"Still Glides the Stream" by D.E. Stevenson (re-read)

My D.E. Stevenson fan group read "Still Glides the Stream" together not that long ago, in the summer of 2021 (previous reviews here & here). For our summer 2026 reading, I would have preferred to choose a Stevenson book I haven't read before, or in a long time (there are still a few of those!) -- but when another member stepped in to suggest "Still Glides" (one of her favourites) -- along with an offer to organize the discussion (something I was too busy to commit to this summer) -- members eagerly took her up on it.  We began our discussion on June 22nd, and finished today.  

The title "Still Glides the Stream" comes from a Wordsworth poem. First published in 1959, this book is sometimes referred to as a "sequel" to "Amberwell" and "Summerhills," both about the Ayrton family.  A couple of the Ayrtons make a brief appearance here, but it's really a standalone story.  

Will Hastie is back with his father in Scotland, after spending 12 years in the military during and after the Second World War ( = it's now the early/mid-1950s). His childhood best friend Rae, from the neighbouring estate of Langford, died during the final days of the war, and Rae's younger sister Patty is engaged to her cousin Hugo, who will now inherit the estate. 

Before he died, Rae wrote to Patty, hinting at a big secret he hoped to share with the family when he returned home. This piece of unfinished business has been gnawing at Patty, and when she shares the letter with Will, he decides to go to France, trace his friend's final days and try to figure out what he wanted to tell his family. What he learns there changes everyone's lives. 

Like Stevenson's other books, this is a warm, gentle little story of a bygone era -- in both positive and negative ways. On the minus side, the clash between French and English cultures and ways of doing things is a thread that runs throughout the book (including the implied assumption of British superiority). The decision made by one of the characters near the book's end might horrify modern readers, but I am sure readers of the day had no doubt that she was doing the right thing.  

Nevertheless, I appreciated the themes of post-war grief and loss and moving forward, as well as Stevenson's usual well-drawn characters and lovely descriptions.  

On previous reads, I rated this book 3.5 stars on StoryGraph, rounded up to 4 on Goodreads. Those ratings still stand. 

Our next book is to be determined.  

This was Book #24 read to date in 2026 (and Book #6 finished in August), bringing me to 60% of  my 2026 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 40 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) 1 book behind pace to meet my goal.  :)  (Catching up...!)  You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2026 tagged as "2026 books."  

"The Four Graces" by D.E. Stevenson (re-read)

My D.E. Stevenson fan group just finished our chapter-by-chapter group reading & discussion of "The Four Graces" (first published in 1946) -- a book I've read twice before:  once in 2015, shortly after I joined the group (reviewed here), and a re-read on my own before we began our group readalong (reviewed here). It's tangentially related to Stevenson's three Miss Buncle books, with the same setting and some of the same characters in supporting roles.  (It's not necessary to have read these books first, but you will probably enjoy and appreciate "The Four Graces" more if you have.)  

The book is set in the British home front during the Second World War, and focuses on the four Grace sisters, daughters of the widowed vicar of Chevis Green: Elizabeth (Liz), Sarah (Sal), Matilda (Tilly), and Adeline (Addie).  Their cozy life together is disrupted by the arrivals of archeologist William Single, who is boarding with them while exploring the ruins of a Roman fort;  Roderick Herd, a soldier based at a nearby encampment, and the girls' Aunt Rona, whose late husband was the girls' mother's brother, and who has been bombed out of her home in London.  

The book is dated in some respects, and there are a few ALI/CNBC triggers (see my previous reviews for details -- links above).  But, as I said in my review from earlier this year, "I love the easy camaraderie among the four sisters, their loving relationship with their gentle father, the quiet strength of William, and the insights into everyday life on the homefront during the war."  The more I read/re-read this book, the more I appreciate it. It now ranks among my DES favourites.  Like most of her books, it's a wonderful "comfort" read, best enjoyed with a cup of tea in your other hand.  :)  

My previous readings of this book rated it a 4-star read (on both Goodreads and StoryGraph);  that rating still stands.   2

This was Book #8 read to date in 2026 (and Book # finished in April), bringing me to 20% of  my 2026 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 40 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) 4 books behind pace to meet my goal.  :(  You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2026 tagged as "2026 books." 

"The Four Graces" by D.E. Stevenson (re-read)

"The Four Graces" by D.E. Stevenson (first published in 1946) will be the next book my DES group reads and discusses together, and I just finished (re)reading through it in advance. This was one of the first books the group read after I joined back in 2014, and the first one I managed to read along with then and participate in the discussions.  You can read my original review from April 2015 here. 

So it's been a while since I first read this one, but I was happy to revisit it. My 2015 review says "I enjoyed this volume as much, if not more, than the three Miss Buncle books that preceded it," and I would say that holds true now too.  It's sometimes referred to as "Miss Buncle #4," but it's really only tangentially related to the three Miss Buncle books: it takes place in a nearby village, shortly after the events of "The Two Mrs. Abbotts" (Miss Buncle #3, which we also recently read), during the Second World War, and some of the same characters make appearances here too (including, very briefly at the beginning, Miss Buncle/Mrs. Abbott herself).  It's not entirely necessary to have read the earlier books first, but you will enjoy and appreciate the book more if you have.  

