Charmante zomerlectuur, diverse over en weer springende relaties. Centraal staat Poppy, wiens vader op een van de eerste bladzijden sterft. Hij wil een pompeuze begrafenis met kar en opgetuigde paarden... dit is de start van het hele amusante verhaal. Vraag: is de tante Calypso dé Calypso uit Camomile Lawn? ( )

16/2020. Warning for domestic violence.

A romance novel about how much easier it is to fall in love/lust with someone unknown, who it's easier to project onto, than maintain love with someone known.

"When you saw me in church you did not know me, we had not spoken, you could not know you loved me. It was pure imagination."

The four couples pair off in a predictable manner, with the primary female character remaining a cipher to the end. ( )

Charming story with a tidy ending. When Poppy's father dies, she realizes and regrets that she knows so little about his life and friends.
He leaves her more money than she expected and a note:
"Poppy love,
1. Never lend, give.
2. Never marry unless you are certain sure you cannot live without the fellow.
3. Don't be afraid to back outsiders.
Love, Dad"

Edmund, Poppy's abusive boyfriend has just broken up with her, because he has found someone with more money. When her father finds out, he dies laughing---literally. Poppy soon meets Fergus of Furnival's Fun Funerals---her father saw their ad and likes the name (which was a typo---it should have been "fine" not "fun"); Victor, Fergus' cousin, who saves a trout in a fish store by relocating it to Fergus' stream and has written a tragedy about his marriage which a publisher thinks it is very funny; and Willy, who falls in love at first sight of Poppy. Edmund is reminiscent of Willoughby in Sense and Sensibility, only meaner and probably dumber. Poppy also discovers that he is not a great, or even good, lover. There is a disturbing scene in an unnamed North African country; in fact that part of the story threatens to be much dangerous than it is. There is also a lucky coincidence, but I figure a story is entitled to one of these. ( )

A pleasant romance - the death of Poppy's father, just as she is breaking up with her long term lover introduces her to a marvellously eccentric funeral company and three potential new lovers... Nicely written, funny and enjoyable. ( )

I started reading this book, but gave up after a few pages as it wasn't doing anything for me. I hope the next reader will enjoy it more than me.