"Sarah's Cottage" by D.E. Stevenson (re-read)

My D.E. Stevenson fan group recently finished its discussion of one of Stevenson's later books, "Sarah's Cottage" -- a 1968 sequel to "Sarah Morris Remembers," which we read late last year (reviews here and here). I read this book myself first before we started our chapter-by-chapter group read & discussion (my original review from May, here). 

The book is set in post-war (World War 2) rural Scotland, where newlyweds Sarah & Charles are settling in to their new home near Sarah's grandparents, outside of Ryddelton (the setting for several other DES books).  Things are idyllic at first -- but then Charles becomes obsessed with a book he's writing, leaving Sarah feeling lonely and irritated. Later, he heads back to Austria to deal with his estranged family there (after vowing he was done with them forever). Sarah's spoiled younger sister Lottie also adds some drama, and Sarah & Charles develop a close and nurturing relationship with Lottie's neglected daughter Freddie (Frederica).  

As a doting childless auntie myself, I was tickled to see this relationship at the core of the book. There are several points in the story where Sarah expresses her longing for a baby of her own, admitting (somewhat cluelessly -- but hey, this was the 1950s!) that she "can't understand anyone not wanting a child." I will admit that I braced myself for the inevitable "miracle baby" ending. 

(**SPOILER ALERT!** -- and SURPRISE!! -- IT DID NOT HAPPEN!! )(For a book set in the 1950s and written in the late 1960s, this is pretty remarkable!)  

As I noted in my original review, this was a pleasant read (as so many of Stevenson's books are!) with some very nice characters (and a couple of not-so-nice ones, to add a little drama!).  There's not really much of a plot, though, and some of the storylines are kind of left dangling at the end, which comes somewhat abruptly. (If I had to name a flaw in Stevenson's writing, this would be it!) 

I originally gave this book a 3-star rating on Goodreads, and I think I'll let that rating stand.  

Our next book will be "The House on the Cliff."  (Start date TBA.) 

This was Book #29 read to date in 2023 (and Book #2 finished in August), bringing me to 64% of my 2023 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) 2 books ahead of schedule. :)  You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2023 tagged as "2023 books."