Following the divorce of her in laws, Hugh and Emma move into their home, The Pink House. Emma has always loved the house however the idyllic picture may not be reality especially when you have your sister in law living in a house in the gardens.

The story was a slow starter for me but then picked up as more is learned about the characters and how they met and their lives intertwine.

The story centres around family dynamics and relationships. It was interesting to see what happened when everything wasn’t rosy in the garden and temptation was lurking round the corner.

A family saga which is mainly focused around the family country home. After his parents long marriage ends in a shock divorce their son Hugh decides to buy the family home that his wife Emma has always loved. With their son’s wedding looming about to be held held in the grounds and all the family start to return will cracks start to show. The story is about the family now and also how Emma and Hugh met and eventually married. As with all families the characters have parts you love about them and also parts that aren’t so nice. As with any family occasion the drinks flow and the secrets start to come out. This story tells how the characters receive the news and also how they react to it. After a lovely wedding now that things are coming out will the family ever be quite the same again.

Having enjoyed several of Catherine Alliott's other novels, I was thrilled to get the chance to review this one - and what a cracking read it is!

The Pink House has been in Hugh's family for what seems like forever and is bursting with memories. Now his parents have decided to divorce, he and Emma are taking it over - but it comes at a price. His sister Sally, living in the cottage in the garden, hosting their eldest son's wedding and converting the barn for Emma's new venture. Then Emma meets Rory McCloud - the one that got away so many years ago . . .

Such an absorbing read! With lots going on, a myriad of personalities and family life at it's best and worst, this is a book to lose yourself in. I'm not sure that I would have wanted to take on the family home - and yet, so many couples do just that! I loved Emma; some of the others, well, not so much - but that's the beauty of this kind of book. It's quite unpredictable at times, all the better for keeping the reader on their toes! With a very, very satisfying ending, this is a very easy five sparkling stars and my highest recommendation. It's just delicious!

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

This was a very enjoyable read. There were a lot of different characters and I was confused at first about who they all were, but as the story progresses, the different characters stood out more.
The action centres around The Pink House which is owned by her Husband's family. She has always loved the house, and is excited to take over the ownership of the house with her Husband Hugh when her Parents-in-law unexpectedly divorce.
Life isn't as idyllic as she hoped and there is a lot of drama. The book focuses on family dynamics and how these are not always easy and simple. This is a nice book and I enjoyed reading it.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

An intricate family saga centred on The Pink House. Emma and Hugh decide to move Hugh's family home after the unexpected divorce of his parents. Emma has always loved the house and is a catalyst for the move. The story moves between the past and present as the reader learns about Emma and the family she is part of. It's a story of second chances and family secrets. Emma wants the perfect family life, as her childhood wasn't, but even the ideal family is not always what it seems from the outside.

It's a character-led story played out against the perfect country house. The characters are complex and believable, as many have unlikeable traits. Full of authentic family and friendship dynamics, drama and love, it's an enthralling story that immerses the reader in the events at The Pink House.

I love the realistic characters, family dynamic and atmospheric setting.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Your parents in law have divorced, and The Pink House, their marital home is up for grabs. Emma loves the property and her memories of visiting it, so how better to look to the future than to buy the house.
However, things do not go as planned. Her husband always has his nose in a book, her sister in law lives in the garden cottage, she is hosting her sons wedding and wants to turn the barn into an art gallery. What could possibly go wrong. Lots, as it turns out. A myriad of interesting characters, an old love and some unexpected revelations.

I have enjoyed Catherine's books from her debut book and this one is no exception. A good family saga, with intricately woven family dynamics makes for an excellent read.

I have always been a massive fan of Catherine Alliott’s book and so was very excited about reading this. Initially I found it quite difficult to get into the story – the first few chapters seem to feature lots of character names and to be honest I struggled with the family dynamics for a bit until I settled into the story. I also found that similar names for characters added to my confusion – we had a Sally and a Susie and then a Rupert and a Rorie! This didn’t help my menopausal brain and I often had to stop and think “Sally? Is she the sister-in-law or the friend?”

The Pink House is a book about love but starts with Emma having a love affair with her husband’s parents country house. It always held a special place in her heart, and when her in-laws divorced, Emma and her husband Hugh made the move from London to the country to start a new life. But country living is not all roses around the door and although it sounds idyllic, cracks appear but we’re talking relationships and not the plasterwork!

