Paperback
£8.99

Learn more

Read now

OR

£3.25

Promotions apply when you purchase

Sold by Amazon Media EU S.à r.l..

Read with our free app

You've subscribed to ! We will pre-order your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.

Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships and Subscriptions

There was an error. We were unable to process your subscription due to an error. Please refresh and try again.

Image Unavailable

Image not available for
Colour:

To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

Keddie Hughes

Follow

An Obstinate Vanity Kindle Edition

by KEDDIE HUGHES (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

102 ratings

See all formats and editions

When Beth Colquhoun – a successful, attractive single woman in her mid forties – wakes up one morning to find that one side of her face is paralysed, her world is turned upside down.

She is told she has Bells Palsy and hopes the effects will be temporary. Being a confident, positive woman she is obstinate in her resolve to carry on as normal. As Chief Executive of The Agency she is determined to show this male dominated world what she's made of. Will she be successful or will her enemies prevail?

She chairs the judging panel of the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Competition and the winner is Benjy McKinnon with his bold plans to expand the family's oyster farm in Skye. Little does she know at the time but Benjy's father is Dougie McKinnon, her ex fiancé from University. Although curious to meet up after 20 years, Beth has no illusions about rekindling their romance.

What happens from this point onwards is full of twists and turns from dangerous and exciting relationships, to double crossing and back-stabbing. Is Beth as strong as she thinks she is? Will she and Dougie heal the wounds of their past? Will Benjy's ambitious plans for Skye come to fruition?

Join Beth as she discovers how betrayal and redemption can come from the least expected places.

Keddie Hughes was born in Glasgow and now lives in Buckinghamshire outside London. She is married with two children. An Obstinate Vanity is her debut novel.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01BW838WU
Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
Publication date ‏ : ‎ 17 Feb. 2016
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1.9 MB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 385 pages
Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: 607,458 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- 19,188 in Women's Contemporary Fiction
- 22,072 in Women's Romance Fiction
- 22,151 in Women's Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Fiction

Customer reviews:
102 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Keddie Hughes

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

I was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in a family of four children with only four years between youngest and oldest. As you can imagine it was a bit of a madhouse at times! I built a successful career as a psychologist advising companies on how to get the best out of their employees. I am fascinated by how peoples' behaviour, relationships, and values show up in different cultures and contexts. In 2014 my Doctoral thesis on Trust was published in the academic press.

My passion for people and psychology isn't limited to the academic. Fiction is my first love and I read constantly. As a wee girl I wrote stories and always hoped that at some point in my life, I would become an author. Career, marriage, and children put this ambition on the back burner, till now.

An Obstinate Vanity is my debut novel

Small Change is my second

Dark Loch is my third

A fourth is being worked on

I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed writing them

Customer reviews

102 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Review this product

Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find this debut novel to be a compulsive read with a gripping storyline that weaves in and out, featuring believable characters and a beautiful setting in Skye. The book keeps readers engrossed from start to finish, with one customer noting fascinating insights into both the corporate world and how business and personal lives intertwine.

Select to learn more

Readability Storyline Character development Scenery Enjoyment Absorbing content Enlightened Feel of place

32 customers mention ‘Readability’32 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well written and engaging, describing it as a great debut novel. One customer notes it's a refreshing change to read about real people rather than fictional characters.

"...Beth's affliction with Bell’s palsy is very convincingly written and it really adds a dimension to revealing the central character...." Read more

"A satisfying, multi-layered, well-plotted novel with the added bonus of some beautiful descriptive writing - but it is the story that keeps you..." Read more

"What a good read! A fine story well told...." Read more

"...A very good read which left me wanting to read the next Keddie Hughes novel." Read more

28 customers mention ‘Storyline’28 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the storyline of the book, describing it as a gripping tale full of surprises that weaves in and out.

