From London With Love is the next book in Katie Fforde's series set in the swinging 60s. Felicity uproots from Provence (where we had met her in a previous book) to start a secretarial curse in London and build bridges with her estranged mother. Felicity soon meets suitor Oliver, but can he live up to her mother's standards?

What I love about this series is that Fforde has kept true to the culture at the time, without pushing the boundaries. It's an interesting insight into relationships in that era, and a refreshing change to ultra modern romance.

I was invested in this story from the start, I hadn't read the previous books in the series but it really didn't matter.
This story is basically about two young women from privileged backgrounds following their very different journeys to romance.
Felicity de Belville had left her father's country chateaux in the Provence region of France for life in swinging London, she wasn't really looking forward to living with her socialite mother, Lucinda, whose parenting skills left a lot to be desired but she had promised to do a secretarial course in London before studying art in Paris.
Violet Stone was living in her Godmother's house in fashionable Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, Lucinda and her daughter Felicity were renting an apartment in the three story building. Violet's father was Lord Marchfont and lived in his stately pile, Stoneyhays, her godmother had secured her a job in a bookshop and although she spent most of her time in the basement she was enjoying her job.
Felicity and Violet soon become firm friends and support one another as they chase romance.
Felicity met handsome Oliver Ward, Oliver did odd jobs here and there, his passion was mudlarking on the Thames embankment looking for treasures, his ambition to become a jeweller was thwarted by his bombastic father who wanted him to follow the family tradition with a military career, was he the type of young man to gain Lucinda's approval ?
Violet fell head over heels for her handsome boss, Henry Halford, who also happened to be a friend of her fathers, but when the beautiful Dr. Saunders insisted on Henry accompanying him on a worldwide lecture tour, he was too eager, heartbroken Violet must forget him.
This is a lovely well told story, both romances have drama, laughter and tears before they reach their HEA. I look forward to reading more of Katie Fforde's books.
Thank you Net Gallery for this ARC, my review is voluntary.

Life and love in London - in 1968. Somehow I missed that this latest from Fforde is actually more or less historical fiction but it's still as good read about Violet and Felicity, who meet and become pals in the city. And there's a romantic interest in Oliver. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Fforde fans will be pleased.

1968 and Felicity arrives in London from Provence to enrol on a secretarial course and meet a man! What she really wants is to stay in Provence and paint.
She meets Oliver who is a mudlark and lives on a barge. He is different from anyone she has ever met and soon she is joining him mudlarking amd meeting his friends.
However, she knows Oliver is not the man her Mother would want her to be involved with.

I have really enjoyed this authors previous books so was excited to read this one. Ms Fforde does what she does best in this book, taking ordinary characters and making them extraordinary. The book starts by concentrating on Félicité who has moved to England to do a typing and shorthand course and is to live with her mother (divorced from her father). Soon, many more characters are introduced, Violet (her upstairs neighbour) Henry (Violet’s absent employer), Oliver (Felicity’s ((as her mother has requested she be called)) love interest.

The story is cleverly interwoven bringing all the main characters together and a wonderful supporting cast. I finished the book, almost guessing the ending, it with a big smile on my face. All in a very heartwarming read and a perfect summer read.

If you have read recent books by Katie Fforde, you may be aware of the fabulous characters who met on a culinary course in London. That book set the scene for a whole complement of follow-up tales and introduced us to some characters who will continue to live rent-free in my mind.
Felicité first appeared in A Wedding in Provence, where we followed Lexie’s story as she became the Nanny to the children of a French divorcee. I loved meeting her and welcomed an entire book around her personal story.
Landing in London to take a secretarial skills course, Felicity must learn to live with her estranged mother and make new friends. Her mother is critical of every element of her French heritage and even insists on anglicising her name to Felicity.
Finding her feet during the swinging sixties in London, Felicity soon finds herself enjoying the life she is leading and the friendship she has formed with Mudlarker Oliver. Oliver is even able to charm her mother and convince her that he is a perfect suitor for Felicity. However, Oliver isn’t all that he initially seems to be, and the arrival of his father brings a new set of complications to Felicity’s door.
Katie Fforde conjures up some wonderful characters, and Felicity doesn’t disappoint. She’s feisty and knows her own mind. She also knows that her mother may never accept her having a relationship with Oliver. Determined to protect her heart, she attempts to create distance between herself and her life in London.
There’s a lovely side story that brings in a friend for Felicity and a historian who needs Oliver’s mudlarking skills. Of course, if you want to know more, you’ll need to grab a copy for yourself.
There’s a real sense of differing classes in this book as we get to know Felicity’s mother and her somewhat snobbish attitude. Meeting Oliver’s friendship group helps us to understand more about the rich mix of characters who made up the fabulous collection of people involved in amateur theatre, many of whom lived in houseboats on the river.
This book is brilliant and merges the differing classes making up sixties London and reminding us that we must never judge a book by its cover.

