Een feestelijke dag

by Katie Fforde

Lizzy is net in Londen komen wonen en is vastbesloten om het beste uit haar nieuwe leven te halen. Haar moeder mag er dan op gebrand zijn dat ze een geschikte echtgenoot ontmoet om een perfect huwelijk mee te sluiten, maar Lizzy wil eerst nog wat lol maken.

Het is 1963 en Londen begint al te swingen. Lizzie knipt haar haren kort, koopt een nieuwe jurk – tot boven de knie, volgens de laatste mode – en verhuist samen met twee van haar beste vriendinnen naar een prachtig maar licht verwaarloosd huis in de welvarende wijk Belgravia. Al snel is Lizzies leven zo opwindend dat ze de trouwplannen die haar moeder voor haar aan het smeden is helemaal vergeet. Het enige waar zij aan kan denken is dat de jongeman op wie ze verliefd is al verloofd lijkt te zijn met iemand anders. Zal ze ooit haar eigen ‘lang en gelukkig’ vinden?

Genres: Romance, Chick Lit, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical, Historical Romance

384 pages, Paperback

First published February 18, 2021

About the author

Catherine Rose Gordon-Cumming was born 27 September 1952 in England, UK, the daughter of Shirley Barbara Laub and Michael Willoughby Gordon-Cumming. Her grandfather was Sir William Gordon-Cumming. Her sister is fellow writer Jane Gordon-Cumming. Katie married Desmond Fforde, cousin of the also writer Jasper Fforde. She has three children: Guy, Francis and Briony and didn't start writing until after the birth of her third child. She has previously worked both as a cleaning lady and in a health food cafe.

Published since 1995, her romance novels are set in modern-day England. She is the founder of the "Katie Fforde Bursary" for writers who have yet to secure a publishing contract. Katie was elected the twenty-fifteenth Chairman (2009-2011) of the Romantic Novelists' Association. She is delighted to have been chosen as Chair of the Romantic Novelists' Association and says, "Catherine Jones was a wonderful chair and she's a very tough act to follow. However, I've been a member of the RNA for more years than I can actually remember and will have its very best interests at the core of everything I do."

Katie lives in Stroud, Gloucestershire, England with her husband, some of her three children and many pets. Recently her old hobbies of ironing and housework have given way to singing, Flamenco dancing and husky racing. She claims this keeps her fit. The writers she likes herself is also in the romantic genre, like Kate Saunders.

Reviews

[Tracy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Never have I ever been so relieved to finally get to the end of a book! For a book that is supposedly set in the 60's, it felt more like it was set in the late 1800's. The dialogue was very strained and I really did not enjoy reading it at all.

[Alayne Emmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another winner from Katie afforded, I’ve read if not all but most of her books and have enjoyed every one of them. This one was quite a lot different from her others as it was set in 1963 which I loved as the sixties was my era. I remember so much about the fashion and especially the music as I was growing up. This story had everything I love in it, friendships, romance and a lot of fun. This took me away from the cares of the world for awhile which I needed as we all do. Wish I could have given this more stars. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

[Carol Barnes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I normally love Katie's books but sadly found this one very disappointing. I felt the characters were very one-dimensional and I just couldn't identify with them at all. I persevered with the book expecting it to get better but the story just seemed to ramble along and I eventually gave up reading it.

[Judith van Wijk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would at the start of the book.

[Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was so unexpected, I was completely lost in this cute little bubble of 1960s life.

It's essentially a historical romance, set in the 1960s. I've read loads of books by this author (and by 'loads', read 'all') as I find her books easy to read and consistently enjoyable. The most recent ones though haven't quite hit the spot for me; typically there's an older, sage character in some sort of advisory role and a younger female lead who, I'm sad to say, speaks, acts and behaves like someone my mum's age in spite of being in her twenties.

So when this story started following young Lizzie joining a cookery/finishing school style course in London I was totally expecting the timeline to flip to the now at some point and her be the old lady, but it never did.

Instead we get to experience a (gentle) swinging London through Lizzie's naivety and curiosity as she lives independently from her well meaning but in her business parents for the first time and learns who she is.

The romance in this wasn't all that I'm afraid, Hugh needed a bit of a shake and his dithering wasn't exactly swoon-inspiring, but that Hansel and Gretl cottage...sign me up for that.

