Cover Image: A Colourful Country Escape

A Colourful Country Escape

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Member Reviews

This was such a delightful story with beautiful characters and a stunning premise. The perfect amount of escapism!

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This was such a beautiful story. Loved everything about it. Well developed and engaging characters who I rooted for all the way through. This author is now firmly one of my favourites and I will definitely be reading everything she writes!!
You must read this and escape to the country yourself.

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Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
This book is a light romcom read with a unique twist to the plot, being based around a paint company. There were some fun moments (sister Sky was an interesting character!) and lovely characters, but there were also times when I thought events were not very realistic, such as when Lexie's campervan was crushed to a cube - with permission from her boss to park it on private land the lack of MOT wouldn't matter and destruction of private property, especially with family associations and memories, would mean that Lexie could sue Ben's mother. I also thought some of the writing could benefit from editing - I tired of the many references to Lexie's pixie cut, pixie hair and pixie boots and as the story is set in the Cotswolds it is inappropriate to use the American term 'thrift shop'. The book is an average light novel that many female readers would enjoy as a beach read.

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Do you know, “chick lit” isn’t a description I often use – but, to give you a flavour of this book, just this once I think I really need to. And I’m sure many readers will have come across romantic comedies that don’t entirely live up to the description – not many laughs, and a little lacking in the romantic content too? Well, this might just be the book you’ve been waiting for – sheer fun throughout, all at breakneck speed, a laugh a minute, an unlikely (but rather lovely) romance that has you really hoping things will finally work out, filled with colour and sunshine… and I loved it. All that, and peacocks too!

Lexie’s confidence and self-esteem has been badly damaged by her arrogant and entitled tosser of a boyfriend – she’s already struggling for money, and any she does have tends to find its way to whatever her latest “good cause” might be. But she now has the chance of a fresh start and a proper job – managing the on-line presence of the Carrington Paint company. It’s a family business, fronted by Benedict, one of two brothers – and as soon as Lexie pitches up at Nutgrass Hall in her orange camper van, she can tell that there are more radical changes needed than just redesigning the logo and a few interesting Insta posts. The company’s reins are still firmly gripped by Ben’s mother, Mrs Carrington-Noble – her fearsome reputation precedes her appearance, and the woman herself certainly more than lives up to it, vehemently opposed to change of any kind and running her son’s private life with the same single-minded determination. Lexie enters their lives like a whirlwind, with her unusual fashion sense, quirky humour and contagious enthusiasm – her ideas are good, and she begins to win “Beige Ben” over, but her charms certainly don’t work on his mother.

The characters in this book are quite wonderful – and none less so than Lexie herself, very much the focus of the story (it’s told from her point of view), scatty, madcap, sometimes rather badly behaved, and entirely loveable. I grew quite fond of Ben too, as he began to relax a little – and there’s a whole supporting cast of family and household members on both sides, all really well drawn and playing their parts in the story. There are some nicely developed subsidiary stories too – I was particularly taken by housekeeper Mrs Moon (and her mysterious husband) and the way her story developed, and Lexie’s larger-than-life sister Sky certainly adds another level of complication.

The book really is the most tremendous fun from its beginning to its lovely and very satisfying end – and the ever-present humour is nicely balanced by the ups and downs of life and a few real issues, all particularly well handled. Sometimes a book just comes along when you need it, when you’re happy for everything to be handled with a rather lighter touch, when you’re entirely content to be drawn along through the twists and turns of the story with a wide smile on your face eager to see what happens – and, for me, this book was right on the button. One I’d most definitely recommend to others – and I’m looking forward to seeing what the author does next…

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Really enjoyed this debut novel by Anita. What a great book to start off your published book journey.

The romance and relationship aspect of this book is wonderful to follow. Sometimes you cringe for the character in the situations they get themselves in but soon laugh once it's passed.

This book had me laughing, swooning, cringing and then laughing some more.

I really like the relationship before Lexi and her sister, Sky. Sky is such a funny character, she keeps getting well known phrases wrong and you can't help but chuckle.

I also really like Grace, Lexi and Sky's relationship. They all get on so well. It's relatable for me as I have two very close friends and we all get on so well.

This is such a feel food book, ups and downs happen like in life bit I absolutely love it.

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Anita is just fantastic… not only is she a gorgeous and lovely lady but she’s also a brilliant writer and this is one I want to get lost in time and time again.

This is a brilliant debut and a really fun read. The characters are realistic and likeable. Anita has literally transported me to the gorgeous setting that fills the pages of this gem.

This book has been the perfect escape and I have devoured page after page in just one sitting. There is nothing to dislike about this gem. It literally pulls you in and holds you captive.

This is cute and quirky filled with moments that make you smile. This is a gem and is completely heartwarming. Anita shows that opposites attract and this is a gem.

I can safely say Anita has written a fabulous debut and it’s a must for the TBR. I will be recommending this one to Everyone.

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A Colourful Country Escape by Anita Faulkner

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK and I am leaving this review voluntarily

When vibrant but penniless Lexie is dumped by her posh boyfriend who is looking for a more financially suitable match, she decides to pack up her beloved orange campervan Penny in search of a new path. Stumbling upon a vacancy at a family-run paint company in the Cotswolds, Lexie believes she's found her perfect match . . .

Lexie arrives at Nutgrass Hall, home of Carrington Paints, but it seems that owner Benedict Carrington is less than impressed with her arrival, and Lexie realises she'll have her work cut out for her if she's to convince stuffy "Beige Ben" to trust her with rescuing his out-of-touch business. But Ben has more on his mind than just the company - his mother is determined to find him a suitable wife worthy of carrying the Carrington family name, or she'll take the business from him.

As Lexie sets to work on injecting some life colour into Carrington Paints, Ben allows himself to be set up with Tewkesbury's finest ladies. But the more time the pair spend together, the more they realise their feelings for each other aren't so black and white. Will Lexie be able to brighten into Ben's colourless world before it's too late?

This is a lovely debut novel, perfect as a summer read as it is a light read and easy to work your way through. I enjoyed the uplifting nature of this book but I kept losing concentration - I am looking forward to reading more by Faulkner as this shows promise. Whilst I have only given this three stars it is an enjoyable read with some great characters.

Rating 3/5

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This book was amazing! I enjoyed every second off it. I love Lexie and her story and could not stop reading once I started and I needed to know what was going to happen with her and her story.

Lexie has been dumped by her posh boyfriend and finds herself moving away from the situation. So she moves in her camper van to become a social media manager for a family and there she meets Ben. Ben who is very sensible and also trying to make his mother happy by finding a perfect match but meeting Lexie changes a lot for both of them.

This book was so good and so fun to read. Lexie has a lot banter especially when it comes to Ben and I love their relationship. They are both dealing with something in their lives but meeting each changes a lot for both of them.

This was a brilliant debut novel that I just couldn’t put down. I loved all of the characters and this place. Lexie was a fantastic main character. She’s been hurt and the thought of a relationship especially one that has money changed a lot for her and makes her close up.

Lexie brings a lot of colour and life to Ben and his family and I just loved every second off it.

I can’t wait to read more from Anita especially after this brilliant book she had written.

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As Lexie’s life begins to look uncertain, she takes things into her own hands and decides to start a fresh in a new place, in a new job. Here she meets new work colleagues and friends (?) Cory and Ben.
This is a light hearted, enjoyable read that follows Lexie as she tries to get her life in order. It’s somewhat turbulent as she crosses paths with the ‘big boss’ of the new business. It’s witty in places but slightly unrealistic in others, but it all adds up to a fun romcom.
Based in a town I know well it refers to places and you can envisage them, but would have loved to have ‘seen’ more of the history and sights included.
All in all a great debut novel from this author.

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A lighthearted read with some fun and laughter mixed in, really enjoyed reading about Lexie and beige Ben and how Lexie trys to bring some colour into the world of carrington paints where she gets a job to try help the company to update itself , with romance on the cards for a few of the characters you can't help but read on to find out what happens

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This being a first novel by this author I can really say that I hope we hear a lot more from her. Well written, great characters and a real pleasure to read. 5 stars. Well done, looking forward to your next novel.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

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I proper loved this book, fantastic character development, very well written storyline and such believable chemistry & tension; the perfect recipe for a good summer romcom!

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A COLOURFUL COUNTRY ESCAPE
BY
ANITA FAULKNER.

The story starts with Lexie having an absolutely pants day. However, even when her world is falling apart, Lexie has the kindest heart. If the rain is pouring she’ll give her coat to someone who needs it more than her.
As Lexie finds her life in utter chaos, she realises that it’s time to make some changes.
Packing all her worldly belongings into Penny - the orange VW campervan, Lexie heads off to Tewkesbury for a job interview at Carrington Paints.
The family run business, based in the grand Nutgrass Hall (a la Downton style), is looking for someone to drag their stale old business into the present day. Lexie could be just the person they are looking for, and in turn, they may be just what Lexie needs too.

I loved the characters in this book. They are vibrant, quirky, eccentric and generally very likeable.

This is a rom-com in all its fabulous glory. The writing is a delight and the words dance across the page and straight into your heart.

Bright, sunny and laugh-out-loud funny. This is an exceptional debut novel.
Congratulations to Anita Faulkner.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Out now in all formats.

With thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group Uk for a digital arc of this title.

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A fabulous Summer Read

I absolutely loved this book. Lexie is such a loveable and fun character and Ben is moody and mysterious.

The supporting characters are a fab mix of funny and warm.

This book will easily be devoured in a night or two. Fabulous!

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They say never meet your heroes. Well, I might add that it is truly terrifying to read books from your heroes too- in this case the sparkling force of nature that is Anita Faulkner, leader of the Chick Lit and Prosecco Facebook Group, one of the most supportive and fun places on the internet!


I needn’t have worried of course!! From the first sentence I was smiling and invested one hundred percent into the vibrant and vivid tale of Lexie, who had bad luck knocking her over from the get-go. My eyes widened at her boyfriend’s absolute audacity in a particularly standout scene and I willed her on, getting excited at an interview process that arose.

Nutgrass Hall, the characters that accompanied it and Lexie, the beautiful settings and spell binding descriptions all made for a cinematic experience that would pull me to any screen. The humour was bang on, the romance so lovely, and the book had enough fab characters to have me whisper the word ’sequel’! All in all, so up my street and beyond beyond recommended. Thanks so much to the publisher and Netgalley for the book in return for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

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This was a very light-hearted story about Lexie who, after getting dumped by her 'posh' boyfriend, applies for a job (slightly massaging her CV!) and ends up at Nutgrass Hall, home of Carrington Paints, to try and update their social profile, living in her orange campervan in the driveway.

Once there Lexie meets a variety of people, including Ben Carrington who runs his family's business (very aware of his responsibilities), his brother (the complete opposite of Ben) and his mother (a complete dragon). Lexie and Ben are complete opposites, but balance each other out perfectly, and whilst initially things don't go well they definitely get on better as the book goes on.

There's lot of fun and humour, with mad peacocks roaming the Nutgrass Hall grounds, and a good mix of different characters to keep the interest. A very enjoyable book that deserves a sequel for a few of the characters.

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In a rainy Manchester, Lexie Summers (27) has just pawned her jewellery to pay her rent. She hopes this means her boyfriend Drew won’t find out about her money problems. But then she sees her boyfriend looking at rings with another woman!
Desperate for a new start, and with no money, Lexie drives off in her orange VW camper van (Penny) and travels to Tewkesbury. She arrives at the imposing Nutgrass Hall for her job interview at Carrington Paints, where she meets Cory Carrington and his older, colder brother Ben. When she discovers Ben’s mother is trying to marry him off to a rich woman by the end of the year, Lexie isn’t quite sure what she’s let herself in for…
The settings are lovely in the book. I loved the Downton Abbey-style Nutgrass Hall with its scary peacocks and wonderful housekeeper Mrs Moon. I also loved Lexie’s camper van – I mean, we all love those, especially in orange! And this one has history and a sentimental value for Lexie too.
Lexie herself is a really great character, I warmed to her from the first page. She feels a bit inferior, slightly out of place, not quite good enough – and we can all relate to that. She has kind of drifted along in life and now realises she has to look after herself, get a job and earn some money. We cheer her on all the way in her endeavours! She’s such a sweetheart, you can tell that from the first chapter when she gives money to the donkey sanctuary! You want her to have everything in life, including the perfect man, especially after the way her horrible ex treated her.
Anita Faulkner has a lovely natural writing style. She uses beautiful similes (“the moment stretched out before her like a lazy cat” was one of my favourites) and clever touches which elevate her writing above many others. You notice her gorgeous use of words throughout, and fun imagery, which enhance the novel.
It’s also very funny. Lexie’s younger sister Sky provides a lot of laughs, for starters. There’s also a lot of visual humour like Lexie’s first encounter with the peacocks at Nutgrass Hall.
I love the way the romance develops, it feels really genuine and not too “perfect” like a Hollywood movie, but something that could actually happen to an “ordinary” person, which is my favourite kind of romance. I loved all the goings on in the London trip, for example and could really visualise all the sights and sounds and understand Lexie’s confused feelings. The dialogue is excellent too.
Despite this being Anita’s debut novel, it feels very professional - like it has come magically off the pen of a long-established romcom star name like Milly Johnson or Jenny Colgan. It is original but polished, beautiful and witty and I will definitely be pre-ordering her future books.
Oh and I NEED the recipe for Mrs Moon’s lavender shortbread!

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After finding her boyfriend is marrying someone else, Lexie leaves town in Penny, her orange camper van.
She talks herself in to a job at Nutgrass Hall, working for Ben. Will it be a case of opposites attract or will they drive each other mad?
A fun read with some quirky characters.

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A Lovely debut from this very talented author, you can definitely feel the love the author had for Rom Coms throughout the book which I love too!
Lexie and her adventures keep you entertained throughout as well as all the other colourful characters she’s meets on her way

This is a perfect read for long sunny days.

Thanks for my Copy in exchange for an honest review.

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I can't believe this is a debut novel! This book has everything I expect from a good RomCom. I smiled A LOT while reading this book. There were also some emotional moments and a particular character that rubbed me the wrong way, but that all added to the story.

Overall this is simply a heart-warming love story about opposites attracting and how changes can be good and the past shouldn't rule you, just like money or lack thereof will not make you a better or worse person.

I will never look at a camper van or peacock the same way again! I may be scarred for life! I used to just see beautiful colors when I looked at a peacock, but now I will see hundreds of eyes watching me.

Highlights:

- cute, quirky and very likeable main characters
- several laugh out loud moments
- enemies to lovers
- opposites attract, who wants Stilton with more Stilton?
- light, feelgood RomCom
- you'll feel the urge to add more color to your own life and some sponge cake!

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