Here in the Southern hemisphere, its winter and time to get cosy. What is cosier than a purring cat, a warm drink, tea or coffee, your choice and a good book to read? This month I’ve read a few books, as well as starting to learn watercolour painting and attending two other art classes.

Reminder: As an expat Brit living in Australia I use British spelling

Same Time Next Week by Milly Johnson

      Welcome to Spring Hill, home to a square of independent shops and cafes, a thriving local community and nearby the newest  venture, Ray’s Diner. Here a group of women meet once a week  over a cup of something warming.
 
      Amanda is primary carer to her elderly mother and one of the only women in a  male-dominated company. Used to being second-best all her life, is this her time to finally break ranks and shine?
       
      Sky works at the repair shop, patching up old teddy bears, and their owners’ hearts. But her heart beats for the one man who is strictly off-limits.
 
  Mel has been a loyal and loving wife to Steve for thirty years. Then when he   goes to his old school reunion, life as she knows it will never be the same again.
 
      Erin is trying to get over a traumatic loss where her guilt weighs more than her grief. Can she find the first step to healing lies in sharing an hour with strangers   once a week? 
 
   Astrid is feeling in need of a change and a challenge. But when a fantastic    opportunity presents itself, who is around to convince her she is worthy enough to take the risk?
 
   Can these women find the answers to their worries, acceptance, courage,         support here? Join them at the same time next week to find out…
 

My Review. There is something so recognisable about the trials and tribulations that these women face. Unrequited love, sexism, tokenism, infidelity, loyalty. And where do they find support? From other women. A couple touched me more than others, downtrodden Amanda who can never please her deluded mother and Mel, shaken to the core by her husband’s actions. If you’re like me, you will be cheering them on from the sidelines. Milly Johnson’s writing  has the warmth to be compared to Maeve Binchy’s work.

Second Act at Appleton Green by Kate Forster.

After losing her voice before the audition of a lifetime, West End hopeful Lily Baxter flees to the one place that’s always felt like home: her grandmother Violet’s cosy cottage in the heart of Appleton Green.
    Violet is overjoyed to have Lily back under her roof, even if it’s not under the happiest of circumstances. As Lily muddles through lost dreams and what-ifs, Violet is quietly nursing her own worries-and hoping this unexpected visit might help them both them heal.
    When charming local nurse Nick encourages Lily to join the village’s amateur dramatics group, she reluctantly agrees – and soon finds herself swept up in script readings, prop-painting parties, and something that feels a lot like falling in love.As opening night draws near, Lily must decide where her heart truly lies: back in the bright lights of London, or centre stage in Appleton Green.

My Review.

I was fortunate to get a pre-release copy through Net Galley. It’s out in October.

Lily seems to be living her dream, getting call backs to audition for roles she wants. When her voice deserts her ,so does her confidence. She needs comfort and sanctuary and finds it with her perceptive grandmother Violet in Appleton Green. The two have always shared a deep bond of understanding.

It’s time for Lily to  decide what her future holds, what she wants. The village has ( mostly) taken her to their heart. And there is local nurse  Nick, who supports and encourages her. Yet even in the village there is rivalry and jealousy. Does Lily want a lead role on stage, or something different in her life? She has to choose. I enjoyed this book for the lovely relationship between Lily and her grandmother, Violet. Her relationship with her mother struck a chord and of course, I felt just a little bit in love with Nick! 

Murder Takes Root by Rosie Sandler.

Steph is excited to get her hands stuck into her latest gardening project. This time, she’s been commissioned by Lady Clara of Ashford Manor to restore the stately gardens to their former glory.
      But the estate is suddenly thrown into chaos when a dead body is discovered in one of the rooms. The police rule it as suicide, though Steph’s convinced they’re barking up the wrong tree. Because she knows the deceased better than they do and it could only be one thing: murder. And if the police won’t listen to her, then Steph will have to get to the bottom of the case herself.
      As Steph starts digging for the truth, it seems the staff are hiding are more than it seems. But one thing is for sure, she’s not going to let the killer lead her up the garden path…

My Review.

