The Village Vicar by Julie Houston is a charming and brightly written tale that intricately weaves together the stories of three sisters adopted in their youth.
With its dual timelines and unexpected twists, the narrative evolves as the sisters navigate life’s challenges, with one returning to her hometown to become the village vicar.
I found this cozy and multi-layered read to be captivating, unexpected in many ways, and makes me look forward to reading other books in the series.
Thank you to author, Julie Houston and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Charlene 📚🌸🤗 @lastnownext

I've read books by Julie Houston before that I really liked. And this one, too, really caught my attention. However, I just couldn't make myself like these characters - mainly because it didn't really seem as if any of them really liked each other? I mean, I assume they did - but not enough of that is shown and established, before they all go off constantly trying to one-up each other.
Also, as it turns out, though, there is such a thing as too many plot twists. Who wouldn've known, right?

This was such a beautiful book! I loved all the characters and their relatability. Rose was my favourite, what a well written character with lots of great development.

It was a fresh story, with secrecy and twists galore that I wasn’t expecting. And the ending - I did not see that coming!

Brilliantly written! Highly recommend.

3* DNF

I really tried liking this book, but it wasn’t for me. The story is about adopted triplet sisters and how their lives evolved. It stars with how they’ve been conceived and then takes a huge jump in time to the present. However, various flashbacks written in a “she was thinking back to the old days” style made it a bit of a timetravel I didn’t enjoy. I also felt like the story never really took off, which is why halfway through, I gave up. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me an ARC to read, I was hoping this would’ve been more my style, but it’s not.

The Village Vicar was every bit as good as I had anticipated. We meet triplets Rosa, Eva and Hannah and they make for a set of lovely main characters, although the book focusses slightly more on Rosa than her sisters. They have a close but complex relationship, each of them different to the other and they each bring something distinct to the novel.

The book begins with the story behind their birth. Readers are introduced to Alice, their birth mother, and her sister, Susan, who along with her husband adopts the three girls. It was good judgement on the part of the author, to spend time portraying the back story of the triplets at the beginning as it provides context for the remainder of the novel.

It is both humourous and heart felt and I enjoyed reading every page. Ms. Houston's novels always leave me with a satisfied feeling, and I cannot wait to read the next in the series, The Girls of Heatherly Hall, which was published just last week.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading contemporary women's fiction.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Julie Houston is at her addictive best with her charming, uplifting and absorbing new novel, The Village Vicar.

When Rosa Quinn had left the village of Westenbury a decade ago, she never imagined that ten years later she would return back as the new vicar. A lot has happened in the last ten years and after catching her boyfriend cheating and a health scare, Rosa had realised that the time had come for her to start over and to live closer to her triplet sisters, Eva and Hannah. But will going back end up being the best decision Rosa ever made? Or has she just made the biggest mistake of her life?

It turns out that Rosa is not the only old face in the village and when she crosses paths with her ex, she begins to wonder whether putting down roots in Westenbury again might have been a terribly foolish idea. But with her sisters needing her more than ever and old family secrets emerging, Rosa realises that she cannot continue to run away from the past. Will this new beginning in Westenbury be everything Rosa had hoped for? Or will she pack her bags and end up leaving for pastures new?

Julie Houston’s writing shines in her latest novel, The Village Vicar. A wonderfully written and highly entertaining read sprinkled with wit, humour and heart, The Village Vicar is a gorgeous tale about second chances, family bonds, old ghosts and falling in love readers will be completely bowled over by.

A lovely page-turner that will brighten up every reader’s day, Julie Houston’s The Village Vicar is another surefire hit for this much-loved writer of feel-good fiction.

This book just didn't do it for me. I didn't love most of the characters but I also thought the book tried to do to many things.

I have reviewed some of Julie Houston's books, and liked them all Julie has a real talent for creating an atmospheric village in every book I have by her. The characters in this book are realistic and the story had me interested.

I was a twin, and the mention of triplets in this book influenced my decision to request it. There are difficult personal issues here and they are dealt with in a sensitive way, but the book has its humorous moments too. The value of the church within a community and the vicar's work were interesting.

Thanks to Julie Houston and Aria and Aries/Aria for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

4 stars

Is it me? Or is the trope of the 'exe' turning up being over-used? I'm a little on the fence about this book because of this. I liked the characters, the way it was written, but had to slap my head because of that. Sorry.

I gave this book a shot. I couldn't quite get into it, but I do feel I would still recommend to certain readers and patrons.

This story is about triplet sisters and their lives.
I found it very hard going, the story never really picked up and I can honestly say I didn't enjoy it.
I am grateful to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book but am sad that it's not the light book I was hoping to read.

I’m not sure about this book. I didn’t love it but, I didn’t hate it either. It tended to jump around a lot which I found annoying as the story didn’t flow so well. I also found it dragged in places and I lost interest at times. I did like the relationship between the sisters though and that was a plus for me. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

What a book! I loved the characters of this book and how relatable that everyone is different, no matter how much family might be the same. It was so enjoyable to read a fresh story with no similar plots to previous things I had read and it was written so beautifuly.
It was a little slow to begin but 100% worth it when you hit that spot. I really enjoyed this book and I woukd happily purchase it.

This book is about Rose, Eva and Hannah three adopted triplets and the granddaughter of The previous vicar. Rose was recently a high finance money person in London but since she’s had the calling has come back home to be the village vicar. Her parents and siblings coddle her due to her recent serious health scare. Eva is a dentist and she is married to A fellow dentist but isn’t very happy in her marriage. Hannah is single and dating the only problem is it’s her choice of people to date it she isn’t very happy either. I found the beginning of this book with the pregnancy and the two original sisters the mom in the aunt very interesting but thought when it got to the main story it’s slow down and took a while to gain momentum. I loved when the story focused on Eva and her unexpected visit from her mother-in-law. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the main story which was rose I enjoyed all their stories unlock the sister relationship between the triplets I did think that would be more about their adoption in the linage but it was what it was and is so totally worth reading. This is a solid four star read in a book I definitely recommend if you love stories about sisters at the age where they’re trying to get a grip on what kind of life they’re living you definitely need to read The Village Vicar, you will not be disappointed. I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Don't be missled by the title of this book as it is based on the tale of three sisters, infact they are triplets.. Well worth a read and this author never fails to write a great book. 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgally and publisher for this ARC

This wonderful story of family secrets and new beginnings was such a wonderfully warm-hearted read that I found myself swept along effortlessly by the story. Although the story is primarily about Rosa and her sisters, the story goes back in time to their birth mother Alice’s story, which gives additional background to the triplets story.

I loved the way in which the triplets had such different personalities, although as the new vicar in the village I found it so much easier to warm to Rosa. I think as the story progressed though, I found myself warming to Hannah and the abrasive Eva too.

I loved the feel of the village, and the additional characters, with the exception of Alice who was incredibly selfish, added depth to the story. I think my favourite side characters were Azra, Eva’s hilarious if a tiny bit overbearing mother in law, and Bill, the Marquess of Stratton, who I found to be completely endearing and I had such a soft spot for him.

There were twists and surprises galore, including one that I honestly did not see coming, and the ending was perfect. I’d love Hannah to get her own story too, as I think there is probably potential for it.

The Village Vicar is a story of secrets, surprises, sisterhood, motherhood, forgiveness, and facing the future in unity.

I always look forward to a new book from Julie Houston and this one was a sheer delight!

Rosa Quinn has had a few upsets in her life recently; a cheating boyfriend and a health scare makes her re-evaluate her life and she decides to return to Westenbury, close to both of her triplet sisters. As the new vicar, she gets to know the village inhabitants including, to her surprise, an ex boyfriend. Then it seems that their own family has some secrets which have been kept secret. Has Rosa made the right decision in returning to the fold?

Julie Houston is one of my very favourite authors - she raises my spirits like no other. Her writing is warm and witty and always makes me laugh. She has many novels set in and around Westenbury but I think this is my new favourite. Packed with fabulous characters and a great storyline, I know there will be more to come about this family and I can hardly wait! Completely entertaining and so very enjoyable. If you fancy a well written novel which will leave you feeling happy, look no further. Five glowing stars.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy; my apologies for the lateness in my review, due solely to an eye allergy which has kept me away from my computer screen.

I enjoyed Houston’s story because I liked following the triplets, especially as they were such varied characters. Although I thought the story took a while to get going, I came to appreciate the time that the writer spent establishing the back-story of the women; it becomes more important once you are really into the main story.

Rosa, Hannah and Eva are at different points in their lives and whilst Rosa seems to be the central character, I enjoyed how Houston focussed on all of their lives. Being so close to one another, it is natural that their lives interweave so much, emphasised further by them now all living in close proximity. Yet, the book is not just about Rosa returning to Westenbury as the new village vicar, but also her past. Over time, readers learn about Rosa’s background in London, her career and what events caused her to drastically change her lifestyle.

Yet, despite Rosa finding a new calling, it would seem that she and none of the sisters are actually very happy. An idyllic location and an appealing novel cover would both imply that this is quite an uplifting, merry story. However, Houston explores the issues of blended families, absent parents and illnesses in this novel. Whilst they do not make this a hard, depressing slog, I think it shows extra dimension to this story. In this way, I enjoyed the detail that the writer goes in to and I thought this made the plot more interesting to read.

What I disliked about the story was the complete lack of loyalty displayed in so many relationships. Occasional infidelity in a novel I can accept, but when it seems that no one in the novel has a happy, trusting relationship, well, it did rock my core a little bit! I was disappointed that Houston does not promote any loving couple in the slightest; all relationships are based on dishonesty, cheating and dissatisfaction. It felt a bit of a come-down to the story and influenced me to dislike the characters a bit less.

