Shame on you if you fool me once…

Synopsis

Perfect for fans of Jo Watson, Mhairi McFarlane and Portia MacIntosh.

City girl Sophie has married the prince (or landed gentry – close enough), moved to his pile (which is more accurate a description than she’d anticipated) and is set to live happily ever after – until she finds the other half of her perfect life in the stables with the stable girl, and they’re definitely not grooming the horses.

Shocked and appalled, Sophie’s no happier to learn that she’s supposed to ‘just get on with it’. After all, according to her mother-in-law, she got the title . . . they even overlooked her family’s ‘new money’ status.

What a lovely family she’s married into! But what’s a girl to do when she’s still in love? Make it work or leg it as fast as she can? Either way, the mother-in-law will not be coming to tea!

What readers are saying about Phoebe MacLeod:

‘A perfect love story’

‘Humorous, light and romantic!’

‘I absolutely loved it. Heart-warming, just perfect!’

‘I loved every minute reading this book, light hearted and fun, finished in a day!’

‘I smiled so much’

‘What a wonderful book’

‘Fantastic’

My review

Sophie changed her city – life out of love into the farm – kind of life. While life there has its struggles, like coping with an Aga with a mind of its own, Sophie still loves her husband James after four years of highs and lows.
So when she finds James in the stables with the groom Becky doing everything but working in the stables, her heart is broken.
And when her mother – in – law apparently makes no big deal out of it, Sophie is just flabbergasted. But despite her hurt, she still loves James. So should she give him a second chance, with clear rules? Or should she walk away and find her the life she truly deserves? 

There is so much to tell about this story, but let’s start with how amazing it just was reading it! 

I liked Sophie immediately, and I admired her courage to walk away from her city – life for love. For sure I would have many struggles changing my life completely. Obviously, things don’t always run as smoothly as it should, but I liked how Sophie still tries to make the best out of every situation.
I also admired her strength. Because it cannot be easy to find your husband wit another woman. Yet as she still loves James, she decides to give him a second chance. I am not sure I would be that forgiving!
But before you think Sophie is a doormat, she also makes it very clear that a few rules to stick to. And no, those rules aren’t crazy ones, they made complete sense to me. 

I have to admit, James The Husband and the mother – in – law weren’t very likeable… James is just a d*ckhead, and my opinion of him only got worse the further I was reading… It kept me wondering what a lovely lady like Sophie ever saw in him.
And her mother – in – law… I understand that parents see their child as a perfect one, nothing can be done wrong. But I could see where James got his behaviour from! I just kept comparing her to Cinderella’s stepmother! 

I admired Sophie in so many ways, how she was ready to give James a second chance, but also how she remained strong and did what she told would do if James would screw up.
Of course my heart broke with Sophie when she sees the evidence of James’ lack of character, yet I was happy to see her walking away. 

Of course Sophie is gong through a lot, yet her strength is something that truly stood out. Not only does she manage to leave James, she also manages to act perfectly in dire situations at work and manages to turn a ‘saboteur’ into a real ally.
I applauded the way she slowly gets her life back on track, the way she wants to, finding her own place, making new friends, and jokingly yet with surprising results getting back on the dating scene. 

I absolutely adored reading this book, and my review will never do justice as there is so much more I can say. Sophie is the kind of woman many people should use as an example, being forgiving, but not stupid, being kind and helping instead of being aggressive. And always walking with head high and being the bigger person instead of allowing someone else to join their petty games.