Scan barcode
katiehixson's review against another edition
1.0
I am sorry to say this book was vapid, predictable, and the storyline had me rolling my eyes several times. I hate not finishing books, but almost gave up several times through the read. The author also used the same descriptions for things, which drove me crazy. (The word "tutted" could be found on almost every page.)
I hate giving negative reviews of books, so I shall just end with saying this was not the right style and maybe genre for me.
I hate giving negative reviews of books, so I shall just end with saying this was not the right style and maybe genre for me.
inspirationalley's review
5.0
This book is set to become one of my guilty pleasures, perfect to read wrapped in a duvet and drinking hot chocolate. Julie Houston delivers a novel that is absorbing, amusing, romantic and unpredictable. The ending, in particular, was something that I wasn't expecting.
Cassie Beresford has recently been appointed deputy head at the village primary school, Little Acorns, but just before she takes up her new position she discovers that her husband has been having an affair with her best friend. To top it all, the school's headteacher dies and Cassie finds herself acting as temporary head.
The characters in this story are well rounded and relatable, and I found myself going through a whole gamut of emotions as I shared their experiences, joys and disappointments, fears and triumphs.
I absolutely loved this book, I would recommend that you read it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Cassie Beresford has recently been appointed deputy head at the village primary school, Little Acorns, but just before she takes up her new position she discovers that her husband has been having an affair with her best friend. To top it all, the school's headteacher dies and Cassie finds herself acting as temporary head.
The characters in this story are well rounded and relatable, and I found myself going through a whole gamut of emotions as I shared their experiences, joys and disappointments, fears and triumphs.
I absolutely loved this book, I would recommend that you read it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
bananatricky's review
4.0
Cassie Beresford is feeling pretty smug. She's happily married to practically her first boyfriend, living her dream life in a modern house with two children and about to step into her dream job as deputy head of the local secondary school. Then a drunken friend announces to the entire audience at a charity dinner auction that Cassie's husband has been having an affair with his wife (Cassie's best friend for almost as long as she has known her husband) for the past two years. Suddenly the life that was so different from her hippy mother's is disintegrating around her ears.
Suddenly alone, she finds out that she has been promoted to acting head after the head teacher died of a heart attack. Then, when things can't seem to get any worse, she finds out that local landowners are planning to build 3,000 homes on a beautiful piece of land backing onto her grandfather's house that he has planted with wildflowers and has become known as his field as a result.
Cassie is dealing with her grandfather, her hippy mother, her goth daughter, recalcitrant parents and children at the school, the school governors, her ex-BFF and her ex-husband and the realisation that she may have over-compensated for her what she perceives as the short-comings of her childhood.
I really enjoyed this novel, it had enough characters to be interesting, enough red herrings to make the love interest a surprise, enough plot to move the story along and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
Suddenly alone, she finds out that she has been promoted to acting head after the head teacher died of a heart attack. Then, when things can't seem to get any worse, she finds out that local landowners are planning to build 3,000 homes on a beautiful piece of land backing onto her grandfather's house that he has planted with wildflowers and has become known as his field as a result.
Cassie is dealing with her grandfather, her hippy mother, her goth daughter, recalcitrant parents and children at the school, the school governors, her ex-BFF and her ex-husband and the realisation that she may have over-compensated for her what she perceives as the short-comings of her childhood.
I really enjoyed this novel, it had enough characters to be interesting, enough red herrings to make the love interest a surprise, enough plot to move the story along and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
manya's review
_The e-arc of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review on my request._
I didn't realize that this book was already published when I requested this.
Cassie Beresford has recently landed her dream job as deputy head at her local, idyllic village primary school, Little Acorns. So, the last thing she needs is her husband of twenty years being 'outed' at a village charity auction - he has been having an affair with one of her closest friends.
As if that weren't enough to cope with, Cassie suddenly finds herself catapulted into the head teacher position, and at the forefront of a fight to ward off developers determined to concrete over the beautiful landscape.
But through it all, the irresistible joy of her pupils, the reality of keeping her teenage children on the straight and narrow, her irrepressible family and friends, and the possibility of new love, mean what could have been the worst year ever, actually might be the best yet...
