After her marriage falls apart (on her 50th birthday, no less), the main character of this novel leaves NYC and returns to her native Australia, eventually buying the "tumbledown manor" of the title, a dilapidated manor house that used to belong to her ancestors. I'm a sucker for books set in crumbling mansions, though usually such books are historical novels while this one is contemporary women's fiction (bordering on chick lit for the middle aged), and the manor is mostly involved only in renovation, with just a few nods to the family history there. It nonetheless made for a great setting for the book, made even more charming by the fact that it's in the Australian countryside. And I dare any reader not to be charmed by the feral cat and the cockatoo that hang around the manor as well. This book has been hanging out on my kindle for a few years waiting for me to finally read it, and I'm glad I finally got around to it. Such a fun, cozy, quick read.

I am going to start off with a few things I liked about Tumbledown Manor. One thing I really enjoyed about this one was that Lisa, the main character, is an author who writes a series of books based off the Brontë sisters. This book was loaded with tidbits of info about the Brontë sisters and their lives. Being a huge Brontë fan myself, I really appreciated seeing this included in the book. Secondly, I love the cover, which had originally given me Louisiana vibes, but turns out I was way off as the book actually takes place in Australia. Unfortunately this was pretty much the extent of my enjoyment of the book…

My biggest hang up about this book is that it has a very similar plotline as the 2003 film Under the Tuscan Sun, which is based off the novel Under the Tuscan Sun. Now I have not read the book, but I will compare the similarities between Tumbledown Manor and the film version of Under the Tuscan Sun. In both, a middle aged woman discovers that her husband is having an affair, the woman then proceeds to move to a foreign country. In both, the woman buys an old run-down house on impulse. The woman begins to rehab the old house with a cast of eccentric contractors & friends whereupon disasters & surprises ensue. In both, there is a wedding at the house at the end of the book. Now, the concept of a single woman buying a run-down house & fixing it up is not unique to these two books by any means, but there was just too many parallels to Under the Tuscan Sun that it was distracting. Sure there are some slight differences, but the overall plotline is eerily similar.

Lisa, our main character, wasn’t exactly an endearing character, nor did she really have any redeemable qualities. When a character hits rock bottom at the beginning of a book, I expect the character to make a tremendous amount of growth and personal development over the course of the book, but that didn’t really happen here. There wasn’t really any sense at the end that Lisa was empowered or standing on her own two feet. The secondary characters were underdeveloped, so I never felt we got to know anyone other than Lisa in this book, which includes Lisa’s love interest. The romance was in Tumbledown Manor was awkward to say the least. Lisa and her love interest had zero chemistry. Actually, it felt as if they disliked each other for the most part, but it didn’t feel like the hate to love trope. Whatever it was it did not work for me.

Another aspect that I struggled with in this book was the author’s writing. At times it just felt awkward and forced. For example, here are a few separate lines that made me do a double take when I came across them…

“But his pillow was as vacant as the wastelands of Antarctica.”
◊
“It was her favorite pillow, so it probably harbored superbugs.”
◊
“The scar ran in a horizontal line across her torso like a ruler marking the end of a school essay.”
◊
“…row of suns yellow as egg yolks.”
◊
“Scott’s boots lay like a pair of drunken sailors under the step.”

The writing just didn’t flow or connect well in my opinion. I just couldn’t get into it.

Based off the synopsis I was anticipating the majority of the book to be about Lisa fixing up the house, but this aspect of the plot fell flat. Aside from a few mentions of uncovering flagstones and such, but we really never get a sense of the house being restored to its former glory. There just wasn’t much in the book about the rehab process… Furthermore the big “secret” surrounding Lisa’s family and the manor basically felt thrown into the story without any type of development. Now that I think of it, there wasn’t anything in the book about the history of the house other than the “plot twist.” The author really needed to spend more time developing the backstory behind the house and the past inhabitants in order for this type of plot twist to work.

I tend to shy away from chick-lit in general, but every once in a while I dip my toes in when I’m in the mood for something fluffy. Unfortunately, Tumbledown Manor did not hit the spot for me.

*Big thanks to Kensington Books for providing me with a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the chance to review this book, however, unfortunately, I was unable to download this title before it was archived

Don't you just love it when a book comes along that you are exactly in the mood for? This happened to me when I started reading "Tumbledown Manor". I found this debut novel to be heart-warming, life-affirming, strong women's fiction. An excellent read!

Lisa Katz (nee Trumperton) is a novelist who is working on a three book deal of historical romances based on the lives of the three Brontë sisters. Happily (she thinks) married, a cancer survivor, and the mother of two grown children, she feels that, all-in-all, life is good.

On Lisa's 50th birthday, she is made aware of her husband's infidelity. She realizes that Jake has been unfaithful since shortly after her mastectomy surgery. Never vain, Lisa did not have reconstructive surgery after the removal of her breast. She thought Jake was fine with her new 'look'. Apparently she was sadly mistaken. With her trust and her married life shattered, her home on the Upper East Side no longer has the appeal it once had. She feels unwanted, unloved, and abandoned - and hates herself for her own self-pity.

"It occurred to Lisa that only old people and babies could light up spaces with smiles that were incandescent."

She never felt completely 'at home' in New York and always felt she was a big-boned Aussie girl. So... what better time to go back to the country of her birth? She changes her name from Lisa Katz back to Lisa Trumperton and moves home to Australia.

"Lisa buying back her heritage".

Against her sister's advice, she purchases the neglected and run-down family home. Trumperton Manor. Built in 1860, the manor needs lots of TLC and money spent on its repair and refurbishment. Lisa feels a real connection to the place and purchasing it has magically seemed to cure her writer's block.

Her son, Ted, is gay, and living in Australia. She is delighted to see more of him after her move. She is also delighted to meet his new love. Her daughter Portia, lives in California. Lisa is constantly worried at Portia's lifestyle and her more and more apparent anorexia.

After her move she adopts Mojo, "the ugliest, most bad-tempered looking cat in the world". With only one eye, his life as a stray has made him wary and volitile. Yet Lisa befriends him and the two become fast friends. Lisa also becomes 'parent' to an injured cockatoo whom she names Kiwi.

Because of the extensive renovations needed, she meets an 'able' neighbour whom she finds a little more than attractive. Though, like most people in middle age, he has his own baggage. She also becomes acquainted with the 'Grey Army', a group of retired tradesmen who lend a hand in bringing the manor back to its former glory.

"Tumbledown Manor" was laced with tidbits of information about the Brontë sisters which I found very interesting.

This book was written with empathy, compassion, and humour. Although it was fairly predictable plot-wise, I found that predictability did not mar my enjoyment of the novel in any way. This is women's fiction laced liberally with family secrets, humour, animals, and new beginnings. It was the perfect read for me at just the perfect time.

I loved Lisa and her quirky pets. I'd love to visit with them again, but the ending ties things up neatly, so I guess my invitation won't be coming...

I was disappointed by this book. I have no idea why but it didn't grab me. The pace was too slow and the story didn't flow in the way I had hoped.,