What do you think?
Rate this book
The Country Village Allotment
A heartwarming and uplifting summer read for fans of Heidi Swain and Phillipa Ashley, by the author of The Country Village Christmas Show , The Country Village Summer Fete and The Country Village Winter Wedding .
At eighty-two years old Zelda Grey is tired. Tired of how much slower she is physically and mentally. Tired of technology. Tired of being alone since her beloved cat, Flint, died just before Christmas. And tired of life. The only thing that brings Zelda joy these days is her allotment in the gorgeous village of Little Bramble, where she has lived her whole life, and her three cranky goats.
Widow Mia Holmes always loved visiting Little Bramble Allotment with her husband, Gideon. But since his death she can't motivate herself. Despite putting on a brave face for her three sons and four grandchildren, she's reached breaking point, and isn't sure she can carry on.
And history teacher Liz Carter thought she had it all. The perfect job, perfect boyfriend in Rhodri and the perfect wedding to plan. Until she found Rhodri in bed with the neighbour. Holed up in her sister's box room she wonders how it all went so wrong. As she wallows in her misery, her sister takes her in hand and drags her to Little Bramble Allotment and suddenly she discovers the wonders of planting, growing and getting her hands dirty.
In an increasingly lonely world, these three women strike up an unlikely friendship and find that community, female friendship and the wonders of nature can truly be powerful healers.
At eighty-two years old Zelda Grey is tired. Tired of how much slower she is physically and mentally. Tired of technology. Tired of being alone since her beloved cat, Flint, died just before Christmas. And tired of life. The only thing that brings Zelda joy these days is her allotment in the gorgeous village of Little Bramble, where she has lived her whole life, and her three cranky goats.
Widow Mia Holmes always loved visiting Little Bramble Allotment with her husband, Gideon. But since his death she can't motivate herself. Despite putting on a brave face for her three sons and four grandchildren, she's reached breaking point, and isn't sure she can carry on.
And history teacher Liz Carter thought she had it all. The perfect job, perfect boyfriend in Rhodri and the perfect wedding to plan. Until she found Rhodri in bed with the neighbour. Holed up in her sister's box room she wonders how it all went so wrong. As she wallows in her misery, her sister takes her in hand and drags her to Little Bramble Allotment and suddenly she discovers the wonders of planting, growing and getting her hands dirty.
In an increasingly lonely world, these three women strike up an unlikely friendship and find that community, female friendship and the wonders of nature can truly be powerful healers.
283 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 8, 2023
8 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
April 14, 2024
This was fabulous The Allotment by Cathy Lake was a light enjoyable read that I thoroughly enjoyed the characters endearing, likeable it’s a story about friendship that will not be broken.
Zelda is 82 years old she is tired physically & Mentally of technology, tired of being alone her only companion a cat 🐈⬛ she lost just before Christmas.
Zelda Gray lived in a huge Victorian house in a village called Little Bramble.
Liz Carter shares a house with Rhodry Langley they are having problems which puts a strain on their relationship.
Mia is still trying to get over the death of her beloved husband Gideon she stays home & is not ready to face the world until Liz Zelda & Mia decide to take life on full time, they go to yoga together have coffee ☕️ mornings & meet at the allotment that Zelda goes to look after her plants, vegetables etc they are all different ages but that doesn’t stop them from becoming great friends till the very end.
I loved this book it was about friendship & the everlasting memories they share together yes Mia & Liz have flaws… but hey don’t we all highly recommended.
Zelda is 82 years old she is tired physically & Mentally of technology, tired of being alone her only companion a cat 🐈⬛ she lost just before Christmas.
Zelda Gray lived in a huge Victorian house in a village called Little Bramble.
Liz Carter shares a house with Rhodry Langley they are having problems which puts a strain on their relationship.
Mia is still trying to get over the death of her beloved husband Gideon she stays home & is not ready to face the world until Liz Zelda & Mia decide to take life on full time, they go to yoga together have coffee ☕️ mornings & meet at the allotment that Zelda goes to look after her plants, vegetables etc they are all different ages but that doesn’t stop them from becoming great friends till the very end.
I loved this book it was about friendship & the everlasting memories they share together yes Mia & Liz have flaws… but hey don’t we all highly recommended.
February 23, 2024
I loved revisiting Little Bramble, catching up with everyone, such a heartwarming community. I really enjoy Cathy Lakes books and I’m a huge fan of this series.
