Furrowedmiddlebrowclub

pick

Thank you, everyone, for lowering my expectations - I enjoyed this a lot. I loved straight talking Ivy with her witchy connection to wild things (including budding artistic geniuses) and the skewering of the “respectable” for their rigid adherence to social class and accepted behaviour. The final chapter was very satisfying, letting us know how things turned out for everyone. A great finish to our reading year with #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub.

rubyslippersreads, quietjenn, Jess_Read_This, Kimzey, catebutler, Cuilin, LeahBergen, JenlovesJT47, elkeOriginal, Gissy, Aimeesue, Tamra, bookandbedandtea, Teresereading, Sace, kwmg40, Sparklemn, julieclair, willaful, MrsK

Ruthiella It was an excellent end to the year! Here‘s to many more. ❤️ 3d

LeahBergen My expectations were lowered as well and I ended up liking it 😆 3d

Cuilin I liked it too. I really liked that the boy became a famous artist!!! 2d

66 likes3 comments

LitsyEvents

Rhododendron Pie | Margery Sharp

From @LeahBergen

Here it is, #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub: Our 2026 reading list!

Follow the hashtag to see more.

LeahBergen Thanks for the repost! 5d

34 likes1 comment

LeahBergen

Rhododendron Pie | Margery Sharp

Here it is, #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub : Our 2026 reading list!

rubyslippersreads, quietjenn, Kimzey, catebutler, Cuilin, CarolynM, LeahBergen, elkeOriginal, Gissy, Tamra, bookandbedandtea, kwmg40, Ruthiella, willaful

Ruthiella Awesome! Thank you Leah for wrangling this! I‘m super excited to read more from Elizabeth Fair and club favorite Susan Scarlett. 😆 6d

willaful Looks like a nice selection of different folks! 6d

CarolynM Thanks Leah. Looks like some great reading next year! 6d

See All 31 Comments

Gissy Even when I‘m so behind in my readings in this buddy reads, I‘m excited to see all these new titles😃and those covers😍so pretty. I‘m trying to see what I can do to organize better my readings in terms of challenges/buddy reads and establish a reading schedule. Since 2024 it has been no easy but I I keep trying to find a schedule, method that could work for me 📚💪 6d

kwmg40 I‘m looking forward to next year‘s list! Thanks for continuing this excellent buddy read. 6d

Cuilin These all look great!!!! 6d

Tamra Thank you, Leah, for the organization! 😘 5d

rubyslippersreads Thanks for putting together another year of fun reading! 5d

Liz_M @LitsyEvents 5d

Kimzey Thank you! I‘m looking forward to the new year of reading! 5d

Kimzey @Gissy Same here! I‘ve struggled to keep up with reading challenges this year, due to unforeseen circumstances. If you figure out a good scheduling strategy, let me know! 😊👍🏼 5d

Gissy @Kimzey Yes!! United by a reading schedule 📚😜 5d

LeahBergen @Ruthiella We definitely needed a Scarlett! 😆 5d

LeahBergen @willaful It sure does! 5d

LeahBergen @CarolynM It does! 5d

LeahBergen @Gissy I know just how you feel! 😆 5d

LeahBergen @kwmg40 It‘s such a fun little “club” 😆 5d

LeahBergen @Cuilin They do! 5d

LeahBergen @Tamra No problem! 😘 5d

LeahBergen @rubyslippersreads We have such a great little club 😆 5d

LeahBergen @Liz_M Thank you! 5d

LeahBergen @Kimzey Me, too! 5d

Ruthiella @elkeOriginal Adding Elke who wants to remain on the tag list. 😅 5d

LeahBergen @Ruthiella Thanks! I‘ll edit the above. 👍 5d

bookandbedandtea @Kimzey @Gissy I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who's been struggling to keep up with group reads. I'm trying to figure out how to get back in the swing, too, so I'll be watching to see if either of you have ideas. 5d

bookandbedandtea Thanks for wrangling us all through the process, @LeahBergen ! All the selections sound great. 😊 5d

LeahBergen @bookandbedandtea No problem! We‘re going to have a fun year! 😄 5d

shawnmooney 😍 🤗 🙌 👍 5d

quietjenn Should be fun! 5d

LeahBergen @shawnmooney I hope you (and your Mom) will read some, too! 😄 5d

LeahBergen @quietjenn Yes, indeed! 👏 5d

48 likes1 stack add31 comments

rubyslippersreads

Untitled | Unknown

My two picks for November 2026:

One is a story of 17-year-old non-identical twins. “ … fascinating details about the workings of a dress shop, make for a funny, sweet, and irresistible concoction.”

The other features Isabel and her house full of refugees. “Margery Sharp provides us a thoughtful, funny, and terrifically entertaining slice of British life in the immediate aftermath of war.”

#FurrowedMiddleBrowClub

rubyslippersreads @quietjenn @Kimzey @catebutler @Cuilin @CarolynM @LeahBergen @Gissy @Tamra @bookandbedandtea @kwmg40 @Ruthiella @willaful 1w

kwmg40 Both of these look good, but since it seems like Sharp will win the Scarlett/Sharp match-up for January, I'm going to go with

Peter and Paul

catebutler Love these choices! I choose

The Foolish Gentlewoman

See All 13 Comments

rubyslippersreads Because of the shoes, I‘m choosing

Peter and Paul

(edited) 1w

willaful I, unsurprisingly, also love these choices! 😍 In fact, I almost chose Peter and Paul for my nominations. I am quite fond of The Foolish Gentlewoman but would rather try

Peter and Paul

Tamra A manipulative & malevolent relation joins the happy household? 😜 Sign me up for

The Foolish Gentlewoman

quietjenn Good match up! I think I'll go with

Peter and Paul

Ruthiella I feel like it‘s not the #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub without a Susan Scarlet in the mix! I vote for

Peter and Paul

LeahBergen This is a toughie! I‘ll go for

Peter and Paul

Kimzey A house full of refugees, sounds interesting. I‘ll vote for

The Foolish Gentlewoman

Cuilin Oh these both sound great. I vote for

Peter and Paul

CarolynM I voted for Sharp over Scarlett in the January poll, so I‘ll vote Scarlett this time, even though the Sharp sounds great (and timely!)

Peter and Paul

LeahBergen And the winner is

Peter and Paul

37 likes13 comments

rubyslippersreads

The Woods in Winter | Stella Gibbons

I ended up enjoying this book, although not all the characters were likeable (and I certainly wouldn‘t want to live in Ivy‘s cottage!) This vintage dust jacket is not at all how I picture a woman who‘s had three husbands and could have a fourth if she chose. 🤣

I was also interested to see that one of my favorite authors, Elizabeth Goudge, was a fan of Stella Gibbons. Next I‘m going to try Cold Comfort Farm.

#FurrowedMiddleBrowClub

rubyslippersreads @quietjenn @Kimzey @catebutler @Cuilin @CarolynM @LeahBergen @Gissy @Tamra @bookandbedandtea @kwmg40 @Ruthiella @willaful 1w

Tamra Agreed, that image doesn‘t fit what I have in my mind either! 1w

TheEllieMo This is the second time I‘ve seen this book mentioned today…. It must be a sign *adds to TBR pile* 1w

See All 12 Comments

Cuilin @Tamra same @rubyslippersreads I may try Cold Comfort Farm too. And

Here Be Dragons

bookandbedandtea Amazing cover! 😂 Not what I had in mind either! 1w

Suet624 You‘re comment about this woman with the three husbands cracked me up 1w

Ruthiella I agree with you and @tamra and @cuilin and @bookandbedandtea that‘s not how I envisioned Ivy either! 😅I remember liking Cold Comfort Farm, though it has been a few years. (edited) 1w

Tamra @Ruthiella I did too, but it‘s been long enough that I don‘t remember details. 1w

LeahBergen Cold Comfort Farm is good! @Cuilin 1w

willaful Ivy clearly has plenty of sex appeal. This cover cracked me up. 1w

quietjenn I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but Cold Comfort Farm is one of my favorites. 1w

CarolynM Not my vision of Ivy, either 🤣 I‘m just getting started and enjoying it so far. 7d

53 likes1 stack add12 comments

Tamra

The Woods in Winter | Stella Gibbons

so-so

I loved the charming scenes in Ivy‘s cottage, so cozy and sweet, despite the 🪳🪳🪳. The novel would have been better had it focused on Ivy as healer and hadn‘t spun out and around too many other threads that weren‘t very engaging.

