The Village Vicar

Heatherly Hall

by Julie Houston

A feelgood novel set in a small Yorkshire village about sisterhood, motherhood, and the difficulties of dating when you are the parish vicar.

The brand new novel from bestselling author of The Village Affair, Julie Houston, follows vicar Rosa Quinn as she navigates the highs and lows of being the parish priest of the village of Westenbury, alongside her triplet sisters, Eva and Hannah. Full of warmth, romance, and brilliant characters, The Village Vicar is not to be missed!

Reviews for Julie Houston:

'A warm, funny story of sisters and the secrets they keep' Sheila O'Flanagan
'Warm, funny and well written, with a page turning plot, this book has everything! I loved it!' Katie Fforde
'Julie Houston at her best – heartfelt and hilarious' Sandy Barker
'Laugh-out-loud hilarious and heartwarming!' Mandy Baggot
'This book is an absolute gigglefest with characters you'll fall in love with!' Katie Ginger

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Womens Fiction

396 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 19, 2023

Reviews

[Sandysbookaday (on indefinite hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

EXCERPT: 'And when the policeman had me wind down my window, saw my lovely pink dress all soaked and dripping, my laddered tights and looking like some pink blancmanged Alice Cooper -' Rosa rubbed at the rivulets of black mascara down her cheeks '- and asked me for my identity and I said, 'I'm Reverend Rosa Quinn, the village vicar. I'm just on my way up to my father's place at Stratton Hall,' he replied with, 'Yes, sweetheart, and I'm the Archbishop of Canterbury and later on, I'll be off to my mother's place at Buckingham Palace.' And he made me get out of the car and breathalysed me.'

ABOUT 'THE VILLAGE VICAR': Three devoted sisters... One complicated family.

When Rosa Quinn left her childhood home in Westenbury, she never expected to return over a decade later as the village vicar. But after a health scare and catching her boyfriend cheating, Rosa jumps at the chance to start over and live closer to her triplet sisters Eva and Hannah.

But Rosa's isn't the only old face in the village, and when her role in the parish throws her into the path of her ex, she begins to wonder if she's made a terrible mistake. Meanwhile, Eva and Hannah face their own troubles, as secrets about their family threaten to emerge.

Can Rosa make a life for herself in Westenbury? Or will the sisters discover you can't run away from the past?

MY THOUGHTS: I have read and enjoyed quite a few of Julie Houston's books, but she takes her writing and her characters to a whole new level with The Village Vicar. This is the best book by this author that I have read.

Julie has taken all the things I love in a multi-generational family drama and expertly woven them into a fascinating story of complicated family relationships and a contested will.

I loved the rivalry between the triplet sisters tempered by their love of one another. Their older sister, Virginia, has always felt left out of the tight trio, and soothed herself with the knowledge that they were adopted, cuckoos in her nest. She lives a safe and secure life, often outraged by the lives of the three, even now that they are adults.

Eva, Hannah and Rosa each have their own distinct personality, although that doesn't stop them all fancying the same man! So while diverse, they also have some similarities: Eva and Rosa are quite driven; Hannah and Rosa passionate and unlucky in love.

Their mothers - birth mother artist Alice; adoptive mother her sister Susan - are also vastly different personalities. And it is with their story that this humorous and touching book begins.

Highly recommended.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#TheVillageVicar #NetGalley

I: @juliehoustonauthor @headofzeus

T: @JulieHouston2 @AriaFiction @HoZ_Books

#contemporaryfiction #familydrama #friendship #romance #smalltownfiction

THE AUTHOR: Julie lives in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire where her novels are set, and her only claims to fame are that she teaches part-time at ‘Bridget Jones’ author Helen Fielding’s old junior school and her neighbour is ‘Chocolat’ author, Joanne Harris. After University, where she studied Education and English Literature, she taught for many years as a junior school teacher. As a newly qualified teacher, broke and paying off her first mortgage, she would spend every long summer holiday working on different Kibbutzim in Israel. After teaching for a few years she decided to go to New Zealand to work and taught in Auckland for a year before coming back to this country. She now teaches just two days a week, and still loves the buzz of teaching junior-aged children. She has been a magistrate for the past nineteen years, and, when not distracted by Ebay, Twitter and Ancestry, spends much of her time writing. Julie is married, has a twenty-four-year-old son and twenty-one-year-old daughter and a ridiculous Cockerpoo called Lincoln. She runs and swims because she’s been told it’s good for her, but would really prefer a glass of wine, a sun lounger and a jolly good book - preferably with Matthew Mcconaughay in attendance.

