A Village Vacancy takes the reader back to the Westenbury for another tale of laughter, love and life. This is a standalone story, but many of the characters previously featured in other books about Westenbury, and you will be intrigued to see what has gone before.

The funeral of one of the village's enigmatic women introduces the cast of characters. Amanda's loss is felt both in the community and her personal life. A mystery surrounds her untimely death, which gives this tale of village life an added dimension.

Grace takes centre stage in this story as she copes with her dysfunctional family life and wonders if romantic happiness is within her grasp. Westenbury experiences city problems in this story which are topical and give the story its contemporary edge.

There's humour, mystery, romance and poignancy in this insightful story which draws the reader into the village and the lives of its inhabitants. The characters are believable and relatable, which makes their stories engaging and memorable.

I received a copy of this book from Aria via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Such a lovely read that surprised me on so many counts! If you’re looking for a fun read with many memorable characters, who each have complex stories you can really get your teeth into, this one is most definitely for you.

I really enjoyed this book for so many reasons, and it was such a hilarious read at times. My spirits were instantly lifted, but I was also gripped because of all the unexpected twists you simply don’t expect with a book of this nature! It’s clear the author is a natural born storyteller and seems to entertain her audience with ease. The only thing I was a little lost in was just the amount of characters there is to keep track of, but I think I’d feel much better about this if I read more of Julie’s works. Off to Amazon I go! Brilliantly entertaining, and if this doesn’t make you want a trip to beautiful Yorkshire, I don’t know what will!

My first read from this author, but definitely won’t be the last – enjoyable, memorable and humourous in equal measure!

A Village Vacancy is exactly the type of cosy romance that I love to read in autumn. The prospect of a love story set in Yorkshire is enough for me to adore this book, but it’s also a brilliantly satisfying comfort read.

The village of Westenbury has a typical small town feel. Everyone knows everyone, and everyone knows everything about everyone. There’s a large number of characters in A Village Vacancy, which really surprised me. The book is a standalone, but links to some of Houston’s other works, so I did miss out on some of the village’s history. There are a lot of personalities to work out. Although it took me a while to connect with every personality in the book, I really enjoyed getting to learn about the friendships between each of the characters.

Julie Houston’s writing style is welcoming and relaxing. I really like how she gives each of her characters a likeable charisma. However, there were little descriptions when it came to the appearance of the voices, which made the residents of Westenbury difficult to picture. Still, the scenic portrayal of a small Yorkshire village during autumn gives A Village Vacancy a snug ambience.

The focus on female friendship in A Village Vacancy is really uplifting, and one of my favourite aspects. I adore the bond between the women! Grace, Harriet, Juno and co, feel more like friends by the last page, and I think that’s what makes this story such a comfortable read. There’s a good balance of humorous adventure with emotional storytelling that gives the book a neighbourly feel.

There’s a fun dynamic in this book that adds to its light-heartedness. At the same time, the sensitive hardships make the fictional tale feel much more down-to-earth. Grace faces loss in more ways than one, and it’s interesting to see how she develops throughout the story. I do wish there had been more of a deep dive into Grace’s wellbeing and the effect her challenges had on her, but this doesn’t take away from the entertaining factor of the book.

Overall, I enjoyed my time in Westenbury with A Village Vacancy. It did feel a little slow in places, and I struggled at first as I haven’t read the entire series. But, it’s an easy book to pick up, with great twists and quirky characters. I’d recommend this book to anyone who’s on the hunt for a heart-warming tale of love and friendship this autumn.

I love returning to Julie Houston’s Westenbury and I never fail to be completely charmed and enchanted by her hilarious and heart-warming tales and this fantastic writer is back with another top-notch romantic comedy: A Village Vacancy.

Grace Stevens has decided that the time has come to stop wallowing in the past and to move on with her life. Her ex-husband is off exploring the world and enjoying himself and she is damned if she is going to stay home feeling sorry for herself. The time has come for Grace to put herself first for a change and to do the things she has always wanted to do but which she was too busy and preoccupied with other people’s needs to do anything about. So she decides to go back to teaching and returns to the local school, Little Acorns. Teaching young cherubs and filling their minds with knowledge and information is something Grace was always passionate about – it’s just a shame that her pupils aren’t exactly the shy and retiring type!

With her most troublesome student driving her round the bend, Grace is at her wits end. But little does she realise when she calls the student’s parent in that her problems are only just beginning! After the end of her marriage, Grace thought that love and romance were far behind her, but could she get a fresh chance and an unexpected opportunity at happiness just when she least expected it? Not that Grace has much time to even think about romance with all that is going on in her life. From keeping up with her friends to tracking down a drug ring, life for Grace is far from quiet and easy. But can she ever find the happiness that has been long denied to her? Or will she meet yet another stumbling block just when things seem to be finally falling into place?

