I am a big fan of the novelist Katie Fforde and have read many of her books. Although I generally seem to have kept up with her later books, I realised that there are a few earlier ones that I have not read. Stately Pursuits, written in 1997 was one that I had not read until recently when I managed to pick it up quite cheaply in a charity shop. Having now read it, I can safely say that her style really has not changed over the years and the only difference is that technology has moved on quite a bit. I couldn't help noticing that very few of the characters have mobile phones in the book and no one uses emails to keep in touch. How things have moved on in a few short ...  Read the complete review

I had never read anything by Katie Fforde before and was having real trouble in my local library trying to find something I thought I would enjoy reading. I saw this book and another book by her, Wedding Season on the recently returned shelf and decided to give them a go. What instantly attracted me was the cover, it was primarily purple with a cartoon design showing a gate and a hedge which I could only imagine belonged to a stately home. Reading the blurb I realised it was my sort of book-easy to read chick lit and promptly checked it out! Stately Pursuits introduces us to Hetty, a very normal down to earth girl in a loving relationship. She is due to ...  Read the complete review

Stately Pursuits is by author Katie Fforde who has also written bestselling novels Paradise Fields, Flora's Lot & Restoring Grace amongst others. The book follows Hetty Longden who has had her heart broken by her first ever love who has been cheating on her and her mother has decided she'll be perfect at looking after her Great Uncle Samuel's stately home which is in a state of disrepair and her Great Uncle is suffering financial difficulty so Hetty moves in to the house to look after it while her Great Uncle is recovering from ill health in a hospital and she begins to become part of the community and see how important the house is to everybody. While she ...  Read the complete review