village life

Every Tom, Dick & Harry

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Every Tom, Dick & Harry by Elinor Lipman

Humorous and witty, this contemporary novel has the zaniest plot of any book I’ve read since The Husbands by Holly Gramazio. Every Tom, Dick & Harry is set in small-town Harrow, Massachusetts, with a large ensemble cast like Amy Poeppel’s novel The Sweet Spot.

Emma Lewis has been involved with her parents’ estate sale visit for years, but is startled to have their business, and her childhood home, left to her when they retire to Cape Cod. Also, Emma gets a boarder to help with expenses, her dad’s recently widowed friend, Frank. Frank was also Emma’s algebra teacher.

Frank and Emma both start dating, but not each other. Emma is quietly seeing the new chief of police, Luke, while Frank is dating Luke’s widowed mother, Connie. Frank also adopts a cute dog, Ivy, and helps out with the estate sales. Emma is trying to get a contract to hold an estate sale at Quail’s Nest, a mansion and former B and B in town. The house is chock full of classic estate sale items, from an espresso machine to Persian rugs to bikes, a lawn mower, and lots of silver. Then she learns that an escort service was run out of the mansion’s attic, and the family is not at all shy about their former business.

Emma’s parents come back to help with the sale, which definitely does not go as planned. Emma and Luke, meanwhile, are helping plan their 15th high school reunion, while still pretending they’re not dating. Add in some stolen art, a very ugly statue, and Frank’s stepdaughters to round out the wild plot. I’ve read Lipman’s books On Turpentine Lane and Ms. Demeanor, and there are many more titles for those looking for quirky, upbeat, and witty reads.

Brenda

Clouds & Curses

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Clouds & Curses: Tales of Rydding Village Book 3 by Shanna Swendson

Readers of cozy fantasy novels set in small villages will enjoy the Rydding Village series. In this novel, Ceri, Lady Parcells, comes back home after many years with her daughter, Lili. Ceri’s husband has died and left everything to his children from his first marriage. Ceri’s mother, Mistress Teague, is the most disliked lady in Rydding, and is a complete snob. Ceri was in love with Daryn as a teen, but her mother persuaded her to marry an older nobleman.

Ceri and Lili have an affinity for animals, and bring their cat and dog with them. Ceri can calm horses, though she doesn’t believe in magic. There is some mystery in Rydding. Lights are seen in the distant castle, but no one is ever there. The harvests the past several years seem to be cursed, with rain falling at the worst times. Wyn, the healer who runs a tea shop is slowly starting a romance with Bryn, who runs the small inn and studies magic. Mair, who runs the dairy and sells cheese, is not happy that Ceri is back in town, but Wyn, a newcomer, is more understanding. Ceri actually apologizes for her past mistakes.

Ceri meets Daryn again, and there are definite sparks. Could he still care for her after all these years? Together, the villagers try different methods to harvest the hay and wheat and save the crops. Ceri learns that she can stand up to her mother, especially concerning Lili’s future, and becomes more connected to the village. Some storylines have satisfying conclusions while others will be continued in the next Rydding Village book. The first novel is Tea and Empathy.

Brenda

The Holley Sisters of Thornthwaite

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A Vicarage Christmas, A Vicarage Reunion, A Vicarage Wedding and A Vicarage Homecoming by Kate Hewitt

In this charming series of four contemporary novels set in the Lake District of northwest England, four sisters all deal with turning points in their lives, including jobs, romances, housing, and personal growth. The Holley sisters grew up in the Thornthwaite vicarage and have returned home in A Vicarage Christmas. They are all dismayed to learn that their parents, Roger and Ruth, plan to leave soon for missionary work in China.

Esther, Anna, Rachel, and the much younger Miriam cope with a number of serious issues, including an unexpected pregnancy, a possible divorce, stuttering, and unresolved grief. Local teacher Rachel is looking forward to a big wedding, a very large house, a puppy, and a family of her own. Sharp-tongued Esther is suddenly discontented with everything in her life. Quiet Anna realizes she must finally deal with her stuttering and some grief issues, while Miriam has been traveling the world, ending up in Australia before heading back to England to start over without a university degree or good job prospects.

I enjoyed listening to this series on audio, available from my public library on Hoopla, narrated by Hannah Curtis. I plan to look for more books by Kate Hewitt, especially if they’re narrated by Hannah Curtis.

Brenda