A delightfully charming book set in an Oxfordshire village featuring a group of villagers who were at primary school together plus their teacher. Several different stories interwoven round the central characters with a glorious sense of friendship and community. Well drawn characters, utterly believable with some quirkiness. Heartwarming and uplifting but in a quiet gentle way, the book tells of the lives of ordinary folk in an English village.

The Silver Ladies Do Lunch is a heart-warming novel about the importance of friendship, especially as we grow older. I enjoyed this low-key, gentle book that focused on a close knit friendship group of over 60s. Each with their own pain to deal with set in a small English country town.

The silver ladies do lunch by
Judy Leigh

‘The Silver Ladies’ are four woman in the autumn of their years Josie, Lin and Minnie all went to primary school together and Cecily was their young vibrant teacher of their final year who made a life long impression on all of the village children in that class and retires to the village. They are all very different Josie is a recent widow, Lin is celebrating her golden wedding anniversary and is an Oxford don and Cecily is still everyone’s champion in racing around in her purple mobility scooter looking as sexy as every!

A fabulous well written feel good book about life and friendship set in an Oxfordshire village Full of love , laughter secrets and lies in an idealic village setting showing life is not always as it seems. Tremendous feel good read about life and it may twist along the way.

Another fantastic book by @judyrleigh after I read The Golden Oldies this was at the top of my new releases TBR and it didn't disappoint. The narrative had such a nostalgic, community feel. The characters are so well written and it's so easy to emphasise with them and you feel like you are living their struggles. I really there wil be a sequel to this lovely book.

Gentle low-key story about lasting friendship. Love that Judy Leigh books always include the older generation also love the song's woven through.. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy

The Silver Ladies Do Lunch is about a group of ladies who have been friends for 50+ years. They all went to primary school together and live in the same quaint small town. The Silver Ladies get an addition when Mrs. Hamilton, their former primary school teacher comes back to town. Mrs. Hamilton, or Cecily as she wants to be called now was probably my favorite character. She's all about living life to the fullest and has taught so many people valuable lessons. I also loved how Cecily and the other ladies took young Florence under her wing. This book isn't overly exciting but it's perfect for when you feel like curling up on the sofa with a cup of tea and need a comfort read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for allowing me access to an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Welcome to the picturesque village of Middleton Ferris in Oxfordshire. Here we meet three women who have been friends since primary school, Josie, Lin and Minnie works as an academic in nearby Oxford. They regularly meet together for lunch, supporting each other all through their lives.

When their favourite school teacher, Cecily Hamilton, moves back into the village, their little circle expands to include her in their lunches. There are, however, other people who also still remember Miss Hamilton and soon we are getting to know many of the members of the village as well as their families. Soon, there are regular lunches which include many of the villagers. We are witness to the gossip (often the men are the ones most guilty of this), the changing nature of relationships, the scandals the prejudicesand more.

The main characters are the three friends, their former teacher and a young woman named Florence who finds herself in something of a pickle. I really like the cross generational friendships that are described in this book. Whilst Josie, Linn and Minnie are all the same age, Miss Hamilton is obviously older, and the ladies also look after Florence.

Josie lost her husband the previous year, and I thought she was coping quite admirably, to the point that she went off a Caribbean cruise in honour of her husband Harry. She seems quite content most of the time but she is beginning to attract the attention of some of the men in town, although she doesn't have any interest in romance.

Lin has been married to handsome Neil for nearly 50 years, and she has never had any reason to doubt him, but now he is spending a lot of time away from home, and she knows he is lying to her. She doesn't want to believe the worst of him, but evidence suggests that she has something to worry about, no matter how many times he tells her that everything is fine. I struggled a bit with Lin. She is portrayed as someone who can't even cook herself toast without burning it. I know that there are people out there who really don't like cooking but to not be able to do anything for herself seemed a bit strange. I understand completely why she jumped to the conclusions that she did, but still.

And finally we have unorthodox Minnie, who has never married. She went to college and then made her way into academia in Oxford, but she always makes time to see her friends. She has a unique dress sense, and loves her life in Oxford with its museums, theatre, and history. Minnie was the character that I liked the most.

We do also get the backstory for many of the other villagers. Whilst this was fun at times, there were way too many characters to keep track of, so for me it was sometimes a distraction to try to figure out which character belonged to which. Because there were so many characters, it may be that the most memorable character in the book may yet turn out to be Nadine the pig.

I couldn't help but think about my own childhood friendships as I was reading this. I don't have any friends from primary school that I am still in touch with. I moved states when I was about 10 and then I was the only person from my primary school to go the high school I went to. I absolutely admire people who have managed to keep friendships for their entire lives.

I did like the way that the author used music throughout the book covering ta range of music from the 50s through to now. I thought that was very cleverly done.

