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Love and Devotion Kindle Edition

4.4 out of 5 stars 3,150 ratings

Erica James at her best - 'A very moving novel about life, families and love' Sunday Express

'James is a great storyteller - a really enjoyable read' Woman's Weekly

'A terrific tearjerker ... Humorous and sensitive' Bella

'Brilliant!' Prizes Magazine

Harriet Swift thinks she has the perfect life - a satisfying career, her own flat and a new boyfriend who respects her need for her own space. But then her only sister is killed in a car crash, and Harriet is forced to give up her well-ordered life to help look after her orphaned niece and nephew. Moving back to her childhood home in Maple Drive, and sacrificing so much, doesn't come easy and before long Harriet discovers things about her family she never believed possible.

Meanwhile, the shabbiest house in Maple Drive has a new occupant. Will Hart also thinks he has the perfect life. Having swapped his successful career as a lawyer for that of an antiques dealer, he believes in living for the moment and is entirely happy with his lot. Then from nowhere tragedy strikes and he faces the biggest challenge of his life.

Harriet and Will have no choice but to piece together a new future for themselves, but can they see it through?

Product description

Review

A terrific tearjerker ... Humorous and sensitive ― Bella

James is a great storyteller - a really enjoyable read ―
Woman’s Weekly

Erica James will have you smiling through your tears ... and in Will Hart, James has created the romantic hero every woman dreams of ―
Nottingham Evening Post

Erica James writes easily and fluently. This time she has tackled trickier subjects with grace and style ―
Northern Echo

A very moving novel about life, families and love ―
Sunday Express

Brilliant! ―
Prizes Magazine

About the Author

Erica James is the number one international bestselling author of twenty novels, including the Sunday Times top ten bestsellers Summer at the Lake, The Dandelion Years and Song of the Skylark. She has sold over five million books worldwide and her work has been translated into twelve languages. Erica won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award for her novel Gardens of Delight, set in beautiful Lake Como, Italy, which has become a second home to her. Her authentic characters are thanks to her insatiable appetite for other people's business and a willingness to strike up a conversation with just about anybody.

To find out more, visit her website or follow her on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

www.ericajames.co.uk

T@TheEricaJames

f/ericajamesauthor/

I/the_ericajames



Jenny Agutter is the reader of all the Erica James titles. She was most recently seen on television as Jane Clark in The Alan Clark Diaries and in Spooks. She made her name in the films Walkabout and The Railway Children and won an Emmy award for The Snow Goose and a BAFTA award for Equus.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B004I8WQE8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Orion
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 23 Dec. 2009
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.6 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 460 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1409107484
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 3,150 ratings

About the author

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Erica James
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Thank you so much for visiting my Amazon Author Page. My first novel - A Breath of Fresh Air - was published in 1996 and was selected by WH Smith as a finalist for their Fresh Talent promotion. Since then I have written many more novels, most of which have been bestsellers, including Gardens of Delight which won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award and features Lake Como, one of my favourite places to visit. My novel Summer at the Lake also features Lake Como and was a No.1 bestseller in Norway.

My twenty-fifth novel - A Secret Garden Affair - was published in the spring of 2023 and is my second book to be published by HQ Stories. Partially set in the summer of 1981 when Prince Charles and Lady Diana are about to marry, Libby discovers her fiancé has been cheating on her. Heartbroken, she flees London to go to Larkspur House in Suffolk to be with her great aunt Bess and the renown garden designer Elfrida Ambrose. As Libby tries to piece her life back together, Bess and Elfrida find themselves reliving the past with all its secrets and tragedies.

My 26th novel - An Ideal Husband - is currently available in hardback and I hope you'll enjoy meeting the Langford family who have to face more than their fair share of trouble after Kip announces that he wants a divorce as he's been having an affair with their son's ex-girlfriend! The paperback will be published in November.

If you want to keep up with all my latest news, or simply get in touch to ask me a question about one of my books, you can find me online in all the usual places as well as my website.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
3,150 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a lovely summer read with a great love story and real twists and turns. They appreciate the emotional content, with one customer mentioning both tears and laughter, and enjoy the characters, with one review highlighting the rapport between Will and Harriet. The book is well-written and easy to read, though customers note it has a slow start.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

90 customers mention ‘Readability’85 positive5 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as a lovely summer read and a wonderful book by Erica.

"This is one of the best books I've read for ages. It is sad, romantic,and different the dysfunctional life of the characters is so real...." Read more

"...The premise is simple - Harriet, a single woman in her early thirties, has to drop everything and work her life around her dead sister's children...." Read more

"...This time it really was enjoyable enough to leave a comment. The characters are strong and I found a connection on many levels...." Read more

"First time reading a Erica James book, and I was not disappointed. I fell in love with each character esp will...." Read more

24 customers mention ‘Twists and turns’21 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the book's twists and turns, particularly its great love story and dramatic elements, with one customer noting there are lots of surprises along the way.

"This is one of the best books I've read for ages. It is sad, romantic,and different the dysfunctional life of the characters is so real...." Read more

"...observation and perception are very much in evidence and she has created real and believable characters...." Read more

"...The main romance is good and there is an excellent depiction of living with children that are not your own and gradually morphing into &#..." Read more

"...This was different however in that there were some unexpected twists...." Read more

20 customers mention ‘Emotional content’20 positive0 negative

Customers find the book emotionally engaging, with one mentioning it brings both tears and laughter, while another notes it feels very real.

"This is one of the best books I've read for ages. It is sad, romantic,and different the dysfunctional life of the characters is so real...." Read more

"...recommend this book if you just like to be drawn into a story that feels so real...." Read more

"...With sadness and laughter throughout it was an emotional ride. But shows how strong family can be in hard situations...." Read more

"...It was, but their journey was both funny and sad and of course happy ever after. An enjoyable book" Read more

17 customers mention ‘Character development’15 positive2 negative

Customers enjoy the characters in the book, with one mentioning the realistic portrayal of their dysfunctional life, while another appreciates the rapport between Will and Harriet.

"...It is sad, romantic,and different the dysfunctional life of the characters is so real...." Read more

"...are very much in evidence and she has created real and believable characters...." Read more

"...The characters are strong and I found a connection on many levels. Will definitely read more from this author." Read more

"...I fell in love with each character esp will. With sadness and laughter throughout it was an emotional ride...." Read more

16 customers mention ‘Writing style’16 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it very well written and easy to read.

"...A great author. A recommended read" Read more

"...very well written! Erica James talent in creating a story that holds your attention through out lives of believable characters...." Read more

"With several threads running through, this book was easy to read. I dropped one star because of the last part that included the grandparents...." Read more

"...Lots of complicated emotions but very good story well written." Read more

5 customers mention ‘Pacing’0 positive5 negative

Customers find the pacing of the book unsatisfactory, with several mentioning a slow start, and one customer noting it becomes suddenly rushed.

"I was disappointed with this book. It started very slow and I did have to check if Erica James was the author ...." Read more

"...I just felt that the writing went off a bit and was suddenly rushed. It seemed to me that it had been written by someone else." Read more

"Slow start but soon became a must read ....then couldn't put the book down!..." Read more

"The book got better as the story evolved, took a while to get going. Lots of complicated emotions but very good story well written." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 April 2017
    This is one of the best books I've read for ages.
    It is sad, romantic,and different the dysfunctional life of the characters is so real. It's a book once you start to read it you have to finish it.
    I would love a sequel to see if Harriet marries.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 August 2011
    This book is darker than most of this author's books, but otherwise is very much of a style and standard that her regular readers would expect. Her powers of acute observation and perception are very much in evidence and she has created real and believable characters. Anyone who has had contact with a primary school and/or school gate environment will find her school scenes delightfully apt.

    I spotted the twist a mile away; not hard to do if you've read some of her books. I wonder if this was deliberate as she's too talented a writer to have lapsed into such formulaic writing by accident.

    Negative things that I could say are few, but as always, I found her description of the sex scenes pathetic - she should stop at the bedroom door if she can't avoid such trite prose. Unless of course it's supposed to be funny - in which case it doesn't quite manage it. Another thing I didn't like was that I found Harriet's lack of decision over her lovers just too unbelievable - actually very believable up to a point but then when things had been sorted out and explained, her turnaround was just out of character - it's almost as if Erica herself had tired of this aspect of the plot and just wanted to finish it somehow.

    Other than the above it's an enjoyable read and a page turner, although not a feel good book.

    The premise is simple - Harriet, a single woman in her early thirties, has to drop everything and work her life around her dead sister's children. The novel, of course, is essentially about how she adapts, but it's about so much more - her sister's death has touched many lives and many people have to adjust. The lives of neighbours, old and new, are also interweaved.
    8 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 October 2017
    I totally recommend this book if you just like to be drawn into a story that feels so real. Erica has the ability to have you smiling in one paragraph and crying the next.
    A great author. A recommended read
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 January 2020
    Read this book twice now, as I couldn't seethe story from a few years ago. This time it really was enjoyable enough to leave a comment. The characters are strong and I found a connection on many levels. Will definitely read more from this author.
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 June 2017
    First time reading a Erica James book, and I was not disappointed. I fell in love with each character esp will. With sadness and laughter throughout it was an emotional ride. But shows how strong family can be in hard situations.

    Would recommend highly.
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 May 2017
    One of my "return to" books - read the whole thing originally and then go back from time to time to read little sections over again. The main romance is good and there is an excellent depiction of living with children that are not your own and gradually morphing into "parenthood".
    An overall enjoyable read.
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 October 2013
    I was disappointed with this book. It started very slow and I did have to check if Erica James was the author . I avidly read Erica James books and as this was one I had not read before I couldn't wait to start it. It is an OK book, but not one I can remember the plot of now. Sorry to sound so negative.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 October 2014
    there are many different angles to the story of a family.... but told mainly, its through the youngest sisters life. As she remodels her life though a tragic accident that effects her family. very well written! Erica James talent in creating a story that holds your attention through out lives of believable characters. I shall be finding Northbrook of

Top reviews from other countries

  • Audrey Davis
    5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Erica!
    Reviewed in the United States on 28 June 2017
    I've read most of Erica's books in no particular order. This one really moved me, with so many layers and characters struggling with grief, identity and fear of the unknown. I loved Harriet, a prickly hedgehog convinced she is second-best to her dead sister and petrified at her role as guardian to her niece and nephew. Her voyage of discovery - particularly concerning her life-long friends and her sister's shocking secret - kept me gripped to the end. Keep 'em coming!
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars another great read
    Reviewed in Canada on 9 January 2022
    Erica James is my favorite author -
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great "Quirky" Love Story
    Reviewed in the United States on 5 September 2012
    Erica James is one of my favorite British authors and this book, in particular, "Love and Devotion" is at the top of my list of favorite romances. I guess it cannot be characterized as "hot" but if you are moved by books with characters on the quirky side who are facing all kinds of "life" problems and unexpectedly find real love and romance when they are definitely not looking for it, you will love this book.
  • Patricia Webster-Boddy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great.
    Reviewed in the United States on 20 May 2016
    Very good story couldn't put it down.

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