One thing this book does is give the reader a good picture of English countryside and the people who live there. In this book, Sir Mungo spends the summer at the English estate of his brother Archie and his wife Camilla. Mungo did not receive any stake in the estate because his father disapproved of his chosen profession. Kit, an old friend of Mungo from the theater, is staying with him for the summer. At this time, Kit looks for advice about rekindling an old relationship with a one-time lost love who is now a widower. The story covers the ins and outs of lives of characters in their waning years. In addition to Mungo and Kit, we meet Mungo’s brother and his wife, who have fallen on hard times and have taken in tenants, several of whom figure in the story, to help support their farm. The story focuses on friendships and relationships, with only a slight hint of mystery. It is an easy, interesting story about friendships, providing a very relaxing read for the reader. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

Mungo is a retired actor who lives in the country with his dog. He lives on the family property that belongs to his brother Archie. Archie and his wife Camilla rent out the cottages on their land. Brothers Philip and Billy are from a farming family. They live near the orchard, where Philip takes care of Billy who had a stroke. Mungo’s friend, Kit, comes to stay with him. She is dealing with a past lover who has come back into her life after his wife died. All of these old friends always think of their friend Izzy. She was a beautiful actress that everyone loved but she died young from an overdose. The other tenants of the cottages are Emma and James. James is a writer who has moved to the country to get some inspiration for his latest novel. Emma lives with her two children while her husband is away as a doctor in Afghanistan. She starts to have a relationship with one of her husband’s friends, who turns out to be more dangerous than she imagined.

There were a lot of characters and storylines. They were all connected, some much less than others. The perspective kept changing between characters. This could be confusing at times when it switched between characters in the same scene without warning.

The story kept giving hints to big scandals but it didn’t deliver. Some scenes had big cliffhangers but they were disappointing when nothing happened. I think if there were simpler plot points, the climaxes could have been bigger.

This story was well written but not as exciting as I hoped.

This is another delightful novel from Willett, who has a nice touch with gentle stories set in the English countryside. Not a lot happens in this (or any other Willett) but that's not a problem. Devon figures as almost another character here. The characters themselves, starting with Mungo, are all mature. There's some secrets but not much drama. Everyone feels very real- right down to their quirks. The plot moves along at a good pace and there's a happy ending. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is a perfect novel to relax.

Retired actor Sir Mungo resides in the quiet countryside of Devon, England. He lives on a home on the estate owned by his brother Archie and his wife Camilla. This property was handed down by their parents disproportionately due to Mungo’s father being unhappy with Mungo’s career choices and lifestyle. Archie and Camilla are facing financial issues and have started to take on tenants. Some of these tenants have interesting backgrounds and become intertwined in the story.

One of Mungo’s oldest friend’s, Kit, is staying with him for the summer. Their friendship began when they were both starting their careers in the theatre. Over the years their relationship bloomed as they shared success and failures. Kit is seeking advice about a decision to reconnect with a long lost love. He is now a widower and for once the time seems right to restart their relationship.

The book is about friendships that survive the test of time. Sometimes the bonds between lifelong friends are deeper than family. I enjoyed this nicely paced book by Marcia Willett.

Mungo lives in the English countryside on the same property as his brother's family. His old friend Kit comes to visit him for the summer with a decision to make. Her one true love has sent her a letter and asks to meet with him again. It is a story of family, lies and secrets, and beautiful settings. The descriptions of the landscapes are just breathtaking. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press Thomas Dunne Books for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher. I have always liked this authors style of writing and all her books and this one did not disappoint at all. Recommend

I have read books by Marcia Willet in the past & found her a very relaxing writer. Her books tend to lean towards the "cosy" style with a little bit of an extra twist. This book lived up to this style and was very enjoyable.
The story is set around a very small community of people consisting of aging actor, Sir Mungo and his houseguest Kit, Mungo's brother Archie and his wife Camilla and the young army wife renting the cottage down the road with her two small children. Add into this a few supporting actors & the stage is set. The story focusses on Mungo's past and the secrets which may come back to haunt him, Kit and Archie, and the future of young Emma and her children.
I love this style of book where you feel as if you are amongst a group of friends telling stories. Marcia Willet writes wonderfully making the reader feel very much a part of the story with great characters who become friends. I loved Mungo with his dry sense of humour and the characters from his past with their stories. Archie & Camilla have a more basic everyday problem which kept the reader grounded - money! Poor Emma is rather dissatisfied with life but doesn't know what she wants. Unfortunately her search to discover this could go disasterously.
This is a very comfortable read. I do not in any way mean to demean it by saying that it is a perfect holiday read. The book was easy to put down and pick up, had its amusing moments and didn't require excessive concentration to keep hold of the threads.
I would be very happy to settle back with another book by this author in the near future.

Very good book with a great setting and a cast of quirky characters. Loved this book

Well written keeps you in suspence all the time it is difficult to put down.
The book covers the relationship between life long friends and the extent that they will go to to help in any situation.
Characters are sliwly developed so you get a clear picture of the relationship between them.I thought that the character of James, the writer was well written and slotted into the plot easily he could not see what was under his nose,the email to his wife really brought the book to life showing his true character through his emails.