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Swallows & Robins - The Guests In My Garden
by
A hilarious tale of restoring and running two holiday cottages in a remote hamlet of SW France As the world's worst housekeeper, running holiday homes wasn't, with hindsight, a sensible idea. But two collapsing buildings on Susie Kelly's land would cost more to demolish than to restore. Thus she became a seasonal landlady. Before the guests came the builders. No's 1, 2, 3
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Paperback, 272 pages
Published
November 27th 2012
by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
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Start your review of Swallows & Robins - The Guests In My Garden
Well-written, balanced collection of essays - some of the guests were truly "from hell" (one especially), but most were either just quirky in some way, or really nice folks. I could understand why she didn't fire her cleaner, Ivy; she could see how much hurt there was underneath.
Definitely recommended for her sense of humor with the funny bits, and her sensitivity with the sad ones.
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Definitely recommended for her sense of humor with the funny bits, and her sensitivity with the sad ones.
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I really enjoyed this look at the life of an Inn keeper in France. I harbor dreams of running a Bed and Breakfast someday but maybe I'm not quite ready for some of the guests I might get. Until I decide I will continue to read books like this one. Well-written, funny, sad and sometimes unbelievable (what people would do) but enjoyable all the same.
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People, some you love. Some you love them to leave.
The crazy life of renting cottages to people for vacation. Some great some
You're ready to see go. You laugh and cry, in some instances you can't be -
lieve they really did that. You get the whole gamut of life and people's strange
and crazy way they act in this manner life of renting cottages. You meet
people from all over the world. Up to include you're cleaning lady. Who you're totally convinced she's loony tunes.
Debra H. ...more
The crazy life of renting cottages to people for vacation. Some great some
You're ready to see go. You laugh and cry, in some instances you can't be -
lieve they really did that. You get the whole gamut of life and people's strange
and crazy way they act in this manner life of renting cottages. You meet
people from all over the world. Up to include you're cleaning lady. Who you're totally convinced she's loony tunes.
Debra H. ...more
Thoroughly enjoyable.
I have read most of Susie Kelly's books, and they are all excellent, but this one takes the cake.
Susie has two holiday lets renovated, and over four years rents them out to various holiday makers, some lovely, and others totally appalling.
This book had me laughing so loud, that I thought the neighbours may complain.
Well written and entertaining from beginning to end. ...more
I have read most of Susie Kelly's books, and they are all excellent, but this one takes the cake.
Susie has two holiday lets renovated, and over four years rents them out to various holiday makers, some lovely, and others totally appalling.
This book had me laughing so loud, that I thought the neighbours may complain.
Well written and entertaining from beginning to end. ...more
A year ago I read this author's I WISH I COULD SAY I'M SORRY - the gripping, sometimes deeply sad story of her childhood and first marriage. From the reviews of that book, I learned that she has written a number of popular "light" books about her life in France. Some reviewers were openly disturbed at her dark memories of her early life. They were accustomed to reading about the mad-cap adventures of a happy-go-lucky woman and that's what they were expecting.
I love this book. It's a series of de ...more
I love this book. It's a series of de ...more
This is a non-fiction account of how the author started up and survived running a bed and breakfast in France. I found the style of writing to be entertaining and light hearted with a lovely balance of truthful realisations and perspective comments. If you are considering opening up a bed and breakfast then this book is for you - it will give you all the highs and lows for which you need to be prepared. The author does not try to be an instructor on the business - she gives such a fun and rounde
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When the chance to transform two old barns into holiday cottages presents itself, Susie grasps the opportunity, all she has to do is find the right builders for the job and make sure the works completed before the first guests arrive.
In this entertaining, funny and sometimes sad book, we have the opportunity to meets a wide variety of her friends, acquaintances and guests who arrive from around the world and come from all walks of life. From Tristram the blond Apollo to Ivy, her cleaner, every c ...more
In this entertaining, funny and sometimes sad book, we have the opportunity to meets a wide variety of her friends, acquaintances and guests who arrive from around the world and come from all walks of life. From Tristram the blond Apollo to Ivy, her cleaner, every c ...more
I really enjoyed this Memoir - I love reading about folks who have moved to a different country (especially Spain or France as they are familiar to me), together with their families and pets. This Memoir introduces you to all the 'guests' that arrived to stay in the two renovated cottages (once they had been renovated following the builders excapades !! ) - It's an easy read, well written, interesting, funny and a tad sad at times - very good 'holiday reading material' - I look forward to readin
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I enjoyed this book and it kept get better and better as I read it. Kelly has a whole range of people renting her two vacation cottages in rural France; some wonderful who become long time friends, some rude and she is happy to see them leave, some families with children whose company she enjoys, a couple who are nudists and enjoy her secluded cottages. I wish there had been more info at the beginning telling more about how and why she moved to France, and I wonder why her husband never visits.
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Lovely characters and their antics
I enjoyed the voice of this book. There is a lot of fun and laughter inside. I did feel like something was missing though. I kept expecting to be introduced to the "husband who was working in England," but I never happened. Overall definitely was worth my time. ...more
I enjoyed the voice of this book. There is a lot of fun and laughter inside. I did feel like something was missing though. I kept expecting to be introduced to the "husband who was working in England," but I never happened. Overall definitely was worth my time. ...more
Great read
Kept me reading for hours. loved all the stories about her guests and her animals.my heart broke when the dog died. Love all her books.
Kept me reading for hours. loved all the stories about her guests and her animals.my heart broke when the dog died. Love all her books.
A delightfully charming read. The stories of the people who vacationed in the authors guest cottages in rural France. I enjoyed every minute of reading this little gem.
Funny
This book was a quick and enjoyable read recommend for anyone looking for a lighthearted fun read .Lots of laughs and fascinating characters throughout.
This book was a quick and enjoyable read recommend for anyone looking for a lighthearted fun read .Lots of laughs and fascinating characters throughout.
I enjoy this book a lot is was very charming and funny. Chapter 30 was my favorite out of the group.
If you are looking for just an enjoyable read with no stress this is a good book to have.
If you are looking for just an enjoyable read with no stress this is a good book to have.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about all the guests of the cottages.
kindle 273 (memoir)
Extremely Interesting
This book has one grinning one minute and downcast the next. A very interesting read and I would suggest it to anyone who likes comfortable reading.
This book has one grinning one minute and downcast the next. A very interesting read and I would suggest it to anyone who likes comfortable reading.
This was such a delightful book. Funny, even hilarious in parts, and descriptive of human and animal nature as it really is. I loved it.
Fun to read. Not the best writing.
Very enjoyable stories, would read this author again.
Liked the book. The experiences of a holiday home owner narrated in an interesting manner. Looking forward to reading other books by this author.
A book about a woman's experiences running a pair of vacation homes sounds like it should be a business guide, or at the very least offer some tips on how to make sure your operation runs smoothly. "Swallows and Robins" is no such thing -- it's author Susie Kelly's personal account of her experiences as a hostess, the eccentric cast of characters she met in the process, and the mistakes she made along the way. And it's at turns hilarious, heartbreaking, and all around delightful.
Susie Kelly is t ...more
Susie Kelly is t ...more
This book is the perfect summer read! British Susie Kelly buys a property in rural France with one slightly livable home and two falling down homes upon it. Once the buildings are properly repaired, how to pay one's bank account back for the remodels? Easily, thinks Susie. Simply rent them out as holiday homes and they will pay for themselves! Let the adventures begin. Oh, did I forget to mention that Susie would rather die than clean houses after guests have departed? Enter Ivy, the woman all h
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For the most part, this is a light, amusing read. There are a few 'adult' situations that come up (as you might imagine with many couples passing through the rental houses), one chapter that revolves around an abortion, and a couple of angry, disturbed guests. I found some of the anecdotes hard to read, but overall it was fun.
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I loved it!!!
I laughed, I cried, I shook my head in disbelief, it was great! I often thought of doing a B&B but am kinda glad I didn't after reading her ups and downs. But she certainly has interesting people come and I related to "there are all kinds of people in the world" ! I loved this book. Can't wait to read another book by Susie! ...more
I laughed, I cried, I shook my head in disbelief, it was great! I often thought of doing a B&B but am kinda glad I didn't after reading her ups and downs. But she certainly has interesting people come and I related to "there are all kinds of people in the world" ! I loved this book. Can't wait to read another book by Susie! ...more
Yes I did laugh out loud - superb characterization
If you have travelled around France then you have met all these characters in Susie book. The story is told with great humour and affection even for the most irritating of guests (well most of them)! I did actually laugh out loud at times and had to explain myself. Lovely memoir.
If you have travelled around France then you have met all these characters in Susie book. The story is told with great humour and affection even for the most irritating of guests (well most of them)! I did actually laugh out loud at times and had to explain myself. Lovely memoir.
It was nice to see what it’s like renting a house out and pit falls. Having bought a house 20 year’s ago to renovate and holiday let. To give an income to retire and renting our home in England. But brexite has put paid to that.
An excellent read!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I like its format and Susie's style of writing. She manages to keep you interested right till the end. ...more
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I like its format and Susie's style of writing. She manages to keep you interested right till the end. ...more
Rather different. Fun characters and a view into a life I couldn't have imagined.
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I'm using Susie Kelly as a therapist any time I feel depressed. Her books are amusing, full of unusual characters, and with a generally upbeat theme. We could all use more 'happy'.
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