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Paradise Fields
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Paradise Fields
by
Katie Fforde
Katie Fforde's Paradise Fields does most of the things that a mid-life romantic novel ought and manages to have a charm that is all of its own. Youngish widow Nel has thrown herself into organising a farmer's market to raise money for a local hospice and is appalled when the land they use is to be sold for jerry-built housing. She is even more upset to find herself attract...more
Hardcover, 352 pages
Published
May 27th 2003
by Century
(first published 2002)
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Another one where half stars would be handy - a 1.5 here as it's not as bad as Queen Camilla but not good enough to warrant an OK.
My first Katie Fforde book and my overall feeling towards it is that it is SO dull. The main character is about 42 as far as I can tell but seems to have the characteristics of an 80 year old e.g. she is too old to send a text message and at one point is resigning herself to a life of solitude with her grandchildren who haven't even been born yet(???). If I behave lik...more
My first Katie Fforde book and my overall feeling towards it is that it is SO dull. The main character is about 42 as far as I can tell but seems to have the characteristics of an 80 year old e.g. she is too old to send a text message and at one point is resigning herself to a life of solitude with her grandchildren who haven't even been born yet(???). If I behave lik...more
Nel Innesové je něco málo přes čtyřicet, už deset let je vdovou, miluje mátový čaj a má oficiálního "přítele" Simona. Dalo by se říct, že je to pravdu jen přítel, než milenec. Ale když se na scéně objeví šarmantní Jake, je po cudnosti a Nel se zamiluje, i když si to nechce přiznat.
Začátek příběhu zněl slibně romanticky, když Nel pod jmelím, které prodávala, políbil neznámý muž. Ale už po pár stránkách mi došlo, že to nebude tak, jak jsem si představovala.
Zjistila jsem totiž, že Nel není jen cudn...more
Začátek příběhu zněl slibně romanticky, když Nel pod jmelím, které prodávala, políbil neznámý muž. Ale už po pár stránkách mi došlo, že to nebude tak, jak jsem si představovala.
Zjistila jsem totiž, že Nel není jen cudn...more
I really disliked Paradise Fields. Its so badly written and the protagonist was really DULL. She also stupid, with very little intelligence.
The author hasn't a clue about the legal world and thinks its all about a bunch of men wearing suits. The plot lacks everything- in fact I forget that there is a plot. It was that dull.
And the romance was seriously unconvincing. You have this seriously dimwit, boring, middle aged mother of 3 (who has all scars to prove it- gross!!) and she somehow attracts a...more
The author hasn't a clue about the legal world and thinks its all about a bunch of men wearing suits. The plot lacks everything- in fact I forget that there is a plot. It was that dull.
And the romance was seriously unconvincing. You have this seriously dimwit, boring, middle aged mother of 3 (who has all scars to prove it- gross!!) and she somehow attracts a...more
Nel has a full life. Not only is she a mother to three children, growing up and away from her, she is struggling with her weight as all women at time do, she is passionate about the farmers markets which she has been paramount in getting off the ground in her small village, fundraising is another passion for the local children's hospice. Plus walking her dogs and making fabulous shaped and themed cakes. Is there time for anything else? Is there time for romance?
Nel is not so sure, since being wi...more
Nel is not so sure, since being wi...more
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I feel I'm being a bit harsh by giving this a 2 and it might be just becuase I've been reading to much chick lit and am a bit fed up with it but thats just how I feel. This book annoyed me shortly after starting it by having Nel say something like 'men who go out with skinny women are either pedophiles or secret gays' Thanks. Also Nel moans alot about how overwight and unattractive she is even tho people tell her all the time that she's not and I hate people like that in real life! I also just w...more
Hmmm...lost my review...well here goes again. This is my 4th book and just a couple more to go and then a move onto another new author I have not read yet (in the easy reading genre). I had to admit I skimmed through pages in this book...there were some very tedious and boring parts. Nel - well an ordinary very realistic somewhat frumpy widow with grown up kids. How lucky for her to become sort a star attraction...Everyone hopes that some Mr. good-lucking, relatively well-off, guy will just come...more
First of all, I have to say that despite the low rating I've given this novel, I didn't not like it, I just found it very slow-moving and unoriginal. As far as chick lit goes this is a perfectly pleasant story, but coming from just having read Wild Designs by the same author, all I could see when reading this was the similarities between the two stories...only this novel is less engaging. A nice read, but nothing exceptionally engaging - good if you're not expecting anything too over-complicated...more
Katie Fforde is always a good read. This book, in particular, is especially enjoyable for me as the female protagonist is a woman over 40 years of age. So many books out there are about 20-something women looking for love after having had their hearts broken "often". Somewhat hard to relate to as they've not gone through the same things/experiences as a mature woman, i.e. me.
This one was a re-read and it's still enjoyable. I love books set in the UK/Ireland!
This one was a re-read and it's still enjoyable. I love books set in the UK/Ireland!
I read this one in 2007 and this is what I had to say on Bookcrossing.
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4...
