Stately Pursuits
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $16.18
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Roe Kendall
-
By:
-
Katie Fforde
About this listen
“You’re not doing very much at the moment, darling. I don’t suppose you’d care to housesit for a while?”
Thus begins the irresistible story of two fixeruppers - an old house and a young woman - and their efforts to recapture their true luster.
When Hetty Longden, freshly dumped and brokenhearted, agrees to look after her greatuncle’s dilapidated mansion in the English countryside, she’s at something of a lifetime low. With no job, no lover, no prospects, and no particular talent for resuscitating crumbling estates, she hopes for nothing more than some good oldfashioned escape. What she finds includes a cast of quirky and everpresent neighbors, a couple of SNAGs (Sensitive New Age Guys); some very humorless bank officials; a cat and two disarming little canines; one gracious, dilapidated, romantic old house; and, just maybe, enough elbow grease to polish everything up again.
A Sunday Times (London) best seller that’s as inviting as an elegant old house full of unexplored rooms, after a good scrubbingdown, of course, Stately Pursuits is the funniest, smartest, and warmest read of the season.
©1997 Katie Fforde (P)1998 Blackstone Audio, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Wild Designs
- By: Katie Fforde
- Narrated by: Vanessa Benjamin
- Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Althea Farraday, a 38-year-old divorced mother of three, has a teenage son who’s a Buddhist, a hypercritical sister who knows how to push all her buttons, a job on the endangered species list, and a love life to match. Just as she’s settling in to a comfortable level of chaos, a near-perfect man enters her life. Equipped to steal her heart and help turn her passion for designing gardens into a new career, Patrick Donahugh may be too good to be true.
-
-
Perhaps a tad old-fashioned, but lovely!
- By Laura on 10-15-20
By: Katie Fforde
-
The House of Hopes and Dreams
- By: Trisha Ashley
- Narrated by: Julia Franklin
- Length: 14 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Random House presents the audiobook edition of The House of Hope and Dreams by Trisha Ashley, read by Julia Franklin. When Carey Revell unexpectedly becomes the heir to Mossby, his family’s ancestral home, it’s rather a mixed blessing. The house is large but rundown and comes with a pair of resentful relatives who can’t be asked to leave. Still, newly dumped by his girlfriend and also from his job as a TV interior designer, Carey needs somewhere to lick his wounds. And Mossby would be perfect for a renovation show.
-
-
Good Story But Narration Was A Strange Choice
- By kelley pharr on 10-19-19
By: Trisha Ashley
-
Just the Way You Are
- By: Beth Moran
- Narrated by: Eilidh Beaton
- Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Olivia Tennyson - or Ollie to her friends - was 16, she wrote a Dream List of all the things she wanted for her life, including a happy marriage and a family. But at 29, Ollie is single, living at home with her over-protective and manipulative mother and is feeling like her dreams are getting further out of reach. It’s time for a change. It’s time to take matters into her own hands.
-
-
overbearing mother, insecure lead - again
- By Jennifer on 02-08-23
By: Beth Moran
-
I Owe You One
- A Novel
- By: Sophie Kinsella
- Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham
- Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Fixie Farr has always lived by her father’s motto: “Family first.” And since her dad passed away, leaving his charming housewares store in the hands of his wife and children, Fixie spends all her time picking up the slack from her siblings instead of striking out on her own. The way Fixie sees it, if she doesn’t take care of her father’s legacy, who will?
-
-
Ugh
- By Anonymous User on 02-08-19
By: Sophie Kinsella
-
The Messy Lives of Book People
- By: Phaedra Patrick
- Narrated by: Katy Sobey
- Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mother of two Liv Green barely scrapes by as a maid to make ends meet, often finding escape in a good book while daydreaming of becoming a writer herself. So she can't believe her luck when she lands a job housekeeping for her personal hero, megabestselling author Essie Starling, a mysterious and intimidating recluse. The last thing Liv expected was to be the only person Essie talks to, which leads to a tenuous friendship.
-
-
I'm giving up on this author
- By NMwritergal on 07-11-22
By: Phaedra Patrick
-
Take a Chance on Me
- By: Beth Moran
- Narrated by: Rosalind Steele
- Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Emma has four younger sisters, all of whom are married or getting married, and an Italian mother who can’t understand what is ‘wrong’ with her eldest daughter, who seems to be stranded on the shelf. Despairing of her own ability to find a suitable husband, Emma agrees to be part of a compatibility project to get married at first sight.
