Good morning, good morning, good morning everyone. After a week of fighting a horrid bug off, 15 hours of sleep and a glass of original Lucozade, I am ready to enjoy a lovely lunch with an old work colleague before an afternoon of reading. So let's get this day started with a review of a rather rambunctious book.

Full disclosure here readers, I honestly am not sure what part of the cover of today's book to photograph! It features the torso and crotch of a muscly man, with a ladies hand complete with 1980's long red fingernails placing a red card in his football shorts. I will work this out, but I am going to apologise in advance if my post picture is of a gentleman's crotch! How are we all doing?

Can you believe we have had Hattie for a year now? The time has flown by, and it feels like she has always been with us. Hattie makes us laugh every single day with her bossiness and opinions. We had been given some special birthday dental sticks for her which were not Hattie's usual brand. The look of disgust when we offered this to her, cannot be compared. Needless to say said dental sticks will be going to our local village shop as a treat for the other dogs in the village. Last night she went into Matron Hattie mode, and kept me warm by cuddling up. This definitely helped with the recovery!

Onto today's book. If you read the acknowledgements at the back of the book, it reads like the great and good of football. A lunch with Sir Alex Ferguson, a visit to Wembley, a famous footballing neighbour, Jilly Cooper has clearly done her research over many delicious social events. The best way I can describe this book is classic Jilly Cooper meets Ted Lasso.

Rupert Campbell-Black is having to watch his adored wife Taggie go through Chemotherapy and during a chance request from her, agrees to buy Searston Rovers Football Club even though he detests football. What then follows is a battle get to get to the top of the Premier League, bringing his players in order, recruiting the right team and the life of a football Director.

This is immense fun and full of Cooper's trademark humour and playful language. The collection of players, WAG's, hangers on, staff and a few guests from previous novels all add up to making this a good knock-around. Of course there is lots of bed-hopping, would we expect anything else?

I love Jillly Cooper's inclusion of the animals, horses, dogs, cats, who all have their own roles to play in the fortunes of Searston Rovers. But it is handsome, gorgeous, and charismatic Campbell-Black who remains front and centre. When I think of this character from an absolute beast to a devoted family man, he has definitely seen the biggest story arc throughout Cooper's novels. Taggie, his wife, being the biggest influence on this former ladies' man.

There is no one quite like Jilly Cooper. She has created a series of novels, featuring a cast of beloved characters, and delectable villains, in the beautiful Cotswolds like county. It feels like a family, quintessentially English that also happens to be great fun.