Who knew I would enjoy reading about an allotment 😂 I bloody loved it! ‘Three women strike up an unlikely friendship and find that community, female friendship and the wonders of nature can truly be powerful healers.’ 🥰
Cathy always creates these down to earth and relatable characters that you can’t help but take into your heart. This story focuses on Zelda, Mia and Grace. Three generations of women and for different reasons all three women feel a sense of loneliness so I was truly uplifted to read how they find each other and gain strength from their beautiful friendship. Loved it!
I listened to this on audiobook and narrator Julie Teal has such a calming voice and with such a positive uplifting storyline this really was the perfect read to fight off those January blues!
Now.. I need to find myself an allotment 😂
Who knew I would enjoy reading about an allotment 😂 I bloody loved it! ‘Three women strike up an unlikely friendship and find that community, female friendship and the wonders of nature can truly be powerful healers.’ 🥰
Cathy always creates these down to earth and relatable characters that you can’t help but take into your heart. This story focuses on Zelda, Mia and Grace. Three generations of women and for different reasons all three women feel a sense of loneliness so I was truly uplifted to read how they find each other and gain strength from their beautiful friendship. Loved it!
I listened to this on audiobook and narrator Julie Teal has such a calming voice and with such a positive uplifting storyline this really was the perfect read to fight off those January blues!
Now.. I need to find myself an allotment 😂
May 2, 2023
How enjoyable it was to venture into the lives of these three very different yet very loveable women! Confirming the tendency to depict the counter urbanisation that seems to be prevailing in contemporary literature, we follow Zelda and Mia, who’ve lived in Little Bramble (the name of their village) for a while, helping Liz navigate her heartbreak and fall in love with the life in the countryside.
I found the beginning rather funny and absorbing, with a few hints here and there at some secrets that I was very curious to find out about. Despite some passages being a little bit predictable, along with a quite naive view of life in general, I let myself be carried along this sweet story of female friendship, heartbreak and heart mending through love, care, working the land and baking delicious cakes. There were a couple of chapters towards the middle that seemed somewhat dispensable, but the last few chapters picked up a nice and pleasant pace again.
Although I noted a few mistakes here and there (wrong name or wrong word used for example), along with some stylistic features that seemed a bit clumsy to me, I think the author’s style is refined and enjoyable to read, sprinkled with some delicate and beautiful metaphors or descriptions of nature.
I’d recommend this book if you are looking for a heartwarming, lighthearted and feel-good read for the summer!
I thank NetGalley and Zaffre Books for the opportunity to read this Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
I found the beginning rather funny and absorbing, with a few hints here and there at some secrets that I was very curious to find out about. Despite some passages being a little bit predictable, along with a quite naive view of life in general, I let myself be carried along this sweet story of female friendship, heartbreak and heart mending through love, care, working the land and baking delicious cakes. There were a couple of chapters towards the middle that seemed somewhat dispensable, but the last few chapters picked up a nice and pleasant pace again.
Although I noted a few mistakes here and there (wrong name or wrong word used for example), along with some stylistic features that seemed a bit clumsy to me, I think the author’s style is refined and enjoyable to read, sprinkled with some delicate and beautiful metaphors or descriptions of nature.
I’d recommend this book if you are looking for a heartwarming, lighthearted and feel-good read for the summer!
I thank NetGalley and Zaffre Books for the opportunity to read this Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 27, 2025
Too many cliches for me - thank the lord one of her new mates had a cottage going spare and the other new mates son was the fittest, loveliest bloke and she ended the book in a relationship … as dull as the dialogue.
Dialogue which also included it being good you were going for a run as you’d had cake - diet culture at its finest.
Not the light read I wanted.
Dialogue which also included it being good you were going for a run as you’d had cake - diet culture at its finest.
Not the light read I wanted.
June 15, 2023
Loved revisiting Little Bramble and catching up with the residents of this lovely community. The characters were fated to meet and they bonded over fresh air and hard work at the allotment fuelled by cake. A beautiful uplifting story about friendship and community which made me immediately want to put my name down for an allotment.
August 15, 2025
What a cutie book! I loved all the characters and the village 🥹
March 19, 2025
Heerlijk feelgood boek in de Engelse countryside met cottages, thee, bakken, vriendschap met wel een wat onrealistisch tijdsverloop!
September 23, 2023
I have so enjoyed this series, I can't believe that this was my last ( ?? ) visit to Little Bramble, with all its fabulous inhabitants.
