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A Place Like Home
'As with every Rosamunde Pilcher story - long or short - I began to read and couldn't stop' - Lucinda RileyA spellbinding collection of fifteen stories from multi-million copy, internationally bestselling modern classic author Rosamunde Pilcher, with an introduction by Sunday Times bestselling author Lucinda Riley.In The Holiday , a wife surprises her husband of twenty-five years with a trip full of Mediterranean sunshine, red rocks and blue seas in an effort to rekindle the romance they had before children.Skelmerton takes the reader to the bright spring sunshine and sparkling waves of a Northumbrian village where old flames meet again.In A Place Like Home , a lonely young woman goes to recuperate in the Scottish countryside after a brief illness. The fruit orchards and fresh sea air offer much needed respite - but not as much as the handsome, mysterious farmer . . .Each of the fifteen stories is a perfect slice of romance written with warmth and passion, featuring some wonderfully memorable, smart and feisty female characters that will transport the reader to another time and place.Praise for A PLACE LIKE 'A PLACE LIKE HOME is a wonderful treat for fans of Rosamunde Pilcher's writing. Each story resonates with the echoes of a voice that is at once familiar and beloved . Reading this collection of love stories does indeed feel just like returning to a place like home .' - Fiona Valpy , bestselling author of The Dressmaker's Gift' An antidote to challenging times , this set of stories from a much-loved author has a comforting, nostalgic feel - cosy and reassuring - with Rosamunde Pilcher's signature insight into domestic hopes and yearnings, taking us into a gentler world .' - Sarah Maine , bestselling author of Beyond the Wild River'Reading this anthology of short stories was like being wrapped in a cashmere shawl and travelling back to the recent past where people drank sherry before dinner and seemed to have more time. Highly recommended reading that will lift you during this difficult period we are experiencing. Find a saggy, chintz armchair, a log fire and a glass of sherry and indulge . . .' - Angela Petch , bestselling author of The Tuscan SecretFurther praise for Rosamunde 'Her genius is to create characters you really care about' Daily Express'Rosamunde Pilcher's warm spell is charming and utterly convincing' Daily Mail'Pilcher's storytelling skills are serene and beguiling' The Times'Pilcher's strength is knowing what she can do well and writing about what she knows. She has a way of tapping into the emotional life of her readers and making them care about characters not unlike themselves' Daily Telegraph'Britain's most under-rated novelist' Sunday Times'This warm-hearted family saga, beautifully written and expertly paced, is just assatisfying now as when it was first published more than 30 years ago.' Daily Mail
218 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 27, 2021
336 people are currently reading
2969 people want to read
About the author
Rosamunde Pilcher
176 books3,144 followersRosamunde Scott was born on 22 September 1924 in Lelant, Cornwall, England, UK, daughter of Helen and Charles Scott, a British commander. Just before her birth her father was posted in Burma, her mother remained in England. She attended St. Clare's Polwithen and Howell's School Llandaff before going on to Miss Kerr-Sanders' Secretarial College. She began writing when she was seven and published her first short story when she was 18. From 1943 through 1946, Pilcher served with the Women's Naval Service. On 7 December 1946, she married Graham Hope Pilcher, a war hero and jute industry executive who died in March 2009. They moved to Dundee, Scotland, where she remained until her death in 2019. They had two daughters and two sons, and fourteen grandchildren. Her son, Robin Pilcher, is also a novelist.
In 1949, her first book, a romance novel, was published by Mills & Boon, under the pseudonym Jane Fraser. She published a further ten novels under that name. In 1955, she also began writing under her married name Rosamunde Pilcher, by 1965 she her own name to all of her novels. In 1996, her novel Coming Home won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by Romantic Novelists' Association. She retired from writing in 2000 following publication of Winter Solstice. Two years later, she was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
In 1949, her first book, a romance novel, was published by Mills & Boon, under the pseudonym Jane Fraser. She published a further ten novels under that name. In 1955, she also began writing under her married name Rosamunde Pilcher, by 1965 she her own name to all of her novels. In 1996, her novel Coming Home won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by Romantic Novelists' Association. She retired from writing in 2000 following publication of Winter Solstice. Two years later, she was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 327 reviews
January 6, 2022
EXCERPT: Anyway, there we were, on an early April afternoon riding along the sands when the mist came in. Or 'fret' as they call it in Northumberland. Daisy, being Northumbrian born and bred, was no more spooked by the fret than I was, but continued placidly on her way until we came to the rocks that mark the end of the bay.
We could not see these rocks, but there was the tang of seaweed, and the hiss and rumble of the flood tide moving in beneath the cliff. Fulmars nested on these shallow cliffs and the clammy air was rent with their strange cries. Daisy splashed through a deep sand pool and up on to the hard sand on the other side. The cliffs reared up before us, sinister in the fog, and I said to Daisy, 'This is as far as we come,' and started to turn her when we heard the cry. It could have been a Fulmar. I stopped and listened, and it came again.
'Hello-o-o...?'
Daisy's ears pricked. We stared into the fog, saw nothing.
'Where are you-ou-ou?'
'Here,' I called back, and my voice sounded unfamiliar and puny and was lost in the echoes of the cliff face.
There came a scramble of falling stones. Daisy, uneasy of the unknown, whickered anxiously. I laid a hand on her neck, and her shaggy coat, beneath my palm, was beaded with damp. We waited, both straining our eyes and ears.
A movement through the fog; another stone rattled over rock, and the next moment, as though from nowhere, a figure appeared, took shape, not ten feet from where we stood. A small boy wearing jeans and a blue sweater, apparently soaking wet and all alone. - taken from the short story 'Skelmerton'.
ABOUT 'A PLACE LIKE HOME': A heartwarming, escapist collection of fifteen stories from bestselling author Rosamunde Pilcher, published two years after her death, with an introduction by the now also deceased author Lucinda Riley.
In 'Our Holiday', a wife surprises her husband of twenty-five years with a trip full of Mediterranean sunshine, red rocks and blue seas, in an effort to rekindle the romance they had before children.
'Skelmerton' takes the reader to the bright spring sunshine and sparkling waves of a Northumbrian village, where old flames meet again.
In 'A Place Like Home', a young woman goes to recuperate in the Scottish countryside after a brief illness. The fruit orchards and fresh sea air offer refreshment and renewal - but not as much as the handsome, mysterious farmer.
Each of the stories is a perfect slice of romance written with warmth and passion, featuring some wonderfully memorable, smart and fiery female characters that will transport the reader to another time and place.
MY THOUGHTS: I am, and always have been, an ardent Rosamunde Pilcher fan and this delightful collection of fifteen short stories has only increased my admiration for this author. It has also made me realise that I am going to have to trawl the shelves of all the second hand bookstores and charity shops in order to fill in the gaps in my collection of her books.
Pilcher writes of a gentler time: a time of rambling old houses set in beautifully maintained gardens; of scones with clotted cream and jam for tea; and drinks parties where sherry is the tipple of choice.
