Don't be put off by the "Chick Lit" cover design. Yes, it is "light reading" and nothing high-brow, but it is well written - much, much better than a lot of the "light reading" I have been doing lately. In fact, there are times when this book has strongly reminded me of Frances Garrood's "Dead Ernest" and "Basic Theology for Fallen Women", both of which I truly enjoyed. (You can find my reviews for these books by clicking on the titles here in the post.)
The recipe - tested and proven, but nearly always interesting - for the story is quickly told: A group of people who normally would not come across each other, let alone form friendships, are thrown together by chance. In this case. "chance" is visiting a newly opened teashop.
Soon, circumstances make the customers who first come in on their own start talking - to the lady who runs the teashop as well as to each other. With their relationships developing, things come to light about each of the main characters, and with one exception, they all turn out to have something in their past (and even present) that nobody guessed at.
The old adage "Nothing is at it seems" is true for the people in this story, and I am sure we all know similar people (or maybe even are one of them ourselves). Nearly everything that happens, and the decisions the characters take, are credible. The teashop is well described, as are other locations, without overdoing the details.
One can read such books merely to be entertained after a long day at the office, but one can also read the message the characters have for us. I like to do both.
You can find out about the author and her other books here.
Can't beat a good light read, in my opinion. I'll mention this to Mrs B - then, oicking up your comment about the cover, I might get a chance to read it when nobody's looking.
ReplyDeleteI hope Mrs. B will like it - and you, too, when nobody's looking :-)
DeleteHello Meike,
ReplyDeleteIt is great when someone knows one's reading tastes well enough to choose a satisfactory read. This sounds as if it was the perfect gift for you.
As we seem to spend an inordinate amount of our time in cafes, meeting a wide variety of people in the process and sampling coffees, teas and wines as an aside, this book might well suit yes too. No, never judge a book by its cover but it is sad when the cover does no justice to the contents. This sounds like the kind of read that is a good bedtime companion......with a cup of hot cocoa too!
Hello Jane and Lance,
DeleteYou are right - you could be the kind of funny, interesting, fascinating, kind and humorous people who make friends with the folks who run a café as well as the other guests. But I don't hope your past hides such sad secrets as it was the case for some of the characters in the book.
Well if it reminds you of Frances's writing then I have to get it.
ReplyDeleteI feel honoured that my opinion has that effect on someone, Graham!
DeleteJoseph Roth's book just arrived in the mail yesterday, but I found myself buying a copy of The Teashop on the Corner as soon as I read your review! It will be a nice change from the rather too dark post American Civil War mystery I just read, which also had far too many anachronisms........I will have to get my mind in the mood for Radetzkymarsch . I hope the English will be as good as you made the original sound!
ReplyDeleteYes, getting into Radetzkymarsch requires a certain frame of mind. It is certainly not the "light cosy bedtime read", but engages the mind on a different level.
DeleteAs with Graham, I feel honoured to have you value my review so much!
Well, as I also like the odd foray into light and frothy I shall have to give the writer a go.
ReplyDeleteMakes a break from ‘high art lit’. Even the occasional chick lit or Aga saga finds room on my Kindle app.
I hope you find this will be a nice break, Friko. Of course, for me, the book had the additional attraction of it being set in the Barnsley area, where my husband was from.
DeleteI read two Milly Johnson books last year (A Winter Flame and Here Come the Girls), both recommended by a friend, and I have to say I really enjoyed them. The covers are awful though, and the titles quite cheesy, but the plotting, characterisation and writing are all really good. I'm glad you enjoyed this one. Sometimes some light, enjoyable reading is just what you need after a long day. x
ReplyDeleteGood to know I am not alone in enjoying Milly Johnson's books, Gillian :-)
DeleteYes, I do welcome the chance to relax with a good story, even though my life is nowhere near as stressful as that of many I know.
Covers are as difficult as they are important. It takes seconds for someone to be attracted to a book, and the wrong cover can be very misleading. But this one sounds interesting, although the cover does suggest chick lit.
ReplyDeleteBtw thanks for the mention, Meike!
You are welcome, Frances!
DeleteThe cover of course does match the "Teashop" theme with all the little cupcakes etc. (they are embossed...), but the story (or stories, since each character has something of their own story) is a rather serious one. Oh, and nobody is falling about the place in high heels and drunk, and then wakes up the next morning in bed with someone they have never consciously met before... so, definitely not Chick Lit :-D
As much as I love tea and teashops ... ;) ... having looked up some more titles (and covers!) by the same author, I don't feel very tempted. Not just now anyway. But it's always interesting to read your reviews!
ReplyDeleteIt was a good read for me, Monica, but not necessarily a "must read" for anybody else :-)
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