The Sweetest Thing (Talyton St George)

by Cathy Woodman

[Leah]

Last year I read and loved Cathy Woodman’s first two novels in her Talyton St. Georgie series: Trust Me, I’m A Vet and Must Be Love. So I was thrilled when I learned Cathy was working on a new novel. And while The Sweetest Thing is set in Talyton St. Georgie, the focus has moved from Maz and her vet’s clinic to a new character, Jennie. I was thrilled to receive an early copy to review and sat down one Saturday afternoon when I was feeling a bit low to devour it. I wanted to make it last over the entire weekend but I finished it the Saturday night I started it, much to my own chagrin for wanting to make it last.

Like I said, The Sweetest Things switches focus from Maz, Alex and Otter House Vets and we’re introduced to Jennie Copeland who, after her divorce, has decided to move to Talyton St. George to open up a cake-making business and make her and her three kids life better. Jennie soon finds out that life in Talyton is anything but quiet and peaceful and soon finds herself with a menagerie of animals to look after including a dog, a horse and numerous hens. As Jennie struggles to get her cake making business going, the only thing making her new life bearable is her friendship with Guy, her gorgeous neighbour. I commented in my Must Be Love review that reading that book was like putting on a comfy pair of slippers and the same goes for The Sweetest Thing. Yes, we’re introduced to new characters but Maz and Alex pop up along with other Talyton St. George residents and, of course, the book is set in Talyton St. George which we all know well.

I absolutely love Cathy’s books. Her books are very reminiscent of Katie Fforde’s novels as I know what I’m going to get – despite the fact I’ve only read two of Cathy’s novels until The Sweetest Thing. Her characters are wonderful and her stories are incredibly sweet. Woodman has hit on a niche market, with her tales of animals and people and rural life and I know exactly what I’m going to get when I read the Talyton St. George novels. The plot probably isn’t particularly unique with Jennie moving after her divorce and falling for neighbour Guy but Woodman’s storytelling abilities make it easy to get lost in the world of her characters and you’re desperate for them to have their happy endings.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the cast of the novel. Despite being twice my age (before people panic, thinking Jennie may be ancient, she’s not; I’m 20, she’s 40), Jennie was a brilliant main character and I warmed to her immediately as she falls in love with the house that will become Jennie’s folly. I loved Guy immediately, too. He sounded very swoon-worthy and I loved his relationship with Jennie, even if they did get off to a difficult start (Jennie called him a bumpkin!). I loved Jennie’s kids, too. Adam got on my wick at times but I loved Georgia and Sophie and they seemed like such sweet kids. Basically those are the only characters who occur regular as well as Jennie’s horrible ex David and the less said about him the better!

I did think the teenage angst of Jennie’s son Adam was a bit annoying, but it was understandable. I just thought he was a bit ungrateful. Mostly, though, I breezed through the novel. I loved getting lost in Talyton St. George again, and I’d love to live there if it was a real place! Seeing Maz again, though only fleetingly, was brilliant. As the book is told entirely from Jennie’s point of view, it made it very easy to get into the story and I couldn’t help hoping she’d get her happy ending, she’d get everything she wanted and her cake business would be a success. I for one can’t wait to see what the next Cathy Woodman novel brings. It’s due out in November and I sincerely hope it stays in Talyton and I definitely wouldn’t object to seeing Jennie again. The Sweetest Thing is a must-read for fans of the other two novels though it can also be read as a stand-alone as there are no spoilers for the previous two books!