NEW RELEASE
A Rural Affair - Catherine Alliott (2011)
When Poppy's husband is killed in a freak accident, she is more relieved than grieved. Despite her two children losing their father, Poppy hardly misses Phil, with his fastidious nature, bland personality and cycling addiction. And when one of his secrets is exposed after the funeral, Poppy is even happier that he's dead so she doesn't have to kill him herself. Instead she throws herself into village life, setting up a book club with friends and casting her eyes over the local men. Alliott is to be commended for taking an awkward subject - the loss of a husband who wasn't liked - and turning it into an enjoyable, frequently funny tale of a woman determined not to make the same mistake in love again.
Catherine Alliott's latest book, A Rural Affair, is about a widow freed from a loveless marriage. The summary says: "Newly widowed Poppy Shilling should be feeling distraught at the death of her husband, Phil. But, instead, she can't help feeling relieved. No longer will she have to endure Phil's iron fist ruling over her and their two young children, or his unfortunate penchant for Lycra cycling wear. What's more, when a secret is revealed after his death, Poppy's memories of their life together are turned upside-down. Freed from the shackles of her loveless marriage, Poppy is determined not to make the same mistakes again. Fully embracing village life, she becomes the object of the local menfolk's affections - from Bob, the resident oddball, to Luke, the sexy church organist. But it's just her luck that the one man who catches her eye can't seem to let go of his glamorous ex-wife. Will Poppy have the courage to follow her heart and refuse to settle for second best? It's time for a new beginning, and a chance to discover what real love feels like . . ."