Even with the romance feeling a bit lacking, I still really enjoyed escaping into this world. Wish there'd been an epilogue.

*My thanks to the publisher via netgalley for my arc.*

[Verity W · Rating 1 out of 5]

****Copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review****

Well. This is a tough one to write because I've loved some of Katie Fforde's previous books and for years I would always buy the latest paperback, but this just doesn't work. The last couple of books have had problems with the heroines not reading like women in their twenties, and I think this is an effort to try and combat that by moving the action to the 1960s. But the dialogue doesn't flow, and the characters feel flat. I had serious reservations about the way that David the flatmate was introduced, and then the plot was just a bit loopy. It's like a 1960s mash up of some of her previous modern plots. So disappointing, and I hate writing that. I'll go off and read Stately Pursuits again to take my mind off it.

[HAZEL WILLIS · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a cliche from beginning to end . The writing was hackneyed and predictable with the characters one dimensional. The most interesting part was the depiction of the 1960’s and the cookery finishing school syllabus - says a lot .
I’ve liked Katie Ffiorde ‘s books in the past but this felt tired and it wasn’t enjoyable to read and became a chore to finish .

[Leonie Hinch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve loved Katie’s books for a long time and never had one that’s disappointed me before but sadly this one missed the mark for me. I don’t know if it was the setting in the 60s or Lizzie’s character in general but she just seemed so meek and mild compared to Katie’s usual heroines. It may be one I return too and try again but for now I have to say that sadly I didn’t enjoy this as much as I hoped to.

[Tanya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not her best but I read it. The main character needed a good slap.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warning - this book is set in the 1960s.

Lizzie is a sheltered Home Counties middle-class girl who comes to London in 1963 to attend Cookery School in her mother's fervent hopes that she will then be able to catch Mr Right (eg a man in a well-paid job). If you have ever seen the start of the film Thoroughly Modern Millie, the start of this book is very similar as Lizzie gets a radical new asymmetric hair cut and Dolly Bird clothes (strange that Lizzie thinks that being a Dolly Bird is glamorous and something to aspire to!). At first Lizzie is living with her aunt Gina in up-market Chelsea but when that falls through she ends up sharing a dilapidated house in Belgravia with two of her classmates, a small dog and an actor.

See the swinging sixties through the eyes of a young woman as she leaves home for the first time. Can she forge a life for herself in London, gasp and get a job, or will her mother get her engaged and married off in no time?

Setting this book in the 1960s works well for Katie Fforde's brand of heroine, because they are always artistic (Lizzie is a genius with a sewing machine and she has a talent for arranging flowers), and slightly innocent, ie married at a young age or only ever had one serious boyfriend, ill-at-ease with men, and this works well in the context of a sheltered girl from the Home Counties being introduced to wicked London. There are dinner parties and country house parties and beatniks and aristocratic gels just doing the Season don't you know!

This was lovely, just what I expect from Kate Fforde and I practically read it in one sitting. Two minor niggles. One is a bit spoilery running away? Really? and the other is that I'm not sure the title is right. Otherwise, sublime.

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

Bumped for release and minor typos.

[Susanne Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful read. I have to say it being set in the 1960s was a surprise and I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it, but I needn’t of worried. This was a beautiful tale of friendship, love and the changing attitudes of modern society.
Lizzie was such a wonderful character, wanting to be her best person but stopped from this my people’s attitudes and societies opinion on what is proper. Historically for me it was very interesting to see how life for youngsters in that era was. The friendships between the girls was lovely and David was an amazing character, and I’m more than a little saddened that he had to hide who he was in order to be accepted and could never have his happily ever after.

The insta love and attraction between Hugo and Lizzie was perfect, and I knew they should be together from that first moment, and I enjoyed every twist and turn until they got that moment. Hugo’s letter to Lizzie nearly had me in tears, it was so honest and beautiful, and whilst I found it a bit odd that they couldn’t just tell each other how they felt, I could totally see how much harder it would have been to open up to feeling in that era whilst in those social circles.
It was simply wonderful to read and I could definitely see it being made into a movie.

[Karen Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katie is back with another beautifully written book. I have loved every book of Katie's that I have read and this one didnt disappoint either.

Set in the 1960s I pictured the girls to look like those characters from Call The Midwife and I fell in love with the friendship and bond that formed between these women.