She hates skiing, gets sick on boats and wouldn’t go pot-holing or paddy diving if her life depended on it.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Aria & Aries via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Village Vicar by Julie Houston for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

[Alayne Emmett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet read but, at times I found it a little tedious. The story seemed to drag in the middle and I found it never really got going. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Houston’s story because I liked following the triplets, especially as they were such varied characters. Although I thought the story took a while to get going, I came to appreciate the time that the writer spent establishing the back-story of the women; it becomes more important once you are really into the main story.

Rosa, Hannah and Eva are at different points in their lives and whilst Rosa seems to be the central character, I enjoyed how Houston focussed on all of their lives. Being so close to one another, it is natural that their lives interweave so much, emphasised further by them now all living in close proximity. Yet, the book is not just about Rosa returning to Westenbury as the new village vicar, but also her past. Over time, readers learn about Rosa’s background in London, her career and what events caused her to drastically change her lifestyle.

Yet, despite Rosa finding a new calling, it would seem that she and none of the sisters are actually very happy. An idyllic location and an appealing novel cover would both imply that this is quite an uplifting, merry story. However, Houston explores the issues of blended families, absent parents and illnesses in this novel. Whilst they do not make this a hard, depressing slog, I think it shows extra dimension to this story. In this way, I enjoyed the detail that the writer goes in to and I thought this made the plot more interesting to read.

What I disliked about the story was the complete lack of loyalty displayed in so many relationships. Occasional infidelity in a novel I can accept, but when it seems that no one in the novel has a happy, trusting relationship, well, it did rock my core a little bit! I was disappointed that Houston does not promote any loving couple in the slightest; all relationships are based on dishonesty, cheating and dissatisfaction. It felt a bit of a come-down to the story and influenced me to dislike the characters a bit less.

I also struggled to adapt to Houston’s writing style. Frequent use of long, flowing, complex sentences meant that I felt mentally breathless reading this book. So many times the sentence structures were incredibly long – adding a breathy feel to the narrative – but it also felt a little bit out of control. At first, I found this style a bit grating but I did adjust to it. Personally, I prefer a more varied sentence structure in narratives and felt this “rambling” style to lessen my interest in the overall story.

The characters of Rosa, Hannah and Eva all bring something different and unexpected to this novel. I enjoyed the flashbacks into their pasts because it made their characters even more interesting but I would have definitely preferred more loyalty along the way.

With thanks to Aria Fiction, Head of Zeus and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Wendy W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Village Vicar by Julie Houston is a lovely story mostly about three sisters with some family drama, small-town drama, and a bit of romance.

Story Recap:
Rosa Quinn is returning to her home village as the vicar. She’s been away for years, and never expected to return, especially as the vicar! She had a high-powered job in finance, and after a health scare, she re-evaluated her life and became a vicar.

Rosa also wants to be closer to her sisters, Eva and Hannah who are her triplet siblings and they grew up very close. Eva is a dentist, married to another dentist who is bored with her marriage, and Hannah is single, but dating a married man. Each of these sisters has a lot going on, but the book is mainly about Rosa.

My Thoughts:
I love a good book about sisters and this one fit the bill. I loved that they are triplets and yet they each have separate and very distinct personalities. Rosa is my favorite sister and the book is mainly about her. She’s had a tough time with a bad health scare and a cheating husband, but she’s optimistic and ready to serve the village as the vicar.

The pacing was good. It did take a bit to get into, but the pace picked up soon after and the rest of the book flew by. I also enjoyed the sister's interactions, as they felt authentic to me. I hope to get a book about Hannah, as I enjoyed her character and would like to know more about her and Eva.

