Polly Waterford loves running the Little Beach Street Bakery. She's at her happiest when she's creating delicious treats and the festive season always inspires her to bake and knead something extra special for the village residents. In fact, the only thing she loves more than her bakery is curling up with her gorgeous boyfriend, Huckle. She's determined that this Christmas is going to be their best one yet, but life doesn't always work out as planned...
When Polly's best friend Kerensa turns up with a secret that threatens the life Polly and Huckle have built together, the future begins to look uncertain. And then a face from Polly's past reappears and things become even more complicated. Polly can usually find solace in baking but she has a feeling that's not going to be enough this time. Can she get things back on track so that everyone has a merry Christmas?
Comment: The end of the year is here, so much quicker than what seemed possible when it started. What a cliché, but how true anyway... December in the TBR challenge is a month for the festive theme. In recent years that has meant Christmas and I've decided to stick to it again.
In this story Polly and Huckle seemed to have settled well enough in their life in Mount Polbearne. Polly loves her bakery and the feeling of accomplishments and while Huckle thinks he could do more than simply sell honey, he is now eager to for him and Polly to take the next step in their relationship. However, everything gets muddled and brings on other issues when Kerensa does something that she regrets, even though there are consequences she can't avoid. She asks Polly to keep her secret but this has a bigger impact on everyone's lives, more so than she could anticipate...
This is the third book in the Little Beach Street Bakery series, and I've liked the previous books but I must say there's a certain tone in them which isn't exactly conductive to warm feelings all the time. I mean, I like the stories in general and I have liked other books by the author too, but there is a definite sour taste to certain situations depicted. This one is set on Christmas and I must say i thought there would be more content on it.
Polly has opened a bakery at a place where success might not have been obvious at first, but she did it and even after several obstacles, she is now able to say she is successful, even if not at a perfect scenario. She has felt that what she and Huckle have is enough, but he is hoping to go the next step and she isn't certain she is ready for this. In part, her reticence is due to how her family life was, with only her and her mother, without ever knowing who her father is. As one can imagine, this is a subject the author tackled here and we do learn more about this part of Polly's life.
The series has been focused on putting in evidence how much one is worthy of success if one is a good person, if one perseveres, if one doesn't hide from hard work and at the end there will be a reward. In a way, I think this message has been well accomplished, but Polly has had to face a lot of adversity. In a way, this is understandable and what it is, but personally this hit me in a weird way, considering my life now, and I truly feel the story seems to have a much darker tone than what it required.
As for the big secret by Kerensa (Polly's best friend), this ended up being the big plot device in the novel and I will be honest: I disliked it. I actually think the author could have found a much better way to add some drama and whatever she felt like when she picked this idea. I think I'll go even further by saying I've found the whole thing ridiculous and unnecessary, and I cannot see why this was even an option for a book set during Christmas. I suppose if the resolution had been to highlight the Christmas spirit of acceptance and forgiveness or something, but the big secret is "solved" in a way that I feel was unfair and morally wrong. I did not like it, whatever the reason the author might have had.
On the better, happier side, Neil the puffin remains a funny bird and very close to "his humans", there are some cute scenes and some inspired situations which did bring a smile to my face. I liked that Polly felt more secure in her work and in her feelings,even with curve-balls going her way. I also liked the Christmas references and scenes included and which were part of the plot. I wouldn't say this was very festive, but the idea is there and, overall, I think I could see where the author was going with certain choices.
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