From Publishers Weekly
In the less than sprightly latest from Fforde (
Restoring Grace), newly minted interior designer Anna, 27, is renovating a run-down cottage in the Cotswold to flip for a profit. At her neighbor's request, she takes in a homeless greyhound, and it happens that Rob Hunter, the local greyhound rehoming officer, is also the inspector who ensures that historical homes are properly restored. Though he initially is a thorn in her inexperienced renovator side, Anna comes to appreciate Rob's humor, warmth and caring nature. But then Max Gordon, the architecture guest lecturer Anna's had a crush on for years after a near-miss on getting together when she was in college, appears at her London reunion and seems poised to sweep her off her feet. The cast of country secondaries provides color and interest, and Fforde adroitly registers Anna's subtler feelings. But the pace is slow, and the renovation details overwhelm the romance.
(Apr.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
“Fforde has imagination to spare, using witty writing and plotting to build a story.”
---The New York Times Book Review
“Katie Fforde’s unique spin on romantic comedy is a blend of the sweet, the sad, and the sexy.”
---Patricia Gaffney, author of The Saving Graces
“Deliciously witty and romantic.”
---Marian Keyes, author of Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married
“Romantic comedy is one of the hardest things to pull off, requiring aplomb, immaculate timing, and a relish for the absurd. Katie Fforde pays the form a spirited compliment.”
---Elizabeth Buchan, author of Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman
“Charming . . . enormously enjoyable . . . like listening to Cole Porter or watching The Philadelphia Story.”
---Newsday
“Fforde brings an appealing, bumbling innocence to the age-old formula...”
---Publishers Weekly
“Chatty, feel-good romance . . . Fforde moves the plot along at breakneck speed, with enough charm to entertain the most discerning fans.”
---Kirkus Reviews
