Jenny Colgan - Operation Sunshine

Evie needs a good holiday. Not just because she’s been working all hours in her job, but also because every holiday she has ever been on in her life has involved sunburn, arguments and projectile vomiting – sometimes all three at once. Why can’t she have a normal holiday, like other people seem to have – some sun, sand, sea and (hopefully) sex?

So when her employers invite her to attend a conference with them in the south of France, she can’t believe her luck. It’s certainly going to be the holiday of a lifetime – but not quite in the way Evie imagines!

Comment: I was given this book for my birthday last year, or the year before. Terrible friend that I am, only now did I pick this but since I have previously liked some books by this author (others a little less) I hoped I might like this one too.

Evie is a receptionist at a plastic surgery clinic and she dreams of having a wonderful holiday, even though her past experiences haven't been anything to look up to. She hasn't much money and she doesn't have anyone who would want to share holidays the way she envisions, but everything changes when her bosses tell her about a work related conference, which will happen in the south of France. Evie is eager to accept, and she immediately imagines all the fun she will have in between work stuff, but when she arrives, she realizes her ideas won't really happen as she planned, and a sudden situation changes her whole perspective on how her life has been.... will Evie save the day?

I've seen that this is one of the author's early books and I think it really shows. The writing style isn't as polished and the plot as organized as in the books I have enjoyed the most by her. In fact, if I didn't know, I'd say someone else had written this, perhaps someone with a similar style to Sophie Kinsella, considering the tone of the story and the shenanigans the characters find themselves doing.

The plot is quite weak, honestly, because while the ideas behind it are meaningful- is plastic surgery and the advance in the techniques for the procedures worth the price of testing when no one really knows at what cost? - the way the characters behave and the sequence of situations feel like a very poor comedy. My biggest struggle with this story was believing that the characters had to go on about it the way they did. I can understand the point was to be more on the comedy side than not, but this really felt poorly executed.

Evie and the others somehow find themselves in France for a conference on medical procedures or such, and they also get involved with a secret plan to test stuff in ways that the authorities would not catch them. Of course, while this happens, plenty off misunderstanding and unlikely situations need to take place, which is why the story lacks any kind of interest for me.

Perhaps it is fairer to say that the real issue is characterization. All the characters were caricatures, were superficially portrayed and lacked nuance and depth. I don't think there is one single character here I liked, even though there isn't one I hated either, mostly because I felt pretty indifferent to the whole thing. I feel that, perhaps, the author only had a general idea of what she wanted to do with this story and she stayed at the basics with the characters. To me, it isn't enough.

Evie is a good person and she has a quiet life, which means her dreams of a wonderful holiday aren't that our of proportion. But I think the way things progress for her to go to the south of France and everything that happens after was just too much of a coincidence, even in such a silly story. I also think her character was misused, even though her heart is, mostly, in the right place. Sadly, I just can't with how her behavior is too juvenile and irresponsible! Yes, this is a comedy, but the way she goes on with things makes me pity her naivete, not feel she was given an impossible task.

It was quite a task for me, in fact, to finish the book but thankfully, it wasn't a long book. The end was rushed, almost abrupt, and the way things were dealt with in regards to the plot felt inconsistent and ridiculous. I just cannot take anything here in a serious way and that really brought my impressions of the book down. There are some interesting ideas and stereotypes about plastic surgery patients and secondary subjects which I think had merit and made me curious but, well, the execution didn't fully deliver.

Grade: 5/10

Jenny Colgan - Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop

Christmas comes early--far too early--to McCredie's little Old Town bookshop in Edinburgh. It's summer, but an American production company has decided that McCredie's is the perfect location to film a very cheesy Christmas movie. After all, who can resist the charmingly narrow historic street with its Victorian grey stone buildings and warmly lit shop windows?
Carmen Hogan, the bookshop's manager, is amused and a bit horrified by the goings-on, but the money the studio is paying is too good to pass up. She uses the little windfall from filming to create new displays and fend off a buyout offer from an obnoxious millionaire who wants to turn McCredie's into a souvenir shop selling kilts made in China and plastic Nessies. Still reeling slightly from a breakup, Carmen's not particularly looking forward to the holidays. But just as snow begins to fall and the lights of Christmas blink on, all sorts of lovely new possibilities present themselves...for McCredie's bookstore, and for Carmen herself.

Comment: I enjoyed reading the first book in this series in 2021 and now I've finally decided to read the sequel, even more so since it's a Christmas related story and it is Christmas season!

In this story Carmen has been doing her best working at mr McCredie's bookshop and she has spent lovely times with Oke, although they are taking things very, very slow. However, a huge misunderstanding makes them have an argument and Oke happens to have an offer for a project in his country, Brazil. As they spend time apart, neither wants to forget about the other, but does distance really play a bigger role than what anyone could imagine? At the same time, the shop is having problems, again, and Carmen's sister Sophia is ready to go back to work and will hire a nanny, who will need Carmen's basement area... will Carmen be able to find a new place, right on time for Christmas and will she save both the shop and her relationship with Oke?

