Recommendations based on "Abi's House"

The Unretirement is an uplifting story about the joy of pursuing dreams at any age, full of warmth, heart and community spirit. Meet 65-year-old widow Maggie Lawford. After retiring two years ago and travelling the world with her husband Geoff, she's alone again - and retirement has gone from a never-ending holiday to grief-filled and lonely. Though looking after her gorgeous granddaughter Alice for her high-flying daughter Hannah brings so much joy, Maggie yearns for more. After her ambition of being a chef was deferred forty years ago in favour of a more family-friendly career, Maggie knows it's now or never to chase her dreams. When Maggie and Hannah visit their favourite local Indian restaurant one evening, they are gutted to find the tables all but empty, with a dwindling menu and their old friend and owner Sav at his wit's end. The last straw comes when Maggie hears a cry from the kitchen: she charges in, taking matters into her own hands. Never one to give up without a fight, Maggie resolves to save the beloved but failing restaurant - and with all her years catering for a large family and volunteering for the WI, it's not long before she has a military-grade plan to turn the place around again. After all, Maggie's golden days aren't behind her just yet...

New York Times BestsellerThe beloved actress and star of One Tree Hill, White Collar, and Lethal Weapon, Hilarie Burton Morgan, tells the story of leaving Hollywood for a radically different kind of life in upstate New York with her husband Jeffrey Dean Morgan—a celebration of community, family, and the value of hard work in small town America.While Hilarie Burton Morgan's hectic lifestyle as an actress in New York and Los Angeles gave her a comfortable life, it did not fulfill her spiritually or emotionally. After the birth of their first son, she and her husband Jeffrey Dean Morgan, the star of The Walking Dead, decided to make a major change: they bought a working farm in Rhinebeck, New York, and began a new chapter in their lives.The Rural Diaries chronicles her inspiring story of farm life: chopping wood, making dandelion wine, building chicken coops. Burton looks back at her transition from urban to country living—discovering how to manage a farm while raising her son and making friends with her new neighbors. She mixes charming stories of learning to raise alpacas and buying and revitalizing the town’s beloved candy store, Samuel’s Sweet Shop, with raw observations on the ups and downs of marriage and her struggles with secondary infertility. Burton also includes delicious recipes that can be made with fresh ingredients at home, as well as home renovation and gardening tips.Burton’s charisma, wide eyed attitude, and fortitude—both internal and physical—propels this moving story of transformation and self-discovery. The Rural Diaries honors the values and lifestyle of small-town America and offers inspiration for anyone longing to embark on their own unconventional journey.

Aisling is 29 and she's still a complete Aisling. After a tough year, things between herself and John are back on track, and life with Sadhbh and Elaine in their notiony Dublin apartment is more craic than ever.But when a shock change means moving Down Home might be her only option, Aisling is thrown. Can she give up the sophistication of brunch and unlimited Pinot Greej? Will she and Mammy kill each other living back under the same roof? And where does that leave her and John?When a girls' trip to Vegas gives Aisling some unexpected confidence, she decides it's time to grab Ballygobbard by the horns. Throw in a surprise engagement, a very public brawl, new friends and nasty foes, maybe BGB is just what Aisling needs to discover she's stronger than she ever imagined.'Hilariously funny, but often very moving too. Aisling is the real Voice of Ireland.' John Boyne'Incredibly funny, warm, fabulous, how do they do it?' Marian Keyes

The sun is shining on the golden castle on Rainbow Bay - and change is in the air!Amelia is a single mother, doing her very best to look after her young son, Charlie - but money is tight and times are tough. When she first hears that she is the last descendent of the Chesterford family and that she has inherited a Real-Life Castle by the sea, Amelia can't quite believe her ears. But it's true!She soon finds that owning a castle isn't quite the ticket to sorting out her money problems that she'd first hoped: she can't sell, because the terms of the ancient bequest state that any Chesterford who inherits the castle, must live there and work towards the upkeep and maintenance of the family home. So ever-practical Amelia decides to uproot her little family and move to this magnificent castle by the sea.Living in a castle on the beautiful Northumberland coast is fun at first, but organising the day-to-day running is a lot more complicated than Amelia first imagined. Luckily she has help from the small band of eccentric and unconventional staff that are already employed there - and a mysterious unseen hand that often gives her a push in the right direction just when she needs it most.It's only when she meets Tom, a furniture restorer who comes to the castle to help repair some antique furniture, that Amelia realises she might get the fairy-tale ending that she and Charlie truly deserve...Join bestselling author Ali McNamara in Rainbow Bay, where an inheritance and some sea air are about to work their magic on Amelia's life...