A laugh out loud romantic comedy that is simply delicious, A Village Vacancy is another winner from the talented Julie Houston. A brilliant romp about stepping out of your comfort zone, taking chances and falling in love when you least expect it, A Village Vacancy is a riotous bucolic page-turner that will make readers roar with laughter as they find themselves cheering Grace on to get the happy ending which she so richly deserves.

Heartfelt, feel-good and wonderful, fans of Katie Fforde and Phillipa Ashley are sure to fall in love with Phillipa Ashley’s latest novel, A Village Vacancy.

I don.t often give up on a book but after getting half way that's what I did. It was fun in parts but too many sisters with too many secrets and it didn't seem to be going anywhere fast ,more like a sit-com where the plot is made up as it goes along. I'm sure it would be ideal as a light read for someone just not me.

Who ever said village life was dull?

Coz let me tell me you, there is never a dull moment in Westenbury. That’s for sure! *snorts* It’s ALL going on here.

This was one of those books that had me snorting with laughter one minute, reaching for my metaphorical cushion the next (it’s a common occurrence for me to get embarrassed on a character’s behalf. You, too?), then reaching for my stash of tissues (Well, it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t cry at least once whilst reading *shrugs*.), and repeat!

Whaaa?

Oohhh.

Hold your horses! I’m getting to that bit *rolls eyes*.

So impatient.

*wags finger* Zip it! I can hear you all muttering ‘pot meet kettle’.

Of course, it goes without saying that I wanted to slap certain characters upside the head (or give them a cuff in their lug as my mum would say!).

Oy, I was in fear for my blood pressure on several occasions but it’s all part of the fun, lol.

Not only was this my first visit to Westenbury but also my first Julie Houston read. A Village Vacancy may centre around Grace Stevens, however there are a whole host of colourful characters and side stories to immerse yourself in.

Thanks heavens for the cast of characters at the start of the book because I can admit to referring to it on several occasions as it took me a chapter or two to get my head around them all including the personal connections. The geek that I am (what did I say about zipping it?) would love this ‘Who’s who’ to be turned into a family/friend tree or flow chart (or is this a step too far?).

*coughs*

Moving swiftly on...

What can I say? Books are the best kind of therapy, aren’t they? A Village Vacancy was just what I needed to escape reality for a few hours. Drama, giggles, romance, and a touch of ‘Where did this come from?’ (I was channelling my best Miss Marple impression at one point). All the intricacies of life!

I hope to get to return to Westenbury soon.

Oh it was so good to be back in Westenbury again!

Grace is one of my favourite characters in this series and I really enjoyed this latest instalment. I had forgotten how much I loved Deimante too, she really comes out with some funny sayings!

This book is filled with madcap adventures (a girls’ night out in particular was absolutely hilarious), unsuitable and unexpected liaisons, and wonderfully funny tales from the classroom, all told with Julie Houston’s trademark sparkling humour. It’s a realistic story though, with real life issues for its characters to deal with.

The characters in this book are almost like friends at this stage, and it was wonderful to be immersed in their lives again.

Probably best enjoyed as part of the series, I’d recommend the whole series to anyone who likes a really well written, uplifting and humorous novel. Perfect escapism.

Loved it!!! I would give it 4.5 stars. The beginning was a bit confusing because I had to remember who all the characters were from the previous books. There are so any people to keep track of, then add their parent and children. Loved everything about the book - the characters, story and writing style. I love reading about Harriet and all her friends. I want to live in Midhope and be friends with all of them. They all seem to have so much fun together. Izzy shouldn't be in charge of planning nights out. Big Leo- King of the the Jungle was definitely something to talk about and not in a good way. Grace is my least favorite. She makes horrible choices about men and does stuff without thinking about the consequences. She acts more like a teenager than a forty year old woman. What was she thinking that night at the bar (she wasn't thinking)??!! There were so many red flags, but she ignored them all. She's very lucky to have so many people who are there to help her. I'm not sure how I feel about the person she now loves. It's a bit strange.

Definitely recommend the book. I can't wait to see what will happen next for everyone. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Aria & Aries through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A wonderful tale of the lives of a group of women in Westenbury village. laugh out loud moments paired with several romances make it an ideal winters day read.

Yes, she’s done it again – another book I thoroughly enjoyed from first page to last! But I do think it’s only fair to mention that I suspect it might not be the most comfortable of reads for someone who hasn’t read at least one of the author’s books before – there’s an absolutely enormous cast of characters, introduced via the funeral that opens the book, then the female friends get a little more fleshed out with a night out in Leeds (complete with stripper…) that sets a few of the storylines in motion. But that was one of the things that made me love it – there are new characters too, but I already knew so many of them really well and was more than happy to be dropped back into their lives and see what had been happening for them all. There are small references too to the key storylines from earlier books – there were times it felt almost like being rewarded for being a long-time fan.

