I don’t know why but I have avoided Veronica Henry’s books for years. I always thought they were quite heavy, serious books. I can’t imagine where I got that impression from but after deciding to give Honeycote a go I will definitely be reading her other books. I loved Honeycote. It grabbed me from the first couple of pages with a cast of compelling characters and a lovely Cotswold setting. There was real pathos in the book, along with humour and plot twists and brilliant characterization. Everything you can ask for in a novel to be exact. I loved the fact that the characters weren’t all good or bad, they were real people with flaws and faults and hopes and dreams and failures like all the rest of us. I started out hating Kay and ended up really caring about her and hoping that she would be ok. I think that’s the mark of a great story. I have bought the follow on books and will be working my way through them as soon as I can. It’s always lovely to discover a new author whose books you enjoy so much. Just wish I’d found Veronica Henry years ago! 5/5
This review was first published in 2011 and referred to the old paperback edition. It has now been reissued in both paperback and Kindle format and will be available in November 2015.