Her characters are simple but endearing and each of these short stories is a story in its own right. It has a beginning, a middle and an end. And always, a happy ever after.
This is a collection I shall treasure and I am so grateful that it arrived just in time for Christmas.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.4
#APlaceLikeHome #RosamundePilcher @HodderBooks
#historicalfiction #romance #shortstories #womensfiction
THE AUTHOR: Rosamunde Scott was born on 22 September 1924 in Lelant, Cornwall, England, UK, daughter of Helen and Charles Scott, a British commander. Just before her birth her father was posted in Burma, her mother remained in England. She attended St. Clare's Polwithen and Howell's School Llandaff before going on to Miss Kerr-Sanders' Secretarial College. She began writing when she was seven and published her first short story when she was 18. From 1943 through 1946, Pilcher served with the Women's Naval Service. On 7 December 1946, she married Graham Hope Pilcher, a war hero and jute industry executive who died in March 2009. They moved to Dundee, Scotland, where she remained until her death in 2019. They had two daughters and two sons, and fourteen grandchildren. Her son, Robin Pilcher, is also a novelist.
In 1949, her first book, a romance novel, was published by Mills & Boon, under the pseudonym Jane Fraser. She published a further ten novels under that name. In 1955, she also began writing under her married name Rosamunde Pilcher, by 1965 she her own name to all of her novels. In 1996, her novel Coming Home won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by Romantic Novelists' Association. She retired from writing in 2000 following publication of Winter Solstice. Two years later, she was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
DISCLOSURE: I own my copy of A Place Like Home by Rosamunde Pilcher and published by Hodder &Stoughton. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Instagram, and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
We could not see these rocks, but there was the tang of seaweed, and the hiss and rumble of the flood tide moving in beneath the cliff. Fulmars nested on these shallow cliffs and the clammy air was rent with their strange cries. Daisy splashed through a deep sand pool and up on to the hard sand on the other side. The cliffs reared up before us, sinister in the fog, and I said to Daisy, 'This is as far as we come,' and started to turn her when we heard the cry. It could have been a Fulmar. I stopped and listened, and it came again.
'Hello-o-o...?'
Daisy's ears pricked. We stared into the fog, saw nothing.
'Where are you-ou-ou?'
'Here,' I called back, and my voice sounded unfamiliar and puny and was lost in the echoes of the cliff face.
There came a scramble of falling stones. Daisy, uneasy of the unknown, whickered anxiously. I laid a hand on her neck, and her shaggy coat, beneath my palm, was beaded with damp. We waited, both straining our eyes and ears.
A movement through the fog; another stone rattled over rock, and the next moment, as though from nowhere, a figure appeared, took shape, not ten feet from where we stood. A small boy wearing jeans and a blue sweater, apparently soaking wet and all alone. - taken from the short story 'Skelmerton'.
ABOUT 'A PLACE LIKE HOME': A heartwarming, escapist collection of fifteen stories from bestselling author Rosamunde Pilcher, published two years after her death, with an introduction by the now also deceased author Lucinda Riley.
In 'Our Holiday', a wife surprises her husband of twenty-five years with a trip full of Mediterranean sunshine, red rocks and blue seas, in an effort to rekindle the romance they had before children.
'Skelmerton' takes the reader to the bright spring sunshine and sparkling waves of a Northumbrian village, where old flames meet again.
In 'A Place Like Home', a young woman goes to recuperate in the Scottish countryside after a brief illness. The fruit orchards and fresh sea air offer refreshment and renewal - but not as much as the handsome, mysterious farmer.
Each of the stories is a perfect slice of romance written with warmth and passion, featuring some wonderfully memorable, smart and fiery female characters that will transport the reader to another time and place.
MY THOUGHTS: I am, and always have been, an ardent Rosamunde Pilcher fan and this delightful collection of fifteen short stories has only increased my admiration for this author. It has also made me realise that I am going to have to trawl the shelves of all the second hand bookstores and charity shops in order to fill in the gaps in my collection of her books.
Pilcher writes of a gentler time: a time of rambling old houses set in beautifully maintained gardens; of scones with clotted cream and jam for tea; and drinks parties where sherry is the tipple of choice.
Her characters are simple but endearing and each of these short stories is a story in its own right. It has a beginning, a middle and an end. And always, a happy ever after.
This is a collection I shall treasure and I am so grateful that it arrived just in time for Christmas.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.4
#APlaceLikeHome #RosamundePilcher @HodderBooks
#historicalfiction #romance #shortstories #womensfiction
THE AUTHOR: Rosamunde Scott was born on 22 September 1924 in Lelant, Cornwall, England, UK, daughter of Helen and Charles Scott, a British commander. Just before her birth her father was posted in Burma, her mother remained in England. She attended St. Clare's Polwithen and Howell's School Llandaff before going on to Miss Kerr-Sanders' Secretarial College. She began writing when she was seven and published her first short story when she was 18. From 1943 through 1946, Pilcher served with the Women's Naval Service. On 7 December 1946, she married Graham Hope Pilcher, a war hero and jute industry executive who died in March 2009. They moved to Dundee, Scotland, where she remained until her death in 2019. They had two daughters and two sons, and fourteen grandchildren. Her son, Robin Pilcher, is also a novelist.
In 1949, her first book, a romance novel, was published by Mills & Boon, under the pseudonym Jane Fraser. She published a further ten novels under that name. In 1955, she also began writing under her married name Rosamunde Pilcher, by 1965 she her own name to all of her novels. In 1996, her novel Coming Home won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by Romantic Novelists' Association. She retired from writing in 2000 following publication of Winter Solstice. Two years later, she was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
DISCLOSURE: I own my copy of A Place Like Home by Rosamunde Pilcher and published by Hodder &Stoughton. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Instagram, and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
July 7, 2021
When I was in my teen years, I read everything I could get my hands on by Rosamunde Pilcher. It was likely not her whole backlist, but closer than one would expect if you knew anything about the tiny, hand-me-down library that existed in my small town growing up. My mom was a fan and owned some of her popular epic-length novels, like Shell Seekers and Coming Home, which was my particular favorite. I filled in the gap with what my library offered and was thoroughly enchanted all around. That was then and until earlier this year it had been many years since I had read Pilcher, and I wasn't sure how re-visiting a fave from my youth would go (half the time I try it goes terribly). For me, that try was a listen of the Coming Home audiobook and it worked really well. I still love it, though I do relate to characters differently than I used to do. However, this is not a review of that or any of her novels. This is meant to be a review of this short story collection that was created by scanning magazines for the 1970s and 1980s that had published short stories by Pilcher, which I was excited to get a chance to read.
