Fates and Fortunes in Little Woodford

Little Woodford #4

by Catherine Jones

Summer is approaching in the market town of Little Woodford, which can only mean one the town fete! But the winds of change are blowing through the sleepy town highstreet and trouble is on the horizon… Two hot properties have come up for The Talbot, Little Woodford’s much-loved local pub and The Reeve House, a beautiful country manor cut off from the rest of the town and closed to the locals. A ‘for sale’ sign means new members of the community, and gossip begins to fly about an offer on the Reeve House… who could be the new millionaire in their midst? Meanwhile, Heather, Jacqui and Miranda are desperately trying to organise the fete as an opportunity to bring the town together. But devastation strikes when a newcomer threatens to derail the whole operation. The fourth novel in the fantastic Little Woodford series; full of drama, secrets and community spirit, you’ll love this foray into small town living!

Genres: Romance, Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

Published March 9, 2022

About the author

Catherine Lace studied in different all girls schools from there until she left at eighteen. She joined the army, where she served eight years rose to the rank of Staff Captain. In the army, she met and married her husband. When she fell pregnant, the rules of the time meant that she had to leave. With three kids under four and a half, she was invited to help out with a magazine for army wives and she decide to want write.

Co-authored with a fellow army wife, she wrote a non-fiction book "Gumboots and Pearls" as Annie Jones. After it, she decided wrote romance novels. She wrote six Army romance novels as Catherine Jones, she said: "I loved being in the army. I love writing about it. I was in the army for eight years and I had a great time. I hope this is reflected in my books and I hope all my readers enjoy reading them." Her novel "Praise for Sisters in Arms", shortlisted for the 1999 Romantic Novelists' Association's Award. Now she decided change the type of romance novels and started to used the pseudonym of Kate Lace. Her novel "The Chalet Girl" was nominee to Romantic Novel of the Year Award Best.

She was elected the twenty-fourteenth Chairman (2007-2009) of the Romantic Novelists' Association, and she was also the captain of the RNA "University Challenge - The Professionals" team which made it to the final of the 2005 series.

Her husband has left the army and their kids have grown up.

Reviews

[✨️ Louise Allen ✨️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Fond Farewell to Little Woodford

Sinking into Fates and Fortunes in Little Woodford felt like coming home. Once again, I was drawn into the warmth, charm, and quiet drama of a town where neighbours know your business before you do—and yet, you wouldn’t have it any other way.

The people of Little Woodford feel so real that saying goodbye to them at the turn of the last page is genuinely bittersweet. Their stories—woven through friendships, family trials, and the occasional scandal—remind us that no matter how much life changes, some truths remain constant. Case in point: always ask for references when hiring, or you may find yourself tangled in more than you bargained for!

There’s something deeply comforting in the book’s portrayal of community. It echoes the spirit of Jam and Jerusalem—a celebration of friendship, resilience, and the small joys that make life rich. Whether it’s a quiet cup of tea shared between friends or the whispers of gossip that bind a town together, this novel is full of those familiar moments that stay with you long after you close the cover.

I will truly miss the people of Little Woodford. Until next time—because if history has taught us anything, it’s that even the most ordinary town can hold a few surprises.
❤️✨️🐛

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story
Things are happening in the village of Little Woodford. The large Reeve house is for sale for 4 million pounds and the owners for the Talbot local pub are also selling. No one knows the current owners of the Reeve house, but it seems like the new owner Lawrence McLaughlin is keen to be part of the local community, so long as no one knows his true musician identity. The ladies of the fete committee are in a spot. The Parsley field land where the fete is normally held is being converted to council land and can’t be used for the fete. But when Lawrence offers Reeve house, this proves a lifeline for the fete organisers.

My thoughts
This sweet story about the gossipy small village life is filled with stories of Little Woodford’s residents. In addition to newcomer Lawrence, there is Belinda the pub owner. Miles the chef and his wife Bex, the fete organisers Heather and Maxine. My favourite character is the hardworking and serious Ashley, son of cleaner Amy. There was a lot going on in this story but a cutie nonetheless.

I read a copy of the ARC courtesy of Netgalley and Aria & Aries Publishers.

[Ashley Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, author Catherine Jones, and Head of Zeus publishing for giving me a free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4 stars
This was a very sweet, heart-warming story that took place in the cozy little town of Woodford, England. While this is the fourth book in the series, this book can be read as a stand-alone!
I really enjoyed getting to know the characters! They were delightful and well developed! The writing and pacing kept the story moving well up until a well satisfactory ending. Overall, I would recommend this book for those looking for a great small town chick-lit romance. I am looking forward to reading the other books in this series!