"The Four Graces" are the four daughters of George Grace, the widowed vicar of Chevis Green: Elizabeth (Liz), the oldest, who is doing farm work on a nearby estate; Sarah (Sal), who keeps house for the family;  Matilda (Tilly), who plays the organ at church, resists change and views outsiders with suspicion;  and Adeline (Addie), the youngest, who has enlisted in the women's auxiliary service and lives in London. As I said in 2015, "The title may be just slightly misleading, as we don't actually see a lot of Addie in the book; most of the adventures that unfold revolve around the three older sisters, and Sal and Liz in particular."  

The Graces' cozy life together is disrupted, first by the arrival of a boarder -- an archeologist named William Single; then by a local soldier, Roderick Herd, who appears to be interested in one of the sisters (but which one??) -- and finally (and most annoyingly) by the arrival of Aunt Rona, the wife of their late mother's late brother, who has been bombed out of her home in London. It soon becomes apparent she is looking for a new husband as well as a new home. ;) 

This book is a favourite of many DES fans, and while my longtime favourite remains "The Baker's Daughter," this one ranks up there too. :)  Re-reading it, I did notice a few flaws -- aside from a few ALI/CNBC triggers (see my note below), I winced a little at some of the dated attitudes -- for example, Roddy's refusal to take "no" for an answer, and the scene where Tilly enters an ankle competition (!) at a local fete and listens to the "judges" commenting on her physique. The dialects used by the working-class locals, faithfully reproduced by the author, can be a little hard to wade through at times.  

But I love the easy camaraderie among the four sisters, their loving relationship with their gentle father, the quiet strength of William, and the insights into everyday life on the homefront during the war. 

My original 2015 blog review was written before I joined Goodreads in 2016 and started assigning star ratings;  however, I did log it retroactively and gave it 4 stars then.  That rating stands.  

I'll count this book as a(nother) re-read after our group read concludes. 

ALI/CNBC content warnings:  There are a couple of wince-inducing passages in this book (which I detailed in my original 2015 review), including the traditional happy ending. Not enough to make me abandon the book, then or now, but your mileage may vary, depending on where you are in your journey -- caveat emptor. 

This was Book #4 read to date in 2026 (and Book #3 finished in February), bringing me to 10% of  my 2026 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 40 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) on track (for the first time in a while...!) to meet my goal.  :)  You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2026 tagged as "2026 books." 

"Crooked Adam" by D.E. Stevenson (re-read)

My D.E. Stevenson fan group recently concluded its group readalong/discussion of  "Crooked Adam," one of several DES novels written and set during the years of World War II in Britain. I read this book through myself back in early November before we started it as a group (my review here). 

"Crooked Adam" is Adam Southey -- "crooked" because he's lame and walks with a limp. His disability has kept him out of military service, and he's stuck teaching school at his alma mater (and frustrated about it).  

The school's headmaster, Sam Cooke, has developed a secret weapon that will help the war effort, and possibly even end the war -- and he enlists Adam's help to transport his work to a remote corner of the Scottish Highlands during the school's break, where a working model of the weapon will be constructed and tested. 

But enemy agents are after the plans -- and Adam and Dr. Cooke are in danger.  

A spy thriller/adventure novel is a bit of a departure for Stevenson from her usual cozy family dramas and romances. It's mildly entertaining (particularly the final section of the book, as the plot to steal the plans comes into clearer focus), with a cinematic quality to it (I could clearly picture some of the scenes -- in black & white, like a 1940s movie!). My enjoyment of the book was somewhat marred by a number of weaknesses, including meandering tangents and gaping plot holes (most of which I detailed in my original review). Chatting about the book with my fellow group members did help me to appreciate its merits more!  

I originally rated this book 3 stars on both Goodreads and StoryGraph, and that rating still stands. 

This was Book #2 read to date in 2026 (and Book #1 finished in February), bringing me to 5% of  my 2026 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 40 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) 1 book behind schedule to meet my goal.  :)  You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2026 tagged as "2026 books." 

"Crooked Adam" by D.E. Stevenson

My D.E. Stevenson fan group recently started its group readalong/discussion of a novel we've never covered in the 27 (!)-year history of the group: "Crooked Adam."  I started reading the book just before our discussion began on Nov. 3rd, and read all the way through on my own, as is my usual practice. (I re-read each chapter as it comes up for discussion in the group, and I'll count the book as a re-read when we finish in February.) 

Goodreads lists "Crooked Adam"'s publication date as January 1940, while other sources say 1942.  At any rate, it's one of several DES novels that are set in World War II Britain -- during the early days of the war -- and written while the war was still going on and the outcome very much uncertain. 

