A charming contemporary romance set in the Cotswald village of Little Maudley. As I had read an article last year of townspeople turning the famous red telephone booths into micro libraries I was drawn by the description of this story. Little libraries in the United States are known as "mini-town squares" across the United Kingdom. And how appropriate as throughout the novel Bunty Nicolson shares the various ways the village phone booth was so meaningful to the community before it was decommissioned.

Note: "The first such telephone box library was set up in Westbury-Sub-Mendip in Somerset was founded in 2009 after the local council cut funding for the area’s mobile library."

Lucy Evans has come to Little Maudley "sight unseen" taking a 6-month sabbatical from her position as Head of the History Department and teacher at a secondary school. With the door of the address she's to meet Margaret Nicolson closed in her face, Lucy is not sure she hasn't made a huge mistake. But the advert seemed perfect for her desired and much needed rest. Lucy would only be needed to look in on Bunty Nicolson, age 96, approximately an hour a day to see if she needed anything and might need a little help. Oh, it had sounded so perfect. Was it really too good to be true?

I was smiling non-stop when Lucy's view of Little Maudley was described as "This place was like stepping into an episode of Midsomer Murders."

I've watched every episode so beyond the lovely descriptive writing I could even further imagine the landscape. Then as I've watched every episode of "Hamish Macbeth" I couldn't help giggling to read Lucy's dog is named Hamish. I had to wonder if Rachael Lucas has enjoyed that series too.

I loved the blended themes of the multi-generational storyline, the camaraderie of single parenting, the friendships of neighbors, the hesitation of revealing secrets of the past, the flavor of historical fiction with the intermingling of history of the Women's Institute (WI), the transmission of fake German radio programs, and work at Bletchley Park. Beyond that, I truly wish I could escape to a treehouse designed and built by Sam Travis.

I'm eager to read the next book in the series as one visit simply isn't enough to Little Maudley. ( )

Light and fun, with likeable characters, and charming English slang and character. The secondary plot about the young women working at Bletchley Park during WW2 was an interesting addition. It was a little too quaint, and the conflicts worked out a little too easily...it was like a young adult Hallmark movie. ( )