Read in 2023 - 23: Janet Jackson's Yorkshire B&B

Janet Jackson's Yorkshire B&B

by Becky Papworth

This was another free find at Amazon's kindle shop, yielded after a search with the keyword "Yorkshire". It was a fun read, even though more often than not, I shook my head at the heroine.

Janet Jackson (no relation whatsoever to Michael's sister) lives in a small town in Yorkshire and has just converted her garage into a B&B. 

Sounds straightforward enough - but the opposite is the case.

The good Janet has started out on this business adventure with no preparation and no plan whatsoever, something I find truly exasperating. In the end, though, she is successful, and the reader (at least this one) can't help but feeling relieved - for her as much as for oneself.

Not only does she lack preparation or even the most basic sense of business. As if that wasn't enough, she is surrounded by obstacles in the form of envious neighbours, a high maintenance teenage daughter and her unemployed and alcoholic sister living with her, and an ex husband who manages to time his surprise visits just when she least needs them.

And that's not having said anything about the B&B guests yet! They range from horrible to absolute sweethearts, but even the sweetest ones mean (surprise, surprise) work for Janet.

There is romance thrown in, and humour; all in all, I found it really entertaining but would not put it on a "must read" list. I grew to like Janet a little bit when she finally asserted herself (at least in one situation).

Becky Papworth has her own website here; as far as I can see, this is her first and so far only book. If Janet embarks on future adventures, I might go and read them.