Delightful
The Women Who Wouldn’t Leave by Victoria Scott is a delightful contemporary novel that made me smile.
It is a novel about friendship, love and community as a group of neighbours come together to fight the authorities for what is theirs. The community pull together.
Over the years the neighbours exchanged polite greetings but as needs are identified, friendships begin and isolated lives begin to open up.
You never know what private battles people are fighting. Some residents have hidden secrets for years. They feel safer hiding from the world. If they do not let others in, they cannot be hurt – but we all need friends.
Animals and being in nature promote healing. The animals offer pure love, expecting nothing in return.
There are the difficult topics of mental illness, abuse and rape. All are sensitively portrayed as love and care are handed out. Friendship and support help souls to heal from recent past traumas and long past traumas.
All the characters were well drawn, likable and realistic. I ‘felt’ part of the community especially as I live in a town in Worcestershire, just like the characters in the book. And I, too, shop in Kidderminster which is mentioned. My familiarity with the novel did not end there – the MP mentioned is called Sir William Dugdale – my Dad worked for Sir William Dugdale at Severn Trent. He was also the boss of Aston Villa which my Dad supports.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Women Who Wouldn’t Leave. I cannot wait for more from Victoria Scott.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
JULIA WILSON
The Women Who Wouldn’t Leave
‘A lovely book about two feisty and at times funny women, who stole my heart and had me rooting for them from the very beginning. A heartwarming, uplifting read that would be perfect for book clubs or just curling up with in the garden on a sunny afternoon. Utterly, utterly fabulous!’ Faith Hogan
A gripping and uplifting new novel by the author of BA Book of the Month and LoveReading Debut of the Month Patience.
Connie Darke is trying to run away from the traumas in her past, and it’s led her home, to the small rural council estate she left almost 20 years earlier.
Matilda Reynolds has spent most of her long life in the Worcestershire village of Stonecastle, and she’s content there, with her animals and her solitude. Until a fall lands her in hospital, and Matilda has to turn to her strange young neighbour Connie for help looking after her home.
Out of their tentative arrangement, each woman gains a new sense of community. But before long, that community comes under threat when the council decides to sell the estate, to make way for expensive developments.
Connie and Matilda are determined to fight for their home, whatever it takes…
Purchase Links
UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Women-Who-Wouldnt-Leave-ebook/dp/B0BJZXCS8X/
US – https://www.amazon.com/Women-Who-Wouldnt-Leave-ebook/dp/B0BJZXCS8X/
Author Bio –
Victoria Scott has been a journalist for longer than she wants to acknowledge, working for outlets including the BBC, Al Jazeera, Time Out and the Telegraph.
She lives on a Thames island with her husband and two children and a cat called Alice, and when she’s not writing she’s a university lecturer, freelance journalist and copywriter.
Victoria Scott’s first novel, Patience, was the Booksellers Association Book of the Month and LoveReading Debut of the Month.
You can follow Victoria on Twitter @toryscott and on Instagram @VictoriaScottAuthor
Social Media Links –
Publisher social media handles:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AriaFiction
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AriaFiction
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headofzeus/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@headofzeus
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