‘A lovely, gentle, funny, uplifting story of rediscovery and moving on.’ Sue Moorcroft, author of A Summer to RememberMaddy Young thought she had it all.Swanky city apartment? – yep. Fancy car? sorted. High-flying career? – tick. Even if she’s lost most of her friends because of spending all her time at work, and can’t remember when she last had fun, it’s worth it.Until she’s suddenly made … it’s worth it.
Until she’s suddenly made redundant. Now she’s 37, jobless, and after the breakup with the former love of her life, unhappily single.
Enter Maddy’s childhood friend, Beth, the owner of Growlers, the doggy daycare centre at Giddywell Grange, on a mission to make Maddy see there’s more to life than work.
Soon, Maddy is swapping spreadsheets for volunteer duty at the library, daily Starbucks for cups of tea with elderly neighbours, and her Prada handbag for doggy poo bags… And with Beth’s gorgeous brother, Alex, back from the States, Maddy starts to think that Giddywell Grange might just be her happy place.
But when her old life – and her old boyfriend – comes calling, will Maddy go back to the job she loved so much? Or will she discover that the key to happiness lies in making others happy?
An uplifting romantic comedy that will warm your heart – perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley, Milly Johnson and Katie Fforde.
Readers are loving Escape to Giddywell Grange:
’Escape to Giddywell Grange is full of hope and heart!’ Jo Thomas, author of My Lemon Grove Summer
‘I adored this book!… This is a story that really connected with me and it was told with such warmth and humour too! (5 stars) Reader review
‘a must read author for romantic comedy fans…a feel good, all around fabulous read.’ (5 stars) Reader review
‘An excellent and engrossing story that made me smile and root for the characters.’ (5 stars) Reader review
‘What an absolute joy, I loved every minute of this story…An easy but well written read with wonderful characters that are so easy to fall in love with.’ (5 stars) Reader review
‘This is a heartwarming feel good book that gives you a
warm glow. A blend of love, friendships and relationships. A fabulous book.’ (5 stars) Reader review
‘OMG what a fantastic book. Loved it, brilliant story, loved the characters, loved the story…It’s a real unputdownable book!’ (5 stars) Reader review
‘a wonderfully, light feel good type of book. I loved everything about it…A thoroughly enjoyable read, I would recommend to everyone.’ (5 stars) Reader review
‘Loved this book. Great characters, easy read, uplifting, funny, romantic and charming.’ (5 stars) Reader review
‘wonderful characters and a fab plot and really quite funny in places. If you’re looking for an uplifting story, then this is the book for you’ Reader review
‘a superb feel good read…Emotional, thought provoking, realistic read that certainly leaves you thinking things through.’ (5 stars) Reader review
‘It gave me tears and goosebumps…a funny, romantic and emotional read and I can’t recommend it enough.’ (5 stars) Reader review
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This is one of those books you need to read in a comfortable spot. Once you begin you won’t be able to put it down. You feel such compassion for every one of the characters and want them to be your best friends.
This is a book about starting over and finding purpose and passion (of various sorts) in your life.
It is a book about forgiveness, for yourself and for others.
Just when Maddy thinks her career is about to take a huge leap forward, when she thinks she may be able to balance her life and add some elements that she has never had time for, she is made redundant, feels unwanted and obsolete, and has no idea of how to move forward. She achieves some of this by looking backwards, and seeking things that comforted her before she became “successful” in her PR career.
Her romantic life takes some unusual twists and turns during the book. When you think she is about to take forgiveness a bit too far… well, I don’t want to spoil that for you.
It is a book about discovering how to look at life from a different perspective and enjoying the opportunities in what at first appear to be tragedy.
Get comfortable, because you won’t want to leave until the last page is turned.
Favorite Quotes:
Celine is my idol. She’s elegant, dramatic, stunning and just amazing. She takes no crap from anyone. She’s a badass. If I could be anyone in life, I’d want to be her.
We all have twenty-four hours in a day, Mads, even Richard Branson and Beyoncé. It’s what we choose to do with it which makes all the difference.
I’m so looking forward to reading these books. I love a good murder, the more gruesome the better. And Lei loves all these bloody daft romances that you’ve brought her too. Hope there’s no saucy books in there. I don’t want her getting ideas and ravishing me. I don’t think my heart is up to it these days.
Seeing something pink and white heading towards my face, I reached out and realised, to my absolute horror, that I had caught a pair of false teeth in my hands. I looked over and one of the old ladies in the front row was laughing her head off! I screamed and dropped them, which made her cackle some more. Hayley came over and apologised, saying that she should perhaps have warned me that Betty had a habit of laughing so much that her teeth flew out.