The verdict? If you are a Pilcher fan, you'll probably get some enjoyment out of this. I certainly did, but generally speaking, there is nothing special to these stories. A few standout as a quite good, but even then I wasn't satisfied by what was offered because I wished there was more to the story. I wish they had been developed into a full novel. Many were sub-par, and I didn't like the message or characters or both. There were a few that seemed well-suited to the short story format, but mostly it is clear longer stories are where you find the true Pilcher magic.
Most of these short stories revolved around courtship and marriage. Some were pre-courtship, but the promise is there that this m/f duo will suit. A very few did not have the romantic couple featured as the main characters, and those were the ones that seemed more suited to the short story format -- a budding relationship between soon-to-be family members or a regretful older couple seeing their children choose the path to happiness they denied themselves. Those were interesting vignettes that worked for me. However, the ones with the romantic couples front and center were not developed enough to work as well. They either gave you a taste that you wanted more of or were not worth the read.
Her long novels are great at giving a full character study and feature women choosing their own destinies, which maybe tend to end in finding that special someone, but that is not really the point of the story. For these short stories, it often is the point. There is not enough time for the character study, so they don't really make much impact. They are ok, but if just wanting to try Pilcher out, give one of her novels a try. It will be much more satisfying.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book. Views are my own.
The verdict? If you are a Pilcher fan, you'll probably get some enjoyment out of this. I certainly did, but generally speaking, there is nothing special to these stories. A few standout as a quite good, but even then I wasn't satisfied by what was offered because I wished there was more to the story. I wish they had been developed into a full novel. Many were sub-par, and I didn't like the message or characters or both. There were a few that seemed well-suited to the short story format, but mostly it is clear longer stories are where you find the true Pilcher magic.
Most of these short stories revolved around courtship and marriage. Some were pre-courtship, but the promise is there that this m/f duo will suit. A very few did not have the romantic couple featured as the main characters, and those were the ones that seemed more suited to the short story format -- a budding relationship between soon-to-be family members or a regretful older couple seeing their children choose the path to happiness they denied themselves. Those were interesting vignettes that worked for me. However, the ones with the romantic couples front and center were not developed enough to work as well. They either gave you a taste that you wanted more of or were not worth the read.
Her long novels are great at giving a full character study and feature women choosing their own destinies, which maybe tend to end in finding that special someone, but that is not really the point of the story. For these short stories, it often is the point. There is not enough time for the character study, so they don't really make much impact. They are ok, but if just wanting to try Pilcher out, give one of her novels a try. It will be much more satisfying.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book. Views are my own.
December 13, 2020
Review published in: https://diagnosisbookaholic.blogspot....
Author Lucinda Riley writes in this volume's introduction that when asked to write it she felt emotional as it took her back to her teens when she read "The shell seekers". That's exactly how I felt when I saw on NetGalley that a new book by Rosamunde Pilcher was being published. I still remember "The shell seekers" and "Coming home" as two books that marked my teenage years (although I can't remember much about them now). It might be that I remember those through rose-colored glasses and should I re-read them now I would not think the same about them. That's why it pains me to say that "A place like home" is not worthy.
This collection of short stories is so outdated nowadays. They certainly have not aged well. Each story presents a woman whose main worry in life is to have a man beside her. The message most of them convey is that if you're a woman and you're single you have failed in life, that you won't be truly happy unless there's a man in your life. Even those characters that begin saying they are independent, more work oriented and don't need a guy, end up with one, cause romantic love seems to be the only kind of love possible.
Most of the conflicts these characters have are pretty silly and the romances described quite unreal. Everyones seems to fall madly in love with each other just with one look and marriage proposals are said like you say good morning. So annoying!
I can't honestly see any modern reader, specially any woman, enjoying these stories as I'm sure they would have been enjoyed when written last century.
Note to self: stop reading books and authors you enjoyed when you were a teenager or you'll end up being disappointed time and time again.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Author Lucinda Riley writes in this volume's introduction that when asked to write it she felt emotional as it took her back to her teens when she read "The shell seekers". That's exactly how I felt when I saw on NetGalley that a new book by Rosamunde Pilcher was being published. I still remember "The shell seekers" and "Coming home" as two books that marked my teenage years (although I can't remember much about them now). It might be that I remember those through rose-colored glasses and should I re-read them now I would not think the same about them. That's why it pains me to say that "A place like home" is not worthy.
This collection of short stories is so outdated nowadays. They certainly have not aged well. Each story presents a woman whose main worry in life is to have a man beside her. The message most of them convey is that if you're a woman and you're single you have failed in life, that you won't be truly happy unless there's a man in your life. Even those characters that begin saying they are independent, more work oriented and don't need a guy, end up with one, cause romantic love seems to be the only kind of love possible.
Most of the conflicts these characters have are pretty silly and the romances described quite unreal. Everyones seems to fall madly in love with each other just with one look and marriage proposals are said like you say good morning. So annoying!
I can't honestly see any modern reader, specially any woman, enjoying these stories as I'm sure they would have been enjoyed when written last century.
Note to self: stop reading books and authors you enjoyed when you were a teenager or you'll end up being disappointed time and time again.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 28, 2024
Re-read this again and still in love with the majority of these stories. I really have to re-read September again.
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
I thought this was absolutely wonderful. This is a collection of short stories by Pilcher and I have to say that this book was just what I needed. I curled up in a blanket with cups of tea.
There is an introduction by someone named Lucinda Riley that I don't know anything about, I skipped this though because most introductions spoil the stories within and it drives me up the wall.
Per usual, here are my ratings of all the stories.
"Someone to Trust"-5 stars-I thought this was a great start to the collection. We follow a woman named Rachael who realizes that after many years, the man she is in love with, is never going to love her the right way. She goes to visit her cousin and tries to put her lover behind her. But things change for her when she starts to realize that not all men are like her ex. I did like that Rachael comes to a better realization about her relationship and the man that seems to not care at all about hurting her.
"Anniversary"-5 stars-A woman named Janey realizes that she needs more from her long-time lover, David. She's scared though to ask for more since he seems very anti-marriage. When Janey travels to celebrate her parent's wedding anniversary, she meets a couple that has her thinking things may have to change for her to move forward. What I liked about this one though is there a hint of darkness in the ending. I think Pilcher did a good job with showing that not all marriages are the same.
"Skelmerton"-3 stars-this one was the only story that really dragged for me. The title of this story is the name of the village where the story takes place. I think this one didn't work for me because it follows a single woman (considered a spinster) who really put her life on hold for a young man she met and fell in love with years ago. He of course met and married someone else, but has now returned to Skelmerton. I don't know. I don't think the story was meant to seem like hey good for you for being second best. But it read that way. I don't know if that was on purpose or not.
"A Place Like Home"-5 stars-I really enjoyed this one. A young woman named Joanna is in the hospital and realizing that she is truly almost alone in the world. She is an orphan and her remaining relatives are nowhere nearby. Her boss comes to visit her though and suggests a place that he knows in Scotland as a place to recover. I loved the description of Scotland and the people that Joanna meets, especially one of them. It really was a great story and I can see why the collection was named after this story.
