Judy Leigh

“Because being old enough to know better doesn’t mean your dancing days are done.”

The Highland Hens is a contemporary romance novel set in Scotland, by English author Judy Leigh. 59-year-old divorceé Jess Oliver goes for a holiday to Drumnadrochit, on the shores of Loch Ness, while her new house in Worcestershire is being renovated. When this takes longer than expected she takes a job at Glen Carrick House as a carer and companion for 88-year-old Mimi. Mimi still lives in a world of sparkles and sequins reliving her heydays as chorus girl and dancer Mimi Solitaire. Her three sons Finn, Angus and Hamish love her dearly but worry about her frailty, loneliness and minimalistic diet of champagne and caviar.

Predictably romance develops between Jess and one of the brothers but it seems to take a good part of the book for her to decide which. I also found them slightly difficult to distinguish for a considerable part of the book too, which may be due to listening to the audio version. Finn the eldest is dealing with a messy divorce and financial settlement, the somewhat broody Angus is recovering from a car accident and heartache, and the sunny Hamish is busy composing a musical.

Overall this was a pleasant easy read. I found Mimi to be delightful but possibly a slightly unrealistic character, almost a caricature. The romance didn’t particularly sizzle or have me overly invested in its outcome. I appreciated that the characters were older and cared about each other.… (más)

The Old Girls' Network is a slow-paced, simple read about elderly sisters Pauline and Barbara - both in their late 70's. Cambridge dweller and former fastidious secretary in the Royal Air Force maiden Barbara has had an event which lands her in hospital and becomes the bitter houseguest of care-free, happy-go-lucky widow Pauline, at her dilapidated country cottage. That alone is a recipe for snark, nitpicking, and eye-rolling. Then, throw in the drunkard Bisto from Ireland who seems to be a vagrant which an outrageous drinking problem, and the three wind up in all sorts of calamity.

The book is centered in Windsley Green, which, in the book at least, is a fun-loving, got-your-back, charming village where everyone knows everything about everyone. Barbara must learn to thaw her frozen heart and soften her sharp tongue as Pauline must figure out how to catch the attention of a widower up the lane. Bisto is just doing what Bisto does: everything. He seems to be a jack of all trades and gifted and talented to solve any problem, including childbirth and saving the next-door girl from a wild party gone out of control.

A fun, but again, not fast-paced (but with a host of nearly 80-year old characters, how fast would you expect the plot to move?), worth the read on a Saturday during a rain storm. I will enjoy reading more from Ms. Leigh.… (más)

librarian, baker, multigenerational, murder, situational-humor, verbal-humor, amateur-sleuth, cozy-mystery, tea-shop, local-gossip, local-law-enforcement, ghostie, small-business, small-town, family-history, family-dynamics, family, pet-cat, Cornwall, actors, travelling-players, friendship, threats, poisons, contemporary*****

Morwenna and her bicycle are back! And she has a chicken purse (complete with red coxcomb) for dressy occasions! She is SO like my sister Zelda in rural Wisconsin.
Yes. Morwenna. She, her mother, daughter, and granddaughter are immersed in investigating the sudden death of a charming rascal who owns the visiting troupe of players. He was 82, unpleasant to his employees, and did NOT die of a heart attack on stage. But the sleuthing brings threats and more. A great, fun, fascinating cozy mystery set in the homeland of King Arthur.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Boldwood Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
#MorwennaMuttonMysteriesBk2 Available 11 April 2024 #CozyMysteries… (más)

As a fan of the Great British Bakeoff, I had to read this cozy novel based on the competition. It did not disappoint. The Vintage Village Bake Off opens with the main character, Robert Parkin, living with his cat Isaac Mewton in the Devon village of Millbrook. Robert keeps himself busy by taking care of his chickens and goats. While he has never been a lady's man, the local ladies still vie for his company. It soon becomes clear, though, that Robert’s Victoria Sponge cake is the lure. Robert can bake anything but his real masterpieces are his scones. He soon comes to the attention of the local media. Which county does the best cream tea – Devon or Cornwall? It’s time for an age-old debate to be settled with a competition. Robert’s sisters Bunty and Hattie are both at crossroads in their lives, so news of their brother’s baking competition is the perfect excuse for them to visit Millbrook. As the siblings relish each other’s company, and Robert relishes being at the heart of his community, a summer of scones may just light the way to long-lasting happiness for them all.

While I expected Robert to be the main character, I think his sister Hattie also played a big role too. The first half of the story was mainly about her. She is a realistic character, being a widow of an emotionally abusive man. When she realizes that she is not doing something she wants to do because of internal thoughts she received in the past from her husband, Hattie begins to reject these ideas. It is not easy for her. Sometimes she can do it but other times she succumbs to the training she received from the husband. Both of her siblings, though, are submissive to others too. Something must have happened in childhood for them to have these traits.

Reading about the baking kept me interested in the story. Who doesn't love scones, cakes and cookies? However, while the baking is going on, the characters move the plot forward. This is not a cozy mystery so the plot was basically character development and more specifically, their relationships with the opposite sex.… (más)