A Sense of Belonging

by Erica James

Cholmford Hall Mews is far more than an exclusive home to its new inhabitants. In their different ways, all the newcomers to Cholmford are searching for something—love, peace, a sense of belonging. But will they find more than they bargained for?

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Chick Lit, Womens Fiction, Roman

528 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 1, 1998

About the author

With an insatiable appetite for other people's business, Erica James will readily strike up conversation with strangers in the hope of unearthing a useful gem for her writing. She finds it the best way to write authentic characters for her novels, although her two grown-up sons claim they will never recover from a childhood spent in a perpetual state of embarrassment at their mother's compulsion.

The author of nineteen bestselling novels, and the winner of the 2006 Romantic Novel of the Year Award, Erica divides her time between Suffolk and Lake Como in Italy.

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four houses in a new development are occupied over a period of a week or two. There's a married - but rather incompatible - couple, with a social-climbing wife. There's an unmarried, but apparently very compatible couple - he's nearly fifty, and very gentle, while she is considerably younger, but the only problem appears to be his glamorous ex-wife, who still works with him.

Then there's Jessica, a writer, who we first meet in Corfu as she finishes her novel, and then leaves the philandering man she was living with, flying back to the UK in part to care for her mother (who is extremely independent and has no wish to be cared for).

Finally, there's Josh, a personable young man who works with his brother in the clothing industry. He seems rather an abrupt, shy kind of person but we soon discover that he has a serious medical problem which impinges on his life in different ways.

It's a character-driven novel, with a lot of sub-plots that mostly work out well in the end. Fairly predictable, but enjoyable all the same for a good light read at a busy time of year.

Latest longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...

[Maureen Vincent-Northam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Sense of Belonging is based around the inhabitants of Cholmford Hall Mews – four houses in an 18th century converted barn.

The story opens with main character Jessica Lloyd, a writer who is about to leave her home in Corfu, along with an unsatisfactory relationship, to be near her mother in Cheshire. Jessica becomes one of the Mews’ residents – the others being Kate and Alec (a beautiful woman much younger than her recently divorced partner), Amanda and Tony (a marriage of convenience) and the somewhat brusque Josh who has a debilitating health problem.

Each of the four families have obstacles and difficulties to overcome; there's sadness, but some parts of the book were very funny – I was particularly taken with Jessica’s mother and her antics and Ruth, Alec’s married daughter, is the daughter from hell!

A thoroughly enjoyable read from Erica James.

[Elisabeth Bibbings · Rating 4 out of 5]

As ever, a light relaxing read from Erica James. A courtyard development is complete and the residents move in - and much like a Maeve Binchy, the different lives of the different family units or singles are explored.
There's Tony and Amanda, with Tony's charming daughter Hattie, newly married and already feeling the strain. There's Alec and Kate, deeply in love despite the age disparity and disapproval of Alec's grown-up children. There's Jessica, the famous novelist (Erica herself, possibly?)
And then there's mystery man Josh, who limps "from an old skiing injury". [Spoiler alert] Except it isn't, but he doesn't want anyone to know what causes his limp, or his words to come out slurred some days, and refuses to let brother Charlie or any of the family help him.
This book is more than Erica James' usual light chick-lit. It would probably help people coming to terms with family members or friends with a long-term life-limiting illness like MS. I certainly felt I learned a lot from it.

[Femke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dit is zo'n boek dat terwijl ik het lees ik ook het hele verhaal voor me zie. Alles wordt in detail beschreven waardoor je het gevoel hebt echt op ''Cholmford Hall Mews" te zijn. Het is mooi verhaal over verschillende levens die via hun nieuwe huizen bij elkaar komen. Vriendschap, liefde en drama alles komt voorbij en ik heb echt van dit boek genoten. Geen 5 sterren omdat sommige dingen net iets té voorspelbaar waren maar verder was het gewoon goed.

[Jenny L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good story by Erica James. The characters a mix of likeable and fairly unpleasant! A happy outcome, but one which kept you guessing throughout, if only to see how the author would resolve some of the weightier issues of the storyline. This story touched on the serious and debilitating illness of MS and gives you the reader some insight to that. Overall, definitely one I would recommend.