"Crooked Adam" is Adam Southey, nicknamed as such by his schoolmates (and later, his students) because he is lame and walks with a limp. For that reason, he's not eligible to enlist, and is stuck teaching school at his alma mater -- and he's not happy about it. 

But Adam soon learns there's more than one way to serve your country: the school's headmaster, Sam Cooke (! -- not the singer, obviously, lol), a brilliant scientist, has developed a secret weapon that will help the war effort.  He's planning to take his work to a remote corner of the Scottish Highlands during the school's break, and build a working model of the weapon, and he invites Adam to come help him. 

But enemy agents are after the plans... and Adam and Dr. Cooke are in danger.  

A spy thriller/adventure novel is a bit of a departure for Stevenson from her usual family dramas and light romances -- although there are some romantic subplots here, and I was reminded in some ways of her 1936 novel "The Empty World" (reviewed here and here). (Also, she was a second cousin of Robert Louis Stevenson, who wrote "Treasure Island," among other classic novels, so perhaps it's not as much of a departure as one might think..!) As someone from my group observed, "The Empty World is Science Fiction with Thriller elements.  And Crooked Adam is a Thriller with Science Fiction elements."  

Unfortunately, there are a number of plot holes and weaknesses that marred the story for me. To name a few: 

• Characters are introduced (Dr. Cooke, Ford, Mr Brownlee and his pretty daughter Evelyn, etc.) and then fade into the background or disappear completely, while others come to the forefront (Ebby, Brenda). 
• Stevenson was obviously not a scientist, and a lot of the details about Dr. Cook's brilliant invention and how it works are glossed over ("you wouldn't understand...").  A certain amount of suspended disbelief is necessary. 
• There's a bizarre little tangent of a subplot involving a circus (!) that goes on for several chapters. 
• Adam is initially smitten with Evelyn, but quickly forgets her when he learns there's someone else in the picture -- especially when he meets the sad and mysterious Brenda (although I quite liked Brenda once we learned more of her story). 
• And I was irked by Adam's penchant for impulsive and risky behaviour: each time he finds himself in a pickle, he realizes he's been an idiot -- but once he survives that episode, he goes out and does something else that's equally or more risky and idiotic!

Still, we wouldn't have much of a story if he didn't -- and overall, this was a mildly entertaining romp through the Scottish Highlands.

A few people on Goodreads commented that this book reminded them of John Buchan's "The Thirty-Nine Steps." I haven't read the book but I have seen the 1935 movie several times, and I think it's a pretty apt comparison. "Crooked Adam" has a cinematic quality -- I could picture the scenes unfolding in my head, like a black-and-white 1940s movie, as I read.    

3 stars on both Goodreads and StoryGraph. 

This was Book #34 read to date in 2025 (and Book #1 finished in November), bringing me to 76% of  my 2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) 4 books behind  schedule to meet my goal.  :)  You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2025 tagged as "2025 books." 

"The Two Mrs. Abbotts" by D.E. Stevenson (re-read)

My D.E. Stevenson fan group just finished our group reading & discussion of  "The Two Mrs. Abbotts," which we started in early August. (I (re)read the book before that myself, and my review then can be found here.)  Published in 1943, it's a sequel to "Miss Buncle's Book" and "Miss Buncle Married" (my most recent reviews of those books here and here, respectively).  

"Miss Buncle Married" ended with King George V's Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1935. It's now seven years later, Britain is at war, and Barbara is the mother of two small children.  For the most part, though, Barbara takes a back seat in this book to the "other" Mrs. Abbott -- Barbara's niece-by-marriage Jeronina "Jerry" Cobbe Abbott, whose husband (the nephew of Barbara's husband Arthur), Sam, is commanding a tank unit in Egypt. 

With the help of her former governess Miss Marks (Markie), Jerry has turned her home, Ganthorne Lodge, into a hangout for locally stationed soldiers. She's also rented a cottage on her property to the commander, Colonel Melton, and his daughter, Melanie -- and is trying to matchmake the girl with her brother, Archie, who inherited the Chevis Place estate from their elderly aunt.  She also takes in a mysterious paid guest, Jane Watt; as well as Elmie, a runaway girl who previously spent time at Ganthorne with her family as an evacuee from the city. 

This was an enjoyable look at the home front in wartime Britain, written while the war was still going on. As usual, the characters, both major and minor, are wonderfully drawn -- especially Markie, who quite possibly steals the show from the title protagonists!  

My previous ratings for this book have ranged from 3.5 to 4 stars. Those ratings still stand -- 3.5 stars on StoryGraph, rounded up to 4 stars on Goodreads. 

Previous DES-related posts and reviews  here. 

This was Book #30 read to date in 2025 (and Book #3 finished in October), bringing me to 67% of  my 2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) 5 books behind  schedule to meet my goal.  :)  You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2025 tagged as "2025 books." 

