An entertaining read about female friendship amongst a group of women aged from 40 to 90. I really enjoyed the friendship between the women and the way they supported each other. Jeannie the main character is 72 juggling running her apple farm and cider business whilst also caring for her mother and teenage twin grandchildren. Her story is very relatable and it is important to have a woman of her age reflected in print, being so active and busy. My only quibble was the determination to match every woman with a man at the end of the book, especially when the librarian shed her glasses for contacts, to make herself more appealing for a man who held up his trousers with string!

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is a good book. I enjoyed the flow of the story, it had well rounded robust characters, a good dose of fun and romance and is a all round general good read.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because the content made me think and feel.
The small book club in Combe Pomery features a handful of strong but struggling women and men. Jeannie runs the cider farm, but at 72 years old, she's wondering if it's time to retire. Her farm manager Barney wonders the same thing. Ruth the librarian fears she’s too old to find love or is she? Aurora has remade herself once and it might be time to explore the world again. Verity struggles with her husband's newfound harshness, and Mark finds himself wrestling with the past and present. Danielle faces a cheating husband and is not sure who she is anymore. Together, the friends discover a bond that takes them to France and home again. Will they each learn to love themselves and open their hearts, minds and souls to the love they deserve?
This book started out slow, and it stayed slow until the last third. That's when all the story lines came to a conclusion.
I found myself rooting for most of the characters, and that makes a good book, in my opinion.
While sweet and sappy, I really liked the ending. I like how each person confronts themselves and gains life-giving insights. This book is hopeful for folks of all ages.

The Golden Oldies' Book Club
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The Golden Oldies' Book Club
by Judy Leigh (Goodreads Author)
4.12 · Rating details · 370 ratings · 68 reviews
Ruth the librarian fears she’s too old to find love, but a discussion about Lady Chatterley’s Lover makes her think again.

Aurora doesn’t feel seventy-two and longs to relive the excitement of her youth, while Verity is getting increasingly tired of her husband Mark’s grumpiness and wonders if their son’s imminent flight from the nest might be just the moment for her to fly ...more
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Kindle Edition, 347 pages
Published December 6th 2022
ASINB0B7WCZNL5
Edition LanguageEnglish
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Review I have been a fan of Judy's work for quite a while now. I love the way in which she writes such fun, feel good, heart warming and uplifting stories. I read the synopsis of 'The Golden Oldies' Book Club' and it certainly sounded like another superb story from Judy. I couldn't wait to dive in and so without further ado, I grabbed my copy of the book, grabbed a cup of tea and settled down for what I have to say was a fantastic afternoon of reading. I ADORED reading 'The Golden Oldies' Book Club' but more about that in a bit.

I have to say that I loved all of the female characters in this book. It seems kind of wrong to single out any one of them for special attention but I have to admit that I had something of a soft spot for the character of Aurora, as she reminded me a bit of my lovely Mam. Both Aurora and my Mam are in their seventies but they certainly don't feel that old. Both are determined to relive their respective youths.

As soon as I started reading, I knew that I was reading something special and that I would struggle to put the book down at all. I was spot on too. I started reading and found that I just couldn't stop. My Kindle wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I just couldn't bear to miss a single second of the story. I had warmed so well to the characters that I had to keep reading to find out how their section of the story panned out. The more of the book that I read, the more I wanted to read and the quicker the pages seemed to turn. I can honestly say that 'The Golden Oldies' Book Club' was a delight to read from start to finish. I started laughing at the start of the book and I can honestly say that parts of the story still make me laugh even now.

'The Golden Oldies' Book Club' is superbly written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Judy Leigh. Judy has an easy going writing style that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact reading one of Judy's books feels more like a chat between friends rather than reading a book. I hope that makes sense. Judy clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in the very vivid and realistic way in which she describes them. She makes her characters seem just as real as you and I. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a fairly steady pace throughout. I love the way in which Judy makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and at the heart of the action. That's how I felt anyway.

In short, I ADORED reading 'The Golden Oldies' Book Club' and I strongly recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Judy's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*

The Golden Oldies is set in the small village of Combe Pomeroy. We meet a bookclub, The Golden Oldies, made up of Ruby, the librarian who feels like life has passed her by, Aurora, seventy-two years old and full of energy, Verity, married to a grump, Danielle, tired of her cheating husband and Jeannie, the owner of the local cider farm and heartbeat of her family and community. She is getting tired and contemplating retirement. All these women are a various ages, but most of them are mature characters. When discussing The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the group decide an exchange trip to France is just the thing for all of them to get a much needed getaway. A trip to a cider farm and other excursions spur the ladies on to make changes. After returning home they begin to move forward supporting each other along the way, and when some of the people they met in France come to visit them, even more magic and happiness occurs.