The beginning of a wonderful saga telling the story of a Cockney family in peace and war from multi-million copy seller Mary Jane Staples. Perfect for fans of Kitty Neale, Maggie Ford and Katie Flynn. PRAISE FOR THE ADAMS FAMILY SERIES! "Mary Jane Staples makes you care about her characters, which explains why her books have enjoyed so much popularity" -- Take a Break "Forget Eastenders, this it the London of old, when people knew each other's names and communities really pulled together." -- Woman's Realm "Mary Jane Staples completely capture the feel of the period and the essence of the people...has warmth, humour and charm. An ideal book for you holiday reading." Finesse "I get so engrossed in the stories I feel like one of the family." - ***** Reader review. "The story of the Adams family is just wonderful, I can't put this book down. You feel part of the family as you read all about them." -- ***** Reader review. ********************************* ON THE EVE OF WAR, CAN SHE AND HER FAMILY PULL THROUGH? The Adams family were poor, cheerful and, above all, respectable. There was Mrs Adams, a widow having lost her husband in the Boer War; Boots, the bright one; Tommy, the quiet one; Sammy, a wheeler dealer in the making; and Lizzy. Lizzy was a real pearl - one of the prettiest girls in Walworth. When Lizzy falls in love it is 1914. War is coming and everyone is going to be affected. Will the Adams family - gutsy, tough and cheeky - pull through? Down Lambeth Way is the first in Mary Jane Staples's Adams Family series. Their story continues in Our Emily.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A darkly comic and warm-hearted novel about an old man on a cross-country mission to reunite with his high school crush—bringing together his adult daughter, two orphaned kids, and a cat who can predict death—by the beloved author of Rabbit Cake and Unlikely Animals “A miraculous novel—an actual and spiritual road trip you won’t forget.”—John IrvingAt sixty-three years old, million-dollar lottery winner PJ Halliday would be the luckiest man in Pondville, Massachusetts, if it weren’t for the tragedies of his life: the sudden death of his eldest daughter and the way his marriage fell apart after that. Since then, PJ spends both his money and his time at the bar, and he probably doesn’t have much time left—he’s had three heart attacks already.But when PJ reads the obituary of his old romantic rival, he realizes his high school sweetheart, Michelle Cobb, is finally single again. Filled with a new enthusiasm for life, PJ decides he’s going to drive across the country to the Tender Hearts Retirement Community in Arizona to win Michelle back.Before PJ can hit the road, tragedy strikes Pondville, leaving PJ the sudden guardian of his estranged brother’s grandchildren. Anyone else would be deterred from the planned trip, but PJ figures the orphaned kids might benefit from getting out of town. PJ also thinks he can ask Sophie, his adult daughter who’s adrift in her twenties, to come along to babysit. And there’s one more surprise addition to the roster: Pancakes, a former nursing home therapy cat with a knack of predicting death, who recently turned up outside PJ’s home.This could be the second chance PJ has long hoped for—a fresh shot at love and parenting—but does he have the strength to do both those things again? It’s very possible his heart can’t take it.

Another New York Times bestseller by the author of Me Before You and One Plus One--a spellbinding story of two women united in their fight for what they love most Jojo Moyes's word-of-mouth bestseller, Me Before You, catapulted her to wide critical acclaim and struck a chord with a wide range of readers everywhere. Now, with The Girl You Left Behind, Moyes returns with another irresistible heartbreaker--a breathtaking story of love, loss, and sacrifice told with her signature ability to capture our hearts. Paris, 1916. Sophie Lefevre must keep her family safe while her adored husband, Edouard, fights at the front. When their town falls to the Germans in the midst of World War I, Sophie is forced to serve them every evening at her hotel. From the moment the new Kommandant sets eyes on Sophie's portrait--painted by her artist husband--a dangerous obsession is born, one that will lead Sophie to make a dark and terrible decision. Almost a century later, Sophie's portrait hangs in the home of Liv Halston, a wedding gift from her young husband before his sudden death. After a chance encounter reveals the portrait's true worth, a battle begins over its troubled history and Liv's world is turned upside all over again.