"The Two Mrs. Abbotts" by D.E. Stevenson (re-read)

After recently (re)reading two early D.E. Stevenson novels with my DES fan group -- "Miss Buncle's Book" and "Miss Buncle Married" (most recent reviews here and here, respectively) -- it was only natural that we should segue into the third novel of the Miss Buncle trilogy for our next read: The Two Mrs. Abbotts (TTMA -- first published in 1943). As usual, I read through the book (most of it, anyway!) in advance of our group's chapter-by-chapter reading & discussion, which began Aug. 4th. 

There was a LOT I'd forgotten about this book in the 10 years since I originally read it, not long after I joined the group in 2014 (a story told in this post from 2015). (My original 2015 review of TTMA here). 

"The Two Mrs. Abbotts" takes place about seven years after the events of "Miss Buncle Married," which ended with King George V's Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1935 -- during which (**MILD SPOILER/ALI /CNBC TRIGGER ALERT!**) Barbara announces she's going to have a baby. 

It's seven years later, Britain is at war, and Barbara is now the mother of two small children -- Simon (whom I remembered) and Fay (whom I did not!) -- and her own childhood nanny turned housekeeper, Dorcas, now looks after them. A visit from her old friend from Silverstream, Sarah Walker, the doctor's wife, whom we first met in "Miss Buncle's Book," is a particular delight. 

Much of this book, however, focuses on the "other" Mrs. Abbott -- Barbara's niece-by-marriage Jeronina "Jerry" Cobbe Abbott, whose husband (Arthur Abbott's nephew) Sam is fighting in Egypt -- and her brother, Archie, who inherited the Chevis Place estate from his elderly aunt at the conclusion of the last book. In Sam's absence, with the help of her loyal former governess Miss Marks (Markie), Jerry has turned her home, Ganthorne Lodge, into a place where locally stationed soldiers can hang out. She's also rented a cottage on her property to the commander, Colonel Melton, and his daughter, Melanie (yes -- Melanie Melton!  lol) and trying to matchmake Melanie with Archie.  She also takes in a mysterious paid guest, Miss Jane Watt; as well as Elmie, a runaway girl from the city who previously spent time at Ganthorne as an evacuee. 

I remembered Jerry returned in this book (it IS called "The Two Mrs. Abbotts," after all..!), but not how prominently her brother Archie figures in the plot. And while the character of romance novelist Janetta Walters is somewhat infamous among DESsies (DES fans), and makes recurring appearances/mentions in several of her other books, I'd forgotten that she plays such a prominent role in the plot here.  

Overall, the book provides a fascinating contemporary glimpse into home life in wartime Britain, with descriptions of Red Cross speakers and charity bazaars, evacuees, billets, blackout curtains, shortages and rationing (which leads to some interesting culinary experiments) -- and even rumours of German spies lurking in the nearby woods. I will admit I found Markie's obsession with cephalism (the study of people's heads or skulls), a little bizarre -- but apparently it was a "thing" back in the day...! -- and Markie is a gem (and possibly the true star of the book!).    

I was not on Goodreads when I first read this book in 2015, but I logged it retroactively and assigned it a 4-star rating. This time around, I'm giving it 3.5 stars on StoryGraph, rounded up to 4 stars (after some thought) on Goodreads. 

I'll count this as a(nother) re-read when our group finishes its discussion in mid-October. 

Previous DES-related posts and reviews  here. 

This was Book #22 read to date in 2025 (and Book #1 finished in August), bringing me to 49% of  my 2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) 4 books behind  schedule to meet my goal.  :)  You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2025 tagged as "2025 books." 

"Miss Buncle Married" by D.E. Stevenson (re-read)

My D.E. Stevenson group recently finished its chapter-by-chapter reading & discussion of   "Miss Buncle Married," the 1936 sequel to one of Stevenson's best-known and most-loved books, 1934's "Miss Buncle's Book" (reviewed here). 

It's 1934, and the former Miss Barbara Buncle is now married to her publisher, Arthur Abbott. Early in the story, the couple decide to leave the city and its tiresome social obligations for a quieter life in the country. 

Barbara finds her dream house -- a fixer-upper in a quaint village called Wandlebury -- and Arthur's visiting nephew, Sam, soon falls in love with Miss Jeronina (Jerry) Cobbe, niece of Lady Chevis-Cobbe, one of the town's wealthiest citizens. Barbara, however, is in possession of a certain piece of top-secret information that compels her to try to keep the couple apart, for the time being anyway. It's probably not a spoiler to say that love triumphs in the end (as it always does) -- but not without a few twists & turns along the way. 

SPOILER/ALI content warning:  There's a pregnancy announcement at the end of the book. Also a rather eye-rolling reflection by Barbara on the superiority of the married state. (But this WAS the 1930s...!) 

As I've often said, Stevenson's books are perhaps a little old-fashioned -- products of the era & culture in which they were written -- but they are still well-crafted, funny and charming tales about interesting, realistic, very human characters. Miss Buncle remains her charming self here, and this is an enjoyable book overall -- but the sequel does lack the satirical bite of the original (which I rated at 4 stars).   

My most recent review, from April 2025, here, and my original 2015 review here. I wasn't a Goodreads member then, but when I did join (a year later, I think?), I retroactively assigned it 4 stars. On my most recent reading before this one, I rated "Miss Buncle Married" 3.5 stars on StoryGraph, rounded up to 4 on Goodreads, and that rating still stands. 

Next, we'll be reading the third book in the Miss Buncle trilogy, "The Two Mrs. Abbotts." 

This was Book #21 read to date in 2025 (and Book #1 finished in July), bringing me to 47% of  my 2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) 2 books behind  schedule to meet my goal.  :)  You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2025 tagged as "2025 books." 

"Miss Buncle Married" by D.E. Stevenson

Back before Christmas, my D.E. Stevenson group read "Miss Buncle's Book," one of the author's early works (review here).  We read "Peter West" together to start off the new year (latest review here), but for our next book (beginning shortly), we'll be returning to visit with Miss Buncle in the 1936 sequel "Miss Buncle Married."  As usual, I read the book first myself -- actually a re-read, as I'd read it back in 2015 (! -- gulp! seriously, 10 years ago now??!).

It's now 1934 (the book ends with celebrations for the 1935 Royal Jubilee of King George V), and the former Miss Barbara Buncle and her new husband/publisher, Arthur Abbott, decide to leave the city and its tiresome social obligations and move to (what they hope will be) a quieter life in the country. 

After a long search, Barbara finds what she thinks is the perfect house -- a fixer-upper in a quaint village called Wandlebury, full of quirky characters to rival those found in her hometown of Silverstream. Arthur's visiting nephew, Sam, soon falls madly in love with neighbouring riding instructor Miss Jeronina (Jerry) Cobbe, niece of Lady Chevis-Cobbe, one of the town's wealthiest citizens.  Alas, Barbara is in possession of a certain piece of information -- which she has promised to keep secret -- that threatens the young couple's future. I don't think it's a real spoiler to reveal that love triumphs in the end (as it always does) -- but not without a few twists & turns along the way.

As I've often said, Stevenson's books are perhaps a little old-fashioned -- products of the era & culture in which they were written -- but they are still well-crafted, funny and charming tales about interesting, realistic, human characters. Miss Buncle remains her charming self here, and this is an enjoyable book overall -- but the sequel does lack the satirical bite of the original (which I rated at 4 stars).   

My original 2015 review of "Miss Buncle Married" here. No stars given then;  I don't believe I was a Goodreads member yet at that point -- but when I did join Goodreads (a year later, I think?), I retroactively assigned it 4 stars.  As I alluded above, I enjoyed this sequel, but it wasn't *quite* up to par with the original (as is often the case with sequels) -- so this time around, I'm giving "Miss Buncle Married" 3.5 stars on StoryGraph, rounded up to 4 on Goodreads. 

SPOILER/content warning:  There's a pregnancy announcement at the end of the book. Also a rather eye-rolling reflection by Barbara on the superiority of the married state. (But this WAS the 1930s...!) 

I will count this book as a re-read when the group has finished its collective chapter-by-chapter reading & discussion (in July) -- after which we will tackle the third book in the Miss Buncle trilogy, "The Two Mrs. Abbotts." 

This was Book #11 read to date in 2025 (and Book #1 finished in April), bringing me to 24% of my 2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) 1 book ahead of schedule to meet my goal.  :)  You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2025 tagged as "2025 books." 

"Peter West" by D.E. Stevenson (re-read)

My D.E. Stevenson reading group has just finished its chapter-by-chapter reading & discussion of Stevenson's first published novel, "Peter West" (1923) -- the one DES novel the group has never read covered in its 25+ years of existence. (I read the book on my own in January, before we began as a group, and reviewed it here.) 

Peter West, 35, has watched Beth Kerr, the daughter of the local boatman/ferry operator grow up into a beautiful young woman. He realizes he loves her, but is manipulated by his scheming older sister into a marriage with a more "suitable" partner. Beth, too, is herded into a loveless marriage with a prosperous but hard-drinking local farmer by her father.  (Mild spoiler alert!:)  There's ultimately a happy/hopeful ending, but not without a lot of heartache and drama for both the main characters.  

"Peter West" contains some of the features that show up in many of DES's later novels -- a Scottish setting, some lovely landscape descriptions, loyal servants/retainers, villainous sisters, sympathetic clergymen, etc.  But overall, it's much darker, more melodramatic and less charming than some of her later books. There are also (to modern readers) a few cringeworthy word choices/phrases, particularly in the early chapters. Stevenson here is still very much an author finding her voice.  This was definitely not a favourite of many of our group members, but I am still glad we read it.   

I originally rated this book 2.5 stars on StoryGraph, rounded down to 2 stars on Goodreads. As I said then, it had its good points, it's interesting from the perspective of the author's development as a writer -- and it pains me to give a DES book such a low rating -- but ultimately I can't put it on quite the same level as other DES books I've read and rated at 3 stars. 

Those ratings still stand upon re-reading.   

This was Book #10 read to date in 2025 (and Book #3 finished in March), bringing me to 22% of my 2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) 1 book ahead of schedule to meet my goal.  :)  You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2025 tagged as "2025 books." 

"Peter West" by D.E. Stevenson

"Peter West" is the one novel by D.E. Stevenson that my DES reading group has never read together in its 25+ years of existence. Most of the members who have read it before have commented that it's not among their DES favourites. 

Just a few chapters in, I could see why.  

This was Stevenson's very first published novel (serialized first and then published in book form in 1923), and it contains some of the hallmarks of many later DES novels -- it's set in a small village (Kintoul) in Scotland, with some lovely landscape descriptions, a strong sense of morality, loyal servants/retainers, a sympathetic minister of the local church, etc.  But Stevenson here is still very much an author finding her voice. 

The title character, Peter West, 35, has watched Beth Kerr, the daughter of the local boatman/ferry operator grow up into a beautiful young woman. As the Goodreads blurb for this book says, "Peter is a lonely man with a weak heart and few family members and friends."  Both are manipulated by their families into marriages to other people, but this only serves to strengthen their feelings for each other. Will true love triumph? (You probably already know the answer, lol.) 

Stevenson was very much a woman of her class and times, and that's often reflected in her books.  Generally, however, it's not as blatantly obvious in her later books as it is here. I'm willing to forgive the occasional cringeworthy word choice or sentence when the rest of the book is good. "Peter West," however, contains some real clangers that are pretty jarring to our modern sensibilities. 

Peter is about 35 and while we don't know exactly how old Beth is (I'm guessing probably around 16-17?), she's described -- in Peter's own words & thoughts -- as a child -- which, from a modern perspective (again), seems slightly icky.  

The book was somewhat redeemed near the end when Beth explains to a friend that "I just felt it was my right to have a happy life, or at least one not utterly sordid and miserable.. may be more selfish than our mothers, but at least we are more able to face life, and are truer to ourselves."  What an enlightened feminist statement for 1923!  

But overall, this a much darker, more melodramatic/overwrought and less charming story than Stevenson's usual/later fare. I love most of Stevenson's other novels that I've read to date (and I've read a lot of them) -- and I don't regret reading this one -- but I doubt I'll be returning to this one anytime soon.    

I struggled with the rating for this one. 2.5 stars for StoryGraph, and I debated whether I should round that up or down for Goodreads. It had its good points -- and it pains me to give a DES book such a low rating -- but ultimately I can't put it on the same level as other DES books I've read and rated at 3 stars. 

2 stars it is.  

I'll count this one as a re-read when we finish our chapter-by-chapter group read & discussion in late March.  

This was Book #2 read to date in 2025 (and Book #2 finished in January), bringing me to 4% of my 2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) 1 book ahead of schedule to meet my goal.  :)  You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2025 tagged as "2025 books." 

"Miss Buncle's Book" by D.E. Stevenson (re-read)

My D.E. Stevenson online fan group recently wrapped up our chapter-by-chapter reading and discussion of "Miss Buncle’s Book" (an early DES novel, first published in 1934), which began in early October.

(I first read this book not long after I joined the group back in 2014 -- my original 2015 review is here.  I re-read the book myself before our group read began, and that more recent review is  here.) 

Quiet, guileless, unassuming Miss Barbara Buncle has been forced to look for ways to increase her income, as her dividends have been rapidly shrinking (no doubt because it's the Great Depression).  She decides to try her hand at writing a book -- which turns out to be a thinly disguised portrait of Silverstream (the village where she lives) and its residents (all assigned different names, but still highly recognizable). 

Not only does Barbara's book (aptly named "Disturber of the Peace") immediately find a publisher, it becomes a bestseller -- nowhere more so than in Silverstream, where the enraged residents immediately recognize themselves and set out to learn the true identity of the author (who goes by the obvious pseudonym of "John Smith"). 

"Miss Buncle's Book" is a classic DES novel, often the first one by this author that people read.  Stevenson's books are very much products of the time & place they were written -- a little old-fashioned, perhaps -- but well-crafted, funny, charming romances, comedies of manners and family dramas featuring engaging characters and lovely descriptions of the natural world.  (This book in particular contains a lot of social satire!)  I can easily see this one as mini-series on PBS.  :) 

Stevenson wrote two sequels to "Miss Buncle's Book" -- "Miss Buncle Married" and "The Two Mrs. Abbotts,"  both of which are on our schedule of upcoming reads for 2025-26 (and both of which I previously reviewed here).  (My previous reviews of those books here and here.)  So is "The Four Graces," where Miss Buncle makes a brief cameo appearance. (My review.) 

Our next book, however, will be "Peter West" -- Stevenson's first published novel from 1923, which originally appeared in serial format, and was republished in 2013. It's the one DES book the group has not read in its 26 years of existence!  We'll begin in January. 

I wasn't on Goodreads the first time I read "Miss Buncle's Book" in early 2015, but I retroactively logged it and assigned it a 4-star rating. I kept that rating when I re-read the book earlier this fall, and it still stands now.  :)   

4 stars on both Goodreads & StoryGraph. 

This was Book #34 read to date in 2024 (and Book #2 finished in December), bringing me to 76%  of my 2024 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) 8 (!) books behind schedule to meet my goal. :(  You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2024 tagged as "2024 books."    

"Miss Buncle's Book" by D.E. Stevenson (re-read)

2024 marks 10 (!) years since dh & I first ran into a group of women who turned out to be fans of the mid-century Scottish author D.E. Stevenson, a favourite from my teenage years. (Coincidentally, we were all touring the home of another lifelong favourite author of mine, L.M. Montgomery!)  As described in this 2015 post, they invited me to join their online group -- which I happily did -- and I have been reading and chatting about Stevenson's books with them ever since then.  

One of the first books on the agenda after I joined the group was "Miss Buncle's Book," one of Stevenson's early novels (first published in 1934), and probably one of her better-known works. (I reviewed that book in January 2015, here.) You know you've been around a long time when you start re-reading the books you were reading 10 years ago (!) -- and "Miss Buncle's Book" is (once again) our latest choice.    

Diminishing dividends (1934 = the Great Depression) have forced quiet, unassuming, guileless Miss Barbara Buncle  to look for ways to increase her income -- and so she decides to write a book. The cardinal rule of writing, of course, is "write about what you know" -- and Barbara's book, the aptly named "Disturber of the Peace," turns out to be a thinly disguised portrait of her hometown, Silverstream, and its residents (under different names).  To Barbara's surprise and delight, affable publisher Arthur Abbott agrees to publish her book (under the pseudonym "John Smith").  To her even greater surprise, it becomes an instant bestseller -- particularly in Silverstream, where the enraged residents immediately recognize themselves and set out to learn John Smith's true identity. Each chapter features a different Silverstream resident, his or her reaction to the book, and what happens to them after they've read it. 

"Miss Buncle's Book" has all the hallmarks of a classic DES novel.  They are very much products of the time & place they were written -- a little old-fashioned, perhaps -- but well-crafted, funny, charming romances, comedies of manners and family dramas featuring engaging characters and lovely descriptions of the natural world.  I can easily see this one as mini-series on PBS -- period appropriate, of course.  :) 

As is my usual practice, I read the book before our chapter-by-chapter group read & discussion on Oct. 7th.  Correction:  I TRIED to read the book before we started -- didn't quite make the deadline, but it's a quick, easy read and not very long, so I was done before we covered Chapter 3. :)  I'll count it as a re-read once we finish our group discussion, in mid-December.  

Stevenson wrote two sequels to "Miss Buncle's Book" -- "Miss Buncle Married" and "The Two Mrs. Abbotts,"  both of which are on our list of upcoming reads for 2025-26 (and both of which I previously reviewed here).  (My previous reviews of those books here and here.)  So is "The Four Graces," where Miss Buncle makes a brief cameo appearance. (My review.) 

I wasn't on Goodreads the first time I read this book, but I retroactively logged it and assigned it a 4-star rating. That rating still stands.  :)   

This was Book #29 read to date in 2024 (and Book #2 finished in October), bringing me to 64%  of my 2024 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) 5 (!) books behind schedule to meet my goal. :(  You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2024 tagged as "2024 books."    

"Fletcher's End" by D.E. Stevenson (re-read)

My D.E. Stevenson fan group just finished our group reading & discussion of "Fletchers End," the sequel to "Bel Lamington," which we read together earlier this year (my reviews of that one here and here). I read through the book earlier on my own, and my initial review can be found here.

The book opens as Bel is busy with preparations for her wedding to her former boss, Ellis Brownlee, and hunting for the perfect house where they can begin their life together. Her friend Louise Armstrong discovers Fletchers End, an old home now for sale, conveniently near her own. The house has been sadly neglected, but the seller is "motivated" (as realtors say today) and the price is right. They buy the house, hire the current housekeeper/caretaker, and plunge into renovations -- but a visit from the previous owner, Roy Lestrange, casts an uneasy shadow over their happiness...  

"Fletchers End" includes many of the elements of a typical D.E. Stevenson novel. There's really not a whole lot that happens, and the story meanders from one episode/crisis point to another (with a happy ending practically a guarantee), but there are some lovely descriptive passages, gentle humour and well-drawn characters (although I still find Bel's friend Louise rather annoying!). This includes, of course, the house itself!  (apparently based on a real house that Stevenson's son lived in).  :)  And, as usual, our group discussion added to my appreciation of the book. 

(Annoying thing/Pronatalism alert:  The one caveat to that last sentence:  near the end of the book, after receiving some shocking news, Bel faints. I had to roll my eyes when one member of the group asked whether anyone else -- besides herself -- thought Bel fainted because she was pregnant. Many people agreed with her -- despite no other evidence that this was the case -- and were excited by the prospect of a pregnancy for Bel. Sigh...)(Pregnancy was, of course, how many books of the day about newlyweds ended, and fainting as a precursor to a pregnancy announcement was certainly a trope of the time, but...!)   