The Golden Oldies’ Book Club by Judy Leigh is a heartwarming novel about love and friendship, community and companionship, and of course how the love for books and reading can bring people together. I loved all the characters, except for the misogynistic Mark, who is Verity's husband and the only male member of the book club. They were all older women, which I loved, and they wanted more out of the life they had. I enjoyed seeing them hop over to France for their trip, forgetting their troubles for awhile and making decisions of what they were going to do next. Their adventures were hilarious, doing some things I had not heard of. The scenes of them land yachting in their yellow helmets was so funny. Being a reader, I loved all the conversation around books and think maybe I need to read Lady Chatterley's Lover. This was a wonderful, uplifting story where we learn it is never too late to start over, find romance or make changes in your life. Once again, Judy Leigh left me with a satisfying smile on my face when I finished reading this one.

This isn't just a story about a book club, although that certainly would have been enough of a draw for many of us because HELLO, a book about book loving people? Yes please! No, this is a story about how much of a difference a year can make in the life of anyone, let alone this lovely group of people. Some are friends, some will be before long. Some are estranged without even realizing it, yet will work towards coming together before things unravel for good. Some are surprised by events they could never have foreseen...for better, or worse. Some friends become family, and some family take flight to chart the next chapter of their lives in the great big world. There are highs and lows, heartbreak and heart song, secrets uncovered and realizations made, all with a background filled with utter loveliness from the township to the people, and everything in between.

I think I felt most for Jeannie. She was the rock, the anchor, the one to be counted on to be there in the end, and yet she had so much left to give. It's not that she wasn't living her life, but it certainly wasn't in full color, and while that lesson doesn't come easy, it does come and very much so before it's too late. Though a grandmother herself, her mother was still a force to be reckoned with. Nary found without her sharp whit, Violet has a joke for every situation, but a steeliness beneath that could weather the toughest storm. Aurora, the most free spirited among this circle of friends, was allowing things to happen naturally, accepting time as it proceeded, but even the freest bird can be caged inadvertently, and the results are never quite what we expect. I was surprised by her story's turn, and yet not. It fit perfectly. On the other hand, we've got Ruth, who is steadfast and sure, but not without her own secrets, and surprises, which eventually turns into a relationship who don't quite see coming, yet couldn't be happier for her when it does. The twins cause their own ruckus, but growing up was never easy. Mark and Verity certainly made a case for singledom...and yet, an even better case for working together, listening to one another, and not letting things stew. I could go on and on, but I won't because this cast of characters deserves their time in the sun, and will make a different impact on every reader.

When all is said and done, it wasn't a book about an epic change, the world ending, or some other headline grabbing occurrence, but about life, and making sure our own days are well lived. It doesn't matter what we set out to do at the start, it matters how we finish. If we reach that set destination, fine and dandy, but if we veered off, took an offshoot path, or set a new course, those are just as amazing, if not more so, moments too. Our lives are our to chart, and we are the ones that get to say whether we lived our days to their fullest. As one of may favorite songs so aptly phrased..."If you have a dream, go chase it....If you find love, embrace it.." ...lessons we all could use a reminder of at any age. A great read for Women's Fiction fans that love to get lost in the story, but also in the lives of the characters living it.

A brilliantly funny murder mystery that had me laughing out loud.

A definite for fans of a light hearted, easy to read page turner.

Great, likeable characters and plenty of mystery to keep the story flowing.

Recommended 4 stars from me.

I enjoyed the four parts the book was split into, mimicking fhr four seasons of the apple harvest,

For the book is focused on apples and cider production in particular, which was rather interesting.

At its heart is had a group of women who are all friends and in a book club together, all initially going through a hard time and being unsure what their next stages of life my bring.

My favourite section of the book is the trip to the town that Combe Pomeroy is twinned with.

Speaking of twins, Jeannie's grandchildren are living with her and I loved how they came into their own and had so many great ideas.

And then there is Jeannie's mum, who had me groaning almost every time she spoke - for she is constantly telling jokes (I'd say ranging from dad jokes to Christmas cracker jokes), to give you an idea of the humour involved in them.

I almost feel like this needs a companion joke book full of Violet's jokes, in addition to seeing which ones didn't make the cute.

It must have taken a great deal of research, to manage to locate an appropriate joke for pretty much any topic of conversation.

An enjoyable year spent in Somerset learning all about cider.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

We begin with Jeannie who is seventy-two and living with her ninety-five-year-old mother Violet. She also has her teenage grandchildren staying with her as they are finishing up school. She has a lot going on but one bright spot is her book club at the local library.

In the club we have Ruth, the librarian, who is lonely and yearns for more. Then there is Verity who is having some trouble in her marriage while Danielle’s marriage is ending after her husband’s affair. Not to mention poor Aurora whose heart was broken long ago and she has yet to recover.

The ladies decide to take a book club trip to France and get a breather from their troubles. They support one another and when they get back they begin to tackle their problems one at a time. We get to follow along on their journey of discovering that you are never too old to make new friends, find love or simply learn to live.