Each of them knew what they wanted from life and being married off because that's what society dictates wasnt it. They wanted careers, to make something of themselves and if they married it was out of love.

I absolutely love Katie's ability to draw the reader in so they feel like they are there in the book, I've been on many journeys with Katies books and cant wait for more.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite enjoyed this book although it was rather pompous & dragged out in parts then ended quite abruptly. I have read other books from Katie & really enjoyed them. Mostly lovely characters especially Lizzie & her friends from the cookery school & David who was very funny, would not have been popular in the 60's, the era in which the book was supposedly set but it didn't always come across as that.

[Emandherbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, especially the characters! A group of friends in London on their own different journeys, right up my street!

I loved the writing style and the dialogues! There were elements which didn’t sit right on my head timeline wise but it didn’t detract too much from the enjoyment for me.

David was an excellent character, who I wished featured more prominently.

There were a couple of bits that seemed super unrealistic... but I still really enjoyed it! A feel good book!

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

I was super excited to see that a new Katie Fforde book was coming out! Who doesn't love a proper romance? Set in London in the 1960s, A Wedding in the Country sets up a lively narrative with lots of vibrant characters and a vivid backdrop.

This is a charming look at domestic life in 1960s England. There are lovely descriptions of London society life, and the struggles of what it meant to be a young woman during this time. The narrative is peppered with charming details, such as the introduction of garlic to English cooking, and lots of interesting comments on fashion, manners and expectations. Fforde explores relationships of all kinds - familial, romantic, platonic - but the ones that really shine are the friendships between the central women of the novel: there's a real sense of people pulling together to look after each other, which is definitely the kind of message that we need to be singing from the rooftops just now, in a perfect tonic to pandemic life.

While ultimately charming, the narration lets the narrative down: the protagonist, Lizzie, often comes across as frustratingly naive and unlikeable. I would have loved to experience the novel from the point of view of one of the other characters: all of the side characters seem to have a lot more punch and vivaciousness, and I think it could have been a lot more exciting. Instead, we experience the novel from Lizzie's perspective, who as a wallflower seems to be peering into rather than experiencing the world. This felt like a missed trick to me, and even the parts of the novel where there's potential for a lot of action (for example, during the police raid of the bar), the pacing feels flat and Lizzie lacks so much gumption that a plot point that should have left me nervous and excited left me a little bored.

The pacing is a bit of an issue in itself. While lots of scenes are set up to be charmingly descriptive, with real gems of insight into London in the 1960s (I particularly enjoyed the opening scenes at the cookery school where a chef is explaining that olive oil isn't just something you get from the chemist but can be used to enhance your cooking), this often seems to come at the expense of the plot and the pacing. We're given pages of description of how to do the washing up, but when we get close to any action (the dodgy bar, a ball, even the titular wedding) the pacing speeds up incredibly and we're sprinting through the plot, then jumping to a few days later, left feeling dizzy and wondering how we got here and why we're getting another description of buttons and canapes.

It's an enjoyable romance, but even the central love story lacks passion. I wanted to give everyone a shake and imbibe them with a bit of the passion that the roomate Alexandra displays. I would love to read this novel again, but from Alexandra's perspective!

[Gitti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lizzie ist nach London gekommen um dort in einem Kurs auf ihr Leben als perfekte Hausfrau vorbereitet zu werden. Dort lernt sie Alexandra und Meg kennen und die drei werden Freundinnen. Und sie verliebt sich, allerdings ist Hugh eigentlich schon vergeben und seine Verlobung steht kurz bevor.

Die Geschichte rund um Lizzie und ihre Freundinnen spielt in den sechziger Jahren des letzten Jahrhunderts. Man merkt hier recht deutlich wie sich die Gesellschaft wandelt. Lizzie möchte ihr Leben genießen und nicht gleich heiraten, während ihre Mutter sie lieber gestern als heute verheiratet sehen möchte. Und auch die Standesdünkel sind damals noch sehr deutlich zu merken. In ihrem Kurs sind viele Adelssprösslinge, die auf Lizzie und Meg herabschauen, weil sie aus bürgerlichem Haus stammen. Und auch die Familie von Hugh ist der Meinung, dass Lizzie ja nur ein Emporkömmling ist. Von daher hat Katie Fforde ihre Geschichte genau in der richtigen Zeit angesiedelt, die Story würde in der heutigen Zeit so nicht mehr funktionieren.

