It’s far too long since I featured Veronica Henry here on Linda’s Book Bag and given how much I adore her writing it’s high time I remedied that situation. Consequently, it gives me great pleasure to share my review of her latest book, The Impulse Purchase. My thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for inviting me to participate in this blog tour. I was thrilled to be sent two copies of the book and I chose to share The Impulse Purchase with my Mum. The characters of Maggy, Cherry and Rose are inspiring multigenerational characters and the book got me thinking about the people I value in my life such as my Mum, sister and nieces. It’s actually my youngest niece’s 40th birthday today which feels rather appropriate when reviewing a book containing several generations.

You will find my review of Veronica Henry’s A Night on the Orient Express here and of A Wedding at the Beach Hut here. A Wedding at the Beach Hut was one of my books of the year in 2020.

Published by Orion on 3rd February 2022, The Impulse Purchase is available for purchase through the links here.

The Impulse Purchase

Sometimes you have to let your heart rule your head.

Cherry, Maggie and Rose are mother, daughter and granddaughter, each with their own hopes, dreams and even sorrows. They have always been close, so when, in a moment of impulse, Cherry buys a gorgeous but rundown pub in the village she grew up in, it soon becomes a family affair.

All three women uproot themselves and move to Rushbrook, deep in the heart of Somerset, to take over The Swan and restore it to its former glory. Cherry is at the helm, Maggie is in charge of the kitchen, and Rose tends the picturesque garden that leads down to the river.

Before long, the locals are delighted to find the beating heart of the village is back, bringing all kinds of surprises through the door.

Could Cherry’s impulse purchase change all their lives – and bring everyone the happiness they’re searching for?

Escape to the glorious Somerset countryside with this joyful and uplifting story of family, love and hope.

My Review of The Impulse Purchase

Cherry’s acting on the spur of the moment.

You know, sometimes a book come along that simply feels  – right. That is the case with The Impulse Purchase. It’s mature, thoughtful and beautifully written so that Veronica Henry’s words draw in the reader from the very first page, ensnaring them into this world of women and their relationships. And whilst men do impact on the lives of Cherry, Maggie and Rose, as well as some of the minor characters like Nicole, it really is women at the heart of this narrative.

It’s so refreshing to find women of three generations so perfectly balanced in the story. Here there is someone for any reader to identify with. Cherry, Maggie and Rose have their flaws, their insecurities and their vulnerabilities, but they are realistic in depiction, making what happens to them really important for the reader. The Impulse Purchase has feminism and independence threaded through it, but in a manner that is absolutely convincing so that whilst Veronica Henry teachers her reader that they really can do anything they set their minds to, there’s no contrived misandry undermining the lovely story.

Whilst I loved the plot and the effortless way the lives, backgrounds and hopes of the three main women were woven into the narrative, it was the gorgeous quality of Veronica Henry’s writing that I found so affecting. Her descriptions of nature, and the glorious sensuous presentation of food in particular, made reading The Impulse Purchase feel immersive and affecting. I found my visit to Rushbrook just wonderful.

The themes too are mesmerising. Confidence, mental health, addiction, family, responsibility, impulsivity and decision making are woven through the story with a deftness that is absolutely engrossing. Veronica Henry has compassionate insight into what makes us human and she presents her characters and their inner feelings with consummate skill.

Filled with warmth, humanity and love, The Impulse Purchase is the book we all need in our lives to give us a sense of belonging and connection. I loved it – and it gave me the confidence to make an impulse purchase of my own! Oh – and Mum thoroughly enjoyed it too!

About Veronica Henry

Veronica Henry has worked as a scriptwriter for The Archers, Heartbeat and Holby City amongst many others, before turning to fiction. She won the 2014 RNA Novel of the Year Award for A Night on the Orient Express and is a Sunday Times bestselling author of over twenty books. Veronica lives with her family in a village in north Devon and can often be found cooking up the perfect seaside feast.

Find out more by visiting Veronica’s website or following her on Instagram or Twitter @veronica_henry. You’ll also find her on Facebook.

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