Content warning: Casual use of a racist expression in Chapter 10 that would be considered highly taboo today. 

My original rating -- 3 stars on Goodreads & StoryGraph -- still stands.  

Coming up next on our group's reading agenda: "Miss Buncle’s Book," first published in 1934, considered a minor classic by some today. (Start date TBA.) 

This was Book #25 read to date in 2024 (and Book #1 finished in September), bringing me to 56%  of my 2024 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) 6 (!) books behind schedule to meet my goal. :(  You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2024 tagged as "2024 books."    

"Fletcher's End" by D.E. Stevenson

"Fletchers End" is the next book my D.E. Stevenson fan group will be reading & discussing together (start date TBA). I'll count it as a re-read once we've finished, but I always like to try to read it through first myself, if I can! It's a sequel to "Bel Lamington," which we just finished reading as a group (my reviews here and here). 

As the book opens, Bel's wedding to her former boss, Ellis Brownlee, is drawing near -- and her good friend Louise Armstrong has found them the perfect house near her own home. Fletcher's End has been sadly neglected by its absentee owner, but it has loads of potential, the owner is anxious to get rid of it, and the price is right. Bel and Ellis are married and settle happily into domestic life and renovations -- but a visit from the previous owner, Lieutenant Commander Roy Lestrange, is a catalyst that threatens to upend their cozy life in more ways than one...  

This book is a favourite of many Stevenson fans. I understand the appeal. It contains many of the usual hallmarks of a DES novel:  perhaps a little thin on plot but, as compensation, lovely descriptions, sympathetic characters (with a few villainous types thrown in for good measure...!), colourful supporting players (the domestic help), a comfortable old country home that's like a character itself, a strong sense of morality and (surprise!  lol) a happy ending. There are bonus appearances from several characters we came to know in "Bel Lamington," as well as a few from "The Musgraves" (reviewed here).  

On the negative side of the scale, while it's nice to see Bel & Ellis happily wed, they do occasionally come off as "smug marrieds" (as Bridget Jones might say). For example, in Chapter 22, Bel reflects on her new friendship with Margaret (Musgrave) Warren, also married with a delightful baby son, and how in some ways it's easier to talk with Margaret than it is with her single friend, Louise: "Between the married and the unmarried, in the case of feminine friendships, there is always a slight barrier. There are things not to be talked about, things that cannot be understood..." (I find myself mentally substituting "mothers" and "childless women" for "married" and "unmarried" -- ugh...) 

And I STILL find Louise annoying!  ;)  

Content warning:  I was a little started by the casual use of a racist expression in Chapter 10. Stevenson's books are very much reflections of the time & place they were written in (this one was published in 1962), and occasionally, a word or phrase that would be unacceptable in the same context today pops up and jolts the modern reader. That said, one word is generally not enough to make me abandon a book. Others may feel differently... 

3 stars on Goodreads & StoryGraph. 

This was Book #15 read to date in 2024 (and Book #1 finished in May), bringing me to 33% of my 2024 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) on track to meet my goal. :)  You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2024 tagged as "2024 books." 

"Bel Lamington" by D.E. Stevenson (re-read)

My D.E. Stevenson group recently finished our chapter-by-chapter group reading and discussion of "Bel Lamington" (published in 1961). I read the book on my own back in January, before we began (original review here). 

An only child who was orphaned at age 3, Bel (Beatrice Elizabeth Lamington = BEL) was raised by a kind aunt, now dead. Now in her early 20s, Bel is working hard to make ends meet as a secretary to one of the partners in a London shipping firm.  

One day, she comes home to her flat and finds a strange young man sitting in the little garden she's created on the rooftop outside her window. Their subsequent friendship kicks off a series of changes and upheavals in Bel's life, including a reunion with an old school friend and an unexpected holiday in Scotland, where we get to catch up with some of our favourite characters from a few of DES's earlier novels.   

The usual elements of many DES novels are present here, including well-drawn, kind and thoughtful characters (with a dash of selfish & nasty supporting players for contrast and dramatic tension!) and lovely descriptions. I found Bel's privileged friend Louise mildly annoying, and a few of the plot elements/coincidences were a little hard to believe. But I appreciated the realistic portrayal of Bel's struggles to deal with loneliness and office politics (among other things), and her (well-founded) anxieties about illness and poverty. Mild spoiler alert:  there is a happy ending!  ;)  And, as usual, our group discussion added to my enjoyment of the book, broadened my perspective and deepened my understanding. 

ALI note:  The loss of a baby (both baby & mother unseen, but discussed) is mentioned. 

I'm upgrading my previous rating of 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 on Goodreads, to 3.5, rounded up to 4.  :)    

Our next scheduled book will be the sequel to this one, "Fletcher’s End." Start date TBA. 

This was Book #13 read to date in 2024 (and Book #4 finished in April), bringing me to 29% of my 2024 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) 1 book behind schedule to meet my goal. :)  You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2024 tagged as "2024 books."