Over the Garden Fence by Karen Louise Hollis

 Over the Garden Fence by Karen Louise Hollis- women’s/contemporary fiction

Janice and Molly are neighbours and during the pandemic found that sitting outside in their gardens chatting over the wall, at a good distance did them no end of good. They decided that each year they would do this from the 1st June until it got too cold to carry on and then indoor chats would take over. They have been friends for many years and know each other pretty much inside out. This summer they have decided that despite their mature years they should try and go out more. There are lots of trips for the elderly that take their needs into consideration. A day trip to Scarborough becomes a blast from the past for Janice and could change things, thanks to a little help from the younger generation assisting with technology and bringing the ladies into the 21st century.

I really enjoyed this. It's a wonderful light-hearted read that maybe reminds us of Carpe diem. Seizing the day shouldn't wait until we are in our dotage, we all don’t know what's around the corner and the ladies in their late seventies realise this more than most. There’s a little romance and lots of smiles as the ladies chat about their days and have the occasional adventure on their trips out. A thoroughly enjoyable tale of how chatting can mean the world and maybe even change it.

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Over the Garden Fence What can two elderly women do, when they want to live their best lives, but don’t know where to start? Next-door neighbours, Molly and Janice, are in their seventies and are both widowed and lonely. In lockdown, they had their garden fence removed so they could have socially-distanced chats outside. Now the pandemic is over, but the conversation continues. In fact, it has become a daily ritual - weather permitting. As their friendship develops, talk turns from news headlines, the Sewing Bee and the Royal family to their own long-lost hopes and dreams. Is it ever too late to contact a former boyfriend? Or to heal family rifts? Or to try new things? Of course not! Because growing older doesn’t mean giving up. Purchase Links - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CMDPRR7Z https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CMDPRR7Z

Author Bio – Karen Louise Hollis was born in Lincoln in 1969 and is a full-time carer for her mother and a single mother to her son. She has had books published and self-published since 2003, including short stories and poetry, and non-fiction books on motherhood, gymnastics and Doctor Who. Her book Un-Conventional : 13 Years of Meeting the Stars of Doctor Who was published by Hirst Publishing in 2010 and her biography of actor Anthony Ainley - The Man Behind The Master was published by Fantom Publishing as a hardback in 2015, later as a paperback and audio CD. Her first novel Welcome to Whitlock Close was published in 2022 and her second novel Starting Again in Silver Sands Bay in 2023. Karen Louise usually writes books based in Lincolnshire and including characters of all ages. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and writes books in various genres including non-fiction, romance, recent historical fiction (1980s) and contemporary women’s fiction. She also reviews books and writes a book blog – iheartbooks.blog – and is very active on social media, especially on Twitter/X at @KarenLNHollis Social Media Links – https://twitter.com/KarenLNHollis https://www.instagram.com/karenlouisehollis/