found that to be true with the author's other book too. The author creates fun and intriguing characters. She does put some of them through the mill but I loved the way in which she combined the drama with the humour. Certain parts of the book had me laughing out loud as the characters spontaneously got up to some unexpected mischief. I have a very vivid imagination and as I read the book, I was imagining the story play out in my head.
In short, I simply adored reading 'The Perfect Fit' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I look forward to reading more of Mary Jayne Baker's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
I couldn't help but take to Becky Finn from the first moment I met her. She is the typical girl next door. She is bright and bubbly but at the same time I got the vibe that she had a vulnerability about her. She moves back to the village where she was brought up as she wants to escape the rat race in London and she sees Egglethwaite as the perfect place to live and to hopefully bring up her future children. When she moves back, her boyfriend stays behind in London to work. He says that he is waiting for a vacancy to come up near Egglethwaite. I just got the impression that he was a snobby love rat and he was coming up with excuse after excuse as to why he can't move up or he can't socialise with her friends. Becky throws herself into village life and she is shocked to learn that the community centre (the Temperance Hall) is in need of vital funds, so she and her friends come up with the idea of putting on the sort of pantomime that Becky used to love attending at the Temp when she was a child. Becky is also a determined, optimistic, fun loving, tenacious and funny young lady. I kept everything crossed that she achieved the happy ever after ending that she so deserved. Does this happen? Where does Becky's future lie? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Oh my word, 'The Perfect Fit' was a hoot and the ideal tonic for a rainy day. I was gripped by the story and I was under the book's spell from the moment I picked the book up until the moment I closed the back cover. 'The Perfect Fit' was a brilliant read from start to finish. Reading 'The Perfect Fit' soon became an addiction. I couldn't bear to be parted from the book for any length of time. If I had to put the book to one side for any reason then I would immediately look forward to be picking the book up again. I found every excuse that I could to ensure that I didn't have to move anywhere and that I could keep on reading. I loved the description of Egglethwaite as it sounded so much like my own home village- even down to the fact that the Temperance Hall is the hub of community activities. Our local village hall is a former Temperance Hall and at the centre of many community activities. I also loved the descriptions of the different villagers and I found that I was comparing the villagers in the book to the villagers in our village. I absolutely adored this book.
'The Perfect Fit' is brilliantly written but then I found that to be true with the author's other book too. The author creates fun and intriguing characters. She does put some of them through the mill but I loved the way in which she combined the drama with the humour. Certain parts of the book had me laughing out loud as the characters spontaneously got up to some unexpected mischief. I have a very vivid imagination and as I read the book, I was imagining the story play out in my head.
In short, I simply adored reading 'The Perfect Fit' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I look forward to reading more of Mary Jayne Baker's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
April 10, 2023
TW// mention of miscarriage and still birth
Becky is more than happy to have moved home to the vast open spaces of Eggleswaithe in Yorkshire, after living in cramped housing in London. Her fiancée however, still resides in London, due to work commitments, so they communicate mainly through long distances calls. However, when she finds out that the community centre which had been a lifeline for Becky, when she was growing up, giving her a safe space to feel accepted and feel part of something bigger than herself, is running low on funds, and is on the verge of closing, Becky and her best friend Lana decide to put on a Christmas panto like old times. They hope this Panto will help raise the much needed funds to save the centre, with the help of the community.
This book was so wholesome, about a small town where everyone knows everyone, full of witty banter and humour throughout, and some really warming characters.
Becky seems isolated and lonely, she's desperately missing her fiancé, and is starting to get panicky about her age, as a 34 year old woman who wants kids but also still has things she wants to achieve. On the other hand, she has a calming, and positive impact on everyone around her, she's easy going, warm and compassionate. I really loved how strong minded she is, she has a lot of resolve and is determined to make her mark and protect her community whilst also being fiercely loyal and caring towards everyone around her.