In this instalment though we meet three women, they are all very different from one another, but they do have one thing in common, they are all grieving in some way, be it the loss of a loved one, or the end of a relationship, but the women, Zelda, Mia, and Liz, are about to strike up an unlikely friendship.
Liz is a history teacher, and after discovering her fiance in bed with their next door neighbour, she has a complete meltdown at work, this sees her fleeing to Little Bramble, and holing up in her sisters spare bedroom.
Eighty two year old Zelda, has lived on her own for a number of years, her only regular visitor is Marcellus the postman, but Zelda does take joy from her little allotment in the village, even though she does struggle physically these days.
Mia also loved visiting the allotment with husband Gideon, but since he passed away, she is floundering slightly, and staying motivated is hard.
But now the three have gotten to know each other better, and sharing the common ground ( sorry pun unintentional ) that is the allotment, they begin to find that community, female friendship and the great outdoors are all potential healers.
This is a fabulous book, and if it is to be the last, then I'm genuinely a bit sad, because it's an absolutely fantastic series, I've loved every single book without exception.
If you haven't yet had the pleasure of reading these books, then seriously add them to your wish lists, pop them onto your teetering tbr stacks, but do buy them, and do get them read, because you're in for a very warm welcome to Little Bramble, and if you're anything like me you won't want to leave.
As always I suggest reading in order for maximum enjoyment.
In this instalment though we meet three women, they are all very different from one another, but they do have one thing in common, they are all grieving in some way, be it the loss of a loved one, or the end of a relationship, but the women, Zelda, Mia, and Liz, are about to strike up an unlikely friendship.
Liz is a history teacher, and after discovering her fiance in bed with their next door neighbour, she has a complete meltdown at work, this sees her fleeing to Little Bramble, and holing up in her sisters spare bedroom.
Eighty two year old Zelda, has lived on her own for a number of years, her only regular visitor is Marcellus the postman, but Zelda does take joy from her little allotment in the village, even though she does struggle physically these days.
Mia also loved visiting the allotment with husband Gideon, but since he passed away, she is floundering slightly, and staying motivated is hard.
But now the three have gotten to know each other better, and sharing the common ground ( sorry pun unintentional ) that is the allotment, they begin to find that community, female friendship and the great outdoors are all potential healers.
This is a fabulous book, and if it is to be the last, then I'm genuinely a bit sad, because it's an absolutely fantastic series, I've loved every single book without exception.
If you haven't yet had the pleasure of reading these books, then seriously add them to your wish lists, pop them onto your teetering tbr stacks, but do buy them, and do get them read, because you're in for a very warm welcome to Little Bramble, and if you're anything like me you won't want to leave.
As always I suggest reading in order for maximum enjoyment.
June 16, 2023
Three ladies, of varying ages, each with their own personal tragedies, become firm friends and their lives are altered for all time. I loved this gentle book. It's beautifully written and you can feel their sadness and joy. The focal meeting area is the allotment which is transformed, as are they by hard work, love and friendship. In one instance, the two older ladies visit the man who threatened to remove their names from the allotment plots due to Zelda's age and Mia who, recently widowed, found she was to lose the allotment because her husband's name was on the contract. On visiting the home of the man, they found that he and his wife were overwhelmed with the recent birth of triplets. The older ladies helped and one of the babies was put into the arms of Zelda. Her emotion was so great that she wept, and even though I knew nothing of the back story until much later, so did I. Highly recommend this title and the series. Narrator was excellent.
September 21, 2025
I was hoping this book would be profound and beautiful, when unfortunately it felt like it was doing nothing more than going through the motions, a disrespect to it's wonderful premise.
The characters are surface level and dull to read about and from the POVs from, their dialogue- much like the rest of the book- feeling very obvious, with no subtlety or nuance. I would read the exact same thing on one page than on the one right before it. This book's characters are seemingly whittled down to their past and how they feel about it.
A constant cycle in the book is one of the characters talking about how sad they are about something, then some other character patting them on the back and telling them it's ok to not move on immediately from a tragic event. Very not riveting stuff. The book seriously feels like it could've been a quarter of its size, when really I think the true problem was a lack of focus on the interesting parts of the story. Every single one of the women's backstories are far more interesting than the story itself, which felt very stiff and awkward to read through.
The non-dialogue feels as if it was all written by the same older person. You'd think in a story with multi-generational POVs, each opinion each character had on the world would be different, with their experiences with everyday reality making it seem like they're in different universes. But no.