Das Buch war wieder toll zu lesen, ich habe das erste Viertel am Stück verschlungen und auch für den Rest nicht lange gebraucht. Der Autorin gelingt es Bilder im Kopf zu erzeugen und dabei auch eine Wohlfühlstimmung zu verbreiten. Es ist zu schön, wie die drei Freundinnen zusammen leben und sie gemeinsam ihre Probleme lösen. Manch einem wird das Buch sicher zu zuckersüß sein, aber ich freue mich immer wieder ein Buch der Autorin zu lesen, da ihre Geschichten immer eine Auszeit vom Alltag bedeuten. Gute englische Cosy-Literatur eben.

Daher kann ich auch dieses Buch wieder empfehlen und hoffe sehr, dass die Autorin uns noch lange mit weiteren Büchern aus ihrer Feder beschenkt.

[Rosalie · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF
I am a huge fan of Katie Fforde’s and have read all of her books. However lately some of them just aren’t’ up to her usual standard and this is one of them. I found the characters to be too shallow and some felt familiar as if we have met them before. Katie Fforde’s books are usually better constructed and all the plot twists and turns believable, and most of the characters likeable. I know it was set in 1963, but I still felt that Lizzie’s mother was a major pain. I f she was my mother I would flee to London as well. In addition the book was either too long or there was very little action as it dragged, which is why I did not finish it. This just didn’t give me the pleasure that most of Katie Fforde’s books do. Sad as I have read all of her books and enjoyed most of them.

[Akcherrybomb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lizzie has her life mapped out for her by her mother - learn cooking to be able to become a good wife, marry a man of class who can provide for her.  Lizzie doesn't want the same as her mother, she wants to live her life a little first and make her own choices.

She moves to London for cookery school and gains independence, her eyes are opened go the world, she gains new friends and a man catches her eye.

Light, easy, engaging read.

[Emily Chambers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple yet effective! This book follows the life of a young girl in the 60's. Sent on a cooking course to 'better' herself and become a more suitable choice of bride. I can't honestly believe how different life was not even that long ago! Great if your looking for something light to read in the garden!

[Sven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Al enige tijd loop ik te schreeuwen dat ik meer feelgood wil gaan proberen maar nooit komt het ervan. Maar tijdens een zoektocht in de lokale ruilkast kwam ik een boek tegen van de Britse auteur Katie Fforde. Had die naam al verschillende keren zien passeren op verschillende social media platformen. Dus waarom eens niet proberen.

Katie Fforde haar naam is eigenlijk Catherine Rose Gordon-Cumming. Geboren in 1952 maar haar boeken kwamen pas op de markt vanaf 1995. Fforde is ook stichter van een organisatie die auteurs bijstaat die nog op zoek zijn naar een uitgeverij. Fforde gebruikt veel van haar eigen ervaringen in haar boeken. Veel van die boeken zijn verfilmd in Duitsland.

Ik las het boek met de titel Een feestelijke dag. Een boek uit 2022. Als ik het goed heb haar 42ste boek. Dus tijd om dit boek eens aan een kritische blik te onderwerpen. Misschien de vraag „waarom kritisch? “ Awel mijn wederhelft vond het boek niet bijzonder en ik wou wel eens weten of ik het boek met andere ogen bekeek of niet.

Het verhaal

Lizzy is net naar Londen verhuist en is vastberaden het beste ervan te maken. Haar moeder is meer bezig met het zoeken van een geschikte echtgenoot en het plannen van het perfecte huwelijk. Maar Lizzy wil liever eerst nog wat lol maken.
Ze knipt haar haren kort, haar jurken nog korter en verhuisd met twee vriendinnen naar een licht verwaarloosd huis in een welvarende wijk Belgravia. Lizzie geniet zodanig van haar opwindende nieuwe leven dat ze de trouwplannen van haar moeder vergeet. Het enige wat haar wat aan het wankelen maakt is de jongeman waarop ze verliefd is. Maar die blijkt al verloofd te zijn met een ander.

