Sunday 6 December 2020

#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 Amazonon Facebookon Bookbubon 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.

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