Once my age addled brain got over the initial confusion with the similar sounding names I absolutely loved this book. It drew me in and I didn’t want to let go at the end, it was like one of those bear hugs that your granny used to give you as a child – warm and comforting. Yet again, Catherine gave her readers everything they want and more!

A great family saga with plenty of drama and secrets. Large cast of characters but they all play their part. Secrets come out, so read to find out what happens. 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

I love Catherine Alliott's novels and was excited about this one - loved the title, the premise, the promise of a great story. However, this book didn't work for me as much as I hoped it would. It felt somehow flat. It was very character - centred and not all the characters were likeable. In fact, there was also not much happening, it was more like a memoir, this stripping away every aspect of the characters' lives. Not many dialogues, very descriptive, I read it with pleasure but all the time had a feeling this booking is missing something - action, love, warmth...?

It's basically a love story, I think, even though it doesn't take a huge part of the book but it is somehwere there, deep hidden, and I think it was one of the loveliest, albeit unexpected, parts of the story. It is also about family relationships, good and bad, toxic friendship, forgiveness and new beginnings. All the aspects were well written about, yet the whole book felt for me restricted, cautious, not my kind of read - I couldn't connect with the story, was not sure what it wants to tell us.

However, it was a clever, demanding, intelligent read with some twists on the way and I love the ending, it was beautiful - finally full of emotions.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I absolutely loved reading this book by Catherine Alliott. Found it hard to put down.

Emma and Hugh go to live in the country, in the house that belonged to his parents. Emma loves living there, Hugh is more interested in his music and books.

Soon there’s secrets revealed and at their son’s wedding, things don’t go to well.

I recommend this book.

This book builds and grows on you until you are completely hooked in!!
The Pink House is set in the Wiltshire countryside where Emma and her husband Hugh move to from London to start a new time of life now their sons are grown up. It is Hugh’s childhood home, now his parents don’t live there, so it seems logical to move in and make a new life and look at a different retirement for them both.
Although I didn’t take to the characters initially, I began to understand them more as the family history unfolded, unravelling secrets and affairs unknown.
At times found the writing inaccessible and difficult to relate to, as with the characters, so it’s a good escapist novel but hard reading in places. Loved it once it got going.
Not one of my favourite novels from Catherine Alliott
Thank you NetGalley for the early read.

A family drama examining love and relationships; and how they can change over time.

A thoroughly enjoyable read

Emma and Hugh have taken over the family home following Hugh's parents divorce. Set in rolling countryside it is the house of Emma's dreams.
However, it comes with expectations. Hugh's sister Sally living at the bottom of the garden. The wedding of their son and creating an art gallery in a barn.
Then Emma meets an old flame and begins to question her life.

The Pink House is a well written inter generational story with a large number of characters. Despite this the author does a great job of ensuring they all have their own personalities and roles within the story. From the very start I was rooting for Emma and enjoyed how she grew in confidence throughout the book. The ending was very satisfying and definitely the right decision for Emma to make!

When Hugh’s parents’ divorce neither of them wants to stay in the family home, so Hugh and his wife Emma decide to buy it. Emma is excited to be moving into “The Pink House” and Hugh is happy to go along with what she wants. It’s not just the big house they are taking on though. Hugh’s sister Sally will be living in a cottage in the garden and Emma wants to convert the barn into a space for local artists to display their work. When Emma bumps into an old friend, all sorts of long buried secrets and feelings come to the fore. This is basically a love story but it’s also a story about family, good and bad and also friendship.

The Pink House is a wonderful family drama centred around Emma and Hugh, a highly mismatched couple.
Moving to the Pink House, the couple's differences and family stresses increase.
Catherine Alliott writes intelligent, warm books and this is a good read.

A delightful family drama set around the pink house. I just loved diving into their lives which start with the divorce of Hugh's parents. With a really nice flow to the story it was a pleasure to read.

This is an adult romance. More about the relationships between the characters than the romance of life. Lots of secrets unfold and difficult family dynamics.
Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Random House for the advance copy of this book.

A good family drama with an ending you don't expect. Great setting. I do question whether you can make such a change within six months (I don't want to say too much in case I give away the plot). Plus, what happened to the dog? With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.