My Review:
I enjoyed this insightful and amusing British women’s fiction tale told from the first person POV of a designer power suit and high heels wearing corporate workaholic named Madison, “Maddy” to her friends. When her boss told Maddy to come in early before work to talk, Maddy had believed herself to be in line for a big promotion as she had been slaving away by coming in early, staying late, and working weekends for many years. While looking at the desk she planned to be taking over and envisioning how she would organize her own possessions in the space, her boss quickly informed her she no longer had a job at all due to budget cuts or made “redundant” as the Brits say. A stunned Maddy was immediately released to clean out her desk and informed to leave behind her laptop, phone, and that later the company car would be retrieved. Yikes.
Being at loose ends, Maddy found she time to spend with her long-neglected mother and tackle several lingering paternal questions and issues of her childhood, as well as pitch in to help her best friend, Beth, who required surgery. In a vast departure from her Louboutin wearing corporate days, Maddy took on partial duties at Beth’s doggy daycare business as well as several unusual obligations to community projects during Beth’s long recovery. Maddy began to realize she was happier than she had been in years and felt uplifted and fulfilled by completing tasks she would never have considered doing on her own, such as a singing engagement in a care home, delivering books to shut-ins, farm chores, and doggy wrangling – which included poo duty.
Maddy’s evolution and eventual life-changing transformation were pleasantly entertaining and cleverly amusing. I enjoyed Ms. Nash’s levity and wit as well as the strengths and skills she bestowed on her characters. The storylines were relatable, easy to follow, and laced with humor and perceptive observations, and populated with an endearing and quirky group of characters.
I addition to being delightfully entertained, Ms. Nash provided me with several new additions to my newly renamed “Brit List of Words and Sayings.” Mr. Google and the Urban Dictionary were dutifully consulted for definitions for 1) having it off – which is British informal for having sex which some may consider rather rude; 2) lairy – which is slang for showing a loud or aggressive attitude, picking a fight, or being argumentative; and 3) pull my finger out – which amounts to stop dithering and get busy or “any lack of activity when something needs doing,” and I don’t believe I need to point out where that finger is supposedly lodged… do I? 😉
Maddy’s life has been turned on its head. Just when she thought all her hard work was finally paying off, BOOM…redundancy. Thing is although this isn’t the ideal situation for her, it is a time to collect herself, reflect on her life, and perhaps if she’s lucky, refocus on the things that really matter. You see, as with most of us, she lost sight of what’s important, pushed away her other dreams and desires that didn’t fit the work goal she was aiming for, and accepted love that was less than what she deserved, but never really SAW it for what it was.
When all seems lost, that’s when Maddy, the REAL Maddy, seems to be found….along with a little behind the scenes help from her best friend, Beth. Yes, she did really need her help when she was recuperating from surgery, but she didn’t have to send her to all those places; she did so to help her reconnect with the person she was while reconciling “her” with the person she’d become. It was sweet, it was eye-opening, it was just what she needed even if she didn’t know it at the time.
All in all, an enjoyable read for Women’s Fiction and Chick-Lit fans. The only drawbacks for me were A) I didn’t really see the “comedy” in the “romance” (as in the sub genre it was granted), B) I really enjoyed the outings she was sent on, but at some point it seemed like a few TOO many (I loved her finding herself, but wished it was a little faster), and C) that ending…or rather things leading up to it. Oye! I just could not believe things were unfolding like they were unfolding.
**ebook received for review
Is Madison’s redundancy a bad break or a bonus
4-4.5stars
Escape to Giddywell Grange is upbeat, positive, and inspirational, the kind of feel-good story that makes you step back and think about how you could live your own life better. As heroine PR whiz Maddy grapples with major changes in her life, starting with the loss of a job she excelled at, she re-discovers the joys of true friendship, the family she has taken for granted, the simpler things in life, the delights of canine companionship and the satisfaction of serving others. What a great message about what really makes a life worth living.
I did have a few issues with Maddy’s story. It got a bit repetitive in describing her transformed mindset and I felt the trip with her mom could have been described in a page or two; it did not need a blow by blow account and felt like a deviation away from the main story. I was also, frankly, confused by Maddy’s whiplash reversion to considering life with Jamie after chapters of extolling her new, more meaningful life. It just seemed out of character at that point. I also felt that her youthful heartthrob Alex stayed too much on the fringes of the story for too long. And, while the overall message is fun, heartwarming and uplifting, it got a bit too saccharine sweet at times. Ouch!
But the general tone of the book and the happy holiday families conclusion, were an enjoyable treat and all worth the read.
Thanks to Hera Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.