Cole, Becky's fiancé, is overly protective, and somewhat controlling, incredibly distant and doesn't seem to want to spend any time with Becky's family, or friends, instead, making excuses and making decisions for the couple without having any actual discussions, and allowing Becky to put her opinions across. He elicited a lot of anger and rage from me, with his blatant disregard for Becky and what she wants or how she's feeling, particularly if it doesn't benefit him. He's an arrogant, tactless, posh boy who allows his homophobic and horrific friends to constantly insult and be rude to his fiancée and her family, with no movements to stick up for anyone. He's just utterly vile.
Marcus the renowned Magician within Eggleswaithe, and his friend Deano, both quickly join the pantomime committee, with their main goal to bring joy and laughter to the community, they're just utter angels. Marcus and Becky's witty friendship was so fun to watch develop and grow, it's honestly top tier banter for such a cosy cute small town romcom. Deano was also, a really interesting character he's strong-headed and opinionated but straight to the point, and speaks his mind with bundles of humour. But the real show-stopper of the book is definitely little Pip, Becky's niece, what an imaginative little sweetheart she was.
The story explores some really important and interesting topics like adoptions, and the process behind them, dealing with the grief of losing your child, and also misogyny in the media. As well as showing the strength of communities, and the importance and power of friendships.
Some of their decisions were really annoying, particularly around the panto and choosing a talentless woman just because she's somewhat famous and would draw more people in had me physically confused
Overall, this was a very wholesome and warm, easy paced and cozy, with a lot of heart, love, community spirit. Just a heart-warming, fluffy and cute ending that gives you all the warm fuzzy feelings with a dash of Christmas fun, and shows the true determination and lengths people will go t, to protect and save their community when push comes to shove.
Becky is more than happy to have moved home to the vast open spaces of Eggleswaithe in Yorkshire, after living in cramped housing in London. Her fiancée however, still resides in London, due to work commitments, so they communicate mainly through long distances calls. However, when she finds out that the community centre which had been a lifeline for Becky, when she was growing up, giving her a safe space to feel accepted and feel part of something bigger than herself, is running low on funds, and is on the verge of closing, Becky and her best friend Lana decide to put on a Christmas panto like old times. They hope this Panto will help raise the much needed funds to save the centre, with the help of the community.
This book was so wholesome, about a small town where everyone knows everyone, full of witty banter and humour throughout, and some really warming characters.
Becky seems isolated and lonely, she's desperately missing her fiancé, and is starting to get panicky about her age, as a 34 year old woman who wants kids but also still has things she wants to achieve. On the other hand, she has a calming, and positive impact on everyone around her, she's easy going, warm and compassionate. I really loved how strong minded she is, she has a lot of resolve and is determined to make her mark and protect her community whilst also being fiercely loyal and caring towards everyone around her.
Cole, Becky's fiancé, is overly protective, and somewhat controlling, incredibly distant and doesn't seem to want to spend any time with Becky's family, or friends, instead, making excuses and making decisions for the couple without having any actual discussions, and allowing Becky to put her opinions across. He elicited a lot of anger and rage from me, with his blatant disregard for Becky and what she wants or how she's feeling, particularly if it doesn't benefit him. He's an arrogant, tactless, posh boy who allows his homophobic and horrific friends to constantly insult and be rude to his fiancée and her family, with no movements to stick up for anyone. He's just utterly vile.
Marcus the renowned Magician within Eggleswaithe, and his friend Deano, both quickly join the pantomime committee, with their main goal to bring joy and laughter to the community, they're just utter angels. Marcus and Becky's witty friendship was so fun to watch develop and grow, it's honestly top tier banter for such a cosy cute small town romcom. Deano was also, a really interesting character he's strong-headed and opinionated but straight to the point, and speaks his mind with bundles of humour. But the real show-stopper of the book is definitely little Pip, Becky's niece, what an imaginative little sweetheart she was.
The story explores some really important and interesting topics like adoptions, and the process behind them, dealing with the grief of losing your child, and also misogyny in the media. As well as showing the strength of communities, and the importance and power of friendships.
