Publisher: Orion
Format: Ebook, Audio, Hardback (3 February 2022) | Paperback (23 June 2022)
Pages: 464
Source: Copy received for review
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Sometimes you have to let your heart rule your head . . .
Cherry, Maggie and Rose are mother, daughter and granddaughter, each with their own hopes, dreams and even sorrows. They have always been close, so when, in a moment of impulse, Cherry buys a gorgeous but rundown pub in the village she grew up in, it soon becomes a family affair.
All three women uproot themselves and move to Rushbrook, deep in the heart of Somerset, to take over The Swan and restore it to its former glory. Cherry is at the helm, Maggie is in charge of the kitchen, and Rose tends the picturesque garden that leads down to the river.
Before long, the locals are delighted to find the beating heart of the village is back, bringing all kinds of surprises through the door.
Could Cherry’s impulse purchase change all their lives – and bring everyone the happiness they’re searching for?
Escape to the glorious Somerset countryside with this joyful and uplifting story of family, love and hope.
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MY THOUGHTS
The Impulse Purchase is Veronica Henry’s 23rd book. I’ve read 17 of the 23. And this is my favourite so far. And I say this every time! 😁 I love her books, they are warm and comforting and uplifting and quite a lot of the time they feature food. What’s not to like!
Seventy year old Cherry Nicholson has had ties to the village of Rushbrook all her life, her father was the village doctor and her mother Catherine played a significant role in village life. With her mother now gone, the family home has been sold. During one last visit home before the new buyers arrive, Cherry discovers that the local pub is to be sold to a property developer. The idea of Rushbrook losing its pub, the heart of village life and where she had spent so much of her youth (she had quite a colourful past), is unbearable and so she makes an instant decision to buy it using her inheritance – her impulse purchase. She doesn’t discuss it with anyone, including her husband Mike who, on the cusp of retirement, was expecting a different life ahead for them both.
Cherry is not the only one facing a difficult personal life. Her widowed daughter Maggie is struggling with her marketing business whilst still desperately missing her husband Frank and granddaughter Rose, 22, is suffering mental health issues related to the loss of her father, whilst trying to make a happy home life for her young daughter Gertie. So what do they do? They decide to run the pub together.
Three generations of women in the same space could lead to disaster but they all have their own skills which compliment rather than compete. The story is not without its moments of drama and angst and includes such challenging and hard-hitting themes as alcohol dependency which is included by way of a compassionate pen. As a counterbalance, there is also the light touch of romance through the pages.
I engaged immediately with the characters and thought they were superbly drawn. Cherry and Maggie were both strong characters but were not without vulnerability and self doubt. A theme running through the story is kindness, with some paying it forward and giving a chance to those who needed it. I have to admit to a bit of a crush on Russell the pig farmer – a rather reserved but straight talking motorbiking ex traffic cop. Winnie with her foodie creations made me feel permanently hungry and as for Chloe, my heart just went out to her especially with all the responsibility she had to take on her young shoulders. Finally, I want the phone number of the Fabulous Builder Brothers. I’ve given up with Checkatrade! 🤣
I just loved this book, there is enough bite to the storyline to prevent it being too sweet and difficult situations are sympathetically written. With vivid description giving a wonderful sense of place, Rushbrook was somewhere that I would love to live, there was such a tremendous feeling of community. I was delighted to see the return of characters from a previous book, A Home from Home, although don’t think you have to read both (although you should because that is a lovely read too). This is very much a standalone story.
My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for the tour invitation and to the publisher for the proof copy and for sending a lovely hardback. In view of the multi generational characters in the book, it was suggested that bloggers taking part share the hardback with a loved one – a grandmother, mother or daughter or someone who is like a mother, to reflect the relationships in the story. I no longer have any family members in my life who this could apply to and so because I loved the book so much, I’m going to give away my unread hardback copy for someone else to enjoy, keeping my gorgeous proof copy. This giveaway is open to readers in the UK – please see the entry details and Rafflecopter entry box below.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Veronica Henry has worked as a scriptwriter for The Archers, Heartbeat and Holby City amongst many others, before turning to fiction. She won the 2014 RNA Novel of the Year Award for A Night on the Orient Express and is a Sunday Times bestselling author of over twenty books. Veronica lives with her family in a village in north Devon and can often be found cooking up the perfect seaside feast.
*** GIVEAWAY ***
T&C’s:
The winner will be selected via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to entrants aged 18 or over in the UK.
Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties. After I have despatched the prize and receipt has been confirmed I will delete the data I hold. My Reading Corner is not responsible for delivery of the prize in the postal system. Good luck to anyone who enters the comp and I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.
a Rafflecopter giveawayAuthor Links:
Other reviews:
A Wedding at the Beach Hut (2020)
A Home From Home (2019)
Christmas at the Beach Hut (2018)
How to Find Love in a Bookshop (2016)
Can’t wait to read this one.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did
What a lovely thing to do Karen. I’ve read so many great things about this book, I’d love to read it.
Good luck Joanne, I’m sure you will enjoy it
I love Veronica Henry’s books, although I haven’t read as many as you! This sounds like a lovely book. Great review.
Thank you Nicola, her books just get better!
Sounds lovely. Need to treat myself to a copy
I think you’d enjoy it too Karen x
Love the sound of this 💕
It’s very good
Thanks for the blog tour support x
Thank you for the invite x
Whoops! I just impulsively bought this title in Kindle format.
Woohoo Lynne, your own impulse purchase! I hope you enjoy 😄
I love the premise of this book. It sounds like it’s full of interesting characters.
It’s ages since I read a Veronica Henry book and this sounds like just the book to tempt me back!