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The Cosy Teashop #1
The Cosy Teashop in the Castle
When Ellie Hall lands her dream job running the little teashop in the beautiful but crumbling Claverham Castle, it’s the perfect escape from her humdrum job in the city. Life is definitely on the rise as Ellie replaces spreadsheets for scones, and continues her Nanna’s brilliant baking legacy.
When Lord Henry, the stick-in-the-mud owner, threatens to burst her baking bubble with his old-fashioned ways, Ellie wonders if she might have bitten off more than she can chew. But cupcake by cupcake she wins the locals over, including teashop stalwart, Doris, and Ellie’s showstopping bakes look set to go down in castle history!
Now all that’s missing in Ellie’s life is a slice of romance – can Joe, the brooding estate manager, be the one to put the cherry on the top of Ellie’s dream?
When Lord Henry, the stick-in-the-mud owner, threatens to burst her baking bubble with his old-fashioned ways, Ellie wonders if she might have bitten off more than she can chew. But cupcake by cupcake she wins the locals over, including teashop stalwart, Doris, and Ellie’s showstopping bakes look set to go down in castle history!
Now all that’s missing in Ellie’s life is a slice of romance – can Joe, the brooding estate manager, be the one to put the cherry on the top of Ellie’s dream?
391 pages, Paperback
First published February 25, 2016
350 people are currently reading
2793 people want to read
About the author
Caroline Roberts
18 books477 followersFamily, friends, food, a glass of bubbly and, of course, a good book make me smile. I love writing emotional stories about love, loss, betrayal, and family, that explore how complex and yet beautiful love can be. I also like to write romantic comedy, letting the characters have a bit of flirty fun too! I believe in following your dreams and working hard towards them, which led me to Harper Impulse (Harper Collins) and a publishing deal (woop!) after many years of writing. Stunning Northumberland is my home – sandy beaches, castles and gorgeous countryside that have inspired my writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 473 reviews
February 15, 2017
Okay so where do I start?!
This book had so much potential but annoying and lame characters ruined the lot for me.
I did not connect with anyone whatsoever.
Yes okay, Ellie was fine before she knew Joe.
But Joe is lame, Lord Henry is a whiney and rusted old pain in the ass, Ellie is annoying and lame. Deana is lovely, gotta admit that and Ellie's family, but they don't get mentioned that often so there's that.
Now let me first-hand show you why I'm saying no to this book with a few quotes and situations.
1. "After carefully placing a condom on his hot and ready shaft, she slid down deliciously over him."
Pls stop
2. "He trapped her under him, then caught her hands above her head, grasping her wrists as if he could do anything he liked with her. But something in her knew he would never hurt her or force her."
Bitch pls
3. After the first night Ellie and Joe had sex, Ellie was already paranoid about Joe not showing up in her tea shop the following day. - MERELY A FEW HOURS LATER - thinking he's avoiding her and that she'd been a one-night stand, while the bitch knooooowssss he has to work!
4. The constant push and pull effect between them is rather annoying as well. They both want each other but at the other side they don't think it's a good idea to get involved with your staff/boss. The constant "I want to kiss her" "I shouldn't do this" "she looks so sexy" "I need to keep a distance" thing is soooooo annoying ffs.
5. "Ellie's heart plummeted. He must be taking an extra day off or something. And he hadn't thought to to tell her, after everything — the closeness she thought they had shared. Had he just used her?"
GIIIIIRL STFU, you've been getting it on for like two seconds why is she paranoid already??? Like the bitch literally couldn't sleep and was on the verge of crying because he went home to his mum without telling her!!!! It literally said "she couldn't sleep that night" in the book. I mean how the fuck and why the fuck!!??!
Chill the shit out!
6. One moment in the book Joe told Ellie about an idea he had to improve the income of the castle. So Ellie had discussed this discreetly with Wendy (her florist) whose mum had been eavesdropping and went to tell anyone who'd listen about it without the idea being presented to Lord Henry first (which was mandatory). So the word got out and Joe was annoyed and guess what???
Ellie was spazzing, thinking "she surely had lost Joe's trust. She had let him down."
AGAHRUJRJFJ SOMEONE MAKE HER STFU BEFORE I WHACK HER HEAD AGAINST THE WALL! How tf is this her fault when Wendy's MUM was the one eavesdropping and talking????
Jesus christ, no I'm going to stop this rant here because I think I made my point loud and clear as to why I can't finish this book.
I'm telling you again, it had a lot of potential and I genuinely expected to love it because I'm addicted to tea, obsessed with cosy tea houses and in love with historical buildings but these two god damned main characters. Nope. Not my scene those two.
This book had so much potential but annoying and lame characters ruined the lot for me.
I did not connect with anyone whatsoever.
Yes okay, Ellie was fine before she knew Joe.
But Joe is lame, Lord Henry is a whiney and rusted old pain in the ass, Ellie is annoying and lame. Deana is lovely, gotta admit that and Ellie's family, but they don't get mentioned that often so there's that.
Now let me first-hand show you why I'm saying no to this book with a few quotes and situations.
1. "After carefully placing a condom on his hot and ready shaft, she slid down deliciously over him."
Pls stop
2. "He trapped her under him, then caught her hands above her head, grasping her wrists as if he could do anything he liked with her. But something in her knew he would never hurt her or force her."
Bitch pls
3. After the first night Ellie and Joe had sex, Ellie was already paranoid about Joe not showing up in her tea shop the following day. - MERELY A FEW HOURS LATER - thinking he's avoiding her and that she'd been a one-night stand, while the bitch knooooowssss he has to work!
4. The constant push and pull effect between them is rather annoying as well. They both want each other but at the other side they don't think it's a good idea to get involved with your staff/boss. The constant "I want to kiss her" "I shouldn't do this" "she looks so sexy" "I need to keep a distance" thing is soooooo annoying ffs.
5. "Ellie's heart plummeted. He must be taking an extra day off or something. And he hadn't thought to to tell her, after everything — the closeness she thought they had shared. Had he just used her?"
GIIIIIRL STFU, you've been getting it on for like two seconds why is she paranoid already??? Like the bitch literally couldn't sleep and was on the verge of crying because he went home to his mum without telling her!!!! It literally said "she couldn't sleep that night" in the book. I mean how the fuck and why the fuck!!??!
Chill the shit out!
6. One moment in the book Joe told Ellie about an idea he had to improve the income of the castle. So Ellie had discussed this discreetly with Wendy (her florist) whose mum had been eavesdropping and went to tell anyone who'd listen about it without the idea being presented to Lord Henry first (which was mandatory). So the word got out and Joe was annoyed and guess what???
Ellie was spazzing, thinking "she surely had lost Joe's trust. She had let him down."
AGAHRUJRJFJ SOMEONE MAKE HER STFU BEFORE I WHACK HER HEAD AGAINST THE WALL! How tf is this her fault when Wendy's MUM was the one eavesdropping and talking????
Jesus christ, no I'm going to stop this rant here because I think I made my point loud and clear as to why I can't finish this book.
I'm telling you again, it had a lot of potential and I genuinely expected to love it because I'm addicted to tea, obsessed with cosy tea houses and in love with historical buildings but these two god damned main characters. Nope. Not my scene those two.
June 7, 2016
5 Words: Castle, tea, family, love, tradition.
I love tea. I love castles. I loved this book.
This book is set in the Northumbrian countryside, and the descriptions really bring it to life. I immediately recognised the castles that inspired Claverham, they were so vivid that I could smell the old stone and feel the chill. The colloquialisms and family dynamics only served to strengthen the setting (as well as the story) and provided this whole other element, giving the story extra depth and bringing the characters to life.