For just one example, How is a 35 year old in the 2020s talking about how a woman is expected to have her own independence 'these days'?? She was born at the latest in the late 80s! And practically raised herself alongside her sister! Yes, she was a history buff (might explain that more conservative comment in her inner monologue, but a lot of female and male history buffs I know are actually very progressive individuals and like researching history to learn from it, so) but it felt like the only time that part of her character was substantially used was when older parts of the village were weakly described. I feel if Liz truly wanted to write a history book, she would be very passionate and specific about which topic this history book would be on, especially considering how much relentless and difficult research is required for drafting a non-fiction book alone. There is a reason why- normally- veterans in their respective careers are typically the only ones who can write sufficient works of non-fiction based on their subject.
TL;DR: This book's writing felt very undercooked, but I wouldn't be surprised if this is an anomalous result of Cathy Lane's writing. It felt like every single fact of it was nearly there, just missing the line that needs to be crossed to write a cathartic story to read. I did appreciate that this book was filled with empathy for every single character.
The characters are surface level and dull to read about and from the POVs from, their dialogue- much like the rest of the book- feeling very obvious, with no subtlety or nuance. I would read the exact same thing on one page than on the one right before it. This book's characters are seemingly whittled down to their past and how they feel about it.
A constant cycle in the book is one of the characters talking about how sad they are about something, then some other character patting them on the back and telling them it's ok to not move on immediately from a tragic event. Very not riveting stuff. The book seriously feels like it could've been a quarter of its size, when really I think the true problem was a lack of focus on the interesting parts of the story. Every single one of the women's backstories are far more interesting than the story itself, which felt very stiff and awkward to read through.
The non-dialogue feels as if it was all written by the same older person. You'd think in a story with multi-generational POVs, each opinion each character had on the world would be different, with their experiences with everyday reality making it seem like they're in different universes. But no.
For just one example, How is a 35 year old in the 2020s talking about how a woman is expected to have her own independence 'these days'?? She was born at the latest in the late 80s! And practically raised herself alongside her sister! Yes, she was a history buff (might explain that more conservative comment in her inner monologue, but a lot of female and male history buffs I know are actually very progressive individuals and like researching history to learn from it, so) but it felt like the only time that part of her character was substantially used was when older parts of the village were weakly described. I feel if Liz truly wanted to write a history book, she would be very passionate and specific about which topic this history book would be on, especially considering how much relentless and difficult research is required for drafting a non-fiction book alone. There is a reason why- normally- veterans in their respective careers are typically the only ones who can write sufficient works of non-fiction based on their subject.
TL;DR: This book's writing felt very undercooked, but I wouldn't be surprised if this is an anomalous result of Cathy Lane's writing. It felt like every single fact of it was nearly there, just missing the line that needs to be crossed to write a cathartic story to read. I did appreciate that this book was filled with empathy for every single character.
June 25, 2023
The Country Village Allotment by Cathy Lake
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Zaffre and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Blurb
At eighty-two years old Zelda Grey is tired. Tired of how much slower she is physically and mentally. Tired of technology. Tired of being alone since her beloved cat, Flint, died just before Christmas. And tired of life. The only thing that brings Zelda joy these days is her allotment in the gorgeous village of Little Bramble, where she has lived her whole life, and her three cranky goats.
Widow Mia Holmes always loved visiting Little Bramble Allotment with her husband, Gideon. But since his death she can't motivate herself. Despite putting on a brave face for her three sons and four grandchildren, she's reached breaking point, and isn't sure she can carry on.
And history teacher Liz Carter thought she had it all. The perfect job, perfect boyfriend in Rhodri and the perfect wedding to plan. Until she found Rhodri in bed with the neighbour. Holed up in her sister's box room she wonders how it all went so wrong. As she wallows in her misery, her sister takes her in hand and drags her to Little Bramble Allotment and suddenly she discovers the wonders of planting, growing and getting her hands dirty.
In an increasingly lonely world, these three women strike up an unlikely friendship and find that community, female friendship and the wonders of nature can truly be powerful healers.
My Opinion
When I started my blog, this was one of the first series that I started reviewing so it has been lovely to return to the village if Little Bramble, but it is possible to read this book as a standalone. This is a beautiful, uplifting read about friendship and community - it also shows how just talking to people can help to ease their loneliness.
Zelda, Mia and Liz are all very different characters but they complimented each other making for a fantastic read.