Some of their decisions were really annoying, particularly around the panto and choosing a talentless woman just because she's somewhat famous and would draw more people in had me physically confused
Overall, this was a very wholesome and warm, easy paced and cozy, with a lot of heart, love, community spirit. Just a heart-warming, fluffy and cute ending that gives you all the warm fuzzy feelings with a dash of Christmas fun, and shows the true determination and lengths people will go t, to protect and save their community when push comes to shove.
November 28, 2019
Why is a panto called a panto?
Because they arrrrrr!
(Readers of the story will get this, otherwise ... read on. I'm not as crazy (or grammatically inept) as it might appear ;) I'm channelling my inner six-year-old!)
From page one, the panto theme is alive and kicking, and when 6 year old Pip and her Aunty Becky attend the Christmas panto, Pip takes a particular liking to the joke:
Why are pirates called pirates? - Because they arrrrr!
So much does she love this, that she tells everyone, but not without changing it to suit her own purposes. (See now? ;) as I said, my inner Pip!) The groan effect is huge, and Becky has a lot of explaining to do to the befuddled adults on the receiving end of Pip's hilarity.
Having returned to her childhood home, Egglethwaite, after a stint in London, Becky Finn immerses herself into village life while waiting for her fiancé, Cole, to join her 'up North'. As an artist, his life has been in London, but he so wants Becky to be happy that he is prepared to make the move. Unfortunately, it's taking some time to get the job he wants, and so Becky is encouraged by her family and old friends to get involved in the community.
When it seems that the old hall - The Temperance Hall - is threatened by closure due to a lack of funding, Becky is determined to help raise money to keep it open. She has fond memories of the Hall, and especially of the pantomimes.
Why not rekindle the panto? she asks everyone at a local meeting. They don't exactly rush to agree with her, but eventually she wins them over and plans are made to recruit others to help out behind the scenes and in the panto itself.
Of course, it doesn't go swimmingly, but Becky gets stuck in, writing the script with Marcus and organising the costumes. It keeps her mind off missing Cole, and she's enjoying being back with family and friends. She looks on longingly as her brother and his husband now have young Pip to raise, her best friend Lana and hubby, Stew, are also hoping to expand their family by adopting. Everyone seems to be moving on, and Becky cannot wait to be in their position.
Cole does eventually get the job and makes the move. Everything is falling into place for Becky. Or is it? The panto is taking over her life, and Cole is not at all interested. But, once it's over, everything will be fine. Won't it?
The characters, in true panto style, are larger than life yet still seem very realistic. They each get a chance to shine, telling their own stories. It feels like a proper community. Everyone looking out for each other, and at the same time coping with their own issues. There are plenty of laughs, lots of groans (bad panto jokes and innuendo galore) and even some tears.
This is the second book of the “A Love in the Dales’ Story” series but can be read as a standalone. Personally, I haven't read the first book and didn't feel there was anything missing or unexplained. It's a fun read, totally reminiscent of the pantomimes of my own childhood. Behind the scenes, there's drama, upsets, tantrums, and even costume envy. The author balances the enthusiasm and over-the-top quality of pantomime with believable relationships and interactions. It's very British in its colloquialisms and pantomime traditions, all of which makes it a great fun read at this time of year.
I received a copy via Rachel's Random Resources and have given this review voluntarily.
Because they arrrrrr!
(Readers of the story will get this, otherwise ... read on. I'm not as crazy (or grammatically inept) as it might appear ;) I'm channelling my inner six-year-old!)
From page one, the panto theme is alive and kicking, and when 6 year old Pip and her Aunty Becky attend the Christmas panto, Pip takes a particular liking to the joke:
Why are pirates called pirates? - Because they arrrrr!
So much does she love this, that she tells everyone, but not without changing it to suit her own purposes. (See now? ;) as I said, my inner Pip!) The groan effect is huge, and Becky has a lot of explaining to do to the befuddled adults on the receiving end of Pip's hilarity.
Having returned to her childhood home, Egglethwaite, after a stint in London, Becky Finn immerses herself into village life while waiting for her fiancé, Cole, to join her 'up North'. As an artist, his life has been in London, but he so wants Becky to be happy that he is prepared to make the move. Unfortunately, it's taking some time to get the job he wants, and so Becky is encouraged by her family and old friends to get involved in the community.