[Sophie Craft · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. A lot of stuff annoyed me - diversity was basically non-existent, it was a very white, heteronormative book; the plot points were cliche at times; Laurence was this rich male saviour figure that annoyed me a lot of the time, especially because of this obvious aggression and entitlement problems. Other than that, I thought this book was feel-good, small town drama vibes that was super light and engaging. I enjoyed the big cast of characters and was always excited to change perspectives and check in with a different person’s life. I also rlly enjoyed how the plots / lives intersected, as happens in a small town. Overall this book isn’t groundbreaking or brilliant, but it’s an enjoyable romp through a lovely town with nice, interesting people. 4/5 stars.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another delightful story set in the cosy little town of Woodford, where everyone knows everyone else and nothing stays secret for long.

The storylines in this book centre around the sale of the sale of the local mansion, a mysterious stranger to the village, and the embezzlement of money from a local charity fete.

This book is the 4th set in the town, but I think it could be read as a standalone..

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my review.

4*

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely little read based in a community based village where a group of ladies are trying to set up the community fate, they face many hurdles on the way until the new owner of reeve house steps in. We also learn about the children of these people who are working hard in the run up to their a levels. All going there own ways and working hard to get what they want.

There's a lot of little stories in this book which all intertwine. The story flows and although there's lots going on nothing gets lost. It's all relevant and enjoyable.

[Jolene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first Catherine Jones book I have read, was a little sad that I missed a couple of the Little Woodford series but I don't think it made any difference. It took me a while to get into this book as there were a lot of characters to remember but once I got into the flow, I really enjoyed it.
I loved the village gossip, scandals, people, events etc - often I felt part of the village. I'd look out for more of this author's books.

Thumbs Up: I liked feeling like I was part of the village.
Thumbs Down: Too many characters for me, I kept getting confused.

[Mahamathy Rajanikanth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a lovely, easy read that made me feel part of the Woodford community from the very beginning. The strong sense of togetherness and neighbourly spirit felt very real and relatable.

Living close to an area called Woodford myself, I could easily connect with how closely knit the community was and how everyone seemed to know and support one another. The characters were warm and engaging, and the village setting felt familiar and comforting.

Overall, it’s a feel-good story that celebrates community and belonging, and I really enjoyed spending time in Little Woodford.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gentle sedate read. Slightly predictable in places. However it was like slipping in a pair of comfy slippers every time I picked it up. A newcomer to the town and a scandal rocking the fete preparations are the main events in the book. I believe there are preceding titles but this can be read as a stand alone title with no issue. Not really for me but was enjoyable none the less.

Thank you Netgalley.

[Christine Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Woodford holds an annual summer fete but nothing is going as it should. They need committee members to help which is just the start of their problems. What a great book! Loved the characters & the story where good things do happen. A lovely easy, enjoyable read that I recommended. Enjoy!

[Sally Coles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great to be back in Little Woodford catching up with everyone from the previous three books. As always there is a hotbed of gossip and scandal especially fuelled by the sale of the Manor but also warmhearted and full of lovely characters. Perfect for curling up in front of the fire

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like these books - a lovely little warm hearted series

[Jessica Lucas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Predictable, but cosy.

[Phil · Rating 2 out of 5]

#4 in the series, although it can be read as a standalone.

I enjoyed this book less than the previous one I read in the same series. For one thing, the dated language, unlikely behaviours and stereotypes are more noticeable in this book. Women wear 'frocks', 'cardis' and 'slacks' (who on earth refers to 'slacks' in this day and age?!!) ALL the main teenage characters are hardworking, studious and unfailingly polite - also, none of them appear to be dating, learning to drive or remotely interested in celebrating passing their exams/turning 18 - they're far too busy helping their parents around the house. And the stereotypical dishonest working-class cleaner from book #2 is now so blatant in her sneaking and stealing that it's a wonder she's not been arrested.

But the bigger problem is with the whole 'threat to the village fete' plot. When the fete committee needs a new treasurer and a strange woman rings up offering to help, they happily hand over all the finances, sign everything she asks them to without reading it first, and are then shocked when she disappears with the entire £15,000, leaving a load of unpaid debts behind. The committee is made up of experienced voluntary workers and intelligent businesswomen, including a former barrister - it's beyond belief that none of them would have thought to ask for references, check ID or even get the woman's address before giving her full control of the money!

I also found the main romantic storyline a bit queasy - I'm not a huge fan of the kind of storyline that has a village and its resident desperate spinster saved by the super-rich and famous guy who swoops in and gets everything he wants by flinging a load of money around.

For the rest, it's a sweet, fluffy, fairtytale ending kind of tale - I can see this appealing to a lot of people, but it's just not my cup of tea.