Rating 4/5
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Zaffre and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Blurb
At eighty-two years old Zelda Grey is tired. Tired of how much slower she is physically and mentally. Tired of technology. Tired of being alone since her beloved cat, Flint, died just before Christmas. And tired of life. The only thing that brings Zelda joy these days is her allotment in the gorgeous village of Little Bramble, where she has lived her whole life, and her three cranky goats.
Widow Mia Holmes always loved visiting Little Bramble Allotment with her husband, Gideon. But since his death she can't motivate herself. Despite putting on a brave face for her three sons and four grandchildren, she's reached breaking point, and isn't sure she can carry on.
And history teacher Liz Carter thought she had it all. The perfect job, perfect boyfriend in Rhodri and the perfect wedding to plan. Until she found Rhodri in bed with the neighbour. Holed up in her sister's box room she wonders how it all went so wrong. As she wallows in her misery, her sister takes her in hand and drags her to Little Bramble Allotment and suddenly she discovers the wonders of planting, growing and getting her hands dirty.
In an increasingly lonely world, these three women strike up an unlikely friendship and find that community, female friendship and the wonders of nature can truly be powerful healers.
My Opinion
When I started my blog, this was one of the first series that I started reviewing so it has been lovely to return to the village if Little Bramble, but it is possible to read this book as a standalone. This is a beautiful, uplifting read about friendship and community - it also shows how just talking to people can help to ease their loneliness.
Zelda, Mia and Liz are all very different characters but they complimented each other making for a fantastic read.
Rating 4/5
July 17, 2023
This is fast becoming a favourite series, I couldn't get enough of this book. From the first few pages, and especially once we were in Little Bramble, I felt right at home.
There is something about this community that I really feel at home in, and I loved meeting out three new heroines - Zelda, Mia and Liz.
Well technically it took a couple of chapters to get used to the fact that the character focus and viewpoint would change multiple times in a chapter, but once I got my head around that, and more importantly started to identify and remember the three characters, it was a joy.
Three generations of women, who find each other when they are at their lowest ebbs, and form an instant friendship. It was beautiful to see, and I loved getting to know all of them. Especially Zelda, our octogenarian, who is full of life, but clearly has secrets in her past.
Also loved Liz, well once she stopped pining over her ex fiancee, and started trying to get involved in life in Little Bramble. I also enjoyed seeing how she reconnected with her sister and nieces.
This has such a gentle feel to the book, but it suits the content. It's a relaxing sort of a book to read, and it's incredibly enjoyable. I loved my time spent between these pages, and I just hope there will be more to this series which is getting even better with each book.
Thank you to Zaffre and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
There is something about this community that I really feel at home in, and I loved meeting out three new heroines - Zelda, Mia and Liz.
Well technically it took a couple of chapters to get used to the fact that the character focus and viewpoint would change multiple times in a chapter, but once I got my head around that, and more importantly started to identify and remember the three characters, it was a joy.
Three generations of women, who find each other when they are at their lowest ebbs, and form an instant friendship. It was beautiful to see, and I loved getting to know all of them. Especially Zelda, our octogenarian, who is full of life, but clearly has secrets in her past.
Also loved Liz, well once she stopped pining over her ex fiancee, and started trying to get involved in life in Little Bramble. I also enjoyed seeing how she reconnected with her sister and nieces.
This has such a gentle feel to the book, but it suits the content. It's a relaxing sort of a book to read, and it's incredibly enjoyable. I loved my time spent between these pages, and I just hope there will be more to this series which is getting even better with each book.
Thank you to Zaffre and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
August 30, 2025
This is a typical feel-good story where the characters face different challenges but come together to find peace and healing.
I really enjoyed this novel; it helped immensely that the narrator was Julie Teal, who has a particularly soothing voice, which made listening to this book an absolute pleasure. The story itself is about three women, all in different stages of life, and all suffering from loss and looking for a way to go forward with their lives. When the three women become friends, their lives take on new meaning, and all three of them begin to live again.
The restorative power of friendship has been wonderfully depicted, and this is a story that leaves you with a feel-good feeling once you have finished, not to say there isn't a lot of drama before we get to that lovely conclusion, because there certainly is!
The character development is wonderfully depicted, and these characters are very relatable. I have to say I am fondest of Zelda, who has perhaps the most heartbreaking story of all of them.
I really enjoyed this novel, and I will certainly be reading more books from this author.
