BOOK REVIEW: Tickled Pink by Christina Jones

At one point in 'Tickled Pink', author Christina Jones makes a joke about Katie Fforde's countryside capers. Irony is obviously not lost on this author, who's created the fictional village of Steeple Fritton for precisely the same reason, to bring us a funny tale of life in rural Britain, where people have names like Glad Blisset, Tatty Spry and Rose Lusty (apparently) and everyone knows everyone else's business.

I must admit, the ridiculous names in this novel did drive me mad. I've never lived in Berkshire but I did grow up in a village similar to Steeple Fritton, and most of the people I knew had normal names. However, you've got to admire an author who names her main characters Posy, Lola, Ellis and Flynn and still pokes fun at someone (the aforementioned Tatty) who picks unusual names for her children.

The silly names aside, Tickled Pink is a good read about a village trying to stay on its feet. It's probably not the book for you if you're used to urban tales of life in London where designer names are mentioned every couple of pages and characters happily spend £6 on a glass of wine. However, I found myself reading late at night and almost missing my tube stop in anticipation of the final chapter. What Jones does do well is keep up guessing for more than the first three pages as to who is going to end up with who and what's going to become of all the characters (and indeed the village).

Though the cast of characters is fairly large (and can be hard to keep track of because of all those funny names) the tale really concentrates on twenty-something jilted bride Posy, whose parents run Steeple Fritton's doomed B&B, and the B&B's latest resident, fifty year old Lola, a mistress mourning the love of her life. The main menfolk are young heartbreaker Ellis and American John Cusack lookalike Flynn. Together, this 'young' contingent aim to keep Steeple Fritton going by bringing in visitors. How? Well that would be telling, but it does include steam engines, a kareoke machine and a pair of ill-fitting Jimmy Choos. That's all I'm saying.

Though Tickled Pink is not the type of book I'd usually go for, I found myself really enjoying it and wanting to jump on a train and go back home to see if I could do the same to my village. Posy and Lola are great characters with faults as well as good qualities, and the mad cast of 'extras' help keep the story ticking over. All in all, it's a good escapist novel about what we all wish the countryside was like. Sadly, I don't know of a Steeple Fritton anywhere... [Gemma Cartwright]

Like this? Try Stately Pursuits by Katie Fforde

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