[Corinne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading this book for the past four months since a few hours before I gave birth to my daughter. For obvious reasons it was quite difficult to find time for reading with a newborn baby. However this book and its characters kept me wanting to dedicate every single minute available for reading. Quite a lovely story :)

[Marion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great Erica James story with lots of varied characters and how their lives interconnect. I enjoyed the story and will definitely add this to my "to be read and enjoyed again" pile!

[Phile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahhhhhhhhh Erica Erica Erica, you've done it again babes. She managed to end the book with a beginning and something about that is just delicious

[Lara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dull and badly written. All 'tell' rather than 'show' with each character ruminating endlessly about their motives and wondering what the other characters are thinking. The bored reader can't wonder themselves as we get to hear inside everyone's head. And when there is conversation it is of the 'would you like a coffee?', 'Yes, please'. 'With milk' 'yes please'. 'And sugar', 'yes thanks' variety.

[Bookguide · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light romantic comedy with a serious core about giving up on relationships that no longer work, burning your bridges and moving on. In a newly renovated suite of mews, the new neighbours meet and mingle and observe each other’s lives and relationships. Jessica has just returned from a life of backpacking, working as a ski instructor and tour guide, spending the last few years in Corfu. Now her mother, who lives in a nearby cottage. Jessica, a romantic novelist, feels it’s time to create a home and face the responsibility of caring for her mother Anna, who is perfectly happy leading her own active lifestyle. Copper-haired young librarian, recently made redundant, Kate has moved in with her older boyfriend Alec, whose horrendous daughter Ruth treats her with no consideration and sees her merely as handy childcare for her son Oscar. The same is true for the equally blunt Amanda, Tony’s second wife, who is only too keen to dump Tony’s daughter Harriet on the convenient unofficial babysitter Fortunately Kate is born to deal with children, hence it is all the sadder that Alec wants her all do o is focus on him; children? No thanks! The final house is occupied by the rather attractive Josh who has his own demons. Given this limited cast of characters, Erica James injects some romance, betrayal, family tensions, humour, sickness and some great repartee. Jessica’s mother Anna is wonderful as an older woman who is temporarily incapacitated by a broken wrist. Both Ruth and Amanda are recognisable moneygrubbers. The only surprise is the serious thread about sickness. Otherwise this novel is a slightly overlong story about relationships in a late 1990s setting, complete with references to food, television shows and informal speech; it’s the only book I’ve ever read that includes the insult ‘dick-head’ and mentions Reggie Perrin imagining his mother-in-law as a hippopotamus.

[John Aston - Dorset · Rating 5 out of 5]

No one died !
Erica James explores relationships,
psychology, ego, motivation and commitment.
Gratitude, convenience, lust and love.
Independence, knowing best, perspective,
the dangers of treading carefully, not
rocking the boat. Snapping is inevitable,
in the end, retaliation with a bigger stick,
if nothing else, shows limits, self respect
and honesty.
The difficult bit is knowing when,
compassion, sympathy, empathy, become an
excuse and causes motivation tor retaliation.

A complex analysis of the above,
within a genre and style of writing,
to beguile the reader as Women's Fiction/Humour.
Quite an achievement, best served with a
backing track from Jon and Vangellis....
No sarcasm or bedevilment here, I would
dare to say "I missed a lot of Ericas brilliance"
being only a poor male, mortaly flawed.
😀

[Sarah Hills · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've really enjoyed re reading this book from Erica. I enjoy her books as there is always quite a lot of meat in her stories.
We are introduced to six main characters and a good supporting cast too. There is just enough about each of them not to be confused with too much information.
The story is intriguing from the outset and it kept me wanting to read on to see what happens.
It's quite a long book at over 500 pages but so good it's well worth the read. It doesn't have wasted pages with lengthy reams of descriptive text - it is story all the way.
I'm sad to leave these characters here but as I said this was a re read so I was happy in a strange way to meet them all again!

[Lyn Ambrose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cholmford Hall Mews in the Cheshire countryside is an eighteenth century barn that is converted into four separate dwellings. Each of these new dwellings is occupied within one or two weeks of its completion. One is home to Kate Morris and her recently divorced much older partner Alec, who still works with his ex-wife. He also has to contend with a very demanding adult daughter Ruth. The second is home to Amanda Ferguson, Tony and Hattie. Tony's first wife recently died, leaving Tony to look after their young daughter Hattie on his own. Amanda feels she is existing in a marriage of convenience and is not a happy stepmother.

