Happiness for Beginners by Carole Matthews @BooksSphere @carolematthews #HappinessForBeginners

 

Happiness for Beginners by Carole Matthews

Published 21 February 2019

Published by Sphere

Genre: Womens fiction, romance

Book description:

Molly Baker is living her best life.

Thirty-eight years old, she lives on the twenty-five-acre Hope Farm in Buckinghamshire, surrounded by (mostly) four-legged friends and rolling hills. There's Anthony the anti-social sheep, Tina Turner the alpaca with attitude, and the definitely-not-miniature pig, Teacup.

Molly runs the farm as an alternative school for kids who haven't thrived in mainstream education. It's full on, but she wouldn't have it any other way. So when the well-groomed Shelby Dacre turns up at Hope Farm asking to enrol his son Lucas, Molly isn't fazed.

But Lucas is distant and soon Molly realises he might be more of a handful than she anticipated. And then there's the added problem that his dad is distractingly handsome. Molly has her beloved farm to think of - could letting Lucas and Shelby in be a terrible mistake, or the start of something wonderful?

An absolute must-read from the queen of romance Carole Matthews, Molly's story will make your heart sing.

My Thoughts:

If you've read any of my posts previously you will probably know that Carole Matthews is my go-to author when I don't know what to read. Her book Lets Meet on Platform 8 was the book which got me back into reading after a few years' break and suffice to say she's my favourite when I want something fun and heart-warming to reset my reading mojo. Happiness for Beginners hits the spot perfectly although I have to admit that it's been on my shelf for a while now - I usually read Carole's books as soon as possible around publication date however with other reading deadlines taking precedence this one slipped down the order.  With her new book Christmas for Beginners due out soon, which is a follow up to this one, I thought I had better catch up and read the beginning of the story in case it offered background I would need to know for the Christmas book.

The story is set around Hope Farm, a place which offers opportunities for those students who, for various reasons, struggle to cope in a traditional educational environment. To keep the students busy there are blind chickens, retired shire horses bent on destruction, some diva-ish alpacas, a Shetland pony who is allergic to his own hair plus various other misfits and unfortunates who would all struggle to fit in elsewhere. The students' role here is learn about the animals' needs and how to centre their attention on something other than their own issues but in a way which is fun and rewarding. Molly Baker inherited the farm from her aunt Hettie who brought her up when her alcoholic mum couldn't manage. Living in a ramshackle old caravan on the farm Molly wants nothing more than a quiet life away from the hustle and bustle of mainstream life. She is dedicated to her animals and the students who come to help on the farm are like her extended family, together with helpers Bev and Alan. They are all waifs and strays in their own way.

We follow the fate and (mis)fortunes of the farm and the introduction of a celebrity student Lucas Dacre to the mix , a young lad who has lost his mum and whose dad Shelby is the heart throb lead character in TV soap opera Flinton's Farm. Moody and full of teenage anger, Lucas has been excluded from his school for arson and in a final act of desperation dad Shelby has asked Molly if she can help get him back on the straight and narrow. Can she manage to get past Lucas's defence strategies and reach the sensitive soul she can see lurking beneath the surface?

As always there are plenty of humorous moments usually involving at least one of the animal contingent but underneath there's a reflection of the more serious side of life. Never at any point does Carole come across as preachy; she merely puts across opinions which many of us will agree wholeheartedly with and leaves you with a warm glow of contentment when you turn the last page.

I definitely recommend this book, especially if you are looking to read the follow up novel. I am moving straight on to Christmas for Beginners - I'm not sure it's really my 'thing' as I am not a huge Christmas fan but with the characters I have got to know from Hope Farm I am optimistic there is going to be far more to it than just tinsel and turkey.

About the Author:

Carole Matthews is the Sunday Times bestselling author of thirty-two novels, including the Top Ten bestsellers Let's Meet on Platform 8, A Whiff of Scandal, For Better, For Worse, A Minor Indiscretion, With or Without You, The Cake Shop in the Garden, Paper Hearts and Summer Kisses, A Cottage by the Sea, The Chocolate Lovers' Club, The Chocolate Lovers' Christmas, The Chocolate Lovers' Wedding, Million Love Songs and her current novel, Christmas Cakes & Mistletoe Nights. Carole has also been awarded the RNA Outstanding Achievement Award. Her novels dazzle and delight readers all over the world.

For all the latest news from Carole, visit www.carolematthews.com, follow Carole on Twitter (@carolematthews) and Instagram (matthews.carole) or join the thousands of readers who have become Carole's friend on Facebook (carolematthewsbooks).