The descriptions of food in this book made me So. Hungry. Read this book with cake. I loved that the recipe for the Choffee cake was tucked away at the back, and it's easy enough that even I could manage it, and I take after my mother when it comes to baking. We are both serious fire risks when put in charge of batter and an oven.
I loved that as much as Ellie wanted to be prepared, she pretty much made everything up as she went along. I recognised myself in her, with her last-minute slap-dash actions, her unsuitable footware, her inability to say no to cider and pizza and cake and a decent cuppa. I saw myself in her long baths and piles of books, her attraction to the brooding Joe, her love/hate of the Northumbriand countryside.
I have to be honest - when I first heard about this book I did everything in my power to get my hands on an ARC. I read the descriptions and I just couldn't wait for it. And when I got a copy, I read it straight away (and stayed up into the early hours) and was just about to post my review when I saw that there was going to be a tour. I had so many questions and I enjoyed the book so much that I jumped straight on it.
Often I find that my initial excitement and anticipation for a book spoil it for me, because it's rare that the book will live up to it. But this book easily surpassed everything I imagined it could be, and it was magnificent.
I received a copy of this for free via NetGalley for review purposes and I am also taking part in the blog tour.
I love tea. I love castles. I loved this book.
This book is set in the Northumbrian countryside, and the descriptions really bring it to life. I immediately recognised the castles that inspired Claverham, they were so vivid that I could smell the old stone and feel the chill. The colloquialisms and family dynamics only served to strengthen the setting (as well as the story) and provided this whole other element, giving the story extra depth and bringing the characters to life.
The descriptions of food in this book made me So. Hungry. Read this book with cake. I loved that the recipe for the Choffee cake was tucked away at the back, and it's easy enough that even I could manage it, and I take after my mother when it comes to baking. We are both serious fire risks when put in charge of batter and an oven.
I loved that as much as Ellie wanted to be prepared, she pretty much made everything up as she went along. I recognised myself in her, with her last-minute slap-dash actions, her unsuitable footware, her inability to say no to cider and pizza and cake and a decent cuppa. I saw myself in her long baths and piles of books, her attraction to the brooding Joe, her love/hate of the Northumbriand countryside.
I have to be honest - when I first heard about this book I did everything in my power to get my hands on an ARC. I read the descriptions and I just couldn't wait for it. And when I got a copy, I read it straight away (and stayed up into the early hours) and was just about to post my review when I saw that there was going to be a tour. I had so many questions and I enjoyed the book so much that I jumped straight on it.
Often I find that my initial excitement and anticipation for a book spoil it for me, because it's rare that the book will live up to it. But this book easily surpassed everything I imagined it could be, and it was magnificent.
I received a copy of this for free via NetGalley for review purposes and I am also taking part in the blog tour.
December 21, 2019
*2 BORING STARS*
“Her dreams felt like bubbles, floating iridescent in a blue sky of hope. But, then, wasn’t there always the inevitable pop, then plop, when you came splatting back down to earth?”
I did it! I managed to finish this!
It took me a couple of months due to this being boring as fuck and the main characters annoying the hell out of me, but I did it anyway. I deserve a standing ovation for this tbh.
“Her dreams felt like bubbles, floating iridescent in a blue sky of hope. But, then, wasn’t there always the inevitable pop, then plop, when you came splatting back down to earth?”
I did it! I managed to finish this!
It took me a couple of months due to this being boring as fuck and the main characters annoying the hell out of me, but I did it anyway. I deserve a standing ovation for this tbh.
July 4, 2016
I enjoy the odd chick-lit here and there when I fancy a light read, but this was really disappointing. The setting of a castle and the quaint idea of a teashop was really appealing, but the writing was just a bit... trying too hard. It felt like reading something my mother would write. The main character, Ellie, wasn't convincing in anyway, and if I started to think that if I had to read the word 'Hmn' one more time I would scream.
There was also no plot. Lord Henry was the most interesting character but instead we're forced to focus on the two leads - both of who were insipid. Ellie felt like a child at times and an elderly woman at others. The dialogue was also unconvincing. The author seems to have tried really hard to make us like Ellie, glossing over her faults and making excuses for everything.
Then, half-way through, it starts with the graphic sex. I'm not against this in books, but it really didn't fit. It was completely unexpected and unwanted, and after the first sex scene it was like sex was driving every chapter - and not in an interesting way.
Anyway, I was expecting a light read, and it was. I just wasn't expecting no plot and endless descriptions of clothes and some boring repetitive introspection of the annoying main character.
There was also no plot. Lord Henry was the most interesting character but instead we're forced to focus on the two leads - both of who were insipid. Ellie felt like a child at times and an elderly woman at others. The dialogue was also unconvincing. The author seems to have tried really hard to make us like Ellie, glossing over her faults and making excuses for everything.
Then, half-way through, it starts with the graphic sex. I'm not against this in books, but it really didn't fit. It was completely unexpected and unwanted, and after the first sex scene it was like sex was driving every chapter - and not in an interesting way.
Anyway, I was expecting a light read, and it was. I just wasn't expecting no plot and endless descriptions of clothes and some boring repetitive introspection of the annoying main character.
September 3, 2016
Now, I really wasn't expecting a wordsmith's masterpiece from this, just a light-hearted, easy to read bit of fun. Sadly, it wasn't so much 'light hearted' as 'empty headed'.
I've read worse (sadly), but I was astounded to see this one in the bestsellers list - really?? I mean, Really, people??? At this rate, by the time the next generation are old enough to be dictating the bestsellers list, we may ALL believe that the Elizabethans were medieval, and Robin Hood galloped up to people pointing pistols at them and demanding 'Stand and deliver' - just as Ms. Roberts apparently does.
"Sigh"
OK; this book wasn't written to be historically accurate (which is just as well), but the rest of the book wasn't a lot better.
Characters were flat and unreal, dialogue was stilted and despite the joys of being able to use a Geordie dialect, there isn't any (unless you count Nanna referring to the main character as 'Hinnie' once or twice). The plot was the kind of thing a 3 year old could predict; Girl gets her dream job running a tea room. Meets dishy guy. (Scenes a 3 year old shouldn't know about). Oh no, a fire! Phew, all OK. Yay, a wedding! The End.
It's just plain old plain. Nothing about this book makes it stand out (apart from the massive historical blunders). It just has nothing going for it apart from the cute cover design. Even the recipe at the back looks a bit boring (sorry Nanna). No twists, no character flaws, no witticisms, no shocks, even the sex scenes are more 'meh' than 'Wow!'
On the Pants to BucketList scale . . It's down there with the bell-bottoms, honey. Sorry.
I've read worse (sadly), but I was astounded to see this one in the bestsellers list - really?? I mean, Really, people??? At this rate, by the time the next generation are old enough to be dictating the bestsellers list, we may ALL believe that the Elizabethans were medieval, and Robin Hood galloped up to people pointing pistols at them and demanding 'Stand and deliver' - just as Ms. Roberts apparently does.
"Sigh"
OK; this book wasn't written to be historically accurate (which is just as well), but the rest of the book wasn't a lot better.
Characters were flat and unreal, dialogue was stilted and despite the joys of being able to use a Geordie dialect, there isn't any (unless you count Nanna referring to the main character as 'Hinnie' once or twice). The plot was the kind of thing a 3 year old could predict; Girl gets her dream job running a tea room. Meets dishy guy. (Scenes a 3 year old shouldn't know about). Oh no, a fire! Phew, all OK. Yay, a wedding! The End.