I will confess right away that I barely remembered anything from the first book. I had a general idea and I knew the protagonist's name but in terms of secondary elements, I only remembered things as I read along. However, I will also say that my idea of the previous book was that it had been a much more positive one - or I had that impression - and this sequel felt a lot more depressing for what it is meant to be a Christmas themed story...

The first books I've read by this author truly impressed me and I still have a few on my TBR by her, which I'll get to at some point, but now I must wonder if her more recent work will always have this negative vibe, or this feel that something less sweet might be included. Of course this doesn't have to be an issue, but it's been noticeable and it does affect my easiness in appreciation the overall plot, even knowing there will be a happy end.

Carmen is once again worried about the bookshop and there's even a man who is buying all the local commerce establishments to turn them into gift shops. At least, it seems so after her friend Bobby goes through it. With her relationship with Oke going badly and her living situation at her sister's house in danger of ending, Carmen was a hard character to like in this book. To be honest, there were times I didn't like her that much and I can't remember if I already had this opinion about her in the other book before she started organizing her life, or if this is just a natural development in this second book.

Reading my comment on that other book, three years ago!, it seems I liked her as a heroine but here I didn't think the same. First, it's her apparent clueless attitude towards her sister's life and how she kept giving hints she was going to need Carmen's room for the nanny. Perhaps I'm being unfair and if it was with me I might not have seen it either, who knows, but the way this plays out, feels as if Carmen was being oblivious on purpose. It also added to the drama and there were times this didn't feel as if it would be a "delightful holiday" story as labeled.

Second, the whole misunderstanding with Oke was just... ridiculous. Again, it made things seem as if the previous story hand't already offered enough development in their relationship. It seemed more issues had to happen so this story could have filling and even made Carmen seem unfair towards Oke. I suppose I could say he wasn't honest with her either, but Carmen was made to seem the more aggressive one in the argument and, again, I wasn't too happy about her. I also kept thinking that, perhaps, my biggest issue is that, in fact, this book didn't have to exist! The author could have left things as they were in the first book and that would have been enough.

As the story progresses, of course we are supposed to see the change, the improvement, the "lessons" learned by talking to friends, by doing the right thing, by being part of a community while still having a business conscience... all realistic and mundane things, modern life related even, but the vibe was really a let down for me. When the end is close and everything starts to sound better and Carmen starts improving her social skills and starts trusting others and her instincts, it felt...a task was being fulfilled and the author was wrapping up things as expected.

The writing style is very recognizable Colgan's and that is why I still liked enough to consider this a positive experience but I was certainly not dazzled by the book. I liked several things I haven't mentioned, true, but the less good elements were more glaring to me to write about them, nevertheless.

When the story is finishing, Oke and Carmen are able to talk again and trust each other about their wishes and feelings but it felt it was a bit too late for what the relationship required. I mean, I know they end with a HEA but most of the book they were actually apart, so... this change didn't feel it was really well done. I liked how things improved with her sister and with the shop better, although nothing was sugary and over the top to make it seem unlikely. There were also some sweet scenes and the promised Christmas' spirit, true, but this book didn't win me over as much, no...

Grade: 5/10

Jenny Colgan - Sunrise by the Sea

Marisa Rosso can't understand why everyone else is getting on with their lives as she still struggles to get over the death of her beloved grandfather, back home in Italy. Everyone loses grandparents, right? Why is she taking it so badly?
Retreating further and further from normal life, she moves to the end of the earth--the remote tidal island of Mount Polbearne, at the foot of Cornwall, hoping for peace and solitude, whilst carrying on her job as a registrar, dealing with births, weddings, and deaths, even as she feels life is passing her by.
Unfortunately--or fortunately?--the solitude she craves proves elusive. Between her noisy Russian piano-teaching neighbor, the bustle and community spirit of the tiny village struggling back to life after the quarantine, and the pressing need to help save the local bakery, can Marisa find her joy again at the end of the world?

Comment: This is the fourth installment in the Little Beach Street Bakery series by Jenny Colgan. I assume the idea was to have had the series as a trilogy only, and then this book was planned, featuring a different heroine, and not Polly, who was the focus of the previous stories.

This book presents us Marisa Rossi, a competent woman who has been dealing with depression for a while, being the death of her grandfather the obvious trigger. Marisa doesn't feel like doing much beyond the basics and at work this has been tricky to deal with. One day, her roommate convinces her to move to Mount Polbearne, claiming it was a quieter place, where she could be in peace, instead of in their busy apartment, since he has plenty of guests all the time. Marisa decides to go thinking precisely about that, the supposed silence and quietness, but when she bravely travels and arrives at the cottage assigned to her, she finds out she has a very close neighbor, who happens to be a composer and a piano teacher! Silence isn't exactly what she is getting, but can this be a way to bring her out of her shell?

