The Little Wedding Shop by the Sea - Book 1
About the book...
The perfect romance to take on your summer hols! For fans of Milly Johnson, Jenny Oliver and Lucy Diamond.
Brides by the Sea, the cutest little wedding shop in all of Cornwall, has it all, including cake baker Poppy who lives upstairs. But wedding planning is not the piece of cake Poppy thought it would be, and when her best friend Cate’s wedding planner walks out, Poppy has to tie up the loose ends so her bestie can tie the knot.
Double-booked venues, ‘rustic’ locations and gorgeous but grumpy farmer Rafe have this wedding pro feeling like she could be Cate’s ‘something blue.’
Will the wedding, the shop and the cake all come crashing down on her? Or will Poppy pull it off to give Cate – and herself – the happy ever afters they deserve?
About the author...
I write happy fiction, with feisty heroines and lots of heart.
Writing is cool, because I get to wear pretty shoes instead of wellies. I live in a mountain kingdom in Derbyshire, England, where my family and pets are kind enough to ignore the chaos – happily, we’re in walking distance of a supermarket.
I love hearts, flowers, happy endings, all things vintage & most things french. When I’m not on facebook or twitter, and can’t find an excuse for shopping, I’ll be walking, or gardening. On days when I want to be really scared, I ride a tandem.
Author links:-
Twitter @janelinfoot
Website: http://www.janelinfoot.co.uk
My thoughts...
This is the first book in the Cupcakes & Confetti series and what a delightful read it was. It has it all happy bits, sad bits, hopeful bits, hopeless bits but most of all it'll make you smile and at times laugh out loud as the story unfolds.The main character Poppy, once a successful marketing guru, responsible for some of the best known food marketing campaigns is back in Devon mending a broken heart whilst baking cakes living and working above a wedding emporium owned by her straight talking, honest and organised, friend Jess. Her heart having been broken by ex, Brett - an actor who led her to believe marriage was on the cards before suddenly and abruptly heading into the sunset with someone else.
Poppy is joined in the story by childhood best friends Immie and Cate and somehow finds herself applying for a job as a wedding co-ordinator at Daisy Hill Farm after the previous planner suddenly upped and left. And all because she wants to save Cate's wedding which is booked there later in the year.
Interview day dawns and a nervous Poppy finds herself confronted by the grumpy, non-communicative, farm owner, Rafe. He's grumpy, bad tempered and just wants someone to get them through the existing bookings, the plan then is to close the wedding business down - he hasn't read her CV but Immie who also works for him, managing and cleaning his holiday cottage lettings has recommended her so that's good enough for him.
Jane Linfoot has created characters you'll adore - Poppy is low, dis-interested in her own life but loves her friends and is easily coaxed into doing things to help them out - her character has been sapped by the domineering Brett and she is definitely off romantic relations. Being around all the loved up couples wasn't easy, reminding her of what she had lost.
Daisy Hill farm owner Rafe is fierce and moody but clearly reliable, determined to see out his obligations with the pre-booked weddings and then wants nothing more to do with them - he's not very communicative and sparks fly when Poppy finds she has to share an office with him and madly for her, his chickens!
Cate is marrying for the second time, has three children by her first husband a fourth with Liam her husband to be. She wants everything to be perfect this time around and her wedding is fast turning into a circus - literally. She's so lovely though you can't help but smile as she adds more and more outlandish things to the wedding with no regard of the cost.
Immii is a bit dippy, free spirited and just lovely - she firmly has Poppy's back and knows this job is just what Poppy needs to pull herself out of the doldrums and remember how to live for herself not someone else.
Enter the gorgeous, blue eyed photographer Jules who quickly makes himself indispensable and all of a sudden Poppy finds herself on the receiving end of his attentions - something she definitely wasn't expecting or wants.
The chapters of this book are split into months and the year begins in February and quickly speeds to October as Poppy wings it, organising wedding after wedding that is hampered by chaos, mishaps and mistakes - all successfully hidden from the happy couples who just get to see and feel love and romance all around them.
This is a proper feel-good book. Perfect for a lazy afternoon curled up on the sofa. I thoroughly enjoyed reading and watching like a voyeur as the story unfolded, all the characters opening up and growing in confidence and stature. Poppy and Rafe pushing each others buttons - both fiery and hot-headed then remorseful and calm. The wedding couples some lovely, some not, unexpected births both human and animal and the chaos that ensues because of them. Not everyone is what they seem though and when the chips are down it's surprising to see who steps up to the mark. A gentle romantic, easy read with plenty of fizz - a book that's not all gooey but has depth without being too deep. Jane gives just enough insight and background into characters to make you feel a connection and I most loved Jess's attitude to any problem - prosecco or gin - often both! I for one cannot wait until book 2 - Sequins and Snowflakes.
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