It's just plain old plain. Nothing about this book makes it stand out (apart from the massive historical blunders). It just has nothing going for it apart from the cute cover design. Even the recipe at the back looks a bit boring (sorry Nanna). No twists, no character flaws, no witticisms, no shocks, even the sex scenes are more 'meh' than 'Wow!'
On the Pants to BucketList scale . . It's down there with the bell-bottoms, honey. Sorry.
February 28, 2016
3.5 delicious stars.
This book and I started off on the wrong foot.
The book begins with Ellie (our main character) going to an interview for a job running the teashop in the fictional Claverham Castle.
The problem is, Ellie has never ever managed a teashop before, or worked in a teashop, or done anything that would count as experience for this kind of job. Except maybe being a really good home cook. Also, she lies left and right during the interview and apparently “She tried her best to answer (the interview questions) honestly yet positively.” but we don’t get to see those answers.
I just couldn’t believe she could get the job when she doesn't have actual experience!
In the end we get a chapter from Joe's point of view (the male protagonist, who’s also the castle manager) and realize they partly hire her because he had the hots for her. So I chose to suspend disbelief and just enjoy the book.
Ellie was an interesting character and I was rooting for her all along, however she can be a bit judgemental at times, like when she realizes Joe likes Batman.
I mean, didn’t she watch The Dark Knight? That movie was awesome! Also she spends way too much time thinking about her ex.
Sadly I didn’t really like the romance angle. They go out a couple of times and boom: True Love. Also there's lots of telling and not showing:
I’d have loved to see a bit of those chats so I could understand the romance better.
Thankfully, the setting was absolutely fantastic and it completely saved this book for me. The castle, the teashop, the food... I had images like this all around my head while reading:
So now I need to go find my closest castle teashop and go have afternoon tea!
Image Credits:
Whistable Castle in Kent. (Which has its own gorgeous tea rooms)
Badger’s Teahouse. Images by Best in England.
This book and I started off on the wrong foot.
The book begins with Ellie (our main character) going to an interview for a job running the teashop in the fictional Claverham Castle.
The problem is, Ellie has never ever managed a teashop before, or worked in a teashop, or done anything that would count as experience for this kind of job. Except maybe being a really good home cook. Also, she lies left and right during the interview and apparently “She tried her best to answer (the interview questions) honestly yet positively.” but we don’t get to see those answers.
I just couldn’t believe she could get the job when she doesn't have actual experience!
In the end we get a chapter from Joe's point of view (the male protagonist, who’s also the castle manager) and realize they partly hire her because he had the hots for her. So I chose to suspend disbelief and just enjoy the book.
Ellie was an interesting character and I was rooting for her all along, however she can be a bit judgemental at times, like when she realizes Joe likes Batman.
“In fact, she had liked the films, when she was about twelve. But she just hadn’t expected a superhero crush from him and not at thirty, or whatever age he was.”
I mean, didn’t she watch The Dark Knight? That movie was awesome! Also she spends way too much time thinking about her ex.
Sadly I didn’t really like the romance angle. They go out a couple of times and boom: True Love. Also there's lots of telling and not showing:
“But it wasn’t just about the sex, they could chat for hours, or they could as easily sit in companionable silence.”
I’d have loved to see a bit of those chats so I could understand the romance better.
Thankfully, the setting was absolutely fantastic and it completely saved this book for me. The castle, the teashop, the food... I had images like this all around my head while reading:
So now I need to go find my closest castle teashop and go have afternoon tea!
Image Credits:
Whistable Castle in Kent. (Which has its own gorgeous tea rooms)
Badger’s Teahouse. Images by Best in England.
July 25, 2017
Inkvotary
The beginning was very sweet and a nice read. But then Ellie turned out to be a woman who doubts everything she plans or does and she became very fearfully. Too much for my taste. And when the author brought in all those sex scenes, it became weird. The writing style changed, some things were not logic anymore and I had my difficulties with the rest of the story and the behavior some of the figures showed. And the end was long .... Sad, but something wonderful turned into something almost boring.
The beginning was very sweet and a nice read. But then Ellie turned out to be a woman who doubts everything she plans or does and she became very fearfully. Too much for my taste. And when the author brought in all those sex scenes, it became weird. The writing style changed, some things were not logic anymore and I had my difficulties with the rest of the story and the behavior some of the figures showed. And the end was long .... Sad, but something wonderful turned into something almost boring.
June 8, 2016
Published: 2016
:: 5 Pretty Little Stars ::
This is a charming chick lit novel that I thoroughly enjoyed! The characters are super sweet and life like (Ellie is a woman after my own heart), the setting is beautiful (a lovely castle in the countryside) and the plot is well thought out, original, and sweet. Having not read a chick lit in a while, I am so glad I jumped right into this one. It makes me want to continue reading this genre (as it has always been a top favorite) and find more books by the author.
The story is about a woman named Ellie who opens up a tearoom in a castle in order to turn a mundane life into a fun filled one doing what she loves. Her tearoom is filled with delicious baked goods, tea, and some nutty characters. I loved them all to pieces, even the “old bat” who seems to have an opinion about everything. The author does a marvelous job describing said baked goods and I felt hungry reading it! In fact, I could really go for a panini and cake right now… Now, while love is the farthest thing from Ellie’s mind, she can’t help the attraction she feels for her boss Joe. Joe is a bit of a hermit. He has been at the castle for a few years now and hasn’t even had a chance to think about love, let alone find it in the most unexpected way. But when the two come together, dreams will become fulfilled in more ways than one.
All in all, I adored this book to pieces! It’s the perfect blend of chick lit and romance. The storyline is sweet and charming just like the characters. The author has definitely worked some magic with this book. So much in fact that I wouldn’t mind visiting a castle in the near future. If you enjoy chick lit novel, I highly recommend this read. It’s really lovely and fun!
:: 5 Pretty Little Stars ::
This is a charming chick lit novel that I thoroughly enjoyed! The characters are super sweet and life like (Ellie is a woman after my own heart), the setting is beautiful (a lovely castle in the countryside) and the plot is well thought out, original, and sweet. Having not read a chick lit in a while, I am so glad I jumped right into this one. It makes me want to continue reading this genre (as it has always been a top favorite) and find more books by the author.
The story is about a woman named Ellie who opens up a tearoom in a castle in order to turn a mundane life into a fun filled one doing what she loves. Her tearoom is filled with delicious baked goods, tea, and some nutty characters. I loved them all to pieces, even the “old bat” who seems to have an opinion about everything. The author does a marvelous job describing said baked goods and I felt hungry reading it! In fact, I could really go for a panini and cake right now… Now, while love is the farthest thing from Ellie’s mind, she can’t help the attraction she feels for her boss Joe. Joe is a bit of a hermit. He has been at the castle for a few years now and hasn’t even had a chance to think about love, let alone find it in the most unexpected way. But when the two come together, dreams will become fulfilled in more ways than one.
All in all, I adored this book to pieces! It’s the perfect blend of chick lit and romance. The storyline is sweet and charming just like the characters. The author has definitely worked some magic with this book. So much in fact that I wouldn’t mind visiting a castle in the near future. If you enjoy chick lit novel, I highly recommend this read. It’s really lovely and fun!
March 1, 2016
Is a lifelong passion for baking enough to successfully swap your steady, secure office job to take on the running of a teashop set in a castle? Especially when your experience of running a business and catering is virtually non existent? Ellie Hall certainly seems to think so in this lovely story set in Northumberland with a magnificent castle as its setting.
It really is a lovely read, very easy to get lost in, full of cakes and oodles of romance, some of which is exceedingly steamy indeed. I loved the castle setting in its rugged Northumberland location and could just imagine it, complete with its cosy little teashop with Ellie and her waitresses. The characters are all fun to read about and they are a really nice likeable bunch, even the dreaded Doris, Ellie’s chief waitress.
It is cosily predictable, we know exactly who Ellie’s love interest is going to be as soon as we meet him, it is just a question of waiting for them both to take the plunge and then to sit back and relish all the drama that follows. I loved the idea of choffee cake and was delighted to find the recipe for it at the end. All in all, I have to say this was a very enjoyable read. I received a review copy from the publishers via Netgalley.
It really is a lovely read, very easy to get lost in, full of cakes and oodles of romance, some of which is exceedingly steamy indeed. I loved the castle setting in its rugged Northumberland location and could just imagine it, complete with its cosy little teashop with Ellie and her waitresses. The characters are all fun to read about and they are a really nice likeable bunch, even the dreaded Doris, Ellie’s chief waitress.
It is cosily predictable, we know exactly who Ellie’s love interest is going to be as soon as we meet him, it is just a question of waiting for them both to take the plunge and then to sit back and relish all the drama that follows. I loved the idea of choffee cake and was delighted to find the recipe for it at the end. All in all, I have to say this was a very enjoyable read. I received a review copy from the publishers via Netgalley.
November 6, 2017
Hmm I did like the first book in this series better than the second book (more on that in another review). Roberts decides to tell her story through two characters POVs (Ellie and Joe). Ellie is a 20 something working a job she doesn't love. Still at home with her parents and wishing to make her dream of opening a bakery a reality, Ellie interviews for a job at a castle running a tea shop. Though she has no real world experience besides baking for family and friends, Ellie thinks she can make the tea shop a success. When she gets the job she finds herself pulled more to the general manager of the castle, Joe.
I did like the central plot. Young woman decides to move away from home (just an hour) in order to follow her dream of owning her own bakery. Ellie loves to bake and has her grandmother's old recipe book in hand. When she moves into the castle though you see that she has not thought everything through. It would have been great if Roberts had included more missteps by Ellie such as ordering too much or not enough for visitors. Learning how to make other recipes. Dealing with difficult customers, something. Instead we have Ellie having some minor difficulties with one of the older waitresses and having to go and ask Joe for help and almost crying because he was harsh with her for not knowing how to run a bakery. Did I mention that Ellie lied during her interview? Yeah. I would have been harsh too.
Joe's story was much more interesting. I don't want to spoil for potential readers though. I found him less interesting as the story went on since Roberts just focuses on how sexy Joe is finding Ellie and when the sex scenes start that is just the rest of the book really until the end.
The writing was okay. I think it just got way too repetitive for me towards the end. We know that Ellie is worried about making the tea shop a success, we get that she's worried about what to order and bake. I just really wanted something more. We know she had a broken engagement, but it's given no real depth in the book. I wish we had gotten a prologue or something with the ex fiancee or something. He was just some faceless character.
The flow was wonky between segues of Ellie and Joe's POV.
The setting of the castle should have been played up more than it was I think. I love the idea of a castle with a tea shop attached to it. We also know that Lord Henry (the owner) is dealing with the costs to keep up the place and I loved the reality of owning something like that and the taxes and other things you need to worry about.
The ending was okay but felt flat. Things felt very rushed to me and I wish we had more time with the main character with them interacting and talking more. Seriously, towards the end there was just a lot of boom chick a wow wow. I love that in a romance, but I didn't see a connection between Ellie and Joe. This book made me long for the Escape to New Zealand series (the first few books). That's the way to give you some red hot romance with plot/tension mixed in.
I did like the central plot. Young woman decides to move away from home (just an hour) in order to follow her dream of owning her own bakery. Ellie loves to bake and has her grandmother's old recipe book in hand. When she moves into the castle though you see that she has not thought everything through. It would have been great if Roberts had included more missteps by Ellie such as ordering too much or not enough for visitors. Learning how to make other recipes. Dealing with difficult customers, something. Instead we have Ellie having some minor difficulties with one of the older waitresses and having to go and ask Joe for help and almost crying because he was harsh with her for not knowing how to run a bakery. Did I mention that Ellie lied during her interview? Yeah. I would have been harsh too.
Joe's story was much more interesting. I don't want to spoil for potential readers though. I found him less interesting as the story went on since Roberts just focuses on how sexy Joe is finding Ellie and when the sex scenes start that is just the rest of the book really until the end.
The writing was okay. I think it just got way too repetitive for me towards the end. We know that Ellie is worried about making the tea shop a success, we get that she's worried about what to order and bake. I just really wanted something more. We know she had a broken engagement, but it's given no real depth in the book. I wish we had gotten a prologue or something with the ex fiancee or something. He was just some faceless character.
The flow was wonky between segues of Ellie and Joe's POV.
The setting of the castle should have been played up more than it was I think. I love the idea of a castle with a tea shop attached to it. We also know that Lord Henry (the owner) is dealing with the costs to keep up the place and I loved the reality of owning something like that and the taxes and other things you need to worry about.
The ending was okay but felt flat. Things felt very rushed to me and I wish we had more time with the main character with them interacting and talking more. Seriously, towards the end there was just a lot of boom chick a wow wow. I love that in a romance, but I didn't see a connection between Ellie and Joe. This book made me long for the Escape to New Zealand series (the first few books). That's the way to give you some red hot romance with plot/tension mixed in.
January 3, 2017
First off, does anyone know where I can read the Christmas story?!
Despite my low rating, I enjoyed reading this cute book. My issues lie in the little things that accumulated by the end.
The Cosy Teashop in the Castle is chick lit in all its adorable glory: a young woman, Ellie, seeks a change of scenery from her monotonous life in the city, meeting a cast of endearing people, including the love interest.
I didn't go into this novel expecting complexity or plot density, obviously, but I was disappointed that Ellie's relationship with her Nanna wasn't developed further. If it had been, I think the whole atmosphere of the book would've been improved.
From what I can recall, the story focussed very heavily on the romance (expected), but failed to offer the family aspect of chick lit that makes the genre more interesting.
Ellie's immediate family does make an appearance, but I would've liked to see more of her brother and parents. Roberts does an excellent job of teasing good secondary characters, but their potential is never really realised. The family member's dynamic relationships with Ellie would've added a layer to the story. The same applies to Ellie's friendship with Gemma, her friend and former coworker, who would've added an even stronger spritz of reality to the novel.
Something else that didn't bode well with me was the inconsistency throughout the book. The beginning was heavy on Ellie's aspirations, her family, her personality, but then those significant elements dwindled towards the middle, where the romance took the wheel.
I liked Ellie's sweet romance with Joe, the landlord. It was inevitable that Ellie and Joe would happen in some manifestation, and it was a bit of will-they-won't-they. However, what I didn't like was the growing disregard for Ellie's career in the plot, and the way the "conflict" that their relationship endured. How the characters dealt with the conflict was a bit unrealistic and unnecessarily dramatic. In the same vein, the climax wasn't too interesting either. It was a overly dramatic, if not a bit sudden and unrealistic, too.
My biggest complaint for this book is definitely the narrative voice. I'm not from England and I was plunged right into the English lingo and colloquialisms. I was so confused what the characters were saying half the time, and I would've preferred a less prominent emphasis on the language, even if it did add to the setting and context elements.
The Cosy Teashop in the Castle is a sweet, easy, if not amateurish, book for chick lit fans like myself. It has everything that makes the genre so enjoyable to read: a budding romance, a sweet protagonist and her supporting cast. Some improvements would've been a more substantial focus on the non-romantic relationships and a less dramatic complication. Two stars.
Despite my low rating, I enjoyed reading this cute book. My issues lie in the little things that accumulated by the end.