This book was... sweet but not in a good way. Cassie didn't act her age. And her pining after her husband was kinda annoying.
I didn't realize that this book was already published when I requested this.
Cassie Beresford has recently landed her dream job as deputy head at her local, idyllic village primary school, Little Acorns. So, the last thing she needs is her husband of twenty years being 'outed' at a village charity auction - he has been having an affair with one of her closest friends.
As if that weren't enough to cope with, Cassie suddenly finds herself catapulted into the head teacher position, and at the forefront of a fight to ward off developers determined to concrete over the beautiful landscape.
But through it all, the irresistible joy of her pupils, the reality of keeping her teenage children on the straight and narrow, her irrepressible family and friends, and the possibility of new love, mean what could have been the worst year ever, actually might be the best yet...
This book was... sweet but not in a good way. Cassie didn't act her age. And her pining after her husband was kinda annoying.
jessbookishlife's review
4.0
This book is my introduction to Julie Houston's work and it was quite an amazing book. It was real, relatable, emotional, fun book that was pleasure to read because I felt invested in the main character's life.
In this book we get to met Cassie and she has the kind of life one would view as perfect, but as we all know, life is hard and it's not a bed of roses. So, as we read in the blurb, she discovers that her husband was having an affair. When I read that I knew this book would be about life and I was happy to read it and go in this journey with Cassie.
Like I say, it was a book about life and life isn't always pretty or perfect. This book showed us how life can be unexpected, how we have to be resilient and keep fighting and rediscover ourselves. As a reader I loved that, I loved that by reading about Cassie's life, and connecting with her, I got to think about my own life and my family. In a way, it was thought provoking.
But now only Cassie was a great character. In this book all the characters were intriguing and had their own voices. They were well written characters that were left in a state of openness to development. That's always something amazing to read because it gives strength to the characters, making them seem real.
You get a feel of community, for better and for worse, and as a young woman that lives in a small town surrounded by other small towns, I get it and I could relate to it. So that was fun to read about and see how everyone connected and interacted with one another.
Now... the plot... The author did an amazing job in captivating my attention and taking me on this journey. There were twists and turns that made the book feel real, and those surprises combined with the well written characters are what really makes the book special.
Overall, loved the story and I'm curious to read other books by this author, since I loved her writing style and the plot.
[I want to thank Julie Houston, Vicky Joss (from Aria) and the publisher for the eCopy of this book and for allowing me to join in the fun of the blog tour and give my honest review of the book.]
In this book we get to met Cassie and she has the kind of life one would view as perfect, but as we all know, life is hard and it's not a bed of roses. So, as we read in the blurb, she discovers that her husband was having an affair. When I read that I knew this book would be about life and I was happy to read it and go in this journey with Cassie.
Like I say, it was a book about life and life isn't always pretty or perfect. This book showed us how life can be unexpected, how we have to be resilient and keep fighting and rediscover ourselves. As a reader I loved that, I loved that by reading about Cassie's life, and connecting with her, I got to think about my own life and my family. In a way, it was thought provoking.
But now only Cassie was a great character. In this book all the characters were intriguing and had their own voices. They were well written characters that were left in a state of openness to development. That's always something amazing to read because it gives strength to the characters, making them seem real.
You get a feel of community, for better and for worse, and as a young woman that lives in a small town surrounded by other small towns, I get it and I could relate to it. So that was fun to read about and see how everyone connected and interacted with one another.
Now... the plot... The author did an amazing job in captivating my attention and taking me on this journey. There were twists and turns that made the book feel real, and those surprises combined with the well written characters are what really makes the book special.
Overall, loved the story and I'm curious to read other books by this author, since I loved her writing style and the plot.
[I want to thank Julie Houston, Vicky Joss (from Aria) and the publisher for the eCopy of this book and for allowing me to join in the fun of the blog tour and give my honest review of the book.]
ostevens's review
4.0
Pretty good
I read this over two long train journeys and it was perfect. The story was okay but not hugely exciting although the twists were interesting.
Not quite literary junk food, but a nice treat regardless.
I read this over two long train journeys and it was perfect. The story was okay but not hugely exciting although the twists were interesting.
Not quite literary junk food, but a nice treat regardless.
readingthroughthelookinglass's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you to the author, aria fiction and Head of Zeus for this book in return for my own honest review.
Cassie Beresford is feeling pretty smug. She’s happily married to practically her first boyfriend, living her dream life in a modern house with two children and about to step into her dream job as deputy head of the local secondary school. Then a drunken friend announces to the entire audience at a charity dinner auction that Cassie’s husband has been having an affair with his wife (Cassie’s best friend for almost as long as she has known her husband) for the past two years. Suddenly the life that was so different from her hippy mother’s is disintegrating around her ears. Suddenly alone, she finds out that she has been promoted to acting head after the head teacher died of a heart attack. Then, when things can’t seem to get any worse, she finds out that local landowners are planning to build 3,000 homes on a beautiful piece of land backing onto her grandfather’s house that he has planted with wildflowers and has become known as his field as a result. Cassie is dealing with her grandfather, her hippy mother, her goth daughter, recalcitrant parents and children at the school, the school governors, her ex-BFF and her ex-husband and the realisation that she may have over-compensated for her what she perceives as the short-comings of her childhood. I really enjoyed this novel, it had enough characters to be interesting, enough red herrings to make the love interest a surprise, enough plot to move the story along and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.
Cassie Beresford is feeling pretty smug. She’s happily married to practically her first boyfriend, living her dream life in a modern house with two children and about to step into her dream job as deputy head of the local secondary school. Then a drunken friend announces to the entire audience at a charity dinner auction that Cassie’s husband has been having an affair with his wife (Cassie’s best friend for almost as long as she has known her husband) for the past two years. Suddenly the life that was so different from her hippy mother’s is disintegrating around her ears. Suddenly alone, she finds out that she has been promoted to acting head after the head teacher died of a heart attack. Then, when things can’t seem to get any worse, she finds out that local landowners are planning to build 3,000 homes on a beautiful piece of land backing onto her grandfather’s house that he has planted with wildflowers and has become known as his field as a result. Cassie is dealing with her grandfather, her hippy mother, her goth daughter, recalcitrant parents and children at the school, the school governors, her ex-BFF and her ex-husband and the realisation that she may have over-compensated for her what she perceives as the short-comings of her childhood. I really enjoyed this novel, it had enough characters to be interesting, enough red herrings to make the love interest a surprise, enough plot to move the story along and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.
chelton's review against another edition
5.0
Cassie Beresford seems to have everything. That is until the charity auction where it’s publicly revealed her husband has been cheating on her with her best friend for the past two years. Then she’s suddenly promoted to head teacher with no notice. Oh, and the fields in her tiny village are targeted by developers intent on mass housing. Though feeling overwhelmed and defeated, Cassie rises and tackles the challenges, all while balancing great friends, two teenagers, and maybe even new love.
Some books utilize a slow burn, opening softly, letting readers get used to the new world. Author Julie Houston does not use this technique. Instead, the opening pages practically explode out of the book, with a very public revelation of Cassie’s husband, Mark’s, affair. It’s tragic and biting, but it’s also tinged with the humor the humor that’s abundant throughout the rest of the book.
And it’s deeply funny. My copy is littered with highlights because there are just so many sections that made me laugh. Cassie is a likable, relatable character, and much of this stems from her scenes as an educator. Here, Houston writes with beautiful honesty, and anyone who has ever felt insecure in a job will immediately find a companion in Cassie.
A bit of a posh woman moving on from her husband and learning to love herself is enough book for anyone, but Houston presses on with a fields plotline. Edward Bamforth wants to build new housing the fields, against much of the village’s wishes, and things are further complicated when romantic interests are piqued between two characters. A different author could have completely muddled the wonderfully intricate threads, but Houston seamlessly weaves the action around Cassie’s ultimate development.