"...and qualities of the other players combine with the cracking pace of the plot to make for a richly satisfying read...." Read more

"...-layered, well-plotted novel with the added bonus of some beautiful descriptive writing - but it is the story that keeps you involved; you actually..." Read more

"...Beth is a splendid central character who is so well drawn that we feel all her highs and lows as she negotiates the upheavals in her life...." Read more

"...The atmosphere of the place enhances the plot but the plot does not depend on it...." Read more

17 customers mention ‘Character development’17 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, finding them very believable, with one customer noting how they reveal themselves gradually throughout the story.

"This is a pacey page turner in which the very believable characters are as interesting as the increasingly intriguing plot...." Read more

"...- but it is the story that keeps you involved; you actually care about the characters - all vividly drawn and carefully observed...." Read more

"What a good read! A fine story well told. Beth is a splendid central character who is so well drawn that we feel all her highs and lows as she..." Read more

"...The characters reveal themselves by degrees and the twists of the story keep the reader on tenterhooks...." Read more

6 customers mention ‘Scenery’6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the beautiful setting in Skye, with one describing it as a lovely part of the world.

"...For me, the combination of the beautiful natural setting on the isle of Skye with the hustle of urban corporate shenanigans was a winner...." Read more

"...Great characters and a beautiful setting in Skye. Would highly recommend." Read more

"...industry were cleverly interwoven together against a stunning backdrop of Isle of Skye...." Read more

"...which paints a vivid picture of urban Glasgow and the idyllic beaches and mountains of Skye.The characters have both depth and complexity...." Read more

4 customers mention ‘Enjoyment’4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable, with one mentioning it kept them engrossed from start to finish, while another notes how it sweeps them along from beginning to end.

"...It’s always enjoyable to meet new areas of experience in a novel and the author introduces us to kelp growing, oyster cultivation and Japanese..." Read more

"Engaging, gripping but also loved the sense of humour that was evident throughout...." Read more

"I really enjoyed this book which kept me engrossed from start to finish...." Read more

"...telling and totally believable characterisation that sweeps you along from start to finish - very accomplished writing...." Read more

3 customers mention ‘Absorbing content’3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book absorbing.

"A lovely novel. Like many others, I found it very absorbing and difficult to put down...." Read more

"Loved it. Read it in one sitting. Compelling reading, very absorbing, and I still think about some of the characters a few weeks later..." Read more

"Completely absorbing..." Read more

3 customers mention ‘Enlightened’3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enlightening, with one review highlighting fascinating insights into both the corporate world and how business and personal lives intertwine.

"...The characters are an interesting mix with their business and personal lives intertwining. A lovely modern novel and an easy read...." Read more

"...of life on Skye intermingled with rekindled romances and dip into corporate world. Good pace that made me want to continue to read." Read more

"...Fascinating insights into both the corporate world and a more ecological way of living, and the conflict between the two...." Read more

3 customers mention ‘Feel of place’3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate how the book immerses readers in the setting, with one noting its strong sense of place.

"...This novel has a very strong sense of place and fans of Peter May's Lewis trilogy and Ann Cleeves Shetland series would do well to add Keddie Hughes..." Read more

"...great characters, wonderful backdrop and a unique slant that holds you in...." Read more

"Diverse characters and a true feel for the locations..." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

RosCo
A treat for fans of Ann Cleeves' Shetland series and Peter May's Lewis trilogy
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 March 2016
Verified Purchase

This is a pacey page turner in which the very believable characters are as interesting as the increasingly intriguing plot. Beth's affliction with Bell’s palsy is very convincingly written and it really adds a dimension to revealing the central character. The varied circumstances and qualities of the other players combine with the cracking pace of the plot to make for a richly satisfying read. It’s always enjoyable to meet new areas of experience in a novel and the author introduces us to kelp growing, oyster cultivation and Japanese whisky with a light and hugely enjoyable touch. This novel has a very strong sense of place and fans of Peter May's Lewis trilogy and Ann Cleeves Shetland series would do well to add Keddie Hughes to their reading list. Highly recommended.

Read more

Helpful

Report
Fiona Macdonald
A sure-footed debut
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 April 2016
Verified Purchase
A satisfying, multi-layered, well-plotted novel with the added bonus of some beautiful descriptive writing - but it is the story that keeps you involved; you actually care about the characters - all vividly drawn and carefully observed.
A sure-footed debut, this book will do Skye's tourist industry no harm!

Read more

Helpful

Report
MB
What a good read! A fine story well told
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2016
Verified Purchase
What a good read! A fine story well told. Beth is a splendid central character who is so well drawn that we feel all her highs and lows as she negotiates the upheavals in her life. The plot zings along with interesting and surprising twists. For me, the combination of the beautiful natural setting on the isle of Skye with the hustle of urban corporate shenanigans was a winner. More please!

Read more

Helpful

Report
Amazon Customer
An excellent read.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 March 2016
Verified Purchase
I was gripped by this novel. It is set in Scotland and I read it while on holiday there. The atmosphere of the place enhances the plot but the plot does not depend on it. The characters reveal themselves by degrees and the twists of the story keep the reader on tenterhooks. The stages of bereavement experienced by the main character who has suddenly contracted Bell's palsy, was fascinating. A very good read which left me wanting to read the next Keddie Hughes novel.

Read more

Helpful

Report
E M.
Diverse characters and a true feel for the locations
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 March 2016
Verified Purchase
I have just finished reading and once started was compulsive reading for me. The short chapters and twists of the storyline covered a variety of known locations in Scotland. The characters are an interesting mix with their business and personal lives intertwining. A lovely modern novel and an easy read. I give a five star recommendation.

Read more

Helpful

Report
Bobby blackbird
A Helter Skelter of a book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 March 2016
Verified Purchase
A smashing read. I found it hard to put this book down. The main character Beth is on a Helter Skelter ride to disaster. A typical over-achiever, Beth is an over-paid and over-confident top executive, addicted to being busy. Suddenly every aspect of her life begins to unravel and crack under the disfigurement of Bells Palsy. But the beauty of Scotland - and specifically the Island of Skye - slowly start to work their healing powers. That, and the boy from her younger days. The boy who had always 'got her'. The author steers us into the charming world of Dougie McKinnon. Powerful stuff. I was left feeling that I wouldn't mind an adventure with Dougie myself. Thoroughly good read.

Read more

5 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Amazon Customer
Modern Scottish drama with romance
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 January 2017
Verified Purchase
Storyline weaves in and out. Atmospheric descriptions of life on Skye intermingled with rekindled romances and dip into corporate world. Good pace that made me want to continue to read.

Read more

Helpful

Report
VEH Masters
Great characters and a beautiful setting in Skye
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 March 2016
Verified Purchase
An absorbing read about a high achiever and her nemesis. Unexpected twists and turns in the plot keep the reader guessing to the end. Fascinating insights into both the corporate world and a more ecological way of living, and the conflict between the two. Great characters and a beautiful setting in Skye. Would highly recommend.

Read more

Helpful

Report

Top reviews from other countries

Emmanuelle Faucon
Excellent book, the first of a long list to come
Reviewed in France on 7 June 2016
Verified Purchase

A great book from a brilliant author!
Very well done! I recommend to read it...I can't wait to buy the next ones from this author

Read more
Report
Amazon Customer
Great story captures the contrasts of Scotland
Reviewed in the United States on 12 May 2016
Verified Purchase
I really enjoyed An Obstinate Vanity! Beth really drew me in - the struggle she had to keep her dignity and try to carry on despite the Bell's Palsy disfigurement. Growing older, I catch my reflection sometimes and am shocked at the face I see and like Beth, I try to act like I'm still the attractive young woman I once was. She's tougher than me, but I could relate to the constant juggling of work demands and personal commitments. And Nine was also a powerful and resourceful character, and I still liked her, even at the end of the book, which somewhat surprises me.

The reader is thrown into the frantic pace of Beth's city life contrasting with Dougie's world on Skye and the descriptions are great - "the low tide leaving the black sand streaked with rivulets the colour of mercury", versus the party guests, "milling around like a shoal of happy fish, darting and flashing from one side of the room to another".

The plot yielded some satisfying confirmation of my suspicions about a few characters, (yes! I knew something was fishy there..) but held surprises too, really a good mix.

