Starting Over

Aptly titled, the story is all about beginning again. Now living on her family's farm in a small Scottish town, 38-year-old Liz Dewhurst is reeling from the disintegration of her marriage. But not to worry, a broken heart may be mended when Liz takes in a boarder - a handsome older man, Arthur Kempler, a professor at her son's school. True to the Pilcher program (which the author's mother novelist Rosamunde Pilcher mines so successfully) complications develop. The farm is on the verge of bankruptcy; developers want to turn it into a posh golf course. This is a fate that Liz's father, a fifth generation farmer, cannot countenance. The betraying Gregor, Liz's ex husband, with his filly of the moment in tow shows up to lobby for the golf course as he owns adjoining property. What conundrums - if Liz turns down the tempting financial offer town folk will be unhappy as they perceive the golf course to be an asset. However, if she accepts it, she will be helping Gregor and his new lady friend. When Arthur invites Liz to join him on holiday in Spain, she accepts. There is much more than the Prado in Spain as the pair soon discover when they meet someone that neither of them expected to see. Surprises spiced with romance make "Starting Over" entertaining listening.

Liz Dewhurst feels as if her world is falling apart. Her husband has left her for another woman, her mother has died, and the farm which has been in her family for 150 years is being threatened with foreclosure. Her son Alex is estranged from his father and feels a keen responsibility for his mother and widowed grandfather. A developer appears and proposes to create a golf course on the property belonging to Liz and her ex-husband. Liz is opposed to this, but financially it seems to be the only solution to her problems. Alex tries to help by bringing his German teacher, Arthur, home as a boarder. Although Liz and her father are not too pleased by this arrangement at first, they soon grow fond of their new boarder.Arthur is estranged from his son due to past indiscretionsand needs a travel companion to replace the son who refuses to go with his wayward father. Liz is persuaded to go, and she embarks on a voyage of self-discovery as well as investigating a new culture. Pilcher makes some statements about love and loyalty which are important although some may disagree with him. This is a pleasant read with a gentle message.

Robin Pilcher's first book, "Oceans Apart", was a poor imitation of his mother's talent. Not so with his latest novel, "Starting Over". The dialogue and descriptions flow easily. There are several romatic matchups possible during the course of the book, and the reader will find himself trying to guess the outcome. While some might not like the not ending, I thought it different enough to rate the book above average. With his Mother Rosamund apparently no longer writing, I look forward to more Robin Pilcher novels.

Acclaimed actress Lynn Redgrave (winner of two Tony Awards and twice nominated for an Academy Award) gives superb reading to Robin Pilcher's second novel, "Starting Over." Aptly titled, the story is all about beginning again. Now living on her family's farm in a small Scottish town, 38-year-old Liz Dewhurst is reeling from the disintegration of her marriage. But not to worry, a broken heart may be mended when Liz takes in a boarder - a handsome older man, Arthur Kempler, a professor at her son's school. True to the Pilcher program (which the author's mother novelist Rosamunde Pilcher mines so successfully) complications develop. The farm is on the verge of bankruptcy; developers want to turn it into a posh golf course. This is a fate that Liz's father, a fifth generation farmer, cannot countenance. The betraying Gregor, Liz's ex husband, with his filly of the moment in tow shows up to lobby for the golf course as he owns adjoining property. What conundrums - if Liz turns down the tempting financial offer town folk will be unhappy as they perceive the golf course to be an asset. However, if she accepts it, she will be helping Gregor and his new lady friend. When Arthur invites Liz to join him on holiday in Spain, she accepts. There is much more than the Prado in Spain as the pair soon discover when they meet someone that neither of them expected to see. Surprises spiced with romance make "Starting Over" entertaining listening. - Gail Cooke