Thinking about the previous books in the series, focused mostly on Polly, I've realized the first was quite engaging and the following two a little less, because they seemed to be about Polly dealing with worries and problems. This made the books realistic, kind of, but not as positive as I imagined. Due to this, my expectations weren't as high regarding this one, even more so when the cover is so cute and happy looking...

Well, my expectations proved right for the most part. The book is divided into two parts, and in the first Marisa (and Polly and Huckle too in a different way) isn't at her best, she is dealing with her depression and although this is not easy to read - certain things did resonate with me, not to the extend Marisa shows, but some of her "thoughts"... who hasn't had them once or twice in life - Marisa was still able to cope and she had to have some interactions, which means she wasn't at her limit. Since she had to deal with her neighbor, a few situations were clearly plot devised, but I also liked she could talk to her grandmother via SKYPE and this helped her more than she could imagine.

Personally, I felt the time taken to set up the situation Marisa is in, and her feelings was both good and bad. Good because then her going from that to something more positive is believable, and bad because it does suggest a certain vibe, and it isn't always that comfortable to read about something like this, especially if, as I've said, a few things might resonate with things the reader might have thought too. Despite this, the author did try to change things and from the second part on, Marisa starts being more active, she starts doing more things and a few situations were even funny.

Polly and Huckle and the others are always around, but this time as definitely secondary characters. I'd say that, besides Marisa, another key character is Alexei, a Russian who is there to be a piano teacher but mainly to work on his own music. Alexei is described as a"bear of a man" and the author tried to make him come across as quirky and a little clumsy, which was mostly well done, I think. There is always this hint that he and Marisa might be a couple, but the idea only gains power closer to the end. Evidently, those looking for a sweet charming romance might feel they got it, but it's not a quick situation, at all.

The same way it happened in the previous books, there is also a key plot moment here to advance things along. This time, it is a storm which is going to affect almost everyone and, of course, the community joins efforts to help, and Marisa also helps, which finally makes her feel part of something. More or less at the same time, having Italian roots and enjoying cooking, it was to be foreseen that Marisa would help Polly with food somehow. Obviously, this works out well...

There are a couple more strong situations to deal with before the end of the novel, where we get to see the evolution of the relationships between some characters and where a few decisive scenes take place, but I will say that, despite the book ending in a happy tone and with a cute epilogue, my feelings about it never really abated from the initial one. This doesn't have to be bad, but yes, it can be as depressing as Marisa's emotions at times.

All things considered, reading this book was good enough, it had serious and funny situations which is usually my preference in romances, but perhaps the balance wasn't always that perfect. The author also mentioned in a note that this was thought to come out in early 2020 and then she and the publisher decided to change the story and publish it later... I suppose I can see where this would affect some readers regarding that time period as well.

Grade: 7/10

TBR Challenge: Jenny Colgan - Christmas at the Little Beach Street Bakery

It's Christmas in the Cornish coastal village of Mount Polbearne - a time for family, friends and feasting.
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.

I don't think this was as great as I hoped, but on another positive aspect, it wasn't a long book and I was already invested in the characters, so I could focus on that for the most part.

Grade: 7/10

Jenny Colgan - Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery

Summer has arrived in the Cornish town of Mount Polbearne and Polly Waterford couldn't be happier.
Because Polly is in love: she's in love with the beautiful seaside town she calls home, she's in love with running the bakery on Beach Street, and she's in love with her boyfriend, Huckle.
And yet there's something unsettling about the gentle summer breeze that's floating through town. Selina, recently widowed, hopes that moving to Mount Polbearne will ease her grief, but Polly has a secret that could destroy her friend's fragile recovery. Responsibilities that Huckle thought he'd left behind are back and Polly finds it hard to cope with his increasingly long periods of absence.
Polly sifts flour, kneads dough and bakes bread, but nothing can calm the storm she knows is coming: is Polly about to lose everything she loves?

Comment: This is the second installment in the Little Beach Street Bakery series. I've enjoyed reading the first book and, of course, now I'll have to finish the series.

In this second story, Polly and Huckle and everyone on Mount Polbearne is settled in just as we've seen the previous book, but then news come which change everything. Polly's landlady and owner of the building where her beloved bakery is has died and now Polly worries how things will be, for who is taking charge is one of her nephews, whom Polly meets at the funeral and he doesn't seem too keen on how Polly is doing things... at the same time, Selina, the widow of one of the fishermen who was so well liked by the population, is back.  Polly doesn't know what to do, since she still carries the secret of her unknowingly affair with that fishermen, before she learned he was married. Now he is dead but his widow is back and, it turns out, maybe she can be someone Polly could be friends with... then Huckle's brother shows up and he is told things aren't going well back home, and what can Huckle do?

Problems seem to pile up in Polly and Huckle's lives, but will Mount Polbearne help those in need?

In terms of writing and "voice" nothing to point out at this novel, the reading experience is as satisfying as it was in regards to pretty much all the books by the author I've read so far, and since the events here start almost immediately after what happened in the first book, it is quite easy to go back to the same place one was while reading that other story.

