A Cottage in the Country

This book is everything you’d expect from a Katie Fforde novel. With entertaining characters and an upbeat plot, this is a really cosy read, and a nice change for me after one too many ‘heavy’ books.
The characters were well developed and I really enjoyed the interplay between them all. There were no real plot surprises, but that was part of the charm and appeal of the story.
I’d forgotten how much I enjoy this author’s writing, and after reading this book I’ll definitely be seeking out more of her work.

Hattie works in the Cotswolds, finding people their ideal homes. Her own living arrangements however are somewhat chaotic to say the least. One of her close friends, Mary, is in her 90s and lives in Hattie’s “ideal” house. Unable to find anything which matches up to this, she house-sits for people, living for weeks/months at a time in their houses. Things get even more complicated when Hattie’s nephew is foisted onto her as his mother (Hattie’s sister) takes an assignment abroad for a few months.

This a very enjoyable read – a great story with an upbeat vibe.
The characters are an eclectic bunch, all well developed and plausible and, with the exception of Clive, all very likeable. Clive, Mary’s great-nephew is the token “baddie” and he is determined that Mary is not going to leave her house to Hattie, going to extreme lengths to ensure that it doesn’t happen. Meanwhile Luke, one of Hattie’s closest friends, does everything he can to help her find happiness.
Hattie in particular is a wonderful character and her kindness and determination, even in the face of adversity, contribute to the feelgood nature of the book.

I am struggling to find anything negative to say about this book, other than that some of Clive’s shenanigans do seem a bit far-fetched and are possibly stretching the bounds of reality a little too far. It’s all good fun though.

I loved this book and feel confident recommending it to anyone who enjoys a really good story that is well told (if you are looking for a book which is thought-provoking and challenging, this may not be for you). I will certainly be looking out for more books by Katie Fforde.