-
-
This book turned me off the author
- By Elisa on 11-14-22
By: Beth Moran
-
Wild Designs
- By: Katie Fforde
- Narrated by: Vanessa Benjamin
- Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Althea Farraday, a 38-year-old divorced mother of three, has a teenage son who’s a Buddhist, a hypercritical sister who knows how to push all her buttons, a job on the endangered species list, and a love life to match. Just as she’s settling in to a comfortable level of chaos, a near-perfect man enters her life. Equipped to steal her heart and help turn her passion for designing gardens into a new career, Patrick Donahugh may be too good to be true.
-
-
Perhaps a tad old-fashioned, but lovely!
- By Laura on 10-15-20
By: Katie Fforde
-
The House of Hopes and Dreams
- By: Trisha Ashley
- Narrated by: Julia Franklin
- Length: 14 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Random House presents the audiobook edition of The House of Hope and Dreams by Trisha Ashley, read by Julia Franklin. When Carey Revell unexpectedly becomes the heir to Mossby, his family’s ancestral home, it’s rather a mixed blessing. The house is large but rundown and comes with a pair of resentful relatives who can’t be asked to leave. Still, newly dumped by his girlfriend and also from his job as a TV interior designer, Carey needs somewhere to lick his wounds. And Mossby would be perfect for a renovation show.
-
-
Good Story But Narration Was A Strange Choice
- By kelley pharr on 10-19-19
By: Trisha Ashley
-
Just the Way You Are
- By: Beth Moran
- Narrated by: Eilidh Beaton
- Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Olivia Tennyson - or Ollie to her friends - was 16, she wrote a Dream List of all the things she wanted for her life, including a happy marriage and a family. But at 29, Ollie is single, living at home with her over-protective and manipulative mother and is feeling like her dreams are getting further out of reach. It’s time for a change. It’s time to take matters into her own hands.
-
-
overbearing mother, insecure lead - again
- By Jennifer on 02-08-23
By: Beth Moran
-
I Owe You One
- A Novel
- By: Sophie Kinsella
- Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham
- Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Fixie Farr has always lived by her father’s motto: “Family first.” And since her dad passed away, leaving his charming housewares store in the hands of his wife and children, Fixie spends all her time picking up the slack from her siblings instead of striking out on her own. The way Fixie sees it, if she doesn’t take care of her father’s legacy, who will?
-
-
Ugh
- By Anonymous User on 02-08-19
By: Sophie Kinsella
-
The Messy Lives of Book People
- By: Phaedra Patrick
- Narrated by: Katy Sobey
- Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mother of two Liv Green barely scrapes by as a maid to make ends meet, often finding escape in a good book while daydreaming of becoming a writer herself. So she can't believe her luck when she lands a job housekeeping for her personal hero, megabestselling author Essie Starling, a mysterious and intimidating recluse. The last thing Liv expected was to be the only person Essie talks to, which leads to a tenuous friendship.
-
-
I'm giving up on this author
- By NMwritergal on 07-11-22
By: Phaedra Patrick
-
Take a Chance on Me
- By: Beth Moran
- Narrated by: Rosalind Steele
- Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Emma has four younger sisters, all of whom are married or getting married, and an Italian mother who can’t understand what is ‘wrong’ with her eldest daughter, who seems to be stranded on the shelf. Despairing of her own ability to find a suitable husband, Emma agrees to be part of a compatibility project to get married at first sight.
-
-
This book turned me off the author
- By Elisa on 11-14-22
By: Beth Moran
-
Emma
- An Audible Original Drama
- By: Jane Austen, Anna Lea - adaptation
- Narrated by: Emma Thompson, Joanne Froggatt, Isabella Inchbald, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Austen wrote, 'I am going to take a heroine whom no-one but myself will much like' and thus introduces the handsome, clever, rich - and flawed, Emma Woodhouse. Emma is perfectly content with her life and sees no need for either love or marriage; nothing however delights her more than matchmaking her fellow residents of Highbury. But when she ignores the warnings of her good friend Mr. Knightley and attempts to arrange a suitable match for her protegee Harriet Smith, her carefully laid plans soon unravel and have consequences that she never expected.
-
-
Background sonds RUINED this
- By Sandra Dodd on 09-09-18
By: Jane Austen, and others
-
An Escape to Provence
- By: Sophie Claire
- Narrated by: Karen Cass
- Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When cynical divorce lawyer Daisy Jackson unexpectedly inherits a ramshackle farmhouse in Provence, she sets off for the French countryside to oversee renovations herself. But Gabriel Laforet has other ideas. A local builder with ties to the property, Gabriel is determined to see Daisy off and preserve the characterful, charming farmhouse—which, but for a missing will, he knows is rightfully his.
-
-
Boring, no depth to the story
- By Helen McCarthy on 05-09-24
By: Sophie Claire
-
The Littlest Library
- A Novel
- By: Poppy Alexander
- Narrated by: Karen Cass
- Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jess Metcalf is perfectly content with her quiet, predictable life. But when her beloved grandmother passes away and she loses her job at the local library, Jess’ life is turned upside down. Determined to pick up the pieces, Jess decides it’s time for a new beginning. Unable to part with her grandmother’s cherished books, she packs them all up and moves to a tiny cottage in the English countryside. To her surprise, Jess discovers that she’s now the owner of an old red phone box that was left on the property.
-
-
An entertaining read.
- By Kim Meseck on 11-10-22
By: Poppy Alexander
-
The Garden of Forgotten Wishes
- By: Trisha Ashley
- Narrated by: Melissa Vaughan
- Length: 13 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
All Marnie wants is somewhere to call home. Mourning lost years spent in a marriage that has finally come to an end, she needs a fresh start and time to heal. Things she hopes to find in the rural west Lancashire village her mother always told her about. With nothing but her two green thumbs, Marnie takes a job as a gardener, which comes with a little cottage to make her own. The garden is beautiful - filled with roses, lavender and honeysuckle - and only a little rough around the edges. Which is more than can be said for her next-door neighbour, Ned Mars.
-
-
Always takes you Awayyyyy
- By Tracy on 09-19-24
By: Trisha Ashley
-
A Day That Changed Everything
- By: Beth Moran
- Narrated by: Rose Robinson
- Length: 10 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Amy Piper is a loser. She’s lost her confidence, her mojo and her way. But one thing she has never lost is her total love for her 13-year-old son, Joey, and for his sake she knows it’s time for a change. But first she has to be brave enough to leave the house. What she needs are friends and an adventure. And when she joins a running group of women who call themselves the Larks, she finds both. Not to mention their inspiring (and rather handsome) coach, Nathan.
-
-
Good story
- By Cyndi on 01-22-23
By: Beth Moran
-
We Belong Together
- By: Beth Moran
- Narrated by: Marie Lawrence
- Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Eleanor Sharpley has been living a lie. Needing to escape her London life quickly, Eleanor throws her things into the back of her car, and heads to her erstwhile best friend Charlie’s family farm. But Charlie isn’t there. Instead she finds Charlie’s grieving brother, Daniel, her eight-month-old daughter, Hope (a daughter Eleanor had known nothing about) and a crumbling and unloved Damson Farm.
-
-
“Nora Sharp” review following
- By Shelly G on 05-12-22
By: Beth Moran
-
Welcome to the School by the Sea
- The First School by the Sea Novel
- By: Jenny Colgan
- Narrated by: Jilly Bond
- Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s gloriously sunny in Cornwall as the school year starts at the little boarding school by the sea. Maggie, the newest teacher at Downey House, is determined to make her mark. She’s delighted by her new teaching job, but will it come at the expense of her relationship with her safe, dependable boyfriend Stan? Simone is excited and nervous: she’s won a scholarship to the prestigious boarding school and wants to make her parents proud. Forced to share a room with the glossy, posh girls of Downey House, she needs to find a friend, fast.
-
-
Trigger warning for anti-fatness and diet culture
- By heather on 07-05-22
By: Jenny Colgan
-
The Queen of New Beginnings
- By: Erica James
- Narrated by: Juanita McMahon
- Length: 15 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Clayton Miller's life is a mess. His career as one of the country's best comedy script writers has stalled and his long term girlfriend has left him for his ex best friend and ex writing partner. Just when he thinks his life couldn't get any worse, he commits a spectacularly public fall from grace and with the press hounding him, his agent banishes him to the middle of nowhere until the dust has settled.
-
-
I couldn't put it down....
- By Kevin Herman on 01-15-17
By: Erica James
-
The Reluctant Elf
- By: Michele Gorman
- Narrated by: Gemma Dawson
- Length: 2 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Meet Britain's worst innkeeper. Single mother and extremely undomestic goddess Lottie has five days to become the ultimate B&B hostess to save her beloved Aunt Kate’s livelihood. When Aunt Kate ends up in the hospital, Lottie and her seven-year-old daughter are called to rural Wales to stand in at the B&B. Without the faintest idea how to run a hotel (she can barely run her own life), Lottie must impress the picky hotel reviewer and his dysfunctional family who are coming to stay over Christmas.
-
-
The Reluctant Elves
- By Cole M Miller on 04-06-21
By: Michele Gorman
-
Summer at Skylark Farm
- By: Heidi Swain
- Narrated by: Karen Cass
- Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Escape the cold winter nights with Sunday Times top five best seller Heidi Swain's Summer at Skylark Farm! Amber is a city girl at heart. So when her boyfriend, Jake, suggests they move to the countryside to help out at his family farm, she doesn't quite know how to react. But work has been hectic, and she needs a break, so she decides to grasp the opportunity and make the best of it. Dreaming of organic orchards, paddling in streams and frolicking in fields, Amber packs up her things and moves to Skylark Farm. But life is not quite how she imagined....
-
-
Could have been so much better if only ...
- By Julie Belle on 03-22-19
By: Heidi Swain
-
Bridget Jones’s Diary
- By: Helen Fielding
- Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat
- Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From its beginning as a weekly column in a British newspaper, Bridget Jones’s Diary quickly became a best-seller in England. After gaining international popularity, it also shot to the top of the New York Times best-seller list. A 30-something single professional, Bridget Jones prefers a diary to a day planner for tracking her life. Each entry is an honest and hilarious step in her endless quest for self-improvement.
-
-
Outstanding performance of a very fun story.
- By Andrea L. Whitcomb on 07-15-12
By: Helen Fielding
-
The Little French Guesthouse
- La Cour des Roses, Book 1
- By: Helen Pollard
- Narrated by: Helen Johns
- Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Emmy Jamieson arrives at La Cour des Roses, a beautiful guesthouse in the French countryside, she can't wait to spend two weeks relaxing with boyfriend Nathan. Their relationship needs a little TLC, and Emmy is certain this holiday will do the trick. But they've barely unpacked before he scarpers with Gloria, the guesthouse owner's cougar wife. Rupert, the ailing guesthouse owner, is shell-shocked. Feeling somewhat responsible - and rather generous after a bottle (or so) of wine - heartbroken Emmy offers to help.
-
-
Absolutely loved it!
- By TikiSan on 09-23-16
By: Helen Pollard
Critic reviews
Related to this topic
-
Wild Designs
- By: Katie Fforde
- Narrated by: Vanessa Benjamin
- Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Althea Farraday, a 38-year-old divorced mother of three, has a teenage son who’s a Buddhist, a hypercritical sister who knows how to push all her buttons, a job on the endangered species list, and a love life to match. Just as she’s settling in to a comfortable level of chaos, a near-perfect man enters her life. Equipped to steal her heart and help turn her passion for designing gardens into a new career, Patrick Donahugh may be too good to be true.
-
-
Perhaps a tad old-fashioned, but lovely!
- By Laura on 10-15-20
By: Katie Fforde
-
Life Skills
- By: Katie Fforde
- Narrated by: Davina Porter
- Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Suddenly released from her engagement and out of work, Julia Fairfax is looking for a new direction in life. When a classified ad catches her eye, she embarks on a hilarious trip through the English canals in a rickety hotel boat. Along the way, she encounters hard-to-please guests, an unsettling ex-boyfriend, and the challenges of cooking in a tiny galley with rattling crockery.
-
-
This book starts out great-
- By erin on 12-01-06
By: Katie Fforde
-
Summer at Skylark Farm
- By: Heidi Swain
- Narrated by: Karen Cass
- Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Escape the cold winter nights with Sunday Times top five best seller Heidi Swain's Summer at Skylark Farm! Amber is a city girl at heart. So when her boyfriend, Jake, suggests they move to the countryside to help out at his family farm, she doesn't quite know how to react. But work has been hectic, and she needs a break, so she decides to grasp the opportunity and make the best of it. Dreaming of organic orchards, paddling in streams and frolicking in fields, Amber packs up her things and moves to Skylark Farm. But life is not quite how she imagined....
-
-
Could have been so much better if only ...
- By Julie Belle on 03-22-19
By: Heidi Swain
-
Sleigh Rides and Silver Bells at the Christmas Fair
- By: Heidi Swain
- Narrated by: Karen Cass
- Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Anna takes on the role of companion to the owner of Wynthorpe Hall on the outskirts of Wynbridge, she has no idea that her life is set to change beyond all recognition. A confirmed ‘bah humbug’ when it comes to Christmas, Anna is amazed to find herself quickly immersed in the eccentric household, and when youngest son Jamie unexpectedly arrives home it soon becomes obvious that her personal feelings are going all out to compromise her professional persona.
-
-
nothing like a warm story on a cold night
- By KristineSS on 11-11-18
By: Heidi Swain
-
Christmas at Snowdrop Cottage
- By: Helen J. Rolfe
- Narrated by: Ana Clements
- Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
All it takes is a cozy cottage, nostalgia for her family, and the unexpected presence of a tall, handsome man to make Belle realize the true meaning of Christmas.
-
-
Amazing
- By Bonnye Albert on 01-04-20
By: Helen J. Rolfe
-
Rainy Day Sisters
- Hartley-by-the-Sea, Book 1
- By: Kate Hewitt
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 11 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Lucy Bagshaw's life in Boston falls apart thanks to a scathing editorial written by her famous artist mother, she accepts her half-sister Juliet's invitation to stay with her in Hartley-by-the-Sea, a charming seaside village in Northern England. Lucy is expecting quaint cottages and cream teas but instead finds that her sister is an aloof host; the weather is wet, windy, and cold; and her new boss, Alex Kincaid, is a disapproving widower who hired her only as a favor to Juliet.
-
-
like a cup of tea
- By Paige Reed on 10-03-19
By: Kate Hewitt
-
Wild Designs
- By: Katie Fforde
- Narrated by: Vanessa Benjamin
- Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Althea Farraday, a 38-year-old divorced mother of three, has a teenage son who’s a Buddhist, a hypercritical sister who knows how to push all her buttons, a job on the endangered species list, and a love life to match. Just as she’s settling in to a comfortable level of chaos, a near-perfect man enters her life. Equipped to steal her heart and help turn her passion for designing gardens into a new career, Patrick Donahugh may be too good to be true.
-
-
Perhaps a tad old-fashioned, but lovely!
- By Laura on 10-15-20
By: Katie Fforde
-
Life Skills
- By: Katie Fforde
- Narrated by: Davina Porter
- Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Suddenly released from her engagement and out of work, Julia Fairfax is looking for a new direction in life. When a classified ad catches her eye, she embarks on a hilarious trip through the English canals in a rickety hotel boat. Along the way, she encounters hard-to-please guests, an unsettling ex-boyfriend, and the challenges of cooking in a tiny galley with rattling crockery.
-
-
This book starts out great-
- By erin on 12-01-06
By: Katie Fforde
-
Summer at Skylark Farm
- By: Heidi Swain
- Narrated by: Karen Cass
- Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Escape the cold winter nights with Sunday Times top five best seller Heidi Swain's Summer at Skylark Farm! Amber is a city girl at heart. So when her boyfriend, Jake, suggests they move to the countryside to help out at his family farm, she doesn't quite know how to react. But work has been hectic, and she needs a break, so she decides to grasp the opportunity and make the best of it. Dreaming of organic orchards, paddling in streams and frolicking in fields, Amber packs up her things and moves to Skylark Farm. But life is not quite how she imagined....
-
-
Could have been so much better if only ...
- By Julie Belle on 03-22-19
By: Heidi Swain
-
Sleigh Rides and Silver Bells at the Christmas Fair
- By: Heidi Swain
- Narrated by: Karen Cass
- Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Anna takes on the role of companion to the owner of Wynthorpe Hall on the outskirts of Wynbridge, she has no idea that her life is set to change beyond all recognition. A confirmed ‘bah humbug’ when it comes to Christmas, Anna is amazed to find herself quickly immersed in the eccentric household, and when youngest son Jamie unexpectedly arrives home it soon becomes obvious that her personal feelings are going all out to compromise her professional persona.
-
-
nothing like a warm story on a cold night
- By KristineSS on 11-11-18
By: Heidi Swain
-
Christmas at Snowdrop Cottage
- By: Helen J. Rolfe
- Narrated by: Ana Clements
- Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
All it takes is a cozy cottage, nostalgia for her family, and the unexpected presence of a tall, handsome man to make Belle realize the true meaning of Christmas.
-
-
Amazing
- By Bonnye Albert on 01-04-20
By: Helen J. Rolfe
-
Rainy Day Sisters
- Hartley-by-the-Sea, Book 1
- By: Kate Hewitt
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 11 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Lucy Bagshaw's life in Boston falls apart thanks to a scathing editorial written by her famous artist mother, she accepts her half-sister Juliet's invitation to stay with her in Hartley-by-the-Sea, a charming seaside village in Northern England. Lucy is expecting quaint cottages and cream teas but instead finds that her sister is an aloof host; the weather is wet, windy, and cold; and her new boss, Alex Kincaid, is a disapproving widower who hired her only as a favor to Juliet.
-
-
like a cup of tea
- By Paige Reed on 10-03-19
By: Kate Hewitt
-
The Forgotten Secret
- By: Kathleen McGurl
- Narrated by: Melanie MacHugh
- Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s the summer of 1919, and Ellen O’Brien has her whole life ahead of her. Young, in love and leaving home for her first job, the future seems full of shining possibility. But war is brewing, and before long, Ellen and everyone around her are swept up by it. As Ireland is torn apart by the turmoil, Ellen finds herself facing the ultimate test of love and loyalty. A hundred years later and Clare Farrell has inherited a dilapidated old farmhouse in County Meath.
-
-
The Forgotten Secret
- By Amazon Customer on 08-31-20
By: Kathleen McGurl
-
The Brightest Star in the Sky
- A Novel
- By: Marian Keyes
- Narrated by: Caitriona Keyes
- Length: 17 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Brightest Star in the Sky follows seven neighbors whose lives become entangled when a sassy and prescient spirit pays a visit to their Dublin townhouse with the intent of changing at least one of their lives. But what will this metamorphosis be and who will the sprite choose?
-
-
Terrible sound quality, worse narration
- By Jan on 02-23-10
By: Marian Keyes
-
Walking Back to Happiness
- By: Lucy Dillon
- Narrated by: Jilly Bond
- Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Juliet’s been in hiding - from her family, from her broken life, but most of all from the fact that Ben’s not around anymore. Her mother, Diane, has run out of advice. But then she insists Juliet look after her elderly Labrador and it becomes apparent that Coco the dog might actually be the one who can rescue her daughter. Especially when it leads to her walking dogs for a few other locals too, including a spaniel, Damson, who belongs to a very attractive man.... Before she knows it, Juliet realizes she has somehow become the town’s unofficial pet-sitter.
-
-
Great Read - makes you appreciate what you have
- By Leisha on 12-10-12
By: Lucy Dillon
-
A Year at the Star and Sixpence
- By: Holly Hepburn
- Narrated by: Karen Cass
- Length: 13 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The perfect escapist listen, for all fans of Cathy Bramley and Scarlett Bailey. A Year at the Star and Sixpence is Holly Hepburn's four Star and Sixpence novellas collected together as a novel for the first time. When sisters Nessie and Sam inherit a little pub in a beautiful country village, they jump at the chance to escape their messy lives and start afresh. But when they arrive at the Star and Sixpence, it's not quite what they imagined - it's pretty much derelict, ruined by debts, and it's going to be a huge job....
-
-
A Year at the Star and Sixpence
- By Thalia on 08-05-19
By: Holly Hepburn
-
Secret Smile
- By: Nicci French
- Narrated by: Anne Flosnik
- Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Miranda's sister Kerri has a new boyfriend. He's a handsome charmer who seems to dote on Kerri. But Brendan isn't the man he says he is. Miranda should know. She broke off her own affair with him just a few weeks ago when she found him reading her diary.
-
-
I want my 9 hours back
- By Ashley on 07-19-23
By: Nicci French
-
The Bookshop on Rosemary Lane
- By: Ellen Berry
- Narrated by: Gabrielle Glaister
- Length: 12 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Take a trip to the Yorkshire village of Burley Bridge, where a very special little cookbook shop is about to open its doors.... In the beginning...Kitty Cartwright has always solved her problems in the kitchen. Her cookbooks are her life, and there isn't an issue that 'Cooking with Aspic' can't fix. Her only wish is that she had a book entitled Rustling Up Dinner When Your Husband Has Left You. Forty years later.... On Rosemary Lane, Della Cartwright plans to open a very special little bookshop.
-
-
The Bookshop on Rosemary Lane
- By Nanette P. Riegert on 05-24-17
By: Ellen Berry
-
The District Nurses of Victory Walk
- By: Annie Groves
- Narrated by: Alex Tregear
- Length: 11 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Alice Lake has arrived in London from Liverpool to start her training as a District Nurse, but her journey has been far from easy. Her parents think that she should settle down and get married, but she has already had her heart broken once and isn’t about to make the same mistake again. Alice and her best friend, Edith, are based in the East End, but before they’ve even got their smart new uniforms on, war breaks out, and Hitler’s bombs are raining down on London.
-
-
A Look at the Role of the District Nurse
- By Jean on 04-30-19
By: Annie Groves
-
Making Your Mind Up
- By: Jill Mansell
- Narrated by: Anna Parker-Naples
- Length: 13 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lottie Carlyle is happy enough. Living in a beautiful cottage with her two adorable - sometimes - kids in an idyllic village, on good terms with her ex-husband, and with friends all around, everything is going just fine. But when she meets her new boss, her peaceful world is thrown into delightful, exciting, and frustrating chaos. Tyler is perfect for Lottie, but her kids do not agree.
-
-
Nice story, bad American accent
- By K. Overton on 07-24-15
By: Jill Mansell
-
Staying On
- By: Paul Scott
- Narrated by: Paul Shelley
- Length: 9 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tusker and Lily Smalley stayed on in India. Given the chance to return ‘home’ when Tusker, once a Colonel in the British Army, retired, they chose instead to remain in the small hill town of Pankot, with its eccentric inhabitants and archaic rituals left over from the days of the Empire. Only the tyranny of their imposing landlady threatens to upset the quiet rhythm of their days.
-
-
A Pleasant Meander
- By Ian C Robertson on 09-22-14
By: Paul Scott
-
A Share in Death
- By: Deborah Crombie
- Narrated by: Michael Deehy
- Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A week's holiday in a luxurious hotel is just what Scotland Yard's Superintendent Duncan Kincaid needs. But his vacation ends dramatically with the discovery of a dead body in the whirlpool bath. Despite a suspicious lack of cooperation from the local constabulary, Kincaid's keen sense of duty won't allow him to ignore the heinous crime, impelling him to send for his enthusiastic young assistant, Sergeant Gemma James. But the stakes are raised significantly when a second murder occurs....
-
-
series readers, start here
- By connie on 02-09-13
By: Deborah Crombie
-
The Scent of You
- By: Maggie Alderson
- Narrated by: Zara Ramm
- Length: 13 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A tale of perfumes, exploring life, love, loss and forgiveness - Maggie Alderson's new best seller. Are you still married if you haven't seen your husband for months? Polly's life is great. Her children are away at uni, her glamorous mother - still modelling at 85 - is happily settled in a retirement village, and her perfume blog is taking off. Then her husband announces he needs some space and promptly vanishes. As Polly grapples with her bewildering situation, she clings to a few new friends to keep her going.
-
-
Okay for a light read
- By Robin on 10-26-17
By: Maggie Alderson
-
The Cosy Teashop in the Castle
- By: Caroline Roberts
- Narrated by: Eloise Secker
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Can Ellie bake her way to a happy ever after? A deliciously heartwarming novel for fans of Lucy Diamond and Milly Johnson. When Ellie Hall lands her dream job running the little teashop in the beautiful but crumbling Claverham Castle, it’s the perfect escape from her humdrum job in the city. Life is definitely on the rise as Ellie replaces spreadsheets for scones and continues her Nanna’s brilliant baking legacy.