Recommendation:
I highly recommend The Village Vicar to anyone who enjoys women’s fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Grace J Reviewerlady · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always look forward to a new book from Julie Houston and this one was a sheer delight!

Rosa Quinn has had a few upsets in her life recently; a cheating boyfriend and a health scare makes her re-evaluate her life and she decides to return to Westenbury, close to both of her triplet sisters. As the new vicar, she gets to know the village inhabitants including, to her surprise, an ex boyfriend. Then it seems that their own family has some secrets which have been kept secret. Has Rosa made the right decision in returning to the fold?

Julie Houston is one of my very favourite authors - she raises my spirits like no other. Her writing is warm and witty and always makes me laugh. She has many novels set in and around Westenbury but I think this is my new favourite. Packed with fabulous characters and a great storyline, I know there will be more to come about this family and I can hardly wait! Completely entertaining and so very enjoyable. If you fancy a well written novel which will leave you feeling happy, look no further. Five glowing stars.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half stars.

Rosa Quinn, former high-flying financial entrepreneur (yep, you got it, I can't recall what it was she did) jacked it all in after a relationship crashed and burned and she suffered a massive health scare. Now, six years later, she has retrained as a vicar and has returned to her home town of Westenbury, Yorkshire as the new parish vicar, following in the footsteps of her late (but not lamented) grandfather Cecil.

Rosa is a triplet. Her sisters Hannah and Eva also live close by. Eva is a dentist, married with two children. Hannah works for child legal services and is single, but having an affair with a married man which she can't seem to end.

The triplets have an unusual history. Born of a night of passion between famous artist Alice Parkes and Bill Astley, Marquess of Stratton, they were adopted by Alice's sister Susan and her husband Richard when Alice casually informed them that she intended to put the babies up for adoption!

Twenty years ago (ish) the triplets all had a pash on the new boy in town, Joe Rosavina, now nothing seems to have changed, there's a new dentist at Eva and her husband Rayan's practice, Sam Burrows, and all three of them are smitten. But Joe is also back in town - will Rosa rekindle the romance?

This was quite difficult to get into at first, there was the whole backstory with Alice and her father and sister. Then there was the backstory of each of the triplets to get through - about a quarter of the way through I didn't really know where it was going or why Rosa had left London to return to Yorkshire. However, it did all resolve itself in the end.

Once things got straightened out I enjoyed this book, the love/hate relationship the triplets had felt real and they were each facing their own issues.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Bumped for release.

[Darci Kester · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like maybe the description of the book didn’t give a good picture of what it was going to be about. The first several chapters threw me off because it was backstory of the parents, but I was excited to get into the main storyline.

My biggest issue with it was I don’t like books with cheating storylines. And there was… a lot… in this book. So really, I’m giving this 2 stars because it was not my cuppa, but for anyone who doesn’t mind that kind of storyline, you might love it.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. The Village Vicar comes out January 19, 2023.

[Anne Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the book starts with an advert – distinctly contemporary – for Westenbury’s new vicar, it might come as something of a surprise when the book’s action begins in 1984, with artist wild child Alice returning from a stay in Paris and continuing to act rather unconventionally (and a tad recklessly) at home, despite her strict vicar father. I’ve noticed that some other early reviews mentioned that made them feel the book was slow to start – but no, I most certainly didn’t. It’s all wonderfully told, and gives the foundations for the story that then unfolds in the present day about the Quinn triplets – now in their late 30s – as one of them, Rosa, returns to her childhood home to take up her post as Westenbury’s new vicar.

It’s a big change for her – she’s been through a massive health scare, has walked away from her high-flying career, and also suffered the most painful end of a relationship that involved a considerable measure of betrayal. But her decision was made easier by the prospect of being closer to her sisters – Eva and her husband have a young family and a very successful dental practice (their marriage though, might have become a little stale), and Hannah has a career working with young offenders (although her private life – an ongoing affair with a married man – is rather less rosy).

