Meet Me at Number Five

Lisa Hill

Jun 2017 · Choc Lit

About this ebook

What if finding happiness was a race against time?

Grace Cavendish knows a thing or two about horses – but what she doesn’t know is that her husband, top horse racing trainer Charlie Carrisbrook, is having a literal ‘roll in the hay’ right under her nose.

When the painful truth is revealed Grace has no choice but to move in with her highly-strung grandmother Clara and cousin Hennie; a single mum who has renounced men (at least that’s what she says!)

Determined to start again, Grace takes a job at the local cafe Number Five. And whilst serving up coffee and cake is a far cry from the stables, she enjoys it – especially as she gets to work alongside the rather scrumptious Sam Whittaker.

But the past is racing to catch up with Grace. Can her life still be a romp to victory or will a devastating secret stop her dead in her tracks?

Ratings and reviews

I was given this novel in return for an honest review and loved it. Grace, is devastated, when just about to start fertility treatment, she discovers her husband, Charlie, is having an affair with one of the stable girls. She moves out and in with her grandmother Clara and sister Hennie until things are sorted out, but Charlie is determined he is keeping the stables where he trains Clara’s horses amongst others. And if Grace is to survive she needs a job. Thankfully it just so happens there’s one going at Sam’s restaurant. Lisa weaves a spell-binding plot and character driven tale round racing yards and restaurants proving she was a worthy winner of Choc Lit’s search for a star competition in 2016. This is a heartwarming contemporary love story with not just one romance but two; which means two absolutely irresistible heroes. Both sisters face all sorts of issues on their way to true happiness not least because their grandmother is determined to sort everyone’s problems for them. This is a stunning novel with real laugh out loud moments, while Clara’s health issues are handled with great sensitivity. I loved it, only wish I could give it more than five stars.

What an adorable read. I absolutely loved this. A heartwarming, nail biting, laugh out loud, tear jerker of a book. I loved each character and they all had an equally compelling story to tell. Grace and Hennie are granddaughters of Clara (the Nana / Grandma everyone would like). Grace is married to Charlie. They are about to start a course of IVF when she discovers he has been having an affair with the stable girl ... not only is that bad enough .....but she is pregnant as well. Grace's world comes crashing down around her but thankfully her Nana comes to rescue her. Scoops her up and takes her back to her house to give her time to think things through. Hennie is Grace's cousin who is also living with Nana. She is also a Mummy to two adorable children. They are all very happy there and Hennie is 100% most definitely off men forever! Natalia is the housekeeper/nanny who lives there too. Along with Colin the chauffeur / extremely loyal and doting friend to Clara. How big is her house ! After Grace's initial heartache at stopping the IVF, losing her husband and moving out of her home, Grace finds work as a barista in the local coffee shop - owned by Sam. Charlie stays on at Farriers ... where further action takes place .... It seems not only has his romp In the hay got one girl pregnant but he mates Clara's finest mare without permission and she also gets pregnant.... In amongst the lies, commotion and deceit, he hires a new guy ..... drum roll ....... meet Guy the handsome American farrier ... The girls both find themselves in a predicament. They find their feelings for these gorgeous men creep up on them but will they let themselves love again and be truely happy or will fate deal them with a very different card. Meanwhile Nana is getting more frail and even more determined. She is adamant that Farriers will not be run by the cheating low life Charlie and takes matters into her own hands. She starts by arranging to kidnap her own horses (with the help of her grandchildren, Guy, Sam and Colin). If you like what you are reading so far, treat yourself to this truely remarkable read. I couldn't put it down. I laughed and cried and hoped the girls would get the endings they all deserved. Thank you Choc lit for letting me read this amazing novel in return for an honest review.

Grace and Charlie have been undergoing IVF in the attempt to have a baby and Grace is about to undergo the final stages when she discovers Charlie has been having a relationship with one of the stable hands. Grace immediately leaves him and goes to stay with her grandmother where another cousin is staying with her children. Clara is the matriarch of the family, a famous owner of race-horses, and to go-to member of the family when anyone's in trouble. Lovely ease of reading, the plot flows along with characters who are that bit larger than life which makes them all the more memorable. Grace owns the training stables at Cheltenham but Charlie is the manager and is staying put. I couldn’t wait for him to be booted out, but it’s not easy. The reader is taken to the horse-racing world at Cheltenham which I found to be not only an education but reminded me of Jilly Cooper books on a lighter scale. Grace is no wimp - she's a feisty girl who knows what she wants. And here comes the romance - is it the owner of Number Five café or the hunky American farrier in the stables? Very enjoyable book that kept me wanting more and I look forward to reading more of Lisa Hill’s work.

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