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The Lonely Hearts Dog Walkers
Can Nicola find her happy furever after? After separating from her husband, newly single Nicola decides to move back home to Furzewell – although living with her six-year-old daughter, Mia, and her mum, Ros, is not the future she’d ever imagined for herself. Struggling to pick up the pieces, Ros suggests Nicola throw herself into village life. Things look to finally be on the up when Nicola gets a new job at the local school and also starts to make new friends, joining the Lonely Hearts Dog Walkers. But when the local playground is threatened by developers, the future begins to look more uncertain than ever. Can Nicola fight to protect her new community and find her happy furever after? A heartwarming and feel-good novel about love, friendship and community for fans of Lucy Diamond, Debbie Johnson and Lucy Dillon .
464 pages, Paperback
First published February 6, 2020
8 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
Sheila Norton
61 books159 followersWinner of the RoNAs 'Christmas and Winter Seasonal Award' novel, 2022, with 'Winter at Cliff's End Cottage'.
I live in Chelmsford, UK, with my husband Alan. We have three married daughters and six grandchildren. I've been writing ever since I was a little girl, and finally achieved my lifelong ambition to have a novel published, with the acceptance in 2002 of 'The Trouble With Ally'. Prior to this, I'd been having short stories published in women's magazines for about ten years.
My most recent books are stories set in the English county of Devon, and most include pets in the story! They are feel-good contemporary fiction.
I worked for most of my life as a medical secretary. I now write full-time. I like to relax by reading, walking,swimming, and seeing my family and friends.
I am passionate about my writing and love to hear from my readers. I am also happy to give talks to writers' groups and others, and book signings, in my local area.
I live in Chelmsford, UK, with my husband Alan. We have three married daughters and six grandchildren. I've been writing ever since I was a little girl, and finally achieved my lifelong ambition to have a novel published, with the acceptance in 2002 of 'The Trouble With Ally'. Prior to this, I'd been having short stories published in women's magazines for about ten years.
My most recent books are stories set in the English county of Devon, and most include pets in the story! They are feel-good contemporary fiction.
I worked for most of my life as a medical secretary. I now write full-time. I like to relax by reading, walking,swimming, and seeing my family and friends.
I am passionate about my writing and love to hear from my readers. I am also happy to give talks to writers' groups and others, and book signings, in my local area.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
March 18, 2021
When Nicky walks away from her marriage, she heads back with young daughter Mia to the village of Furzewell, where she grew up. But Mia is not happy about the changes, leaving her friends behind and going to a new school. For Nicky living with her mother is a bit of a challenge but at least it means she does have help with Mia. When Nicky gets a puppy in the hope of helping Mia adjust to her new life, it also bring friends to her own life as she joins the dog walking club. But all is not well in Furzewell. A number of people’s cats have gone missing, including Nicky’s mother’s cat Monty. And then the local park is threatened. The Lonely Hearts Dog Walkers spring into action to involve the community in trying to save the park from being demolished and replaced with a new housing development. Can they make a difference? Will Mia settle? Will Nicky be able to make a new life in Furzewell? What about the mystery of the missing cats? And what is the event from the past that Nicky refuses to acknowledge?
This is a light and gentle read. Nicky is a likeable character. The deteriorating relationship and separation from her husband Josh and the way they each react is well handled. Added to that, it’s a feel good story of a community banding and working together to try and change the powers that be. As such there are some memorable characters and maybe one or two who need a bit of a wake up call about the way they treat others.
An entertaining read that I really enjoyed. A few possibilities of the way things could turn out are thrown up. I really liked the ending. My first book by this author I would be keen to read more of her work.
Sent from my iPad
This is a light and gentle read. Nicky is a likeable character. The deteriorating relationship and separation from her husband Josh and the way they each react is well handled. Added to that, it’s a feel good story of a community banding and working together to try and change the powers that be. As such there are some memorable characters and maybe one or two who need a bit of a wake up call about the way they treat others.
An entertaining read that I really enjoyed. A few possibilities of the way things could turn out are thrown up. I really liked the ending. My first book by this author I would be keen to read more of her work.
Sent from my iPad
February 9, 2023
Cosy overall and a good bedtime book but slightly repetetive at times and with an irritating, last minute, unsignalled plot addition which nearly lost it half a star.
June 20, 2020
My word this book was so gripping was fantastic from the first page I have always loved this author so much. Full of heartbreak romance and starting again and making new friends. Wonderful setting for the book and just couldn’t put it down.
Nicola decides to leave her husband and she’s else would she go but back to her mums to a village she grew up in. She takes her daughter with her and she struggles to settle in to a new school and making friends. They get a dog and when walking in the park she sees a school friend who recommends that a group of them meet every day to walk the dogs. Her mums cat disappeared to along with a number of other village cats so they set on finding them when they hear the council are selling the park which they aren’t happy about. Nicola starts going out with one of the dog walkers but will it work out and what will happen when she learns things about her ex. Will they save the park so they can continue to walk the dogs and will she make it up with her ex and open things from the past. Will everyone be happy or not.
Nicola decides to leave her husband and she’s else would she go but back to her mums to a village she grew up in. She takes her daughter with her and she struggles to settle in to a new school and making friends. They get a dog and when walking in the park she sees a school friend who recommends that a group of them meet every day to walk the dogs. Her mums cat disappeared to along with a number of other village cats so they set on finding them when they hear the council are selling the park which they aren’t happy about. Nicola starts going out with one of the dog walkers but will it work out and what will happen when she learns things about her ex. Will they save the park so they can continue to walk the dogs and will she make it up with her ex and open things from the past. Will everyone be happy or not.
February 28, 2021
My local library was running this blind date with a book for Valentines day and this was the book I picked based on the three words written on top of the wrapping paper: finding happiness, fiction and romance. Is this something I would usually pick up? Absolutely not due to the fact it's adult fiction and romance, two genres I don't read often - if at all. Would I try these genres again? Absolutely! This blind date with a book was a fun way to get out of my reading comfort zone and dive into an amazing read. My last read was fantasy so reading this was a nice dose of reality, reading about mundane things like Nicky's life in Furzewell with her daughter, Mia and dealing with the recent separation between her and her husband, Josh.
October 20, 2020
I really enjoyed this - probably more than I expected to if I'm honest! It's very well written and had something more about it than the usual easy read/chick lit stories.
Fantastic set of characters, with an extremely 'real' set of circumstances. I love books set in small villages where you get a real sense of community and everyone pulling together, and this had that in abundance. There were plenty ups and downs, some of which I saw coming but still some surprises.
I've not read anything by Sheila Norton before, but will definitely look out for her other books.
Fantastic set of characters, with an extremely 'real' set of circumstances. I love books set in small villages where you get a real sense of community and everyone pulling together, and this had that in abundance. There were plenty ups and downs, some of which I saw coming but still some surprises.
I've not read anything by Sheila Norton before, but will definitely look out for her other books.
February 24, 2020
This book has all the delightful elements we've come to expect from one of Sheila Norton's books, likeable but flawed characters, a cosy but real-life setting that you can easily imagine yourself living in, plenty of adorable pets who play their part in the plot, a real community feel that draws everyone together, and lots of twists and turns that take you on a very enjoyable journey! But will your favourite characters get their happy endings...
March 10, 2020
Really good book. Nice and thick, very homely and relatable. Good variety of characters, very addictive and flowing to read. will definitely go for more of Sheila Morton's books. Everything you want in a good easy read to tune out for a while!
September 10, 2020
Similar to many readers out there, every time I pick up a book and read it, especially if it is from a first person standpoint, I often compare myself to the characters. Nic, who is the main character of this story, tells her tale via her personal views and opinions. I found many similarities between her and myself, most apparent ones being her age and her occupation. I used to be a teaching assistant in the school in my neighbourhood and same as Nic, I was also in the reception class (children aged 4/5 years old). Hence, there were many moments throughout the story which I could relate to.
However, as the story progresses, it becomes more apparent how ignorant Nic is and also just how slightly self absorbed she was. Towards the end, I simply could not relate to her character anymore, and was sorry that I compared myself to her.
As far as the story itself goes, it is rather creative and fun to read. It's very fast paced, so you get through the pages pretty quickly and it has been written in such a sweet lighthearted way, making it hard to put down.
Nic is finally giving up on her marriage and moving out of her family home to live with her mother. Taking her almost 6-year-old daughter with her, she tries to start her life again in a small village called Furzewell in Devon. There she reconnects with old school friends and makes new ones through a dog-walking group.
As she settles in and tries to make the best of everything she has going on for her in the little village, she becomes more involved in their lives and immerses herself into their community spirit.
And so the story goes, taking us through a journey to find out how it all ends. Can Nic make a living and a life for herself in her childhood home? Will her daughter find happiness too?
It is all very sweet and heartwarming, however as quickly as the story was progressing, it still felt like it was all a bit too smooched up together at the end. It was as if there was a need to end the story quickly, because time was running out. There were little strange gaps left throughout the story and were only filled towards the end. I personally think this could be slightly off putting to some readers as the plot becomes too insistent, which finally just gives the story away, letting readers guess for themselves very quickly what is about to happen, which in turn gets annoying. Nic's clueless attitude goes from endearing to down right annoying, as the story progresses and then her character takes a turn towards delusional and self-absorbed, bordering into insensitivity.
Still overall, it really isn't a bad read. And I can recommend it to anyone who enjoys a cozy Sunday evening read, or if you are like me who suddenly goes into a binge, reading one novel after another, this book is a great addition to that collection.
However, as the story progresses, it becomes more apparent how ignorant Nic is and also just how slightly self absorbed she was. Towards the end, I simply could not relate to her character anymore, and was sorry that I compared myself to her.
As far as the story itself goes, it is rather creative and fun to read. It's very fast paced, so you get through the pages pretty quickly and it has been written in such a sweet lighthearted way, making it hard to put down.
Nic is finally giving up on her marriage and moving out of her family home to live with her mother. Taking her almost 6-year-old daughter with her, she tries to start her life again in a small village called Furzewell in Devon. There she reconnects with old school friends and makes new ones through a dog-walking group.
As she settles in and tries to make the best of everything she has going on for her in the little village, she becomes more involved in their lives and immerses herself into their community spirit.
And so the story goes, taking us through a journey to find out how it all ends. Can Nic make a living and a life for herself in her childhood home? Will her daughter find happiness too?
It is all very sweet and heartwarming, however as quickly as the story was progressing, it still felt like it was all a bit too smooched up together at the end. It was as if there was a need to end the story quickly, because time was running out. There were little strange gaps left throughout the story and were only filled towards the end. I personally think this could be slightly off putting to some readers as the plot becomes too insistent, which finally just gives the story away, letting readers guess for themselves very quickly what is about to happen, which in turn gets annoying. Nic's clueless attitude goes from endearing to down right annoying, as the story progresses and then her character takes a turn towards delusional and self-absorbed, bordering into insensitivity.
Still overall, it really isn't a bad read. And I can recommend it to anyone who enjoys a cozy Sunday evening read, or if you are like me who suddenly goes into a binge, reading one novel after another, this book is a great addition to that collection.
June 17, 2024
The story was OK but the length (436 pages) and repeativeness of the same issues over and over made reading it boring. I read every word of the first 100 pages or so, but flipped thru the rest of the book and read bits and pieces without losing the plot at all. Would have been much better book at 200 or 250 pages. Will try another Sheila Norton in future to see if her writing style improves.
June 1, 2020
A warm and engaging story set in a small village in Devon, with loads of dogs and cats, small children, people looking for happiness and the strength of community overcoming difficulties. Delightful.
March 5, 2020
Really enjoyed this book, easy read, nicely paced, liked the way the story unfolded.
Borrowed another of this author's books from the libary today
Borrowed another of this author's books from the libary today
March 29, 2020
A nice light read with a good twist at the end of the story.
April 8, 2020
Great read especially in these uncertain days
July 6, 2020
I took a while to get into this book but once I did it was a nice easy read.
August 22, 2020
A wonderful story about pets, friends, family and love.
November 1, 2021
Really lovely story, well written and believable characters
April 10, 2022
Pleasant read almost gave up right at the beginning cause I don’t like doodles but glad I preservered liked the story of the missing cats
September 28, 2023
Great wee book. Easy read from first page
Read
November 6, 2023Dnf
March 12, 2024
I absolutely loved this book. From start to finish it was great. Heartwarming and an easy read.
April 19, 2024
A nice gentle read
July 18, 2024
loved it, didn't want it to end. First book by this author, will look for more
August 16, 2024
This was a nice easy read but very predictable and I didn't really find any of the characters relatable and they were quite self absorbed some of them.
February 1, 2025
Loved this beautifully written heart warming cosy story! ❤️
June 14, 2025
Vorhersehbar, aber durch die Tiere ganz niedlich. Nur die Hauptfigur ging mir mit ihrer kindischen Art echt auf die Nerven. Darf weiterwandern.
July 13, 2025
The realistic feel of this book is very refreshing and the romance of this plot is well developed. I don't usually like the girl going back to their old lover but for some reason I liked it in this book. The characters were grounded and human which was nice but it felt a bit weird to read a very light plot compared to the plot-heavy books I was reading before.
This book is so underrated and it's really got me to want to read more of this author's book. If you're into quick romance books I would recommend this for you.
This book is so underrated and it's really got me to want to read more of this author's book. If you're into quick romance books I would recommend this for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2022
Pleasant but more in a family-friendly way, I'd expected more romance.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews