Thank you Cornerstone. and NetGalley for providing me with the e-arc of A Wedding in the Country in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.
I’ve got a TBR the size of Mount Doom, but I jumped into this book in the expectation of a lovely, light and fun read from Katie Fforde and I wasn’t disappointed!
Unlike her other books, Lizzie’s story is set in the 1960s. Not an era I was around for, but even so the story and Lizzie shone through.
Lizzie is a lovely protected girl, given the chance to experience life in London, when she’s sent to a cookery finishing school, and all the excitement that comes with it, and she does until one day she randomly meets Hugo.
What follows is essentially a modern history romance, albeit with slightly less sizzle.
It’s a lovely story, gently told, albeit with much glossing over the glaring issues of the time, but still easily and quickly read and enjoyed.

A very pleasant read as now expected from Katie Fforde and it lived up to expectations. A wedding between different classes and an unexpected pregnancy thrown into the melting pot would always delight

I've read pretty much all of Katie's Fforde's books and they've all been 5 star reads. You know what you're going to get with a well written and charming story. This one was a little different as it's was set in the 1960s which I enjoyed more and less in equal measures. It was really interesting to hear how different things were back then, but at the same time I prefer her books that are set in a era that I can identify with. A pleasant read.

I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. Set in 1963, Lizzie is sent to London to do a cookery course to improve her chances of making a good marriage. Here she is determined to enjoy all that the big city has to offer. She makes some good friends, but manages to fall in love with someone who is already spoken for. So, will Lizzie's mum get the perfect wedding she has spent all of Lizzie's life planning for, or will fate intervene? A lovely story to make you smile during these dark days. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

Set in the 1960's an uplifting read from Katie Fforde who never disappoints. Lizzie moves to London to attend cookery school and her mother hopes she will bag a rich husband at the same time. A step into life during the swinging sixties to make you feel upbeat and lift your spirits during the pandemic. Lots of artistic individuals who are happy to enlighten shy, sheltered Lizzie. Some great characters.

Another triumph from Katie Fforde! Absolutely loved it & read in two sittings.
Set in the 1960's, Lizzie attends a cooking course in London & makes some great friends, who she moves in with. Life becomes full & eye opening to this 19 year old from the 'Home Counties'. Her parents are 'snobs', who want her to marry well & live her life looking after a house, husband & children. Her Mum has also been organising Lizzie's wedding from the day she was born.
I loved Lizzie & all her friends. I wanted to be living with them too. I enjoyed the setting of this book, a slight change from Katie's other books.
Go & buy & enjoy a few hours of joy!

This is the first novel I have read by Katie Fforde. It is a sweet story set in the early ‘60’s even though at some points in the story it seems to be set in a much earlier era. As the title predicts it is about the twists and turns leading to a wedding in the country. It is quite a charming book however, with interesting characters and a nice plot line. I’m sure Fforde’s many fans will enjoy it.
Thanks to Random House UK, Cornerstone and Netgalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for a review.

Does Katie ever write a bad book? Yet again a great read, held me from the first page to the last. Absolutely loved the characters!

In 2020, everyone needs an escape from the real world and this book is perfect. Totally wonderful tale, takes you away from your worries. Experiencing life through a book is all we have right now. So thank you very much Katie Fford for a few days escapism. Loved every minute, pretending to be somewhere else.

I really enjoyed this book. It follows the story of Lizzie as an only child who wants to live her own life, one not chosen by her parents.
She falls pregnant much to their horror. They want to send her to live with an aunt and have the baby adopted but she is adamant she will bring her baby up on her own with the support of her new friends.
However events take a turn when the father of the baby finds out what is going on and asks her to marry him.
None of their parents approve but over time they win everyone round and get their happily ever after.
A well written story with lots of humour, relatable family issues and tales of friendship.

A Wedding in the Country gives us something a bit different from Katie Fforde. And I like it! The book is set in London in 1963 and features three young women who meet at a cookery course. Alexandra, Meg and Lizzie don't quite fit in with their classmates who are mainly debs filling in time until they marry. It's a slightly different take on a fairy tale and is gentler than most of Katie Fforde's novels. It's happy and positive and wish-fulfilling and I whole-heartedly recommend it.

I am a massive Katie Fforde fan and this did not disappoint at all. Set in a different era and it was interesting reading about different values. Loved the food parts. A nice love story

Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I have read many books by Katie Fforde and enjoyed them all. This is no exception, and it may actually be my favourite book. It's set in 1963 which made a pleasant change from a book set in the present day. Lizzie (Elizabeth to her parents) is sent to a cookery school in London to learn skills to help her in the life as a wife that her mother has planned for her since she was born.

Things don't always go to plan though do they?

A wonderful book. Really really enjoyed it!

Firstly thanks to Random House UK and Netgalley for an early review copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Can you ever go wrong with a Katie Fforde book? I think we all know the answer to that is no and this one is no different. What is slightly different is that it is all set in the 1960s which was a pleasant change.

