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There’s nothing like getting lost in a good book so here’s a list of original, compelling and wonderfully written novels recommended by Goodreads:
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
By Helen Simonson
Major Pettigrew, the unlikely hero of this wondrous debut novel from Helen Simonson, will undoubtedly steal your heart! Leading a quiet life, maintaining the 'proper' English values such as decorum, honour, duty and a good quality cup of tea, the death of the Major's brother results in an unlikely friendship with the village shopkeeper, Mrs. Jasmina Ali. They find common ground in their love of literature and soon, their friendship becomes something more. But can they overcome the village's perception of Jasmina as a perpetual 'foreigner' and fly in the face of culture and tradition in order to find happiness?
Find out more on Goodreads: click here
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A Man Called Ove
By Fredrik Backman
Ove is a cranky, grumpy curmudgeon. People often refer to him as the bitter neighbour from hell, with his strict routines and his short fuse. However, there is a story behind Ove's unappealing manner, and when a boisterous young family moves in next door, his solitary world and its routines are turned upside down. This amusing and heartwarming ode to unexpected friendship is a highly enjoyable read.
Find out more on Goodreads: click here
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Water for Elephants
By Sara Gruen
A gripping and visual love story set in the 1932 circus world. Jacob Jankowski, finding himself suddenly alone and without any prospects, hitches a ride on a passing train and unwittingly joins a second-rate circus, straining to survive during the Great Depression. Having almost earned his degree as a veterinary student, Jacob takes over the care of the circus animals and bonds with a seemingly untrainable elephant called Rosie, whom he finds a way to reach. It's not long before he is drawn to Marlena, the beautiful young star of the show, married to August, a disturbed and dangerous animal trainer. Water for Elephants tells the story of two star-crossed lovers struggling to overcome the odds, in a world where true love is hard to find.
Find out more on Goodreads: click here
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Where The Story Starts
By Imogen Clark
A long-forgotten secret begins to make its way up to the surface after a stranger turns up on Leah's doorstep as she rushes to get her children ready one morning. Clio, a well-dressed single heiress to her baroness mother's estate, feels an emotional tie to the terraced house in Whitley Bay that she can't explain... This tale of unlikely friendship is about belonging, uncovering the past and answering questions neither woman knew needed to be asked.
Find out more on Goodreads: click here
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The Dressmaker's Gift
By Fiona Valpy
Three young seamstresses in Nazi occupied Paris are faced with impossible choices when their secret activities put them in terrible danger. Mireille's Resistance efforts, Claire's German lover and Vivienne's mysterious involvement in nobody knows what threaten to tear the trio apart during history's darkest era. Two generations later, Harriet arrives in Paris, desperate to feel a connection to her grandmother Claire. Learning the truth about her grandmother and herself along the way reveals a family history she could never have imagined...
Find out more on Goodreads: click here
Do you have a book you would like to recommend? Share your recommendations with us by emailing mayfieldstories@mayfieldvillages.co.uk.