The Cosy Teashop in the Castle is chick lit in all its adorable glory: a young woman, Ellie, seeks a change of scenery from her monotonous life in the city, meeting a cast of endearing people, including the love interest.
I didn't go into this novel expecting complexity or plot density, obviously, but I was disappointed that Ellie's relationship with her Nanna wasn't developed further. If it had been, I think the whole atmosphere of the book would've been improved.
From what I can recall, the story focussed very heavily on the romance (expected), but failed to offer the family aspect of chick lit that makes the genre more interesting.
Ellie's immediate family does make an appearance, but I would've liked to see more of her brother and parents. Roberts does an excellent job of teasing good secondary characters, but their potential is never really realised. The family member's dynamic relationships with Ellie would've added a layer to the story. The same applies to Ellie's friendship with Gemma, her friend and former coworker, who would've added an even stronger spritz of reality to the novel.
Something else that didn't bode well with me was the inconsistency throughout the book. The beginning was heavy on Ellie's aspirations, her family, her personality, but then those significant elements dwindled towards the middle, where the romance took the wheel.
I liked Ellie's sweet romance with Joe, the landlord. It was inevitable that Ellie and Joe would happen in some manifestation, and it was a bit of will-they-won't-they. However, what I didn't like was the growing disregard for Ellie's career in the plot, and the way the "conflict" that their relationship endured. How the characters dealt with the conflict was a bit unrealistic and unnecessarily dramatic. In the same vein, the climax wasn't too interesting either. It was a overly dramatic, if not a bit sudden and unrealistic, too.
My biggest complaint for this book is definitely the narrative voice. I'm not from England and I was plunged right into the English lingo and colloquialisms. I was so confused what the characters were saying half the time, and I would've preferred a less prominent emphasis on the language, even if it did add to the setting and context elements.
The Cosy Teashop in the Castle is a sweet, easy, if not amateurish, book for chick lit fans like myself. It has everything that makes the genre so enjoyable to read: a budding romance, a sweet protagonist and her supporting cast. Some improvements would've been a more substantial focus on the non-romantic relationships and a less dramatic complication. Two stars.
July 21, 2016
Thought it would be a fun beach read. Don't bother! We all have better things to do with our time. Even on vacation.
June 6, 2021
I wanted to give this higher than 3, and for the story itself it really deserved more, but I'm afraid the graphic sex scenes (not just one, but a number) plus constant swearing was really off-putting for me. I read books like this because they are gentle and cosy and heart-warming, not because I'm hoping for a bit of "50 Shades of Grey" and it just wasn't appropriate - frankly it was embarrassing to read.
I loved the plot though, the story of a young girl taking over the lease of a tea-shop in a beautiful castle and meeting all the quirky characters there - this part WAS cosy. I would like to read another of the author's books to see if she keeps the sex scenes out of the next one.
I loved the plot though, the story of a young girl taking over the lease of a tea-shop in a beautiful castle and meeting all the quirky characters there - this part WAS cosy. I would like to read another of the author's books to see if she keeps the sex scenes out of the next one.
September 19, 2017
I enjoy chick lit. I like stories of women making or remaking their lives, figuring out who they are and what they want to do, and--inevitably--finding love along the way.
This book had potential. Ellie is in her mid-20s, works at a call center for an insurance company, recently separated from her fiance, and lives at home. She loves to bake, is good at it, and has a recipe book from her beloved grandmother. When she sees an advertisement to take over the tea shop at a nearby castle, she goes for it. Naturally, because this is chick lit and despite her complete lack of any experience in food service other than occasionally helping out at a friend's shop, she gets the job.
A lot of the first part of the book involves Ellie trying to figure out how exactly she's supposed to run the shop. I should've stopped then, when I got annoyed with her for not realizing the basic steps she could take. (I mean, I've never worked in food service, either, but came up with steps to take before Ellie had to have them spelled for her.) But I liked seeing her get her life and job together at the castle.
Unfortunately, Roberts decided to focus on Ellie's romance with Joe essentially to the exclusion of everything else in this book. I was enjoying that the tea shop wasn't immediately successful (though Ellie did a bit too well initially--but it's fluff, so whatever) and was looking forward to Ellie learning how to manage staff. But Ellie and Joe got together and nothing else was followed up on. Roberts moved on to a lot of telling about what was going on with the shop and any non-Ellie or -Joe characters (and by "a lot," I mean "not a lot at all, but occasional comments"). It was beyond frustrating, particularly when Ellie mentions numerous times being concerned about what she'll do once the castle's season ends.
Pro tip: Don't start multiple chapters with a sentence that's essentially, "Everything was perfect and Ellie had never been so happy." Particularly when you don't actually introduce any obstacles between those chapters.
The writing itself was also weak, to the point that I was surprised that this author has written numerous other books. In some ways it felt like a writing exercise by a teenager (did I need to see the phrase "trouser snake" in this book? I did not) that received some editing, but ultimately was given up on by an editor.
If Roberts had kept the focus of the book on Ellie and her development and growth, it would've been an enjoyable read. Instead, it felt like someone who wanted a real plot but then wanted to give up on it and just write about clothing and sex and wish fulfillment.
This book had potential. Ellie is in her mid-20s, works at a call center for an insurance company, recently separated from her fiance, and lives at home. She loves to bake, is good at it, and has a recipe book from her beloved grandmother. When she sees an advertisement to take over the tea shop at a nearby castle, she goes for it. Naturally, because this is chick lit and despite her complete lack of any experience in food service other than occasionally helping out at a friend's shop, she gets the job.
A lot of the first part of the book involves Ellie trying to figure out how exactly she's supposed to run the shop. I should've stopped then, when I got annoyed with her for not realizing the basic steps she could take. (I mean, I've never worked in food service, either, but came up with steps to take before Ellie had to have them spelled for her.) But I liked seeing her get her life and job together at the castle.
Unfortunately, Roberts decided to focus on Ellie's romance with Joe essentially to the exclusion of everything else in this book. I was enjoying that the tea shop wasn't immediately successful (though Ellie did a bit too well initially--but it's fluff, so whatever) and was looking forward to Ellie learning how to manage staff. But Ellie and Joe got together and nothing else was followed up on. Roberts moved on to a lot of telling about what was going on with the shop and any non-Ellie or -Joe characters (and by "a lot," I mean "not a lot at all, but occasional comments"). It was beyond frustrating, particularly when Ellie mentions numerous times being concerned about what she'll do once the castle's season ends.
Pro tip: Don't start multiple chapters with a sentence that's essentially, "Everything was perfect and Ellie had never been so happy." Particularly when you don't actually introduce any obstacles between those chapters.
The writing itself was also weak, to the point that I was surprised that this author has written numerous other books. In some ways it felt like a writing exercise by a teenager (did I need to see the phrase "trouser snake" in this book? I did not) that received some editing, but ultimately was given up on by an editor.
If Roberts had kept the focus of the book on Ellie and her development and growth, it would've been an enjoyable read. Instead, it felt like someone who wanted a real plot but then wanted to give up on it and just write about clothing and sex and wish fulfillment.
