Cold Enough to Freeze Cows

by Lorraine Jenkin

In and around the small mid-Wales town of Dros-y-Bryn, characters’ lives intertwine with stories of love. Iestyn and Menna have known each other since school, but the path of true love is rarely a smooth one and it takes a series of unusual events to make them realize what they’ve been missing. Meanwhile, Johnny “Sandwich” Brechan is a ladies’ man par excellence—flitting from one illicit dalliance to another, nary a female safe from his attentions. Until that is, one lonely night, a voice in the distance calling for help turns him from flirt to family man in a matter of hours. Esther is struggling to love her husband and daughter, whose selfishness knows no bounds despite her own physical frailty. Her venom needs an outlet where it can do no lasting harm and, thanks to a recent foray into the world of computing, she might just have found a way to vent and do some good in the world. Fate has a lot to answer for and spares no-one’s blushes in this wickedly humorous look at the frailties of both man and woman.

Paperback

First published July 1, 2010

Reviews

[Catherine]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book don’t know if I am slightly biased as live in Wales, love Wales and am very interested in farming but all that aside thought the story was excellent with a mix of interesting characters who each had their own story to tell with a few little twists and turns along the way. You wanted to know what happened to each character even the not so nice ones. Much more than just a love story, well written, humorous and a very enjoyable read, all in all a delightful book that I would highly recommend.

[Catriona]

It was ok. Some of the characters were really irritating and I wanted to skip over their bits and the writing was a bit clunky but otherwise the storyline was good enough. Can we stop describing people as ‘exotic’ with skin like ‘warm cocoa’ though unless you’re also going to describe white people like that?!

[Anne Williams]

I really don't know if I was unduly influenced by the Welshness of this book, but I thought it was a really lovely, light, funny and romantic read about a cast of characters living in the farming community of Dros-y-Bryn. All the characters are absolutely superbly drawn. There's Iestyn the son who stayed-at-home to look after the farm with his polyester sweaters and old 4X4 with a stuck window; the object of his admiration Menna who drinks pints and swears with the boys but who has a secret and sad story of her own; Louisa who works at the bank and is totally dependant on her poor put-upon mother, who has a secret of her own (as does her indulgent father David); the rakish Johnny Brechtan who is felled by true love; Sima the exotic life coach... Even the most peripheral characters are superbly drawn, the extended families and even the workmates, evening class attenders and pub regulars. The joy is in some of the detail - like the husband whose garage has a nail for every tool and drawn outline on the wall, together with a printed label. And then there's the ubiquitous scones. And as for baddie Paul the Neuadd... Chick lit it might be by definition, but this was a really different and endearing read that I'd recommend highly (but I do wonder about the Welshness...)

[Liz Chapman]

I liked this book set in Wales in the farming community . It is funny , romantic and very down to earth and I bet there is at least one or two characters that remind you of someone you know or have met ! The description of the Young Farmers outings and the Sheep,Shaggers Ball is a good recreation of real life events . I don't think it would make a good TV film unless they cut out some of the post booze vomit sessions although they were described in glorious technicolor carrots and all. :0

[David Potter]

And they lived happily ever after, almost

Life in rural Wales where everyone wants a better life, makes an awful mess and then it all turns out lovely in the end. Gritty realism or what?

[Paul]

Another really excellent read from Lorraine. I had so many laughs reading it, and once again, she has succeeded in me wanting to share with others.