Comfort and Joy Read online

  Have you read the other funny, feel-good novels by Cathy Bramley? Settle down with one now – they are sure to put a smile on your face …

  Ivy Lane

  Tilly Parker needs a fresh start, fresh air and a fresh attitude if she is ever to leave the past behind and move on with her life. As she seeks out peace and quiet in a new town, taking on a plot at Ivy Lane allotments seems like the perfect solution. But the friendly Ivy Lane community has other ideas and gradually draw Tilly in to their cosy, comforting world of planting seedlings, organizing bake sales and planning seasonal parties. As the seasons pass, will Tilly learn to stop hiding amongst the sweetpeas and let people back into her life – and her heart?

  Appleby Farm

  Freya Moorcroft has been happy working at the café round the corner from Ivy Lane allotments, but a part of her still misses the beautiful rolling hills of her Cumbrian childhood home: Appleby Farm. Then a phone call out of the blue and a desperate plea for help change everything, and Freya heads home to lend a hand. As Freya summons up all her creativity and determination to turn things at the farm around, Freya is surprised as her own dreams for the future begin to take shape …

  NB. Appleby Farm follows the story of one character from Ivy Lane who has gone off to have her own adventure. It’s a completely different story, though some of the Ivy Lane characters pop in. So if you like to meet up with old friends in books, read Ivy Lane first.

  Conditional Love

  A takeaway, TV and tea with two sugars is about as exciting as it gets for thirty-something Sophie Stone – until a mysterious benefactor leaves her an inheritance. There’s just one catch: in order to inherit, Sophie must agree to meet the father she has never known. Saying ‘yes’ means the chance to build her own dream home, but she’ll also have to face the past and hear some uncomfortable truths …

  Wickham Hall

  Holly Swift has just landed the job of her dreams: events co-ordinator at Wickham Hall, a beautiful manor house sitting proudly in the heart of the village where she grew up. The new job puts some much-needed distance between Holly and her problems at home, and she loves the busy world of the hall, from family weddings to summer festivals, fireworks displays to Christmas grottos. But her own life isn’t as easily organised … Can Holly learn to just let go and live in the moment? After all, that’s when the magic happens …

  The Plumberry School of Comfort Food

  Verity Bloom hasn’t been interested in cooking more than the perfect fish finger sandwich, ever since she lost her best friend and baking companion two years ago. But suddenly she finds herself back in the kitchen: The Plumberry School of Comfort Food is about to open and needs the kind of great ideas that only Verity could cook up. With new friendships and a sprinkling of romance in the mix, Verity finally begins to feel like she’s home. But when tragedy strikes the cookery school, can Verity find the magic ingredient for Plumberry while still writing her own recipe for happiness?

  Cathy Bramley’s new novel WHITE LIES AND WISHES will be out in ebook and paperback in January 2017

  What happens when what you wish for is only half the story …?

  Flirtatious, straight-talking Jo Gold says she’s got no time for love; she’s determined to save her family’s failing footwear business.

  New mother Sarah Hudson has cut short her maternity leave to return to work. She says she’ll do whatever it takes to make partner at the accountancy firm.

  Bored, over-eating housewife Carrie Radley says she just wants to shift the pounds – she’d love to finally wear a bikini in public.

  The unlikely trio meet by chance one winter’s day, and in a moment of ‘Carpe Diem’ madness, embark on a mission to make their wishes come true by September.

  Easy. At least it would be, if they hadn’t been just the teensiest bit stingy with the truth …

  With hidden issues, hidden talents, and hidden demons to overcome, new friends Jo, Carrie and Sarah must admit to what they really, really want, if they are ever to get their happy endings.

  TRANSWORLD PUBLISHERS

  61–63 Uxbridge Road, London W5 5SA

  www.penguin.co.uk

  Transworld is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com

  First published in Great Britain in 2016 by Transworld Digital

  an imprint of Transworld Publishers

  Copyright © Cathy Bramley 2016

  Cover © Kate Forrester

  Cathy Bramley has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

  Every effort has been made to obtain the necessary permissions with reference to copyright material, both illustrative and quoted. We apologize for any omissions in this respect and will be pleased to make the appropriate acknowledgements in any future edition.

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

  Version 1.0 Epub ISBN 9781473543140

  This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

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