However, I must say that things here had, for a large amount of the book, a decidedly depressing flavor and it seemed as if the problems or the negativity of the worse case scenarios were led to quite a peak. I suppose I can accept that reality rarely goes as smoothly and cheerily as found in cozy romances, but it was still a little joyless to read through certain chapters, especially because it is a given things would improve., but the road leading there not that fun, no.

Polly and Huckle got together and now live in the lighthouse which needs a lot of work. The idea was quite romantic at first and putting an offer on it was validation Polly could and would be rewarded all her efforts in the first book. But now reality intruded and it is a lot more difficult to manage than what she imagined. Nevertheless, this small issue isn't so much of a problem because everything else goes smoothly. Of course, more trouble arises and it felt as if the author wanted to show how adversity could be conquered and all that, but to me it was a bit too much, perhaps.

The success of the Little Beach Street Bakery was established in the first book, even though it didn't originate a lot of profit, but now the owner passed away and her sister passes down ownership to her son Malcolm, who we immediately realize won't go that well. I thought the purpose of this situation would be to compare what is with what that strange man would attempt, but he would fail and Polly would prove dedication and talent and friendliness do count more than profit schemes. Well, I guess this is what we can grasp at the very end, but the process was way harsher on Polly than what i'd imagine.

Again, reality is far from what we see in books but it seemed Polly had to face all the bad things possible and I should confess that the final change of mind of Malcolm didn't feel something organic, meaning something he would have realized on his own, but was the consequence of another natural disaster which affected Mount Polbearne. I feel a little irritated by this, not that serious issues should not be discussed - and how I have complained about precisely this about so many novels - but to achieve balance well can be the hardest part.

Both Polly and Huckle see themselves in need to solve the problems in their lives and this also creates a division between them, more so when Huckle needs to travel back to America. This does make sense, who might not need to makes sacrifices for an achievable goal? But, obviously, this exacerbates the tension and the distance doesn't help, so this is yet another issue. Then they decide to invest in a van when Polly's job at the bakery is over and there's also Selina, there's Huckle's brother not meeting his responsibilities... all piles up. Even Neil the puffin goes through some problems! It did feel as if all the bad things were happening to Polly and I felt a bit stressed and sad reading some passages.

Then, closer to the end, things start to improve as one would expect and I'm definitely glad things end up in a good vibe, but I would say the majority of this novel has a somber tone to it and while I can appreciate the ideas and the consideration regarding what really means to face adversity and trust oneself and all that, my enjoyment of the story line wasn't that great. This does not lower the author's ability for storytelling nor writing skill, but... yes, for me this was not as fulfilling as the previous book.

Grade: 7/10

Jenny Colgan - Little Beach Street Bakery

Polly Waterford is recovering from a toxic relationship. Unable to afford their flat, she has to move miles away from everyone, to a sleepy little seaside resort in Cornwall, where she lives alone above an abandoned shop.
And so Polly takes out her frustrations on her favourite hobby: making bread. But what was previously a weekend diversion suddenly becomes far more important as she pours her emotions into kneading and pounding the dough, and each loaf becomes better and better. With nuts and seeds, olives and chorizo, with local honey (courtesy of local bee keeper, Huckle), and with reserves of determination and creativity Polly never knew she had, she bakes and bakes and bakes . . . And people start to hear about it.
Sometimes, bread really is life . . . And Polly is about to reclaim hers.

Comment: This is the first book in a series set in Cornwall, featuring the inhabitants of a small town and how it all begins when Polly brings her bread making skills to a place that desperately needed good bread.

When Polly and her ex see their business fail, it is also the end of their personal relationship. The bank took pretty much everything and now Polly doesn't have enough to pay rent in Plymouth and in a sort of desperate act, she investigates other places, such as the isolated place she discovers close enough to the city, in case she needs to commute for a job. But that small place is in dire need of a proper bakery and the current owner - also Polly's new landlady - is not someone open to change. 

Still, Polly loves to make bread and she can't be blamed for the wonderful smell coming out of her kitchen.. with time, Polly starts to set in, people start to want to buy her bread but life isn't that easy, and some problems happen as well. Still, could this be the answer for Polly's uncertain future?

Having already read other books by the author, I knew her style and what to expect: a cozy but more dramatically toned story than what the cute cover implies. I think the author's style is pure entertainment, and while the characters don't have it easy all the time, or not as often as one would expect from sweet contemporary romances, I still feel very good reading about these characters and when they go though bad or less good situations I feel those things to be cathartic and not impossible to bear.

Polly is the embodiment of so many people out there, people who bet all they had on something and then it didn't work out, and not only for lack of cleverness in business, but often due to many factors. The beginning of the novel was a little depressing, and especially when hearing on the news the difficulties of so many people who had "bad luck" certainly makes you think. Nevertheless, the blurb mentions "toxic relationship" and I thought her ex would be more alike a certain type of personality but Polly faced emotional and verbal abuse, not the physical I imagined. Of course, whatever it was, it shouldn't have happened, and I felt glad we didn't spend a lot of time in this section.

When Polly moves to a more isolated place, it feels a bit fairy tale like because despite the negative descriptions of certain things (like the state of the house), I couldn't help but picture something that could be quickly improved and when Polly starts to make bread, of course that is the key factor. Her situation isn't immediately perfect and amazing but the author wrote this in a rather well paced rhythm and I could feel how she slowly started to feel part of the community and became friends with some of the inhabitants.

This also helped me to have an idea of how Polly herself was progressing, improving and in this regards, the story is a little predictable, the evolution of things has some minor issues and then, when it feels as if the story is going onward to a more average type of development, one or two things happen and that changes some of what felt more obvious. It turned out the author had other plans and the story never lost its more dramatic tone, without it being too much.

There's some romance and while I liked certain parts of it, others were a bit annoying. I say this because the situation is obviously a difficult one and in real life people rarely have the will or the means or even the odds of making something like described here, work out. Still, I felt that while realistic, the whole situation between Polly and her love interest was a bit exaggerated to add more drama and closer to the end of the story I confess I expected some details to have been already steadier or defined.

The several bread and baking experiences Polly does are certainly suggestive and it shows the author investigated the several types of bread one might do. Some things did make me want to try as well, so i suppose the bread content did its job correctly. I also liked how such an apparent simple thing could so easily unite people, make them interested in being closer, in wanting to defend something... food does being people closer and while some scenes were a bit cliched, I think it still worked for the setting.

All in all, this was cute, entertaining, deeper than one could imagine and has a good enough HEA. I will read the rest of the series without a doubt.

Grade: 8/10

TBR Challenge: Jenny Colgan - The Christmas Bookshop

When the department store she works in closes for good, Carmen has perilously little cash and few options. She doesn’t want to move in with her perfect sister Sofia, in Sofia’s perfect house with her perfect children and her perfectly ordered Edinburgh life.
Frankly, Sofia doesn’t exactly want Carmen there either. Her sister has always been sarcastic and difficult. But Sofia has yet another baby on the way, a mother desperate to see her daughters get along, and a client who needs a retail assistant for his ailing bookshop, so welcoming Carmen might still have some benefits for everyone.
At Sofia’s behest, Carmen is thrown into the daily workings of old Mr. McCredie’s ancient bookshop on the streets of the old dark city. Can she use her design skills to revamp the store and bring it back to popularity in time to benefit from Christmas shopping traffic? Can she choose between bad boy literary rock star Blair and quiet Quaker student Oke? And will she heal the rift with the most important people of all: her family?

Comment: It does seem surprising, but time does fly and it's December already. That means it's time for another post of the TBR Challenge and the theme for this month was "festive", which can be any kind of celebration but this being December, clearly the pick tends to fall more onto Christmas themes and I chose it as well.

I picked a very recent book by Jenny Colgan (although I'm behind on her series) not only because it was a Christmas story and fit the theme but also because some friends have enjoyed it and I was ready to like it too.

In this story we meet Carmen, she hasn't had a lot of luck when it comes to her choices in life, which explains why she will be out of a job again very soon. Her successful sister, lawyer extraordinaire and mother of three, soon to be four, with a wonderful husband somehow finds her a position at a struggling bookshop in Edinburgh, where she lives. Carmen reluctantly agrees, hoping to endure the process of being with a sister she isn't that close to. However, both her sister's children and the bookshop start growing on her and Carmen must decide if she is willing to bet on a life she is enjoying more and more or if this is really just another experience and she should leave before she gets even more attached...

While reading, I kept thinking this book reminded me of a cozy fire, a hot beverage on the side, while it was cold outside... I thought this because it was, indeed, cold outside, but also because every detail in this book is aimed to make us imagine this scenario, that although there are unpleasant things all the time, we should cherish the sweet, the cozy, the warmth in our lives, even if that is only the support of our family. Of course the intention of this story is very obvious but that didn't mean it would be so satisfying to read it, even knowing it's meant to be sweet and inspirational for the season.

Carmen is an easy heroine to relate to because she has worries and a complicated life, mostly because of choices she made and how her personality is but she is a likable person and we feel it's very easy to root for her, especially since, as the plot moves along, we get to see her better side and why she is deserving of a HEA. She isn't perfect, no, but I believe her intentions are genuine and she is a natural helper, in the sense she might seem picky at times but she truly cares and does the "right thing", no matter how one would describe it.

There's a small moment during the plot where it seems things might turn into a love triangle, for of course part of the fun of having a new life experience is to fall in love, but I wouldn't label this romance as a love triangle for the simple reason that there wasn't a doubt in my mind who Carmen would end up with or why. I think the road to romance and admitting it is both sweet and whimsical enough to seem sweet and mysterious in some scenes but the practical side of me wishes they would have found a more detailed agreement on how things would proceed but it wasn't such a negative element because I think we are shown how they are in love.

