What do you think?
Rate this book
Sugar Candy Cottage
It looked so peaceful from the outside, a perfect setting for a charming family. But Theresa's peaceful existence changes when she tries to make contact with her Uncle Hubert.
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1958
147 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Cadell
102 books118 followersViolet Elizabeth Vandyke was born on 10 November 1903 in Calcutta, British Raj, daughter of British parents, Elizabeth Lynch and Frederick Reginald Vandyke, a colonial officer. During the Great War she studied music in London, but refused a musical career and returned to India where she married in 1928 Henry Dunlop Raymond Mallock Cadell, and they had a son and daughter. After she was widowed ten years later, she returned to England.
Elizabeth wrote her first book 'My Dear Aunt Flora' during the Second World War in 1946, there after producing another 51 light-hearted, humourous and romantic books which won her a faithful readership in England and America. In addition to England and India, many of her books are set in Spain, France, and Portugal. She finally settled in Portugal, where her married daughter still lived.
She died on 9 October 1989, aged eighty-five.
Elizabeth wrote her first book 'My Dear Aunt Flora' during the Second World War in 1946, there after producing another 51 light-hearted, humourous and romantic books which won her a faithful readership in England and America. In addition to England and India, many of her books are set in Spain, France, and Portugal. She finally settled in Portugal, where her married daughter still lived.
She died on 9 October 1989, aged eighty-five.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
November 8, 2024
This book would have made a good short story or novella.
It was well written & I was charmed by the hero, but the very slight plot was dragged out for longer than it could cope with.
Normally when I give a rating below 3.5★ & I haven't read the author before, I don't read them again. But many of my friends in the Retro Reads group are big fans of this author's work, so I'm intending to give her another try.
Feel free to recommend another of her books!
It was well written & I was charmed by the hero, but the very slight plot was dragged out for longer than it could cope with.
Normally when I give a rating below 3.5★ & I haven't read the author before, I don't read them again. But many of my friends in the Retro Reads group are big fans of this author's work, so I'm intending to give her another try.
Feel free to recommend another of her books!
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshess...
November 8, 2024
This started off as a typical Cadell book.
Young Teresa (23) is basically sleep-walking through her life. She became engaged to Neville sometime ago because he's a nice enough man, and her widowed mother really liked him. Indeed, she's the one who 'found' Neville and presented him to her daughter as 'suitable husband material.' Teresa had been in no big hurry to marry, but the wedding date is approaching at last and Teresa starts worrying about how her mother will cope once Teresa leaves the house. Seems that mother dearest is very high maintenance and needs her path smoothed over frequently.
Teresa has the bright idea to contact her mother's estranged brother Paul and see if the ages-old split can be mended. Maybe they could even share Folly Cottage, Teresa's charming home.
Teresa soon learns from several trusted sources that this is a Very Bad Idea, but she has no idea why that is so.
And this is where the book gets very interesting, as all the secrets are gradually unearthed. Of course there is another young man involved in helping Teresa 'wake up and smell the coffee' as it were.
What makes this a bit different is all of the psychological discussions that take place as the secrets are revealed. The tension is built, not on how the romance triangle will work out, but on how Teresa's mother will react, should Teresa actually dump Neville.
There are some interesting secondary characters, such as Teresa's godfather Lawrence, her former nanny Lolly, and all of the occupants of Uncle Paul's house in London.
I was definitely caught by this book. I started this one evening, got some sleep, and finished it the next day.
Young Teresa (23) is basically sleep-walking through her life. She became engaged to Neville sometime ago because he's a nice enough man, and her widowed mother really liked him. Indeed, she's the one who 'found' Neville and presented him to her daughter as 'suitable husband material.' Teresa had been in no big hurry to marry, but the wedding date is approaching at last and Teresa starts worrying about how her mother will cope once Teresa leaves the house. Seems that mother dearest is very high maintenance and needs her path smoothed over frequently.
Teresa has the bright idea to contact her mother's estranged brother Paul and see if the ages-old split can be mended. Maybe they could even share Folly Cottage, Teresa's charming home.
Teresa soon learns from several trusted sources that this is a Very Bad Idea, but she has no idea why that is so.
And this is where the book gets very interesting, as all the secrets are gradually unearthed. Of course there is another young man involved in helping Teresa 'wake up and smell the coffee' as it were.
What makes this a bit different is all of the psychological discussions that take place as the secrets are revealed. The tension is built, not on how the romance triangle will work out, but on how Teresa's mother will react, should Teresa actually dump Neville.
There are some interesting secondary characters, such as Teresa's godfather Lawrence, her former nanny Lolly, and all of the occupants of Uncle Paul's house in London.
I was definitely caught by this book. I started this one evening, got some sleep, and finished it the next day.
July 15, 2022
Too few people have encountered Elizabeth Cadell's books so I want to be sure you get the full picture. They are out of fashion now and, although our library has a lot of them, you never see them at bookstores.
I myself encountered them when shelf browsing many, many years ago and wound up reading all I could get my hands on. When I was reminded of them the other day for some reason, it took me another few days to even recall the author's name. And yet, I could recall many of the books individually .They are gentle, sweet stories of love, rather like the romantic movies made in the 1950s and 60s.
There is something though that lifts these above that insipid sounding description I just gave. I like their settings, generally in England or Portugal. I like the independent mindset always provided for at least one protagonist, although usually against what is generally considered to be "independent" in modern times.
The question at the bottom of all of Cadell's novels is what is it that makes us genuinely happy. Cadell's answer often isn't the modern take on the topic but I find her stories very satisfying.
In Sugar Candy Cottage, Teresa decides to end a decades-long rift between her mother and her uncle. She discovers an odd household that has a secret. What makes them all instantly silent every time the doorbell rings? How did such a group of oddballs find each other in the first place? In the process, her own life is turned upside down, first by a new romantic interest (most unsettling since she is engaged) and then by the fact that she suddenly discovers there is an old mystery in her own household.
I'd probably give these books 3-1/2 stars if I could. As it is, in most cases I'll probably plump for 3 stars. Sometimes a 3-star book is good enough, especially if it is is the sort of book that is enjoyable for the moment you happen to be in. And this one definitely is.
I myself encountered them when shelf browsing many, many years ago and wound up reading all I could get my hands on. When I was reminded of them the other day for some reason, it took me another few days to even recall the author's name. And yet, I could recall many of the books individually .They are gentle, sweet stories of love, rather like the romantic movies made in the 1950s and 60s.
There is something though that lifts these above that insipid sounding description I just gave. I like their settings, generally in England or Portugal. I like the independent mindset always provided for at least one protagonist, although usually against what is generally considered to be "independent" in modern times.
The question at the bottom of all of Cadell's novels is what is it that makes us genuinely happy. Cadell's answer often isn't the modern take on the topic but I find her stories very satisfying.
In Sugar Candy Cottage, Teresa decides to end a decades-long rift between her mother and her uncle. She discovers an odd household that has a secret. What makes them all instantly silent every time the doorbell rings? How did such a group of oddballs find each other in the first place? In the process, her own life is turned upside down, first by a new romantic interest (most unsettling since she is engaged) and then by the fact that she suddenly discovers there is an old mystery in her own household.
I'd probably give these books 3-1/2 stars if I could. As it is, in most cases I'll probably plump for 3 stars. Sometimes a 3-star book is good enough, especially if it is is the sort of book that is enjoyable for the moment you happen to be in. And this one definitely is.
June 20, 2024
It was my second book by Elizabeth Cadell and I can say I love their coziness and charming (not obvious) wit.
The topic of "temperamental person", perhaps could have been even deeper and more thoroughly touched, nonetheless, it was interesting.
The pace was brisk. The reading was engaging. A lovely comfort-reading with a bit of seriousness, tension, and mystery.
I am happy that, thanks to Retro Reads group, I learned about the author.
The topic of "temperamental person", perhaps could have been even deeper and more thoroughly touched, nonetheless, it was interesting.
The pace was brisk. The reading was engaging. A lovely comfort-reading with a bit of seriousness, tension, and mystery.
I am happy that, thanks to Retro Reads group, I learned about the author.
April 17, 2020
I was afraid, after re-reading A Letter to my Love, which I had always considered one of my favourites of Cadell's books, and disliking it a lot, that I would be disappointed in this one as well. Fortunately, I needn't have worried. It's frothy and light but with a bit of an edge and a sharp portrait of a too-privileged woman who expects the world to fall into place around her and what happens when her plans are upset. A very attractive hero, a gentle but indomitable heroine and a touch of a domestic mystery. Perfect reading for these uncertain times.
May 18, 2020
Not my favourite novel by Elizabeth Cadell, but then I prefer her titles where action takes place in Portugal or Spain versus the bucolic English countryside: 'Sugar Candy Cottage' is one of the latter.
The story of 'Sugar Candy Cottage' opens with heroine, Teresa Hyde, engaged to the eminently eligible Neville, a man (unbeknown to her) hand-selected by her mother; saccharine-sweet widow Lady Thurloe.
'Mummy-dearest' thinks Neville will be malleable where her wishes are concerned and, almost as importantly, he has money (of which, as we later learn, her Ladyship can never have enough). Having led an extremely sheltered life, Teresa doesn't really question whether she ought to marry Neville - it just seems a given. Nor does she ask why the idyllic Sussex home, 'Folly Cottage' (aka 'Sugar Candy Cottage'), where she and her mother reside with her father's cousin, Lolly Hyde, and a few staff is; 'a little too 'home and garden' and 'literally a backdrop for Lady Thurloe's charms'.
In fact, until her mother sets off on a deluxe two-week cruise and she finds herself at a loose end (having quit her job on becoming engaged to Neville), Teresa doesn't seem terribly capable of thinking for herself. However, when she learns that Lolly (who is no fan of Lady Thurloe's) intends to resign her post when Teresa marries, the heroine decides she can't possibly leave Mummy at Folly Cottage without companionship. In this vein, she hits upon the notion of effecting a reconciliation with her mother's estranged brother.
Uncle Hubert Towers, who Teresa has never met, resides in the old family home, which was at the centre of the sibling's original dispute, at '54 Grosvenor Drive' in London. Teresa's godfather, Sir Lawrence, warns her it's a mistake to involve herself in old family tangles, but the heroine nonetheless decides to call upon her unknown Uncle and, Zoe, the French woman he married.
When Teresa visits 54 Grosvenor Drive, however, only her Aunt is available (Hubert apparently is in Brussels), and Zoe seems wary about doing more than briefly showing Teresa inside the house, which has been turned into a shabby boarding lodge. In fact, if the heroine hadn't fallen on scaffolding coming out she may never have seen the house or her relations again, but as Teresa is rendered unconscious, she stays there overnight.
During her brief stay at 54 Grosvenor Drive, the heroine makes the acquaintance of Mark Tudor, and his (much) younger half-brother, David who are renting the top rooms of the house. Mark intimates to Teresa that there is some type of mystery shrouding the House (even Teresa notices how jittery her Aunt and all the lodgers get when the doorbell sounds) and suggests she might want to help him solve it. Unnerved, Teresa declines to do so.
With Neville away on business, Teresa finds that Mark makes excuses to regularly meet with her, initially on the pretext his young brother has asked after her. But before long Mark abandons that ruse and informs Teresa that she's the woman for him. Flustered, the heroine points out she's engaged to Neville, but Mark only shrugs and explains to both her and an alarmed Lolly that to him it means "...only that she has engaged herself to meet a certain man at a certain church on a certain day in order to take certain vows. Until those vows are taken, the engagement remains an engagement."
Knowing that Lady Thurloe will not be at all pleased at this romantic interloper, with whom the heroine is now smitten, Lolly summons Teresa's godfather for assistance. A primed Sir Lawrence duly informs Mark that Teresa's domestic situation is delicate and the kindest thing he could do for the heroine is to leave her be. Mark, however, is undeterred. Even when Mummy gets wind, from Neville, that something is not quite right and comes steaming home early from her cruise, Mark barely turns a hair.
While Lady Thurloe does lose her temper (badly) over the Mark situation, the upset of her daughter's broken engagement soon pales beside what is subsequently revealed, by Mark, regarding happenings at 54 Grosvenor Place.
For Teresa, Mummy's reaction not only to her feelings for Mark, but also to the position of her Uncle and Aunt, prove an eye-opener. Where as previously she was wrapped in cotton wool, the heroine now realises that Lady Thurloe is 'not the 22 carat charmer' she pretends to be. However, despite Teresa's disillusionment with her parent, all's well that ends well and, with her Ladyship brooding about other things, the protagonists are left to their HEA (about which at least Lolly and Sir Lawrence are pleased!)
In summary, 'Sugar Candy' cottage is a fluffy-ish romance with a dollop of mystery in the mix, and I'm rating it a three-and-a-half star vintage romance read. That said, in my view, it's not a patch on Cadell's The Yellow Brick Road or Shadows On The Water.
The story of 'Sugar Candy Cottage' opens with heroine, Teresa Hyde, engaged to the eminently eligible Neville, a man (unbeknown to her) hand-selected by her mother; saccharine-sweet widow Lady Thurloe.
'Mummy-dearest' thinks Neville will be malleable where her wishes are concerned and, almost as importantly, he has money (of which, as we later learn, her Ladyship can never have enough). Having led an extremely sheltered life, Teresa doesn't really question whether she ought to marry Neville - it just seems a given. Nor does she ask why the idyllic Sussex home, 'Folly Cottage' (aka 'Sugar Candy Cottage'), where she and her mother reside with her father's cousin, Lolly Hyde, and a few staff is; 'a little too 'home and garden' and 'literally a backdrop for Lady Thurloe's charms'.
In fact, until her mother sets off on a deluxe two-week cruise and she finds herself at a loose end (having quit her job on becoming engaged to Neville), Teresa doesn't seem terribly capable of thinking for herself. However, when she learns that Lolly (who is no fan of Lady Thurloe's) intends to resign her post when Teresa marries, the heroine decides she can't possibly leave Mummy at Folly Cottage without companionship. In this vein, she hits upon the notion of effecting a reconciliation with her mother's estranged brother.
Uncle Hubert Towers, who Teresa has never met, resides in the old family home, which was at the centre of the sibling's original dispute, at '54 Grosvenor Drive' in London. Teresa's godfather, Sir Lawrence, warns her it's a mistake to involve herself in old family tangles, but the heroine nonetheless decides to call upon her unknown Uncle and, Zoe, the French woman he married.
When Teresa visits 54 Grosvenor Drive, however, only her Aunt is available (Hubert apparently is in Brussels), and Zoe seems wary about doing more than briefly showing Teresa inside the house, which has been turned into a shabby boarding lodge. In fact, if the heroine hadn't fallen on scaffolding coming out she may never have seen the house or her relations again, but as Teresa is rendered unconscious, she stays there overnight.
During her brief stay at 54 Grosvenor Drive, the heroine makes the acquaintance of Mark Tudor, and his (much) younger half-brother, David who are renting the top rooms of the house. Mark intimates to Teresa that there is some type of mystery shrouding the House (even Teresa notices how jittery her Aunt and all the lodgers get when the doorbell sounds) and suggests she might want to help him solve it. Unnerved, Teresa declines to do so.
With Neville away on business, Teresa finds that Mark makes excuses to regularly meet with her, initially on the pretext his young brother has asked after her. But before long Mark abandons that ruse and informs Teresa that she's the woman for him. Flustered, the heroine points out she's engaged to Neville, but Mark only shrugs and explains to both her and an alarmed Lolly that to him it means "...only that she has engaged herself to meet a certain man at a certain church on a certain day in order to take certain vows. Until those vows are taken, the engagement remains an engagement."
Knowing that Lady Thurloe will not be at all pleased at this romantic interloper, with whom the heroine is now smitten, Lolly summons Teresa's godfather for assistance. A primed Sir Lawrence duly informs Mark that Teresa's domestic situation is delicate and the kindest thing he could do for the heroine is to leave her be. Mark, however, is undeterred. Even when Mummy gets wind, from Neville, that something is not quite right and comes steaming home early from her cruise, Mark barely turns a hair.
While Lady Thurloe does lose her temper (badly) over the Mark situation, the upset of her daughter's broken engagement soon pales beside what is subsequently revealed, by Mark, regarding happenings at 54 Grosvenor Place.
For Teresa, Mummy's reaction not only to her feelings for Mark, but also to the position of her Uncle and Aunt, prove an eye-opener. Where as previously she was wrapped in cotton wool, the heroine now realises that Lady Thurloe is 'not the 22 carat charmer' she pretends to be. However, despite Teresa's disillusionment with her parent, all's well that ends well and, with her Ladyship brooding about other things, the protagonists are left to their HEA (about which at least Lolly and Sir Lawrence are pleased!)
In summary, 'Sugar Candy' cottage is a fluffy-ish romance with a dollop of mystery in the mix, and I'm rating it a three-and-a-half star vintage romance read. That said, in my view, it's not a patch on Cadell's The Yellow Brick Road or Shadows On The Water.
March 15, 2021
Elizabeth Cadell writes of a different age, one that never really existed, except in romantically inclined young girls' minds. That is usually okay. Her stories are sweet. Her characters likeable, and it is fun to set aside reality for a while and live in a time where men are gentlemanly and women are delicate blooms who need protecting.
"Sugar Candy Cottage," however strays too far into that fantasy. The lovely young heroine has been protected and shielded all her life from the fact her mother is a vindictive virago. Her fiance, chosen for her by her mother is a hard, misogynistic fool who makes no bones about his views that she is his possession and her job is to look pretty and defer to him in all matters.
I just couldn't buy the set up.
Of course, you know how it ends. Not the way it starts.
Skip this one.
"Sugar Candy Cottage," however strays too far into that fantasy. The lovely young heroine has been protected and shielded all her life from the fact her mother is a vindictive virago. Her fiance, chosen for her by her mother is a hard, misogynistic fool who makes no bones about his views that she is his possession and her job is to look pretty and defer to him in all matters.
I just couldn't buy the set up.
Of course, you know how it ends. Not the way it starts.
Skip this one.
November 8, 2024
The plot of this one centres on a love triangle. That doesn't bother me, though I know it does some people. I did find it compelling, but that was because there was a slight mystery element added to that premise.
Teresa is engaged to Neville but she worries about leaving her mother; she decides to find her uncle to see if he can fill in the gap she will leave when she moves out. She has never met him because her mother had quarreled with him years ago, and cut him out of their lives. There is a bit of a mystery as to what had gone on in the past, so Teresa decided it might be worth approaching the uncle to see if there can be some sort of rapprochement. This, in turn leads her to meet Mark, who she subsequently falls in love with.
I found the romance aspect of the book a bit over-done, but I did find the underlying story compelling. It's pretty old fashioned, (that's fine - most of what I read is), but I think whilst I enjoyed it while I read it - and it's a quick read, I will forget all about it in 3 books time.
Teresa is engaged to Neville but she worries about leaving her mother; she decides to find her uncle to see if he can fill in the gap she will leave when she moves out. She has never met him because her mother had quarreled with him years ago, and cut him out of their lives. There is a bit of a mystery as to what had gone on in the past, so Teresa decided it might be worth approaching the uncle to see if there can be some sort of rapprochement. This, in turn leads her to meet Mark, who she subsequently falls in love with.
I found the romance aspect of the book a bit over-done, but I did find the underlying story compelling. It's pretty old fashioned, (that's fine - most of what I read is), but I think whilst I enjoyed it while I read it - and it's a quick read, I will forget all about it in 3 books time.
January 1, 2022
Since the death of Teresa's father 18 years ago, her family has protected her from the knowledge of her mother's fiendish temper. When Teresa goes in search of her estranged uncle, she sets in motion a series of events which will test the family's ability to protect her. Well-written with really lovely characters in typical Elizabeth Cadell fashion.
September 16, 2020
Entirely pleasant and nothing at all unexpected (although I did wish that when the Big Moment finally came, it had been a bit more explosive). Cadell's good for comfort reading, I just wish more of the e-books were available at a lower price point. Worth watching for the sales though.
February 26, 2024
First novel I've read by the author. A study in family dynamics of a somewhat dysfunctional family. Can't say I was enamoured with the list of characters on offer here.
April 10, 2017
This was a rare Cadell that I had not read. The Wayne books are still my favorites but I enjoyed this one, particularly the hero, Mark Tudor, and the boarding house characters.
March 24, 2025
Writing in the mid-20th century, Elizabeth Cadell is one of those Middlebrow authors who I find so charming. Her views may be dated, but her psychological insights are timeless. The story is both a bit of fluff and something much more meaningful that will stay with me. I'll be searching out more of her books. Highly recommended.
April 30, 2024
Cute but a bit melodramatic eh
June 17, 2020
Not my favourite Cadell but a very enjoyable read. I like the slow build up as we begin to realize the true colours of the villain (off stage for most of the story). As is usual with a Cadell the secondary characters are interesting in their own right and well thought out. Loved the way Lolly kept writing mysteries but never finished them as she couldn't decide who the murderer should be! My only criticism would be in the way it seemed to be assumed that people of 60 or so are practically tottering on the brink of the grave! I know that people live longer now than they may have done when this book was written but even so 60 even then wasn't THAT old!
July 30, 2016
Great Book
This is one of the earliest books. It has a different plot set than her later books. The villain is off stage for most of the action.
This is one of the earliest books. It has a different plot set than her later books. The villain is off stage for most of the action.
February 3, 2017
Meh ... dislike silly heroines and foolish misunderstandings that drag on for several chapters.
February 26, 2024
Bumped this up to 4 stars from 3.5. A sweet and satisfying fluffy love story with lots of mushy conversations. 😊💕
January 23, 2024
Another sweet confectionary of nothingness by Cadell that could have been so much deeper and satisfying so it left me raging at the HEA ending that literally went against everything we had been told from the start of the book.
I've read about a dozen of Cadell's books now and honestly and they were a waste of money for me. Like Gladys Mitchell (of Mrs Bradley mystery fame), she does a great set up of something intriguing and then flubs it all the way to the end. I always close the books unsatisfied.
I'm not her audience - her audience is for those wanting a sweet romance, where the girl is always young and innocent; and the rather absentminded, good guy will want her to wash out his socks every Wednesday, because while he says she should think for herself, in all his deeds he shows she isn't as clever as he is.
NOTE: you have to really examine her works, but all of them have a condescending manner towards the prime female character. The male hero will say things like "Teresa has to think for herself" but will add later something to the effect from the male: "I'll be there to tell her what to do." Hm. "The virginal girl with a job" (who is in every one of her books) is just a cover to make the girl 'look' independent but in the end she'll throw it all over to be with her man.
If the ending of the musical, My Fair Lady, where Eliza decides to dump Freddy who adores her, to go back to Higgins so she can shine his shoes (something that did NOT happen in the original Pygmalion) bothers you - avoid Cadell's books like the plague.
These books don't require much introspection with cardboard characters that are the same in every book (just copy and paste, and give a new name). Cadell fills the role of Barbara Cartland when it comes to writing something pleasant that doesn't rack your brain too much.
You can gobble these books down fast and if you have an afternoon to waste, they fulfill the purpose of being a comfort read that harkens back to the 1950s. BTW I guessed that era, and just looked - this was originally published in 1958. However, did I know? *rolls eyes*
Teresa is our Sleeping Beauty. Protected and shielded by Lolly (one of the best characters in this story) and her godfather, Teresa is a naive innocent who goes blithely through life with eyes firmly closed. Closed to what? The fact that her mother is a manipulative and self-centered witch whose temper is so feared that Lolly sacrificed her life as a human shield to raise Teresa.
This book does one of those things that I really hate, but I tolerated it here, which is the girl engaged to a nice guy (Neville) yet falls for another (Mark) because of Love at First Sight.
If you've read more than 3 Cadell books you already see the set up a mile away: sweet virginal girl who has some sort of job which never made an impact on her, the hero that comes from nowhere that innocent girl immediately (and rightfully) trusts. Throw in one or two older women who are eccentric (in this book Lolly and Zoe fill those roles). Give bonus points if one is non-English.
Add in some mysterious doings at a house owned by an uncle she's never met. The weird housemates and the house set up gave me the vibes of The Clairvoyant Countess by Dorothy Gilman (a far more fun book). In the end, the 'mystery' part of the book will be a big fat mouthful of cotton candy that will be resolved with a neat and tidy HEA.
What really infuriates me about this book is the entire mother backstory. If you believe anything Lolly and Lawrence have to say about her, the woman is a narcissist or a sociopath. But when finally confronted by Mark, she throws a temper tantrum, and ho-hum, everything goes back to normal. What was the point of Lolly's sacrifice for 2 decades+?
The saccharine ending really made me bitter. I mean extremely bitter because of the lost potential of telling a truly fascinating story - all of that is shelved in order to quickly wrap it up so everyone is happy, even witchy mom.
At the cost of these Cadell books you need to just get them at the library or the secondhand bookstore.
I've read about a dozen of Cadell's books now and honestly and they were a waste of money for me. Like Gladys Mitchell (of Mrs Bradley mystery fame), she does a great set up of something intriguing and then flubs it all the way to the end. I always close the books unsatisfied.
I'm not her audience - her audience is for those wanting a sweet romance, where the girl is always young and innocent; and the rather absentminded, good guy will want her to wash out his socks every Wednesday, because while he says she should think for herself, in all his deeds he shows she isn't as clever as he is.
NOTE: you have to really examine her works, but all of them have a condescending manner towards the prime female character. The male hero will say things like "Teresa has to think for herself" but will add later something to the effect from the male: "I'll be there to tell her what to do." Hm. "The virginal girl with a job" (who is in every one of her books) is just a cover to make the girl 'look' independent but in the end she'll throw it all over to be with her man.
If the ending of the musical, My Fair Lady, where Eliza decides to dump Freddy who adores her, to go back to Higgins so she can shine his shoes (something that did NOT happen in the original Pygmalion) bothers you - avoid Cadell's books like the plague.
These books don't require much introspection with cardboard characters that are the same in every book (just copy and paste, and give a new name). Cadell fills the role of Barbara Cartland when it comes to writing something pleasant that doesn't rack your brain too much.
You can gobble these books down fast and if you have an afternoon to waste, they fulfill the purpose of being a comfort read that harkens back to the 1950s. BTW I guessed that era, and just looked - this was originally published in 1958. However, did I know? *rolls eyes*
Teresa is our Sleeping Beauty. Protected and shielded by Lolly (one of the best characters in this story) and her godfather, Teresa is a naive innocent who goes blithely through life with eyes firmly closed. Closed to what? The fact that her mother is a manipulative and self-centered witch whose temper is so feared that Lolly sacrificed her life as a human shield to raise Teresa.
This book does one of those things that I really hate, but I tolerated it here, which is the girl engaged to a nice guy (Neville) yet falls for another (Mark) because of Love at First Sight.
If you've read more than 3 Cadell books you already see the set up a mile away: sweet virginal girl who has some sort of job which never made an impact on her, the hero that comes from nowhere that innocent girl immediately (and rightfully) trusts. Throw in one or two older women who are eccentric (in this book Lolly and Zoe fill those roles). Give bonus points if one is non-English.
Add in some mysterious doings at a house owned by an uncle she's never met. The weird housemates and the house set up gave me the vibes of The Clairvoyant Countess by Dorothy Gilman (a far more fun book). In the end, the 'mystery' part of the book will be a big fat mouthful of cotton candy that will be resolved with a neat and tidy HEA.
What really infuriates me about this book is the entire mother backstory. If you believe anything Lolly and Lawrence have to say about her, the woman is a narcissist or a sociopath. But when finally confronted by Mark, she throws a temper tantrum, and ho-hum, everything goes back to normal. What was the point of Lolly's sacrifice for 2 decades+?
The saccharine ending really made me bitter. I mean extremely bitter because of the lost potential of telling a truly fascinating story - all of that is shelved in order to quickly wrap it up so everyone is happy, even witchy mom.
At the cost of these Cadell books you need to just get them at the library or the secondhand bookstore.
September 18, 2022
I’ve been doing this series on TikTok where I read the back of Pulp Fiction books aloud because they are the most hilarious things ever.
But I’ve never seriously thought of purchasing one and reading it until I stumbled across this one at a second hand store.
Not gonna lie I bought it because of the cover and it sounded like an ease into the genre.
Overall, I enjoyed it. Was a super simple plot line but there was enough going on to keep you reading. Not very salacious, which pulp fiction is usually known for. But I was okay with the cute heart sparkle romance.
Synopsis:
Teresa has lived her life with a cotton candy view of the world and the people around her.
With her upcoming wedding approaching she fears that her mother will be lonely. So she decides to reach out to her estranged Uncle to see if he could come be her mothers companion.
But the trip to her Uncle’s home brings revelations about the past and her future that she couldn’t have imagined.
But I’ve never seriously thought of purchasing one and reading it until I stumbled across this one at a second hand store.
Not gonna lie I bought it because of the cover and it sounded like an ease into the genre.
Overall, I enjoyed it. Was a super simple plot line but there was enough going on to keep you reading. Not very salacious, which pulp fiction is usually known for. But I was okay with the cute heart sparkle romance.
Synopsis:
Teresa has lived her life with a cotton candy view of the world and the people around her.
With her upcoming wedding approaching she fears that her mother will be lonely. So she decides to reach out to her estranged Uncle to see if he could come be her mothers companion.
But the trip to her Uncle’s home brings revelations about the past and her future that she couldn’t have imagined.
June 9, 2023
This book was nothing like I thought it would be. I really enjoyed the cast of characters, and the family secrets woven throughout the story. I can't wait to read more Elizabeth Cadell.
Our story takes place in the late 1950's. Before getting married Teresa wants to patch things up between her Mother and the uncle she has never met. So many people warn her that this is a bad idea, but not wanting her mother to be alone she presses on. Once we get to her uncle's house we meet a several interesting people, mainly his wife Zoe, and a boarder named Mark. Now that she has rocked the boat, Teresa has to find a way to explain it all to her mother.
Just to be clear, I hated Neville the second he was introduced.
Our story takes place in the late 1950's. Before getting married Teresa wants to patch things up between her Mother and the uncle she has never met. So many people warn her that this is a bad idea, but not wanting her mother to be alone she presses on. Once we get to her uncle's house we meet a several interesting people, mainly his wife Zoe, and a boarder named Mark. Now that she has rocked the boat, Teresa has to find a way to explain it all to her mother.
Just to be clear, I hated Neville the second he was introduced.
December 12, 2023
Friendly Air Publishing is doing readers a wonderful service in reprinting Elizabeth Caddell's many novels, but it is not doing her any favors with their cover art. The cutesy, cartoonish covers suggest treacly fiction of the Barbara Cartland variety or featherweight stories suitable for children, both of which are far from the case. This is not to say that this book (the first Caddell I've read) is great literature, or even literary fiction, but it is a page-turner of a romance with believable, well-drawn characters. OK, the plot resolves very neatly, but there is room for such books as long as they are as well-written as this one. I couldn't put it down.
March 26, 2022
This one is a bit strange. The heroine, Theresa, has been sheltered and protect her all her life to prevent her finding out - what? Well, as it turns out, nothing very important. I mean, I was thinkiing ‘is that it?’ As a result of her sheltered upbringing Theresa is a bit naive - she practically passes out with shock when she sees someone get his face slapped. I was expecting at least an attack with a machete. Oh well. The part about Theresa seeking out her long lost uncle is quite interesting. But the business with the mother - no, really. Huge anticlimax.
January 19, 2021
In the US we view life differently. While this book did not have a lot of English idioms or slang the story itself was 1940's style. Today honor in personal relationships does not mean quite what it did back then in the UK. The book takes place over a span of approximately ten days. During that time everything personal in the main character's life changes. Not as fast paced as recent cozy books, much more emphasis on class divisions and moral codes. Not my cup of tea but very well written.
October 6, 2021
Not what I expected but liked the book
From the title.and cover art, and even from the description, I expected a cozy mystery with murder as the main plot point. I also didn't realize this was a reprint of an older book until I read the author's brief bio at the end. It did have mystery, though, but it was mostly romance. I enjoyed the time period and English setting. It was a pleasant enough book.
From the title.and cover art, and even from the description, I expected a cozy mystery with murder as the main plot point. I also didn't realize this was a reprint of an older book until I read the author's brief bio at the end. It did have mystery, though, but it was mostly romance. I enjoyed the time period and English setting. It was a pleasant enough book.
December 29, 2023
A world where life is smooth and easy. Never does one encounter conflict, difficulty, frustration, or anger. If any of those things begin to tear through the fabric of peace and tranquility, Aunt Lolly is there to quash the uprising. However, things are changing, and some questions want answering, and there is that scoundrel Mark Tudor, who is turning the world upside down. It is no wonder that Mark calls the cottage sugar candy.
November 22, 2024
This light love story is much better than the horrific cover and ridiculous title would lead you to believe.
As Teresa prepares to marry and leave home, she cooks up a plan to find someone to come live with her mother to keep her company. Why not her estranged uncle? Little does show know all the family secrets she is about to uncover.
As Teresa prepares to marry and leave home, she cooks up a plan to find someone to come live with her mother to keep her company. Why not her estranged uncle? Little does show know all the family secrets she is about to uncover.
September 30, 2020
Delightful mystery
Interesting plot. At first I wondered where the story was going, but it turned out to be quite entertaining. It was the story of Teresa who was engaged to be married to Neville when she met Mark, a rather mysterious character. I recommend this book!
Interesting plot. At first I wondered where the story was going, but it turned out to be quite entertaining. It was the story of Teresa who was engaged to be married to Neville when she met Mark, a rather mysterious character. I recommend this book!
September 26, 2020
I love Elizabeth Cadell, find her books relaxing
February 23, 2025
Romantic suspense
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews