#BlogTour Heading over the Hill by Judy Leigh

 Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Heading Over the Hill by Judy Leigh.

About the Author

Judy Leigh is the bestselling author of Five French Hens, A Grand Old Time and The Age of Misadventure and the doyenne of the ‘it’s never too late’ genre of women’s fiction. She has lived all over the UK from Liverpool to Cornwall, but currently resides in Somerset. Click here to sign up to Judy's newsletter

Follow @judyleighwriter on Twitter,  on Amazon, on Facebook, on Bookbub, on Goodreads, Visit judyleigh.com, Buy Heading Over the Hill

About the book

Growing old disgracefully and having a grand old time…Billy and Dawnie may be in their seventies, but that won’t stop them taking chances or starting again. Their grown-up children have families and lives of their own, so now it’s Billy and Dawnie’s turn, and a life near the sea in Devon beckons.

But the residents of Margot Street (or Maggot Street as Dawnie insists on calling it), don’t quite know what to make of their new neighbours. Billy’s loud, shiny and huge Harley Davidson looks out of place next to the safe and sensible Honda Jazz next door, and Dawnie’s never-ending range of outrageous wigs and colourful clothes, means she’s impossible to miss.

As new friendships are formed and new adventures are shared, Billy and Dawnie start winning their neighbours’ affection. And when life teaches them all a terrible lesson, the folks of Margot Street are determined to live every day as if it’s their last.

Judy Leigh returns with a soul-warming, rib-tickling, timeless tale of true love, true friendship and happy-ever-afters.  

Review

Billy and Dawnie have done their parenting and now in their 70s they have decided to reboot their lives and start over - in Devon. However the two of them are the kind of people who stand out in a crowd, a biker and someone with a garish sense of style and fashion.

The people who live in Maggot Street, sorry Margot, are convinced the dregs of society have moved in. Truly a case of judging both Billy and Dawnie purely by their exteriors. As the community gets to know the people behind the stereotypical preconceptions some of them are completely surprised that the new neighbours aren't a serial killer and a cheap tart.

In this entertaining and compassionate read the author spreads the message about not judging a book by its cover. Very much a message of the times we live in. Our reactions to the exterior reflects our own judgements and pre-conceived ideas. 

It's nice to read a story with characters who are experiencing the last leg of the life race. Middle-aged and elderly characters tend to play a secondary role in stories, so it's a pleasure to see them take the main stage and give us a nice read.

I like the fact Leigh isn't just catering to what the mass market wants from a character perspective and instead gives readers a bit of niche read, despite it being a completely relatable and enjoyable one.

Buy Heading over the Hill at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Boldwood Books; pub date 3 Dec. 2020. Buy at Amazon com. At Hive. At Waterstones.

#BlogTour The Old Girls Network by Judy Leigh

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour The Old Girls Network by Judy Leigh.

About the Author
Judy Leigh is the bestselling author of Five French Hens, A Grand Old Time and The Age of Misadventure and the doyenne of the ‘it’s never too late’ genre of women’s fiction. She has lived all over the UK from Liverpool to Cornwall, but currently resides in Somerset. Click here to sign up to Judy's newsletter

Follow @judyleighwriter on Twitter,  on Amazon, on Facebook, on Bookbub, on Goodreads, Visit judyleigh.com, Buy The Old Girls Network

About the book
Is it ever too late to change…
After a health scare, 77 year-old spinster Barbara goes to convalesce in the sleepy Somerset village of Winsleigh Green with her sister Pauline, who is now a widow. The sisters are like chalk and cheese - Barbara, outspoken and aloof and Pauline, good natured and homely – so it’s not long before the tension starts to rise.

But when Pauline accidentally knocks down a vagrant who goes by the name of Bisto Mulligan, the ladies find themselves with another houseguest. As he recovers, it becomes apparent that Bisto is not who he first seemed, and as the sisters get to know the kind and courageous man he really is, it’s clear Bisto has the potential to change both of their lives.

As the spring turns to summer, and Winsleigh Green comes to life, can the three friends make the changes they need to, to embrace fresh starts, new loves, new lives and new horizons. Or do old habits die too hard?

Review
When Barbara goes to stay with her widowed sister Pauline to recover from some medical issues, it isn't exactly what either of them want. Well one expects it and the other accepts it reluctantly. It doesn't take very long for the differences between the two to create tension.

Everything changes when Pauline accidentally knocks over a man called Bisto. She invites him to stay until he is better and it is fair to say that his presence changes all three lives.

It's a cosy read with mature characters. A feel good have a chuckle and comfortable read.

I do believe Leigh has found a bit of a niche when it comes to writing about women of a certain mature age bracket and relationships, love and life. I think everyone assumes life grinds to a halt for women above sixty - I want to say fifty really because I am convinced the majority believes it is all downhill from that point.

Of course nobody thinks of men in the same way. They become grey foxes and mature wise gurus of the less youthful stage of life. Those who aren't trying to desperately recapture their youth with a cabriolet, a daughter-wife and a new outlook on life. Women however just become old.

It's refreshing to read characters that blow away all of these presumptions and misconceptions. I also enjoyed the way Leigh created the chalk and cheese sisters - oh my gosh, tell me about it. The way each of their lives has been completely different and how the relationship between the two has a imbalance when it comes to power. Old habits die hard and often follow us into adulthood.

Buy The Old Girls Network at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Boldwood Books; pub date 16 Jun. 2020. Buy at Amazon com.