"Ghosts of the Past"-3.5 stars-This one was definitely dark. I liked it though, but it didn't really fit with the general mood of the book I thought. Pilcher loves playing with stories about the end of affairs. I thought this one had a kind of ridiculous ending, but I loved the set-up of it before that.
"Jonathan"-3.5 stars-Not bad, it just felt a bit samey to the story told in Skelmerton.
"The Key"-3.5/4 stars-This was a weird story. As I reflect on it, I think I liked it. A young girl named Ruth goes and sees a house. She's not what she seems. It's a weird story.
"A Fork in the Road"-5 stars-A young man has a choice between a woman or moving to Edinburgh. After a visit there, he starts to think of the possibilities before him.
"The Stone Boy"-4 stars-This story follows a woman who has a chance encounter with a man that she has tried to forget.
"A Touch of Magic"-5 stars-This story was hilarious. An older aunt and another woman want the woman's brother in law to grow up and finally stay in one place. An accident ends up allowing the brother in law to see someone in a new light.
"A Smile for the Bride"-4 stars-Not a bad short story, but I knew how this one would end. I felt like I have read this before.
"Magic Might Happen"-4 stars-I thought this was okay, but honestly thought the ending was a bit...eh. It just didn't work for me due to the fact I thought Pilcher was telling a different story for readers. About how to go on after your heart is broken.
"Through the Eyes of Love"-5 stars-A young woman realizes that she needs to move on from a lover who has caused her nothing but pain. She goes home to her family for Christmas, and sees someone she has known for a long time in a new light. This felt very similar to Winter Solstice in themes or just the feeling of coziness it inspired. Loved it.
"Our Holiday"-5 stars-Yikes. I mean this is good, but this is probably a story that maybe should have ended up in a different collection. I loved it though it left me feeling melancholy.
"Harbour of Love"-4.5 stars-Not a bad story to end on, I just thought it was going in a totally different way though.
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
I thought this was absolutely wonderful. This is a collection of short stories by Pilcher and I have to say that this book was just what I needed. I curled up in a blanket with cups of tea.
There is an introduction by someone named Lucinda Riley that I don't know anything about, I skipped this though because most introductions spoil the stories within and it drives me up the wall.
Per usual, here are my ratings of all the stories.
"Someone to Trust"-5 stars-I thought this was a great start to the collection. We follow a woman named Rachael who realizes that after many years, the man she is in love with, is never going to love her the right way. She goes to visit her cousin and tries to put her lover behind her. But things change for her when she starts to realize that not all men are like her ex. I did like that Rachael comes to a better realization about her relationship and the man that seems to not care at all about hurting her.
"Anniversary"-5 stars-A woman named Janey realizes that she needs more from her long-time lover, David. She's scared though to ask for more since he seems very anti-marriage. When Janey travels to celebrate her parent's wedding anniversary, she meets a couple that has her thinking things may have to change for her to move forward. What I liked about this one though is there a hint of darkness in the ending. I think Pilcher did a good job with showing that not all marriages are the same.
"Skelmerton"-3 stars-this one was the only story that really dragged for me. The title of this story is the name of the village where the story takes place. I think this one didn't work for me because it follows a single woman (considered a spinster) who really put her life on hold for a young man she met and fell in love with years ago. He of course met and married someone else, but has now returned to Skelmerton. I don't know. I don't think the story was meant to seem like hey good for you for being second best. But it read that way. I don't know if that was on purpose or not.
"A Place Like Home"-5 stars-I really enjoyed this one. A young woman named Joanna is in the hospital and realizing that she is truly almost alone in the world. She is an orphan and her remaining relatives are nowhere nearby. Her boss comes to visit her though and suggests a place that he knows in Scotland as a place to recover. I loved the description of Scotland and the people that Joanna meets, especially one of them. It really was a great story and I can see why the collection was named after this story.
"Ghosts of the Past"-3.5 stars-This one was definitely dark. I liked it though, but it didn't really fit with the general mood of the book I thought. Pilcher loves playing with stories about the end of affairs. I thought this one had a kind of ridiculous ending, but I loved the set-up of it before that.
"Jonathan"-3.5 stars-Not bad, it just felt a bit samey to the story told in Skelmerton.
"The Key"-3.5/4 stars-This was a weird story. As I reflect on it, I think I liked it. A young girl named Ruth goes and sees a house. She's not what she seems. It's a weird story.
"A Fork in the Road"-5 stars-A young man has a choice between a woman or moving to Edinburgh. After a visit there, he starts to think of the possibilities before him.
"The Stone Boy"-4 stars-This story follows a woman who has a chance encounter with a man that she has tried to forget.
"A Touch of Magic"-5 stars-This story was hilarious. An older aunt and another woman want the woman's brother in law to grow up and finally stay in one place. An accident ends up allowing the brother in law to see someone in a new light.
"A Smile for the Bride"-4 stars-Not a bad short story, but I knew how this one would end. I felt like I have read this before.
"Magic Might Happen"-4 stars-I thought this was okay, but honestly thought the ending was a bit...eh. It just didn't work for me due to the fact I thought Pilcher was telling a different story for readers. About how to go on after your heart is broken.
"Through the Eyes of Love"-5 stars-A young woman realizes that she needs to move on from a lover who has caused her nothing but pain. She goes home to her family for Christmas, and sees someone she has known for a long time in a new light. This felt very similar to Winter Solstice in themes or just the feeling of coziness it inspired. Loved it.
"Our Holiday"-5 stars-Yikes. I mean this is good, but this is probably a story that maybe should have ended up in a different collection. I loved it though it left me feeling melancholy.
"Harbour of Love"-4.5 stars-Not a bad story to end on, I just thought it was going in a totally different way though.
September 25, 2022
Right book, right time! Love Rosamunde Pilcher!
July 16, 2021
As someone who spent many, many hours reading Rosemunde Pilcher books as a teen/young adult, I was happy to see a new collection of short stories that I hadn’t seen or heard of before. They varied in topics from a couple celebrating their silver anniversary so the wife plans a romantic getaway for them that goes wrong to a man who has to make a choice between keeping things the same in his life or starting over in a new place with a new love. My fav was “A smile for the Bride” even though it was predictable, it was sweet and like a warm hug after a long time away.
Overall, this collection is perfect curled up with a cup of tea and a snuggle blanket. The narration was very well done, with each story having it own set of characters and voices bringing those characters to life. I would recommend this to anyone needing an escape.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.
Overall, this collection is perfect curled up with a cup of tea and a snuggle blanket. The narration was very well done, with each story having it own set of characters and voices bringing those characters to life. I would recommend this to anyone needing an escape.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.
July 21, 2021
3.5 Stars Rounded Up
I consider myself fortunate to get this ARC as an introduction to Ms. Pilcher's work. Since I remember her books gracing my mother's book shelves, I sort of considered her too "old" for me. I do read romance on occasion but I have a greater preference for other genre's like coming of age and family drama as well as mysteries and southern lit. After sampling her stories, I feel that she would provide me with satisfying reading.