So what happens to Sally, I want a sequel for her!

Read more
Report
Jacqui Corn-Uys
Leaves you with a smile
Reviewed in the United States on 25 January 2018
Verified Purchase
An Obstinate Vanity is the debut novel by Keddie Hughes and is a tale of love, friendship and betrayal.

Beth has worked hard to get where she is in a male-dominated industry and is no stranger to public controversy. One day she wakes up with Bells Palsy and one side of her face is paralysed. This, she fears, will become a serious issue in her “quick to judge” job at The Agency.
Beth is set to judge the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Competition and the winner, Benjy McKinnon, had no idea what he will be thrust into. McKinnon is not an uncommon name in those parts of the world, but the name sticks with Beth. Little does she know that Benjy’s father Dougie, is the man she was once engaged to.
As Beth, Benjy and Dougie have to work with and around the media on this project, they encounter a number of people that will have a significant impact on their lives. Some may be positive and some may be life-changing, but all will be remembered. Sometimes life is filled with questions that just don’t have the right answers for them.

For a debut novel it is a well-written book with a rather sweet story. It shows us how unrequited love can hurt, how betrayal can damage and how love sees no faults. I can relate to Beth and her frustration with Bells Palsy as I had it when I was 18, but was lucky enough to catch it in time and get electro therapy quickly enough that within a month there were no lasting effects. I enjoyed the simple yet complex characters, the beautiful settings and the stark look at business behind the scenes and not always in a good way. A good, satisfying read that leaves you with a smile on your face.

Read more
Report
Grady Harp
‘Vanity is becoming a nuisance, I can see why women give it up, eventually. But I’m not ready for that yet.’ - Margaret Atwood
Reviewed in the United States on 1 May 2016
Verified Purchase
Scottish author Keddie Hughes, born in Glasgow, has enjoyed a successful career as a psychologist – advising and coaching international organizations on personnel management. She now lives in Buckinghamshire outside London and has turned her attention to writing, incorporating her skills as psychologist to create characters with problems and how they cope with them. AN OBSTINATE VANITY is her very fine debut novel.

‘Frailty thy name is woman’ (Shakespeare’s Hamlet actually used ‘frailty’ instead of vanity as is so often misquoted) and ‘Vanity of vanities, all is vanity’ from the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible come to mind with the title of Keddie’s book – as though to expect a diatribe on feminine vanity. But Keddie’s main character, whom we discover in the first paragraphs of this rich book, presents another more significant interpretation: ‘Beth joined the stream of mid-morning travelers as they fanned out to their various platforms as if choreographed. She imagined people might register the cut of her hair and suit, the restraint of her kitten heels, her confident step, and think she was a businesswoman going into the office a little later than usual. Some might even regard her as the sort of woman who was skillfully navigating her looks through middle age; at least they might if they took no more than a passing glance.... As the carriage filled up, Beth became aware of a subtle change of atmosphere around her, a check in the step as people approached before moving past. Two men were standing by the door, looking down at their feet, in weary anticipation of a journey spent standing, yet the seats beside and opposite her were empty. She felt both furious and forlorn. She had never considered herself beautiful, thank God, was sorry for those women who did and were so quickly judged because of it, but the speed of her transformation from a reasonably attractive forty-four year old woman to someone who people avoided sitting beside, was bewildering. She had been given a diagnosis. Bell’s Palsy. A paralysis of the facial nerve probably triggered by the virus that had kept her off work for the past week. Bell’s Palsy. She had tried to say it out loud but her lips and tongue had thickened around the ‘b’ and ‘p’. She wondered if Mr. Bell had taken any cruel pleasure in seeing those afflicted with his disease struggle so much to pronounce it. There was no cure. Doctor Rorke said most cases of Bell’s Palsy get better on their own. It was likely to be temporary, she said, offering the prognosis like a gift.’

