Customer Reviews

Second Thyme Around (Us)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book begins with a lovely dedication: "To the older women I have known and loved, many thanks for your wisdom." We are then plunged headlong into a lighthearted tale of Perdita, an organic gardener, and her new client, a temperamental chef who turns out to be her ex-husband.

It is only toward the end of the book that one realizes there are two stories here. One is a fast and saucy bit of fluff a la Taming of the Shrew. Will Perdita and the loathed-ex Lucas ever stop fighting long enough to acknowledge the strong attraction between them? Will Lucas stop making fun of Perdita's beloved vegetables? Will Perdita stop sneering at Lucas's beloved kitchen? Will they remarry and live happily ever after? In typical Katie Fforde style, the story is told with such charm that it merrily zips along to its fairly obvious and very satisfying ending.

But there is another story here, and that is where the dedication comes in. Much deeper and more meaningful, it is the story of two dear friends, one of whom (Perdita) is just under 30 years old, and the other of whom (Kitty) is 87. Kitty, who is godmother to Perdita's gadabout mother, was mother/nurse/confidante/mentor and friend to the younger woman all through her childhood and formative years, as Perdita's parents dumped her with Kitty throughout her childhood so that they could pursue a lifetime of exotic travel. The relationship, which suited both child and mentor, deepened over the years into one of two soulmates, no matter how different in age.

While Perdita is pursuing her saucy relationship with Lucas, she is also facing possible tragedy when the whiskey-swilling, pipe-smoking, fiercely independent Kitty suffers a serious stroke. Perdita must face the inevitable loss of her dearest friend, if not from this stroke, then from another cause; after all, Kitty is almost 90.

The realization of one's mortality, of the importance of friendship, and of the impact of the very few but very treasured friends of the heart provides the counterpoint to the comedy. And it is so subtle that it is only when the book ends that the reader absorbs the deeper meaning.

Bravo, Katie, for this lovely tale. Bravo for making us laugh and smile while reminding us in your own unique way about what is important in life--and what is not.

This is a delicious beach read (or camping read if you prefer to go camping like me!). It's fun and saavy and British ~~ which is surprising that the library here has it! It's has a happy beginning which ties so neatly with the ending ~~ and Katie is definitely an author to keep an eye out for.

Perdita is a gardener who sells her produce to local restaurants and hotels in her little village and she was quite happy with her life till her ex-husband Lucas swept back into her life again ~~ this time as a chef at a local hotel. That is where the sparks begins to fly. The last time she had seen Lucas was when he left her for an older woman as he worked in the City as a struggling brokestocker. She managed to gather herself up and remade her life ~~ covering up the broken pieces of her heart. Seeing Lucas again only brought back those feelings and with her dear guardian, Kitty, ill from a stroke, Perdita had enough on her plate.

It is such a whimisical and fun novel to read. If you are looking for something more heavier, you will be disappointed in this book. However, for a lot of busy women, they want to escape in a good read ~~ and this is eye candy! It's fun and quick and blissfully pure escapism. I would recommend this read if you're looking for a lighter read. It is well-written too to please English snobs like me!

5-7-02

OK, this isn't going to win the Booker Prize, but I found this book charming and absorbing. It's basically a romance but the main female character (Perdita) is likeable and not sitting around waiting for Prince Charming. I don't normally like romances but this book has much more substance and quality than the average romance.

Heroine Perdita has a life of her own already and is not looking for a man. She has a small organic gardening business and loves what she does even if she's not going to get rich doing it. Perdita's ex-husband Lucas walks back into her life. Perdita and Lucas had been married a number of years ago when Perdita was still in her teens; he left her for another woman and broke her heart. He's the new gourmet chef at a restaurant that she supplies -- she delivers vegetables there everyday. There is the predictable sexual tension between the two (she's attracted sexually but still mad at him), but it's all done so well you don't really care if it's predictable. Being set in an English village added to the charm, as does Perdita's loving relationship with the delightful 80-something "Aunt" Kitty, who has more or less raised her.

This is the first book I've read by this author -- I'm looking forward to reading more and hope they're as good.

