Stately Pursuits

by Katie Fforde

Book Overview

Just the thing for a broken heart. A wonderfully romantic novel from the No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Recipe for Love, A French Affair and The Perfect Match. 'The queen of uplifting, feel... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312206763
• ISBN13: 9780312206765
• Release Date: August 1999
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.1" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Predictable but a Total Delight Nonetheless

This book is vastly similar to Highland Fling, except that instead of a sweater company it's a falling down, ancient estate in Courtbridge. And instead of quaint small town Scotland, it's quaint small town England. And again Katie Fforde has a lovely way of describing the characters with just enough bad qualities that they seem real to the reader. This formula of the sweet female lead taking charge and bringing back to life a forgotten old thing and the grumbling, irritable yet somehow sexy male totally works for me! I loved it!!! This time, Hetty Longden is nursing back to life a broken heart and housesitting for an uncle (who rivals the estate in age & is having vital surgery). She makes friends with all the disparate townspeople and takes up their cause of keeping the old crumbling estate going and prepares to show it. However, the uncle's closest and only heir, civil engineer Connor Barrabin, aka Conan the Barbarian to the townspeople, returns to see how things are going and he has other, more devious plans for the beloved old shack. The sparks that obviously will fly between Connor and Hetty are hot and tangible. The way things progress is quite predictable, with just a few surprises put in the way, but still a completely satisfying delight to witness either way. Katie Fforde is good at creating down on their luck heroines that you can't help but sympathize with and cheer on, a side cast with fully developed personalities, and a smart and sexy "Alpha-male" to keep things just tantalizing enough that we are totally driven to turn every page without distraction.

This is a must read!

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I found it thoroughly engrossing, and just darn right funny. It was cozy read, like curling up with a Mocha from Starbucks or listening to Chopin. The characters are vivid and likeable, and the old house is a worthy character unto itself. It is a must read for lovers of what I call "escapist" fiction.

English writer Katie Fforde writes brilliantly!

She comes up with the most enjoyable story lines, and then goes a step further, and keeps you in suspense quite to the end. I couldn't wait for the story to end, yet hated to have it end. I positively hate bodice ripper novels, and Ms.Fforde manages to move us through the necessary romance parts of the story with dignity and still, my heart went pitty-pat. The cast of characters are remarkable, yet it's your usual butinsky Mother, pushy know-it-all neighbor, brilliant, funny and slightly naughty new best friend and a couple of prospective guys all joining in to make our heroine, Hetty wish she NEVER agreed to "house-sit". So the old house gets a much needed polish, as does Hetty's heart. Excellent; I don't know if I enjoyed this or Fforde's "Wild Designs" as a favorite!

this book is yummy!

I adored reading this book! True, it isn't earth-shattering philosophy; and if you want deep meanings, you're out of luck. If you want a fun bit of fluff, however, STATELY PURSUITS is positively delightful. The book is full of humour and quirky supporting characters;and I love the two leads, Hetty and Connor (especially Connor!). All in all, STATELY PURSUITS is a wonderful comedy!