-
-
What a disappointment
- By Samantha M on 01-04-20
By: Caroline Roberts
What listeners say about Stately Pursuits
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Heidi
- 04-29-12
Enjoyable story. Technically challenged.
Would you consider the audio edition of Stately Pursuits to be better than the print version?
I enjoyed the story and it was read well. My only issue was that it wasn't spliced together well and the narritive would jump from the middle of one sentance to the middle or beginning of another. Souding like it skipped, like a record would sometimes do.
What other book might you compare Stately Pursuits to and why?
I can't think of a particular book. Theme is a woman growing up, finding self and finding true love. So far the 2 books I have listened too from the Katie Fforde have same theme.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Karen
- 07-29-12
Decent story
Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?
This was a nice story overall, good for a long drive to some vacation time.
Would you recommend Stately Pursuits to your friends? Why or why not?
Hettie and the other characters are mostly believable, but the jumps in the narrative keep the listener saying "wha...?" at the start of a new chapter. I appreciated a modern setting of a nod to Jane Eyre and her fictional contemporaries, though.
Have you listened to any of Roe Kendall’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
haven't heard Roe's other performances, but I thought it was well done with the multiple characters & personalities easily distinguishable.
Do you think Stately Pursuits needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
No need for a follow-up book. Hettie got her act together, it was a happy ending.
Any additional comments?
There were MANY skips in the audio - very distracting!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Cyan
- 01-10-15
classic Katie Fforde
Would you listen to Stately Pursuits again? Why?
It's the kind of story that I would only listen to once but a fun listen.
What did you like best about this story?
The story is light yet interesting enough to keep you listening. The story plus narration made it worthwhile
What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?
It took couple of minutes to get into the way the narrator spoke/ read but soon as I heard all the different voices I understood her better and really appreciated at the end.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
no little bites as escape was good
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Loy
- 04-01-12
good and cute
I really liked this book -
Katie Fforde has a way of describing the characters with just enough bad qualities that they seem real to the reader. I like books when the sweet female lead takes charge--
I would recomend this book and plan to listen to others by Fforde
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Loy
- 04-01-12
good and cute
I really liked this book -
Katie Fforde has a way of describing the characters with just enough bad qualities that they seem real to the reader. I like books when the sweet female lead takes charge--
I would recomend this book and plan to listen to others by Fforde
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Sarah
- 12-26-13
Great story, bad file
Any additional comments?
Love the story but the recording has several skips, as if the CD is skipping. Downloading again didn't help. Checked out the book from Overdrive and it has the same problem. Bah.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- K.
- 03-25-12
A charming British 'cozy' romance
Hetty doesn't have much going for her at the beginning of the book; her boyfriend has dumped her in a particularly painful way, and since he was also her boss, she's out of work too. She finds herself in an elderly relative's country estate, trying to get ready for the annual spring open house tours while he is ill. Soon the entire village is helping Hetty and dreading the arrival of the heir, who wants to pull the house down.
I found the characters appealing and the dialog surprisingly realistic and in parts extremely funny. The description of the house and its revival was charming. The pace was a little slow at times, but I enjoyed Hetty's progress as she acquired skills and confidence.
There's a hint of Bridget Jones, a little Cinderella, and maybe a nod to the houses of the 1995 Pride and Prejudice miniseries. I thought the narrator was excellent.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- SUZANNE
- 04-30-12
GOOD FOR A LONG CAR JOURNEY
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
NOT A GREAT STORY IT WAS A BIT DULL. I WAS EXPECTING MORE, IT WASN'T THE FUNNY ROMANCE I EXPECTED.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Shannon GC
- 02-23-20
Story is good, narration is terrible
I like the story itself a lot but the narration ruins it. The voices are wrong all the way through. The narrator was absolutely the wrong person to do this. It needed someone who understands the humor and can do sexy voices. Connor sounds like a stuffy, 60 year old prig. Hetty's voice is all wrong. No way would that speaking voice sing the songs Hetty sings. Caroline sounds like she's a 50 year old, vapid woman.
Also, the recording skips periodically and misses sections. REALLY annoying.
I kept thinking what this would have been like if it was read by Mary Jane Wells. She would have gotten the humor right.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!