Twenty year old Susan, and her mother Marian, have moved in with a dear friend whose home in a small rural village provides them with an escape from the city, poverty and, in Susan's case, bullying. Their friend Viv, is comfortable financially and helps them in various ways to blossom, after years of difficulty. Luke, the young man who lives next door, becomes enamored of Susan and proves to be a very helpful friend to her and all of his neighbors.

This novel was entertaining and thought provoking, as well as a squeaky clean romance. This is not an objection, merely an observation. The story includes characters whose lives are touched by alcoholism. anxiety, PTSD and homosexuality. All are handled in a non-judgemental manner.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author D.B. Carter and the publisher Cameron Publicity and Marketing Ltd. for a complimentary ARC of this novel. This is my honest review.

“The Cherries” is a moving and thought-provoking début by D B Carter and I found it to be a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Susan travels with Marian, her mother, escaping a life of heartbreak and poverty in the city, to live with their one remaining friend in a small rural English village. At twenty, Susan is still bound by the trauma of her youth but starts to blossom into womanhood, thanks to the tender encouragement of Luke, the eccentric occupant of ‘The Cherries’, who lives surrounded by books and art. But can your past ever be truly behind you?

Feeling safe and secure at last, mother and daughter nurture artistic talents that they considered worthless, and their lives take directions they could not have foreseen. Yet, amongst the kindness and love in their new community, there lies hidden grief and a long-suppressed secret that must come to light. Something that might force Susan to another life beyond the confines of the village.

The characters were well drawn by the author and I particularly liked Luke who I thought had so much to offer in terms of his generosity and kindness. There were many other diverse characters and they all had a part to play within the overall story-line and helped to add to its richness. It superbly portrayed modern life, of alternative beliefs and lifestyles but with kindness and respect.

D B Carter’s writing style was extremely appealing and even though it was rich in detail, I didn’t feel overwhelmed with too much narrative. The author's words portrayed the gorgeous Devonshire setting beautifully as I was immersed in this quaint and picturesque English village.

For me, “The Cherries” emphasised the importance of self-reliance. It was not a traditional type of romance novel where the main character is swept off their feet by a gorgeous beau. It is more about learning to rely on yourself whilst recognising the importance of others in achieving this. The book also dealt with some very serious subjects such as alcoholism, mental health, online abuse, bullying and sexual assault.

All in all “The Cherries” was a great first novel from this exciting new writer. If you're looking for a heart-warming read that isn’t too sugar-coated, look no further! I shall be keeping an eye out for next instalment from D B Carter.

Thanks to NetGalley, Cameron Publicity & Marketing Ltd and the author, D B Carter for my complimentary copy of The Cherries. My honest review is entirely voluntary.

This book started out strong and stayed that way until about 3/4 in, then I felt the author wanted to add too many different topics. It felt hurried and confusing at that point. And why didn't Jenny tell her friend what happened?

I was kindly provided a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Set in the rolling countryside of Devon, this is an area I know well, having grown up in such a village. The characters were recognisable as the kind you’d find here, and I enjoyed the descriptions of the kind of places close to my heart. Whimsical at times, the book has strong characters and is a comforting read, following Luke from The Cherries and Susan from next door, over many years.
While I liked some parts of the book, there were a few aspects I didn’t like as much, and I think this is due to my not being the target audience. For instance, there is a strong emphasis on faith and religion throughout, and the pacing was at times slow, and then later felt a little rushed.
There were many different stories and characters introduced, all with their own problems. I would have preferred a closer look at fewer characters, perhaps even stretching across more than one book. I would have liked more focus on just Susan, Marian, Luke, or Jenny, as they felt the strongest of the characters, as well as more focus on the romantic aspects.
However, each character reflected a true dynamic in country life, and so it was a relatable and familiar read.

Received a copy of this book through NetGalley.
Interesting subject matter,and the way the author desls with it ,is like a breath of fresh air to the reader.
However, I found that the last couple of chapters seemed to have been rushed.
A rough diamond in the making.

Thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
First time reading this Author
Rather complex reading in parts I on the whole quite enjoyed it but ending wasn't great very bundled up and hope for the best

I did not like this book at all it read like a bad soap opera. Started with bullying then went to turning gay and of course religious acceptance of these particular lifestyles. Political correctness run amok!!! Also a lot of car accidents. Totally boring to the average reader.

A book that touches on the complexities of modern day life, the multitude of different relationships and the trials of mental health....what a breath of fresh air. A writer not afraid to touch upon these subjects and approaches them with the respect that they deserve without sugar=coating them. Faith and humanity is also touched upon without throwing it in your face, showing the subtle way that it can help people with mental issues if that is what they seek and helping others to understand why people turn to Faith

The characters are easy to fall in love with and make you feel as if you are a part of their lives

My only criticism is that the final few chapters seemed to rush the ending. I feel that compared to the rest of the book, it forcibly took you to the end of the book without the enjoyment of what the rest of the book gave you. Having said that, I did enjoy the whole book and will look out for it to read again