Escape to the beautiful Scottish Highlands for the perfect heartwarming and feel good cosy romance! When Scotland’s sleepiest hamlet becomes the centre of hot gossip, Layla Devlin finds herself caught in a mystery... When Layla’s fiancé has an unexpected heart attack and dies – in another woman’s arms, no less – Layla is determined to pack up and leave Loch Harris, the village she’s always called home. But an unexpected inheritance and love for her quiet corner of Scotland send her down a new path. Now Layla finds herself facing a whole new kind of drama. Rumours swirl that a celebrity has moved into Coorie Cottage and Layla is determined to have him headline her opening night at local music venue The Conch Club. But the reclusive star is equally determined to thwart Layla’s efforts. Rafe Buchanan is in hiding for a reason, and soon his past comes to Loch Harris to haunt him... ‘[a] cosy feel-good romance’ That’s Life! magazine Readers can’t get enough of A Secret Scottish Escape: ‘I loved the escape to the Scottish cottage, I truly felt like I was there!’ Maggie ‘A lovely book to add to your summer reading list’ Gea ‘Beautiful story with a beautiful cover...A new author for me and I cant wait to read more of her books’ Karen ‘Good to curl up with on a rainy afternoon’ Susan ‘This was such a cute book! I love the Scottish setting and the characters are so fun’ Cacie ‘The perfect escape...Lots of secrets come out that leave you wanting to read more’ Zoe ‘I loved traveling to Scotland in this book and reading about the small town life’ Arletta ‘I honestly enjoyed this book from the first page...we all love a happy ending’ Tracy ‘What a lovely story. Twists and turns all the way...You just have to read it’ Rosamond

‘A true page-turner’ Chat Monthly ‘Emotional, humorous and heartening, Julie Shackman knows how to bring the feel-good factor to fiction’ Woman’s Weekly Escape to the Scottish Highlands with a brand new spring romance from bestselling author, Julie Shackman Determined to overcome a family tragedy, Elle Cassidy decides to reopen her late mother’s ailing newsagent as a stationery shop in the quiet Scottish town of Fir Haven. But when the arrogant yet handsome crime writer Dexter Grayling almost runs over Elle in his beast of a sports car, the town is thrown into a tailspin – especially when Dexter claims that local resident Linda Carlucci has put a curse on him and he is no longer able to write. Can Elle put aside her dislike for the self-absorbed writer and help Dexter uncover what is really going on with the Carlucci family? And in the process will Elle realise that there’s a lot more to her beloved Fir Haven than she first thought... ‘This delightful romance is a perfect slice of escapism nestled in the Scottish Highlands’ Woman’s Own For fans of Donna Ashcroft, Jane Linfoot and Rachael Lucas. Readers have escaped to the country, will you be next? ‘A lovely sweet romance... impossible to put down’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Very enjoyable read with interesting characters and a beautiful setting’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Julie Shackman knows how to tell a great story... interesting twists [and] the characters steal your heart’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A nice next to the fireplace read with a glass of wine’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I absolutely loved the storyline... thoroughly recommend’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Loved every page’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Set in a lovely Scottish village... it had the perfect ending’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A story about forgiveness, healing and not judging others... you will fall in love with Fir Haven and its characters and this story will touch your heart in unexpected ways’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A heart-warming and funny romance with fab characters’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A great read. Highly recommend’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Quirky storyline and the characters made it all better’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Intriguing... an easy and warm read’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Another enchanting, romantic novel, following the fortunes of the characters from her bestselling Going the Distance. Jemima Carlisle started by having a bad month -- being made redundant, having nowhere to live, worrying about her bankrupt father. Her decision to take up village life, rent a room in the local vicar's house, and work at the local cafe did not work out as the peaceful life she had thought. The village was a centre for stables, with a couple of Grand National favourites -- and Jemima hated horses for a very personal reason. And the enterprise of opening a local bookshop led her straight into village controversy. The target of one group's fatwa, the sharer of the vicar's wife's dark secrets, the piggy in the middle of a tempestuous relationship might have been enough for Jemima, but the arrival of her father with some new money-making scam, and the attempts by various local talents among the jockeys to alter her views on horse-racing, made her realise that one should never jump to conclusions.