I also struggled to adapt to Houston’s writing style. Frequent use of long, flowing, complex sentences meant that I felt mentally breathless reading this book. So many times the sentence structures were incredibly long – adding a breathy feel to the narrative – but it also felt a little bit out of control. At first, I found this style a bit grating but I did adjust to it. Personally, I prefer a more varied sentence structure in narratives and felt this “rambling” style to lessen my interest in the overall story.

The characters of Rosa, Hannah and Eva all bring something different and unexpected to this novel. I enjoyed the flashbacks into their pasts because it made their characters even more interesting but I would have definitely preferred more loyalty along the way.

With thanks to Aria Fiction, Head of Zeus and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Village Vicar
The Village Vicar by Julie Houston
The Village Vicar
by Julie Houston (Goodreads Author)
30817744
Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice*'s reviewJan 26, 2023 · edit
really liked it
bookshelves: 2023, 2023-netgalley-challenge, 4-star, contemporary-fiction, family-drama, friendship, romance, stand-alone, women-s-fiction, small-town-fiction

EXCERPT: 'And when the policeman had me wind down my window, saw my lovely pink dress all soaked and dripping, my laddered tights and looking like some pink blancmanged Alice Cooper -' Rosa rubbed at the rivulets of black mascara down her cheeks '- and asked me for my identity and I said, 'I'm Reverend Rosa Quinn, the village vicar. I'm just on my way up to my father's place at Stratton Hall,' he replied with, 'Yes, sweetheart, and I'm the Archbishop of Canterbury and later on, I'll be off to my mother's place at Buckingham Palace.' And he made me get out of the car and breathalysed me.'

ABOUT 'THE VILLAGE VICAR': Three devoted sisters... One complicated family.

When Rosa Quinn left her childhood home in Westenbury, she never expected to return over a decade later as the village vicar. But after a health scare and catching her boyfriend cheating, Rosa jumps at the chance to start over and live closer to her triplet sisters Eva and Hannah.

But Rosa's isn't the only old face in the village, and when her role in the parish throws her into the path of her ex, she begins to wonder if she's made a terrible mistake. Meanwhile, Eva and Hannah face their own troubles, as secrets about their family threaten to emerge.

Can Rosa make a life for herself in Westenbury? Or will the sisters discover you can't run away from the past?

MY THOUGHTS: I have read and enjoyed quite a few of Julie Houston's books, but she takes her writing and her characters to a whole new level with The Village Vicar. This is the best book by this author that I have read.

Julie has taken all the things I love in a multi-generational family drama and expertly woven them into a fascinating story of complicated family relationships and a contested will.

I loved the rivalry between the triplet sisters tempered by their love of one another. Their older sister, Virginia, has always felt left out of the tight trio, and soothed herself with the knowledge that they were adopted, cuckoos in her nest. She lives a safe and secure life, often outraged by the lives of the three, even now that they are adults.

Eva, Hannah and Rosa each have their own distinct personality, although that doesn't stop them all fancying the same man! So while diverse, they also have some similarities: Eva and Rosa are quite driven; Hannah and Rosa passionate and unlucky in love.

Their mothers - birth mother artist Alice; adoptive mother her sister Susan - are also vastly different personalities. And it is with their story that this humorous and touching book begins.

Highly recommended.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#TheVillageVicar #NetGalley

I: @juliehoustonauthor @headofzeus

T: @JulieHouston2 @AriaFiction @HoZ_Books

#contemporaryfiction #familydrama #friendship #romance #smalltownfiction

THE AUTHOR: Julie lives in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire where her novels are set, and her only claims to fame are that she teaches part-time at ‘Bridget Jones’ author Helen Fielding’s old junior school and her neighbour is ‘Chocolat’ author, Joanne Harris. After University, where she studied Education and English Literature, she taught for many years as a junior school teacher. As a newly qualified teacher, broke and paying off her first mortgage, she would spend every long summer holiday working on different Kibbutzim in Israel. After teaching for a few years she decided to go to New Zealand to work and taught in Auckland for a year before coming back to this country. She now teaches just two days a week, and still loves the buzz of teaching junior-aged children. She has been a magistrate for the past nineteen years, and, when not distracted by Ebay, Twitter and Ancestry, spends much of her time writing. Julie is married, has a twenty-four-year-old son and twenty-one-year-old daughter and a ridiculous Cockerpoo called Lincoln. She runs and swims because she’s been told it’s good for her, but would really prefer a glass of wine, a sun lounger and a jolly good book - preferably with Matthew Mcconaughay in attendance.

She hates skiing, gets sick on boats and wouldn’t go pot-holing or paddy diving if her life depended on it.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Aria & Aries via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Village Vicar by Julie Houston for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

What a fantastic book. The story and writing was brilliant as were the characters. It was light hearted and I found it difficult to put down!