The book then moves into the territory you might have expected from the author’s books – the sisters’ lives, the relationships between them, the start of Rosa’s time in her new parish, and the waves caused by the arrival in the village of a hot new dentist to work at Eva’s practice. And there are more waves to come – the news that there’s another new arrival in the village, and it’s the one person that Rosa hoped she’d never cross paths with again. And in the background, there’s always the story of the triplets’ unusual parentage – and it’s one I won’t spoil – that goes on to take the story in a direction I really wasn’t expecting, and I really, really loved it.

This book was filled with so many of those wonderful set pieces that I love about the author’s writing – sometimes very funny, sometimes emotional, and some (aargh – that confrontation in the church!) that make you gasp. The characters are so beautifully drawn – and not just the three sisters whose lives you’re drawn into, but the whole supporting cast – and the relationships between them, especially that special bond of sisterhood (and across the generations), wonderfully handled. Some of the characters are gloriously quirky – particularly Eva’s mother-in-law Azra, taking over her home, replete with some great one-liners that strongly reminded me of the Lithuanian lollipop lady I so loved in the author’s earlier books. And then there are the ones that totally capture your heart – for me, that was certainly Bill, the Marquess of Stratton.

There’s a developing romance in the mix too – well, there is a hot dentist after all – and it was a slowly developing one that really engaged me emotionally. The humour, I thought, was perhaps dialled down a little compared with the author’s earlier books – a little more gentle, but perfectly judged, still with more than a few laugh-out-loud moments. But the story-telling – that was quite superb, perfectly paced, shocks and surprises aplenty, and with one of the most satisfying and uplifting endings I could have possibly wished for. Yes, it was a book I really loved – and highly recommended by me.

[Kims.reading.nook · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story begins with a young, independant artist named Alice, who is staring down the knife weilding wife of her French lover. Deciding to flee back to her family in England, fate leads her to sit next to Bill, the Marquess of Stratton, on the plane and after a night of passion their worlds are intertwined forever.

It's almost 40 years later and triplets Rosa, Eva and Hannah are back living in the village. After being adopted by their maternal Aunt Susan and Uncle Richard, they grew up together within a short drive of Bill's estate and have always known their heritage.

Rosa has only recently returned to the village after giving up her finance career to become a vicar! Eva is married with two daughters and a true career woman with a booming family dentistry practice. Hannah is working in youth justice and has been having an affair with a married man that she just can't kick. All three believe they know all they need to about their family, but fate has a way of changing everything in the most unexpected ways possible. Something these three are about to experience...

This book had some brilliant twists, and the last one left me reeling!! I loved diving into the world of the triplets and the fact that the story cleverly jumped between timelines to provide further depth. This book was not what I expected at all, but in a brilliant way, although I will admit I was a little confused at the start when the story didn't seem to match the blurb at all.

Thank you to Netgalley, Author Julie Houston and Head of Zeus - Aria & Aries for the ARC copy. The book is publishing today: 19th January 2023!

[Mystica]

The story of three united sisters living in the small Yorkshire village they grew up in.
A slightly Bohemian family in one way, and a traditional family in some aspects.
The three sisters have very different professional lives. One is a dentist, married
with two children running a flourishing practice, the other is a youth counsellor
dealing with troubled kids and the other is tge vicar returning to the same church
where her disliked grandfather was vicar. She forms the main part of this story.

The lives of the three sisters is complicated. The married one is bored, looks for
excitement and finds it in the new hire in the clinic. Unfortunately for her, his
interests lie elsewhere. The next is involved with a married man, swears to the sisters
that she broke it off/going to and doesnt until full drama in the form of his wife
turning up at church and creating a scene that was so dramatic, it was pure theatre
and then we have the vicar returning after a bout of cancer, on top of a devastating love
affair to find that her ex lover has also moved back home.

The drama in their lives spill over but the strong bond of sisterhood overcomes any
other problems they face. A interesting take on sisters, motherhood and vicars(my knowledge
of vicars is zero)

[Wendy(Wendyreadsbooks) Robey · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

An engaging story full of family secrets and the loving support of siblings.
Beth, Hannah and Eva were fun and interesting main characters - each fiercely loyal to their triplet sisters, they stood together when needed, but had the familiar battles as sisters often do. I loved seeing their clashes of personality and the competitive side of each of them fighting to have their part of the story.
The story took a little while to get going as we learnt the backstory of the triplet’s mother, Alice -but once it was clear how everyone linked together the story flowed well.
I thought Beth was the most developed character- her decisions in changing her life direction were cleverly written and enabled me as the reader to empathise with her.