More to come with one and two sentence summaries of the included shorts. They were pleasant stories, some were exceptional, a few were a bit boring and most were a bit bland.
Thanks to the publisher and Goodreads for an ARC to review in return for my honest opinion.
I consider myself fortunate to get this ARC as an introduction to Ms. Pilcher's work. Since I remember her books gracing my mother's book shelves, I sort of considered her too "old" for me. I do read romance on occasion but I have a greater preference for other genre's like coming of age and family drama as well as mysteries and southern lit. After sampling her stories, I feel that she would provide me with satisfying reading.
More to come with one and two sentence summaries of the included shorts. They were pleasant stories, some were exceptional, a few were a bit boring and most were a bit bland.
Thanks to the publisher and Goodreads for an ARC to review in return for my honest opinion.
August 2, 2021
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
A Place Like Home is a delightful collection of fifteen stories by the late renowned novelist Rosamunde Pilcher, published after her death in 2019.
Each story is individual and unique, though they are all joined by a theme of love that weaves its way through all of the plots.
I have been a huge fan of Rosamunde Pilcher’s novels for many years and this book felt like it was the perfect read for me. I love the author’s use of descriptive language, the scenery, and the settings which all came alive in my mind. I also adored all the main female characters in each of the stories. They all came across as real and believable making for an enjoyable read.
I have been trying to work out which story is my favourite and I have come to realise that I can’t choose one story over another as they all were perfect, enthralling, and engaging. They also all left me feeling happy and relaxed.
A Place Like Home was a definite page-turner and I loved that I could sit and read a complete story in just one sitting. I also didn’t have to read them in order if I didn’t want to.
I would 100% recommend this book to both my family and friends. Whether you are a fan of Rosamunde Pilcher’s other work or not, this delightful collection would suit everyone and for me, it is a must-read book.
A Place Like Home is a delightful collection of fifteen stories by the late renowned novelist Rosamunde Pilcher, published after her death in 2019.
Each story is individual and unique, though they are all joined by a theme of love that weaves its way through all of the plots.
I have been a huge fan of Rosamunde Pilcher’s novels for many years and this book felt like it was the perfect read for me. I love the author’s use of descriptive language, the scenery, and the settings which all came alive in my mind. I also adored all the main female characters in each of the stories. They all came across as real and believable making for an enjoyable read.
I have been trying to work out which story is my favourite and I have come to realise that I can’t choose one story over another as they all were perfect, enthralling, and engaging. They also all left me feeling happy and relaxed.
A Place Like Home was a definite page-turner and I loved that I could sit and read a complete story in just one sitting. I also didn’t have to read them in order if I didn’t want to.
I would 100% recommend this book to both my family and friends. Whether you are a fan of Rosamunde Pilcher’s other work or not, this delightful collection would suit everyone and for me, it is a must-read book.
October 30, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
Heartwarming, cute and entertaining…
Heartwarming, cute and entertaining…
July 23, 2021
Coming off of a near perfect reading experience of '𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘚𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴' on audio, I want all-the-Pilcher and I want it now. Thanks to Macmillan Audio I had early access to 𝐀 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄, a collection of 15 short stories.
Each story features a smart, strong female character and brings warmth, heart and romance. There is also a strong sense of place which I've come to expect (and appreciate) from Pilcher's writing.
The short story format made me feel like I do after I experience a perfect meal. When everything comes together and I'm absolutely satisfied. Not too full. Not left wanting. Just positively content.
𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗- working on embroidery projects, cleaning the lake house, meal prep, and running errands.
Each story features a smart, strong female character and brings warmth, heart and romance. There is also a strong sense of place which I've come to expect (and appreciate) from Pilcher's writing.
The short story format made me feel like I do after I experience a perfect meal. When everything comes together and I'm absolutely satisfied. Not too full. Not left wanting. Just positively content.
𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗- working on embroidery projects, cleaning the lake house, meal prep, and running errands.
September 17, 2021
Absolutely adore this author's writing. And I have read these before in magazines. I'm pretty sure they were in Redbook. That type of magazine, regardless of name changes or not- it just doesn't exist any longer. Mainstream are no longer cored homemakers or women as they were in roles before 1955.
Her novels are some of my favorites of every era. And I truly am not a short story person. But beyond that, these read REALLY dated. They are sweet and sentimental and of the mores, desires, and expectations for futures that hardly exist any longer. Not for women, and even more so, not for men.
The women of each age fall in love and experience growth, IMHO. They are chaste and the end state result anticipated and expected or heralded in every sense, is marriage. Coupleship (I know that is not a word) entire. Comfortable, soothing, protective, and mostly love in its most complex sense to mind and emotive connections. This simply doesn't seem to be the state of pairing off or marrying in the law and legal sense of obligations and commitments any longer. Marriage for women especially never considered the end state achievement?? I'm not stating it as well as it could be defined. But it was defined. Differently. This is the "eyes" and sensibility of that era. A long era that I believe is almost invisible now, and in some poignant examples of reality sadly and entirely ended.
So it's hard for me to read of such falling in love as many of these women do. Deeply and quickly and without much knowing the man. And how the men are so cored in the life that results.
I knew many and saw many who lived these dreams and worlds. Chaste in their actions and thoughts and in every sense more responsible for other. And had 50 or 60 years lengths of happy endings. Those are the people who will enjoy these stories the most.
I disagree with some of the reviewers about how these scenarios of youth or women below 50 years of age today; how these goals (Pilcher posited as demonstrated here)are not part of any reality for now. The impossibility of role wanted or needed for the woman of the 21st century. But it is entirely true that the family ideal and expectation has altered.
Her novels are some of my favorites of every era. And I truly am not a short story person. But beyond that, these read REALLY dated. They are sweet and sentimental and of the mores, desires, and expectations for futures that hardly exist any longer. Not for women, and even more so, not for men.
The women of each age fall in love and experience growth, IMHO. They are chaste and the end state result anticipated and expected or heralded in every sense, is marriage. Coupleship (I know that is not a word) entire. Comfortable, soothing, protective, and mostly love in its most complex sense to mind and emotive connections. This simply doesn't seem to be the state of pairing off or marrying in the law and legal sense of obligations and commitments any longer. Marriage for women especially never considered the end state achievement?? I'm not stating it as well as it could be defined. But it was defined. Differently. This is the "eyes" and sensibility of that era. A long era that I believe is almost invisible now, and in some poignant examples of reality sadly and entirely ended.
So it's hard for me to read of such falling in love as many of these women do. Deeply and quickly and without much knowing the man. And how the men are so cored in the life that results.
I knew many and saw many who lived these dreams and worlds. Chaste in their actions and thoughts and in every sense more responsible for other. And had 50 or 60 years lengths of happy endings. Those are the people who will enjoy these stories the most.
