This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
I hadn't read any of Cathy Woodman's books when I received this one, so Iit I wasn’t sure what to expect. Having now read The Sweetest Thing, I can't wait to buy her backlist and read the others.
Jennie Copeland thought she had everything she’d ever wanted. She married her childhood sweetheart and lived with him and their adorable children in a beautiful house, so she’s heartbroken when her husband leaves her for another woman and decides that it’s time to move with the children to East Devon where she enjoyed many childhood holidays.
She buys a rundown house with several acres of land with the intention of starting again by supporting herself with her own baking business and giving her children a new way of life where they’ll spend time enjoying themselves with outdoor pursuits rather than spending time inside on a computer. However, she isn’t the only one nursing a broken heart. Her only neighbour, Guy Barnes, a grumpy, but ruggedly handsome farmer, is fairly sure she’ll not last the year in the country. He doesn’t make her very welcome to begin with and despite her misgivings about him Jennie soon has to turn to him when things start to go wrong.
She buys chickens for one daughter and the other desperately wants a pony, but Jennie soon finds out that her lack of knowledge in the horse department doesn’t bode well for either herself or her daughter’s riding ambitions. Jennie relents and buys a rescue dog for her son, whose only wish is to return to his father, his former home and the friends he misses so much. It’s not only her ex-husband who seems determined she should return to her old life in the suburbs, the locals appear to share his opinion and seem to have already made their mind up about her. Jennie has a lot to do if she’s going to be able to make this new life work for her, and learning to get on with her neighbour would probably be a good start.
The Sweetest Thing is a perfect read. This book is funny at times and sad too as you follow Jennie through the practical difficulties she faces with her new home and the emotional problems that crop up with her family and those closest to her. I loved this book and recommend it wholeheartedly.
You can find out more about Cathy and her books here