Summer Nights at the Starfish Café - Jessica Redland

Welcome back to The Starfish Café for a glorious summer, but with a few dark clouds on the horizon... A new beginning...

As her summer wedding to Jake approaches, Hollie is excited for their new beginning as a family. But when some unexpected news threatens the future she and Jake had hoped for, Hollie will need to find the strength to overcome heartache once more.

 A fragile heart….

Single mum, Kerry, loves her job at The Starfish Café, but behind the brave smiles and laughter with customers there is a sadness deep within. So when someone from her past re-appears in her life, Kerry can either hide away or face her demons and try to finally move on from her heartbreak.

A summer to remember…

For Hollie and Kerry it promises to be an emotional rollercoaster of a summer, but the community at The Starfish Café will always be there to help them through - after all, with courage nothing is impossible…

Join top 10 bestseller Jessica Redland for a wonderful summer at the seaside, full of love, friendship and community spirit.

Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/3GxA5dk

My Review:

Summer Nights at the Starfish Café is the third and final book in the Starfish Café Series and what a way to go. This whole series has been brilliant – drama, emotion, ups and downs; a host of great characters (and not so great of course) but at the root of it is love, determination, over coming adversity and being surrounded by the best people. This third book sums this all up nicely, with old faces making a not so welcome return, heartbreak and strength playing a massive part in every characters story in some way.

Emotional rollercoaster doesn’t really do this one justice; prepare yourselves and get hankies ready. Hollie and Jake have been through so much, individually and together, happy endings, wedded bliss and a rosy future for book three? Well…. Not quite, not right away at least. I won’t say more but these guys are made of tough stuff.

Kerry and her brood are in for some surprises, a blast of the past returns to seek something they believe they should have and this reveals a whole history that causes pain and anguish. I think Kerry is amazing in this situation though, classy and putting those she loves most first every time. A dramatic rollercoaster tinged with healing hearts, new starts and interesting developments.

I didn’t think I would be so ok with this series ending but feel this book really did them all justice, I liked the cameos from Castle Street friends and love that there is always that nod to previous stories in other series.  I will miss them all and wish I could go visit though – for goodies and seals if nothing else.

Great writing as always by Jessica Redland, a go to author for great settings and loveable characters.

Looking forward to what is coming next!

 

Author Bio:
Jessica Redland writes emotional but uplifting stories of love, friendship, family and community. Her Whitsborough Bay books transport readers to the stunning North Yorkshire Coast where she lives with her husband, daughter and sprocker spaniel. Her Hedgehog Hollow series, set in a hedgehog rescue centre, takes readers into the beautiful rolling countryside of the Yorkshire Wolds.

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004465368404

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessicaRedland

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicaredlandauthor/

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/JessicaRedlandNews

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jessica-redland

Sweet Pastries & Sourdough (Little Duck Pond Café) by Rosie Green

 

Ellie's brand new enterprise, the True Loaf Bakery, is finally open and classes are due to start. But when Katja's ski-ing holiday ends in disaster, a new teacher must be found very quickly. Anita is up for the challenge, but - fresh from a break-up and an operation that's left her feeling physically and emotionally vulnerable - the last thing she's looking for when she moves to Sunnybrook is a new relationship. So it's Sod's law that she should find herself with not one but two guys vying for her attention. Sven, from Denmark, is a bit of an enigma - but maybe passion lurks beneath his cool reserve? And as for twenty-five-year-old football coach Ross - surely she'd be asking for trouble getting involved with a gorgeous man a decade her junior? (Although her football-mad son Rufus seems to love him.)
Moving in with Bertha proves a real comfort - but can Anita get to the bottom of what's troubling the older woman?
Anita's job at the True Loaf Bakery is only temporary, but she finds herself drawn ever deeper into life in the village - especially when she finds a child's bracelet from long ago, in the rubble of the newly-renovated building. Solving the mystery of who it belongs to takes Anita on a journey of discovery - a journey that might just help her discover what her own heart really needs...

Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/2YFZufv

My Review:

Rosie Green never disappoints with this series, its one I look forward to the most. Each visit to this lovely community and it’s residents is heart-warming, full of ups and downs, a show of friendship and spirit and ALWAYS leaves your mouth watering!

I loved the introduction of a few new characters this time, it can always just add to the brilliant characters we have grown to know and love. If you haven’t read any of the series previously it can be read as a standalone, it does have references to things in previous books but nothing that is not explained enough within this story.

My affection for Anita wasn’t instant this time, more a slow burn over the whole book - she is a lovely girl and by the end I was cheering her on but I struggled with her attitude to her potential health issues and just didn’t connect at first. I adored her young son, Rufus, who brought some light and funny moments.

I enjoyed her relationship with some of the other characters, both in a friendly capacity and a romantic way. I thought Sven was an ‘interesting’ character but wasn’t too sure how a romance would work between the two.

Ross is a genuinely lovely character, obviously committed and kind, a considerate young man and supportive of Anita. He may be young but what a wise and mature head on his shoulders. I’m a big fan of his!

Again the bakery and the teaching element of this story is brilliant – I feel like I could actually have a go at making sourdough myself now!

A wonderful catch up with friends old and new; always nice to be back and I will look forward to the next visit. 

About Rosie Green

Rosie has been scribbling stories ever since she was little.

Back then, they were rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff or being tied up by 'the baddies'.

Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile, with really not much perilous danger involved at all - unless you count the heroine losing her heart in love.

Her series of novellas is centred around life in a village cafe.

Follow Rosie on Twitter - https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green88

BLOGTOUR: A Winter Wedding at the Little Duck Pond Café - Rosie Green

With Zak and Ellie’s wedding day approaching, there's high excitement in the pretty village of Sunnybrook, especially among the Little Duck Pond Café crew. Ellie is over the moon with her romantic surprise wedding gift from Zak, and Madison is promising to organise a hen party to remember. Everyone has high hopes for a magical Christmas Eve wedding celebration at gorgeous Brambleberry Manor. (Even Maisie-Moo has a sparkling new outfit.)

But sometimes, even the best-laid plans can go wrong. And with the journey to the altar turning out to be rockier than expected, it’s going to take nothing short of a Christmas miracle to ensure a happy ending . .

Purchase Links

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Winter-Wedding-Little-Duck-Pond-ebook/dp/B07YQB5HSV/

US - https://www.amazon.com/Winter-Wedding-Little-Duck-Pond-ebook/dp/B07YQB5HSV/

My Review:  

I often find myself here declaring how much I love this series, each new addition is much welcomed and I always find myself looking forward to the next.

This visit to our favourite Little Duck Pond Café does not disappoint in any way. I’m going to avoid saying too much plot wise as I am very keen not to give anything away. We get to see things from Elle, Jaz and Fen's perspectives and I really enjoyed getting back to seeing things from their points of view again.

I admit that although part of an on-going series, you could probably read and enjoy this as a standalone but I really would encourage everyone to go back and catch up on their adventures.

The wedding we have all been waiting for is finally happening, will it be smooth sailing or will it all end in tears?! It was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. I do enjoy catching up with our eclectic bunch of characters who seem to all work well together. There are laughs, loves and misunderstandings but what a fabulous community. I say it every single time, I would love to be part of their gang!

Rosie Green has given us a loveable, laughable novella that I enjoyed from the moment I started to read. I cannot wait to be back again.

Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources and Rosie Green for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author: 

Rosie has been scribbling stories ever since she was little.

Back then, they were rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff or being tied up by 'the baddies'.

Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile, with really not much perilous danger involved at all - unless you count the heroine losing her heart in love. 

Follow Rosie on Twitter - https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green1988



                        

BLOGTOUR - The Ingredients for Happiness - Lucy Knott

AVAILABLE HERE

About:

Three sisters, a stash of family recipes, the chance to make their dreams come true…

Amanda is about to open her very own café. She has the pastry sorted, but hasn’t a clue about the plumbing. With the love of her life by her side, surely nothing else can go wrong?

Sabrina has struck out on her own and is proving to the global music industry she has what it takes. However, balancing the business side of the band with her personal life will end up being more than she bargained for.

Louisa is drawing inspiration from the beautiful Amalfi coast, channelling it into creating gorgeous gowns for modern day Sophia Lorens. But putting herself out there in the fashion industry will present its own challenges, even with the ever-supportive Luca by her side.

With the right mix of perseverance, love and plenty of Italian delicacies, these three sisters are about to discover that when they support each other, the sky really is the limit! 

My review:

This is the first book I’ve read by Lucy – I didn’t read the first in this series (I don’t know how that’s skipped me by though to be honest!) – but it’s a nice, easy read that you can enjoy without getting caught up in complicated plots and overlapping storylines, especially as you are following three sisters as your main characters.

Although I think you may benefit from having read the first as you will be fully invested in each character and understand their positions immediately, I don’t feel I lost anything and would say it’s easy to read as a standalone, you are fully caught up on each sister and what has happened previously.  You meet each sister trying to forge their own path in their relationships and careers.

The Italian style, recipes, lifestyle really comes across throughout the book and what amazing sounding recipes! Honestly you will be drooling all the way through, really adds to the story too. You can imagine yourself alongside the characters.

This is a lovely book that explores hopes and dreams, shows the work you must put it to follow your heart and it demonstrates the importance of family, no matter where if they are near, far or just fondly remembered.  

I did find that everything seemed very good to be true, nothing seemed to “go wrong” and I was always expecting something dramatic to happen, or twist. Maybe that’s just how my mind works. It is a perfect read especially for summer, something you can pick up and read pretty quickly. I think the writing style is lovely and very descriptive too.

I’d definitely recommend. 

About the Author:

Lucy Knott is a former professional wrestler with a passion for storytelling. Now, instead of telling her stories in the ring, she’s putting pen to paper, fulfilling another lifelong dream in becoming an Author.
Inspired by her Italian Grandparents, when she is not writing you will most likely find her cooking, baking and devouring Italian food, in addition to learning Italian and daydreaming of trips to Italy.
Along with her twin sister, Kelly, Lucy runs TheBlossomTwins.com, where she enthusiastically shares her love for books, baking and Italy, with daily posts, reviews and recipes.