Mijn gedacht

Allereerst, ik deel niet volledig de mening van mijn wederhelft. (Jaja, ik weet, een man die ingaat tegen zijn vrouw neemt een risico. Nee , grapje) Ik vond hem niet slecht. Natuurlijk niet de spanning die ik in mijn normale genres tegenkom, maar stressvrij lezen.

Het verhaal zit wel goed in elkaar. Ik vond alles goed volgbaar, maar zag hier en daar verschillende lijnen reeds aankomen. Maar voor mij stoort dit niet in dit genre. Bij thrillers stoor ik mij daar meer aan. Maar hier? Nee, alles oké.

Sommige personages had ik wel wat meer willen weten over hun achtergrond. bij bv Alexandra, wordt een geschiedenis gecreëerd waar ik meer wou van weten.

De personages zijn trouwens goed uitgewerkt. Allemaal hun eigen karakters, hun eigen afkomst.

De liefde, die volgens mij hoort bij feelgood, is aanwezig zonder dat hij te klef aanvoelt. Niet teveel smoesh smoesh. Wel een liefde die moet opboksen tegen vooroordelen. De liefde moet moeite doen en wordt dan nog in vraag gesteld.

Het einde is goed zonder voor nog veel verassingen te zorgen.

Conclusie

Ik vond hem niet slecht. Moeilijk te vergelijken omdat ik nu zelf nog niet veel boeken gelezen heb in dit genre. Wat voorspelbare verhaallijnen en een happy ending. Zelfs geen idee of happy ending standaard is in feelgood verhalen. Goeie personages, goed uitgewerkt en dit alles tegen de achtergrond van het swingende Londen van 1963 waar men verwacht dat kinderen de familietradities blijven volgen, trouwen binnen hun stand en vooral hun ouders niet voor schut zetten tegenover hun vrienden.

In de toekomst proberen nog meer feelgood te gaan lezen en ik zal wel nog een boek van Fforde halen uit de bib ergens in de toekomst.

[Tali Vaisbart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the setting of old Britain, something different from the modern day society; a very good escape

[Caroline Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new Katie Fforde novel is a wonderful gift particularly at this point in our lives. I have been reading (and listening to) Katie's books ever since Wild Designs came out and, as a Library Assistant, it appeared on my trolley for shelving. I borrowed it that day and have never looked back.

The thing about Katie's novels is that she never lets her readers down, she doesn't just rehash tired old plotlines, each novel is well written, witty and well researched. That being said, when you buy a new Katie Fforde you know that the story will be uplifting and it won't be full of bad language and over detailed sex scenes.

Her latest offering, A Wedding in the Country, takes us to 1963 and London as it started to swing. Lizzie is in London to attend a cookery school for a few weeks in order to further her mother's plans for her to marry a 'suitable' young man and chain herself to 1950s style domesticity for life. Lizzie is to stay with her mother's sister but, when Lizzie takes the plunge, has her hair cut into one of the geometric cuts and buys herself a new dress with a short hemline, Lizzie's aunt decides that she is far too much competition to have her living in her flat with her. Lizzie moves in with two of the girls from her course, into a shabby but huge Belgravia mansion and her life opens up before her.

I loved this book, it's romantic, amusing, and in my opinion, one of the best that Katie Fforde has ever written. I couldn't put it down and recommend it with all my heart, perfect for fans of Erica James.

[Roberta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Katie Fforde’s books for many years now, so I was excited to receive a review copy of A Wedding in the Country.

I was slightly confused as I managed to miss the description saying that the book is set in the 60s, and so I kept expecting it to switch back to current times.

I really enjoyed the friendship aspect of this book. The way the three (and eventually four) girls and David support each other is great. I didn’t enjoy the romance as much as I normally do with this author. I think it was simply that Lizzie and Hugo CHECK didn’t have enough interaction time to really convince me. It all felt rushed. However, this was dictated by the circumstances.

I found the way that Lizzie was treated by everyone other than her friends really upsetting. She also seems a little passive for my liking, though she does have a quiet determination on the things that matter to her, which is admirable.

Overall, this story had a lovely friendship, a gentle romance, and a happy ending, but I felt the whole way through as though I were navigating some foreign land that I didn’t quite understand. I think if you’ve read the description properly, you will enjoy this book a lot more than I did! It’s a lovely, gentle read, mostly.

