The Book of COVENTRY (A City In Short Fiction)
Contemporary romance set in the WYE VALLEY
25th March 2025
Escape to Pumpkin Cottage by Anna Burns and Jacqui Burns, contemporary romance set in the WYE VALLEY
The two authors are a mother and daughter writing team and together they have created a delightfully put together story of sparring neighbours. Pippa Mason arrives in fictional Riverdean, in the heart of the Wye Valley, to start a new chapter in her life. Since she was a young girl, she has always fancied running a B&B and she alighted upon a rather rundown property – Pumpkin Cottage – which she is determined to bring back to life and fulfil her dream. Her arrival in Hunter wellies is a dead giveaway that her roots have hitherto been firmly set in the city, to wit, Clapham, London.
Just down the road is Riverside Lodge, an established B&B run by Jenny Foster and it is a total shock to her to learn that competition is brewing. She has her own troubles in that her husband has been diagnosed with dementia and so she is struggling to manage everything in her life. When she discovers that a couple, who have stayed with her on previous visits have opted to stay in the new establishment – even though it only has one room to offer for the moment whilst renovations continue – she is beside herself. And then things come to head when there is a row between the two women.
The story is told in chapters, alternately from each woman’s perspective. To make matters worse, the younger of the two falls for handsome Jake which really puts the cat amongst the pigeons.
There is a real Ambridge feel to the shenanigans that develop, it really is the story of everyday country folk. The storyline evolves well and clearly the writing pair have a good working partnership.
An entertaining and quick read
Tina for the TripFiction Team
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