Writing of this quality is usually encountered in seasoned writers but here it is in a debut novel. Keddie supplies a fine synopsis: ‘When Beth Colquhoun – a successful, attractive single woman in her mid forties – wakes up one morning to find that one side of her face is paralysed, her world is turned upside down. She is told she has Bells Palsy and hopes the effects will be temporary. Being a confident, positive woman she is obstinate in her resolve to carry on as normal. As Chief Executive of The Agency she is determined to show this male dominated world what she's made of. Will she be successful or will her enemies prevail? She chairs the judging panel of the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Competition and the winner is Benjy McKinnon with his bold plans to expand the family's oyster farm in Skye. Little does she know at the time but Benjy's father is Dougie McKinnon, her ex fiancé from University. Although curious to meet up after 20 years, Beth has no illusions about rekindling their romance. What happens from this point onwards is full of twists and turns from dangerous and exciting relationships, to double crossing and back-stabbing.’

Enough said. Welcome a new and very talented author to watch. Grady Harp, May 16

Read more
Report
June Ahern
MORE THAN ROMANCE - LOVE OF LIFE
Reviewed in the United States on 1 May 2016
Verified Purchase
From the cover I thought, a romance and that's not my preferred genre. Then I saw, Bells Palsy and was hooked. A good friend suffers from it. I've seen how it's affected her whole life, hence I needed to learn more about the protagonist, Beth Colquhoun, in "An Obstinate Vanity," Keddie Hugh's debut novel. The story takes place in Scotland both in the city of Glasgow and highlands specifically the Isle of Skye. Beth is a real hardworking, driven, ambitious business woman who is at the top of her game. She has a severe case of Bells Palsy. Once quite a looker and able to maintain a handsome appearance she is understandably so, shaken by the appearance of her face as are most she encounters. By chance she meets the son (Benjay McKinnon) of Beth's past lover, Dougie (who lives on Skye). Twenty years ago the two had a very difficult break-up. This leads to a complicated story of lost love found, present love relationships tilting on break-ups and new ones formed. All the time Beth deals with her illness, a financially scam artist brother, public anger at her projects, and failed relationships professionally and personally. Her tight control of her world is quickly unraveling and she has to come to obvious to the other characters and readers it's sink or swim, Beth time! I truly appreciated the beautiful language of the author as she describes the Scottish island of Skye (having been there). It is true all over the Scottish highlands there is more than a rugged beauty, there is an energy where one can lose themselves in mystery and calmness . It is in Skye we learn about the world of Dougie, his ambitions, hopes and fears. We learn about the people in Skye and their businesses. Then there is Nine - Nine a homeless tough young woman. Reluctantly she works her way into the home of Beth and becomes embroiled in the lives of the main characters. But still, what is it about her? I read this book in a long weekend of bed rest from an illness. By the end of it as well as the end of the story my head was full of the characters. Hughes has created believable characters and her writing skill is smooth and enjoyable. Unlike the romance novels available, this story is much more than that; it's about love of life, love of what is important in life, forgiveness and forget, move on. Yes, a love story in all aspects. I look forward to another story from Keddie Huges.

Read more
Report

Follow the author

An Obstinate Vanity Kindle Edition

Customers who read this book also read

Product details

About the author

Keddie Hughes

Customer reviews

Review this product

Customers say

Select to learn more

Images in this review

Top reviews from United Kingdom

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, the first of a long list to come

5.0 out of 5 stars Great story captures the contrasts of Scotland

4.0 out of 5 stars Leaves you with a smile

5.0 out of 5 stars ‘Vanity is becoming a nuisance, I can see why women give it up, eventually. But I’m not ready for that yet.’ - Margaret Atwood

5.0 out of 5 stars MORE THAN ROMANCE - LOVE OF LIFE

Report an issue

Amazon Music

AbeBooks

ACX

Veeqo

Amazon Web Services

Audible

Goodreads

Amazon Home Services

IMDb

Kindle Direct Publishing

Shopbop

Amazon Resale

Amazon Business

Excellent book, the first of a long list to come

Great story captures the contrasts of Scotland

Leaves you with a smile

‘Vanity is becoming a nuisance, I can see why women give it up, eventually. But I’m not ready for that yet.’ - Margaret Atwood

MORE THAN ROMANCE - LOVE OF LIFE