Hannah shares her experience of staying in a haunted cottage in Snowdonia and what made her and her family pack up and leave a day early. Expect strange happenings and a bizarre Charles Dickens coincidence that no one can quite explain.
Meanwhile, Nikki firmly establishes herself as an absolute wuss when it comes to anything remotely paranormal and questions Hannah’s life choices in even booking the cottage in the first place…
The remote, welsh cottage
Book Talk
A Walk in the Park – Jill Mansell
This week we dive into a Jill Mansell classic: A Walk in the Park, which turns out not to be her most recent novel (as we confidently, and incorrectly, believed!).
We discuss:
- The enduring allure of romantic fiction and how it fits into our reading lives
- Romantic fiction as comfort and escapism during difficult times
- The universal pursuit of love in all its guises
- Strong female leads and the importance of a rich supporting cast
- Whether romantic fiction can (or should) tackle deeper issues beneath the froth
- How certain themes can date over time
- What makes a truly swoon-worthy leading man and the lines authors give them to seal the deal
- The importance of trusting the writer and surrendering to the story
Current Reads
Hannah is Reading
Room 706 – Ellie Levenson
Having just finished this, Hannah reflects on how the novel explores the realities of being a working mother and wife: the invisible mental load, the complexity of identity and the truth that we’re rarely just “good” or “bad,” but capable of both. She shares her thoughts on the ending (don’t worry – no spoilers).
The Swell – Kat Gordon
An atmospheric mystery set in Iceland, unfolding across dual timelines in 1911 and 1975. Hannah touches on the real-life Women’s Day Off movement in Iceland in 1975, a pivotal moment in advancing women’s rights and equality. Alongside the political landscape of the 1970s, she delights in discovering the depth of Iceland’s history, myth and folklore woven into the story.
Nikki is Reading
The Warm Hands of Ghosts – Katherine Arden
In 1917, Freddie Iven wakes after an explosion to find himself trapped with a wounded German soldier. Against all odds, they form a bond and fight to escape. In 1918, Canadian nurse Laura Iven receives devastating news about her brother that doesn’t quite add up.
Nikki explores the novel’s supernatural and folkloric threads — spectres, trauma, memory — alongside its powerful themes of friendship, shared experience and the price one might pay to forget unbearable events. She reflects on the question: what is the most formative thing that happens to you…and is that necessarily a good thing?
The Familiar – Leigh Bardugo
Nikki has only just begun this one and shares her struggle with starting a new book while still nursing a serious book hangover from her last read.
This Episode Explores
- The blurred line between the supernatural and the stories we tell ourselves, from haunted cottages to haunted memories
- Why romantic fiction continues to comfort and captivate, even in uncertain times
- Whether love stories can explore deeper truths beneath their glossy surfaces
- Courage (and cowardice!) in the face of the unknown
- The power of shared experience and friendship through challenging circumstances
- Complexity of identity and the ways we navigate being both “good” and “bad”
- How ghosts, past trauma, and great love interests linger long after the final page
- The act of reading itself: trusting writers, finding solace in fiction, and letting stories shape us
Next Joint Read
(To be discussed in Episode 5)
The Lamb – Lucy Rose