Thirty-two-year-old Hetty Greengrass is the star around which the rest of her family orbits. Marriage, motherhood and helping Dan run Sunnybank Farm have certainlykept her hands full for the last twelve years. But when her daughter Poppy has to choose her inspiration for a school project and picks her aunt, not her mum, Hetty is left full of self-doubt.
Hetty's Farmhouse Bakery by Cathy Bramley was published in paperback by Penguin on 22 March 2018. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review.
Cathy Bramley excels in creating characters that the reader can really relate to, and who are loveable and realistic and Hetty's Farmhouse Bakery is packed full of them.
Hetty and her husband Dan have been together since they were teenagers. Their dreams included going to university and seeing more of the world than the small village in which they grew up. However, when Dan's father died unexpectedly, their dreams were dashed and they stayed in the Eskdale valley at Sunnybrook Farm to carry on the family business.
Life has not been bad to them. Whilst they may not have a lot of money, they are still in love and have a bright and lively daughter, Poppy. Hetty's best friend Anna lives nearby with her teenage son Bart and they live in the beautiful countryside.
It's an off-hand remark made by Poppy that makes Hetty begin to question her existence. Hetty makes excellent pies, everyone agrees on that and when one of her pies is the winner in a competition, this is the start of new things for her.
Travelling to London to take part in a larger competition affects the family. Dan is not as supportive as she'd have hoped and when she's there, she meets up with faces from her past. Old memories are rekindled and temptation is dangled in front of her.
Hetty is called back to the farm after a serious accident where Dan and Anna's son Bart are injured. Not only is this a frightening and terrifying time, but it also is the trigger for some old and well hidden secrets to be exposed.
Hetty's Farmhouse Bakery is a really scrumptious read. It's the sort of story that totally consumes the reader, with a little bit of humour, lots of emotion and some serious issues for the reader to ponder too. Not only does this author bring fabulous characters to life, she is adept at creating community and sense of place. The writing seems effortless and the story is total escapism - a perfect read.
Cathy Bramley is the Sunday Times Top Ten best-selling author of THE LEMON TREE CAFE. Her other romantic comedies include Ivy Lane, Appleby Farm, Wickham Hall, Conditional Love, The Plumberry School of Comfort Food and White Lies and Wishes. She lives in a Nottinghamshire village with her family and a dog.Cathy turned to writing after spending eighteen years running her own marketing agency. She has been always an avid reader, never without a book on the go and now thinks she may have found her dream job!
Cathy loves to hear from her readers.
You can get in touch via her website www.CathyBramley.co.uk
Facebook page Facebook.com/CathyBramleyAuthor
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