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When Imogen Naughton vanishes, everyone who knows her is shocked. She has a perfect marriage. Her handsome husband treats her like a princess. She's always said how lucky she is. So why has she left? And how will she survive without Vince? What goes on behind closed doors is often a surprise, and Imogen surprises herself by taking the leap she knows she must. But as she begins her journey to find the woman she once was, Imogen's past is right behind her.... Will it catch up with her? And will she be ready to face it if it does?
Lizzie has always had bad luck. Losing her heart to her boss leads to her losing her job, and with no money in the bank Lizzie finds herself forced to move back home with her parents. Now in her 90s, Mrs Dallimore is also coming to terms with her situation. Old age is finally catching up with her. As they form the bond of unexpected friendship, Lizzie begins to realise that she's not the only person to attract bad luck and that sometimes life has a way of surprising you....
Summer 1939: After touring an unsettled Europe to promote her latest book, Romily Temple returns home to Island House and the love of her life, Jack Devereux. But when Jack falls ill, his estranged family are called to his bedside. With war now declared, each member of the family is reluctantly forced to accept their new stepmother and confront their own shortcomings. But can Romily cope with the life that has been so unexpectedly thrust upon her?
A fateful car crash sets in motions a series of events for Floriana, Esme. Floriana gathers the courage to attend the wedding of her one true love, and Esme journeys with her to Lake Como to find the man who stole her heart many years ago. It’s time for Esme and Floriana to face the past - and the future - on the shore of the most romantic and enchanting of lakes.
Iona Brannock has always been impatient. Not one to hang around, she married her gorgeous husband just months after meeting him, and they have lived happily ever since. Now all she needs is a baby, and her life will be perfect. Sally Harper has been blissfully married for almost 20 years. She has a beautiful daughter, a loving husband and a great job. Her life is complete. But a surprise pregnancy is about to change everything.
Having married once for love and been abandoned by her husband, Ellen is determined that her second marriage will be for money. And conveniently Duncan, her divorce lawyer, is not unattractive - and he’s enticingly single. But when she meets painter Matthew, Ellen has to remind herself very strongly indeed that Duncan is the man for her....
When Imogen Naughton vanishes, everyone who knows her is shocked. She has a perfect marriage. Her handsome husband treats her like a princess. She's always said how lucky she is. So why has she left? And how will she survive without Vince? What goes on behind closed doors is often a surprise, and Imogen surprises herself by taking the leap she knows she must. But as she begins her journey to find the woman she once was, Imogen's past is right behind her.... Will it catch up with her? And will she be ready to face it if it does?
Lizzie has always had bad luck. Losing her heart to her boss leads to her losing her job, and with no money in the bank Lizzie finds herself forced to move back home with her parents. Now in her 90s, Mrs Dallimore is also coming to terms with her situation. Old age is finally catching up with her. As they form the bond of unexpected friendship, Lizzie begins to realise that she's not the only person to attract bad luck and that sometimes life has a way of surprising you....
Summer 1939: After touring an unsettled Europe to promote her latest book, Romily Temple returns home to Island House and the love of her life, Jack Devereux. But when Jack falls ill, his estranged family are called to his bedside. With war now declared, each member of the family is reluctantly forced to accept their new stepmother and confront their own shortcomings. But can Romily cope with the life that has been so unexpectedly thrust upon her?
A fateful car crash sets in motions a series of events for Floriana, Esme. Floriana gathers the courage to attend the wedding of her one true love, and Esme journeys with her to Lake Como to find the man who stole her heart many years ago. It’s time for Esme and Floriana to face the past - and the future - on the shore of the most romantic and enchanting of lakes.
Iona Brannock has always been impatient. Not one to hang around, she married her gorgeous husband just months after meeting him, and they have lived happily ever since. Now all she needs is a baby, and her life will be perfect. Sally Harper has been blissfully married for almost 20 years. She has a beautiful daughter, a loving husband and a great job. Her life is complete. But a surprise pregnancy is about to change everything.
Having married once for love and been abandoned by her husband, Ellen is determined that her second marriage will be for money. And conveniently Duncan, her divorce lawyer, is not unattractive - and he’s enticingly single. But when she meets painter Matthew, Ellen has to remind herself very strongly indeed that Duncan is the man for her....
Twenty-four-year-old Lucy needs a fresh start. Forever single, frustrated with her studies and dreaming of writing a novel she can’t start, she gives up everything to run a little library in the leafy village of Tilley Moreton. Lucy loves reading books almost as much as she loves fixing other people’s problems, so starting a book club seems like the perfect opportunity to do both. As she meets her new members, it’s clear she’s going to have her work cut out for her.
On a leafy suburban street in Dublin, beautiful, poised Stella Greene lives with her successful husband, Matt. They're the perfect couple in every way, and Stella appears to have it all. Next door, at number 72, however, lives Rea Brady. Gruff, bad tempered and rarely seen besides the twitching of her net curtains, rumour has it she's lost it all...including her marbles, if you believe the neighbourhood gossip. But appearances can be deceiving, and when Stella and Rea's worlds collide they realise they have much in common.
'Out of the blue, my perfect life imploded. Let's look at my situation, sans rose tinted specs. I have: no husband, no self-esteem, no money, a six-year-old son, a boisterous puppy, a crush on my son's teacher...and an online dating profile, apparently! I am the subject of village gossip, pursued by the mafia (playground variety), turning 40 in a matter of weeks. And...my life has just gone viral!' A deliciously romantic and humorous book about love, loss and starting again.
Paula has had Robert's back since they got together as drama students. She gave up her dreams so he could make it. Now he's one of the nation's most popular actors. And Paula's just discovered he's having an affair. She's going to remind Robert just what he's sacrificing, and then she's going to break his heart like he broke hers. It will be her greatest acting role ever. Revenge is sweet. Isn't it?
The day Stacey Grant loses her job feels like the last day of her life. Or, at least, the only life she'd ever known. For who was she if not a City high-flyer, Senior Partner at one of the top private equity firms in London? As Stacey starts to reconcile her old life with the new - one without professional achievements or meetings but instead long days at home with her dog and ailing mother, waiting for her successful husband to come home - she at least has The Girls to fall back on. Beth, Melissa and Gaby.
Demi doesn’t expect her summer in Cornwall to hold anything out of the ordinary. As a waitress, working all hours to make ends meet, washing dishes and serving ice creams seems to be as exciting as the holiday season is about to get. That’s until she meets Cal Penwith. An outsider like herself, Cal is persuaded to let Demi help him renovate his holiday resort, Kilhallon Park. Set above an idyllic Cornish cove, the once popular destination for tourists has now gone to rack and ruin.
We all hide things, some more than others...Mia Channing appears to have an enviable life: a beautiful home in the village of Little Pelham, a happy, stable marriage, a job she enjoys and three grown up children to whom she's devoted. But appearances are deceiving; the truth is that it's all a precarious balancing act.
When the family gather for her son's thirtieth birthday, Daisy, her youngest daughter, drops a bombshell in the way only Daisy can. Once again Mia finds herself cast in the role of peacemaker. It's a role she's tired of, particularly since her husband refuses to believe he's responsible for the problems they're facing. Not surprisingly, Mia longs for escape. For Owen Fletcher, buying the Hidden Cottage was the fulfilment of a lifelong dream and provides the perfect escape for him. When Mia meets him, she must decide whether she has the courage to do something for herself for a change. And if she does, can she ever go back to the life of compromise she had before?
Read by Clare Corbett. Clare Corbett has had a successful career on stage, screen and radio. Theatre credits include 'To Kill A Mocking Bird' 'Pygmalion' and Spoon face Steinberg' and her TV credits include BBC's 'Spooks,' 'Fastnet' and 'Final Demand'. A winner of the prestigious Carleton Hobbs Radio Award, she has appeared in over 250 radio plays including 'Absolute Power' 'Venus and Adonis' and ' Dr Zhivago'. Her other voice work comprises of Aardman Animation's ' the planet sketch' and numerous audiobooks (children and adult) including 'Poppy Shakespeare', 'Swallowing Grandma' and 'Child X'. She read 'Alys, Always' by Harriet Lane for Orion.
Due to illness I have spent the last 4 years listening to hundreds of audiobooks - mostly crime fiction and psychological thrillers. However I really felt like something completely different and decided to download this. I am so pleased that I did. I was completely drawn into the story, the characters and village life. Clare Corbett reads this beautifully- her voice is so warm, comforting and compelling. This was an audiobook that I did not want to end. I would recommend this if - like me - you're a fan of Joanna Trollope and Penny Vincenzi.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
Set in a idyllic village, this book hooked me in with the village life and easy to identify with characters. It is well written and very well read and I enjoyed it hugely. If your looking for thrills and twists this book isn't for you. If, however you want to finish a book with a warm fuzzy glow and a sense that maybe your life is normal after all, then read away and enjoy!
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
What did you like most about The Hidden Cottage?
I didn't have to concentrate on the story line. It made light weekend listening.
What did you like best about this story?
Typical family with all the usual problems between parents, kids and shows how a mother's love shines through, even if she is faced with the loss of one of her children.
Which scene did you most enjoy?
I enjoyed most of the book but I loved the old ladies who used to own the cottage.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No. It is a book you can easily pick up and put down without wanting to go on or feel you are missing anything. This is why I enjoyed it so much.
Any additional comments?
I loved Clare Corbett's voice.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I have read or listened to most of Erica James' novels, and quite enjoyed this, and though it's not one of her best (everything felt a bit rushed - personally, I would have liked a more gradual character and relationship development), there were a couple of twists which kept me interested. I'm afraid it was the narrator who spoiled this one for me. She read with a slightly patronising newsreader's intonation for most of it and all of the male characters sounded as thick as two short planks, which I felt didn't really fit with the characterisation. That aside, it kept me listening and helped pass the time doing the ironing!
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
This is the first book from Audible which has absolutely no redeeming features A poor choice on my part written for a very middle class audience , Blah blah Yah Yah . Enid Blyton styled for grown ups ..... although that's a disservice to Enid who I devoured as a child . Cliché ridden crap with a thin storyline and no hooks to engage the reader . didn't finish it & would return it if I could find out how .
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Breathtakingly simple book which allows you absorb all characters. You get to know all characters well and you can't wait to here what all of them are up to. Unfortunately tragedy strikes this lovely English family and you go on a journey of their survival.
It is a lovely read/listen even when to story is simply chugging alone you enjoy listening and you don't think it is going nowhere.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is a strong story of lessons in love. The Hidden Cottage of the title plays a neat role to connect past and present lives. It is a book of loss and sadness but also of gains and happiness. The ending is maybe a little predictable but it's none the less enjoyable for that. The audiobook is well-narrated with good characterisations.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
I really enjoyed this book my first by Erica James. Clare Corbett done a very good job of narrating her accents were good. Can't wait to listen to the next one
What about Clare Corbett’s performance did you like?
Very good her accents were great
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
loved it ... if this is chick lit I could be a convert... :)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
A reasonable tale. Unfortunately the narrator wasn’t too good with male voices. Made me laugh though.