As always Katie Fforde has written a book that is easy to read, will make you smile and lift your spirits. Very predictable of course, but difficult not to be with this type of romantic novel. One of the reasons I enjoy this author is that her storylines and characters are actually believable and realistic.
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4...
As always Katie Fforde has written a book that is easy to read, will make you smile and lift your spirits. Very predictable of course, but difficult not to be with this type of romantic novel. One of the reasons I enjoy this author is that her storylines and characters are actually believable and realistic.
I love K. Fforde, I started out buying her books from the U.K. before they were available here in the US. This one fell a bit short though. Nel was too much like dishwater, she made me want to pull the plug on her. I wish there was more of Vivian! Yet, it was a book that I read in a few hours and was enjoyable but unfortunately forgettable. I do love Fforde but, think this was a book which was forced and rushed.
The first half would get 1 star, and the second half two stars. Not a very interesting chick lit. The dialogue is too contrive. That might be because the story is set in England, but I doubt that makes too much of a difference since the Shopaholic series is still great. The relationships are developed without much sense... and the bad guy is too obvious.
BLEH!
BLEH!
As always, Katie Fforde's characters are mature. I don't mean mature in years, but they're written maturely - they're well-rounded, three-dimensional and real with multiple facets. For an over-forty reader, I loved the heroine's point of view. Just have to say though, that I found the ending a bit too abrupt. Was expecting another chapter at the end. But, it was a good ending.
This is one of my favorite Katie Fforde books I have read them all bar 1. This books is set around a everyday situation and that really works. Nel is a widow with three children who are grown up and she also has very good friends. Nel is running the christmas market and hears that local hospice is being knocked down and a load of houses are going to be build there. Nel takes action in trying to get it stopped. But all the time the Nel is trying to juggle everything Jake keeps getting in her way...more
This was one of the first novels I read by Fforde. (I happened on her because I adore Jasper Fforde, and was surprised to see that surname twice). She describes the situation of a recent widow trying to save a local farmer's market in the midst of her daily family chaos. Enjoyable modern romance.
I love the view of small town England, and I can’t fault a book that uses so many different styles of words that I actually find my self hitting the dictionary on occasion, even if the words are more popular in British English. Now I have to test out a recipe for Yorkshire pudding.
I loved this book! I really admired Nel and her friendship with Vivian, her relationship with her kids, especially her daughter Fleur. I enjoyed following her passionate fight for her work that she believes in. And there is the handsome stranger Jake,who likes her just the way she is.
Katie Fford typical - fluffy and enjoyable with just the right amount of "darkness" to cut through the cloying nature of the genre. Perfect for an afternoon read at the beach when not wanting to be challenged intellectually but wanting to be entertained,
I used to love Ffordes books and even liked rereading them. I just tried to reread this and unfortunately I now find them very dated (although they weren't weritten that long ago.) Her female characters all seem so dependent on men I find it annoying.
This one almost had suspense in the plot as well as the usual romance. Didn't find the male hero very interesting - it is hard to get excited about a solicitor - and the details about the farmers market and jamboree went on and on. But overall, not bad.
I have to agree with Sarah. I thought there was still a chapter or two to go & it just ended. I felt there were still loose ends to tie up. I enjoyed it but it really was the same plot, different names, as the other Katie book I read.
I always have and always will love Katie Fforde books. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading her stories. Paradise Fields was such fun to read. I love the humor in all her books and the characters are so lovable.
The beginning of this book I thought to be extremly silly. I did not like Nel, nor the situation she's in.
Towards the end, the book became better, and I could not put it down.
Towards the end, the book became better, and I could not put it down.
I have I'm sure read every book published by Katie and have enjoyed them all but for some reason this one just didn't get it going for me. I am trying to think what it is that made this story for me so different from the rest I think I just feel Katie's heart wasn't in this book. It didn't stop me reading to the last line but with some disappointment...
Might be my pregnant brain at play but I really enjoyed this one. It was a fun read and just enough intrigue as to who was the bad guy and who was the knight.
Another quick read. Really liked the characters. One objectional scene but otherwise totally readable. Seriously love British ckick lit.
Did not like this book as mush as I have some of her others. She got too raunchy in this book. I had to skip a few pages.
Entertaining romantic comedy filled with her usual cast of English villagers. It reminded me of Wild Designs (my favorite).
While Fforde's books are always on the lighter side, I don't think this book was as good as some of her others.
It was an ok book.
I don't know why I continue to read katie's books as I have read better but can't help myself!
I don't know why I continue to read katie's books as I have read better but can't help myself!
A typical romance novel with a few pages that could bear skipping (which is what I did).
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| sweet gentle romance | 1 | 10 | Mar 21, 2011 03:06am |
Catherine Rose Gordon-Cumming was born 27 September 1952 in England, UK, the daughter of Shirley Barbara Laub and Michael Willoughby Gordon-Cumming. Her grandfather was Sir William Gordon-Cumming. Her sister is fellow writer Jane Gordon-Cumming. Katie married with Desmond Fforde, cousin of the also writer Jasper Fforde. She had three children: Guy, Francis and Briony and didn't start writing befor...more
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