Just A Family Affair

Honeycote #3

by Veronica "Henry See more titles by Veronica Henry

The Liddiard family are well known in the Gloucestershire village of Honeycote - and now there is to be a big wedding. But will everything go according to plan? Lucy Liddiard knows her husband is no saint, but isn't prepared for his latest confession. Bride-to-be Mandy has no idea what joining the Liddiards really means. And local girl Mayday, wild child, rebel and free spirit, is thinking the unthinkable - with unimaginable consequences...

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Romance, Contemporary

321 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Pepperpots · Rating 2 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this book but have decided to give it 2 * simply because the story involving Mayday and Patrick annoyed me. The way that story concluded made no sense. I am all for unpredictability in books but that doesn't mean I want illogical.

[Lily · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a book that I found to be highly disappointing as compared to the first Honeycote book. I read the first one when I was still in my teens and it was borrowed from a small little library and I LOVED it. Absolutely adored the first one with all the lovely characters who leaped up at me from the pages, their drama, the story of each family members and their friends...I just hated what I found in this book...WARNING, THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS SO DO NOT READ FURTHER IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED!!!

My main issue with this book is Patrick and Mandy's relationship. In the first book, Patrick fell utterly in love with Mandy because she is kind, sincere and naturally beautiful. In THIS book they made Patrick fall in love with Mayday! Mayday who was barely even mentioned in the first Honeycote and whom everyone in the book passed off as a skanky nympho who would do just about ANYONE. She was the woman who taught Patrick all he needed to know in bed and she was like the go-to-gal if he ever needed a good shag...They never mentioned anything about them being best mates! She helped him out once to set up a room for Mandy and him to do the deed and that's about it! Like, when were they besties??? It threw me off completely and utterly!

I loved Mandy from the first book so much that I seriously burst into tears at the part where Patrick sorta almost leaves Mandy at the altar when he finally understands that Mayday was in love with him. It made me hate the guy so much...I wanted to kill him! I couldn't believe he even contemplated that! I was also exceedingly upset that Mandy's character barely got the time of day in this book...Her romance and Patrick's were my favourite part ever in Honeycote and now in Just a Family Affair, their romance seems to be fake and Patrick doesn't even truly marry her because he loves her...Ugh! And in Honeycote, he went above and beyond for Mandy. He changed completely to be with her and when they finally made love (thanks to the romantic setup by Mayday no less -_-), they BOTH said they saw fireworks! And Patrick even realised that he had never ever truly made love to anyone before Mandy. He had shagged, fucked, bonked women before but he had never ever truly made love with anyone and the experience really was immensely life changing for him (at least that's what the book implied). That would mean all of his exes, including flings like Mayday, he never ever had feelings for them at all. Not romantically.

I also HATED the ending of this book! Mayday wins the lottery and then she confesses her feelings to Patrick, he goes off to marry Mandy nonetheless and the experience breaks her heart into a million pieces...Then suddenly, after about three chapters at the very end of the novel, BOOM, we see her riding off with some sexy cop and we get a bit of narration that says something along the lines of 'Oh, I don't think I could really be with Patrick, y'know. Totally over him now! Can't ever imagine settling down, ugh! Having kids, yuck! Marrying into the Liddiards, gag!' WTF was all this then? Only a few chapters back you wanted to hug this man and beg him to stay with you and not get married! I just hated it all...To me, this book doesn't exist and I am just simply going to believe that only the first book exists and is true canon. This book is garbage and it belongs in the sewer.

[Valerie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't love this book. It wasn't terrible, but I just didn't care about anything that was going on in it. There were too many characters to really get attached to any of them. It was just very simple and merely ok.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately I didn't realise this was the third book in the series until half-way through, so I finished it rather than go back to it later. It's still enjoyable, though there was obviously a lot of backstory that I'd missed. It's a good read for when you're looking for something light and relaxing, well-written and the characters are interesting.

[Diana Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Veronica Henry books as the characters in them are so true to life with all of their bumps and bruises. This story definitely made you want to live in the English countryside in a small town whose activities center around the local brewery! Can't wait to finish this trilogy! (Although I read it backwards in order-ha!)

[Ria · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Liddiard family are on he eve of a important family wedding and everything seems like it has gone perfectly to plan but secrets are simmering below the surface...
Lucy Liddiard is shocked by her less than saintly husband's latest revelation, Patrick the groom is wrestling with his conscience in MORE ways than one and local wild child has some tricks up her sleeve to throw a spanner in the works.
Along with a whole host of other characters along for the ride this is going to be one unforgettable wedding day...

[MRS CHRISTINE SITTON · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved all the tangle relationships

Yet another book of Veronicas that I couldn't put down. The twists and turns and complications of all the relationships were so clever. It was so nice not to be able to work out which way things were going. The wedding itself was a real fairy tale. Makes you think about every woman feels about getting older and how they deal with it. Real girl power .

[geovana siqueira · Rating 1 out of 5]

spoiler!!
Não gostei mesmo.
Adoro veronica henry, mas ela conseguiu estragar a trilogia, que começou bem e foi decaindo a cada livro.
Achei horrível a história de patrick e mayday, os personagens não combinaram, não tiveram química e tampouco empatia e não convenceram. Inventar que mayday ficou rica no final foi ridículo.
Também não gostei do desenrolar da história de kay.
Enfim, foi uma decepção, e não sei se lerei VH tão cedo!!

[Bookread2day · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just A Family Affair is a very good read. I really enjoy reading Veronica Henry's books.

[Hayley Marsland · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third and final book in the delightful Honeycote series.

I think I enjoyed this one the most out of the three, but they were all really good books to be fair.

All of the characters from the previous two books are back again and as always, it seems in Honeycote, there is a lot going on, it definitely does not fall into the 'sleepy Gloucestershire village' category, by any stretch of the imagination.

There is a big wedding about to take place in the Liddiard family,and who knows whether everything will go to plan ?

We all know by now that Mickey Liddiard is no saint, but his latest confession is really pushing the boundaries this time.

Bride to be, Mandy really must wonder what marrying into the family really entails.

Wild child Mayday ( who is probably my favourite character ) hasn't calmed down all that much, and although she doesn't get the 'happy ending' she might secretly have been longing for, she does get something, that has the potential to change her life for good.

A fabulous end to a fabulous series.

[Novelle Novels · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gets 4 out of 5 stars.
This book has a real sense of family which is why I picked it up however it looses one star on its rating due to the fact it has too many lead characters so you get lost within them. This does mean you jump from one characters individual story to another’s. I did love the way the author interlinked them very well. You have a fireball character in mayday Perkins, a loveable mother figure in Lucy then the rogue men of the liddiard men who all live on their morals rather than the morals that they should have. I love the way you see the characters flaws but also the way they help each other. The biggest lesson in this book is what secrets need to be uncovered and which ones should be left as they are. Sometimes we all need to remember this as honesty isn’t always the best policy and sometimes the truth will cause too much damage.

[Marion · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having only read one other Veronica Henry novel (which I quite liked), I found this book a disappointment. There is hardly any dialogue between the numerous characters in this story; almost all written in the narrative style, which I don't enjoy. You can't get to really know a character without the dialogue. I read every word of the first 50 pages, then skimmed over the rest of the novel and still got the gist of the story. Disappointing, but I will try at least one more Veronica Henry before giving up on her.

[Glenys · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Liddiard family are well-known in the village of Honeycote - and now there is to be a big wedding. Lucy Liddiard knows her husband is no saint, but his latest confession takes some beating ( his ex mistress returns with his child in tow) Patrick and Mandy are getting married, Mayday is in love with Patrick but they are supposed to be good friends, Mayday's Nan has died and left her a winning lottery ticket... which she uses to set herself up in Business. She already was the manager of one of the Liddiard familys hotels, now she is buying into the brewery.

[Sarah Goodfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Omg! Lots going on! 3rd part of the trilogy. Honeycote ales is in financial trouble again, kay, now widowed comes back with an unexpected bombshell for the liddiards, many and Patrick are getting married, but will Mayday change Patrick's mind? She's got a secret too. Caroline gets arrested in Spain on Mandys hen do. Ginny is seduced by a Spanish johnny depp look a like that was set up by Sandra. Her plan back fired. Keith has a lot on his plate and doesn't want her back, he loves ginny. And Lucy is still a Saint for putting up with micky and his ways.
There's still a happy ending!

[Linda O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

This the third & final book of this series. This book mostly centered around the wedding of Patrick & Mandy. Also a few surprises are in store. Whilst some of the characters, are toying with the idea of betraying their partner. Each of these books is quite different from the other. Some of the characters are endearing, others are annoying & others don't think about the outcome of their actions. I loved all this series & I hope they'll be another book sometime. Even if it's only a novella.

[Andrea Boulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book amongst the many I have and thought the synopsis read ok, not realising it was the 3rd book of the series

I really enjoyed the story and the characters within, especially Mayday. She added depth to the characters and despite not getting the ending she possibly wanted, she got the ending that could be so much better

This was a book I would read again so will stay on my bookshelves forevermore

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book more then the first two. The characters are familiar with the exception of Mayday and Alejandro but only one of those characters was semi important. The behaviors aren't as shocking this time around and neither are the responses various characters have in various situations. It was a good end to the Honeycote story and I'm glad that I kept reading the trilogy.

[Adél Olivier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book became better towards the end. You see yourself in every character, depending on gender, but you can still relate. I hate that Patrick and Mayday didn't end up together, but adore the idea of him living with regret for the remainder of his life for not choosing right and not being and man and takes what he truly wants. He is a gentleman, but also a coward, caring too much what people would think of him and his family. Would love to see this turned into a movie. I'll go watch it.

[Negin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, as I often do with all the Veronica Henry books. It was fun, engaging, and a great escape-type read. However, there was one part of the ending that disappointed me. This was the last in the Honeycote trilogy, and although I preferred the other two, I’m quite happy to be done with them. A few of the characters had started to annoy me.

[Kathleen Neely · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved book! Love reading about this family and this sweet town. Sad to be finished with the Honeycote series.

[Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this book; lots of twists and turns; lots of characters and developments to keep up the interest to the very end. This is one of my favourite Veronica Henry books.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful story. I was not sure which way I wanted this to end, but by the time the story did close, I was very happy with it.

[Jo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't realise this was the third book in a series because it was poorly advertised on the cover. 😔

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it loved it loved it. Believable characters, well written, fast paced plot. My kind of book. Read the whole series from beginning to end. (Check order of titles as they have been changed)

[Sara Matilda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it but didn’t really think the ending concluded this 3rd book feel there was plans to do a 4th but never happened ? Maybe I am wrong

[Keanes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. Liked the Patrick and Mayday relationship. Great ending.

[Juliet · Rating 4 out of 5]

not as good as the other 2 in this series but still a good book

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful series. I loved it.

[Kanwar Rajinder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice book

[Elizabeth Dewfall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect ending to the trilogy everything nicely wrapped up