I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

[Georgia Hennigar · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quite possibly the worst book I’ve ever read... the storyline had potential but parts of it were completely unnecessary (I’ve you’re going to spend so many times mentioning about Alexandra’s relatives, at least have them appear in end story at some point), and others just unbelievable.. the dialogue was strained at best, woeful at worst. I just couldn’t enjoy this book and it felt like a chore to read. Completely missed the mark.

[Chrys · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Katie Fforde but this one was slightly off mark for me. The leading lady was so very young and naive, and the story was very quaint, it felt very old fashioned. I liked the friendship angle, but even this aspect hit every cliché.
It was a gentle read and I think it's going to be popular with people who remember the 60s, but I was a bit disappointed.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 4 ⭐️

Another lovely romantic read from Katie Fforde. Well rounded likeable characters.
Thoroughly enjoyed it. I would highly recommend to family and friends.

Many thanks to the publishers via NetGalley for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

[Marloes Nijland · Rating 2 out of 5]

Een extreem langzame opbouw naar een toch aardig tweede deel. Hoewel de statige schrijfstijl past in het tijdsbeeld van de jaren zestig, is het allerminst aantrekkelijk voor feelgood van deze tijd.

[Kaitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was sweet! A very quick and easy read despite it being over 400 pages. While the plot was not overly substantial and very slow-paced, I still managed to read it quickly and enjoy what I was reading. It was just a sweet romance/coming-of-age novel. I like that it was set in the 1960’s, I’ve never read a book set in that decade before.
The friendship between Lizzie, Meg and Alexandra was very sweet and I loved seeing the three personalities become so close. Vanessa was lovely and David was just amazing!
Hugo was a very good guy and really stepped up when he was needed. He was very romantic and I liked him for Lizzie.
I think that the author really excellently contrasted the traditionalist parents with the children searching for themselves in a changing modern society. Although I really did hate Lizzie’s parents at a particular point (or for most of the story, let’s be honest here).
Lizzie as a main character was great; I liked seeing her growth from a sheltered country girl to a woman who could stand her ground and know who she is. Sometimes I feel like she was way too naïve but I think in this case it worked for her.

I liked the ending, the story stayed exciting until the very end, which was great! However, I feel that the ending was kind of incomplete (elaboration in the spoiler section)

7/10

Spoiler section:

(DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK)


The pregnancy trope had no real use here. Yes, it drove the plot forward and made the pace a bit faster, but that was it. Like, “I’m pregnant” and then the pregnancy was completely forgotten with the wedding, and she didn’t even have the baby by the end of the book?! I would’ve liked an epilogue with Lizzie, Hugo and their baby. I feel like that would’ve ended the book perfectly.

[Ritu Bhathal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read and enjoyed many Katie Fforde books over the years, and was thrilled to be given an opportunity to read an ARC of A Wedding in the Country.
Fforde's books tend to be set in more contemporary times, so it was a pleasant change to read a novel written entirely in the 60s.
Lizzie, or Elizabeth, as her mother insists she be called, has come to London to take a course in cooking and certain skills that become a young lady, and gives her that extra 'something' when she is looking for an eligible groom.
Lizzie is not that interested in getting married, just yet, but the thought of coming to London, and widening her very narrow horizons, gives an air of extra excitement to the whole adventure.
Along the way, she makes new friends and ends up living in a house with her new friends, in the rather affluent Belgravia area.
It's not only new friends that she makes, but she gathers a couple of admirers, too.
And she manages to find herself in quite a predicament...
I enjoyed reading the story, immensely and loved certain characters, like David, the not-quite closet homosexual housemate Lizzie has.
A lovely, easy read.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House and Cornerstone UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review,

[Fátima Perera · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not really into romantic books, but as this was a gift, I gave it a try. It's really easy to read it, and I liked that the plot, as simple as it is, didn't get stuck on unnecessary or absurd points (which could be quite annoying). However, I honestly didn't like the finale. Personally, I think it finishes quite abruptly, and everything happens too fast, especially in the last chapter. I was enjoying the book, but the last chapter kinda ruined it.

I've read some comments about Lizzie and how she deserves a slap and things like that, but c'mon, people. She's basically a teenager who has lived in the country (during the sixties) her whole life. What do you expect of her? To act like the adult she is not? 😅

Anyway, I give the book 3/5 stars. It's fine if you wanna read something easy and distracting