I really enjoyed this novel; it helped immensely that the narrator was Julie Teal, who has a particularly soothing voice, which made listening to this book an absolute pleasure. The story itself is about three women, all in different stages of life, and all suffering from loss and looking for a way to go forward with their lives. When the three women become friends, their lives take on new meaning, and all three of them begin to live again.
The restorative power of friendship has been wonderfully depicted, and this is a story that leaves you with a feel-good feeling once you have finished, not to say there isn't a lot of drama before we get to that lovely conclusion, because there certainly is!
The character development is wonderfully depicted, and these characters are very relatable. I have to say I am fondest of Zelda, who has perhaps the most heartbreaking story of all of them.
I really enjoyed this novel, and I will certainly be reading more books from this author.
August 30, 2025
audiobook review - from the Oh Look, an Audiobook, Book Club
Oh, how I loved this book. It was one that I really looked forward to listening to while doing the washing up!
The story revolves around friendship, specifically between three women at different stages of their lives, who are each struggling with their own sorrows. After finding her fiancé in bed with a man, Liz runs away to her sister's house in the charming village of Little Bramble. While she licks her wounds, Liz strikes up an unlikely friendship with two other women.
Mia, with children grown, is trying to come to terms with the death of her beloved husband. She puts on a brave face, but she misses him terribly.
Zelda is in her eighties, and apart from her animals, she lives a very lonely life, that was until she became friends with Liz and Mia.
This story will really pull at the heartstrings. I was especially moved by Zelda's story. But it is also a very uplifting one that shows the healing power of friendship.
If you like a real feel-good read, then this book is an absolute must.
Oh, how I loved this book. It was one that I really looked forward to listening to while doing the washing up!
The story revolves around friendship, specifically between three women at different stages of their lives, who are each struggling with their own sorrows. After finding her fiancé in bed with a man, Liz runs away to her sister's house in the charming village of Little Bramble. While she licks her wounds, Liz strikes up an unlikely friendship with two other women.
Mia, with children grown, is trying to come to terms with the death of her beloved husband. She puts on a brave face, but she misses him terribly.
Zelda is in her eighties, and apart from her animals, she lives a very lonely life, that was until she became friends with Liz and Mia.
This story will really pull at the heartstrings. I was especially moved by Zelda's story. But it is also a very uplifting one that shows the healing power of friendship.
If you like a real feel-good read, then this book is an absolute must.
September 28, 2023
It was good enough for a light read. Predictable, as one would expect. I would have given it four stars, but I didn't much like the main protagonist. **SPOILERS** Her love interest, Joel, is painted as attentive, kind and patient. The protagonist, whose name escapes me just days after I finished reading, was self-consumed. You could see from the very beginning that Joel was meant to be the protagonist's reward for realizing that her earlier relationship had been a mistake. All I could think, as the story played out, was that she was getting the sweet end of that relationship. I saw nothing in her that would attract such a mate. She brought nothing to the table that would make his life better, other than her friendly relationship with his mother--and since his mother was kindly, any girl he would have dated would have had that going for her. Authors take note: Romance protagonists need to bring something to the love interest, and not just gain from the relationship!
August 30, 2025
Oh Look, an Audiobook, Book Club: Book of the Month
This is a beautiful story that captures the very essence of the healing power of friendship. Three women, who could not be more different, find an unlikely friendship. Liz is trying to come to terms with the fact that she won't have the wedding or the family she had been dreaming about, not after finding her fiancé in bed with another man. Mia is trying to come to terms with the death of her husband. And at eighty-two, Zelda has been alone for longer than she can remember. But through the power of friendship, these three women's lives are changed forever.
Firstly, let's talk about the narrator, Julie Teal. Julie really brings this story to life; she brings the right kind of emotions to this story and is an absolute pleasure to listen to.
The story itself will have you laughing one moment and wiping the tears away in another. It is a very powerful story and one that I enjoyed immensely.
This is a beautiful story that captures the very essence of the healing power of friendship. Three women, who could not be more different, find an unlikely friendship. Liz is trying to come to terms with the fact that she won't have the wedding or the family she had been dreaming about, not after finding her fiancé in bed with another man. Mia is trying to come to terms with the death of her husband. And at eighty-two, Zelda has been alone for longer than she can remember. But through the power of friendship, these three women's lives are changed forever.
Firstly, let's talk about the narrator, Julie Teal. Julie really brings this story to life; she brings the right kind of emotions to this story and is an absolute pleasure to listen to.
