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Lots of Love
(Lodes Chronicles #1)
by
When Ellen Jamieson breaks up with her long-standing boyfriend, she plans to go traveling. But first she agrees to house-sit for her parents, who are trying to find a buyer for their idyllic cottage in the Cotswold village of Oddlode. The village is full of quaint and eccentric characters, both blue-blooded and below the salt, and Ellen is the subject of much speculation.
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Paperback, 672 pages
Published
May 24th 2004
by Hodder & Stoughton
(first published 1999)
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Start your review of Lots of Love
This book, at the time patronisingly(?) called 'chick-lit' is a bit confusing in my records, as I remember it well, and remember getting quite into it, and my 2008 review concurred: 'Surprisingly complex, dark and compelling 'soft' romantic paperback.' - So why did I only give it 4 out of 12... because it was a romance? Maybe the ending? Is it too long at over 660 pages? Gah, I'll probably never know, but if I ever see it in a charity shop or book sale I'm sure to pick it up and revisit. One thi
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DNF.
I have read, and loved, several other books by Fiona Walker. I can't figure out where the magic went here: either my tastes have changed greatly in the intervening years, or this book doesn't come up to her usual best-seller standard.
The story dragged with slow pacing and, as mentioned in other reviews, the simmering attraction between Ellen and Spurs was stretched out for way too long. This is a 300 page book that lasts 530.
While the minor characters were fun, Spurs left me completely un-th ...more
I have read, and loved, several other books by Fiona Walker. I can't figure out where the magic went here: either my tastes have changed greatly in the intervening years, or this book doesn't come up to her usual best-seller standard.
The story dragged with slow pacing and, as mentioned in other reviews, the simmering attraction between Ellen and Spurs was stretched out for way too long. This is a 300 page book that lasts 530.
While the minor characters were fun, Spurs left me completely un-th ...more
Nov 02, 2011
Hsiau Wei
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-read-in-2011
I tried hard to restrain myself from closing the book and put it away. It bored me to death. The story plot is slow and long winded which make me as the reader wondering away from the story many atimes It is hard even for me to pick up the book to read it.
A bit of a hot mess, if I'm honest. I love this author. I adore her work in the most part. And Spurs Belling is a super hot stud in the same vein as Hugo from her other novels - wonderful to crush on. BUT this novel is all over the place. Things don't seem to follow entirely logically. And Pheely really is a bitch and a half - I cannot see any reason why Ellen would want to stay friends with her. The worst part was Walker's attempts to play on words. In other novels this has been done very well
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Lengthy but just about finished it
This novel began well and I was intrigued. The scene setting was well done and the characters began to form in my mind. Unfortunately, it then went a little downhill and all became a tad ridiculous. Attachments are formed with no foundation yet the characters seem willing to die for each other from the outset. Things get extremely sexually explicit. (I advise skipping some sections if you bother with this).
The main plot line; arranged marriages to avoid the pos ...more
This novel began well and I was intrigued. The scene setting was well done and the characters began to form in my mind. Unfortunately, it then went a little downhill and all became a tad ridiculous. Attachments are formed with no foundation yet the characters seem willing to die for each other from the outset. Things get extremely sexually explicit. (I advise skipping some sections if you bother with this).
The main plot line; arranged marriages to avoid the pos ...more
My 12 year old shows more maturity than the characters in this book.
In a word... Spurs. This book made me laugh and cry. It was brilliant. While I like the other Oddlode books, I am disappointed that Walker hasn't really said anything else about Spurs and Ellen yet. I'm dying to read more about them!
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I really loved all the books Walker wrote before this one. From this book onwards it just went downhill for me :(
Not really my type of read. Very predictable.
I love Fiona Walker books as a rule. A friend gave me a copy of Snap Happy years ago which I still have an pick up when I need a pick me up. When I spotted this on sale on Amazon I was like "Yay, a Walker I haven't read yet" and nabbed it at a tasty 99p. And I was not disappointed. I liked Ellen, Spurs, and Pheely although Dilly was a bit much for me. I liked the setting and I liked the mishaps that kept the lovebirds apart until the end. However, it wasn't as funny as I'm used to from Walker an
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Lots of snooze. The book was too long and seemed to drag out. I was more interested in the minor characters than Ellen and Spurs who had me in despair.
I had to finish it as I’m one of those who has to see how it ends but it was predictable and underwhelming. Personally I also wasn’t a fan of Spurs a guys at least in his late 20s talking about an attraction to a 17year old kid…a little ‘yuk’ for me.
A few other reviews talk about the author having written some good books but unfortunately this ha ...more
I had to finish it as I’m one of those who has to see how it ends but it was predictable and underwhelming. Personally I also wasn’t a fan of Spurs a guys at least in his late 20s talking about an attraction to a 17year old kid…a little ‘yuk’ for me.
A few other reviews talk about the author having written some good books but unfortunately this ha ...more
I have loved Fiona Walker's other books, but I have to agree with others and say this book was a bit over the place. Don't get me wrong, the author managed to keep me engaged with the witty dialogue she's well known for, but a lot of the characters and scenes were OTT - and not in a good way.
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Similar thoughts to others who gave average stars.
Just the right book in winter wet windy Sunday
I would have enjoyed this more if it hadn't become so overly dramatic.
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Good bit of chick lit well worth a read even if I hated the character in the first few pages it turned out well
quotes#610832
Spurs turned to Ellen and smiled. "See what a good influence you are on me?"
She narrowed one eye speculatively.
"Do you still love me?" he asked, only a hint of mischief in his voice.
"A bit." She yawned. "You?"
"To death - anyone who brings me tea like this wins my heart." He took a long gulp.
"I didn't think you had one."
"Grew it back last night."
"I'll notify the tea ladies of Britain." p203
She breathed in the scent of freshly cut grass, which was perhaps the only smell, besides that ...more
Spurs turned to Ellen and smiled. "See what a good influence you are on me?"
She narrowed one eye speculatively.
"Do you still love me?" he asked, only a hint of mischief in his voice.
"A bit." She yawned. "You?"
"To death - anyone who brings me tea like this wins my heart." He took a long gulp.
"I didn't think you had one."
"Grew it back last night."
"I'll notify the tea ladies of Britain." p203
She breathed in the scent of freshly cut grass, which was perhaps the only smell, besides that ...more
I have only recently discovered this author and now I am on a mission to read everything she has ever written, thankfully there is lots of it! As this book is the 1st of a 4 book series called the 'Lodes Chronicles' I purchased the other 3 books immediately and am currently on the 3rd one of the series - can't put them down but don't want them to end!
Her style of writing is so intelligent, really descriptive and her word play is wonderful. This author is highly recommended! ...more
Her style of writing is so intelligent, really descriptive and her word play is wonderful. This author is highly recommended! ...more
I liked the build up of chemistry between Spurs and Ellen - towards the end I had goosebumps when she had them too. apart from that the story was at times longwinded (I found myself skipping over several paragraphs) and awfully predictable. also Ellen's misgivings about his x-factor and their subsequent mother of all romantic loves wasn't really conclusive to me.
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This started out great, but went rapidly downhill in the second half.
All the skirting around and about turns were just incredibly stupid. Also, Spurs is an inconsistent asshole.
3 stars because I read and loved another Lodes book, and I liked seeing familiar characters. I also really like the setting, oddly enough.
All the skirting around and about turns were just incredibly stupid. Also, Spurs is an inconsistent asshole.
3 stars because I read and loved another Lodes book, and I liked seeing familiar characters. I also really like the setting, oddly enough.
apart from being very unrealistic at times i really enjoyed this book,it was an undemanding read, with a female character that was likable and a male lead that jumped off the page,he sounds so sexy:-D read another of the oddlode books before it so was apready familiar with a few of the characters!
My favourite chick lit book ever, it's the only paperback I can't bear to get rid of. I've read it so many times. I love Ellen and Spurs and their witty banter, and the supporting characters are a perfect accompaniment. Definitely worth reading!
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This novel did quite a decent impression of a Jilly Cooper novel with the puns, horses, cotswolds setting and eccentric characters but I thought the pacing of the story let it down a little. Dragged in places but overall a decent story. Spurs is no Jake Lovell though.
The Lodes Chronicles books are by far my favourite from Fiona Walker. I love her play on words, her clever one-liners and her amazing ability to describe characters and scenes so well that you feel part of it. I just want to jump in and live in Oddlode!
Mar 31, 2016
penelopewanders
added it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
contemporary,
stored-in-mallorca
This was in the house here in Mallorca - not quite sure where I picked it up - probably the supermarket here. I think this is the first I've read by this author, and on the whole I enjoyed it. The heroine was original in her dare-devilishness... an entertaining holiday read.
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I wanted to read this one after I'd read book #3, Four Play. It lived up to my expectations. I loved almost everything including the couple at the centre of the romance here.
I only did not like how frivolously Ellen spent money, especially towards the end. ...more
I only did not like how frivolously Ellen spent money, especially towards the end. ...more
Loved Ellen and Spurs. Ooooh, so much sexual tension out in the fields, mmm!!
Love Fiona Walker.
The thinking girls trash.
The thinking girls trash.
Not as favourite as the Tash n Hugo books but a good read. Sometimes too predictable but an all round good read for summer.
A very tortured love affair in a village full of warning parties. Lots of funny moment but the actual romance was a bit Ho hum. Much preferred the romance of a minor character :)
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