Meanwhile two single occupants live in the other two dwellings. One is handsome businessman Josh Crawford, who is trying to come to terms with a recent life changing event. The other is romance author Jessica Lloyd, who has recently returned home from an unsuccessful love affair while living in Corfu. Jessica's mother lives nearby and, as far as Jessica is concerned, her ageing Mum is living outrageously and not considering her own safety at all.

The persona of each of the occupants in Cholmford Hall Mews is examined in detail as they interact with each other and form different friendships and relationships. Betrayal, romance, drama, heartache and sincerity are all evident within this group of neighbours. The story is a truly enjoyable read and the conclusion provides a sense of great satisfaction.

[Venkataragavan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is as good a book as one can get to read, if the aforementioned one is indulgent on the genre of romance. No over-the-top cheesy dialogues between a-star-cross'd lovers. And that probably is why I like this book so much, and hopefully many will, for the same reason.

I have a liking for this genre written by a particular author X. Erica competes equally. While X has her USP at provoking emotions through words, Erica's lies in the construction of her sentences! I truly amazes a connoisseur of the English language.

[Paula Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Erica James novel that has absorbed me. The story of a newly built close of houses and their owners was a well written story that covered all aspects of humanity from the angry, to the mid life crisis to the bitch. Each has been written well and with depth, and there is an instant connection with the characters. My slightest niggle was the error in the vampire comment - it was Christopher Lee in the black cloak with red lining, not Vincent Price - he was more the mad scientist type. Sorry, but I am a Hammer Horror fangirl!

[Monica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Zat mij de hele tijd af te vragen wanneer er eens iets gebeurde, of dat het nog een beetje ging knetteren, of het verhaal van de grond afkwam. Maar er is gewoon geen verhaal. Het gaat over een groep mensen die samen in een nieuw gebouw gaan wonen. Je maakt kennis met de hoofdfiguren. Ieder hoofdstuk vanuit een ander perspectief. Ik moest mij dwingen om het uit te lezen.
Heel voorspelbare romances en zo saaaaaaai

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Sense of Belonging

This is a great read, it’s a interesting mix of characters, Josh’s ordeal with MS is understandable, and hopefully for anyone who has not come across it before, it will give them an understanding of the problems presented by it, not only for the suffer but also those closet to them. I loved Jessica and Anna part in the book,
A well deserved 5stars

[Anja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wat een prachtige, maar mooi liefdesverhaal.
Natuurlijk is het al snel duidelijk hoe de levensverhalen van de personages zullen eindigen. Maar ondanks dat is het duidelijk dat er liefde is, een liefdesverhaal niet altijd makkelijk is.

[Fanny · Rating 2 out of 5]

A cute, relaxing read for in between heavier books. I wonder if most people really react as calmly to news as they all did in the book. I sure wish they did, but I don't know many.
Not a book that wanders into my bookshelf to be read again, but I don't regret reading it either.

[Waltonb04 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going into this book I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy it as it was a bit older than some of my usual reads, but it was actually pretty good. The plotline was good and nearly all of the characters were likeable. Might be tempted to read another of Erica James' books.

[Greta Halliday · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really relaxing, easy to read book, it tells the story about a courtyard conversion in rural Cheshire and follows the lives of the inhabitants. Absolutely loved this book, just sorry it took so long to get round to reading it.

[Marijke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Een gezellig boek.

[Margaret Dando · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read

[Shelley S · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read!

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read by Erica James - lovely characters, interesting story line particularly with Josh and his illness. Thoroughly enjoyable.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good story and strong character development. Insightful. Humerous

[Carol Ball · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy reading for when on holiday
Easy to follow story line, a little predictable but still good book.

[Juliet · Rating 5 out of 5]

hard to read not because of the story but because the writing is so small

[Punit Sahani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story of 4 different characters brought in at the same place and how life plays along. Josh and Tony were my best of the 4.

[Shy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am still not sure whether I enjoyed this book or not. I have read her books before and I honestly don’t think I like her style very much. Anyways, I don’t think I would recommend