The story itself will have you laughing one moment and wiping the tears away in another. It is a very powerful story and one that I enjoyed immensely.
September 19, 2025
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
I haven't read any of the other books in this series; whilst this made sense as a standalone there were references to other characters which meant reading the others would have given a better overview.
There seemed to be some big gaps in time, a week would pass without note, but there were also some strange lapses such as Liz climbing the stairs to speak to Demi and this was never followed up. I was very surprised to read that Liz was thirty-five as her thoughts of Rhodri 'getting this out of his system', reconciliation and rebuilding their relationship seemed totally unrealistic and rather bizarre. These negatives are balanced by the lovely friendship built between the women, and the village characters.
I thought this was pleasant read, but not outstanding.
I haven't read any of the other books in this series; whilst this made sense as a standalone there were references to other characters which meant reading the others would have given a better overview.
There seemed to be some big gaps in time, a week would pass without note, but there were also some strange lapses such as Liz climbing the stairs to speak to Demi and this was never followed up. I was very surprised to read that Liz was thirty-five as her thoughts of Rhodri 'getting this out of his system', reconciliation and rebuilding their relationship seemed totally unrealistic and rather bizarre. These negatives are balanced by the lovely friendship built between the women, and the village characters.
I thought this was pleasant read, but not outstanding.
August 6, 2023
A Beautiful Story
What a great story this was, heartwarming, feel good and emotional at times, simply a joy to read.
This could easily be made into a great film.
I loved the characters and how they developed during the story.
An inspiration to many this book will be and at the heart of this, is the friendship that grew amongst the 3 main characters of different ages .
The author is brilliant at writing these stories, which always come from the heart. A story of hope when at times it is only despair.
If this is your first book, read the others she has written, you will not be disappointed.
I just loved it and therefore 5/5 for me and I look forward to the next story in Little Bramble.
What a great story this was, heartwarming, feel good and emotional at times, simply a joy to read.
This could easily be made into a great film.
I loved the characters and how they developed during the story.
An inspiration to many this book will be and at the heart of this, is the friendship that grew amongst the 3 main characters of different ages .
The author is brilliant at writing these stories, which always come from the heart. A story of hope when at times it is only despair.
If this is your first book, read the others she has written, you will not be disappointed.
I just loved it and therefore 5/5 for me and I look forward to the next story in Little Bramble.
August 31, 2023
We are back in the lovely village of Little Bramble which I have 'visited' before I just wish it was for real as I would want to move in!.
Liz had a perfect life or so she thought. Her soon to be husband cheated on her, she had an argument with the head of the school where she worked. She takes leave from work and goes to stay with her sister and family. Here she meets 82 year old Zelda and Widow Mia. After a time Liz begins to settle into village life and begins to enjoy herself again. Liz meets a son of Mia when she takes ill in the street, He is a paramedic. We learn all about the lives of the three women who gel well.
It is a lovely read and can recommend it, I have no hesitation in giving 5*
Liz had a perfect life or so she thought. Her soon to be husband cheated on her, she had an argument with the head of the school where she worked. She takes leave from work and goes to stay with her sister and family. Here she meets 82 year old Zelda and Widow Mia. After a time Liz begins to settle into village life and begins to enjoy herself again. Liz meets a son of Mia when she takes ill in the street, He is a paramedic. We learn all about the lives of the three women who gel well.
It is a lovely read and can recommend it, I have no hesitation in giving 5*
July 21, 2024
This book had it all; people finding comfort with each other, a community coming together, stories of hope, and loving through grief, and multiple generations of women finding comfort and companionship in each other. I just loved it.
My *only* complaint is something that really has nothing to do with the author; this book was marketed to me as an 'LGBTQ+ Romance', where the romance in question took up the smallest of side plots, and was more to get one of the main characters moving than a plot of it's own. That meant I came into this book with certain expectations that just weren't quite met for me, but instead, I found a gorgeous book of people just existing together, and it brought me great peace instead.
My *only* complaint is something that really has nothing to do with the author; this book was marketed to me as an 'LGBTQ+ Romance', where the romance in question took up the smallest of side plots, and was more to get one of the main characters moving than a plot of it's own. That meant I came into this book with certain expectations that just weren't quite met for me, but instead, I found a gorgeous book of people just existing together, and it brought me great peace instead.
