Member Reviews

As always a fantastic romance from Katie Fforde with believable characters and a great plot. Perfect summer read for beach or garden.

Was this review helpful?

Katie Fforde is one of my absolute favourite comfort authors who really explore day to day life in beautiful ways. Reading A Country Escape gave me such satisfaction. She never disappoints with her plotting and characterisation. I loved it.

Was this review helpful?

This wasn't the easiest book to get into - the beginning was very dialogue-heavy, and even by the end, I didn't feel like I really got to know the characters' backgrounds well to really understand them. However, I quite enjoyed the premise of the story and found myself rooting for Fran throughout. It did feel like Ant always showed up at just the right time to save the day, but I suppose that's what he was there for! It was an easygoing read but maybe just not my slice of cheese.

Was this review helpful?

I have decided that I am no longer interested in reading this book. I am a big lover of chick-lit type stories however have found myself less likely to pick them up. As Katie Fforde is an unknown author to me, the draw is lacking. However, I would be interested in reading titles from this author in future.

Was this review helpful?

I have friends who are big fans of Katie Fforde but I have never actually read any of her books so I was very glad to have the opportunity.

I found A Country Escape to be a very entertaining read. It is what you would expect - a "chick lit" style book but well written and with engaging characters. I didn't read it while on holiday but I can well imagine it being a big hit at airport bookshops.

I do generally prefer even my light reading to have a bit of a dark side to it whereas this didn't cover any more serious topics like you might find in a Marian Keyes book. But I appreciated the fact that the plot was about a woman making a success of a farm and, while there was the obvious romance, it wasn't the main focus which makes a change.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend it for fans of "chick lit" and for those looking for a good page turner. It won't live long in my memory but it was enjoyable to read.

Was this review helpful?

Provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

This started off quite slow initially. But once it started going, it flowed really well. I loved the premise and I love cheese. So having the two together made me very happy. I'm not a huge Fford fan. But this was a pleasant enough read.

Was this review helpful?

This was an enjoyable story of a city girl decamping to a remote farmhouse and learning to make cheese.
Obviously she's attracted to the alleged bad boy living 'next door'.
I like an easy read now and again and this was exactly that.

Was this review helpful?

Really good read, Katie didn’t disappoint! Good feel good easy read. Enjoyed this one. Made me feel good inside

Was this review helpful?

Great storyline with good strong characters. Very well written. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Was this review helpful?

A wonderful little romp with great information on dairy farming and cheese making slotted right in - I felt like I was learning alongside Fran during the course of the book, which was just lovely. The characters were pretty great, though unsure whether the character of Roy will endear us Aussies to others. I felt like the characters could have been fleshed out just a touch more, but I did enjoy my time with them just the same.
I particularly loved the scene with the puppies!

The romance felt quite well-paced - though it did just kind of 'happen' at one point. From my point of view, they were still in the flirting stage when things started to happen rapidly, but it was sweet anyway.

Overall a lovely novel to read over the course of two sittings :P

Was this review helpful?

A fantastic read. Thoroughly enjoyed this and it is not something I would usually pick up. Will look for more from this author in future.

Was this review helpful?

A wonderfully written, feel good story, that made me smile from start to finish. A fab beach read (or slumped on the sofa read).

Was this review helpful?

I usually really enjoy Katie Fforde books but have to say that this was not her best. The farm setting and the cheese-making storyline were promising but the characters felt very underdeveloped, as did the relationships between them. I had to look back a few times to check I hadn't missed something, as various relationships seemed to have moved forward so quickly. Maybe there will be a chance to revisit this setup and characters in a later book and to take a little more time over them.

Was this review helpful?

Katy Fforde never fails to deliver. Where as this is probably not my favorite of her books, It's a throughly enjoyable read.

Was this review helpful?

Although I enjoyed reading A Country Escape I certainly don't think that it is Katie Fforde's best novel. The main characters are engaging but some of the more minor ones are somewhat two-dimensional. There are gaping holes in the plot too. Fran and Anthony's relationship seems to come out of absolutely nowhere. And how is the villain of the piece (whose name I can't even remember) able to track down Roy, the other pretender to the farm Fran is trying to save?

Was this review helpful?

Fran has always wanted to be a farmer. And now it looks as if her childhood dream is about to come true.

She has just moved in to a beautiful but very run-down farm in the Cotswolds, currently owned by an old aunt who has told Fran that if she manages to turn the place around in a year, the farm will be hers.

But Fran knows nothing about farming. She might even be afraid of cows.

She's going to need a lot of help from her best friend Issi, and also from her wealthy and very eligible neighbour - who might just have his own reasons for being so supportive.

Is it the farm he is interested in? Or Fran herself?

I wasn’t sure I would like this book when I started reading it: I thought it was going to be completely about farming, and running the farm. I soon changed my mind! A little bit of romance ... I loved it. 5*

Was this review helpful?

I have read many Katie Fforde books and always enjoyed them. This was easy to read and had the usual effect of escapism that I miss the characters. A lovely story about Fran, farming and food. Glad to see it all worked out as the characters deserved.

Was this review helpful?

Typical romantic novel, boy meets girls, encounter a few bumps in the road of their romance but live happily ever after. Great easy reading as a holiday book and the storyline reminded me a little of the film ‘The holiday’

Was this review helpful?

Fran moves to the country to follow her dream, becoming a farmer and eventually making cheese. Her best friend settles in too over time, also finding a new life there. A bit of light escapism, that hasn’t stuck in my mind at all a month or so after I read it…

Was this review helpful?

Fran has always wanted to be a farmer. And now it looks as if her childhood dream is about to come true. She has just moved in to a beautiful but very run-down milk farm in the Cotswolds, currently owned by an old aunt who has told Fran that if she manages to turn the place around in a year, the farm will be hers. However, things are never that simple and a host of obstacles stand in the way of Fran being happy, a handsome neighbour who may only want her for the farm, a muddy track that the milk truck cannot pass and the fact that Fran might just be a little bit scared of cows. I have read a few of Katie Fforde’s books but this is my favourite to date. The descriptions of the idyllic countryside, the interactions between Fran and the other locals (including her contrary and sometime irritable old aunt Amy) and of course the incredibly handsome neighbour who may have an ulterior motive for all the help he keeps giving Fran. This was a lovely read and made me want to move to a farm in the countryside and make cheese. Can’t wait for the next Katie Fforde book.

Was this review helpful?