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Somewhere in England
Somewhere in England | Roy Strong, Carola Oman
11 posts | 5 read | 4 to read
"At any rate," ended Philippa-Dawn, staring up at the garland of silver monsters gently swaying above them in the evening sky, "at any rate, it'll be a change of Balloons." Carola Oman's irresistible sequel to Nothing to Report begins with young, perky Philippa-Dawn Johnson, preparing to launch her nursing career at Woodside, the country home now overseen as a hospital by none other than the redoubtable Mary Morrison. Pippa soon encounters other faces familiar to readers of the earlier novel, including Mrs. Bates, whose debilitating rheumatism has been suddenly cured by Hitler, the Dowager Lady Merle, who is "the living image of Elizabeth Tudor in later life", and the redoubtable historical novelist (and alter-ego of Oman herself?) Rosanna Masquerier, doing war work and encountering bombs with her usual flair. Set in the thick of World War II, Somewhere in England traces Oman's charming and eccentric village characters through unforgettable new muddles, romances, and hilarities on the Home Front. Dean Street Press and Furrowed Middlebrow have also reprinted Nothing to Report. "Delicious fun for the wise and gentle everywhere." Observer
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CarolynM
Somewhere in England | Roy Strong, Carola Oman
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Well, that was thoroughly enjoyable. I loved the set piece of the sherry party for Diana Gibson's wedding and the finale of the Fete. Lots of delicate and frequently unexpected romances (including the scandalous Merles!) interspersed with matter of fact treatment of war horrors. Thanks for the buddy read Furrowed Middlebrow gang. Amy suggestions for which book to try next?

Cathythoughts I finished too & really enjoyed this one even more than the first. I loved the floral descriptions, the keen interest in gardening the characters took. I loved the Sherry party too ... I had a glass of Harvey‘s Bristol Cream , left over from Christmas ... meant to take a pic with my book ( still hasn‘t arrived 🙄, I can get next book on kindle though. Look forward to our next foray into Middlebrow.... What will we read ? 3y
Cathythoughts Lovely picture 💚 3y
erzascarletbookgasm Can I suggest Elizabeth Fair‘s first novel if no one has read it? Because I have the book and it‘s a great opportunity to crack it open, reading with you all. 😁 3y
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Ruthiella Agree, it was a wonderful time machine experience reading this book. I would love to continue reading together from this publisher. 😀 I‘m happy to try either of @erzascarletbookgasm options! I just need to know which so I can get a copy. 3y
quietjenn I finished last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. I think I prefer it to the first - didn't realize how annoying I found Catha Rollo to be, until she wasn't around! Really lovely descriptions and just a really nice reading experience. 3y
quietjenn I definitely want to keep reading with you all! I've read Bramton Wick, but am totally down to revisit. Have never read any Elizabeth Eliot. I read these on Kindle, so it's easy for me to jump in with whatever and it's totally fine if we are guided but what those reading the hard copies have on hand or/want to buy 😃 3y
rubyslippersreads I‘m open to reading any of them. 😊 3y
rubyslippersreads @quietjenn I didn‘t miss Catha at all. 3y
LeahBergen Yes, I finished this last night and also enjoyed it a wee bit more than the first. There was just something about the day-to-day lives of nurses on the homefront that I found fascinating. I also really liked the episodic feel of these two books; I felt a bit like I was caught up in viewing a really good 1940s soap opera. 😆 3y
LeahBergen I‘m up for continuing on our Furrowed Middlebrow journey (but may need a small break to catch up on some other group reads I‘m doing!) I‘m easy as far as selection goes, as well. I haven‘t read either of the ones that @erzascarletbookgasm suggests. 😊 @CarolynM @Ruthiella @rubyslippersreads @quietjenn @Cathythoughts 3y
Cathythoughts Yes , like Leah , I‘m really looking forward to keeping this going ... but I would like a time frame ( as I see it , hopefully, as ongoing ) So , I‘d be for , maybe one a month? Or even a slightly longer gap , Or whatever ye think ??! and open to suggestions. I havnt read either of @erzascarletbookgasm‘s books either ... 👍🏻👍🏻 @CarolynM @Ruthiella @rubyslippersreads @quietjenn @LeahBergen (edited) 3y
quietjenn I think that all makes sense. I like one a month, but am open to other time frames. I for sure am guilty of jumping into lots of group and buddy reads and then not always following through, or doing like it's a homework assignment due Monday (see: The Italian reading last weekend). But, it's not been an issue yet with FM, as so far I've enjoyed all their books. @LeahBergen @rubyslippersreads @Ruthiella @CarolynM @Cathythoughts @ezrascarletbookgasm (edited) 3y
Ruthiella @rubyslippersreads @quietjenn The focus was on Valerie in this one as the one we can‘t stand (with Mary‘s sister-in-law, niece and Elizabeth Rollo close behind!). I did not miss Lady Rollo either ! 3y
LeahBergen Oh, and I forgot to add here just how much I loved the characters of Radish and Beetroot. 😂😂😂 3y
rubyslippersreads Once a month (or a little longer) sounds perfect to me. Like @quietjenn I can‘t resist taking on more buddy reads than I can handle. 😄 And I‘m happy to read whatever titles are suggested. BTW, for those who read on Kindle, Furrowed Middlebrow has a few titles that are almost always free. 3y
rubyslippersreads @LeahBergen I thought of Johnny Bergen when I read about Radish and Beetroot. 😊🐶 3y
rubyslippersreads @Ruthiella @quietjenn We were sort of warned about Valerie in the first book, if I remember correctly. 3y
erzascarletbookgasm Please count me in for Furrowed Middlebrow read along, then. I think once a month or alternate month sounds good but whatever works for everyone. Those who read on kindle, there‘re free titles available from time to time but I get my copies from BD, so it‘s great if we plan ahead. I‘m happy with whatever books. @Cathythoughts @LeahBergen @Ruthiella @quietjenn @rubyslippersreads @CarolynM 3y
CarolynM It's great that everyone is so keen to keep reading FM books and delightful to have you join us @erzascarletbookgasm I'm happy with Mrs Martell in March if that suits everyone else. We could decide after that read how soon we want to pick up the next one. @LeahBergen @Cathythoughts @Ruthiella @quietjenn @rubyslippersreads 3y
LeahBergen I like the idea of every two months (as it will give everyone time to get a copy when we decide on a new read). Shall we make it official with Mrs. Martell by Elizabeth Eliot for March? And how about an easy hashtag for us all to check, like #FurrowedMiddlebrowBookClub? Look, you guys! We‘re now a club! 😂 @CarolynM @rubyslippersreads @Cathythoughts @Ruthiella @quietjenn @erzascarletbookgasm 3y
Cathythoughts @LeahBergen Great every 2 months is perfect, I think. Hi 🙋🏼‍♀️ to everyone in The Club 😁#FurrowedMiddleBrowClub 3y
Cathythoughts Oh I‘m going to use this for #Booked2021 #winter authors first name starts with A, B , or C. Thankyou Carola 👍🏻 @erzascarletbookgasm @CarolynM @Ruthiella @rubyslippersreads @quietjenn @LeahBergen (edited) 3y
quietjenn Hooray! This sounds like a lovely plan, all around. So pleased that we are going to make this happen. #FurrowedMiddleBrowClub @rubyslippersreads @LeahBergen @CarolynM @Ruthiella @erzascarletbookgasm @Cathythoughts 3y
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blurb
Cathythoughts
Somewhere in England | Roy Strong, Carola Oman
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Night reading , I hope to finish tonight. It‘s definitely a pick. I think I even prefer this one ... beautifully written , bringing to life flowers & smells & clothes & country life ; and little Ferdinand-Africa only 4 , has scarcely seen his gas mask ( he has not been allowed to know there is a war going on ) loving this book.
Hows it going girls ? @Ruthiella @CarolynM @LeahBergen @quietjenn @rubyslippersreads