October 18, 2017
Appena ho visto la copertina e il titolo di questo romanzo, ne sono rimasta letteralmente affascinata: i colori delle diverse sfumature del rosa/viola, la tazzina da tè in cima ad una pila di libri, l'idea di una bottega del tè. E poi la trama, una giovane donna decisa a cambiare la propria vita, lasciandosi alle spalle la sicurezza di un posto di lavoro stabile, seguendo la sua passione. Tutta la storia ruota attorno alla vita di Ellie Hall, impiegata assicurativa che non ne può più della monotonia delle sue giornate. Così si imbarca in quelle che forse potrebbe essere definita a tutti gli effetti un'impresa al limite del possibile: gestire la sala da tè di un castello di un paesino sulla costa inglese, Claverham. Ho ammirato moltissimo la protagonista nella prima metà del libro, la sua determinazione nel tentativo di ottenere un posto di lavoro di cui non aveva esperienze precedenti, ma che rispondeva pienamente alla sua grande passione, ereditata dalla nonna: la pasticceria. La faccia tosta che è riuscita ad avere durante i colloqui, la testardaggine e la forza di volontà messe in campo per fare in modo che tutto potesse funzionare in modo eccellente, mi hanno coinvolto nel suo impegno. Dal nulla, è riuscita a sistemare la sala da tè in modo originale, dandogli una nuova essenza, cambiando i soliti menù con le sue personali creazioni. Con uno spirito semplice e allegro, il sorriso sempre sulle labbra, è riuscita a farsi apprezzare sia dagli altri dipendenti del castello, sia dai fornitori (una fra tutti, Wendy, del negozio di fiori, che mi ha colpito per i consigli floreali). Ed è stato stupendo il rapporto di Ellie con la nonna, la sua influenza e la sua guida, seppur non fisicamente presente, nel donarle il coraggio necessario per lasciare tutto e inseguire il suo sogno (ho invidiato il libro di ricette che la protagonista ha ereditato da lei).
Tutto è un po' sfumato nella seconda parte del libro, quando il focus del romanzo si è spostato dal sogno di Ellie alla relazione che si è instaurata tra lei e Joe, l'amministratore del castello. Per carità, ammetto che è stato anche piacevole questa nota di romanticismo e i "segreti" (presto intuibili nella lettura) che avvolgono l'uomo. Ho trovato stonate tutte le parti passionali tra i due, le descrizioni dei loro rapporti, della loro intimità: le ho trovate noiose e poco coinvolgenti, al punto che non vedevo l'ora si tornasse a parlare piuttosto della sala da tè, dei progetti per il castello, anche degli stessi protagonisti, delle sfumature delle loro personalità.
Un romanzo su cui avevo davvero tante aspettative e che è stata in fondo una lettura piacevole, ma non come speravo.
Tutto è un po' sfumato nella seconda parte del libro, quando il focus del romanzo si è spostato dal sogno di Ellie alla relazione che si è instaurata tra lei e Joe, l'amministratore del castello. Per carità, ammetto che è stato anche piacevole questa nota di romanticismo e i "segreti" (presto intuibili nella lettura) che avvolgono l'uomo. Ho trovato stonate tutte le parti passionali tra i due, le descrizioni dei loro rapporti, della loro intimità: le ho trovate noiose e poco coinvolgenti, al punto che non vedevo l'ora si tornasse a parlare piuttosto della sala da tè, dei progetti per il castello, anche degli stessi protagonisti, delle sfumature delle loro personalità.
Un romanzo su cui avevo davvero tante aspettative e che è stata in fondo una lettura piacevole, ma non come speravo.
February 24, 2016
This was such a lovely read. I enjoyed the setting and the characters and the mention of the delightful baking. I can't wait to try and make the recipe at the end of the book- it sounds divine!
Ellie answers an advert to lease a teashop at Claverham Castle. Although she hasn't got any experience of running her own catering business, she manages to persuade the owners that she will be very successful. I loved her initial plans for the teashop and how plans developed over the year. We share in her worries and her successes , and her working relationship with her staff. She feels that her nan who instilled her love of baking is looking over her and keeping her going.
Joe adds a love interest that they both try to resist initially- but they are drawn together. I loved their dates and would love to live somewhere with the beach and the countryside so close and to live in an old castle!
This left you with such a warm, cosy afterbook glow and I'm pleased to be part of the book tour. My blog post will be up on the 28th February on https://bookwormsandshutterbugs.wordp...
With many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the chance to find a new author and a lovely read.
Ellie answers an advert to lease a teashop at Claverham Castle. Although she hasn't got any experience of running her own catering business, she manages to persuade the owners that she will be very successful. I loved her initial plans for the teashop and how plans developed over the year. We share in her worries and her successes , and her working relationship with her staff. She feels that her nan who instilled her love of baking is looking over her and keeping her going.
Joe adds a love interest that they both try to resist initially- but they are drawn together. I loved their dates and would love to live somewhere with the beach and the countryside so close and to live in an old castle!
This left you with such a warm, cosy afterbook glow and I'm pleased to be part of the book tour. My blog post will be up on the 28th February on https://bookwormsandshutterbugs.wordp...
With many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the chance to find a new author and a lovely read.
February 7, 2016
Alert - This book will make you hungry. Make sure you read it with cake nearby to eat as you read!
Loved the setting of this book, at Claverham Castle, and its cast of staff. From the tour guides, to Ellie's new waitresses and of course Lord Henry, you have a great selection a people to work in a castle.
Ellie manages to bluff her way into running the tearooms at Claverham Castle, knowing that her beloved Nanna would be willing her along all the way. She impresses Lord Henry and Joe, with her Nanna's Choffee cake, and variety of flavoured scones. But in private despite landing the job of her dreams, she is panicking with her own inexperience.
As the summer season at the castle proceeds, Ellie, learns all manner of lessons, and even falls in love.
This book like its title suggests is a warm and cosy read for a cold winters day, and will have you longing to be served in the tearoom. The selection of cakes, and paninis on offer sounded delicious, and I loved the easy to read writing of this story.
The Cost Teashop in the Castle is a welcoming story, of Ellie's struggles to set out on her own, and run her own teashop. Ellie is a lovely girl, who is very determined, and it felt like someone who you would want as your own friend.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Impulse for this review copy. This was my honest opinion.
Loved the setting of this book, at Claverham Castle, and its cast of staff. From the tour guides, to Ellie's new waitresses and of course Lord Henry, you have a great selection a people to work in a castle.
Ellie manages to bluff her way into running the tearooms at Claverham Castle, knowing that her beloved Nanna would be willing her along all the way. She impresses Lord Henry and Joe, with her Nanna's Choffee cake, and variety of flavoured scones. But in private despite landing the job of her dreams, she is panicking with her own inexperience.
As the summer season at the castle proceeds, Ellie, learns all manner of lessons, and even falls in love.
This book like its title suggests is a warm and cosy read for a cold winters day, and will have you longing to be served in the tearoom. The selection of cakes, and paninis on offer sounded delicious, and I loved the easy to read writing of this story.
The Cost Teashop in the Castle is a welcoming story, of Ellie's struggles to set out on her own, and run her own teashop. Ellie is a lovely girl, who is very determined, and it felt like someone who you would want as your own friend.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Impulse for this review copy. This was my honest opinion.
February 3, 2017
The story follows Ellie from Newcastle. She works for an insurance company but finds the job quite boring and not exactly fulfilling. Also, she still suffers from heartbreak, so when she finds an advert in the newspaper from Claverham Castle looking for someone for their teashop, she jumps at the chance. But running a proper café is not only baking some cakes, she must find out.
Fortunately, the other staff in the castle are (more or less) a great help, especially estate manager Joe...
I really cannot say much about the book other than it was really, really nice. It had a nice flow, the characters were lovely, there was nothing really disturbing, which was also nice. The blurb promised some difficulties with the owner of the castle, but those turned out to be far less difficult than they could've been, I think. Which is not really a bad thing, but still. I thought it would be a bit more.
Mainly, the story is told from Ellie's point of view, but sometimes also from Joe's. I really liked that!
