Guest Review: The Impulse Purchase by Veronica Henry

Sometimes you have to let your heart rule your head . . .

Cherry, Maggie and Rose are mother, daughter and granddaughter, each with their own hopes, dreams and even sorrows. They have always been close, so when, in a moment of impulse, Cherry buys a gorgeous but rundown pub in the village she grew up in, it soon becomes a family affair.

All three women uproot themselves and move to Rushbrook, deep in the heart of Somerset, to take over The Swan and restore it to its former glory. Cherry is at the helm, Maggie is in charge of the kitchen, and Rose tends the picturesque garden that leads down to the river.

Before long, the locals are delighted to find the beating heart of the village is back, bringing all kinds of surprises through the door.

Could Cherry's impulse purchase change all their lives - and bring everyone the happiness they're searching for?

Escape to the glorious Somerset countryside with this joyful and uplifting story of family, love and hope.

Review: I have been looking forward to a new book from Veronica Henry, an author whose works never fail to please me. In common with many of her books, this one has a lovely cover which promises a visit to a rural riverside setting in the country. That is exactly what I got, in a compelling and inspiring story, which had me lost in its pages every time I sat down to read. 

This is the story of women from three generations of the same family who set out to achieve the seemingly impossible and learn a lot about themselves in the process. Grandmother Cherry, fast approaching 70 years of age, on an impulse buys a rundown pub in Rushbrook, the small Somerset village where she grew up, and where that same pub used to be the heart of the village. Daughter Maggie has become disillusioned with the business she has been running for many years and decides to join her mother in bringing the pub back to life, focusing on her specialist area - culinary matters. Granddaughter Rose brings the horticultural skills she learned from her great grandmother to the venture. Although Cherry’s partner disapproves of the idea, the three women, along with Rose’s small daughter Gertie, move to the village and begin the refurbishment of the pub and its riverside garden, setting themselves an incredibly short deadline for its completion. Their efforts touch the lives of many local people as well as changing all of their own lives into the bargain. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this amazing story of what can be achieved with determination, even in later years of life. I liked and admired all three women, each at difficult points in their life, suffering family losses and looking for direction. The characters that they met along the way while involved in their project were also likeable and believable. However, I felt a little sorry for Cherry’s partner, who is just about to retire and looking forward to setting out on new adventures with her when she drops the bombshell that she has bought a pub; he is sure that she will fail in her new enterprise and makes his feelings known. I loved that each chapter in the book is told from different perspectives, from the point of view of one of the central female characters, or one of the local women who feature in the story. The pub’s setting sounds absolutely idyllic, with its garden that stretches down to the river with swans gliding past; I could easily see myself sitting there enjoying a glass of something to accompany some of the delicious food coming out of the newly refurbished kitchen. I have no hesitation in recommending this heartwarming summery story to other readers; if new to Veronica Henry, then this would be a great place to start.

To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US