Heartbreak and Happiness

June 1, 2016
In present-day England, West Country villages still exist, where everyone knows everyone else's business. So best friends Cindy Mason, a farmer's daughter, and Rebecca Peterson, daughter of the village butcher who does business with the Masons, strive to leave. Cindy saves up for acting lessons in the city, while working at the controversial new supermarket, which is threatening the hamlet's family businesses. Rebecca goes to university in Cardiff. As Harris (The Mixture as before, 2015) describes the lovely countryside, she introduces the big news about the Petersons' endeavor to raise pigs, revs up the measured pace, and stokes up some fear. Is there any truth to the rumors that reach Rebecca about Cindy's affair with a married man? Will this fray the close-knit town's relationships? Will Mrs. Mason ever be able to show her face in public again? When Rebecca's mother stops working at the shop, a handsome new assistant is hired. What role will he play? Harris' family saga, with hints of mystery and romance, is a great summer read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)