In a way, if there is one less appealing element overall for me, is the fact some situations seem a little too convenient, slightly too easily accomplished... although i can put those aside for the type of story we have. I also would liked a little less vagueness in general, there are some situations, again, which feel too simple, not fully contextualized or explained...I wouldn't go as to use the word "angst" for this, but there's this sense the less then cheerful scenes might have had more background. It still didn't ruin the experience for me, though, so don't feel the story is incomplete or anything like that.

Since this is a story where good things are supposed to happen, as soon as our heroine makes up her mind about what she wants to do, everything falls very easily into place, both in her life and in the life of those around her. I think the author planned this story well enough for it to give the vibe intended, this is a sweet story about making choices that feel right, about cherishing family and the simpler things in life that, although might not be the flashier in contrast to others, are still fulfilling and special for what they mean. As a Christmas story, I really think this one worked out well.

Grade: 8/10

Jenny Colgan - Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe

Issy Randall, proud owner of The Cupcake Cafe, is in love and couldn't be happier. Her new business is thriving and she is surrounded by close friends, even if her cupcake colleagues Pearl and Caroline don't seem quite as upbeat about the upcoming season of snow and merriment. But when her boyfriend Austin is scouted for a possible move to New York, Issy is forced to face up to the prospect of a long-distance romance. And when the Christmas rush at the cafe - with its increased demand for her delectable creations - begins to take its toll, Issy has to decide what she holds most dear.
This December, Issy will have to rely on all her reserves of courage, good nature and cinnamon, to make sure everyone has a merry Christmas, one way or another . . .
Indulge yourself and your sweet-toothed friends with Jenny Colgan's new novel, simply bursting with Christmas cupcake recipes and seasonal sugar-fuelled fun.

Comment: I purposely planned to read this book around Christmas day because it would not only include Christmas and I thought it would be neat but also because I was positively surprised by how much more I enjoyed the book which precedes this one than what I had anticipated. I was quite eager to dive into this one and reconnect with all the characters I liked meeting in book #1.

The action of this book takes place, obviously, around the Christmas season and sees Issy and her friends/co-workers at the Cupcake Cafe, debating whether November is too early to start the Christmas decorations. Issy is a little stressed out because her boyfriend Austin is spending some days in New York, due to his work at the bank. She is also taking care of his younger brother Darny but the precocious boy isn't making things easier for her, especially at school where he often misbehaves. Issy wonders if things will be back to normal by Christmas but it seems as if the bank in New York might want Austin to relocate... what will happen to their HEA then?

I have to confess I ended up a little let down after finishing this story. It actually felt as if all the good elements which were part of the first book were put apart in this one, namely the idea of the cupcake cafe being the best spot in London and the unifying point between all the characters. I think the author did a good job making things happen in a way that the reader would have to accept the possibility of the main characters moving to New York - if that was where the story was going - while still leaving it clear that the cupcake cafe would always be there anyway - which is does!

The first book presented characters looking for something in their lives and the cute romance between Issy and Austin, although not the most detailed one, ended up being special. I hoped for more in this sequel, though, as much in regards to them as in how the secondary characters would evolve too. I have to say this is the part of the novel that disappointed me the most... things just go into this indecisive status, always something waiting to happen, and, in the end, too much left in the air.

The romance between Issy and Austin, deep down, follows the expectations, but looking at the big picture, they are apart most of the novel. They debate on being together if Austin's job forces him to move to America. They wonder if they can keep up a long distance relationship. They both feel selfish by wanting the things they do and what about them as a couple? While I could accept these things as realistic, as believable for the context, it was a bit too dramatically done, a little too much on the angst and worry. I was turning the pages but not feeling that happy or hopeful, despite the often cute scenes in the cafe or the sometimes amusing moments to break the tension.

Even the secondary characters had their challenges and, again, even accepting the more serious elements as something I tend to look for in books, the overall feel was one of doom ahead or that not everything would work for the them all. It's true that there is a HEA at the end, one that could be accepted and (probably) obvious from a certain point on and the author did find a way to put everything in the convenient place so that things would work out. However, it still left me..melancholic. It made me think about the first book where the end was like a reward after the (positively unexpected) difficulties which allowed things to become right for the characters. Now, instead, I felt the opposite...

I also didn't like the way things end. There's a HEA but not the one I'd have preferred. I suppose the author wanted to leave things open enough for possible follow ups or who knows, but the way things went was a bit depressing for me. Still, said in the right way, I could have more easily accepted it but the author  - in my opinion - didn't quite achieved the same balance here as I felt she did in the other book. In fact, several details which were so poignant and well done there now felt a level down here. I can only say I have the impression this story was rushed and, perhaps, badly planned.

All things considered, I would say this book is not really necessary... I think that the way things ended in the first one were, at least, hopeful and allowed me to imagine the kid of scenarios I wish could happen for those characters. I think this one was too depressing. As a side note, there are also recipes included in this book.

