Jane Cable catches up on some reading
Those of you who follow this column will know that I struggle to read while I’m writing, so holidays are the best time for me to catch up with the books I’ve been squirreling away on my Kindle. My recent trip to the US was good in that there were long flights, but bad because once we were there we had such a busy schedule it was hard to squeeze in too many pages.
Nevertheless, I did manage to finish a few, mainly those by authors I know (you make promises and fell obliged – in a good way, of course). Others like screenwriting bible Save The Cat deserve an article all of their own, but here are some thoughts on the fiction I managed to chomp through.
The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen by Ada Bright and Cassandra Grafton
It clear to see that this is a book that was written for fun, with many personal quirks and touches and as such it’s very much a tale of female friendship which reflects the real one between the co-authors. But it’s much more than that; it’s also a romance with a mystery to solve and the history surrounding Jane Austen is impeccable researched.
Set in modern day Bath at the time of the annual Jane Austen Festival the plot revolves around the time-travelling author who gets stuck in the twentieth century – with serious – and hilarious – consequences. I’m delighted to say that the book has just been acquired by Canelo and will be re-issued next year.
Sadie’s Wars by Rosemary Noble
I’ve known Rosemary for a number of years through Chindi Authors, but I have never before got around to reading one of her books. Sadie’s Wars is her latest – and technically third in her Currency Girls saga – but don’t let that put you off because it works well as a standalone novel.
The book goes back and forth between Australia before and during World War One and England during World War Two. Although both eras are beautifully drawn I found I related to the English story far more and it is a truly beautiful one. Rosemary captures the privations of the era so brilliantly and the love story Sadie finds in her later years is warm, real and lacking in sentiment.
The Cornish Village School – Breaking the Rules by Kitty Wilson
I’m not always the biggest romcom fan, but Kitty Wilson’s writing genuinely makes me laugh out loud. It’s the small observations, the turns of phrase – the genuine frustrations people feel when faced with contrary small children and difficult adults. And of course I was drawn to these books, not only because Kitty is a friend but because they are set in Cornwall.
Although inhabited by the cast of characters necessary to create romcom chaos and alchemy, the village of Penmenna itself feels pretty real. It’s not a tourist trap, it’s the Cornwall I’ve come to know and love since I’ve been here, with scruffy pubs full of genuinely eccentric locals who later career home down tiny single-track lanes and by some miracle get there unscathed.
The book is the first in a series and last week the next one – Second Chances – appeared. And it’s even better than the first.