Synopsis
Maggie Moone is happily divorced.
And with her talent for fixing things, she’s perfectly content with her mundane life in the sleepy English village of Saffron Sweeting. That is, until one humiliating March evening when she learns everyone else assumes she’d love to mend her broken marriage.
Determined to prove them wrong, Maggie and her friends concoct a list of ten ways to assert her independence and live large. But her mission to move on leads to unexpected encounters, and Maggie soon finds herself mixing business with pleasure. Is the attractive young Irishman just another item on her list, or is he something more?
Before long, unresolved issues from her past begin to clash, and Maggie is forced to wonder if antagonising her ex-husband was such a stellar idea.
No sooner does she begin to understand what’s important to her, than she stands to lose everything that truly matters.
This is the fourth in the collection of Saffron Sweeting romantic comedies, which can be read in any order. If you like gentle British humour and deliciously resilient heroines, you’ll love Ten Things My Husband Hated.
My review
This is a lively romcom set in a counry-village England where life moves at a slower pace than in the big cities and the sense of community is very much stronger. Almost too strong, perhaps, and certainly for Maggie at the start of the novel where everyone is talking about her and making assumptions that aren’t correct. Or are they?
Our heroine Maggie Moone is getting over a divorce. Slowly. Her ex, Colin has moved on easily but Maggie less so. Her friends take things in hand. Maggie has to make a list of the ten things that would have driven her husband to apoplexy if she’d done them when she was still his wife, and work her way through them. The idea that this will empower her and show her that’s she’s heaps better off without him.
It has to be said Maggie is in a bit of a sorry state when we first meet her. She’s passive and full of self-pity. She really enters into the spirit of the thing and as her campaign continues she grows stronger and more self-reliant and confident. Almost too self-reliant confident in that she teeters on the edge of total self-indulgence – and she risks losing something that has started to become very important to her.
The back-up characters in this story are well rounded, quirky and interesting. They all interact in believable and entertaining ways. Finn, the quietest of them but the most charming, is engaging from the first time we meet him.
The setting to the novel is beautifully created and we wallow in the gentle, authentic atmosphere of quiet East Anglia.
The plot is very original and the story is thoroughly entertaining from start to finish. It’s highly enjoyable and uplifting. A perfect read for any time of the year.
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Author bio
British by birth, Pauline is now a contented resident of California, although she admits to occasional yearnings for afternoon tea and historic homes.
Her debut novel, Saving Saffron Sweeting, reached the quarter final of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. Three further books set in the same village are now available, along with a collection of short stories and Indie With Ease, a self-help guide for other self-published authors.
When not writing, Pauline can be found pondering how many miles she has to run to justify an extra piece of cake. She’s also fond of daydreaming about flying herself and a reader to London for tea.
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Thanks so much for reading & reviewing, and also for the kind words about the book. I’m so glad you liked Finn and admit I didn’t realise in advance what a popular character he’d turn out to be. I appreciate you sharing with your readers!