A small selection of books set in England which are as light and airy as sponge but nicely grounded in solid writing. They are not going to blow your mind with their deep insight, they may not be Lincoln in the Bardo clever and their endings might be a little too neat and tidy, but sometimes, especially now that the holiday season is upon us, that is exactly what an afternoon cup of tea requires. And maybe a plate of biscuits. Definitely a plate of biscuits.
~Mr Rosenblum Dreams in English Natasha Solomons In 1937 Jack Rosenblum, along with his wife Sadie and one year old daughter, Elizabeth, arrive in England to customary drizzle. They’re Jewish, from Berlin and arriving in their new country as refugees. Unlike many other immigrants who are quite happy to form their own little communities within London, Jack has a burning desire to be English. He loves his adopted country with its peculiarities and stoicism and wants nothing more than to assimilate. He purchases his suits at Savile Row, buys a Jaguar, orders his marmalade from Fortnum and Mason and never misses listening to the evening weather forecast on the wireless. But the one thing that would complete his Britishness eludes him: becoming a member of a golf club. None will accept him, because he’s not, well, British. So, after 15 years Jack uproots his family from their pleasant and settled lives and relocates to a thatch-roofed cottage in Dorset where he plans to build his own golf course. It’s a crazy idea of course: the wife and villagers are dead set against it and poor Mr Rosenblum meets every obstacle imaginable along the way. But… he is absolutely determined to not only build it, but have it finished in time for Queen Elizabeth’s coronation. A bittersweet tale of rural village life and its quirky inhabitants who can be a bit small-minded at times. It’s a bit thin in spots but the beauty of the English countryside with its profusion of lambs, bluebells and blackberries will surely compensate for any shortcomings. I also couldn’t help but love the fact that it’s inspired by the author’s memories of her grandparent’s cottage, bought with restitution money from Germany.
~The Keeper of Lost Things Ruth Hogan Anthony Peardew is a celebrated author of short stories who has spent most of his life mourning the loss of his beloved Therese on their wedding day and spending subsequent years collecting a vast array of objects that have been misplaced, left behind or forgotten about by people. Strange indeed, but there is a reason behind this charming oddity that eventually reveals itself. When Anthony dies he leaves his house to his longtime assistant, Laura, the one person he trusts to take care of the home he loves and all of the unusual treasures hidden within it, asking only that Laura re-unites them with their owners. Laura is reeling from a bad divorce and a life not lived but when she moves into Anthony’s old Victorian, things begin to look up. She strikes up a friendship with the gardener Freddy (whom she has secretly admired from afar), takes a teenage girl with Down’s Syndrome under her wing and attempts to fulfill Anthony’s wish of returning the lost objects to their owners. Meanwhile, running parallel to all of this, is the story of Bomber and Eunice, a book publisher and his assistant whose relationship deepens as the years progress. There’s a whisper of a ghost story, a hint of magic and eventually the two storylines meet up and do a little happy dance in an explosion of unicorns and rainbows.
~How to Find Love in a Bookshop Veronica Henry Emilia Nightingale travels back home when her father becomes sick and ultimately dies. It is an unexpected shock which leaves Emilia reeling but also finds her in charge of the bookshop which her father has owned and operated for thirty years. Nightingale Books is nestled on the main street of a charming English country village, Peasebrook. It’s a warm and cozy haven where Emilia’s dad, Julius, was adored, the regulars are like family and Snow White lives with the Seven Dwarfs at the bottom of the garden (not really). The book weaves the stories of several customers: Sarah, the (married) owner of Peasebrook Manor who apparently knew Julius better than anyone suspected: Thomasina, quiet and shy who runs a pop-up restaurant for two out of her tiny cottage and Jackson whose marriage is in a shambles and who looks to Emilia to suggest books to read to his son. Amidst all this quaintness, a little rain must fall of course – this is England after all! Enter Ian Mendip, property developer extraordinaire, who would like to buy Nightingale Books (it’s struggling financially) to further his own gain. It’s a heartwarming story replete with a makeover (gotta be honest, I love a good makeover) a wedding (sort of) and lots and lots of happy relationship endings. Guaranteed to send you running to the nearest quaint little village in search of your own.
~Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand Helen Simonson We meet Major Pettigrew when he opens the door to Mrs Ali in a crimson clematis covered housecoat, distracted by a phone call that has told him of his brother’s death. Mrs Ali is Pakistani and owns a local shop where Major Pettigrew buys his tea, so while the two have crossed paths many times, this incident sparks a friendship and they bond over a love of Kipling and problematic family members: Major Pettigrew’s son is a shallow social climber, Mrs Ali’s nephew is a devout Muslim brimming with disapproval. It’s a bustling little mash-up of storylines involving a budding romance, a pair of antique guns, unwanted local development, religion and racism: all of which come crashing together at the golf club costume party. Simonson is a gentle and insightful writer who takes a warm and wry look at rural English life in a small minded village – bright and prickly, full of heart and quiet dignity.
~Mrs Queen Takes the Train William Kuhn The Queen’s been feeling a bit down and one day leaves the palace grounds to visit the Royal Brittannia yacht; her happy place. It’s not an intentional move but circumstances happen and she runs with it. First she visits a cheese shop and meets Raj who helps her on her way and is then joined by Rebecca who helps take care of the Queen’s horses. Meanwhile, back at the ranch palace, the Queen’s dresser, a lady-in-waiting and a couple of palace security people all get their knickers in a twist when they discover she’s missing. They go hightailing it after her with everybody eventually meeting up at a flat in Scotland. By this time, of course, the Queen has enjoyed getting to know a few members of the public and experienced some things she probably shouldn’t have. As a whole the book is a great concept. Unfortunately the execution falls a little flat and it’s not quite as amusing as it should be, given the circumstances. Having said that, it is rather charming and it’s chock full of royal facts and various tidbits about royal life that might prove delightful, especially if you’ve already watched the latest season of The Crown and you’re not quite ready to give up your obsession with the monarchy.
