Looking For Lucy: A gorgeously heartwarming summer page-turner from the bestselling author of A Village Affair

Julie Houston

Dec 2019 · Head of Zeus Ltd

About this ebook

Clementine needs to find Lucy before it's all too late. She also knows bringing up a child on your own down on Emerald Street where the street walkers ply their trade isn't easy, even when your daughter's as adorable as four-year-old Allegra.

When Peter Broadbent, wealthy, kind and possessed of the most beautiful house Clementine has ever seen, proposes, she knows it seems almost too good to be true.

Will this be the happy-ever-after Clementine deserves, or will her dreams come crumbling down around her?

Praise for Looking for Lucy:

'A real page-turner. You'll laugh and cry, but not be able to put it down as Julie's trademark humour shines through from beginning to end' Cassam Book Blog.

'This is one of those novels that makes you want to read "just one more chapter" before you turn out the light, and that chapter turns into several more' Big Bertha, Amazon Top 500 Reviewer.

'I became so engrossed in this story I couldn't stop – kept going for just another chapter, and another, until I'd read straight through to the end. I loved it – the magic five for me, a wonderful read and one to keep for rereading' Jeannie Zelos Book Reviews.

'An absolutely briliant read. This will definitely be a book to look out for in 2016 and I, for one, will be recommending it at every opportunity' I Love Smart Books.

Ratings and reviews

Another wonderful read from Julie Houston which I didn't realise, prior to reading, included some of the characters from her previous novels - it's a winner! Clementine lives in a very unsavoury part of Leeds with her daughter, Allegra; she is aware it's not the best of addresses but she has her reasons for being there - apart from money being tight - and is working her socks off at her part-time job whilst completing her degree. Then along comes Peter who introduces both of them to a different, more affluent way of life and proposes marriage. Is it all too good to be true? With the author's trademark warmth and understanding, this is a beautifully created story which fits in with her recent books, although it is totally different. With plenty going on - a bit of a mystery, family dynamics and the fabulous fun which is injected into all Julie's novels, I was thoroughly captivated by this one. I can imagine that there was a fair bit of research into producing such accurate details (especially the food!) and I just loved everything about it. With plenty going on, ups and downs along with a few unexpected twists, this one ticked all my boxes and left me with a feeling of great satisfaction. Totally worth all five glowing stars and a hearty recommendation from me to read not only this one, but also the author's preceding novels.

About the author

Julie Houston lives in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire where her novels are set, and her only claims to fame are that she teaches part-time at Bridget Jones author Helen Fielding's old junior school and her neighbour is Chocolat author, Joanne Harris. After university, where she studied Education and English Literature, she taught for many years as a junior school teacher. As a newly qualified teacher, broke and paying off her first mortgage, she would spend every long summer holiday working on different Kibbutzim in Israel. After teaching for a few years she decided to go to New Zealand and taught in Auckland for a year before coming back to Britain. Julie now only teaches when the phone rings asking her to go in for supply work, but still loves the buzz of teaching junior-aged children. She has been a magistrate for the past twenty years, and, when not distracted by eBay, Twitter and Ancestry, spends much of her time writing. Julie is married, with two adult children and a ridiculous Cockerpoo called Lincoln. She runs and swims because she's been told it's good for her, but would really prefer a glass of wine, a sun lounger and a jolly good book – preferably with Dev Patel in attendance. You can contact Julie via the contact page, on Twitter or on Facebook.
Twitter: @juliehouston2
Facebook.com/JulieHoustonauthor