Book Review: Creature Comforts by Trisha Ashley

 

Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of Creature Comforts in return for an honest review.

 

The story revolves around Izzy, a very likeable character. Following years of travelling and a broken engagement, she returns to the small village of Halfhidden where she realises that village life is not always peaceful, particularly when you have a lot of unanswered questions! Whilst she is welcomed home by some, her return brings back bad memories for others who would rather leave the past in the past.

 

Izzy is a great heroine, creative, loving, realistic and not scared to face her fears. The supporting characters and all larger than life, as you would expect in a small village! Once home, she has to deal with her crazy aunt Debo, their new landlord (hunky Rufus) and a number of troublesome villagers.  I also have to give a special mention to the dogs from Aunt Debo’s rescue centre, who give some great support to their human counterparts, particularly the huge dog, Babybelle!

 

The village of Halfhidden is a lovely setting, with the majority of the story set around Aunt Debo’s house, the village pub and the Spring. I understand that Halfhidden is a neighbouring village to Sticklepond, mentioned in Trisha Ashley’s earlier books, which is a nice touch.

 

There is a lot going on in this book with the village shenanigans, Izzy’s quest to find the truth behind her accident and the various romantic lives of the characters. Creature Comforts held my interest until the last page. I was also pleased to note that I did not guess the precise circumstances behind the mysterious and tragic accident that Izzy is investigating. It’s always nice to have a bit of a surprise at the end of a book. In Creature Comforts, you’ll find intrigue, drama, romance and a huge dollop of humour… a perfect combination!

 

 

Amazon UK:  Kindle – http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00P5U77MY

                        Paperback – http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1847562795

 

Amazon US:   Kindle – http://amzn.com/B00P5U77MY

                        Paperback – http://amzn.com/1847562795

 

 

Trisha Ashley writes romantic comedies, and her latest novel, Creature Comforts, is her seventh consecutive Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller. Her novels have twice been shortlisted for the Melissa Nathan award for Romantic Comedy and Every Woman for Herself was nominated by readers as one of the top three romantic novels of the last fifty years.

 

She is from St Helens in West Lancashire, and believes that her typically dark Lancashire sense of humour in adversity, crossed with a good dose of Celtic creativity from her Welsh grandmother, have made her what she is today…whatever that is. Five of her novels are set in rural West Lancashire and three in Wales. They frequently explore aspects of the three F’s that are a constant in her own life: Food, Flowers and Friendship and include delicious recipes at the back.

 

Nowadays she lives in North Wales, together with the neurotic Border Collie foisted onto her by her  son and a very chancy Muse.

 

She is the founder member of NW Novelistas Ink, a group of twelve novelists, several of whom are bestselling, who meet regularly in North Wales; she is also a long term member of the Society of Authors and a member of Literature Wales.

 

Creature Comforts will be published in paperback in June 2015 and A Christmas Cracker will follow in October 2015.

 

Trisha has a website at www.trishaashley.com where you can find out more about her, sign up for her newsletter, or see a complete list of her books. You will also find her on twitter as @trishaashley.