I disagree with some of the reviewers about how these scenarios of youth or women below 50 years of age today; how these goals (Pilcher posited as demonstrated here)are not part of any reality for now. The impossibility of role wanted or needed for the woman of the 21st century. But it is entirely true that the family ideal and expectation has altered.
July 17, 2021
A Place Like Home by Rosamunde Pilcher is a collection of 15 different short stories that are accurately described as a "perfect slice of romance written with warmth and passion featuring wonderfully memorable, smart, and feisty female characters that will transport the listener to another time and place."
I would say that description is accurate, (although feisty may carry a slightly different connotation in the 21st century), but still, it was armchair, sit by the fireplace and chill out, with a glass of wine type listening.
Of course, since there are 15 different stories in this collection, some may be more appealing to the reader than others, but overall, the British author's works will be continued to be enjoyed and read by generations to come.
All audio version narrators lent enjoyability to each story..
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced Audio Version of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I would say that description is accurate, (although feisty may carry a slightly different connotation in the 21st century), but still, it was armchair, sit by the fireplace and chill out, with a glass of wine type listening.
Of course, since there are 15 different stories in this collection, some may be more appealing to the reader than others, but overall, the British author's works will be continued to be enjoyed and read by generations to come.
All audio version narrators lent enjoyability to each story..
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced Audio Version of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
January 1, 2022
A Place Like Home by Rosamunde Pilcher, a forthcoming posthumous title from St. Martin's Press, collects some of the author's short stories that were published in magazines throughout her career and makes them available in book form for the first time. Each story is a gentle portrait of a relationship between a woman and someone she loves or has loved or will soon love. They are stories of cozy domesticity, often with predictable endings, and I was just completely enamored of them. These stories are devoid of the political commentary and sexual descriptions that have so frequently plagued the more recent literary short stories (and novels) I have read. By contrast, they are delightfully old-fashioned and perfectly charming, and they were so much fun to read.
I cannot say enough good things about A Place Like Home! If you are a Pilcher fan, mark your calendar for its U.S. release on July 27th! Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the digital review copy.
I cannot say enough good things about A Place Like Home! If you are a Pilcher fan, mark your calendar for its U.S. release on July 27th! Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the digital review copy.
February 18, 2023
This collection of short stories, published posthumously, is a true balm. Undemanding, gentle prose to soothe and cajole during these difficult and often harrowing times. A group of unpublished stories prior to the author's death in 2019, now collected as a tribute to the prolific and very popular novelist.
It didn't bother me in the slightest that most of them were easy to read. I knew that they would allow me to visit rural locations in England and Scotland and revel in bucolic, idyllic settings with mostly uncomplicated plots. Nothing wrong with a palate cleanser from time to time. And not only when lying on a sandy beach covered in sunscreen. A book like this also works well during the dreariest winter days, when all one feels like doing is curling up in a comfortable chair, preferably by the fire, and indulge in some escapism.
It didn't bother me in the slightest that most of them were easy to read. I knew that they would allow me to visit rural locations in England and Scotland and revel in bucolic, idyllic settings with mostly uncomplicated plots. Nothing wrong with a palate cleanser from time to time. And not only when lying on a sandy beach covered in sunscreen. A book like this also works well during the dreariest winter days, when all one feels like doing is curling up in a comfortable chair, preferably by the fire, and indulge in some escapism.
March 19, 2021
If you are a fan of Rosamund's Pilcher's previous novels and short stories you will love this collection. She is a breath of fresh air with the timeless stories and the lovely settings in Scotland, Northumberland and Cornwall.
Fifteen stories with a bit of romance, some with personal relationship conundrums and interspection. My favorite books remain The Shell Seekers and Coming Home, I highly recommend those large books.
Each short story is preceded by a sketch along with the title. The romance story lines are not long and complicated, rather the attractions and commitments happen quite quickly. There are stories of loneliness as well and Pilcher brings the emotions to life on the page.
I recommend this book for a quick read and one that will take you armchair traveling to a different time period. A gentler kinder depiction of a lifestyle in the British Isles long before a pandemic.
Publication date is July 27, 2021 by St. Martin's Press. Genre general fiction; romance; women's fiction
Much thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. I was not compensated for the review and all opinions expressed here are mine.
Fifteen stories with a bit of romance, some with personal relationship conundrums and interspection. My favorite books remain The Shell Seekers and Coming Home, I highly recommend those large books.
Each short story is preceded by a sketch along with the title. The romance story lines are not long and complicated, rather the attractions and commitments happen quite quickly. There are stories of loneliness as well and Pilcher brings the emotions to life on the page.
I recommend this book for a quick read and one that will take you armchair traveling to a different time period. A gentler kinder depiction of a lifestyle in the British Isles long before a pandemic.
Publication date is July 27, 2021 by St. Martin's Press. Genre general fiction; romance; women's fiction
Much thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. I was not compensated for the review and all opinions expressed here are mine.
April 29, 2021
In my world, it's almost not necessary to review a Rosamunde Pilcher book. I own them all, have read them repeatedly, and have gotten the warm fuzzies from every one. And everytime I read any of her work, I tend to get up and rearrange the furniture. She inspires me. To hear recently, via NetGalley, that a new (to us) collection of stories was being published, was delightful, and I wasn't disappointed at all, of course I wasn't.
We need books like this. Happy endings, mild plots, beautiful surrounds---all classic Pilcher traits, especially now, when the world remains unsteady. All of these stories continue being sweet, romantic and restful. Did I say we need books like this?
Mrs. Pilcher passed away in February of 2019. I'm thankful to whoever was ultimately responsible for the publishing of these stories. If it's possible to dig out more, please treat us.
This one will become available to order Summer 2021.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ability to read it before publication.
We need books like this. Happy endings, mild plots, beautiful surrounds---all classic Pilcher traits, especially now, when the world remains unsteady. All of these stories continue being sweet, romantic and restful. Did I say we need books like this?
Mrs. Pilcher passed away in February of 2019. I'm thankful to whoever was ultimately responsible for the publishing of these stories. If it's possible to dig out more, please treat us.
This one will become available to order Summer 2021.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ability to read it before publication.
September 13, 2021
I'm going to call this finished even though I technically did not get through every single one. Each short story was just a redux of the one before with slightly different characters and circumstances and by the time I got the 5th one I was quite bored with them. I listened to 12 in total.
April 28, 2022
This was a fun, entertaining, heartwarming little collection of short stories mostly with interesting female characters and all with a romantic edge. One was about building trust after a failed relationship. One was celebrating her parent's 25th anniversary. One was rekindling of an old flame following the death of a spouse. One was set on her wedding day where she meets her fiance's uncle who was against the wedding without knowing it was the uncle. All were sweet relationship stories set in the English countryside. However, the last one was in Chicago/Wisconsin and somehow I found that odd, but the story was sweet.
