Molly Clavering (1900–1995)

Set in Edinburgh. A spinster lady in her 60s, Dorothea Balfour, has just lost her older sister in death. Her older sister was rather a bully, and before that Dorothea was subject to the whims of her father. Thus, for the first time in her 60-odd years, Dorothea is truly her own mistress. She begins hey new chapter by befriending her neighbors, the Lenoxes, a family consisting of a single mother and five grown or nearly grown children. The friendship that springs up between the neighboring houses changes both sides for the better. A nice story of decent people (my favorite kind!), a few romances, and gentle optimism.

There are a couple plot lines/characters that fizzle out. Some might see this as problematic, but these "slice of life" books often feel more realistic because of things like that. After all, how many people and things are there in life that pass briefly onto your horizon but don't hold a starring role there? The fact is that sometimes things don't work out like you assume they will, and when book characters experience this, I feel akin to them. (Not that I wouldn't like a couple loose ends tied up, but I could live with them in this case.)

This author was a friend and neighbor of D.E. Stevenson, and their writing styles are very similar!… (mehr)

For fans of DE Stevenson, Elizabeth Fair, and Angela Thirkell.

This was so enjoyable and full of characters that you will be rooting for. Lots of charm, funny quips, and also beautiful descriptions.

Brother and sister duo Oliver and Susan Parsons have come to live in the Borders of Scotland. Though neither of them is really used to the rural life, they settle in surprisingly well... but they each carry a bit of emotional baggage with them that complicates their social lives in the village.

For Oliver, it's resentment any time anyone pities him for his injured leg. Combine that touchiness with a tendency to always pair off with the shallowest of girls, and it's no wonder his sister sighs over the question of whether he will ever get together with the girl who is just right for him.

For Susan, it's a broken heart from an unhappy romance years ago. She's settled into spinster life, she can make her own money, and she's more than happy to live with Oliver and keep house... but Scotland has a few surprises in store for her. Starting with the neighbor, Jed Armstrong, who always seems to catch her at her most irritable.

This novel is a tale of friendship and of finding love and a sense of home where you least expected.

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the new reprinted editions of Molly Clavering's books!

*Note, the proofreading on these isn't perfect. Use of OCR leads to some typos, but not too many.… (mehr)

Similar in style to D.E. Stevenson, anyone who likes her novels is sure to enjoy this.
Mrs. Lorimer has four grown children who all occasionally descend on her for a visit en masse. She finds herself at the center of all their little and big troubles... the son recovering from an unhappy romance and on the brink of a new one, the daughter who's always spoiling for a fight, the son-and-daughter-in-law who are perfectly happy but not great at housekeeping, the daughter and son-in-law who are so shipshape as to seem almost dull...
Mrs. Lorimer's dearest friend Gray lives nearby and their friendship is lovely... they respect each other's reserve, but understand each other all the same. I love the description of a picnic the two of them have, where they sit "on a grassy bank with a young river talking quietly to itself at their feet and a heather-scented breeze drifting overhead."

Mrs. Lorimer's husband Jack is a blustery type, but with hidden value. I know I started out feeling rather sorry for her in her marriage, but ended feeling extremely satisfied. This is a story of the variety I like best: mostly good people, leading mostly content lives. No irreparable tragedy. Delicious, and soothing.… (mehr)