Grade: 6/10

Jenny Colgan - Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe

Issy Randall can bake. No, more than that - Issy can create stunning, mouth-wateringly divine cakes. After a childhood spent in her beloved Grampa Joe's bakery she has undoubtedly inherited his talent. So when she's made redundant from her safe but dull City job, Issy decides to seize the moment and open up her own cafe.

Comment:I had this book to read for some time but I liked the other books by the author I tried, so I decided to go into something "lighter" after the last emotional book.

In this story we meet Issy Randall, a young woman who has a boring job, a boyfriend and a love for baking, thanks to her grandfather, who taught her everything she knows on the subject.

One day, her job made redundant, and her boyfriend, who happens to be her direct boss as well, doesn't warn her, which means she's out of both. While trying to decide what to do, she starts contemplating opening her own cafe, since she is very talented in baking and everyone says so when trying her sweets.

The problem is that there is more to opening up a business than just baking but with the help of her friends and those she meets while learning how to go ahead with her own business, Issy might «just succeed...

The blurbs and the covers of this author's books are a little misleading. There are cute and almost comedy scenes, yes, but for the most part, the stories have a more serious tone and message than what is perceived at first.

To me, this works very well, but I do wish the romantic elements would be highlighted a little more. In fact, thinking of the three books so far I've tried, all could use an extra layer of romantic scenes.

Issy is a very likable character because she goes through setbacks, disappointments but she is still positive, she has a skill that can be her salvation and she has people who actively try to help her despite the odds. Some readers have said it does take her too long to let go of her ex sentimentally, even if physically that separation is more obvious. I confess this aspect wasn't such a negative one for me because their interactions are sporadic and we have plenty clues on why they don't work.

However, added to the lack of romantic moments with her actual love interest and all the miscommunication involved, her love life feels very unbalanced and that is why I think the author could have done things differently.

As for the plot, as one can guess, it pretty much centers on the cafe. I liked it that the author didn't go the easy way and make things simply happen. We are guided through a (certainly still) simplistic version of how one opens up a cafe, with all the necessary steps it entails. I think this added authenticity to what Issy was going through but combined with the initial problems, her grandfather's being away and ill, the doubts that still plague her, I think this part of the story was a little sober. realistic yes, but difficult to imagine how it could work without some magic solution.

Nevertheless, for me this was an engrossing read. I wanted to keep reading and know what would happen next. The secondary characters work perfectly for the type of plot developing although some situations do seem a bit over the top, especially in relation to how their personalities seem to just adjust to their surroundings. Like how Caroline and Pearl, two employees of Issy down the road, who seem antagonists and would not get along that easily suddenly match each other so well in the cafe...

I wouldn't go as to say this is the best story ever but I liked recognizing some British details, I could envision the characters and their routines and I was rooting for things to work out for Issy.

There are many good elements here and the story felt captivating in spite of the slightly obvious clichés. I wish it were more romantic in certain moments and the HEA could have been better too.

I see there's a sequel, I'm certainly going to read it to see what happened next and if the story line follows in a more balanced manner.

Grade: 8/10

Jenny Colgan - The Little Shop of Happy Ever After

Given a back-room computer job when the beloved Birmingham library she works in turns into a downsized retail complex, Nina misses her old role terribly - dealing with people, greeting her regulars, making sure everyone gets the right books for their needs. Then a new business nobody else wants catches her eye: owning a tiny little bookshop bus up in the Scottish highlands. No computers. Shortages. Out all hours in the freezing cold; driving with a tiny stock of books... not to mention how the little community is going to take to her, particularly when she stalls the bus on a level crossing...

Comment: Most readers would say that books about books or related to reading can be one of two things: boring or special. I think that, when it comes to fictional stories, the tendency is mostly for the second and in this book I was definitely hoping to be amazed.

In this book we have Nina's story, a librarian whose job ends due to the major cuts being done nationally to libraries and similar institutions. At Nina's library the focus will be given more to the new media form of communication and not as much to the traditional way a library used to work, so Nina's job becomes redundant and only one person of all Nina's co workers will remain. Nina is a book addict so she can't think of anything except working with books. Somehow she makes up her mind about buying an old van she can turn into a mobile book shop because she needs to eat. Using auctions and giveaways is her tactic to have affordable stock.

Nine has her business and she decides to drive mostly through the Scottish highlands, where people are more isolated and where the appeal of a book might suit more people...but will Nine be ready to welcome all the changes this means in her life?

Jenny Colgan is a British author and although this is not my first book by her, I still can't help but notice that this book seemed to be more obvious when it comes to British references. It might help the other book I've read was not set in the UK but... I just think this was very obvious. This isn't a problem but I do admit I was expecting a bit more emphasis on the bookish talks, book references and even Nina's personality but what still remains in my head are al the scenes where one can easily grasp the British mentality and way of life.