Our main character Lizzie has been sent to London to attend cookery school. She is determined to make the most of this opportunity by moving in with two of her friends and cutting her hair short. Her Mother would like to see her married to a suitable man however Lizzie doesn't have the same ambition!

This book made me laugh and cry in equal measures. Life was so very different in the 1960s and reading the way that people who were slightly different was, I found, quite sad.

However I could feel myself at the parties Lizzie and the girls attended and enjoy the fun that they had. I also found it interesting how the relationship between Lizzie and her parents developed, and particularly how her Mother's attitude towards her changed.

One last thing - I loved Patsy, what a diamond!

Lizzie (always Elizabeth at home) has grown up knowing her mother has her wedding day planned out for her: she’ll marry the son of a friend of her parents’, marry in the local church wearing a dress that shows off her waist, and then head off for a reception in a marquee in the family garden. But when Lizzie is sent to a London cookery school so she can learn to cook for this as yet unknown husband, she discovers a world beyond the Hone Counties...

I’m not sure how Katie Fforde does it but she always has me hooked in from the first page. Wonderful as ever.

I've read most of Katie Fforde's books. it's 1963 and Lizzie has come to London to study in a cookery school as her mother is determined that she's going to find an eligible man to marry. Lizzie wants to have some fun first.

A truly beautiful book that took me back to my childhood. All the descriptions of the glorious houses in Belgravia that were actually falling apart, then the normal homes were working class people lived like Elizabeth aka Lizzie lived.
Her parents wanted her to find a suitable man who would keep her in a suitable lifestyle. So she went on the course to learn to cook,she could sew and mend things she could also arrange flowers beautifully
But the course was in London and so they told her she could stay with her aunt Gina. So she moved into the little house with Gina and travelled to London everyday. She made new friends on the course Meg a brilliant cook, and Vanessa who owned a beautiful house
And when Gina asked her to move out they all moved in with Vanessa and her gay friend David they had a lovely time together made more friends and got invited to parties were the posh people went
Lizzie met Hugo and she instantly knew he was her one but he was already engaged to Electra and she wasn’t going to let him go he was from a very rich family
Lizzie and the girls were invited to a party at Hugo s parents country home were it was expected that he would propose to Electra, but Lizzie overheard a conversation she shouldn’t have and decided to leave
So she left the house and went to the river where she had seen a boat so hopefully she could get across and into the town but things didn’t go as planned and she ended up in the water freezing and drowning when suddenly an arm came round her and dragged her out and took her to a boat,house they eventually made love almost accidentally
2 months later and Lizzie realises she is pregnant. What does she do? Her parents won’t forgive her she will be on the streets with a baby

For lovers of nostalgia, or those who actually remember these times, the author takes the reader back to the start of the Swinging Sixties. Lizzie's parents, anticipating this will prepare her to become A Wife, have sent her to London and enrolled her in a cooking course largely attended by aristocrat girls treating it as a finishing school. Back at home in Surrey Lizzie's mother continues the search for an eligible husband for her daughter.

A first Lizzie lives with an aunt but soon moves into a large house to share with two of the other students. When not at the school they go to smoky pubs, host dinner parties and attend country house balls. Away from the vigilant eyes of her parents, Lizzie quickly discards her country mouse image and turns into a girl-about-town.

Whilst Lizzie is excellent at sewing and flower arranging and learns to cook, she's really too docile for a heroine. Over the years I've read and enjoyed many of Katie Fforde's books, this is not a good representation of her excellent work. If you are new to this author, any of her other titles would be a better choice.

ARC generously supplied by NetGalley, this review is my honest opinion and completely unbiased.

As usual in my reviews, I will not simply rehash the plot (plenty of other reviews like that out there already!).

This is my third read by this author, so I chose it in the hope and expectation that it would be a gentle read...an antidote to the gloom and dismay that pervades the world at present. I was not disappointed.

I didn't notice that it was set in the 1960s, but as I grew up in that era, I wasn't at all put out by the fact.

I loved the main characters - particularly David, Meg and Alexandra - and others grew on me during the course of the story. There are a few "baddies" in the mix to even things out.

The subject matter (I won't give away details) highlighted how very different British society is nowadays, and that things we take for granted as acceptable were definitely not always so - even just 60 years ago! I was pleased that Lizzie's quiet determination was rewarded in the end - she seemed a nice person (if a little bullied by her parents!) and deserved to be treated well.

In short, this is a nice gentle read with extra layers built in - you get a taste of life in 1960s London and the Home Counties - and echoes of the fading glamour of past ways of life (which for all I know could still be prevalent amongst well-bred upper class gals today!)

I enjoyed reading this, and look forward to reading more titles by Katie Fforde.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

Fun And Fashionable Belgravia....
1963, Lizzie arrives in London. A new life beckons and there’s fun to be had. A house in fashionable Belgravia, friends and and room for a lodger. What next? Whilst Lizzie’s mother has some pre arranged plans for her future, Lizzie’s own plans may be very different indeed. Engaging reading from start to finish and typical comfort reading from Katie Fforde, always a joy and never a chore.