This is the second book in the series, but not having read the first didn’t spoil my enjoyment of this book .Steph, a garden consultant, is accompanied by her large dog called Mouse. They make an engaging pair of sleuths, while of course garden matters are highlighted, there is also a suspected murder .It seems the police are happy to accept the death as suicide , but Steph isn’t convinced. A relatable cosy mystery that will appeal especially to gardeners.

The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris By Evie Woods

Edie is … not in Paris?

Edie Lane left everything behind in Ireland for a once-in-a-lifetime job at a bakery in Paris. Except, thanks to a mistranslation, the bakery is not in Paris, and neither is Edie.
      The tiny town of Compiègne, complete with its local bakery on the Rue de Paris, holds many secrets. This might not be where Edie intended to be but it’s not long before she realises it’s exactly where she needs to be…

My Review.

      An adventure, Edie has finally braved fulfilling her dreams and is setting off for Paris. But by some twist of fate her destination isn’t Paris at all. I found  the story engaging and enjoyed it. Although at times there was so much factual information it read a bit like lecture notes. It was necessary to understand parts of the story but perhaps could have been better conveyed. Evie is a relatable heroine, and I  learned a lot.

The Last Will And Testament Of Daphné Le Marche By Kate Forster.

        Paris, 1956. Eighteen-year-old Daphné may be from a tiny French village, but   she knows she’s destined for more. Stepping off a bus into bustling Paris with a suitcase full of her home-made beauty products, she’s ready to do whatever it takes to claim her stake in the world.

      London, 2016. Scandalous love affairs and an iconic cosmetics brand have    kept Daphné Le Marche in spotlight – but her darkest secrets have never         come to light. Now, in her London penthouse, enveloped in her rich signature scent, the Grande Dame of glamour has died.
  But not even those closest to her could have been prepared for what came     next.
      The Last Will and Testament of Daphne Le Marche is a sweeping story of    heartbreak, scandal and the importance of keeping it in all the family…

My Review.

Reminded me of the sex and shopping sagas of the 1980s. It has all the ingredients to make  a tv mini-series. Beauty, youth, rivalry ,love affairs, scandals and power dynamics. The world knew Daphne Le Marche as the enigmatic head of a cosmetics empire; they didn’t know how that began, and what her success has cost her. Now her heirs are about to find out far more than they expected. Kept me guessing!

The Riviera House Swap by Gillian Harvey

Would you swap houses with a stranger? Nina has always played it safe. But when her divorce papers come through on her fortieth birthday she decides enough is enough.

She’s always chosen the sensible route, staying in her stable job and marrying her rather boring ex. In fact – she realises – she’s chosen security over excitement for years. Ever since she refused to elope with her first beautiful, poetic, thoughtful Pierre, the man she met aged 17, on her French exchange. The only man who ever made her heart race.

Maybe it’s time to take a few risks?

Impulsively she goes online and finds another kind of French exchange… a house-swap. She can’t imagine what French businessman Jean-Luc wants with her terraced home in rural England, but she can’t wait to stay in his beautiful, spacious, bougainvillea-strewn villa on the French riviera.

She’s not just there for the house though. She’s decided to find the love she missed all those years ago. But will Pierre still be the man of her dreams after all this time?

As two lives collide, will love bloom on the French riviera? A gorgeously escapist story for fans of The Holiday, from the bestselling author of A Year at the French Farmhouse.

My Review.

Easy reading escapist fiction. A whim results in a house swop and  life reappraisal. I guessed several plot points, but it was easy and undemanding reading, that not to say it is easy to write like this, it isn’t. Great for those times when you simply want to escape your mundane life.

What next?

I’m still working on my memoir, as I have for almost two years. It’s slowly taking shape and I think the end is in sight.That is both exciting and a little scary!

Unexpectedly, I’ve been asked to run a few writing workshops.It’s always good to connect with other creative people.

My cat’s diabetes has returned, so we are back to him getting twice daily injections .He’s very good about it.

I have another stack of book to read for next month, hope to see you then!