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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Newly widowed Poppy Shilling should be feeling distraught at the death of her husband, Phil. But, instead, she can't help feeling relieved. No longer will she have to endure Phil's iron fist ruling over her and their two young children, or his unfortunate penchant for lycra cycling wear.
What's more, when a secret is revealed after his death, Poppy's memories of their life together are turned upside down.
Freed from the shackles of her loveless marriage, Poppy is determined not to make the same mistakes again. Fully embracing village life, she becomes the object of the local menfolk's affections- from Bob, the resident odd ball, to Luke, the sexy church organist. But it's just her luck that the one man who catches her eye can't seem to let go of his glamorous ex wife...
Will Poppy have the courage to follow her heart and refuse to settle for second best? It's time for a new beginning, and a chance to discover what real love feels like...
About the Author
Catherine Alliott is the author of eleven bestselling novels including One Day in May, The Secret Life of Evie Hamilton, and A Crowded Marriage. She lives with her family in Hertfordshire.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have read all of Catherine Alliott's books and looked forward to another (hopefully) good read. When I ordered my book from Amazon I couldn't help but notice that there were already 4 reviews, 2 of which loved it and 2 of which loathed it. I was quite surprised by such an extreme reaction.
Having now read the book I can understand why there was such a divide. Happily for me I liked this book. In the intro of the book we meet Poppy, the wife who sometimes resents her mean husband. The type of lady that can have bad thoughts about her husband, although she may not want those bad things to actually take place! As soon as I had read the first chapter I realised that I loved this type of character. The one which isn't all sweetness and light, the sort of woman that certainly isn't perfect and has the occasional dream about the what-if's.
In addition to Poppy we meet her three friends, all of whom are not perfect. Her neighbour Jennie with the disastrous husband, newly separated Angie and the older and chain-smoking Peggy. All in all they are a bunch of women who all have their own issues and are far from happy in their own way.
The story is based around Poppy trying to move on and find happiness after the death of her husband. There are a couple of scenes in it that had me laughing out loud even if they were a little far-fetched. I didn't particularly love the characters individually, I just felt that it was nice to read something that was a little nearer to the truth than some other books you read and made for a refreshing change.
There are other characters that make an appearance such as Jennie's stepdaughter Frankie and some of the villagers and they all added to the eclectic mix of messed up and confused people trying to make the most of their lives. This book is certainly not romance and roses, but is more a true to life look at real women struggling through trying to make the right decisions. It may not be to everybody's taste and for those that are maybe not amused by black humour, maybe it's not for you. I tend to have quite a twisted sense of humour peppered with huge doses of realism so for me this book was perfect. Maybe a slight variation from what she normally writes but I really enjoyed it.
Having now read the book I can understand why there was such a divide. Happily for me I liked this book. In the intro of the book we meet Poppy, the wife who sometimes resents her mean husband. The type of lady that can have bad thoughts about her husband, although she may not want those bad things to actually take place! As soon as I had read the first chapter I realised that I loved this type of character. The one which isn't all sweetness and light, the sort of woman that certainly isn't perfect and has the occasional dream about the what-if's.
In addition to Poppy we meet her three friends, all of whom are not perfect. Her neighbour Jennie with the disastrous husband, newly separated Angie and the older and chain-smoking Peggy. All in all they are a bunch of women who all have their own issues and are far from happy in their own way.
The story is based around Poppy trying to move on and find happiness after the death of her husband. There are a couple of scenes in it that had me laughing out loud even if they were a little far-fetched. I didn't particularly love the characters individually, I just felt that it was nice to read something that was a little nearer to the truth than some other books you read and made for a refreshing change.
There are other characters that make an appearance such as Jennie's stepdaughter Frankie and some of the villagers and they all added to the eclectic mix of messed up and confused people trying to make the most of their lives. This book is certainly not romance and roses, but is more a true to life look at real women struggling through trying to make the right decisions. It may not be to everybody's taste and for those that are maybe not amused by black humour, maybe it's not for you. I tend to have quite a twisted sense of humour peppered with huge doses of realism so for me this book was perfect. Maybe a slight variation from what she normally writes but I really enjoyed it.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
An excellent read, typical Catherine Alliott brilliance. I would highly recommend it for an easy, enjoyable read that I couldn't put down.
14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I absolutely loved Poppy, the main character in Catherine Alliott's A Rural Affair. She is a sweet, kind, slightly messy woman who was controlled by her awful husband. For the few reviewers who said they didn't like the fact that she spoke badly about her husband once he's died, I have to wonder if they know anything at all about human nature. Poppy's understandable sense of freedom from her obsessive, anal-retentive husband, and the highs and lows she experiences after his death are all quite normal and believeable. Her discovery of his affair and her trod-upon self esteem are discussed in an honest, forthright, and at times hilarious way. I found myself laughing out loud in many parts of the story as Alliott uses Poppy's voice to describe her own foibles as well as the interwoven lives of the villagers and the oftentimes claustrophobic but loving experience of small-town life. Poppy is lovely...as is Sam. Yummy. I found the plot vastly entertaining with its twists and turns in the personal relationships of her friends and neighbors. I could not put this book down. Don't miss A Rural Affair. It lives up to everything I love about Alliott's writing: wonderful characters, hilarious episodes, poignant moments, and true love winning out in the end. Marvelous.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Makes me glad I'm single!
As according to this book, the majority of married women spend a lot of their time fantasising about being left a widow! Read more
Published 17 days ago by A. Linton
Delightful read for a lazy weekend.
A Rural Affair This is the first Catherine Alliott book I have read. It kept me laughing out loud all weekend, much to my two dogs' consternation. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Margaret
Enjoyed it..
Poppy Shilling often fantasised about her controlling husband's death, so when a freak accident actually caused her husband's demise, she finds the prospect of life without him... Read more
Published 1 month ago by jaffareadstoo
Can do better....
Catherine Alliott has always been a favourite of mine, but this latest book left me strangely dissatisfied. Read more
Published 2 months ago by CeeCee
Well, I liked it!
I'm really surprised by the mixed reviews for this one. Ok, including a particular incident during the hunting scene might not have been the best idea, but I really did enjoy this... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Welsh Annie
A disappointing read
I am a huge Catherine Alliott fan and have read most of her books (some twice), but this one I'm afraid to say was hugely disappointing. Read more
Published 2 months ago by B. Mulvanerty
not so good
I usually like to read Caterine Alliott's books. However on this occasion I found A Rural Affair not to be up to her usual standard. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Trish
Had me nodding with a wry smile, then laughing out loud - loved it
Hello, hello
I'm a huge fan of Catherine Alliott; she's exactly perfect for reading when life's a bit flat, or I need something to cheer me up. Read more
I'm a huge fan of Catherine Alliott; she's exactly perfect for reading when life's a bit flat, or I need something to cheer me up. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mrs. Carlie Lee
An enjoyable read
This was the first book I have read by Catherine Alliott but I shall certainly look forward to reading more as I found this a very enjoyable read with several laugh out loud... Read more
Published 3 months ago by EssexReader
Trepidation
I love Catherine Alliott books, I have been known to laugh out loud on the beach or wherever I am reading them, so after reading the reviews of her latest book I was in two minds... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Jilljamin
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