Book Review No 14: House For All Seasons by Jenn. J McLeod

An old house, a small town, several different stories that weave together...what a great idea! LOL. This charming book has many similar elements to my own novel, so naturally I was very eager to read it. And I definitely wasn't disappointed.

Sara, Poppy, Amber and Caitlin were once good friends when they all lived in the small NSW town of Calingarry Crossing. Central to their friendship was their association with The Dandelion House - a place they all spent time at under the wise and watchful eye of Gypsy. However a tragedy rocked their friendship and the town on school muck up day back in 1989 and one by one the four girls fled the town and their friendship.

Twenty years later all four women are shocked to discover that Gyspy has willed the old house to them, but before any decisions can be made about its future, each of them must spent a season back in Calingarry Crossing, alone. All are reluctant at first, but in turn they acquiesce and each then embarks on their own journey to healing the past.


I really liked the way the author created four very different but real characters to mirror the seasons. Each is flawed but endearing in some way and I came to know and care about each of them. All four women have faced their own challenges in life, despite how they may outwardly appear. Like some other reviewers I did not find any of the characters particularly likeable in the first scene in which they are introduced, but naturally each story saw each woman become much more 3D. Perhaps the only character I didn't get quite as much of a feel for was Caitlin - her story just seemed a bit shorter and not quite as in depth. But this is only a minor quibble.

Jenn writes in a simple and easy to read style that kept me fully engaged right from start to finish. I thought she captured a small town perfectly, right down to the quirky background characters and solo pub and cafe as the social hubs for the community. Her own love of small town life shone through in her creation of this charming rural setting.

On a final note the eventual 'reveal' of the secret that ties all the women together was cleverly orchestrated and took me quite by surprise. In all the scenarios I had considered this was not among them.

Overall a delightful and satisfying read that will leave you with a smile on your face.