[Charlene Keller · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Village Vicar by Julie Houston is a charming and brightly written tale that intricately weaves together the stories of three sisters adopted in their youth.
With its dual timelines and unexpected twists, the narrative evolves as the sisters navigate life’s challenges, with one returning to her hometown to become the village vicar.
I found this cozy and multi-layered read to be captivating, unexpected in many ways, and makes me look forward to reading other books in the series.
Thank you to author, Julie Houston and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Charlene 📚🌸🤗 @lastnownext

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

I have to say the title of the book is a bit misleading as the story is more about 3 sisters, their family and the village.

There are some great characters and it was certainly enjoyable.

Well worth a read.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it, but I pretty much have loved all the books that take place in Westenbury!! It was nice that the book mainly focused on Rosa, Eva and Hannah, rather than the usual characters that have been in the previous books. The triplets are quite the characters, all with different personalities and not afraid to voice their opinions. I don't remember if Bill Astley was ever mentioned in the previous books, after awhile the books and characters start to blend together. Alice Parkes was definitely my least favorite character in the book. The girls were lucky to have Susan and Richard as their parents and not Alice. Susan's revelation was shocking and not what I was expecting. Hannah shouldn't have been too shocked about Alexandra's declaration at church. That was quite a priceless moment. Hannah was doing exactly what Joe did to Rosa. I was afraid Rosa was going to forgive Joe and get back together with him. She seemed to blame Carys for what happened. Azra is a great mother-in-law, even if she shows up unexpectedly and stays for undetermined amounts of time. The book focuses on love, forgiveness, family relationship, friendship and so much more. Every time I read the books about Westenbury, I want to live there and become friends with everyone. Loved the mentioning of Virginia working at Piccone's Pickles.

Definitely recommend the book. Loved the characters, story and writing style. Look forward to reading more books by the author. I simply can't resist going back to Westenbury.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Aria & Aries through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite authors and another fantastic book!

[Laura Nelson (Tangents and Tissues) · Rating 4 out of 5]

****4.5 stars!****

Full review to follow.

[Julie Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant

I really enjoyed reading this book about the triplets and their lives. Poor Rosa lost Joe to her best friend and then had to fight an illness. Eva and Hannah had their problems but they overcame it all . I couldn't put this book down and it was nice that some of the characters were mentioned in this book.

[Angela Addinall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unputdownable

I absolutely love Julie Houston's books and this one did not disappoint, really enjoyed it from start to finish x

[Barb Kates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice addition to the Village

I love the Village series and always look forward to the newest.
This book did not disappoint. It was nice to be back in the village with new folks.
The triplets were fun and so different from each other. Each had exciting lives with twists.
The only thing missing was a bit more catch-up with the characters from earlier books.
Keep them coming Julie..if you write the I will read them.

[Marian Robb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blooming wonderful!

Absolutely fantastic read, funny, informative, down to earth, can't wait for the next book to be out, roll on July

[Sara Clifford-gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a great start to my reading year - a book that I jumped straight into and felt very much involved in!

[Sandy Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julie Houston has a way of immediately drawing you into a story and this is no exception. A wonderful story of multi-generational familial love and family secrets, with a hefty dose of humour that is the stuff of real life. A great addition to the Westenbury series.

[Winter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read... a wee bit twee and happy ever after but well written and good characters and sense of place. I need a 10-star system for rating, 3 stars seems mean for a book I enjoyed, but trying to compare with other books I love is really difficult.
There are very few novels about female vicars, well, I haven;t found any and I found this by accident while looking for Vicar of Dibley seasonal specials!