Nina is a fascinating character and I was feeling very in sync with her at first because she loved and breathed books and she was shy and struggled to change her views of what a library and a reader are to accommodate the contemporary needs of libraries ( for instance, the need to bring more people by lending dvds and having internet which can disrupt the environment of only readers as I feel at my local library). In fact, I liked this small incursion to the changes in libraries nowadays and what a pity it is some places can't afford to keep things as traditional as they used to be.

When the plot starts to develop and Nina moves forward, she gets the van, she meets new people, she can still perform as a librarian while being a book seller and I liked this aspect of her. Her attitude however, seemed to not always match what the beginning said of her: of course part of the story is how we could see Nina should change and stop being so closed on herself but I kind of liked that side of her. It's nice to see she didn't become a talk show host type of character but the changes in her weren't always to my personal taste but hey, that's just my impression.

One great aspect is the diverse cultural and social themes mentioned, obviously not explored to the maximum for lack of pages and probably because they were not the aim here, but still provided an interesting secondary source of reading material within the plot.

There's a romance in all this, and Nina learns interesting lessons. I think this side of the plot was not properly developed. I actually believe it would have been better to leave it out because they way things happened... or maybe the focus shouldn't have been in what it was but instead in what end up being. The final HEA was sweet but not the most convincing ever.

I did like all the book recommendations Nina does though the book even if some aren't real ones. I liked how Nina still managed to do her goal which was to find a book for every person. It was also very nice she could become part of that community and how suited she was for that life and place. There are many positive elements to make this an enjoyable story but the romance as not done in the best way - in my opinion - and some scenes changing into others wasn't always a very fluid or seamless process.

Just a little perfect detail: in the beginning of the novel, the author leaves a note to readers. This is definitely worth reading and it's a text for nay book lover out there!

Grade: 7/10

Jenny Colgan - The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris

As dawn breaks over the Pont Neuf, and the cobbled alleyways of Paris come to life, Anna Trent is already awake and at work; mixing and stirring the finest, smoothest, richest chocolate; made entirely by hand, it is sold to the grandes dames of Paris.
It's a huge shift from the chocolate factory she worked in at home in the north of England. But when an accident changed everything, Anna was thrown back in touch with her French teacher, Claire, who offered her the chance of a lifetime - to work in Paris with her former sweetheart, Thierry, a master chocolatier.
With old wounds about to be uncovered and healed, Anna is set to discover more about real chocolate - and herself - than she ever dreamed.  

Comment: I purchased this book last year and it took me more than one year to read it. Still, this one actually held on for less time than many other titles in my TBR list.

Added to my initial will to read it, I suggested it to one of my book clubs and someone else is reading it, so I couldn't put it aside like I have to about other books I had scheduled for this month.  Unfortunately for me, it has been a crazy month for reading.

 

This is the story of Anna Trent, an Englishwoman who suffers an accident during her job and how she must deal with the consequences. In the hospital she meets again her old French teacher who encourages her to go to France to work at the chocolate shop of someone she knew there when she was younger.

Anna decides to take the chance and while in France there's a lot for her to discover and to learn, especially why the shop's owner, Thierry used to be so important for her teacher. But it's not just the people and the work that change Anna. She has a lot to deal with while still helping others...

 

Overall, I liked this story and I liked Anna. I can't help but notice all the details about British culture though, and some of them rather annoy me. I'm talking about the clubbing, the drinking. All novels I read that feature English people shows them drinking or talking about drinking so often. Even movies... I don't know but I can't help but notice these things. Although this doesn't actually affect any of Anna's behavior or her personality, I can't just ignore it...

 

Apart from the little details that catch my attention, I liked the main story. The book is centered around Anna and when we have her perspective, the narrator is herself, but we do have some passages from someone else's POV, usually third person. There's also those flashback scenes where we follow her old teacher, Claire, and Thierry when they were young. I don't mind these passages but sometimes I'd skim them because I don't think they are so important when we know what happens to them through other's conversations.

 

The plot is very interesting and I connected to Anna's difficulty to relate to a new place, a new way of living, new people and expectations...all this happened to her when she goes to France. I wanted her to succeed immediately, to be one of those people who can adapt easily, but we see how the beginning was complicated, even if without all the details and heaviness something like that must entail.

I liked how she worked hard and how she never changed her personality, even when we see her change in terms of believing in herself, in understanding her abilities. There's a lot of talk about chocolate which is good, considering the work she is doing, but it's not tiring to the point we can't stand reading about it.

 

There's romance. We see many references about Thierry and Claire's relationship and why things didn't work out. Anna and Laurent, Thierry's son, start to talk and deal with each other, mostly because of his father and they have a relationship. I think the love interest between Anna and Laurent wasn't as powerful as it could because despite happening in a sweet, almost believable way, it's not the focus of the story all the time, so it almost feels like it's not that important and that distracts from the romance of it.

 

All in all, I think this is a story with many interesting elements but some of them aren't used to the maximum of their capacity, it feels like some things were just skimmed, just there and not as complex and deep as they could.

But it's an interesting story. The book comes with recipes...I haven't tried but they sure help with the mood.

Grade: 8/10