I do want to give special mention to Julie Houston’s positive discussion of sexuality in this book. Early on it becomes apparent that Cassie’s teenage son, Tom, is questioning his sexuality. It’s handled in a deeply sensitive way that I think, overall, could be a guide for parents. I was personally very pleased to see this type of inclusion and I think it’s one of the best portrayals of Questioning youth where it wasn’t the focus of the book.
This book is a bit of a roller coaster. Infidelity is a difficult topic, and the aftermath is rarely neat and tidy. However, Houston knows how to manipulate a story so that the reader is always on their toes as characters struggle and jest toward their own answers. The result is a wickedly funny read with heart.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.
Review also posted at https://pluckedfromthestacks.wordpress.com/
Some books utilize a slow burn, opening softly, letting readers get used to the new world. Author Julie Houston does not use this technique. Instead, the opening pages practically explode out of the book, with a very public revelation of Cassie’s husband, Mark’s, affair. It’s tragic and biting, but it’s also tinged with the humor the humor that’s abundant throughout the rest of the book.
And it’s deeply funny. My copy is littered with highlights because there are just so many sections that made me laugh. Cassie is a likable, relatable character, and much of this stems from her scenes as an educator. Here, Houston writes with beautiful honesty, and anyone who has ever felt insecure in a job will immediately find a companion in Cassie.
A bit of a posh woman moving on from her husband and learning to love herself is enough book for anyone, but Houston presses on with a fields plotline. Edward Bamforth wants to build new housing the fields, against much of the village’s wishes, and things are further complicated when romantic interests are piqued between two characters. A different author could have completely muddled the wonderfully intricate threads, but Houston seamlessly weaves the action around Cassie’s ultimate development.
I do want to give special mention to Julie Houston’s positive discussion of sexuality in this book. Early on it becomes apparent that Cassie’s teenage son, Tom, is questioning his sexuality. It’s handled in a deeply sensitive way that I think, overall, could be a guide for parents. I was personally very pleased to see this type of inclusion and I think it’s one of the best portrayals of Questioning youth where it wasn’t the focus of the book.
This book is a bit of a roller coaster. Infidelity is a difficult topic, and the aftermath is rarely neat and tidy. However, Houston knows how to manipulate a story so that the reader is always on their toes as characters struggle and jest toward their own answers. The result is a wickedly funny read with heart.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.
Review also posted at https://pluckedfromthestacks.wordpress.com/
jojoffc's review against another edition
4.0
A mix of break ups, heartache and love. It's also laugh out loud and comical .. an enjoyable easy read
manya's review against another edition
_The e-arc of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review on my request._
I didn't realize that this book was already published when I requested this.
Cassie Beresford has recently landed her dream job as deputy head at her local, idyllic village primary school, Little Acorns. So, the last thing she needs is her husband of twenty years being 'outed' at a village charity auction - he has been having an affair with one of her closest friends.
As if that weren't enough to cope with, Cassie suddenly finds herself catapulted into the head teacher position, and at the forefront of a fight to ward off developers determined to concrete over the beautiful landscape.
But through it all, the irresistible joy of her pupils, the reality of keeping her teenage children on the straight and narrow, her irrepressible family and friends, and the possibility of new love, mean what could have been the worst year ever, actually might be the best yet...
This book was... sweet but not in a good way. Cassie didn't act her age. And her pining after her husband was kinda annoying.
I didn't realize that this book was already published when I requested this.
Cassie Beresford has recently landed her dream job as deputy head at her local, idyllic village primary school, Little Acorns. So, the last thing she needs is her husband of twenty years being 'outed' at a village charity auction - he has been having an affair with one of her closest friends.
As if that weren't enough to cope with, Cassie suddenly finds herself catapulted into the head teacher position, and at the forefront of a fight to ward off developers determined to concrete over the beautiful landscape.
But through it all, the irresistible joy of her pupils, the reality of keeping her teenage children on the straight and narrow, her irrepressible family and friends, and the possibility of new love, mean what could have been the worst year ever, actually might be the best yet...
This book was... sweet but not in a good way. Cassie didn't act her age. And her pining after her husband was kinda annoying.