I read a lot of books while we were on holiday, but this week’s book of the week is Cathy Bramley’s Appleby Farm which I started before we went away and finished after we got back*. That said, while I was on holiday I read parts two and three of Bramley’s latest serialisation and really liked them too, so it seemed like a really obvious choice.
So, Appleby Farm (which came out as a e-book partwork earlier this year before the paperback release) tells the story of Freya, who starts the book working in a cafe near the Ivy Lane allotments that featured in Bramley’s book from earlier this year. But soon she gets an SOS call from her auntie, and heads up to the Lake District farm where she grew up after her uncle has a heart attack. Soon she’s torn between the boyfriend down south and the farm that she loves.
I really liked Freya. She’s a really well put together character, who has flaws and issues but is really, really likeable. And as the granddaughter of a farmer (on both sides) and with three farms in the extended family (and another couple of cousins working in agriculture/agribusiness as well) the farm setting really worked for me. I loved reading about Freya’s plans for the farm as she tries to help her auntie and uncle. I wouldn’t say I’m a farming connoisseur, but I know the basics, and I didn’t spot any glaring errors in the farming facts, which was great.
I also didn’t notice the joins between the parts in this as much as I did when when I read Ivy Lane. Appleby Farm, although it’s still divided into sections, seemed to flow better, with less building to cliff hangers which were rapidly/immediately resolved at the start of the next part. It definitely feels more like a novel, than a part-work that’s been stitched together.
I’ve mentioned (many times) before that I’m not a great candidate for serialisations. I don’t like cliffhangers – one year I waited til the start of the new season of Greys Anatomy before watching the end of the previous one so I wouldn’t be left in suspense – and when I find a series I like I like to be able to read on and read more (25 Janet Evanovich books in five months anyone?), but I really do like Cathy Bramley’s work. As I mentioned further up, I read two parts of Wickham Hall during the holiday, and whilst I want to know what’s happening next (and have the book on preorder) I finished each part with a smile on my face having enjoyed seeing what had happened rather than angry that I’ve been left hanging.
Roll on Part four of Wickham Hall – and I really need to get my hands on Conditional Love too.
Appleby Farm was all over the supermarkets when it came out in August – and I’m hoping it’ll still be there and in the bookshops, but if you can’t wait – here’s the Kindle, Amazon, Foyles and Waterstones and as an extra special bonus, here’s Wickham Hall: Part One and Ivy Lane (both for kindle).
* I have a rule about not taking books that I’ve already started away on holiday with me.
Verity Reads Books (lots of them) 
Thank you for this lovely review, Verity. So glad you enjoyed it. I spent a lot of time reseaching farming for this, on 4 separate farms to try and get the details right and I’m relieved I didnt make any glaring errors! Cathy x
Thank you Cathy – I enjoyed it so much. I was just sorry I didn’t manage to get it finished in time to join in with the Novelicious book club debate – I’d bought my copy before it was announced as the book and was really excited to be ahead of the game for once and then… I’m looking forward to the last part of Wickham Hall too – it’s pre-ordered already!