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Finding Old Thatch
The inspiring new memoir from bestselling author Victoria Connelly.
Having left the busy London suburbs and moved to a village in rural Suffolk, author Victoria Connelly thought all her dreams had come true. But after nine years, it’s time to leave Mulberry Cottage for a new adventure.
Victoria and her husband are absolutely not looking for a thatched cottage but, when they discover Old Thatch, they completely fall under its spell. With its five-hundred year old beams, wisteria-clad walls and pretty cottage garden, it’s the perfect country retreat. But what’s life really like in a listed building with sloping floors, wonky windows and a roof made of straw?
Illustrated with beautiful colour photographs, this is the latest instalment of Victoria’s country adventures!
Praise for Victoria Connelly’s Mulberry Cottage
'Enchanting.' —Erica James
'Victoria Connelly is writing in the tradition of Miss Read and bringing the pleasures of the countryside to a whole new generation.' —Leah Fleming
'A heartwarming read.' —Cosybooks
'Yet another delightful book… Bluebell picnics, cherry picking parties, village fetes, and homemade cakes, a garden full of roses and, of course, lots of hens!' —Amazon reader
'A fascinating glimpse into the heart of a nature-lover.' —Caroline Lawrence
'An absolute delight.' —Amazon reader
Having left the busy London suburbs and moved to a village in rural Suffolk, author Victoria Connelly thought all her dreams had come true. But after nine years, it’s time to leave Mulberry Cottage for a new adventure.
Victoria and her husband are absolutely not looking for a thatched cottage but, when they discover Old Thatch, they completely fall under its spell. With its five-hundred year old beams, wisteria-clad walls and pretty cottage garden, it’s the perfect country retreat. But what’s life really like in a listed building with sloping floors, wonky windows and a roof made of straw?
Illustrated with beautiful colour photographs, this is the latest instalment of Victoria’s country adventures!
Praise for Victoria Connelly’s Mulberry Cottage
'Enchanting.' —Erica James
'Victoria Connelly is writing in the tradition of Miss Read and bringing the pleasures of the countryside to a whole new generation.' —Leah Fleming
'A heartwarming read.' —Cosybooks
'Yet another delightful book… Bluebell picnics, cherry picking parties, village fetes, and homemade cakes, a garden full of roses and, of course, lots of hens!' —Amazon reader
'A fascinating glimpse into the heart of a nature-lover.' —Caroline Lawrence
'An absolute delight.' —Amazon reader
- GenresNonfictionMemoir
140 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2022
126 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Connelly
67 books508 followersVictoria Connelly grew up in Norfolk before attending Worcester College where she studied English Literature. After graduating, she worked her way through a number of jobs before becoming a teacher in North Yorkshire.
In 2000, she got married in a medieval castle in the Yorkshire Dales and moved to London. Five weeks after their wedding, her husband, a television news cameraman, was sent to Israel. Convinced something terrible would happen to him, she came up with the idea for a novel about a young widow who starts seeing angels on her desk at work, but was scared to write it in case she tempted fate. It was only years later that her husband admitted to having a bullet graze his shirt sleeve whilst filming in Israel!
Although having had articles and short stories published, it was only when Flights of Angels was published that Victoria was able to realise the dream of becoming a professional writer. Published as Unter deinem Stern in Germany, the novel was made into a film for television by award-winning Ziegler Film. Her second novel, The Unmasking of Elena Montella (Wenn es dich gibt), was published in 2007 and her third, Three Graces (Wohin mit der Liebe), was published in 2009. All three magical romantic comedies are now available as ebooks.
Her first novel to be published in the UK – Molly’s Millions – came out in 2009. This was followed by a trilogy about Jane Austen addicts: A Weekend with Mr Darcy, The Perfect Hero (US title: Dreaming of Mr Darcy) and Mr Darcy Forever.
The Runaway Actress was published in April 2012 and she is currently working on another romantic comedy, Wish You Were Here.
