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Once Upon a Thyme by Jane Lovering #Review

  It is a pleasure to feature Jane Lovering's  Once Upon a Thyme which was published by Boldwood Books on June 24th.   All her life, Natalie Fisher has been taught not to ask questions. Why risk uncovering uncomfortable truths, when you can stay in the safety of blissful denial? Since taking over the family herb farm, Natalie has stuck with what she knows, rarely venturing much further than the nearby village where her invalid mother now lives. But then, one day, everything changes with the arrival of unexpected visitors. First comes Zeb, employed by Natalie’s mother to help with the business but soon hinting at other motives. Then comes Simon with the famous band he manages, wanting to film in Natalie’s beautiful garden. The band causes chaos and the attitude of one particular member throws Natalie’s ordered life into confusion. Over one magical summer of revelations and of uncovering secrets, Natalie starts to blossom and by the time autumn arrives she knows n...

Mavis and Dot by Angela Petch ** Blog Tour Review**



 It's great to welcome Angela Petch's Mavis and Dot to the blog today. I am even more delighted to tell you that all profits from the sale of the books will go towards research into the cure for cancer.
 
A warm slice of life, funny, feel-good, yet poignant

Introducing two eccentric ladies who form an unlikely friendship.Meet Mavis and Dot - two colourful, retired ladies who live in Worthington-on-Sea, where there are charity shops galore. Apart from bargain hunting, they manage to tangle themselves in escapades involving illegal immigrants, night clubs, nude modelling, errant toupees and more. And then there’s Mal, the lovable dog who nobody else wants. A gently humorous, often side-splitting, heart-warming snapshot of two memorable characters with past secrets and passions. Escape for a couple of hours into this snapshot of a faded, British seaside town. You'll laugh and cry but probably laugh more.

"This book is quirky and individual, and has great pathos...[it] will resonate with a lot of readers." Gill Kaye - Editor of Ingenu(e). 

Written with a light touch in memory of a dear friend who passed away from ovarian cancer, Angela Petch’s seaside tale is a departure from her successful Tuscan novels.


My Thoughts

In Mavis and Dot, we are introduced to two larger than life characters who are outspoken and full of life. At first, they seem quite different. Mavis is full of humour, more outgoing and out to try new things. Dot seems much more reserved. As the story unfolds, you find out more about both of them. This book reads like a breath of fresh air as new friendships develop. There are some laugh out loud moments with all the quirkiness that seems to be going on but beneath the surface are some more serious issues around how we welcome people in need and homelessness. 

    I loved the illustrations by Gill Kaye ( @GillKayeArtist ) which capture the flavour of the two women and their life in Worthington on Sea. The seaside resort is now past its best and there is a real feeling of nostalgia and changing times. There is plenty more to learn about Mavis and Dot's past lives and I would love Angela to return to Worthington on Sea sometime, to bring us more of these two.

In short: Escapades galore in this faded seaside town.


About the Author


A prize-winning author, Angela Petch lives half the year in West Sussex and the summer months in a remote valley in the Tuscan Apennines. She recently signed a two-book deal with Bookouture for her Tuscan novels and “Mavis and Dot” is a temporary departure from her usual genre. She has travelled all her life: born in Germany, she spent six years as a child living in Rome, worked in Amsterdam after finishing her degree in Italian, moved to Italy for her job, then to Tanzania for three years. Her head is full of stories and she always carries a pen and note-book to capture more ideas.
In May 2017, Angela Petch won PRIMA’S monthly short story competition and recently had a dozen stories published by The People’s Friend magazine.

“Mavis and Dot” was written in memory of a dear friend who lost her battle with ovarian cancer. All profits from sales of the book will go towards research into a cure for cancer.

You can follow Angela here: Facebook   |  Twitter  |  Website





Thanks to Angela Petch and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources  for a copy of the book and a place on the tour. 

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Comments

  1. Thanks for this lovely review. I think there are many "faded" seaside towns along our coast. I'm certainly continuing stories about Mavis and Dot. Watch this space!

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