I had read four of her books in the past and thought the stories would similarly be comfortable and comforting and they most definitely were.
A favorite quote: "Loving a person, she had told herself, is not finding perfection, but forgiving faults."
I had read four of her books in the past and thought the stories would similarly be comfortable and comforting and they most definitely were.
A favorite quote: "Loving a person, she had told herself, is not finding perfection, but forgiving faults."
August 31, 2023
Incredibly cozy and comforting! I loved all of the charming short stories, even the one that was very sad. Primarily, my favorite RP books are her family sagas including Winter Solstice, Coming Home, September, and The Shell Seekers. Her smaller books I tend to like, but not love. Luckily, for some strange reason, I'm a huge fan of her short story collections, including this one and The Blue Bedroom. A fantastic addition to my Rosamunde Pilcher collection. Highly recommended!
January 31, 2022
4.75
A Place Like Home is a lovely collection of light-hearted, easily-readable, subtly romantic short stories by the legendary Rosamunde Pilcher. These stories are a collection of her earlier work that had been previously published in magazines or periodicals.
These stories are not particularly realistic or especially deep, but they are cozy, feel-good, varied, heartwarming stories about unique characters you’d like to get to know personally. They have a quintessential British countryside setting, terminology and feel to them. I loved that I could read one in a single sitting for a reset to my day to put me in a better frame of mind. They were a simple, cozy pleasure to settle down with and read.
A Place Like Home is a lovely collection of light-hearted, easily-readable, subtly romantic short stories by the legendary Rosamunde Pilcher. These stories are a collection of her earlier work that had been previously published in magazines or periodicals.
These stories are not particularly realistic or especially deep, but they are cozy, feel-good, varied, heartwarming stories about unique characters you’d like to get to know personally. They have a quintessential British countryside setting, terminology and feel to them. I loved that I could read one in a single sitting for a reset to my day to put me in a better frame of mind. They were a simple, cozy pleasure to settle down with and read.
February 23, 2024
Short stories about love. Or lack of love. Some stories I liked more than others.
September 15, 2023
After reading Snow in April recently, I wanted to follow it up with another book by Rosamunde Pilcher. I would have grabbed one of her novels if I’d had one on my shelf that I hadn’t already read. But I didn’t.
What I did have was a collection of her short stories, A Place Like Home. Well, I’m not one who typically gravitates towards short stories, but I do make exceptions.
This collection was mainly about women finding the right man. But as with her novels these stories are also about the common struggles of everyday life, moments of pain and of joy, and understanding one’s self.
As Lucinda Riley points out in the introduction to this collection, “Rosamunde had the unique gift of being able to sum up the essence of some of life’s big questions in just a few wise words.” She gives the example of a line from the short story, “Someone to Trust”. “Loving a person … is not finding perfection but forgiving faults.” There is a similar phrase in her novel, ‘September.’ “Loving isn’t finding perfection, but forgiving horrible faults.”
There are other examples in this collection of short stories that feel like the seed of Pilcher’s later novels, and the ideas that she worried at and refined as her writing progressed.
This collection was a joy to read, but I think I appreciated it more because I was already familiar with her later books. If this had been my first introduction to Pilcher I'm not sure I would have appreciated this collection quite so much.
What I did have was a collection of her short stories, A Place Like Home. Well, I’m not one who typically gravitates towards short stories, but I do make exceptions.
This collection was mainly about women finding the right man. But as with her novels these stories are also about the common struggles of everyday life, moments of pain and of joy, and understanding one’s self.
As Lucinda Riley points out in the introduction to this collection, “Rosamunde had the unique gift of being able to sum up the essence of some of life’s big questions in just a few wise words.” She gives the example of a line from the short story, “Someone to Trust”. “Loving a person … is not finding perfection but forgiving faults.” There is a similar phrase in her novel, ‘September.’ “Loving isn’t finding perfection, but forgiving horrible faults.”
There are other examples in this collection of short stories that feel like the seed of Pilcher’s later novels, and the ideas that she worried at and refined as her writing progressed.
This collection was a joy to read, but I think I appreciated it more because I was already familiar with her later books. If this had been my first introduction to Pilcher I'm not sure I would have appreciated this collection quite so much.
March 10, 2021
“A PLace Like Home” is a collection of fifteen short stories of which i’ve just finished reading a sampler containing five of them.
Each story is a timeless, cosy romance, set in different locations both home and abroad. I particularly enjoyed “Skelmerton” since it was based in my local area of Northumberland and I suspect a lot of female readers will relate to “The Holiday”, where a wife surprises her husband of twenty five years with a holiday, only to find she’s a golf widow once again.
The late internationally bestselling author Rosamunde Pilcher is an old school writer, transporting her readers to an entirely other world of ‘Happy Ever After’ love and romance that have resonated with women of all ages, across her many years of writing.
These charming little stories contain strong female characters, that you instantly care about and intriguing, enjoyable little scenarios, offering escapism and a warmhearted feel good factor.
I’d be very happy to read the full collection of stories and recommend this author and “A Place Like Home” to romance readers young and old alike.
4 stars
Each story is a timeless, cosy romance, set in different locations both home and abroad. I particularly enjoyed “Skelmerton” since it was based in my local area of Northumberland and I suspect a lot of female readers will relate to “The Holiday”, where a wife surprises her husband of twenty five years with a holiday, only to find she’s a golf widow once again.
The late internationally bestselling author Rosamunde Pilcher is an old school writer, transporting her readers to an entirely other world of ‘Happy Ever After’ love and romance that have resonated with women of all ages, across her many years of writing.
These charming little stories contain strong female characters, that you instantly care about and intriguing, enjoyable little scenarios, offering escapism and a warmhearted feel good factor.
I’d be very happy to read the full collection of stories and recommend this author and “A Place Like Home” to romance readers young and old alike.
4 stars
March 13, 2021
A Place Like Home was pure escape reading. I was thrilled to learn that Aoife Inman had searched through the British library to collect short stories that Rosamunde Pilcher had written for magazines between 1976 and 1984. These stories are published here in A Place Like Home, and while this is not a "literary" collection, they do provide what Rosamunde Pilcher did best. Comfort, lovely domestic details, a sense of some of the bigger questions in life, and ways that we might carry on in dealing with them are all found here. I did find myself rolling my eyes a few times; it's a given that as soon as an eligible man or woman appears in the story, the reader is pretty sure they will end up together. Sometimes this happens with alarming speed, with the characters falling in love or even agreeing to marry within a few pages. But this was the perfect book to read after the pandemic has raged for over a year (and we're not done yet). Escape, comfort, gentle happiness, and the sense that things just may turn out after all is what Rosamunde Picher did best.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book.
January 12, 2021
I have loved previous books by Rosamunde Pilcher (my favourite remains "The Shell Seekers"), and chose this as I was hoping for a warm, cosy and nostalgic read to start the year off nicely.