In 2000, she got married in a medieval castle in the Yorkshire Dales and moved to London. Five weeks after their wedding, her husband, a television news cameraman, was sent to Israel. Convinced something terrible would happen to him, she came up with the idea for a novel about a young widow who starts seeing angels on her desk at work, but was scared to write it in case she tempted fate. It was only years later that her husband admitted to having a bullet graze his shirt sleeve whilst filming in Israel!
Although having had articles and short stories published, it was only when Flights of Angels was published that Victoria was able to realise the dream of becoming a professional writer. Published as Unter deinem Stern in Germany, the novel was made into a film for television by award-winning Ziegler Film. Her second novel, The Unmasking of Elena Montella (Wenn es dich gibt), was published in 2007 and her third, Three Graces (Wohin mit der Liebe), was published in 2009. All three magical romantic comedies are now available as ebooks.
Her first novel to be published in the UK – Molly’s Millions – came out in 2009. This was followed by a trilogy about Jane Austen addicts: A Weekend with Mr Darcy, The Perfect Hero (US title: Dreaming of Mr Darcy) and Mr Darcy Forever.
The Runaway Actress was published in April 2012 and she is currently working on another romantic comedy, Wish You Were Here.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 22, 2022
Lovely charming book this. It’s all about Victoria’s search for a house and the thatched cottage they do find and eventually get. She’s obviously a great gardener and loves the area she lives in and doesn’t mind difficulties with the house itself being very old and protected. Makes me want to go and visit and see her garden.
July 21, 2022
Perhaps I had too high expectations for this book? I really wanted to love this book! I read another title from this author and was deeply touched by her ability to set the scene and make the characters feel like people that you genuinely care about and miss once you put your book upon your shelf. "The Beauty of Broken Things" was a book I will carry with me inside for the rest of my life.
I am a great lover of thatch cottages and the English countryside, having discovered such in the Miss Read "Thrush Green" and "Fairacre" series, so I was enchanted by the prospect of truly visiting one through the eyes and senses of the author of "The Beauty of Broken Things". Sadly, the story felt a little flat for me.
Yes, there were elements that took me in! Had the author allowed her imagination to tarry upon various details that painted pictures, evoked the senses of the reader, this could have been a wonderful book worth reading again and again! As it is, it feels more "matter of fact" and has little of the enchantment I had hoped to be emersed in after reading her other book. It felt so disappointing that I am not sure when I will pick up another title by the author, much to my great disappointment.
*I read the paperback version of this book, but I could not locate it here on goodreads.
I am a great lover of thatch cottages and the English countryside, having discovered such in the Miss Read "Thrush Green" and "Fairacre" series, so I was enchanted by the prospect of truly visiting one through the eyes and senses of the author of "The Beauty of Broken Things". Sadly, the story felt a little flat for me.
Yes, there were elements that took me in! Had the author allowed her imagination to tarry upon various details that painted pictures, evoked the senses of the reader, this could have been a wonderful book worth reading again and again! As it is, it feels more "matter of fact" and has little of the enchantment I had hoped to be emersed in after reading her other book. It felt so disappointing that I am not sure when I will pick up another title by the author, much to my great disappointment.
*I read the paperback version of this book, but I could not locate it here on goodreads.
February 24, 2025
Wonderful.
Author Victoria Connelly and her Artist hubby Roy had swapped busy life in London for an idyllic country cottage, and absolutely loved their new life. I loved all three books in the Mulberry Cottage Series, and thought they wouldn't ever want to leave. But here she is with a new series, and it seems a new country home. I can't wait to hear about Old Thatch.
This book is in the same style as those gorgeous books, and I was hooked from the first page. Beautifully told, with some lovely colour photos included too.
This does tell you a bit about Mulberry Cottage, so you don't necessarily have to have read the books in that series before this- but I heartily recommend them!
Lovingly told, so you can't help getting caught up in the delight of it all. Finding new homes and moving is an everyday thing, everyone does it, so this could have been a very ordinary book- but the way she tells it all, with her beautiful words, it's just so special. That's why I have read all of Victoria Connelly's memoirs, one after the other.
Author Victoria Connelly and her Artist hubby Roy had swapped busy life in London for an idyllic country cottage, and absolutely loved their new life. I loved all three books in the Mulberry Cottage Series, and thought they wouldn't ever want to leave. But here she is with a new series, and it seems a new country home. I can't wait to hear about Old Thatch.
This book is in the same style as those gorgeous books, and I was hooked from the first page. Beautifully told, with some lovely colour photos included too.
This does tell you a bit about Mulberry Cottage, so you don't necessarily have to have read the books in that series before this- but I heartily recommend them!
Lovingly told, so you can't help getting caught up in the delight of it all. Finding new homes and moving is an everyday thing, everyone does it, so this could have been a very ordinary book- but the way she tells it all, with her beautiful words, it's just so special. That's why I have read all of Victoria Connelly's memoirs, one after the other.
March 8, 2022
If you've never read English novelist Victoria Connelly's books, then you are in for a treat. I've been reading her novels for years as well as her books about her own home, Mulberry Cottage. I just finished her new one, Finding Old Thatch, this afternoon and it is wonderful. They have moved homes into one with a thatched roof and it sounds amazing. In this book you can just picture the gardens and surrounding area as well at her home as you read. And there are lots of interesting facts about thatched homes too. It's well worth the read!
October 25, 2022
Book four, follows on from Mulberry Cottage series
Real life treechange memoirs are one of my favourite genres. Victoria Connelly's chronicles are a gently recounted and well-rounded account of the things she has a passion for... English country village life, interesting old houses, battery hens, well-loved dogs, gardens, landscape, books and an eclectic mix of day-to-day. A celebration of bucolic life.
Real life treechange memoirs are one of my favourite genres. Victoria Connelly's chronicles are a gently recounted and well-rounded account of the things she has a passion for... English country village life, interesting old houses, battery hens, well-loved dogs, gardens, landscape, books and an eclectic mix of day-to-day. A celebration of bucolic life.
March 10, 2022
A brilliant relaxing read
Reading this book , especially at this awful harrowing time; early March 2022, I was able to take myself into the Suffolk countryside and picture the thatched pink cottages . Just for a few short hours immerse myself in glowing warmth away from the realities the time we are in
Reading this book , especially at this awful harrowing time; early March 2022, I was able to take myself into the Suffolk countryside and picture the thatched pink cottages . Just for a few short hours immerse myself in glowing warmth away from the realities the time we are in
March 6, 2022
A easy readable account of how Victoria and Roy find their new home.
Not really wanting to leave their old home they set off to find a new one when developers start encroaching on their surroundings.
Looking for an ideal home sometimes means compromise, but maybe you dont have to always compromise.
Not really wanting to leave their old home they set off to find a new one when developers start encroaching on their surroundings.
Looking for an ideal home sometimes means compromise, but maybe you dont have to always compromise.
June 17, 2022
Its like reading a documentary.
April 13, 2023
Good book but not what I expected. More like a biography.
August 15, 2024
Finding Old Thatch
I enjoyed reading this book, learning about Thatch houses
living in Sussex, learning about the nice people in the villages.
I enjoyed reading this book, learning about Thatch houses
living in Sussex, learning about the nice people in the villages.
March 31, 2023
Finding Old Thatch
What a beautiful story, I couldn’t put it down, it really was an easy informative and lovely read, I will start reading the next book tomorrow, looking forward too it, 😀👍👏👏
What a beautiful story, I couldn’t put it down, it really was an easy informative and lovely read, I will start reading the next book tomorrow, looking forward too it, 😀👍👏👏
March 20, 2022
An enchanting account of finding a 500 year old cottage in Suffolk and falling in love with it, finally managing to buy it and move in. Very enjoyable.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews