I am delighted to share my review today for The Country Village Summer Fete by Cathy Lake. This was a gorgeous summery read and one that I adored.

My huge thanks to Tracy Fenton at Compulsive Readers and Zaffre for my spot on the Blog Tour and for my copy of this book.

A feel-good, uplifting summer read for fans of Heidi Swain and Cathy Bramley.

Emma Patrick’s life is spiralling out of control. On the cusp of her 50th birthday, she suddenly realises that she doesn’t have many meaningful relationships in her life. She’s single, successful, living alone and thinks she’s loving it, but being so focussed on work and always online means she’s lost any real connection to people.

When Emma gets a call to say her ageing father is becoming increasingly confused, she decides that she should go back home to the countryside to spend some time with him. But returning to Little Bramble, the village she grew up in, after all these years, is filled with complications of its own and people she’d rather avoid.

As Emma starts to settle in to her childhood home, she finds herself loving village life – much to her surprise. When the opportunity to get involved in the running of the summer fete comes her way, before she knows it she’s embracing jam making, cake baking and bunting. And with romance brewing, Emma begins to doubt the glamorous life in London that she worked so hard to build . . . 

My Review…

What a wonderful book this was as I got to know Emma as she returned to her childhood home of Bramble Village.

After finding herself wandering around a Tesco store at a ridiculous time of the morning she realises she needs a break from her life and career in London. She decides to return home when she hears her Dad has not been the best.

This was a wonderful story to disappear into for a few hours. A story that tells of how Emma had run away from the life that already seemed planned, instead of spending 30 years working hard, not fully embracing life and discovering she is running herself to the ground.

Being home opens old memories and brings heartache as she remembers things that have happened. She imagines people in the village will be hostile towards her and fears that the community has moved on. Things have indeed changed, but what makes the community is still there. The author brings a lovely sense of warmth, compassion and understanding to her village setting. A buzzing community with a sense of looking out for anyone who lives there.

This was such a wonderful read, it is a story of friendship and life, of family and friends. Moving on and accepting the past has happened but learning that it is ok. It is a story that had me smirking, feeling a sense of loss and also maybe the odd happy tear.

This is one for readers who enjoy a good bit of escapism reading, it has a lovely story with some friendly characters. It is one for contemporary romance and fiction readers and one that I would recommend. 

About the Author…

Cathy Lake is a women’s fiction writer who lives with her family and three dogs in beautiful South Wales. She writes uplifting stories about strong women, family, friendship, love, community and overcoming obstacles.

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