I was not disappointed. This collection of short stories took me back to my teenage years, reading short stories in my Mum's magazines, and hoping that life would turn out as optimistically for me. That's not to say the stories are dated - the themes, feelings and behaviour of the characters are actually timeless, so much so that I'm not sure exactly when most of the stories are set.
Very much enjoyed this book, each story is beautifully written, with different settings and interesting characters. Highly recommended as an antidote to the times we currently find ourselves in.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.
I was not disappointed. This collection of short stories took me back to my teenage years, reading short stories in my Mum's magazines, and hoping that life would turn out as optimistically for me. That's not to say the stories are dated - the themes, feelings and behaviour of the characters are actually timeless, so much so that I'm not sure exactly when most of the stories are set.
Very much enjoyed this book, each story is beautifully written, with different settings and interesting characters. Highly recommended as an antidote to the times we currently find ourselves in.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.
December 16, 2020
5 stars
Excellent short stories. They seem ageless. I remember reading stories like this in my mother's womans weekly. There was usually a series finishing, a series starting and then a couple of short stories. If I concentrate on the clothing descriptions I might be able to date them but the themes are timeless. The heroine's are so human. Such pathos in a woman giving up the love of her life because of her feelings of possessiveness, not may authors show warts and all. Spoiler there is a HEA. Delightful stories, I heartily recommend this volume. Many thanks for the opportunity of reading it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Excellent short stories. They seem ageless. I remember reading stories like this in my mother's womans weekly. There was usually a series finishing, a series starting and then a couple of short stories. If I concentrate on the clothing descriptions I might be able to date them but the themes are timeless. The heroine's are so human. Such pathos in a woman giving up the love of her life because of her feelings of possessiveness, not may authors show warts and all. Spoiler there is a HEA. Delightful stories, I heartily recommend this volume. Many thanks for the opportunity of reading it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 15, 2021
Listening to the lovely voices of the 4 narrators of this collection of 15 stories by Rosamunde Pilcher increased my enjoyment many times over, I’m sure. Many of the stories echo her themes that are oft-repeated in her books: That is, young shy innocent finds love with sophisticated man, salt-of-earth guy, or old or ex-love seen in a new light. Some, though, are a little different, and thus, more entertaining. And a few are quite melancholy. Most are happy and hopeful.
#1. A Person to Trust This is a typical yet enjoyable story of a young woman’s escape from the thrall of an unsuitable boyfriend into the arms of an older nicer guy. I like that the heroine takes the initiative to break up with the ex at the beginning of the story. It is followed by finding love with a better man and finally shedding herself of any residual feelings and regret for her playboy ex when she meets him at a party later and realizes that she pities him. A charming elderly couple graces this story.
#2 The Anniversary. This is a little different for RP in that it ends on an ambiguous note regarding an ethical dilemma. Should a secret be kept from her new fiance when telling it may derail the engagement? It’s complicated.
#3 Skelmerton. A Vicar’s daughter gets a crush on a man who is attracted as well but in love with someone else. He returns to the village after the death of his wife with his 10-year-old son whom she rescues from the misty moor. The village busybody invites her to a party in order to set her up with the widowed dad.
#4 A Place to Call Home. A young orphan girl is sent to her kindly boss’s Scottish home to recover from an appendectomy. As the matchmaking boss planned, she meets his reserved farmer brother and knows she has found a home and a future.
#5 Ghosts of the Past. This one was quite sad and poignant although the sadness is mitigated by the happy ending for the main character’s daughter. The young daughter is leaving her unhappy marriage to run away with a good man who makes her happy. The mother had a similar choice when she was her daughter's age and chose to remain with her grouchy stick in the mud husband. The reader wonders about the “what ifs”.
#6 Jonathon. 2 sisters in a charming happy family meet the man her star sister jilted 5 or so years earlier. Is his heart still broken? Since he makes a move on our young narrator who had a crush on him and whom resembles the absent sister, probably not. Hmmm.
#7 The Key. A mysterious girl comes from Australia to visit the house her grandmother talked about with much love and affection. The house has burned down. She is met there by a man who turns out to have inherited the property and is her second cousin. The narrator made this one. I Loved the Australian accent. I wanted more of this one. It ended too abruptly.
#8 A Fork in the Road. A man in love with a glamorous city girl is offered a promotion in Edinburgh. She will not move from London. Will he take the promotion or stay in London so as not to lose his girlfriend? He visits some old friends in the Scottish city and sees his future there, with the help of a girl who is now all grown up.
#9 The Stone Boy. Nothing much to this. A woman who dumped her boyfriend 2 years ago meets him again coincidentally while on vacation. He still keeps her picture next to his bed and she has a re-think.
#10. A Touch of Magic. A family despairs of an artistic brother who won’t marry but needs to. An old aunt introduces him to a young friend whom he used to go to school with. When she gets dumped in a pond the wily aunt gives her a romantic dress to change into and it puts her in another light. The artist vagabond is bowled over. The aunt rewards her young nephew who tipped the boat over by giving him the 12 dollars he needs to buy a new bike. Wait a minute. Was the dunking planned or an accident? Cute.
#11. A Smile for the Bride. A happy bride goes for a bike ride on the morning of her wedding. She ponders her groom’s sadness that his beloved uncle will not attend because he disapproves of him marrying so young. She charms an elderly gentleman she meets at the top of a hill and to whom she confides her story. Guess what?
#12 Magic Might Happen. A young socially backward shy girl falls in love with a sophisticated ambitious city guy with a glamorous successful girlfriend after an evening swim. He comes back after months and months of no contact when her mother gets in an accident. This relationship would never last in the real world. I wish she had given him the boot when he favors her with his return.
#13 Through the Eyes of Love. A sophisticated young woman learns that a man she discounted and thought was boring and unappealing has hidden depths and attractiveness when her boyfriend disappoints her. Their mutual kindness to a young boy brings them together. This one should have been called “A String of Pearls.”
# 14 Our holiday. This was about the last gasp of a marriage. Most affecting and sad. I wish she had ended it on a hopeful note, but she didn’t. I guess it made it a more true-to-life story.
#15 Harbour of Love. A woman thinks she is in a loving relationship but not serious as far as marriage is concerned. When her sister is killed, she commits herself to raising her young nephew and writes a letter of farewell to her lover. She finds out she has underestimated her guy and their relationship. Interestingly, this is set in Michigan.
**3 1/2 stars for the whole shebang.
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December 31, 2020
I love Rosamunde Pilcher. These gorgeous short stories are wonderful. Each ends with you imagining what happens next.
I really didn't want any of them to end.
Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the ARC
I really didn't want any of them to end.
Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the ARC
July 14, 2021
I love Rosamunde Pilcher, always have, so this was a delight to read these mostly unpublished stories. I enjoyed all but maybe 2 of them. She had a gift for making different locales come to life, which makes her writing so enjoyable.
August 12, 2024
3.5 stars
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