NEW RELEASE
Amelia Grey's Fireside Dream - Abby Clements (2013)
English teacher Amelia and graphic designer Jack live in the smallest, most cramped flat in London. When Abby realises she's nearly thirty and hasn't done half of what she wanted to do before that age, she decides she wants to tick something off her bucket list and live in the countryside. With Jack's approval, she starts hunting for the perfect country cottage. On the journey from buying a house to completely redecorating it, Amelia faces a few challenges along the way. However, armed with a paintbrush, a sewing machine and a mood-board, Amelia is determined to make her dream a reality. It probably took me less than three hours in total to finish this delight - I couldn't bear to put it down! From the very first page I was in love with Amelia and was so excited to follow her on her dream of re-decorating a house and living in the countryside. She was a great character who I felt for the whole way through, even when at times she seemed to doubt herself. I really enjoyed the character of Jack too; he was the sweetest husband and was 100 per cent behind Amelia (most of the time!!) The supporting characters, such as Amelia's friends and parents, were also really fun to meet. My perception of Amelia's mother changed a lot over the course of the book and it was really interesting to see the development of both Amelia's parents. Perhaps the part of this book I loved the most was the message it gave. Living in the moment and enjoying everything for what it is worth is SO important. Amelia was set in her ways at the beginning of this novel but over the course she learns not to worry too much about the future (with Jack's help). As always, Abby's writing flows effortlessly, making for an easy and enjoyable read. (LL)
Abby Clements' third novel, Amelia Gray's Fireside Dream, centres around a couple's renovation of a cottage. The summary says: "A newly married couple have just bought their first home - and it's a money pit. Will they be able to get it into shape before the end of the year and create the house of their dreams? Or will the stress, and interference from an interior designer mother-in-law, be too much?" Amelia Gray's Fireside Dream is out in September 2013.