What a wonderful warm hug of a story, I felt completely at home reading this book right from the first pages and really didn't want it to end, as the characters were so lovely.

It is such a shame that I'm not a fan of cheese, as I think this book is even better for those that can't live without cheese, as it is one of the main features of book. I have learnt far more about dairy farming and the making of soft cheese than I ever thought possible. This is just one in a long line of professions that I feel I know a lot better after reading a book by Katie Fforde.



There are two potential heirs for Hill Top Farm, but its Fran who responds to the letter and agrees to live at the farm for a year and try to make it profitable in order to gain the inheritance as and when Mrs Flowers does pass away. I loved Frans regular visits to Amy Flowers, and it was clear she came to care for the old lady a great deal.

Being a chef Fran's solutions to how to make more money from a dairy farm involved food, but none of her plans would ever come to anything without a large injection of cash.

There are some adorable scenes involving baby animals, and even if Fran isn't a native farmer she does clearly care about animals, although I'm not sure she will ever love the cows. She does love the views on the farm, and I loved seeing her determination to turn the farm around, along with her best friend.

Easily one of my favourite books by this always talented author, I loved every second of A Country Escape and it almost made me want to leave London in order to become a farmer myself.

Thank you to Cornerstone Digital and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I always love Katie Fforde's books and I could put this one down until I finished it, so read this in two days (very quick for me!) I really liked following Fran's story of running her distant relatives farm to see and to see if she would inherit. You knew that the Roy character was likely to come unstuck and his arrogance that him being a male relative that was all that was required! Glad that everything worked out in the end, for all of the characters involved.

Post shall be up on my blog 22/02 thecosiestcorner.blogspot.com

This is the first novel I've ever read by Katie Fforde (and have plenty more on my TBR pile!) and I must say that I was really enjoying it. I loved the setting so much and really enjoyed that it started in the country and I felt as though the story got started straight away and was really easy to read.

The story follows main character Fran, who gets a letter from a distant relative asking her to come and trial running the farm. If she manages to make the farm earn money and does so for a year, then Amy (her relative) will think about handing over the farm to Fran. Of course, Fran feels out of her depth with this, but she soon decides to give it a go and she quits her job and moves out to the country.

Best friend Issi is by her side when she moves in to the cute little cottage and they soon set about making the cottage more liveable and better looking. The setting itself is idyllic and I loved it. These type of books always make me want to quit my own job and start running a farm! But I think I'd be more like Fran and not know where to even start!

When the truck that takes the milk lets Fran know that they can't come due to the farms broken track, Fran realises that this is where the farm is going wrong. Tig (the one who helps with the cows) says to just chuck the milk away but Fran has other ideas. As she was a chef before she came down to help Amy, she decides to make cheese with the surplus milk. And honestly, some parts of it left my mouth watering!

I really enjoyed reading this story and getting to know all of the characters. I really loved Issi and found myself relating to Fran and her struggles. I was a bit dubious of Anthony to begin with but it still made a lovely story! Overall, a lovely romantic novel which you will lose yourself in. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

What a gorgeous book. I always look forward to a new Katie Fforde book and this one didn't disappoint.

With an idyllic setting and characters that you are genuinely rooting for, I loved getting immersed in the lovely story of Fran, Antony, Isi, Trig and not forgetting Amy.

This was just the type of book that you can pick up and immediately get lost in - I did!

A lovely story with equally lovely characters, I'm already looking forward to the next.

When Fran receives a letter from a very distant relative of hers asking her to come and look after her farm for her and if she does well she may inherit it. Fran.takes a chance and moves and tries to save the farm despite it having debts. Can she make a go of it? Having trained as a chef she tries using surplus milk to make cheese. I don’t know about cheese making but it seems to be very well researched and interesting. At some points my mouth was watering with the descriptions of the cheeses. A great read perfect for Mother’s Day.