[Michelle Wileman · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy to read romantic family story. Triplets through the ages, story fits back and forth a bit explaining the various ladies backstories. A bit of an unexpected twist at the end but on the whole a nice story that ticks along keeping you interested.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Cat Strawberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such heart-warming and lovely read! Rosa Quinn is the new vicar of the village of Westenbury and is moving back to the village which she grew up in. But while Rosa struggles to get used to life as the new vicar after all she’s been through in the past few years, her triplet sisters Eva and Hannah have their own problems too. With the three sisters being somewhat famous in the village for the unique circumstances of their birth, life as the new village vicar doesn’t get any easier for Rosa when an old ex of hers decides to move back to the village too, and Rosa is troubled not only with her emotions but the memories of her past too.

This is such a brilliant book which had me hooked after I got into it. The book begins in 1984 and follows Alice Parkes as she returns home to Westenbury after having to make a quick escape from Paris. Being the vicar’s daughter Alice isn’t like her sister Susan who the vicar adores and ends up disappointing her father at every turn and she soon ends up trying to forget her troubles by attending the party of a well-known man in the area. I like how this story begins in the 80s as we learn more about Alice and her sister Susan and the Reverend Cecil Parkes who you just can’t help but dislike from the start. The story was interesting and I could see how this was a back story into how the three triplets came to be and I don’t want to spoil it by saying any more.

After a few chapters set in 1984, the story then shifts back to 2021 as Rosa is entering the vicarage having taken over the role of vicar of the village of Westenbury, her childhood home. I have to admit that it did take me a bit of time to really get into this story, and while I enjoyed the tale of Alice’s from the start, it did feel like the story was a bit slow going as it suddenly shifts to the modern day and, after getting to know Alice and Susan, we now had to get to know all of the new characters of Rosa, Eva, Hannah and the people in their lives. As a result it took me a bit of time time before I really got into this story, however after a few chapters this book became so enjoyable and I just couldn’t put it down after that! I love the three triplets Rosa, Eva and Hannah and the different circumstances they find themselves in and the relationships they have with their parents and the unique circumstances of their birth. I love how, as the story unfolds, we find out that not all is well in each of the siblings lives and all three of them are dealing with some difficult personal problems particularly with relationships.

A lot happens in the story and although I enjoyed getting to know each of the triplets and their tales, I have to say that it is Rosa’s story that had me the most interested and at some point there are some flash back chapters to show you what happened to her six years earlier, before she was a vicar, and I really enjoyed reading about her past. As the book went on I thought I knew what would happen. Contemporary tales like this usually have an air of predictability in them, but I have to say that when it came to this book, I really didn’t know what would happen and was pleasantly surprised when several times I thought I knew how the story would go only to be surprised that something very different happened.

The story is more serious than I was led to believe with the blurb, however there are some genuinely funny and silly moments too. I especially love the way some of the parishioners act and certain conversations Rosa ends up having with some of the other characters. The story builds up to a brilliant ending with quite a few amazing revelations I wasn’t expecting and I found myself pleasantly shocked and surprised with some of the things we end up discovering about the family and what happens to them. The story doesn’t have anything too upsetting to read about. There are some deaths mentioned and a brief mention of sex and a few uses of the f and s swear words, however this was infrequent and overall the story doesn’t have anything really upsetting in it.

Overall this book is amazing. Things build up towards the ending with so many amazing surprises and things revealed and I couldn’t help but love what was happening to all of the characters. The final ending is brilliant, so heart-warming and perfect, and I just love how everything works out for everyone in the end. Although this book was a bit slow for me at the start and it did take me a bit of time to really get into it with all the different characters, I just couldn’t put it down after a few chapters and I would recommend this book for anyone interested in a good contemporary feel-good story and romance set in a village. It’s a book that will certainly keep you turning the pages and loving every moment of Rosa, Eva and Hannah’s lives!
-Thanks to Head of Zeus for a free copy.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Julie Houston is at her addictive best with her charming, uplifting and absorbing new novel, The Village Vicar.

When Rosa Quinn had left the village of Westenbury a decade ago, she never imagined that ten years later she would return back as the new vicar. A lot has happened in the last ten years and after catching her boyfriend cheating and a health scare, Rosa had realised that the time had come for her to start over and to live closer to her triplet sisters, Eva and Hannah. But will going back end up being the best decision Rosa ever made? Or has she just made the biggest mistake of her life?

