Recommendations based on "A Country Escape"

Is living the life you’ve wished for really a dream come true?Lucy Young is twenty-six and tired. Tired of fetching coffees for senior TV producers, sick of going on disastrous dates, and done with living in a damp flat with roommates who never buy toilet paper. After another disappointing date, Lucy stumbles upon a wishing machine. Pushing a coin into the slot, Lucy closes her eyes and wishes with all her might: Please, let me skip to the good part of my life.When she wakes the next morning to a handsome man, a ring on her finger, a high-powered job, and two storybook-perfect children, Lucy can’t believe this is real—especially when she looks in the mirror, and staring back is her own fortysomething face. Has she really skipped ahead like she’s always wanted, or has she simply forgotten a huge chunk of her life? As Lucy begins to embrace new relationships and the perks of maturity, she’ll have to ask herself: Can she go back to her previous life, and if so, can she stand to leave the good part behind?

'so Likeable, Smart And Wise. A Bittersweet Read About Love, Life And Friendship That Makes You Stop And Think Long After You've Finished Reading The Last Page.' - Bestselling Author Tasmina Perry 'entertaining, Funny And Full Of Wisdom, I Loved This Book.' - Bestselling Author Katie Fforde 'i Read This Recently And Loved It So Much. I Cried Buckets, But It's Ultimately A Really Positive, Uplifting Book About Making Every Day Count.' - Bestselling Author Clare Mackintosh The Smallest Things Can Make The Biggest Difference. Annie Has Been Sad For So Long That She's Forgotten How To Be Any Other Way. Until She Meets Polly. Polly Is Everything That Annie Is Not. She's Colourful, Joyful, Happy. Because If Recent Events Have Taught Polly Anything, It's That Your Time Is Too Short To Waste A Single Day. Polly Has One Hundred Days To Help Annie Find Happiness. Annie's Convinced It's Impossible, But So Is Saying No To Polly. And On An Unforgettable Journey, Annie Begins To Realise That Maybe, Just Maybe, There's Still Colour To Be Found In The World. But Then It Becomes Clear That Polly's About To Need Her New Friend More Than Ever...and Annie Will Have To Decide Once And For All Whether Letting Others In Is A Risk Worth Taking. If You Liked Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine Or The Keeper Of Lost Things, You'll Love How To Be Happy 'a Joyful, Wise Read' - Rosie Blake 'it's A Gorgeous Book - Funny, Touching, Sweet, Sad And Profound.' - Daisy Buchanan 'you'll Laugh And Cry . . . Heartwarming' - Best 'uplifting' - Independent 'will Make You Laugh While It Tugs At Your Heart Strings' - The People

THE INSTANT #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERA Good Housekeeping "Book We're Most Looking Forward To" * An Independent Today "Best Fiction Books to Read" * A GQ Magazine (UK) "Best Book of 2024" * A Harper’s Bazaar (UK) "Best Novels to Read" * A Daily Record "Best Novel""Captivating [and] flawless...An affectingly hard-won romance. [Michael is] a sturdy and slyly amusing authority figure, … flailing amid the debris of a loving marriage gone sour. Marnie is a compulsively witty, winningly cranky near-agoraphobe...Both protagonists are prickly, smart and desperately yearning, but utterly guarded for understandably good reasons. Nicholls builds his own erotic and at times wrenchingly emotional suspense as the would-be lovers reveal past mishaps and surrendered dreams... As in the best romances, we cherish Michael’s and Marnie’s difficult personalities, and relish the unlikely process that might bring them together. The novel is sharp-tongued and irresistible." — New York Times Book Review"I finished this novel in two breathless sittings, as invested in its outcome as I would be in the happiness of a friend. This is the magic of You Are Here: warm, generous and funny, it invites readers into the world of Marnie and Michael with the promise that everyone is welcome, and that choosing happiness and being courageous in any small way we can is always possible. I loved this book." — Kaliane Bradley, author of The Ministry of TimeFrom the internationally bestselling and Booker Prize-longlisted author of One Day, one of the most enduring love stories of its generation, comes an uplifting and unputdownable love story about second chances.Sometimes you need to get lost to find your way . . .Michael is coming undone. Adrift after his wife's departure, he has begun taking himself on long, solitary walks across the English countryside. Becoming ever more reclusive, he’ll do anything to avoid his empty house.Marnie, on the other hand, is stuck. Hiding alone in her London flat, she avoids old friends and any reminders of her rotten, selfish ex-husband. Curled up with a good book, she’s battling the long afternoons of a life that feels like it’s passing her by.When a persistent mutual friend and some very unpredictable weather conspire to toss Michael and Marnie together on the most epic of ten-day hikes, neither of them can think of anything worse. Until, of course, they discover exactly what they’ve been looking for.Michael and Marnie are on the precipice of a bright future . . . if they can survive the journey.A hilarious, hopeful, and heartwarming love story—the novel belovedNew York Times bestselling author David Nicholls calls “my funniest book yet”—You Are Here is a bittersweet and hopeful story of first encounters, second chances, and finding the way home.