I have read a couple of this authors books now. I did like this one, but I think the previous one worked a bit better for me as it was more focused. Leigh seems to write quite a lot of characters who are around 70 years old. I have been reading quite a lot of books about older characters over the last few years but I wonder if maybe this book is at the upper end of my age limit to read about. Still fun and easy to read though.
Be sure to check out other stops on the tour to see more reviews of this book.

The Silver Ladies Do Lunch is a absolutely delicious story that I gobbled up! In typical Judy Leigh style it's a heartwarming and uplifting book. I felt happy and laughed while reading and quite a few times I had to stop and wipe my eyes of the tears and nostalgia. It's a story of primary school friends who are now in there 70s . It tells of all the challenges that they face and that many of us will face in our lives, family drama, grief, illness but through all this they have each other and a lifelong friendship. A fun, entertaining, lighthearted book that will make you smile. Trust me I flew through this.

June 03, 2023
The Silver Ladies Do Lunch by Judy Leigh #Review



I am delighted to feature another uplifting novel by Judy Leigh, The Silver ladies Do Lunch. It was published on 2nd June by Boldwood Books.

When Lin, Josie and Minnie left Miss Hamilton’s class at Middleton Ferris County Primary School, sixty years ago, they could only dream about what the future had in store for them. The one thing they knew for certain was that their friendship would thrive.

Years later and life hasn’t always been kind. Josie is still mourning the loss of her beloved husband Harry a year after his sudden demise. Lin is hoping to celebrate her fiftieth wedding anniversary with husband Neil, but he’s suddenly keeping secrets and telling her lies, so she’s suspecting the worst And as for Minnie, well she loves her life in Oxford academia, but with no family to call her own, she sometimes wonders if the sacrifices were all worthwhile.

So, when the ninety-year-old Miss Hamilton – or Cecily as she lets them call her now – glides gracefully back into their lives on her glamorous purple mobility scooter, the ladies are in need of inspiration and fun. And over their regular lunches, the friends start to dream of leaving the past in the past and embracing the future, because there’s nothing you can’t achieve with good friends at your side.


My Thoughts

Friendship is right there in the centre of this story and runs throughout. It crosses the generations and ties people together through the years. The three women at the centre, Jodie, Lin and Minnie are all facing different challenges but their friendship since they were in primary school ties them together. Jodie is trying to come to terms with the loss of her husband. Lin finds herself suspicious of her husband of thirty years. Minnie, who has ‘escaped’ from their village to academia and Oxford, nevertheless finds her loyalty to her childhood home and friends something which overrides everything else.

There is a great deal of humour in the story, through events and also the characters of the villagers. This is a real feelgood story where you see the best in people for the most part. (Not everyone is exemplary of course but they are peripheral to village life). I found Minnie’s story the most interesting especially her relationship with her sister, Tina. Minnie has managed to escape from the pressures of her father but unfortunately her sister feels left behind. Minnie discovers that the girl she was is still there and she cares about her sister very much. Cicely, their teacher, is a positive influence throughout and almost feels like a fairy godmother, her affection for all her past students obvious. Finally, Florence is a young person who finds it in herself to rise to the occasion and face her future with courage. Looking to the future is something everyone learns to do and to be grateful for the good things in their lives.

In short: firm friends look to the future.
blogtour

The Silver Ladies Do Lunch by Judy Leigh

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

When Lin, Josie and Minnie left Miss Hamilton’s class at Middleton Ferris County Primary School, sixty years ago, they could only dream about what the future had in store for them.  The one thing they knew for certain was that their friendship would thrive. Years later and life hasn’t always been kind.  Josie is still mourning the loss of her beloved husband Harry a year after his sudden demise. Lin is hoping to celebrate her fiftieth wedding anniversary with husband Neil, but he’s suddenly keeping secrets and telling her lies, so she’s suspecting the worst  And as for Minnie, well she loves her life in Oxford academia, but with no family to call her own, she sometimes wonders if the sacrifices were all worthwhile. So, when the ninety-year-old Miss Hamilton – or Cecily as she lets them call her now – glides gracefully back into their lives on her glamorous purple mobility scooter, the ladies are in need of inspiration and fun.  And over their regular lunches, the friends start to dream of leaving the past in the past and embracing the future, because there’s nothing you can’t achieve with good friends at your side. 

My Opinion

Judy Leigh is a refreshing writer that writes about older characters. In this book it was lovely to read about Lin, Josie and Minnie and how they have all been friends since primary school. I have now read a few books by Judy Leigh and I have to say that I do not hesitate to pick up a book when Judy has written it. They are always such delightful reads that teach us that life doesn't have to become boring when you get old.

There is certainly a lot going on to keep the reader entertained and I am sure that the writing style will bring you back for future adventures. A true pleasure to read.