It turns out that Rosa is not the only old face in the village and when she crosses paths with her ex, she begins to wonder whether putting down roots in Westenbury again might have been a terribly foolish idea. But with her sisters needing her more than ever and old family secrets emerging, Rosa realises that she cannot continue to run away from the past. Will this new beginning in Westenbury be everything Rosa had hoped for? Or will she pack her bags and end up leaving for pastures new?

Julie Houston’s writing shines in her latest novel, The Village Vicar. A wonderfully written and highly entertaining read sprinkled with wit, humour and heart, The Village Vicar is a gorgeous tale about second chances, family bonds, old ghosts and falling in love readers will be completely bowled over by.

A lovely page-turner that will brighten up every reader’s day, Julie Houston’s The Village Vicar is another surefire hit for this much-loved writer of feel-good fiction.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about Rose, Eva and Hannah three adopted triplets and the granddaughter of The previous vicar. Rose was recently a high finance money person in London but since she’s had the calling has come back home to be the village vicar. Her parents and siblings coddle her due to her recent serious health scare. Eva is a dentist and she is married to A fellow dentist but isn’t very happy in her marriage. Hannah is single and dating the only problem is it’s her choice of people to date it she isn’t very happy either. I found the beginning of this book with the pregnancy and the two original sisters the mom in the aunt very interesting but thought when it got to the main story it’s slow down and took a while to gain momentum. I loved when the story focused on Eva and her unexpected visit from her mother-in-law. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the main story which was rose I enjoyed all their stories unlock the sister relationship between the triplets I did think that would be more about their adoption in the linage but it was what it was and is so totally worth reading. This is a solid four star read in a book I definitely recommend if you love stories about sisters at the age where they’re trying to get a grip on what kind of life they’re living you definitely need to read The Village Vicar, you will not be disappointed. I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Pam Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This tale of three sisters us an enjoyable read . Although triplets, Rosa, Eva and Hannah are so different in personality but so close. Family dynamics are complicated but at the same time, there is an acceptance of what is important in blending a family together. You get a lovely insight into life in the village through the church volunteers and I liked the community feel that runs through the story.

Rosa, as the new vicar, turns out to have a surprising backstory which makes her decision to become a vicar credible and you always sense her sincerity. Eva is dissatisfied with her home life but on the face of it is an extremely successful professional woman and parent. Hannah seems the most troubled and is torn between what she knows to be right and her competing desires. There are some real surprises at the end of the story but the sisters support each other through them. This is a feelgood read with interesting characters and a plot which keeps you involved.

In short: heartwarming story of family and love
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book

[Annette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley. I am voluntarily writing this review. All opinions are completely my own.

This is a story about 3 sisters who happen to be triplets. One has returned to the area of their family, to become a vicar. One is a dentist in a large practice with her husband. One is an officer in juvenile court who tries to find the best outcome for youngsters in trouble.

These lives should have been interesting to me. This story line should have drawn me right into the story. It didn’t.

There was not one character who I liked. I think that is because I could not get into their lives. Lots of unfaithfulness is not what I was hoping to read. It just was very difficult for me to immerse myself in this story.

I know it is just me, but no one drew me into their story and I did not really care about that.

[Sall · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately you are at least a quarter of the way in before you understand why the story starts with something that has no relevance whatsoever to the title of the book, actually by the end I'm still unsure what the point of the title was. In fact Eva's occupation as a vicar had lilttle to no impact on the story at all. Not that there really was a story, it all seemed a bit oh I had an idea but now I've had another rather than totally thought through.

The one thing that stood out was the new head instructing the staff on what to include in PSHE not only in front of the children but also infront of non teaching staff during assembly. Something that at the very least is considered extremely poor practice but due to the way the head undermined the staff publically is against the equality act 2010. Admittidly it did read as though the author just wanted to show off and say look I did research something, but unfortunately it went so badly that it detracted from it's purpose.