Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

If you've been a follower on my blog for a little while, you may have noticed I'm playing around with its layout/design. This is as far as I've gone with it for now (as you can probably tell from my lack of posts recently, I've been a little preoccupied with other things). If you have the time, let me know what you think and give me your suggestions!

Anywho, this blog is about the last book I read called "Major Pettigrew's Last Stand" by Helen Simonson. It's a comedy of manners in the vein of Austen set in the tiny village of Edgecombe St. Mary in the lovely English countryside. Major Pettigrew is retired, a widower, and lives for a good cup of tea. Mrs. Ali, the Pakistani shopkeeper in the village, is quiet, intelligent and also widowed. Despite their many differences, the two slowly find a friendship and eventually love with each other. But in as small a place as Edgecombe St. Mary, everyone knows about everyone else's business and no one is too pleased with this new love interest of the Major's. The underlying question throughout this book is whether the Major and Mrs. Ali's love can stand up to the pressure of such vast differences in culture and society.

Despite the plot being fairly predictable, this was an unconventional love story that I rather enjoyed. If you're looking for a steamy romance, this isn't it. But "Last Stand" more than makes up for it in sweetness as well as hope for those who think love has passed them by.