Rating: 4/5

The Silver Ladies Do Lunch by Judy Leigh is a most delightful contemporary novel that I adored.
The tale is about community, love and friendship. The reader drops in to glimpse friendships formed fifty years ago in primary school, remain. The village is community-minded. They laugh together, love together and provide support where it is needed.
All the characters are well drawn and realistic. They are an eclectic bunch, such as you would find in any close-knit community. They have very differing traits from Dangerous Dave to a pig name Nadine who is very much a character in her own right. Their interactions are wonderful to witness. There were times when I literally laughed out loud.
I also enjoyed the fact that the majority of characters were over sixty with the former teacher being ninety years old. Growing old does not mean we cannot have fun. The former teacher still had the authority to put her former pupils in their places too!
Hearts were in the right place as we can ‘feel’ the love. With love there also comes loss. Two characters had lost their lifelong partners, and the pain was palpable.
Not everything in life is always rosy but there is much love to cushion the hurts.
I always love Judy Leigh’s novels. The Silver Ladies Do Lunch is positively charming. It warmed my heart and made me smile.
I received a free copy from Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Whenever I spot a book by Judy Leigh
I just know it is one that'll appeal to me.
Her writing is always insightful and more
With older protagonists everyone can adore!

This one is no exception to that rule
And has friends who first met at school.
Sixty years later three regularly meet
To have lunch together - isn't that sweet?

Now in their seventies these three still find
Thoughts of school days are often brought to mind.
When they meet Miss Hamilton, their teacher, once more
This intrepid trio becomes a four!

Get ready for mystery, dreams of the past
Possible heartbreak and finding the truth at last.
Sometime secrets hide a dreadful thing
But who knows just what lies will bring?

Another great read with this septuagenarian crew,
A story filled with laughter at what they get up to!
One that shows the friendship can help each other
And age is no barrier to adventures, as they discover.

For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review.

Judy Leigh (and her alter ego Elena Collins) is one of those authors I endeavour to read everything they ever write and I have already pre-ordered her new cosy crime book Foul Play at Seal Bay (out in August). I love her writing, especially its warmth, authenticity and that she has the best older characters! So I was very excited to read her latest release – The Silver Ladies Do Lunch.
We begin in 1959 at school with three ten-year-old girls who are friends – Josie, Lindy and Minnie. They are introduced to their new teacher for the year – Miss. Hamilton. After a lovely scene-setting chapter, we jump forward to the present day, when the girls are seventy-four years old. Josie is on a cruise in the Caribbean, but missing her late husband Harry. Lindy (now Lin) is trying to cook a meal for her husband Neil’s birthday. They have been married forty-nine years.
They are reunited with school friend Minnie at their Silver Ladies’ Lunch. While Lin and Josie still live in Middleton Ferris, Minnie moved to Oxford, studying at university and becoming an academic. Then another woman from their past enters the café…
I don’t want to tell you anything else about the plot, because it’s an absolute delight. I loved discovering more about everyone, not only the people in their seventies who had known each other since school, but also those younger and older. I also have a big place in my heart for naughty Nadine the pig.
Judy Leigh’s writing is special. She understands people and relationships; she writes of strong, authentic, inspirational women. She realises that becoming older brings health concerns but it’s not all doom and gloom, the women in her books shine! They don’t have perfect lives, but they are survivors, they keep going and achieve new things. Being in your seventies for Josie, Lin and Minnie isn’t stopping them going out there and enjoying life, despite grief and family worries and stress.
There are so many lessons to learn from these women, but most of all, you just want to be there joining them for tea and cake and gossiping with these amazing characters.

I love Leigh's books so much and they always make the 'getting old' a little less daunting and a whole lot more fun!

Lin, Josie and Minnie have been best friends since their school days, sixty years later their friendship is just as strong, although they haven't always been dealt the best cards in life. When Cecily arrives back on the scene, they realise life is for living, put the past behind them and live their lives to the full.

As always Leigh has created a bunch of warm, wonderful characters in the girls with their passion for life and their infectious wit and wisdom.

The Silver Ladies Do Lunch is hugely enjoyable and entertaining.

This book was filled with fantastic characters and exciting storylines. With enough slow reveals and twists to keep.yoy wondering. The older ladies were all strong and empowered, especially Cecily their old teacher. She was just fabulous!

I love a character driven story where everyone is intertwined and all have an impact on each other, this is exactly that and it gave me all the cosy, happy feels right until the very end. I am off to find some more silver ladies books to add to my collection (and brush up on my guitar playing skills while wearing red lipstick!)

This is a story of long term friendships and relationships. It’s a gentle meandering book which is thoughtfully written with characters full of depth. It’s fundamentally a story of over 60s but the themes and messages and events in the story line apply to all ages.