When it seems that the old hall - The Temperance Hall - is threatened by closure due to a lack of funding, Becky is determined to help raise money to keep it open. She has fond memories of the Hall, and especially of the pantomimes.
Why not rekindle the panto? she asks everyone at a local meeting. They don't exactly rush to agree with her, but eventually she wins them over and plans are made to recruit others to help out behind the scenes and in the panto itself.
Of course, it doesn't go swimmingly, but Becky gets stuck in, writing the script with Marcus and organising the costumes. It keeps her mind off missing Cole, and she's enjoying being back with family and friends. She looks on longingly as her brother and his husband now have young Pip to raise, her best friend Lana and hubby, Stew, are also hoping to expand their family by adopting. Everyone seems to be moving on, and Becky cannot wait to be in their position.
Cole does eventually get the job and makes the move. Everything is falling into place for Becky. Or is it? The panto is taking over her life, and Cole is not at all interested. But, once it's over, everything will be fine. Won't it?
The characters, in true panto style, are larger than life yet still seem very realistic. They each get a chance to shine, telling their own stories. It feels like a proper community. Everyone looking out for each other, and at the same time coping with their own issues. There are plenty of laughs, lots of groans (bad panto jokes and innuendo galore) and even some tears.
This is the second book of the “A Love in the Dales’ Story” series but can be read as a standalone. Personally, I haven't read the first book and didn't feel there was anything missing or unexplained. It's a fun read, totally reminiscent of the pantomimes of my own childhood. Behind the scenes, there's drama, upsets, tantrums, and even costume envy. The author balances the enthusiasm and over-the-top quality of pantomime with believable relationships and interactions. It's very British in its colloquialisms and pantomime traditions, all of which makes it a great fun read at this time of year.
I received a copy via Rachel's Random Resources and have given this review voluntarily.
May 12, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Let's start with my reasons for requesting this book. It's simple, really. I liked the cover. It's also less simple because the Cinderella-style cover made me think of fairytales, and I'm a huge sucker for fairytales. So I'm thinking, modern-day Cinderella? Cinderella-inspired romance? Whatever this is, I am here for it.
I maybe should have paid a little more attention to the summary that points out that she has a fiance AND a handsome leading man. Oh, well. Never get done in by covers I suppose.
This story gets credit for the cute panto storyline. Becky has more going on in her life than just romance. Her life does not revolve around her fiance, Cole, or the "handsome co-star" Marcus. That gets points in my book. If you like stories where the leading woman has more going on in her life, this may be a good book for you.
I also quite liked some of the background characters, and I found them quite interesting. But I think the interesting background characters made it more obvious that Cole was incredibly two-dimensional. His character was just so flat. His relationship with Becky had no chemistry. I'm unsure if that was intentional, but it made that entire section of that book so miserable to read. The entire time I found myself wondering why Becky was engaged to him? What does she see in him? Why is she so ready to marry him? How did this couple stay together for four years? Becky kept saying that she loved him and couldn't wait to start a family with him, but I did not buy it. Cole was not an interesting or well-rounded character, and near the end of the book he read as unbelievable in a bad way.
So I kept putting the book down because Becky and Cole specifically bored me.
If you want to be able to root easily for one man and not be torn between the two, this is the book for you. I personally can't connect with romance that works that way because I don't get why there's any drama when one character is so obviously a cardboard cutout. Why is Becky even torn between the two when Cole is just so bleh?
However, I did enjoy the overall plot with the panto, and a lot of the supporting cast was quite interesting. Is there a Harper and Maisie book? I feel like I would enjoy reading how that romance happened. (Assuming there's no boring why-are-you-even-here third wheel.)
Let's start with my reasons for requesting this book. It's simple, really. I liked the cover. It's also less simple because the Cinderella-style cover made me think of fairytales, and I'm a huge sucker for fairytales. So I'm thinking, modern-day Cinderella? Cinderella-inspired romance? Whatever this is, I am here for it.