I‘m not one for gushing sentimentality, but the final scene with Mike was 😭. #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub

P.S. I‘m still in denial about the season. 🫣

Ruthiella I‘m with you. It lacked focus. I also agree with you on the cockroaches! 🪳😱 😂 1w

LeahBergen That final scene with Mike got me! 😢 1w

CarolynM I‘m about half way through and enjoying it. I‘m a bit worried about where it‘s going given all the less than enthusiastic reviews 😬 6d

See All 6 Comments

Tamra @CarolynM there are some very charming and heartfelt bits, so it‘s worth it. (edited) 5d

Tamra @LeahBergen yea, that was a tear jerker! Ivy was wise enough to know best. 5d

Tamra @Ruthiella the cockroaches were completely unexpected! Definitely gave Ivy a distinct character. 5d

46 likes6 comments

Cuilin

Beneath the visiting moon: a novel | Romilly Cavan

#FurrowedMiddlebrowClub

Tregulla is set in Cornwall about ill advised young love, with lots of colorful locals. Visiting moon is set against the impending war, a tale of family and some romance.

@rubyslippersreads @quietjenn, @Kimzey @catebutler @Cuilin @CarolynM @LeahBergen, @Gissy @Tamra @bookandbedandtea @kwmg40, @Ruthiella

Jceebankz Hello cuilin 1w

Tamra I‘ll vote for the one I have had on my TBR🌜

Beneath the visiting moon: a novel

kwmg40 I'll vote for

The Weather at Tregulla

See All 13 Comments

catebutler My vote is for

Beneath the visiting moon: a novel

Ruthiella I‘m willing to give Gibbons another whirl to see if Cold Comfort Farm was an anomaly

The Weather at Tregulla

rubyslippersreads I like the title. 🌙

Beneath the visiting moon: a novel

willaful I'm disappointed to break the pattern but still going for

Beneath the visiting moon: a novel

LeahBergen My vote goes to

Beneath the visiting moon: a novel

CarolynM I‘ll vote for

The Weather at Tregulla

bookandbedandtea I'll vote for

The Weather at Tregulla

Kimzey I'd like to visit Cornwall, so my choice is

The Weather at Tregulla

quietjenn Cornwall is quite tempting, but I think I'll go with

Beneath the visiting moon: a novel

LeahBergen And the winner is

Beneath the visiting moon: a novel

46 likes13 comments

bookandbedandtea

Untitled | Unknown

Nominations for July: the Clavering is described as "two middle-aged women writers, close friends and neighbours, offer one another advice and support while navigating life in a lively Border village" while the Orange is a "charming evocation of wartime life, snobbishness in many forms, and the difficulties of being a woman on her own."

@rubyslippersreads @quietjenn @Kimzey @Cuilin @CarolynM @LeahBergen @Gissy @Tamra @kwmg40 @Ruthiella @willaful

bookandbedandtea #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub 1w

bookandbedandtea

Company in the Evening

bookandbedandtea

Mrs. Lorimer's Quiet Summer

See All 18 Comments

Kimzey For July, I‘ll vote for the the summer book that also has an audiobook option! 😊

Mrs. Lorimer's Quiet Summer

kwmg40 I‘ll vote for

Mrs. Lorimer's Quiet Summer

catebutler I‘m voting for

Mrs. Lorimer's Quiet Summer

Tamra This one is difficult! Casting my vote for

Mrs. Lorimer's Quiet Summer

Ruthiella I really disliked the last Clavering title and had slight issues with another we read earlier, so I will vote for

Company in the Evening

rubyslippersreads

Company in the Evening

quietjenn I'm going with

Mrs. Lorimer's Quiet Summer

LeahBergen I‘ve read the Orange so I I‘ll vote for

Mrs. Lorimer's Quiet Summer

LeahBergen Okay, @Cuilin , you can post our two options for September. @Gissy , you can post our two options for November! 1w

LeahBergen Oh, and @catebutler is missing here. 😄 Vote away, @catebutler ! 1w

CarolynM Echoing @Ruthiella I'm not keen on more Clavering. I'd rather read the Orange again, I loved it the first time. Voting for

Company in the Evening

LeahBergen @CarolynM Ursula Orange is SO good! (edited) 1w

willaful I find them both appealing, but one is sadly not in my library so I'm voting for

Mrs. Lorimer's Quiet Summer

Cuilin My vote

Company in the Evening

LeahBergen And the winner is

Mrs. Lorimer's Quiet Summer

23 likes18 comments

catebutler

Untitled | Untitled

Here are the options for the May 2026 #FurrowedMiddleBrowClub. They both sound fun and light with a hint of romance — perfect for the lovely month of May! Both books will be tagged in the comments. Brampton Wick is described as an 'irresistible comedy about domestic life'. The author has been compared to a mix of Angela Thirkell and Trollope.

#FurrowedMiddleBrow