You can find Lucy on 
Twitter @TheBlossomTwins or @LucyCKnott
Instagram @LucyCKnott

Website: www.theblossomtwins.com

BLOGTOUR: Confetti at the Little Duck Pond Cafe - Rosie Green

Wedding fever is in the air in the village of Sunnybrook.
With Ellie and Zak's Big Day on the horizon, the sun is shining brightly on the Little Duck Pond Cafe community. But when dark clouds begin to roll in from more than one direction, several close relationships look to be under threat. Will the wedding of the year actually take place at all?

My Review:

I recently came across Rosie Greens work after reading ‘A Bakery at the Little Duck Pond Café’ - see my review:
https://comfychairbooks.blogspot.com/2019/05/blogtour-bakery-at-little-duck-pond.html

I was so excited when I knew I’d been given the chance to read and review Confetti at the Little Duck Pond Café too. Such cute novellas that give a true sense of community via that café and bakery. Although the focus is on Ellie and Zack for this one we still get to know what the other characters have been up to.

Admittedly, I anticipated a light, fluffy, fun filled rom com novella with only a couple of twists to throw us off course but an ultimate love fest by the end. Well, I was surprised with the level of drama in this one, crikey, I was on the edge of my seat at some points. It was all rather quite emotional too; I couldn’t put it down and yet I hardly dared read on in case I saw something I didn’t want to happen.

There IS a lot of wedding-esq fun but so much more including a roaming cow, new villagers, a special day and trips to the coast!

While the ending may not be completely what I expected, I think it was really very very sweet. I may have been late to the Rosie Green party but I am so happy to have stumbled across this series. I will definitely look forward to the next visit.

I would definitely recommend Confetti at the Little Duck Pond Café – but more importantly – I recommend you read the whole series!

To purchase: https://amzn.to/2Iqghul

Author Bio:

Rosie Green has been scribbling stories ever since she was little. Back then they were rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff or being tied up by ‘the baddies’. Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile, with really not much perilous danger involved at all, unless you count the heroine losing her heart in love.

​

​Rosie’s brand new series of novellas is centred on life in a village café. Confetti at the Little Duck Pond Cafe will be the sixth in the series

Twitter - https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green1988 

The Little Cafe at the End of the Pier - Helen J Rolfe

Available Here 

Goodreads Blurb:

When Jo's beloved grandparents ask for her help in running their little café at the end of the pier in Salthaven-on-Sea she jumps at the chance.

The café is a hub for many people: the single dad who brings his little boy in on a Saturday morning; the lady who sits alone and stares out to sea; the woman who pops in after her morning run.

Jo soon realises that each of her customers is looking for love  and she goes about setting each of them up on blind dates - each date is held in the café, with a special menu she has designed for the occasion. But Jo has never found love herself. She always held her grandparents' marriage up as her ideal and she hasn't found anything close to that. But could it be that love is right under her nose...?

A quick note:

A Year at the Café at the End of the Pier is the collected Café at the End of the Pier novellas. If you have already read and enjoyed the novellas then you have already read A Year at the Café at the End of the Pier.

My Review:

Rather ashamedly I admit this was my first book from the always lovely Helen (@HJRolfe) but it definitely will not be my last.

When Molly and Arthur realise they need a change of pace, they ask granddaughter Jo to come back to Salthaven-on-Sea and help run the cafe. The book takes us through her first year of running the much loved, community focal point and chronicles the ups and downs of not only Jo's life but also of the friends and regulars at the café.

We see Jo struggle initially - a complete change of pace to her former life of being a teacher, it seems that she may have bitten off more than she can chew. Her fears and doubts are increased by the less than enthusiastic insistence from her Mother that she is wasting her life back in Salthaven. This is all Jo needs to fuel her determination and she sets out to prove her wrong.

As we go through the seasons and special occasions of this first year, we see Jo's character bloom and grow in confidence, this in turn is reflected in the success of the café. I loved Jo's attempts at playing Cupid - she seriously seems to have a knack for match-making. Jo soon realises that she herself has a secret admirer and I for one was as stumped as Jo at who it could be.

I loved the mystery of who had fallen for Jo- as I thought all of the characters set up as potential love interests could have been great matches for her. I couldn't figure out which man it would be - even right to the last few pages and I love that I was kept guessing. I was definitely happy with the end result though (for Jo and for other characters involved).

A great cast of characters with their own little stories created a real sense of community, I loved their individual personalities and what they all added to the book. Written with wonderful detail, including some absolutely mouth watering food descriptions, this book was a real pleasure to read, fun and full of emotion and suspense.

I would highly recommend The Little Café at the End of the Pier for a cosy, snuggle up and binge read book. I look forward to catching up on more by Helen J Rolfe too. 

Comfy Rating:

👍👍👍👍👍