This was such a wonderful read and I will say that I enjoyed it so much. It deals with everyday life and the things that we all have to face as we get older. What it gives us though is a lasting friendship and the will to step out there and face your dragons head on. It was light hearted and great fun!

Favorite Quotes:

He listened to Led Zeppelin for a moment, his face creased with disgust. ‘Are you sure that’s not a woman?’ ‘Definitely.’ Aurora folded her arms. ‘Well, he sounds like a proper girl’s blouse to me.’

The trouble with retirement is that you never get a day off.

Life was so difficult: you fell in love, then you fell out again and landed with a thump, giddy and stunned.


My Review:

I revel in Judy Leigh’s insightful, clever, and wryly amusing storytelling. She never fails to put a smirk on my face and keep it there, even when she is simultaneously squeezing my heart. Her tales are easy to fall into with fully populated villages of authentic and realistically quirky characters that intrigue, annoy, and entertain me to no end. I thoroughly enjoyed this convivial group of golden gals and can only aspire to be as feisty and cunning as Violet at the tender age of ninety-five.

4.5* rounded up to 5* for Amazon

Jeannie Sharrock has run the family cider making business in the small village of Combe Pomeroy with the help of Barney, her farm manager, since her cheating husband left her and moved to Spain. Her son and his wife also moved to Spain, leaving their teenage twins, Ella and Caleb, with Jeannie while they finish their education. She has her nonagenarian mother to consider as well, although Violet certainly isn’t of the shrinking variety. Jeannie is seventy two years old herself and is feeling the strain.

Jeannie’s friends and book club members, Aurora, who runs the on site shop, estate agent Danielle whose marriage has hit the rocks, librarian Ruth, and potter Verity who is getting sick of her controlling and misogynistic husband. All the ladies are about to approach crossroads in the their lives, the catalyst being an impromptu visit to France.

Ruth runs the twinning association with Plouménez in France and has booked a gîte for the bookclub. With several villagers volunteering to keep an eye on the cider farm and Violet, Jeannie was reassured. So it was decided. The bookclub members were off to France and staying by coincidence on a cider farm.

I do enjoy a book with more mature characters, especially when they realise it’s never too late to change what isn’t working, and this group of friends fit the bill perfectly. They are so relatable and their situations believable. I loved reading about the trip to France, the places they visited and people they met, and how it had a long reaching impact.

The Golden Oldies’ Book Club is an entertaining read, written with warmth, humour and a message not to let chances slip by. Themes of friendship, community and navigating life and its opportunities run throughout. I’m a fairly recent convert to Judy Leigh’s books but will definitely be searching out more.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

Jeannie is a 72 year old woman who has been running Sharrocks' Cider Farm ever since her father died. She was married to Peter, and life was sweet. They ran the farm together happily. Well thats until Peter met Gail and moved to Spain.

They have one son Wesley. Who has also moved and left his kids with Jeannie to bring up. Jeannie is at a crossroads in her life she knows she must hand over the reins of the farm to someone else. But, it's her life and its all she knows.

I love Judy Leigh's books, they are the types of books that you can read if you want to just escape from the reality and meet some wonderful characters on the way. I love a book with old people in it. Old people tend to not care what others say and will give their opinion as they see fit.

One perfect character in The Golden Oldies Book Club is Violet, Jeannie's mum. I absolutely loved her sense of humour and puns. But she does give out good advice too.

‘You have to decide if you want to be the sort of person who only deserves an omelette on Christmas Day or if you’re worth the whole damned roast."

Leigh has written a perfect book depicting village life to a tee.

This is such a fun, uplifting read. I have never read a Judy Leigh but I will definitely read more if I was to describe it 'it's like a hug in a book' it feels so comforting and genuine. @judyrleigh @bookandtonic

This was a great story of these older ladies. I loved the stories from them and the jokes. A truly enjoyable book to give you a smile on your face when you are done the book. Loved it.

Very cozy novel about a group of seniors, all with unique situations, looking for love and companionship.

I found this an easy read about later in life female friendship although I found myself frustrated with Jeannie who seemed to let people use her and she wouldn’t make decisions for herself.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

Love reading books by Judy Leigh, they are always great to read. A book club in a village with a group of ladies, what more can you ask for. Great read 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

I loved this village and would love to live there and be neighbours with these ladies. I would so join that book club and give Matt a piece of my mind while I am at it.

The Golden Oldie's Book Club is a book of love, friendship, community and learning your never too old to have fun and start again. I have never felt so much happiness reading a book it is truly a heartwarming novel that had me belly laughing so hard that I had tears streaming down my face. I loved the book club and there heated discussions and the sense of community was beautiful. The characters and their friendships are well developed. I fell in love with all the characters but I particularly developed a soft spot for Violet and her hilarious jokes she is certainly a crack up. A spendidly written novel that was a delight to read.