Paradise Fields (Charnwood Library) [Import] [Hardcover]

Katie Fforde (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Ulverscroft Large Print Books Ltd; Large Print Ed edition (January 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843951371
• ISBN-13: 978-1843951377
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fforde At Her Very Best, January 21, 2005

By 

Wendy Kaplan (Houston) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Paradise Fields (Hardcover)

There is no such thing as a bad Katie Fforde book, but Paradise Fields, her latest, is simply quintessential Katie: charming, funny, witty, engaging and a joy to read.

Here is the story of just-over-40 widow Nel Innes, who thinks of herself as an over-the-hill dowdy "old thing," a perception not shared by anyone else in her life, from her gorgeous best friend Viv to her twentysomething daughter Fleur to her dull-as-nails boyfriend, estate agent Simon (yawn). Nel halfheartedly thinks she will probably settle down at some point with Simon so she has a man around to do DIY work, when she gets embroiled in a community effort to safe Paradise Fields, a strip of riverfront land upon which sits the sick-children's hospice, a charity dear to her heart.

Nel is used to running farmers' markets and other charity events on Paradise Fields, all of whose profits go to the hospice, but now she is up against a real threat as a heartless couple and their equally heartless land developer plan to turn it into a housing development. As Nel plots and plans desperately to save the land, the landowning couple's nefarious (maybe) attorney Jake comes to muddy the waters. Literally. Nel knows better than to consort with the enemy, but Jake's charm is lethal.

Does Nel find love and happiness in Jake's arms? Or is he the devil? Will the hospice be saved? I found myself zipping through the pages, trying hard not to skip to the end to find out. It's that kind of book, as only Katie Fforde could write it. Enjoy!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Nice Read, January 30, 2005

By 

G. Greene - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Paradise Fields (Hardcover)

The first word that comes to mind after reading this novel is "pleasant" (a vastly underrated adjective IMHO). I haven't read this author before, and it was such a nice experience to read a book that was more about ordinary people, trying to live their lives as best they could, than about plot machinations and torrid sex scenes every other page (not that there's anything wrong with that). One comes to care about these characters and sympathize with their struggles of having to compromise about a real estate development, acknowledging that the children are really growing up and parents are really growing old.

So if you are looking for a well written book with strong character development, this book's the ticket. Nicely done!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars If you like european romances..., February 11, 2007

By 

A. Pennington (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Paradise Fields (Hardcover)

Nel has been a widow for ten years and is comfortable with life in her little village. Her two sons are at university and her daughter is almost finished high school. She is determined to remain unmarried until her children are independent so she has no complaints about her stuffy boyfriend, Simon, although her children do not like him and she never has lustful thoughts about him. She keeps busy with charity activities to support a local hospice. She is not bothered about the fact that she has not had sex since her husband died so Nel is surprised when a handsome younger man kisses her at the Christmas fair.

Nel is working hard to save Paradise Fields, the estate where she organizes a farmers market which supports the hospice. The new owners want to develop the land for cheap housing. Nel meets with the owners to oppose the development and discovers that their lawyer is Jake, the man who kissed her. Jake tries to date Nel, but she cannot believe a handsome London lawyer is interested in a plump, older woman and suspects he is just trying to get her to agree to the development plans.

When she ends up in Jake's bed one night, Nel puts it down to a mistake, but Jake keeps pursuing her and even seems to be trying to help her save Paradise Fields. Then Simon asks her to marry him and encourages her to agree to the development plan.