There are multiple storylines too, featuring different key characters – but the main story focuses on Grace, returning to work as a teacher at Little Acorns after her husband’s departure, being landed with the year group from hell. That night out brings a new man into her life, perhaps with the possibility of some happiness in her life after previous relationships have disappointed. But it’s quite a story – things take a bit of a turn, a situation that the author handles exceptionally well, before Grace realises that she’s perhaps not looking to the right person to bring her joy.

Juno, GP at the village surgery, and her family are also centre stage for much of the story (if you read Sing Me A Secret, you’ll already know them well), but her life’s not going quite the way you might have expected it to either. And while their stories drive the narrative, there’s another – and a really different one – involving the teenage characters, when you discover that Westenbury certainly isn’t immune to some of the problems you read about in the papers.

As always, one of the author’s strengths is those wonderful three-dimensional characters. I think the children and young people in this book really do deserve a special mention – I loved far-older-than her-years Tilda, Juno’s daughter, from the first time I met her, and I thought she had some of the best lines in the whole book (and she becomes more like a miniature version of her aunt Ariadne every day). That said, Grace’s adopted daughter Pietronella does come a very close second – there were times she had me in tears of laughter.

There’s perhaps a little less of the over-the-top humour in this book than there was in some of the others – the themes are pretty serious at times – but the author really wouldn’t be herself if she didn’t have you in stitches for at least some of the time. I’m so glad she brought back the character of Lithuanian lollipop lady Deimante, now with aspirations to become a teacher – sadly, her grasp of the language is always likely to be an impediment, but her heart’s certainly in the right place. A lot of the humour comes too from the relationships within the circle of friends – and the author still has that perfect balance between laugh-out-loud and those other moments of tremendous warmth and poignancy.

I enjoyed this book every bit as much as I’ve loved all the author’s other books – but (just so you’ll enjoy it as much as I did) I would suggest that you don’t make this one the first time you read her writing, do try at least one or two of the back catalogue first. But I’m now ready for my next visit to Westenbury – my kind of place, my kind of people, and Julie Houston’s certainly my kind of writer.

(Copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

This book was, sadly, not my cuppa tea. It was just a little too quaint and folksy for my taste. It wasn't poorly written or bad, just not for me. DNF.

🏘 Good plot points but weaknesses too🤔

3.5-4🌟stars

I found this novel difficult to rate because there were parts of the story I really liked, especially Grace's and Juno's romantic dilemmas and the subplot about worries that drugs are infiltrating village life. Some of the children, like Grace's Pietronella, Juno's Tilda and Harriet's Thea are cute, very distinct characters that liven things up. On the other hand, Grace's mother's appearances just made me roll my eyes🙄 thanks to her griping and unhelpful attitude. Most of the men in the novel have undesirable character traits that sharply contrast with paragon David Henderson: handsome, wealthy, now single, generous, great with children and almost too perfect!

But, yes but, there are so many characters popping in and out to keep track of and the scenes with group gatherings, like the funeral in the very beginning of the book, are just too confusing. I had never read any of Houston's other stories about the people of this small English village and dumping a new reader in the midst of dozens of characters and village gossip did not work for me at all. I was considering abandoning the story but instead I just skipped ahead and found much easier going. That's comparatively easier because these characters have such complicated relationships I almost needed a diagram to keep them straight.

As to the ending, it was abrupt and really did not seem complete. I felt a bit cheated that the dramatic final scene was so short.

I am of two minds about whether I would seek out more books in this series to read. I think I might now that I am familiar with the characters and interested in how their families get on.

Thanks to publishers Aria and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

This is my first Julie Houston book which I enjoyed. My only observation was that there were too many characters and I got lost as to who was related to who and which children belonged to which parent(s). I will read more of Julie's books, in the hope that some of the characters have been in previous books and I would have a clearer understanding as to what had happened in the past. Thank you for the advanced copy.

Thank you NetGalley, Aria & Aries and Julie Houston for gifting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
This was my first Julie Houston book and I had no problem reading this as a stand alone, but some of her previous book is set in the same town with the same group of characters! I always enjoy books that aren’t necessarily a series, but you get a little glimpse of the characters you fell in love with in the other books. I also love books that have a town full of side characters. It always gives me a Stars Hollow, Gilmore Girls Vibe!
When Grace returns to teaching after her husband leaves to ‘find himself’, she’s expecting to find herself, too. Instead she finds herself teaching a difficult class with one student who is determined to drive her crazy. Grace never expected her one night stand to be the student’s father!
This funny and friendship filled romance has a little bit of everything that leaves you feeling good. This needs to be your next read!

This book has been shining out of my tbr list like a Belisha beacon, and I've grinned like an idiot as I got closer and closer - all with good reason!