rubyslippersreads I need to catch up, but I agree that I prefer it to the first book. 😊 3y
Ruthiella I liked the first book better. Mary seems to have lost some of her strength now she‘s married. But I did enjoy it. Oman could have gone on and written a third and fourth book about Went and its inhabitants a la Cranford/Elizabeth Gaskell...there‘s so much more I‘d like to know. 😀 (edited) 3y
quietjenn Am probably going to finish tonight. I've very much enjoyed it and while things haven't shaken out exactly as expected, I think I might like it a little better than the first. I could definitely have gone for more with these characters. 3y
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LeahBergen I‘m about halfway and was just thinking that I was enjoying it even more than the first one, too! @rubyslippersreads @quietjenn (edited) 3y
CarolynM Got distracted by Real Life (the book rather than the concept 😂) Back to it this evening. @LeahBergen @Ruthiella @quietjenn @rubyslippersreads (edited) 3y
Ruthiella @quietjenn I agree that some of my hoped for outcomes didn‘t happen. But I appreciate that Oman didn‘t gloss over the ugly aspects of war. 3y
quietjenn @CarolynM I didn't end up finishing last night either - more tired than I thought 😴 maybe tonight? 3y
LeahBergen I‘m finishing up tonight, everyone! @rubyslippersreads @Ruthiella @CarolynM @quietjenn (edited) 3y
rubyslippersreads I couldn‘t sleep, so finished very early this morning. Loved it. 3y
Cathythoughts @rubyslippersreads Oh good ! Thank god for the early morning read ... I love it. 3y
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Ruthiella
Somewhere in England | Roy Strong, Carola Oman
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quietjenn She really is! And apparently her son to be ex is stupid, so it's really remarkable that the daughter Turner's out so well. Probably because of her AWESOME grandmother. #teamdowagermerle 3y
Ruthiella @quietjenn Yes, it is a wonder that Lalage turned out well! 3y
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Ruthiella
Somewhere in England | Roy Strong, Carola Oman
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How‘re you all coming along? I‘m at the halfway point where the perspective switches from Pippa‘s to Mary Hungerfort‘s. I don‘t expect any postmodern reveal that we will see some previously hidden side of Pippa or anything, but I do hope we find out what‘s eating Elizabeth Rollo and why she‘s been such a beast to Pippa. 🤨

For #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub .

@LeahBergen @rubyslippersreads @CarolynM @quietjenn @Cathythoughts

BookNAround Ooooo. This one is in my tbr piles. Let me know what you think of it when you‘re finished! 3y
CarolynM I'm only up to chapter 3. Loving it so far. 3y
LeahBergen Still on chapter 2. 😆😆 @CarolynM 3y
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Cathythoughts Just starting chapter 4 ( early morning sneaky read on kindle , everyone else asleep 🤫) I‘m really enjoying it 3y
quietjenn I'm still on chapter 1 because I kept falling asleep - not because of the book! Hoping to do a good amount of reading tomorrow though 🤞 3y
Cathythoughts Pippa has just done some very good cowslippng with Radish on her off-time ... loving it. (edited) 3y
rubyslippersreads I‘m on chapter 3. I‘ll miss Pippa when it changes POV. 3y
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rubyslippersreads
Somewhere in England | Roy Strong, Carola Oman
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I‘ve barely started and have already found quotes relating to two of my favorite things—Gilbert & Sullivan and Richard III. 😊

Ruthiella The book is chock full of small details like this, right? 😀 3y
LeahBergen I thought of you when I saw that Richard III was mentioned. 😆 3y
rubyslippersreads @LeahBergen No wonder he was mentioned—Carola Oman wrote a novel about him. But based on the title, I don‘t know if I want to read it: 3y
LeahBergen Right?? But now I REALLY can‘t stop seeing Carola Oman in the character of Miss Masquerier. 😆 3y
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quietjenn
Somewhere in England | Roy Strong, Carola Oman
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Pretty stoked that the setting for this is Barsetshire! If that was mentioned Nothing to Report, I totally missed it.

@CarolynM @rubyslippersreads @Ruthiella @LeahBergen @Cathythoughts

Ruthiella I don‘t think it was mentioned in Nothing to Report because I think all we Trollope fans would have picked up on the that! 😀 3y
LeahBergen I‘m not sure if it was mentioned or if I read it in a review of the two books? 🤔 Either way, I forgot the fact until I read it again. 😆😆 3y
rubyslippersreads Trollope and Thirkell. 😊 3y
CarolynM 🙂 3y
Cathythoughts Yes , it‘s good. I‘ve only read one Trollope ... really enjoyed too 3y
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CarolynM
Somewhere in England | Roy Strong, Carola Oman
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This is 1942. It just goes to show that there's nothing new about some people's refusal to accept reality.

LeahBergen Right? 🙄🙄 3y
quietjenn Indeed ... 3y
TrishB 😂😂 3y
Cathythoughts Yes ! Reading this passage now ... Pippa just at the hairdressers 🤞🏻 3y
67 likes4 comments
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LeahBergen
Somewhere in England | Roy Strong, Carola Oman
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Ain‘t no party like a Saturday night Furrowed Middlebrow party. Am I right, fellow buddy readers? 😆😆

@CarolynM @rubyslippersreads @Cathythoughts @Ruthiella @quietjenn

#FurrowedMiddlebrow
#FurrowedMiddlebrowClub

quietjenn 🤣😂😆 we know how to get down! 3y
Ruthiella Whoop whoop! 😂 3y
CarolynM Oh, for sure!😂 3y
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Cathythoughts Woooohoooo 😂💃🏾 3y
Reviewsbylola The best! 🙌🏻🙌🏻 3y
catebutler This is on my list to read! 3y
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CarolynM
Somewhere in England | Roy Strong, Carola Oman
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So evocative.

Ruthiella Totally. So fascinating to think too that she wrote and published this in the thick of the war when the outcome was very uncertain! 3y
Cathythoughts Yes ! So evocative 3y
Rissreads This is fantastic! (edited) 3y
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Ruthiella
Somewhere in England | Roy Strong, Carola Oman
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It‘s the details that get me in these books written in a different era, especially when they touch upon books (and also weirdly groceries 🙄. I love it when a character buys a chop or a nice piece of haddock for luncheon).

@LeahBergen @rubyslippersreads @CarolynM @quietjenn @Cathythoughts

For #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub .

Cathythoughts My husband loves a chop ! A pork chop 😁his favorite dinner. Must start reading ....... 👍🏻 3y
LeahBergen Yes! These little details are just the best. I‘ll be starting it today or tomorrow! 3y
rubyslippersreads I‘ll be starting it as soon as I finish my current book, so today or tomorrow. 😊 3y
quietjenn I agree! They really make the stories. I hope to start within the next day or two. 3y
CarolynM I've just read the first 2 chapters. Loving it so far. 3y
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Ruthiella
Somewhere in England | Roy Strong, Carola Oman
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quietjenn Woohoo! 3y
rubyslippersreads Yay! 😊 3y
Gissy Beautiful Persephone books, beautiful editions👌😍📚📚📚❤️❤️❤️ 3y
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Ruthiella @Gissy Thank you 😊 3y
Cathythoughts Oh great ! @CarolynM @LeahBergen @rubyslippersreads @quietjenn & I just got a copy on my kindle ( which I never thought of before 🙄) my hard copy could take awhile as our post is really bad at the moment. So, I‘m ready too for whenever we will start reading 👍🏻 3y
Cathythoughts That lawn is so pretty on the cover 3y
Ruthiella @LeahBergen @rubyslippersreads @CarolynM @quietjenn @Cathythoughts Excellent! We‘ve all got our copies. When shall we start? This weekend or would Monday be better? 😀 3y
CarolynM Either works for me. Looking forward to it 🙂 3y
LeahBergen Yay!! I can start on whatever day works best for everyone. 👍🏻 3y
batsy Lovely cover on these editions. And the backdrop of Persephones on the shelf 😍 Also, the cat 👌🏽 3y
rubyslippersreads I can start anytime. 😊 3y
quietjenn Same here, anything works for me. 😃 3y
Ruthiella @batsy Thematically, the Persephones and Furrowed Middlebrow feel related! So I group them together. If I had any green spine Viragos, I would gather them here as well!😀 3y
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