Appleby Farm was originally published as a four-part serial. This is the complete story in one package. Sometimes the life you want isn't the one you need... Freya has skirted through life, drifting from place to place and job to job. Always restless, it seems she's finally found a place to settle down (with a sexy boyfriend to match) in a small and cosy town. But she still finds herself thinking of the rolling hills of her Cumbrian childhood home: Appleby Farm. They're only dreams though... there's a life right here ready to be lived. But a phone call rocks the new life she has built. Tragedy has threatened Appleby Farm and Freya makes the choice to return home, leaving her lovely boyfriend and safe job behind. But maybe the grass at Appleby Farm will be a shade greener this time... Now, ever-restless Freya must finally make a choice about what she'd like her life to be. With two lives, two men and two futures to choose from... who does she really want to be? Appleby Farm is a charming, funny and romantic story for anyone looking for a feel-good, light-hearted read, from the author of bestselling Ivy Lane. Praise for Cathy Bramley: 'Delightfully warm with plenty of twists and turns' Trisha Ashley'Rustic romance at its very best with a charming cast of characters - warm and endearing and engaging. As comforting as hot tea and toast made on the Aga!' Veronica Henry'A lovely, sunny, gem of a book' Alexandra Brown

'Full of warmth' #1 Sunday Times Bestseller Katie Fforde Can a cake change your life? Clemmie Rose's great-great-grandmother's beloved clementine torte is her ticket to the prestigious Royal Baking Competition. A win could put Puffin Island's charming Café on the Coast on the map, land Clemmie her very own cookbook deal, and secure her a coveted invitation to a royal garden party. But when she discovers the competition is being hosted aboard the Royal Yacht by none other than her ex, Oliver Lockwood, the stakes--and the soufflés--suddenly rise, and Clemmie's bid for the Golden Whisk trophy is at risk of collapsing like an underbaked sponge. When a decades-old secret is thrown into the mix, she'll need more than the perfect recipe to keep her dreams from crumbling.

‘Romance, wit and a fabulous “all is lost” moment’ Sue Moorcroft, bestselling author of The Christmas Promise Escape to beautiful Rome and lose yourself in this delicious, fast-paced romance – perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan! Romance is the last thing on Lisa’s mind when she finds herself staying in a beautiful apartment with her childhood-friend-turned-arch-enemy Will Ryan...no matter how hot he is! Lisa’s got more important things to focus on, like hunting down her estranged father. Except when her search falls at the first hurdle, Will doesn’t just help her get back on track, he also shares the romantic sights – and exquisite tastes – of Italy and Lisa starts to wonder if it’s not just Rome seducing her. Only, as Lisa and Will dig into the past, neither of them is prepared for the long-buried secrets they reveal. Secrets that will turn both their world’s upside down ... ‘A perfect mix of Italian food, the city of Rome, romance, hidden family secrets, friendship and fabulous descriptive storytelling’ Rachel’s Random Reads ‘Romance, wit and a fabulous “all is lost” moment’ Sue Moorcroft, bestselling author of The Christmas Promise

Discover the healing power of community in this charming, feel-good second chance romance, perfect for fans of Jill Mansell & Milly Johnson. *** 🌸Could a new start heal her appetite for life?🌸 When Cath moves to a rural Northumberland village to escape her husband’s betrayal and a life that no longer feels her own, she’s determined to embrace a fresh start. But the quiet charm of her new surroundings seems only to magnify the loneliness of being on her own for the first time. On a whim, Cath suggests starting a supper club, transforming her garden shed into a cosy, twinkling haven where neighbours can gather. What begins as an effort to ease her solitude becomes something far greater – a circle of friends, each bringing their own stories, struggles, and laughter. As bonds deepen over shared meals and mishaps, can Cath discover the healing power of community...and dare to believe in love again? Readers have fallen in love with The Second Chance Supper Club 'A heartwarming story of hope, second chances and starting over. A sublime read!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Brilliant cosy read’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A brilliant heartwarming 5 star read I would definitely recommend’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Couldn’t put it down! I loved the sense of community’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When she moves to Amish country to find peace and healing, Madeleine finds a special community--and a special man--who pull her out of her solitude and into a new life. Moving to Pennsylvania wasn't in Madeleine's original plans. She should still be in California and should have married her pilot fiancé a year ago--but death has a way of changing everything. Now the former Air Force flight nurse is living alone in Paradise, Pennsylvania, and working as a maid at the Lancaster Grand Hotel. She isn't exactly a widow . . . but she sure feels like one. Saul Beiler isn't exactly a widower . . . but his wife is long gone. His eleven-year-old daughter, Emma, doesn't know that her mother fled the Amish community--and married another man--but she does know that her dat is lonely, and that a pretty young maedel just moved in next door. Madeleine's numb heart begins to thaw as she spends more time with the innocent and ever optimistic Emma. The stronger her friendship grows with the young girl, the more intrigued Madeleine grows about the humble, strong man raising her on his own. But even as a strange attraction pulls Saul and Madeleine across a stark cultural divide, they--and everybody around them--have to wonder: What could they possibly have in common besides heartache? Will love allow Madeleine to finally find the home she's been dreaming of all along?

Fay Merryweather runs her cake shop from her beautiful garden. She whips up airy sponges and scrumptious scones, while her customers enjoy the lovely blossoms and gorgeous blooms. Looking after the cake shop, the garden and her cantankerous mother means Fay is always busy but she accepts her responsibilities because if she doesn't do all this, who will? Then Danny Wilde walks into her life and makes Fay question every decision she's ever made. When a sudden tragedy strikes, Fay's entire world is thrown off balance even further and she doesn't know which way to turn. Can Fay find the strength to make a life-changing decision - even if it means giving up the thing she loves the most? Life, love and family are about to collide in The Cake Shop in the Garden.

William and Amy Ashurst are typical townies, dedicated professionals at the top of their tree, with two adorable children and an au pair who cooks, cleans and cares for them all. Then one day Will collapses on his way into work and he decides he's never going back. So it is that, three months later, Amy is standing outside Helmshill Grange, a sullen monstrosity of a house, deep in the Yorkshire moors, with their own land as far as the eye can see. It's what William says he's always wanted. Then tragedy strikes and Amy learns that it's one thing living the dream, but when the dream is not your own, how long can it last?