Yipppeee!!I was happy to find this book from our main library's book trade shelf today. It's in perfect condition and McCall Smith is one of my favourite authors!

From the back cover:

'With a failed marriage behind her, La (short for Lavender) moves to the Suffolk countryside on the eve of the Second World War to nurse her broken heart. Lonely and at a loss, she decides to bring the villagers and men from the local airbase together by forming an amateur orchestra; one of the musician recruits is Feliks, a handsome but enigmatic Polish refugee. A friendship begins to blossom between the two, and La finds her feelings stirring back into life.'

I love the humanity of the books by McCall Smith, this was as warm-hearted as the others I've read by him. The historical aspects were something new in this book, I just wish I knew the background of the war better. McCall Smith describes the characters with such empathy, you feel you'll like them all :)

I tagged Annimanni in the wishlist-tag-game of the Finnish BC forum (Hippa-ketju) with this book. Enjoy!

Thanks very much! I absolutely adore McCall Smith <3

This was quite different from McCall Smith's other works, melancholy and quiet in many ways. Not very deep, of course (you don't really expect depth from McCall Smith, do you?), but enjoyable bus reading nevertheless :)

Thanks for sharing, lukutuoli!

Will La find a new friend at the Helsinki meetup?

Oh, this book tried to hide at the bottom of my rucksack.
Thank you for the book, kind Bookcrossers!