I have read all of Katie Fforde's boks, and I think this one is the best, next to Stately Pursuits. Very funny British sayings, and quirky characters. The dialogue between the main characters, Perdita and Lucas is great. Also published in England as Thyme Out.

I don't normally read contemporary romances but was recommended Fforde by a little old lady on a tour. If this is what she's like, I'll gladly buy all her books.
I liked all the characters and hope Fforde will consider sequels for the others in the story. I was simply moved by the Perdita & Kitty thread, and the romance bit isn't that in-your-face but does grow on you.
All in all, wonderful.

Didn't care for Perdita and Lucas' story. Liked Perdita and Kitty's story better. Seemed a little lost when everyone seemed to support Perdita in her hate towards Lucas, even Kitty seemed to hate Lucas. Then suddenly she loves him??? Come on! This man humiliated Perdita as well as hurt her. Sure it takes two to make a relationship but the part that he blamed her for . . . . oh come on?? She didn't stand up for herself at 18? Big tragedy! So since she was "passive" he slept around. Now all of a sudden, ten years later, she can stand up for herself? I didn't see that either. Seems to me that she was railroaded into having the tv crew over to her house, letting them use her kitchen, as well as various other things in this book. Especially the ending. She didn't seem to enthusiastic about that either. I didn't see any change. Of course we didn't really get to see her at 18. I was actually hoping that she would have another man and Lucas could do with eating humble pie! The whole relationship with Kitty thing worked the so called love story with Lucas . . . not so much! Would have been really NICE if Perdita got what she wanted and then walked away because I just didn't believe that those two loved each other.

It was alright. It was good to see a female character that could have a life other than the guy. It was nice that he was on the periphery of her world for a good hunk of the book.

I am a mother of two small children, work outside the home at a demanding job and don't have much time to read. This book is perfect for me! It is easy, fast reading, predictably romantic, and exotic setting (English country), a handsome hero and a pretty heroine. Fforde has a formula for all her books (rakish, angry hero who is nevertheless appealing to the heroine), simple and determined to be remain independent heroine who is at a starting-point in her life and this book is no exception. I still enjoyed it and it was a nice escape. Not a book you will read more than once but still worth the time. I am looking forward to her next one!

Perdita Dylan, the heroine of this book is making it on her own. She has a small business growing organic herbs and vegetables for local businesses. She doesn't make a lot, but then she doesn't want a lot either. She is happy in her small life, dealing with her few large clients and sharing things with Kitty, her 87-year-old neighbour who is also her good friend and pseudo parent.

Goodness knows Perdita needs parents - her own sound like selfish flakes whenever they come into the story. Unfortunately someone else comes into the story whom Perdita would rather not. That is her ex-husband Lucas, who not only moves to the area, but is in fact now chef at the local restaurant who is one of her biggest clients.

Perdita's struggles with her past and her odd hopeless attempts to fool Lucas or mislead him make sweet rather than gut-wrenchingly funny reading - but the story really does suit that sort of humour. It is almost a thoughtful light novel at time - dealing with issues of betrayal, birth and death with an equally careful but not over-done hand. I must admit I usually prefer a more outrageously funny read like Janet Evanovich or Elizabeth Peters, but I did enjoy this book.

Fforde's writing style is almost 'blink and you'll miss it'. She doesn't often advertise jokes to her readers so a second reading would probably throw a lot more wit to light. I really enjoyed Fforde's wonderfully written Christmas for Perdita with her friend Lucy in the frozen manor in the Welsh marches. Truly funny.

I would definitely read more of Fforde's if it came around but I have to admit it there would be other books I would put on much higher priority to read.

The initial theme of this story was intriguing - a cute divorcee runs a business supplying exotic veggies to local eateries and bumps into her ex-husband. Eventually she's pressured into participating in a television cooking program with him. I loved the bickering spark between Perdita and her ex, Lucas.

Unfortunately, about halfway through the book, a highly-charged and implausible event happens between the two which disappointed me. A greedy distant relative of Perdita's beloved neighbor and some somber events are tossed in for plot conflict and then the dialogue towards the end becomes trite and sappy. Sadly, I guessed the entire ending before getting 2/3rds through.