These High Green Hills (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

I do like Jan Karon's gentle Mitford novels, set in small-town USA. They feature Father Tim, a sixty-something Episcopalian priest, and his neighbour Cynthia, who he falls in love with and marries over the course of the first three books.

Having just read 'A Common Life' for the first time - third in the series, chronologically, although it was only recently published - I decided to re-read a couple of the later books. I first read 'These High Green Hills' less than three years ago, but it's the kind of book that bears frequent re-reading.

This book features the first year of Tim and Cynthia's marriage, as they learn to live with each other amidst the ever-busy life of Mitford. Neither of them is young, so they both have quite a bit of adjusting to do.

Sadnesses and joys in various ways lead to a delightful book, including a few hours stuck in a cave where Tim finally discovers why he was so reluctant to consider his future retirement.

Definitely recommended, though all the more enjoyable for having read earlier books in the series. It would probably stand alone, however.

(I wrote a slightly longer review on re-reading 'These High Green Hills' again, another three years later.)