I maybe should have paid a little more attention to the summary that points out that she has a fiance AND a handsome leading man. Oh, well. Never get done in by covers I suppose.
This story gets credit for the cute panto storyline. Becky has more going on in her life than just romance. Her life does not revolve around her fiance, Cole, or the "handsome co-star" Marcus. That gets points in my book. If you like stories where the leading woman has more going on in her life, this may be a good book for you.
I also quite liked some of the background characters, and I found them quite interesting. But I think the interesting background characters made it more obvious that Cole was incredibly two-dimensional. His character was just so flat. His relationship with Becky had no chemistry. I'm unsure if that was intentional, but it made that entire section of that book so miserable to read. The entire time I found myself wondering why Becky was engaged to him? What does she see in him? Why is she so ready to marry him? How did this couple stay together for four years? Becky kept saying that she loved him and couldn't wait to start a family with him, but I did not buy it. Cole was not an interesting or well-rounded character, and near the end of the book he read as unbelievable in a bad way.
So I kept putting the book down because Becky and Cole specifically bored me.
If you want to be able to root easily for one man and not be torn between the two, this is the book for you. I personally can't connect with romance that works that way because I don't get why there's any drama when one character is so obviously a cardboard cutout. Why is Becky even torn between the two when Cole is just so bleh?
However, I did enjoy the overall plot with the panto, and a lot of the supporting cast was quite interesting. Is there a Harper and Maisie book? I feel like I would enjoy reading how that romance happened. (Assuming there's no boring why-are-you-even-here third wheel.)
April 26, 2019
I am not sure if you’ve ever been to a Christmas pantomime, but after reading this lovely story, I can’t wait to go to one!
Becky Finn has returned to her little village at the Yorkshire Dales, while she is waiting for her fiancé to find a job near her and move from London, she needs to keep her social life a little busy. So, she decides to help the community centre to gain some money and keep the local open. What could be more funny to win money than doing a Christmas pantomime based on the people living on Egglethwaite? Be prepared for a humorous story; witty dialogue, special characters and love, the perfect mix!
I finished this book in a snap; the characters were so funny and the story so addictive that I couldn’t put it down. Because Becky is a charming and lovely woman that without knowing it, will have to decide if the perfect man exists. Because, even if she already has the “perfect” man, she is starting to have questions about their relationship… is he the best for her? Or the co-star Marcus will be a better fit for her?
I liked how the story is not only based on Becky’s relation with her fiancé/co-star, the other characters of the pantimome have an important part on the book; with their eccentricities and needs, all together makes this the perfect fit.
This is the second book of the “A Love in the Dales’ Story” series but you can read it as standalone, but I am sure that you’ll feel so involved on the story of the village that you’ll want to read both of them!
If you are searching for a book to disconnect, enjoy and have a few laughs, this is for you, is The Perfect Fit!
Becky Finn has returned to her little village at the Yorkshire Dales, while she is waiting for her fiancé to find a job near her and move from London, she needs to keep her social life a little busy. So, she decides to help the community centre to gain some money and keep the local open. What could be more funny to win money than doing a Christmas pantomime based on the people living on Egglethwaite? Be prepared for a humorous story; witty dialogue, special characters and love, the perfect mix!
I finished this book in a snap; the characters were so funny and the story so addictive that I couldn’t put it down. Because Becky is a charming and lovely woman that without knowing it, will have to decide if the perfect man exists. Because, even if she already has the “perfect” man, she is starting to have questions about their relationship… is he the best for her? Or the co-star Marcus will be a better fit for her?
I liked how the story is not only based on Becky’s relation with her fiancé/co-star, the other characters of the pantimome have an important part on the book; with their eccentricities and needs, all together makes this the perfect fit.
This is the second book of the “A Love in the Dales’ Story” series but you can read it as standalone, but I am sure that you’ll feel so involved on the story of the village that you’ll want to read both of them!
If you are searching for a book to disconnect, enjoy and have a few laughs, this is for you, is The Perfect Fit!
