This is a charmingly irreverent farewell to the beloved Larkin family, whose zest for life has carried readers through five books of laughter, warmth, and unapologetic indulgence. This time, however, the fun takes a sudden turn when Pop Larkin suffers a mild heart attack—brought on, naturally, by “rather too much of what you fancy.” The doctor’s orders are enough to horrify Pop and the entire clan: no drink, no rich food, no pleasures of the good life. For a man who’s built his identity on hearty living and a disdain for prudish restraint, this is nothing short of a catastrophe.
Bates treats this crisis with the same comic touch that has always made the Larkins so irresistible. Ma, ever resourceful and unwilling to see her husband denied life’s joys, immediately begins plotting ways around the doctor’s rules, while the younger Larkins find themselves tangled in their own escapades—most notably Primrose, who’s busily distracting the flustered Mr Candy. The result is a tale that balances its undercurrent of change with generous helpings of farce, affection, and rural charm. You can feel Bates’s fondness for his characters in every line, as he gives them one last romp through misunderstandings, temptations, and small rebellions.
As the final installment in the Larkin series, A Little of What You Fancy is both a celebration and a gentle goodbye. It captures the essence of what has made these books endure: a resistance to dull conformity, a love of food, laughter, and sunshine, and a belief that life is best lived without too much regard for what’s “proper.” Bates leaves us with the comforting sense that, no matter the obstacles, the Larkins will always find a way to keep their world abundant, warm, and full of mischief.
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