May 3, 2023
A beautiful read. I quickly became absorbed in reading this book. I loved that it was three women’s point of view, each at different stages of their lives. We started off with Liz, we got all her heartache story from the start and the rest if her story was her building a new life, Mia and Zelda were a bit different, we got their back story and heartache in chunks as we watch them forge ahead and give friendship and strength to each other. I loved being back in Little Bramble again and the community was great, I loved how Kyle helped bring them all together.
A beautiful story about love, grief and friendship.
A beautiful story about love, grief and friendship.
March 12, 2024
I loved this book, read it in one day as it’s a super easy read. It took me a bit of time to get into at first but once the paths of these three women started to intertwine, I was hooked. It was such a beautiful story of how friendship can help people heal from the deepest of hurts. Three women of different generations bonding over their struggles, loves, good food and village life. This book is very quaint small village vibes, where you get to know the locals, and I love that type of read! I would like to read more from this author.
October 7, 2024
This one caught my eye at the library so I picked it up to read over the next few days. I hadn't realised it wasn't the first in a series, but having not read any previous books in the series didn't hamper my enjoyment of this one. I loved getting to know the characters and seeing how they interacted and how the village came to life around them. It's not a deep philosophical or action-packed book but rather a feel-good look into the lives and relationship of its three main characters, and it was just what I needed and left me smiling. I will definitely be back to read the rest of the series!
April 18, 2023
The country village allotment is a real feel good heartwarming read that totally resonated with me!
The wonderful joy, support and camaraderie of female friendship groups can never be underestimated coupled with a healthy appetite for home baked cakes and a joint outside venture on the allotment what more could you wish for!
A really entrancing read that I would highly recommend.
Thank you netgalley fir this early read.
The wonderful joy, support and camaraderie of female friendship groups can never be underestimated coupled with a healthy appetite for home baked cakes and a joint outside venture on the allotment what more could you wish for!
A really entrancing read that I would highly recommend.
Thank you netgalley fir this early read.
June 7, 2023
Such a lovely book filled with some really great characters who come together and share their own experiences with grief. On their own they are struggling, but fate brings them together and this helps each of them with their issues, and their blossoming friendship helps them overcome their heartaches and gives them something positive to focus on.
I do enjoy books with multi aged characters, I love seeing situations from the different age groups, and it was particularly heartwarming to see the strength of friendship developing.
I was intrigued with all the characters, and was keen to read on to find out what they were doing and how things were panning out for them.
A fantastic setting made this an enjoyable experience and I will definitely read more from this charming series.
I do enjoy books with multi aged characters, I love seeing situations from the different age groups, and it was particularly heartwarming to see the strength of friendship developing.
I was intrigued with all the characters, and was keen to read on to find out what they were doing and how things were panning out for them.
A fantastic setting made this an enjoyable experience and I will definitely read more from this charming series.
February 6, 2026
4.5/5
Lovely, wholesome and uplifting book!
Especially liked that the three friends were each from a different generation, with their own heartbreaks, methods of support and sage wisdoms.
Set in idyllic village, who wouldn't want to live in that flourishing community.
Only quibble was a few 'forced opinions' from the author in a couple of places which broke the spell of the book at times, though likely well-meaning.
Lovely, wholesome and uplifting book!
Especially liked that the three friends were each from a different generation, with their own heartbreaks, methods of support and sage wisdoms.
Set in idyllic village, who wouldn't want to live in that flourishing community.
Only quibble was a few 'forced opinions' from the author in a couple of places which broke the spell of the book at times, though likely well-meaning.
May 31, 2023
Sadly I found this lacked something for me and I found myself skim reading a lot of it. I didn’t really connect with Liz as I found I really wanted to shake her. I did like the idea of the three women from different generations and different grief coming together to become friends but there wasn’t enough plot line to keep me hooked. It was nice enough story but a bit flat for me.
May 14, 2023
This is one of those very special books that you wish you could read for the first time over and over again.
I finished it over two days and throughly fell in live with the village of Little Bramble and its residents.
This book is the perfect feelgood summer read.
January 7, 2024
Super cosy book
I loved the three generations & how they interacted with one another & the message the book sends.
It was easy listening & enjoyable
It had me wanting to find out what happened to the characters !
I loved the three generations & how they interacted with one another & the message the book sends.
It was easy listening & enjoyable
It had me wanting to find out what happened to the characters !
January 5, 2025
A very easy read about new beginnings and building relationships, the age gap friendships added a little more depth. Definitely a cozy read but needs to have an increase in its pace however I did enjoy reading this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews