Book picks similar to
Escape to the Cotswolds by Natalie Kleinman
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Ella's Ice-Cream Summer
Sue Watson - 2017
Packing her bags (and a bigger one for the dog), Ella sets off for the seaside town of Appledore in Devon to re-live the magical summers of her youth and claim her portion of the family ice-cream business: a clapped-out ice-cream van and a complicated mess of secrets. There she meets gorgeous and free-spirited solicitor, Ben, who sees things differently: with a little bit of TLC he has a plan to get the van – and Ella – back up and running in no time. Ella’s Ice-Cream Summer is a heart-warming and hilarious romance that will scoop you off your feet and prove it’s never too late for a fresh start. The ideal holiday read for fans of Lucy Diamond, Abby Clements and Debbie Johnson. What people are saying about Sue Watson: ‘At one point I choked on my coffee I was laughing so much! ... with characters you really care about Sue Watson has written a book that will keep you captivated until the very last page.' The Book Review Café ‘Oh guys, this book wowed me totally! … It’s going to warm your heart, break your heart as well, and make you laugh. It’s a perfect mix of every feeling possible. It’s a compelling, captivating, optimistic read and I highly recommend it!’ On My Bookshelf ‘The story is just wonderful … It truly is heart-warming and hilarious, but also connected with serious issues …’ Liina Reads ‘This book is a delight, perfect for curling up with a glass of wine and a bar of chocolate or cupcake in hand. This was a fabulous, humorous, easy read which I devoured in two sittings.’ Shaz’s Book Blog ‘Sue Watson did it again! Every single word in her stories is sweetened with chocolate, vanilla and cupcakes and there is no way you'll feel down after reading them… Totally recommended!’ Chick Library Cat ‘Heartfelt and warm, and perfect for the holiday season. Highly recommended.’ Any Good Book ‘I never thought I'd laugh and cry as much as I did while reading this book. I wish I could give it 10 stars! I loved this story and hope others do too.’ The Final Chapter ‘I genuinely laughed out loud reading Bella's Christmas Bake Off. It was a lovely, relaxing read, and one that really cheered me up. It has the perfect recipe of laughter, happiness and a little romance thrown in… I absolutely loved this book, it is a fab Christmas read and I highly recommend it. I give Bella’s Christmas Bake Off 5 Stars.’ Tea Lady Mumbles ‘This does exactly what it says on the tin. It's funny and heartwarming, sad and heart-breaking, all at the same time.
Before and Again
Barbara Delinsky - 2018
Now she lives in Vermont under the name Maggie Reid, in a small house with her cats and dog. She’s thankful for the new friends she’s made―though she can’t risk telling them too much. And she takes satisfaction in working as a makeup artist at the luxurious local spa, helping clients hide the visible outward signs of their weariness, illnesses, and injuries. Covering up scars is a skill she has mastered.Her only goal is to stay under the radar and make it through her remaining probation. But she isn’t the only one in this peaceful town with secrets. When a friend’s teenage son is thrust into the national spotlight, accused of hacking a powerful man’s Twitter account, Maggie is torn between pulling away and protecting herself―or stepping into the glare to be at their side. As the stunning truth behind their case is slowly revealed, Maggie’s own carefully constructed story begins to unravel as well. She knows all too well that what we need from each other in this difficult world is comfort. But to provide it, sometimes we need to travel far outside our comfort zones.
A Country Rivalry
Sasha Morgan - 2019
For the ever-so dashing Lord of the Manor Tobias Cavendish-Blake and his new wife Megan, it's a great advertising opportunity as they've recently opened up their home, Treweham Hall, to the public. And for the chef at the local pub The Templar, Finula, the arrival of the brooding director Marcus Devlin, means her love life is looking up. Whilst at the racing stables, jockey and trainer Dylan Delaney is hoping the exposure will help him find new owners and horses for him and his partner Flora to train. But there is more to Marcus Devlin than meets the eye, and he has very personal reasons for heading to the Cotswolds. And once his plans become clear, life in Treweham may never be the same again.
'I couldn't put this book down and was gripped from the very first page! I was so engulfed in the characters and life in Treweham, that I actually felt a little lost when I had finished it' Amazon reviewer on A Country Scandal.
To Provence, with Love
T.A. Williams - 2017
She’s off to Provence to write the autobiography of a famous film star and she’ll be staying in the stunning chateau!So when she meets charming (and completely gorgeous) lavender farmer, Gavin, she knows that she’s made the right choice – even if glamourous, elderly Anabelle seems to be hiding something…But when the sun is shining, the food is delicious and the air smells of honey, anything seems possible. Will the magic of Provence help Faye finally find a happy-ever-after of her own?
Women Behaving Badly
Frances Garrood - 2012
Mavis is juggling caring for her elderly, confused mother alongside her long-standing affair with a hypochondriac father-of-two. And Gabs is a high-class escort who’s fallen in love with someone completely unattainable. All three women are behaving in ways very much frowned upon by the Catholic Church. But their priest, Father Cuthbert is determined to reform them. As the three women strike up an unlikely friendship, each re-evaluates what is most important them. And it seems the not-so-holy trinity of Alice, Mavis, and Gabs can’t be ‘cured’ that easily… WOMEN BEHAVING BADLY is an uplifting romantic comedy about women finding their identities and learning the value of female friendships. It is a holiday read about sex & relationships that is full of humour, wit and tear-jerking reality, from a strong voice in women’s fiction. ‘a deftly painted and witty story’ – Eliza Graham ‘an interesting story well told, with just the right amount of humour’ – librarianwithsecrets.blogspot.co.uk ‘Funny, clever, wry and poignant’ - randomthingsthroughmyletterbox.blogspot.co.uk ‘Frances Garrood is a magnificent writer’ - thebookbag.co.uk
The Love Square
Laura Jane Williams - 2020
But it can still be complicated…
Penny Bridge has always been unlucky in love.So she can’t believe it when she meets a remarkable new man.Followed by another.And then another…And all of them want to date her.
Penny has to choose between three. But are any of them The One?
The bestselling author of Our Stop will have you laughing, crying and cheering Penny on in this funny and feel-good exploration of hope, romance and the trust it takes to finally fall in love. Perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane’s If I Never Met You and Beth O’Leary’s The Flatshare.
Save My Daughter
Sam Vickery - 2021
I couldn’t relax. I couldn’t hear the theme park music, the giggles of my two other children. I’d left my baby in someone else’s care. And I knew I’d made a mistake…With her two beautiful children and newborn baby Ella, Lily’s life is full of love and laughter. She gave up her job to be a stay-at-home mother, and though she sometimes envies the freedom of best friend Hannah, Lily wouldn’t trade it for anything.But Lily’s world implodes when Hannah disappears with Ella one day, and Lily fears from the text message she receives that Hannah doesn’t intend to come back:You don’t deserve her.It’s true that Lily has been keeping secrets about her marriage from Hannah, ones she thought only she and her husband knew. Suddenly Lily realises that there are things she doesn’t know about Hannah too – and that by keeping her husband’s secrets, she might pay the ultimate sacrifice.A rollercoaster ride of emotions, Save My Daughter will break your heart. Fans of Jodi Picoult, Kate Hewitt and Diane Chamberlain will be swept away by Sam Vickery’s utterly gorgeous novel.
There's Something About Cornwall
Daisy James - 2017
Not only has her slimy ex cheated on her, he’s also stolen her dream assignment to beautiful Venice! Instead, Emilie is heading to the wind-swept Cornish coast…Emilie doesn’t think it can get any worse – until disaster strikes on the very first day! And there’s only one man to rescue this damsel in distress: extremely hunky surfing instructor, Matt Ashby.Racing from shoot to shoot in a bright orange vintage camper van, Matt isn’t the conventional knight in shining armour – but can he make all of Emilie’s fairy tale dreams come true?
The One With The Engagement Party
Erin Lawless - 2016
but her four bridesmaids are more full of secrets than champagne.Bea has barely gotten past the fact that her two best friends are seeing each other, and now they’re engaged, and Cleo is rather distracted by the hot new colleague she absolutely, definitely must not sleep with. Daisy is dreading the singles’ table, whilst Sarah’s own marriage hasn’t turned out to be all she hoped it would be...Follow Nora from proposal to altar starting with THE ONE WITH THE ENGAGEMENT PARTY, coming 10 June 2016.
The Girl's Guide to Getting Hitched
Sophie Hart - 2015
What could possibly go wrong? … Forget bridezilla, Aimee’s future mother-in-law is the stuff of nightmares – hell bent on taking over the wedding entirely. Worse still, her fiancé, Jon, seems oblivious. Aimee’s starting to wonder if she and her groom-to-be are right for each other after all… Body shy Debbie is on a mission. She’s determined to shed a lot of pounds before the big day. As the wedding inches closer, will the new Debbie lose sight of what’s really important? Gill loves Mike and their blended family of five kids to bits, but with a house full of teenage hormones and her eldest, Kelly, struggling with so much change, Gill is feeling the pressure... As the women bond over cake and a cuppa, can they each resolve their wedding woes before the big day? An uplifting, warm-hearted read packed with love, laughter and friendship. If you’re a fan of Jill Mansell, Milly Johnson or Lucy Diamond you’re in for a real treat.
Messy, Wonderful Us
Catherine Isaac - 2019
More than three decades later, it is found . . . by the last person who was ever supposed to see it.When Allie opens an envelope in her grandmother’s house, it changes everything she knows about her family – and herself.With the truth liable to hurt those she loves most, she hires a private detective to find out what happened to her late mother in the summer before Allie was born. Taking leave from her job as a research scientist, she is led to the sun-drenched shores of Lake Garda, accompanied by her best friend Ed. But the secrets that emerge go far beyond anything they were expecting. Now, Allie must find the courage to confront her family’s tangled past and reshape her own future.Messy, Wonderful Us is an enthralling and emotional story of human loss, love, friendship and the mystery that binds them all together from the bestselling authorof You Me Everything.
Crooked Little Lies
Barbara Taylor Sissel - 2015
A young man well known in their small town of Hardys Walk, Texas, Bo seems fine, even if Lauren’s intuition says otherwise. Since the accident two years ago that left her brain in a fragile state, she can’t trust her own instincts—and neither can her family. Then Bo vanishes, and as the search for him ensues, the police question whether she’s responsible. Lauren is terrified, not of what she remembers but of what she doesn’t.Unable to trust herself and unwilling to trust anyone else, Lauren begins her own investigation into the mystery of Bo’s disappearance. But the truth can prove to be as shocking as any lie, and as Lauren exposes each one, from her family, from her friends, she isn’t the only one who will face heart-stopping repercussions.
Falling for a French Dream
Jennifer Bohnet - 2021
After tragically losing her husband, Nicola Jacques and her teenage son Oliver relocate to his father’s family's olive farm in the hills above the French Riviera.Due to a family feud, Oliver has never known his father's side of the family but Grandpapa Henri is intent that Oliver will take over the reins of the ancestral farm and his rightful inheritance.Determined to keep her independence from a rather controlling Grandpapa, Nicola buys a run-down cottage on the edge of the family's Olive Farm and sets to work renovating their new home and providing an income by cultivating the small holding that came with the Cottage.As the summer months roll by, Nicola and Oliver begin to settle happily into their new way of life with the help of Aunts Josephine and Odette, Henri’s twin sisters and local property developer Gilles Bongars.But the arrival of some unexpected news and guests at the farm, force Nicole and Aunt Josephine to assess what and where their futures lie.This book was previously published as The French Legacy.
Five Go Glamping
Liz Tipping - 2015
I loved it!’ – Little Northern Soul The hilarious and heart-warming romantic comedy you need this year!
Glamping Check list
Festival tickets
Double check best Instagram filter
Avoid thinking about work/Connor/five year plan!!
A four day break from her hectic life to relax in the countryside and hang out at a local festival (for free!) is just what Fiona Delaney needs. With her best friends, great tunes and a cool looking hat her Instagram shots are going to look A-Mazing!Until suddenly glamping starts to feel a lot more like camping and Fiona’s in desperate search of a comfy chair, wi-fi and a chilled glass of wine. But when she finally makes it to the local pub she discovers this trip could be more than just a holiday, it might just change her life forever… What reviewers are saying about Five Go Glamping ‘Fun-filled, witty and uplifting, Five Go Glamping is a quick read but a memorable one. It features a great combination of friendship, romance and adventure and the story builds up vividly to the extent I felt like I was there myself, watching the madness unfold.’ – Reviewed the Book‘Liz Tipping’s writing style was great, it was fun, flirty, great characters and kept me thoroughly entertained with some wonderful witty words and some gorgeous heartwarming moments.’ – Kraftireader‘Believe me, if you are in a need of a book that’s going to make you laugh out loud, has style, glamour and interesting storyline – than do not look any further! Five Go Glamping is what you’re looking for!’ – On My Bookshelf‘This is an energetic and lively story, packed full of friendship, romance, mishaps and laughs. I raced through the book and I enjoyed Liz Tipping's style of writing, which made me want to keep on reading long after I should have been in bed!’ – Curious Ginger Cat
Love in Lockdown
Chloe James - 2020
When the first clap for the keyworkers rings out around her courtyard, she’s moved to tears for all kinds of reasons. Jack is used to living life to the fullest, and is going stir-crazy after just days isolating. Until that night he hears a woman crying from the balcony beneath his. He strikes up a conversation with the stranger and puts a smile back on her face. Soon their balcony meetings are the highlight of Jack and Sophia’s days. But even as they grow closer together, they’re always kept apart.