All in all, the book is your average 'heartbroken girl, who loves to bake / cook loses / quits her (boring) office job and coincidentally finds a run-down café / bakery / teashop and gets it back on track again and also finds the love of her life in between' story. Which I love. ♥
Fortunately, the other staff in the castle are (more or less) a great help, especially estate manager Joe...
I really cannot say much about the book other than it was really, really nice. It had a nice flow, the characters were lovely, there was nothing really disturbing, which was also nice. The blurb promised some difficulties with the owner of the castle, but those turned out to be far less difficult than they could've been, I think. Which is not really a bad thing, but still. I thought it would be a bit more.
Mainly, the story is told from Ellie's point of view, but sometimes also from Joe's. I really liked that!
All in all, the book is your average 'heartbroken girl, who loves to bake / cook loses / quits her (boring) office job and coincidentally finds a run-down café / bakery / teashop and gets it back on track again and also finds the love of her life in between' story. Which I love. ♥
August 28, 2022
3.5
Cosy contemporary with loveable characters..
Cosy contemporary with loveable characters..
August 8, 2024
Libro che mi ha scaldato il cuore, l'ho letto in un pomeriggio/serata di pioggia ed è stato perfetto.
Mi è piaciuto come l'autrice ha descritto le nuove possibilità, nuove occasioni che possono capitare nella vita e l'importanza di coglierle al volo.
Lettura leggera e romantica. Copertina stupenda. Ideale per un momento di pausa/coccola.
Mi è piaciuto come l'autrice ha descritto le nuove possibilità, nuove occasioni che possono capitare nella vita e l'importanza di coglierle al volo.
Lettura leggera e romantica. Copertina stupenda. Ideale per un momento di pausa/coccola.
December 27, 2016
Ellie doesn't like her office job very much. Her dream is to bake cakes for a living. When she sees that Claverham Castle is looking for someone new to run their teashop she does everything she can to get the lease. It means less security, but she will be able to do what she loves. The castle needs a lot of money for maintenance, which is why they're trying to attract visitors. The manager, Joe, is a nice guy with good business sense, but he does need to convince the owner over and over again. Lord Henry likes his solitude and isn't happy with the visitors at all. They need them to save his castle though. Ellie needs as many customers as possible as well to make a success of her teashop. Together with Joe she tries to come up with a plan to make some extra profit. Working together proves to be a lot more fun than she anticipated and there are definitely sparks. Only Joe is her boss, so they shouldn't get involved, should they?
The Cosy Teashop in the Castle is a warm and sweet story. I loved the beautiful setting. What's more perfect for a romantic story than a slightly crumbling castle? The food descriptions made my mouth water. Caroline Roberts makes the teashop come to life really well because of the delicious cakes she writes about and the detailed descriptions of the castle and its grounds. Ellie is a lovely girl. She's kind, optimistic and cheerful. Joe can be welcoming and caring one day and moody the next, which is quite confusing. There's a reason for his behavior, but Ellie doesn't know about it at first. He doesn't normally share anything about himself, but Ellie is different and that scares him. It was great to read the same story from two points of view.
Caroline Roberts knows how to tell a story. Her writing is vivid and imaginative which is exactly what a story like this needs. It's a heartwarming read with some surprising elements. I liked the ending very much, but wasn't ready for it to come. I could have read about life in the castle for many more hours. Another thing I enjoyed reading about was Ellie's love for her grandmother. They had such a special connection. It's the precious details that made me fall in love with this book. Ellie and her grandmother used to share their passion for cooking and baking and the recipes at the end are a nice extra for the reader. This novel is so wonderful, friendly and cozy, I liked that a lot.
The Cosy Teashop in the Castle is a warm and sweet story. I loved the beautiful setting. What's more perfect for a romantic story than a slightly crumbling castle? The food descriptions made my mouth water. Caroline Roberts makes the teashop come to life really well because of the delicious cakes she writes about and the detailed descriptions of the castle and its grounds. Ellie is a lovely girl. She's kind, optimistic and cheerful. Joe can be welcoming and caring one day and moody the next, which is quite confusing. There's a reason for his behavior, but Ellie doesn't know about it at first. He doesn't normally share anything about himself, but Ellie is different and that scares him. It was great to read the same story from two points of view.
Caroline Roberts knows how to tell a story. Her writing is vivid and imaginative which is exactly what a story like this needs. It's a heartwarming read with some surprising elements. I liked the ending very much, but wasn't ready for it to come. I could have read about life in the castle for many more hours. Another thing I enjoyed reading about was Ellie's love for her grandmother. They had such a special connection. It's the precious details that made me fall in love with this book. Ellie and her grandmother used to share their passion for cooking and baking and the recipes at the end are a nice extra for the reader. This novel is so wonderful, friendly and cozy, I liked that a lot.
October 4, 2016
I have to preface this by saying that I don't generally read chick lit as a rule, but I was on holiday and had run out of reading material, there was a '3 for £10' deal, and I liked the idea of a tea shop in a castle.
I read a few of the GR reviews prior to starting it and got a bit worried, but went ahead and read it anyway. There were plenty of people who loved it.
I know all about following your heart - it's what moved me 6,000 kms across an ocean - so I can completely relate to the fact that Ellie followed hers and gave the tea shop a try. After all, you have nothing to lose following your dream!
It's just that it was all a bit...dull. Nothing really happens. There's lots of telling of things happening and time passing and general paragraphs of goings on, but there wasn't any in-depth showing of or getting to know the characters. The only two we got to know anything about were Ellie and Joe and they sounded so much alike they might have been the same person. Everyone else was relegated to background scenery, and were about as interesting. Nicole, one of the waitresses, is mentioned perhaps a half a dozen times, yet has undergone this 'blossoming' over the course of the book. No real clue as to why.
Also, hurrah for sex and healthy, adult relationships between characters, but where on earth did that come from?! It was...I just...it didn't make any SENSE to me at all in the overall feel of the book, which was more light romance than erotica.
And I have to say that while I know writing books is hard work and is a tremendously personal, lengthy and difficult accomplishment, I wasn't feeling particularly charitable by the end. Maybe I'm just dead inside, but 'insipid' was the only word that came to mind. I started the book with '4 stars' in my head, but it's slid down to 2 because of the weird sex and the last chapter. This book only reinforces why I don't read chick lit.
I read a few of the GR reviews prior to starting it and got a bit worried, but went ahead and read it anyway. There were plenty of people who loved it.
I know all about following your heart - it's what moved me 6,000 kms across an ocean - so I can completely relate to the fact that Ellie followed hers and gave the tea shop a try. After all, you have nothing to lose following your dream!
It's just that it was all a bit...dull. Nothing really happens. There's lots of telling of things happening and time passing and general paragraphs of goings on, but there wasn't any in-depth showing of or getting to know the characters. The only two we got to know anything about were Ellie and Joe and they sounded so much alike they might have been the same person. Everyone else was relegated to background scenery, and were about as interesting. Nicole, one of the waitresses, is mentioned perhaps a half a dozen times, yet has undergone this 'blossoming' over the course of the book. No real clue as to why.
Also, hurrah for sex and healthy, adult relationships between characters, but where on earth did that come from?! It was...I just...it didn't make any SENSE to me at all in the overall feel of the book, which was more light romance than erotica.
And I have to say that while I know writing books is hard work and is a tremendously personal, lengthy and difficult accomplishment, I wasn't feeling particularly charitable by the end. Maybe I'm just dead inside, but 'insipid' was the only word that came to mind. I started the book with '4 stars' in my head, but it's slid down to 2 because of the weird sex and the last chapter. This book only reinforces why I don't read chick lit.
February 27, 2016
I received a copy of this via NetGalley in return for a fair and honest review.