Read
November 25, 2019A giggle-inducing read .. light-hearted, funny, romantic - and perfect for this time of year!
Becky Finn has returned back home to the Yorkshire village of Egglethwaite from London; soon to be followed by Cole, her fiance, she wastes no time in getting involved in local activities, remembering how much she benefited from the hard work of others when she was a child. In order to save the much loved local hall, the centre of village activities, Becky becomes part of a small group trying to revive the annual panto - and it's a lot harder work beginning from scratch that ever it was being entertained as a child! When romance rises off the page, however, things have become far more serious . . .
This is a belter of a book! I have, over the years, attended many Christmas pantomimes but have never really given much thought to the creation of one - who knew it was so hard but so much fun? With a wide cast made up of locals each with their own foibles and idiosyncrasies, I chuckled my way through this story loving everything about it! Don't think for a moment that this is going to be a traditional tale; the surprises - along with the laughs - pop up when you least expect them!
With smooth writing from an author with a real feeling for what makes characters tick, I could hardly believe how quickly I got through the pages. So much fun! I don't think I'll ever look at a panto again without wondering about the mechanics of getting it onto the stage. A truly uplifting novel, and one which is worth every one of it's five sparkling stars!
Becky Finn has returned back home to the Yorkshire village of Egglethwaite from London; soon to be followed by Cole, her fiance, she wastes no time in getting involved in local activities, remembering how much she benefited from the hard work of others when she was a child. In order to save the much loved local hall, the centre of village activities, Becky becomes part of a small group trying to revive the annual panto - and it's a lot harder work beginning from scratch that ever it was being entertained as a child! When romance rises off the page, however, things have become far more serious . . .
This is a belter of a book! I have, over the years, attended many Christmas pantomimes but have never really given much thought to the creation of one - who knew it was so hard but so much fun? With a wide cast made up of locals each with their own foibles and idiosyncrasies, I chuckled my way through this story loving everything about it! Don't think for a moment that this is going to be a traditional tale; the surprises - along with the laughs - pop up when you least expect them!
With smooth writing from an author with a real feeling for what makes characters tick, I could hardly believe how quickly I got through the pages. So much fun! I don't think I'll ever look at a panto again without wondering about the mechanics of getting it onto the stage. A truly uplifting novel, and one which is worth every one of it's five sparkling stars!
July 19, 2020
Becky Finn has returned to her beloved childhood home of Egglethwaite to prepare to begin family life. He fiancee Cole had to remain in London due to work commitments and Becky is a little lonely and relishes the opportunity to stage a Christmas pantomime to raise money for the village hall. As Becky throws herself into the project, she begins to question her relationship with Cole. Has Becky made the right decision?
This book is part of a series but to be fair I didn’t know that until I’d read it and it made no difference. It worked perfectly well as a stand alone. That said, I loved it so much I will be reading the first one as soon as I can.
I adore books with community settings and this one is just perfect. Not only is it set around a quaint village in the Yorkshire Dales but the characters are very realistic and the community spirit is ‘real’. Lots of supporting characters really add depth to the setting and bring the whole village alive.
As a recent convert to amateur dramatics I loved watching the development of the pantomime and found this part my favourite. The banter, the laughs and the occasional stress but also the closeness of the group and how the relationships develop is such a marvelous thing to belong to.
This is such a cosy and heartwarming novel that involves much more than just a romance.
This book is part of a series but to be fair I didn’t know that until I’d read it and it made no difference. It worked perfectly well as a stand alone. That said, I loved it so much I will be reading the first one as soon as I can.
I adore books with community settings and this one is just perfect. Not only is it set around a quaint village in the Yorkshire Dales but the characters are very realistic and the community spirit is ‘real’. Lots of supporting characters really add depth to the setting and bring the whole village alive.
As a recent convert to amateur dramatics I loved watching the development of the pantomime and found this part my favourite. The banter, the laughs and the occasional stress but also the closeness of the group and how the relationships develop is such a marvelous thing to belong to.
This is such a cosy and heartwarming novel that involves much more than just a romance.
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