I love Katie Fforde books, but I'm not so keen on those set in 1960s London, like this one.
This is the story of Felicity and Violet. From very different backgrounds, they are thrown together by living in different parts of the same house.
A nice read, but not one of Fforde's best books in my opinion.

I loved this book, I read it in two days but wanted to let the book settle for a few days before I wrote the review.

Felicite (you met her before in a Wedding in Provence) has left her family chateau and headed for swinging London to do a short hand secretairl course and to live with the mother that abandoned her many years ago, Felicite is finding life in London a bit challenging until she met Violet who lives in an upstairs flat.

Violet was whisked out to London by her godmother when a woman moves into the family home with designs on her father, she has a job in a bookshop but noone really knows what she is supposed to be doing.

Jenny is a keen horticulturist, the best friend of Violet, when she suddenly ups and leaves and goes to work for some horticulturist is France Violet is worried.

When Felicite meets Oliver he tells her he is very good at parents, but would her parents be so delighted in her having a relationship with a mudlark.

As I said I loved the book, Katie's characters are very engaging and it was lovely to met some of the old characters again, David is still very much to fore sorting out problems for everyone.

You dont have to have read the trilogy before to read this story, although I would recommend them too, but this story in itself is very engaging and I was so sad to leave at the end of the book, I really cant' say enough good things about this book.

From London with Love follows Violet and Felicity both new to London , Violet having left home as her fathers lady friend made her feel unwelcome and Felicity has left Provence to live with her mother while she studies shorthand and typing. They soon become firm friends helping with each other’s problems.

Katie Fforde knows how to weave a story lovely seeing some familiar characters like David and Felicity and her family in Provence. Her books are cosy heartwarming reads.

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

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

We meet Felicity in London, Felicity, she’s come to stay with her mother from France to undertake a secretarial course before going Paris to study art at college.

She makes friends with Violet, staying in the flat which belongs to her Godmother in the same building. The friendship these two have grows as they both get used to working, studying and romance in London,

I highly recommend this book.

Ah a Katie Fforde book is like meeting up with an old friend and this one is no different. We are transported back to 1960s London where Felicity has come to live with her Mother. This book follows her adventure for the year she has come to stay, whilst also visiting Provence where her Father and Step Mum stay. A hug of a book, definitely leaves you with a feelgood feeling.

This is a beautiful story about two young ladies, from very different backgrounds. They are thrown together due to living in separate parts of the same house and soon become fast friends.

This is a really well written story with likeable characters. There are several different romances and also some heartbreak. Thankfully, everything turns out fothe best in the end.

From London With Love has some characters we have met before but this time follows Felicity and Violet. It was an enjoyable story but not one of my favourites.

I love Katie Fforde’s books, but this one wasn’t my favourite. I found it slow to start, it did get better though. Felicity has arrived in London to live with her mother and to study, there is a lovely lady Violet that loved in the flat upstairs and they hit it off. It takes you through the romance of Felicity and Daniel, the book was written in 1968, but it felt the romance was dated much earlier. The plot was too slow for me. 3 stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

Katie Fforde is one of my favourite authors but I didn’t enjoy her last novel, Island in the Sun, and this latest book also fell flat for me. Set in 1968 when London was swinging it feels like a missed opportunity not to inject more of the extraordinary social changes that were happening particularly for young women who are the main characters. Well written as always but less interesting and compelling than usual.

Another enjoyable read from Katie Fforde. Set in the London in the 1960s, this story follows the lives of two young women both taking a step into city life with new jobs and experiences. Both are determined to remain independent young ladies, but somewhat unsurprisingly they both fall in love. The path of true love does not however run smooth, as they both experience problems along the way. I enjoyed the story and liked the characters, wanting things to come good for them in the end. This is a easy but thoroughly enjoyable read.

Another great Katie Fforde book. I found this book gentle with no great romance dialogue. This seemed to be more of how women were changing in the 1960’s becoming more independent and not relying on men as much. The friendship between the two main characters was good to see develop and the story line interesting. The ending seemed predictable and rushed but i liked it none the less. A good read that i would recommend to fellow readers.

I really enjoyed this third book in the series. I love Katie’s books her characters draw you into their stories and feel like friends. I couldn’t put this down and thoroughly recommend you read it.

I felt this book was a little different from her normal writing but nevertheless I enjoyed it very much. Great characters and storyline which kept me hooked from start to finish.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

I’m normally a big fan of Katie Fforde’s, but this book didn’t grip me. The writing was fantastic as always, but unfortunately the story just didn’t capture my imagination. It was focused on a group of friends in 1968 and the stories behind how they found their happy ever afters. Maybe it was the time period – Katie’s books that I have enjoyed the most were her older ones which were set in the present day, all with a similar storyline. Still worth a read, but if you haven’t read her earlier ones, I’d suggest starting with those.

Thanks to Random House UK, Cornerstone, NetGalley and Katie Fforde for this advance reader copy, in return for an honest review.