Thyme Out by Katie Fforde

Perdita Dylan runs a small salad growing company.  She grows her own salad crops in poly-tunnels in her garden and on the extended land she has been given by her elderly friend Kitty - which is the space between their gardens.  Perdita first met Kitty, who is godmother to Perdita's own mother, when she was 12 years old and went to stay with her during boarding school holidays.  Perdita's own parents travelled a lot and were often out of the country so over the years Perdita regularly stayed with Kitty and their relationship became very close.

One day when delivering her salad crops to Grantly House, a local restaurant, Perdita is shocked to find Lucas Gillespie, her ex-husband, in the kitchen.  He has been employed as the new chef.  Perdita and Lucas had married very young and did not part on good terms.  Lucas had left Perdita for an older woman and Perdita had returned home to Kitty broken hearted.  They had not seen each other since.  

Lucas, who is working very hard to get his first Michelin star, has been asked to take part in a cookery programme.  He is to be the celebrity chef cooking in a real kitchen.  Since arriving at Grantly House he has updated and changed the kitchen so much that the production company find it too sterile and no longer want to use it.  Instead they decide they would like to use Perdita's kitchen as it is in a very picturesque local cottage.  Perdita is not very keen on the idea.  She uses her kitchen as an extension to her business and it is full of seedlings, sprouting peas and compost.  She doesn't usually do any cooking and the facilities in her kitchen are not up to Lucas' standards.  Things will need to be updated and changed before the programme can be filmed.  

When 87 year old Kitty has a stroke Perdita changes some of her working arrangements so that she can be around more and help to look after Kitty.  Lucas is very supportive and spends time visiting with Kitty when he can.  He provides small morsels of tasty food to tempt Kitty's dwindling appetite.  He also leaves meals for Perdita as he knows she is neglecting herself and not eating properly.  Can they become friends again?  

I enjoyed this easy read chick-lit story.  I have read quite a few Katie Fforde books including - The Perfect Match, Wedding Season, Love Letters, Summer of Love, Going Dutch, Practically Perfect, Artistic Licence, Wild Designs, Restoring Grace and Living Dangerously.  Other books by the same author I have waiting on my bookshelf are - A French Affair, Life Skills and Stately Pursuits.