A Village Affair by Julie Houston #Review

 I am happy to be featuring Julie Houston's contemporary novel, A Village Affair on the blog today.

 

Cassie Beresford has recently landed her dream job as deputy head teacher at her local, idyllic village primary school, Little Acorns. So, the last thing she needs is her husband of twenty years being ‘outed’ at a village charity auction –he has been having an affair with one of her closest friends.

As if it weren’t enough to cope with, Cassie suddenly finds herself catapulted into the head teacher position, and at the front of a fight to ward off developers determined to concrete over the beautiful landscape.

But through it all, the irresistible joy of her pupils, the reality of keeping her teenage children on the straight and narrow, her irrepressible family and friends, and the possibility of new love, mean what could have been the worst year ever, actually might be the best yet.

My Thoughts

This is a warm and witty novel with plenty of characters to amuse and enough meat in the plot to keep you reading with interest. You are on Cassie's side from the beginning when her life seems to fall apart and she realises that she can't take anyone at face value. Her teenage children soon give her more to worry about. With her feet on the ground, she tries to make sense of her life. I particularly enjoyed her efforts at school as she tried to keep her head above water as the new headteacher.

    Cassie's family provide plenty of heart-warming and humorous moments, none more so than Cassie's mother, Paula, who refers to her daughter as Cassandra Moonbeam and who has an unconventional take on life. There are some surprises lurking in the background which are completely unexpected (at least to me) but as you reach the end, you look back and join up quite a few dots which you may have disregarded before. The plotting is spot on. Just the job for a holiday read, this will keep you amused to the end.

In short: Warm, witty, endearing

 

About the Author

Author Julie Houston is the author of The One Saving Grace, Goodness, Grace and Me and Looking for Lucy, a Kindle top 100 general bestseller and a Kindle Number1 bestseller. She is married, with the two teenage children and a made cockerpoo and, like her heroine, lives in a West Yorkshire village. She is also a teacher and a magistrate.

You can follow Julie here: Twitter   | Facebook   |  Website 

Book links: Amazon UK   |  Kobo  |  Apple Books   |  Google Play 

 Aria Books: Website  |  Twitter  |   Facebook  |  Instagram

Thanks to Julie Houston and Victoria Joss and Aria Books for a copy of the book and a place on the tour. 

Check out the rest of the tour!