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| About the Book |
A Perfect Devon Farmhouse
Escape to the coastal village of Brambleton with this heartwarming love story filled with intrigue and rural charm.
‘Heartwarming, emotional and full of community spirit. I couldn't put it down’ Amanda Prowse
Clare’s life has just been turned upside down. Yesterday she was a successful London lawyer, about to travel the world on a well-deserved sabbatical. Now she’s back in her childhood home in rural north Devon, after the sudden death of her mother.
Brambleton is a picture-perfect seaside village, where everyone knows your name and where secrets don’t stay behind closed doors for long. Clare left it behind for a reason along with an old flame she wants to leave firmly in the past. Yet, as she gradually learns to collect eggs from unruly chickens, make apple cider on frosty mornings, and look after her mother’s tearaway dog, she begins to fall under the spell of small-town rural life.
When a greedy landlord threatens the future of the village, Clare can’t resist taking a stand to fight for the underdog once again. She’s determined to leave as soon as she’s won, but she hasn’t counted on Brambleton weaving its way into her heart. And she definitely didn’t plan on falling in love…
Will she embrace the village community that has taken her in, or is the pull of her old life too strong to resist? As she makes her choice, Clare will discover that sometimes the most unexpected places are where we truly belong.
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Author Bio
Debbie Morrison was always meant to write, but real life held her back. She studied law, then qualified as an accountant, and went on to work for twenty years in the City. Now, finally freed from the shackles of the day job, she has moved from London to rural Devon to pursue her childhood passion and become an author, writing the kind of books she loves to read: fast-paced, escapist and visual with credible and relatable characters. When Debbie is not writing, she can be found playing tennis (badly), bridge (a little better), walking her dogs, or tending to her garden. She also loves cooking her own home-grown produce for friends and family. She lives on the edge of Exmoor with her husband, miniature bull terriers and small flock of free-range hens.
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| My Thoughts |
I squeezed this one in to my rather full TBR list because how could I resist something with a title of 'A Perfect Devon Farmhouse' when I actually live in a Perfect Devon Farmhouse!
From the cover I assumed the farmhouse in question would be along the coast in the more popular South Devon. (Devon is a big county, with south very different to north.) Torbay or the Dawlish area perhaps? But no, to my delight this series is set in North Devon, my neck of the woods.
Fictional Brambleton is typical of our rural, coastal villages (and immediately I was searching Google Maps to work out where a real Brambleton would be. I have a couple of gorgeous candidates covering some familiar territory!)
So, full marks for the location, bravo for the story, and well done for the likeable characters. (Apart from the 'bad guy!' who was wonderfully unlikeable and as much fun as the traditional pantomime Baron Hardup!)
The 'snap' coincidencies didn't end at the farmhouse itself - I moved here from London, I had the same breed of pigs, my hens are just as cute (my rooster just as noisy at 4.30 a.m!). I have an orchard and my water is from a borehole. (Oh, and my neighbour makes cider!) I'm familiar with the annual area show: in my case, the North Devon on the first Wednesday of August. My village even had the experience of attempting to defeat a massive inappropriate planning application. We could have done with a Clare, because we failed to overturn the final decision. Add to all that: The Tarka Line train from Barnstaple to Exeter goes right past my house (although along the valley below). So it was a delight to read of these many familiar things, all of which enhanced the sparkle of believability for the story and characters - essential for a good read.
Did I like Clare? Yes, although I'm not sure about her endless 'to do' lists, and her constant going on about her missed Grand Tour abroad ... BUT ... that was all part of her experience within the story, her dream trip spoiled because life (or rather, in this case, death) interrupted. Her reaction, her self-doubts, her clinging to what was familiar (lists!) in order to cope with grief and huge upset was, well, real life.
The cover is attractive and eye-catching. as well, so another bonus.
My only comment, really, would be that I felt her friends (Trish and Anna) from her youth weren't quite as immediately supportive as I would have expected friends to be during such a period of unexpected death. There were a couple of very minor continuity hiccups, (using wi-fi before it had been fixed, walking to the village, and then driving the car? A few times I wondered where the dog was?) which I doubt readers would notice. I only spotted these as I'm an author of similar type stories, so I'm aware of watching out for continuity bloopers.)
Most of the outcome I guessed, so no real big surprises - but then this isn't a 'who-dun-it' mystery where the 'reveal' is part of the expected structure.
However, that aside, this was a most entertaining read. I enjoyed this one enough to pre-order a couple more of the series that will be appearing in the near future, set in the same village. I wonder if the author's 'Perfect Pub' will be as perfect as my local? Can't wait to find out!
**** 4 stars for a delightful read.
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