It didn’t take long for Judy Leigh to join the ranks of my favourite authors, and I always do my best to get on any tours that feature her books. I also enjoy the books written by her alter ego, Elena Collins. Writing as Judy Leigh, her characters are often based around those with a few more miles on their clock, but still able to race through life. I’ve included some links to her previous books and you are most welcome to click and view my reviews: Heading over the Hill, A Year of Mr Maybes, and The Highland Hens.
Once again, I am grateful to Rachel’s Random Resources for the blog tour support and to Boldwood Books for providing me with an advance reading copy, in exchange for my honest review. You can read my thoughts below.
Synopsis
Deep in the Somerset countryside, the Combe Pomeroy village library hosts a monthly book club.
Ruth the librarian fears she’s too old to find love, but a discussion about Lady Chatterley’s Lover makes her think again.
Aurora doesn’t feel seventy-two and longs to relive the excitement of her youth, while Verity is getting increasingly tired of her husband Mark’s grumpiness and wonders if their son’s imminent flight from the nest might be just the moment for her to fly too. And Danielle is fed up with her cheating husband. Surely life has more in store for her than to settle for second best?
The glue that holds Combe Pomeroy together is Jeannie. Doyenne of the local cider farm and heartbeat of her family and community, no one has noticed that Jeannie needs some looking after too. Has the moment for her to retire finally arrived, and if so, what does her future hold?
From a book club French exchange trip, to many celebrations at the farm, this is the year that everything changes, that lifelong friendships are tested, and for some of the women, they finally get the love they deserve.
Review
Judy Leigh’s writing suits me for several reasons. I love the idea of having an older protagonist with plenty of life left in them, and I adore her excellent handling of comedy. I can honestly say that I have laughed out loud reading several of her books, and this one was no different.
While the story felt that the lead character was Jeannie, the owner of the Somerset Cider Farm, her personality didn’t overshadow the rest of the characters. In fact, I found that she was a lovely soul whose story was gentle and evolved naturally. However, Jeannie’s Mum is the veritable queen of punny dad jokes and a few had me chuckling away. As Jeannie is feeling pressure from her granddaughter and mother to take life a little more easily, she is feeling a little bit redundant and unappreciated. More importantly, she starts to recognise that she has let life pass her by.
Whilst the book club is our first introduction to the other characters, it’s a trip to the French Twin-Town that lets us get to know Ruth, Aurora, Verity, and Danielle. Each of them bring their own set of issues to the group. Librarian Ruth is not interested in a romantic relationship, Aurora, who works in the café at the cider farm, is pining for a lost love, Verity is wondering if her marriage is over despite living with the trappings of wealth and success, and Estate Agent Danielle is dealing with a love rat husband.
Through a selection of literary classics, new choices open up and some tough decisions are made.
I felt a warm and happy glow throughout this book. Despite some challenging themes, I felt secure in the knowledge that the author would steer the story to a perfect conclusion. I found myself intrigued by the cider traditions and loved reading about their heritage.
My favourite character was the wonderful Violet. With a joke for every moment, she had the wisdom which comes with having lived a full and happy life. She was filled with love for her wonderful family and spoke a lot of sense.
This is another fantastic read from a wonderful author. If you’ve not read any of her previous books, there are plenty out there for you, and you won’t regret checking them out.
Author Bio
Judy Leigh is the USA Today bestselling author of The Old Girls’ Network and Five French Hens and the doyenne of the ‘it’s never too late’ genre of women’s fiction. She has lived all over the UK from Liverpool to Cornwall, but currently resides in Somerset.
Social Media and Weblinks
Take a moment to check out the other stops on this lovely tour
Book Escapes with BabsW67 
What a really lovely review. I enjoyed reading every word. Thank you so much for your kind words. Wishing you a fabulous Christmas and a wonderful 2023. xx
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My absolute pleasure. Sending good wishes for your Christmas and 2023 too. Xx
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Thank you xx
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