Sunday 5 July 2015

The Cherry Tree Cafe - Heidi Swain


Synopsis:

Cupcakes, crafting and love at The Cherry Tree Cafe...


Lizzie Dixon's life feels as though it's fallen apart. Instead of the marriage proposal she was hoping for from her boyfriend, she is unceremoniously dumped, and her job is about to go the same way. So, there's only one option: to go back home to the village she grew up in and to try to start again.

Her best friend Jemma is delighted Lizzie has come back home. She has just bought a little cafe and needs help in getting it ready for the grand opening. And Lizzie's sewing skills are just what she needs.

With a new venture and a new home, things are looking much brighter for Lizzie. But can she get over her broken heart, and will an old flame reignite a love from long ago...?


What did I think?

This was a really lovely read.  After Lizzie's break-up with Giles she moves back home and I was immediately drawn into life in Wynbridge.  It really did feel like a perfect little village where everybody knows everybody's business but, apart from the odd exception, not in a malicious kind of way.

I really enjoyed reading about Lizzie's ideas for her crafting cafe and her interactions with Ben, her old high school crush!  It was really quite cute that they were almost still acting like teenagers around each other, each one frightened to speak about their feelings. There's a really clever twist involving Ben's own heartbreak and the reasons he keeps running away, that I won't spoil here - you'll just have to read it for yourself.

When Jay, a reporter, covers the story of the crafting cafe I could feel him trying to worm his way into Lizzie's affections.  I admit, I succumbed to stereotype and felt he was a bit of a snake but he was an interesting character nonetheless.

There's a nice bit of humour in the book, in the form of Lizzie's Mum.  I immediately thought she was a bit of a Mrs. Bucket, and it was hilarious when she got carried away thinking that she had something to brag about at the coffee mornings.  Lizzie's god-daughter, Jemma's daughter Ella, is also a really funny character.  She tells it like it is!  She's a little minx at overhearing things and repeating them later, which is very true to life!

This was a lovely summer read with the tears and laughter of real life and I'll certainly be looking out for more books by this author.

I received this e-book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:




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