1968, Felicity moves to London to live with her mother. She meets mudlarker Oliver. But will her mother approve and can she trust him. Misunderstandings and adventures for Felicity and her upstairs neighbour Violet as the negotiate loves and work.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy to review.

Katie Fforde never fails to please, writing another great read. Felicite moves to London to live with her mother for a year in 1968, meets Oliver, and makes friend with Violet who lives in the flat upstairs. An insight into London life in the 60's, Compulsive reading, brilliant.

Some nice details and interesting attempts at unique character work, but ultimately a project that falls short of the mark. The relationships between the core group just felt strained, and I found it difficult to get drawn into the world of Fforde's historical London. I'm sure that this will work for a lot of people though!

Another beautiful book from the legendary Katie Fforde! Grab a cup of tea, your favourite blanket and prepare to be swept away with this wonderful story!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC

I was pleased to receive this book from Netgalley to review. I have read all Katie’s books as I love her writing but I wasn’t sure about this one as it was set in 1968. I read the synopsis and liked the sound of the characters and story so thought I would give it a go. I liked all the main characters,even Felicities mum mellowed. I enjoyed the easy going friendship between Felicitie and Violet. They stay in the same house but Violet is in a flat at the top of the house.So they bump into Oliver and Felicitie takes a shine to him and he to her. I did find it odd they didn’t meet up more often but maybe that’s what happened back then. Violet who was only 30 was made to feel she was way over the hill and would never meet anyone. I know back then people got married at a younger age(my mum when she was 19 and she had me when she was 21) Violet meets Henry when he comes to her family home for Christmas and who turns out to be her boss. So we have 2 main stories running through the book,Felicitie is half French and comes over to stay with her mother to do a secretarial course,meets Oliver who is a disappointment to his dad,he stays on a barge and scrapes by doing various jobs. Violet comes to London and stays at her godmothers flat and works in Henry’s bookshop,she likes him and thinks he likes her but he disappears off to write a book and she doesn’t hear from him. There are twists and turns in the book but it is worth a read,I found I couldn’t put it down as I wanted to find out what happened to the girls.

Three and a half stars.

Felicity comes to London to stay with her mother (Felicity is Alexandra from A Wedding in Provence's step-daughter) in Cheyne Walk (a very expensive part of London). She intends to be an artist and study in Paris but has agreed to spend a year in London getting to know her mother, improving her English, and attending secretarial school.

The woman who lives in a flat in the attic of Felicity's mother's house has persuaded her niece Violet to come to London and arranged a job for her at a nearby bookshop. Violet's father has suddenly (and unexpectedly) come into a title and money which has led to him being inundated with women hoping he'll 'put a ring on it', one woman has even gone so far as to persuade him to let her move into a wing of the house and Violet very much dreads that she could be her new stepmother.

Despite their age differences, Violet is in her thirties while Felicity is barely twenty, the two of them strike up a friendship, partly because Felicity's mother is one of those wealthy society divorcees with a lot of rules about what Felicity can and cannot do, and partly because they are both country mouses in the big city.

Whilst out walking one day Felicity bumps into a young man, Oliver, and they strike up a friendship, under Violet's watchful eye. Oliver is the black sheep of his family who are all military men. Oliver wants to make jewellery but his father refuses to hear of it and so instead Oliver scrapes a living with a multitude of low-paying jobs in bars and restaurants whilst also doing a bit of mudlarking (looking for treasure along the banks of the Thames when the tide is out).

But the course of true love never did run smooth and there's an added complication wheen Felicity's mother and Oliver's father become involved.

This is classic Katie Fforde and classic me. I moan about her signature motifs and then not only buy/request them every time but also devour them eagerly. There's insta-lurve, aristos, people who can live in London with practically no money, cranky old ladies with a heart of gold, etc. I loved it, sure I wish both Felicity and Violet knew their respective love interests for more than thirty seconds before they fell in love but hey-ho they did things differently in the 1960s ;)

You know I'll be back for the next one - they're like catnip.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

I love a new Katie Fforde book because I know I’m going to have a really good read, there will be characters that I like (not all perfect or confident- just like real life),there will be a bit of mystery and intrigue and, what we all,want - a happy ending, in this case - no spoiler -there’s more than one! Just what I needed, thank you Katie.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

What an absolute treat to be able to settle down to read a story by the lovely Katie. Set in the 1960's and moving between France and London, England the lives of two girls are intertwined and they have wonderful adventures, a gorgeous read

I love Katie Fforde books and was so excited to get an advance copy of this latest one.

This story is set mainly in London in the late 1960s and is about the lives and loves of two girls from different backgrounds who become friends and support each other in their new city lives. It’s a gentle story and has some humorous parts with some strong character depictions.

The story also involves mud larking on the banks of the River Thames, which was quite fascinating to read about and which I believe is becoming quite popular.

Thank you to net galley and the publisher for providing this copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

Felicity has arrived in London knowing no-one but her mother who left when she was very young. She has happily grown up in a crumbling chateau in Provence but wants to improve her English whilst doing a secretarial course, before going to art college in Paris. She makes friends with Violet who lives in the attic flat, Violet has been avoiding the woman who has her sights set on her father since he unexpectedly inherited a title. Felicity and Violet become friends and help each other though their adventures. An interesting glimpse into how things were in the 60's. Another comforting Katie Fforde read, like having a warming cup of hot chocolate.

I love Katie's books and this one did not disappoint. Its really good and had me hooked from the start. The author writes in a way that you can easily relate to the characters. Its a great love story and it is a lovely book to read.

Katie Fforde doing what she does best! Writing a fantastic story to draw you in and forget about the troubles of the world. It was a lovely story with fab likeable characters. I now want to live on a barge and go mud larking! Thank you Katie!

Katie Fforde never disappoints! Another great book and a delight to read. Sit down, grab a blanket and a cuppa and prepare to be transported.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters are well drawn but not overdone, so no chiselled chins or diamond blue eyes.
Felicity and Violet become unlikely friends when Felicity comes over from her father's house in France to stay with her Mother in London.
Country estates and mudlarking on the Thames, missing palaces

An enjoyable read with interwoven love stories that keep you wondering how they will be resolved. Lots of misunderstandings come in the way of eventual happy resolutions.

Another beautiful read from Katie Fforde! Love the gorgeous cover and historic tone to this novel. A beautiful love story set in the 1960s. This book will stay with you long after it’s read.

Beauty London love story. Katie Fforde is my favorite author to read and acquire. I pice how this story is set in the 1960s and is so beautifully written I felt like I was watching a movie unfold in book form. Absolutely lovely