There are far too novels that focus on people over the age of 50 let alone over the age of 70, so it was a pleasure to read a book in which most of the main characters are that age. Josie, Lin, and Minnie have been friends since grade school, 60+ years ago and still manage to get together at least one a month to catch up and have fun. It helps that Josie and Lin still live in the same village, while Minnie lives in Oxford, close enough to for an easy day trip. Over the course of a year in their lives, although they each face challenges and changes, their friendship is the thing that sustains them, nourishes their souls and helps them welcome newcomers into their circle and deal with each challenge head on and with grace.

On the surface, nothing much happens in the book, yet it was rich with the rhythms of life in a small, somewhat insular English village where everyone knows everyone's business and feels free to dispense advice, wanted or not, by virtue of their long acquaintance and intimate knowledge of every other inhabitant's history. The book was delightful, a perfect, low angst summer read. Because there were so many side characters, I did have a bit of trouble remembering who was who, but nothing that impacted my enjoyment of the story. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

I know I'm in for a treat when I have one of Judy Leigh's books to read - and this one was delicious!

It's been six decades since Lin, Josie and Minnie left primary school and their beloved Miss Hamilton behind; one thing was a certainty - they would remain friends. Despite Minnie, the academic among them living and working in Oxford, she travels back to Middleton Ferris regularly to be with her friends. Josie is grieving for her husband who died suddenly a year ago while Lin was looking forward to her golden wedding anniversary, but now she's not so sure they're going to make it. Neil, her husband, has become very furtive and secretive - surely he couldn't be having an affair, could he?

With terrific characters, a fabulous setting and so very much going on, this is very typical of a Judy Leigh novel. Plenty to think about and entertain the reader, this is an easy book to just sink into and let it take you on it's journey. I have already recommend this to friends who I know have a 'thing' about Dr Martens boots (no spoilers) but, for me, Nadine was definitely the star of the show! Appealing to all ages, this is such a wonderful read and I cannot recommend it highly enough. If you haven't yet read one of Judy's books, then this is a perfect place to start! Five very sparkly stars!

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

3.5 Stars
This book is about a group of ladies in a small, small town and their highs and lows and their support of each other. My favorite characters were the ones that were a little "out there". I really liked Cecily. She was pretty spunky for a ninety year old. Minnie was another favorite in her brightly colored Doc Martens. She really had life by the tail. I also liked that they brought young Florence into the group and rallied around her.

This book wasn't super exciting, but it was good for a low key reading.

Thanks to Boldwood Books for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

I’m not sure there are many of us these days with friendships that have endured since childhood, but Lin, Minnie and Josie are the exception. We meet them first at Middleton Ferris primary school, delighted to meet their inspirational and thoroughly lovely new teacher, Miss Hamilton – and now, although Minnie has moved to Oxford, they meet up regularly sixty years later for regular lunch dates, and are as close as they ever were. Josie, recently widowed after a long and happy marriage, has just returned from a solo cruise – missing her husband being there to share all the new experiences, but making new friends. Lin has been married to Neil for almost fifty years – but she’s beginning to wonder whether he might be getting fed up with her not having a more exciting life. Minnie has stayed single, but very much enjoys playing the field – until she comes across a man who might just have potential to become someone special. And Miss Hamilton – they can now call her Cecily – is back in the village too, full of life in her nineties, joining them for their lunch dates.

It’s a fairly uncomplicated story, following their friendship as they join forces to support young Florence at a difficult time in her life and help Lin keep things together as she increasingly fears the imminent end of her marriage. But the whole book also paints a lovely picture of village life, with an established community that certainly has its share of the quirky, eccentric and different (every individual beautifully drawn) but can most definitely pull together when they need to.

And I must say I found the whole book totally delightful – although I will admit that the large cast of characters did make it a touch more of a challenge to keep track and differentiate between them until I was a little way into the story. I really felt for Josie, beginning to find her feet, but still waking to Harry’s smile from the photo on her bedside table – and really enjoyed her relationship with Fergal, a friendship frowned upon by some but that has also endured since their schooldays (even if his attendance was a touch sporadic, until Miss Hamilton’s intervention). Lin, it has to be said, did need rather a lot of support and reassurance – although I enjoyed the way her storyline developed, my sympathy was just a little strained at times – but I entirely loved Minnie and her plans for a romantic adventure (and her thoroughly lovely target too).

As always, there’s a great deal of humour – the running story of Nadine, the farmer’s much-loved pig, was just magic – beautifully balanced by the moments of seriousness and sadness, and with the next smile never too far away. And if the three schoolfriends have storylines that prove it’s never too late to live a little and look forward to a happy future, Cecily provides even more proof of that – she might be on a mobility scooter, but it’s certainly no barrier to living life to the full. The focus on family and friendship is simply perfect – and although life in Middleton Ferris might have its downsides along with its positives, I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent there. This was yet another really lovely read from an author who unfailingly writes books that I enjoy – and one I’d certainly very much recommend to others.