With the death of one of their own, the women of Westenbury are all agog to wonder who'll fill the vacancy she's left behind. Life is busy, and more so for Grace Stevens as, with her marriage totally broken down, she returns to full time teaching whilst parenting her two young children on her own. As if that wasn't enough to deal with, she has disharmony in the classroom, an upset parent to deal with, a drug ring to sort out as well as maintaining friendships and mourning her lack of a sex life!

Never a dull moment in this one; between personal and professional problems, the angst and joys of parenting and the absolute sheer fun packed into the pages I have relished each and every word. On the serious side, I now understand what the county lines drug trade is all about (first clear and concise explanation I've come across) as well as appreciating all the extra work our teachers face, while on the fun side I have never stopped smiling, snorting and giggling as my bemused husband can confirm. This is the most wonderful series of stand-alone tales and I recommend them to anyone who likes their women's fiction to be made up of love, life and laughs. Beautifully written and terrifically entertaining, this one easily earns all five shiny, sparkling stars.

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

This was a nice, light-hearted read, perfect for the times we're in today. However, I would highly recommend reading the previous book in the series so that you're not so caught up in trying to figure out who is who and get distracted from the story.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

Unfortunately I couldn’t finish this. It left me feeling a little lost in the first few chapters, I couldn’t keep track of who was who. Maybe if I had read the first in the series I wouldn’t have had this issue.

Despite the good writing that gave me great visuals of homes and clothes, etc., this was an extremely difficult read because of the number of characters mentioned. It felt like I was being dropped into an episode of EastEnders five years in and expected to know everyone. It wasn't just the number of characters, which should have only been about three, max five. it was the names everyone had - so hard to remember.
Everything happened so fast that I wasn't allowed to sit in anyone's emotions for long enough before someone and something else was zipped to. Overall it was too much, too fast, too many with a zip-up ending that had no real burn other than one lusty look in a mirror. Apologies to the author. I wanted to enjoy it, and it could be a great book if 75% of the characters were missing.

A Village Vacancy, the laugh-out-loud new book from the bestselling author of A Village Affair, by Julie Houston

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:Romance, Women's Fiction

Oh no, women's fiction yet again. Men write romance, men read romance, lets stop with the silliness now.

Anyway, I've seen a few reviews that mention this read being confusing in that they don't know the backstory of characters and tbh, that plays a huge part. Its not listed as a series but of you've read the earlier books you will follow and enjoy this one so much more.

I've never been Grace' biggest fan. If she lived on a council estate she'd be judged very differently. Shiftless/feckless single parent would be the judgment. As someone middle class though it seems her behaviour is excused. Bah, its like those condemning folk they see as lower class for drinking too much, while snorting yet another line of the socially acceptable cocaine. Having brought that in the County Lines thread of this book was excellent. We do think drugs are something that happens elsewhere, only in the ghetto areas of cities for example whole all the while its being done in homes around us, by our kids, sucked in as couriers.
I do feel for Grace with the on off husband, the affair with Seb was always going to come to nothing, but Jonty means there's always a tie. Then Dan's off again and it just seems like she's on the search for another man. She's got two kids now, Jonty and the adorable Peitronella. That kid was a show stealer, I loved her – and the cock porn/popcorn ( I wonder if amazon will let that one through?) She needs to be more responsible. I'd say that if it was Dan with the kids and Grace wobbled off too. Kids come first.
The story kind of centres round Grace, but fortunately for me brings in many of the characters we already know from earlier reads, and it was great to catch up with them.
It opens with a shock, I didn't expect that, nor the things that resulted from it. I love David, he's a true gentleman, and he always seems so wise, so responsible as well as being a killer businessman.
I wasn't convinced of the romance here. To be honest for most of the book it isn't there, its just suggestions of what's to come at the end. I didn't think either party was really ready for it anyway.
I love the school scenes, really felt for little Noah. I loved the Esme/Emsy bit – brilliant, perfect comeback when Esme was deliberately getting Ariadne's name wrong. I never think of stuff like that at the time.
Loved Harry Trotter, and of course Tilda. I've a grandson like her, he' nine going on forty nine. He reprimanded me at the weekend for “ inappropriate behaviour” in front of the toddler. I was squeezing the rubber dinosaur, making its belly pop out....that's all ;-) Then was treated to a lecture about how the school are not taking social distancing seriously.

Its a fun read, the village vacancy in the title actually has more than one connection. I loved catching up with past characters, and sympathised with Grace even when she annoyed me in her actions. Its hard when a partner leaves, even if its not a huge surprise.

Stars: Four, a fun read again, lots going on, lots of laughs ( even though I hate it when a story promises me I will “laugh out loud” I hate that assumption).

ARC supplied by Netgalley and publisher

After wading through the almost 20 different character names in the first chapter, I lost all impetus to read the rest of the book. I made it to the end of the second chapter but could not continue. This book was not for me.