Moving to Combe Tollbridge

A nice light hearted story. Well written with some interesting characters. Just life in a small fishing village, friendships, family feuds and plenty of local words.

Really enjoyed it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Farrago, I read a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

A good story overall, of small town living and politics. I did enjoy this one, although at times a bit overwhelmed with the many characters. Still though, liked the community, especially the knitting fishermen. Would recommend.

A delightfully old fashioned light quick read. Based on a small coastal village in Devon which time seems to have forgotten. Wonderful characters with more than a degree of quirkiness along with copious amounts of cider. I did find the number of names and who was related to who a little confusing at times, but living in a small village that is often reality. Lovely sense of community humour throughout.

Delightfully Woven..
The first in the Exmoor Harbour tales and a delightfully woven tale of a small fishing village and its’ inhabitants. When a small cottage goes up for sale, Jane and Jasper make the move to a tiny corner of the Exmoor coastline whilst another newcomer, Angela, is also en route to new beginnings. They all have their reasons for the move but will they all be successful in their new abodes and will the tiny fishing village be as idyllic and peaceful as they all think? A nicely drawn cast of eclectic characters populate a sedately done plot with a beautifully painted backdrop.

Very enjoyable read. Will be easy to recommend to many different kinds of readers. I’d like to read more from this author.

Susan Jones writes bodice busters under an assumed name in her little cottage in Combe Tollbridge. Her daughter Angela suddenly descents on her from London with a bad romance behind her, deciding to stay in the picturesque North Devon Coastal village.
At the same time, an elderly local resident dies leaving her cottage empty. Miriam, a friend of Susan's, alerts her cousin that there will be a cottage for sale in the imminent future.
The story is not just about these people, but all of the residents of the village and their tales.
It's a nice palate cleanser after reading deeper stories. There is no dark side to it, just light reading.

This book had a slow start but soon improved the pace and it shows how people can move into villages and be accepted even when things seem to be going against them. An enjoyable read.

A light hearted and heartwarming story about living in a small town, the pros and the cons.
Liked the characters and enjoyed the plot
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The story opens with the arrival of Angela, who shows up in a bit of a flurry. Jane and Jasper require little in the way of persuasion to embark on their new adventure in Combe Tollbridge. Events proceed from there and the reader soon discovers that much can happen in this tiny coastal village.

This book is full of colorful characters. From Barney Christmas, real estate developer, to storytellers Mickey and Mike Binns, from Miriam the weaver to Jan Bidd the pub owner and many more. All these characters form an integral part of the story to a greater or lesser degree and the story of Combe Tollbridge comes to life a little bit more with each encounter that Jane, Jasper and Angela have. Soon all three are adopted into the community and start to put their own stamp on the place.

I enjoyed this book from the first page. I found the main characters were well developed as the story opens up. Without a murder I wasn't sure how much could be said about a village but the author surprised me. Everyone had a story to tell until the village itself becomes a character. I liked how the village seems to gradually come to life as the newcomers are introduced to the community. I also appreciated how each character had a distinguishable personality that helped to keep them all straight as events escalate. While I don't claim to have any knowledge of the Exmoor coast, the author gave wonderful descriptions of the area and the challenges that the inhabitants faced with the geography of the place. Check this one out if your looking for a fun story and wash it all down with a glass of cider at the Anchor Pub.

4.5 stars

Jane, Jaspar, and Angela have all just moved to Combe Tollbridge- the couple for a fresh start of sorts and Angela to care for her mother. This is very much a village novel, where you quickly realize that it's about the fishing communirt and the people who live there,. No big crisis, no big drama. It's a challenge at times to keep everyone straight but I'm hoping to spend more time with everyone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Angela moves to be closer to her mother in a sleepy village in Devon after a relationship break up; Jane and Jasper are looking for the good life in a lovely cottage in the same village. This novel had a lovely cast of characters and a host of other stories for the author to explore!