I have great pleasure in introducing Julie Houston's latest novel, A Family Affair. It was published on 3rd June by Aria.
Joining the family business was never going to be easy...
Frankie
Piccione is done running away from her responsibilities – well, for
now, anyway. Two years after fleeing Westenbury with a shattered heart,
it's time to return and take up her place on the board of the family
business. Piccione's Pickles and Preserves is floundering, and Frankie
knows she can turn it around.
But with her brother Luca and the
new, rather attractive, Cameron Mancini watching her every move, she's
going to have to come up with something special to persuade them that
she belongs on the board just as much as they do.
With the help of
her Aunt Pam and best friend Daisy, Frankie begins to thrive with her
new sense of purpose. Until someone from her past walks right back into
her life and threatens to ruin everything...
Perfect for fans of Heidi Swain, Milly Johnson and Cathy Bramley.
My Thoughts
What a treat this latest return to the village of Westenbury turned out to be. There is plenty of variety in the writing, with three timelines to follow and a lovely cast of characters to follow. Frankie and her family are at the heart of the story and you get to see her before and after her love affair with the delectable Daler. The family business is central to the lives of the characters and Frankie's Auntie Pam's story from her youth in the 1970's goes some way to explaining the dynamics there.
Full of romance and broken hearts, missed chances and thwarted dreams, this is a delightful read. However, there is more to it than that- a slightly darker edge of manipulation, abandonment and shattered hearts. I enjoyed Frankie's friendship with Daisy which added humour and a down to earth tone. Through their friendship. you feel you get to know Frankie a little more. There are layers to this story. It was such a pleasure to peel them back.
In short: Are second chances possible?
About the Author
Julie lives in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire where her novels
are set, and her only claims to fame are that she teaches part-time at ‘Bridget
Jones’ author Helen Fielding’s old junior school and her neighbour is
‘Chocolat’ author, Joanne Harris.
After University, where she studied Education and English
Literature, she taught for many years as a junior school teacher. As a newly
qualified teacher, broke and paying off her first mortgage, she would spend
every long summer holiday working on different Kibbutzim in Israel.
After
teaching for a few years she decided to go to New Zealand to work and taught in
Auckland for a year before coming back to this country. She now teaches just
two days a week, and still loves the buzz of teaching junior-aged children. She
has been a magistrate for the past nineteen years, and, when not distracted by
Ebay, Twitter and Ancestry, spends much of her time writing.
Julie is married, has a twenty-four-year-old son and
twenty-one-year-old daughter and a ridiculous Cockerpoo called Lincoln. She
runs and swims because she’s been told it’s good for her, but would really
prefer a glass of wine, a sun lounger and a jolly good book – preferably with
Matthew McConaughay in attendance.
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!
Thank you so much for his fabulous review!! Really, really appreciated xxxxx
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for his fabulous review!! Really, really appreciated xxxxx
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Pamela for this great review. Really, really appreciated!
ReplyDeleteJulie xx