Drawn in by the irresistable combination of two of my most favourite things - teashops and castles - this is a book that I devoured from start to finish!!
Ellie Hall is stuck in a rut in an office job she dislikes, and she's missing her Gran who died fairly recently, so her way of escaping is to bake! A skill she'd picked up from watching her Granny Beryl over the years. So when she hears of a teashop lease available for the Summer at Claverham Castle she decides to go for it despite no real prior experience in running her own cafe!
The interviews at the castle she compares to a scene from Disney go well, so soon she's faced with the reality of running her own business and it is so much fun to read how things progress for her - it isn't always plain sailing for her! And that goes for things in her personal life too!
There are a great range of characters at the Castle that we get introduced to and it's lovely how different relationships grow as time goes by and she becomes more confident in herself, especially when we find out that she'd been hurt emotionally only recently so she's looking to find her sparkle again!
Couldn't put this down once I'd started and just loved the writing style and also loved the recipe for Choffee Cake at the end - can't wait to try that out as it sounds too good to be true!!
The perfect story for all chick-lit fans!!
Drawn in by the irresistable combination of two of my most favourite things - teashops and castles - this is a book that I devoured from start to finish!!
Ellie Hall is stuck in a rut in an office job she dislikes, and she's missing her Gran who died fairly recently, so her way of escaping is to bake! A skill she'd picked up from watching her Granny Beryl over the years. So when she hears of a teashop lease available for the Summer at Claverham Castle she decides to go for it despite no real prior experience in running her own cafe!
The interviews at the castle she compares to a scene from Disney go well, so soon she's faced with the reality of running her own business and it is so much fun to read how things progress for her - it isn't always plain sailing for her! And that goes for things in her personal life too!
There are a great range of characters at the Castle that we get introduced to and it's lovely how different relationships grow as time goes by and she becomes more confident in herself, especially when we find out that she'd been hurt emotionally only recently so she's looking to find her sparkle again!
Couldn't put this down once I'd started and just loved the writing style and also loved the recipe for Choffee Cake at the end - can't wait to try that out as it sounds too good to be true!!
The perfect story for all chick-lit fans!!
August 19, 2016
A warm lovely relaxng read..enjoyed it very much.. such a lovely setting for a book and engaging storyline and characters....looking forward to reading more about the castle and it's tea rooms. totally recommend.
August 28, 2017
Oh my heavens! What a FABULOUS book! This came across in one of my daily BookBub emails and when I saw it, I just knew I had to have it! Ellie and the whole cast are such a relatable bunch! I fell in love with Ellie from the start and I found myself really rooting for her! I love her family (they remind me a bit of mine) and I wish I had a relationship with my grandmothers the way she's got with hers. I also wish I had some of her Nanna's famous Choffee Cake! The only thing I wish there was more of was day-to-day descriptions of the running of the tea shop. Obviously for the sake of moving the book forward, things were often described in generalities (ie, a few weeks later, etc.) but I would have loved to get more descriptions of how specifically things were improving for Ellie in the tea shop. But I also really enjoy reading things like that because I love planning and organizing, haha! Really looking forward to the next book in the series and if the rest of Caroline's books are in the same style, I look forward to reading those as well!
September 3, 2018
3/5 stars
This was a total cover/synopsis buy for me, and although it wasn't like THE BEST thing ever, it was a whole lot of fun. What's in it? A castle, a teashop, an inexperienced girl who takes over said teashop, quirkiness, tea and cakes, and lots of romance.
The characters were fun to read about and I definitely was rooting for Ellie in her job and relationship. The setting was described really well and was very picturesque, and I loved all the bits about the running of the teashop!
There was quite a lot of "showing, not telling" in this book. Big events would just be described, or hinted at, or just summed up really quickly. I would've loved to see some things more fleshed out.
All in all, this was a really fun contemporary!
This was a total cover/synopsis buy for me, and although it wasn't like THE BEST thing ever, it was a whole lot of fun. What's in it? A castle, a teashop, an inexperienced girl who takes over said teashop, quirkiness, tea and cakes, and lots of romance.
The characters were fun to read about and I definitely was rooting for Ellie in her job and relationship. The setting was described really well and was very picturesque, and I loved all the bits about the running of the teashop!
There was quite a lot of "showing, not telling" in this book. Big events would just be described, or hinted at, or just summed up really quickly. I would've loved to see some things more fleshed out.
All in all, this was a really fun contemporary!
December 16, 2023
Ellie Hall gets her dream job running a teashop in Claverham Castle. She leaves her boring city job behind and embraces her love for baking. However, the castle's owner, Lord Henry, doesn't support her modern approach. Despite this, Ellie wins over the locals with her delicious treats and hopes to find love with Joe, the estate manager.
Some lines from this book -
And for anyone who ever had a dream.
Her dream felt like bubbles, floating iridescent in a blue sky of hope. But, then, wasn't there always the inevitable pop, then plop, when you came splatting back down to earth?
Some lines from this book -
And for anyone who ever had a dream.
Her dream felt like bubbles, floating iridescent in a blue sky of hope. But, then, wasn't there always the inevitable pop, then plop, when you came splatting back down to earth?
November 18, 2023
This was a very heartwarming book and is perfect for summer or autumn. I enjoyed the castle setting, the baking and all the cosy scenes.
I think my only problem was the romance. It wasn’t really done very well and a lot of scenes were too cringe to read. And her ex being Gavin did not help because my boyfriend’s name is Gavin lol. But barring that, it was a lovely book.
Hoping the sequel is cozier and less cringey.
I think my only problem was the romance. It wasn’t really done very well and a lot of scenes were too cringe to read. And her ex being Gavin did not help because my boyfriend’s name is Gavin lol. But barring that, it was a lovely book.
Hoping the sequel is cozier and less cringey.
February 22, 2016
It seems that I can't have enough books with food being so important part of the plot. Here only one look at this beautiful cover and the lovely title made me fell in love with this novel, and I desperately wanted to read it. But be warned! There are some delicious food descriptions, so it's better if you don't read it when hungry! Or just bake some cake and have it to hand :)
I liked the idea of the book. It's simple and yet it works. Ellie needs a new, fresh start and what's better way to start than far away from home and memories? She manages to get a leasing on Teashop in Lord Henry's Castle, and even though she loves cooking and baking, she has no idea about the business - side of the whole enterprise. Nevertheless, she's desperate to give it a go - will she manage to attract new customers? To convince the sceptical Lord Henry that she's worth the chance? Find a new life at Claverham Castle?
The setting for this novel was lovely, I truly adored the descriptions of the castle, and even the occasional ghost there :) Also, I absolutely enjoyed when Ellie and Joe went from time to time for walks - the scenery was beautiful.
There was also a small bunch of interesting characters in the novel. Perhaps they were not the ones that will engrave themselves in my memory for ever, but they suited the novel totally and absolutely, and I liked them all, even though I'd love more depth to them - they were very straight - forward but still they were very enjoyable and felt realistic, especially our main character, Ellie. She had her demons, she was scared and yet she wasn't afraid to leave her old life behind and move forward. She learnt a lot throughout the whole story.
For me the book is like divided into two parts: the first one is about Ellie starting with the Tea Shop in the castle, and even though I have expected some more troubles waiting for her there, maybe some problems with the waitresses, some more scenes happening there, just more from the TeaShop itself, I liked reading about it, it was interesting, light - hearted and also funny. Then the second part is about Ellie falling for Joe, and to be totally honest, this has spoiled the story for me. I couldn't clock the chemistry, there were no sparkles between those two in my opinion, it felt a little too forced, too pushed, and I couldn't understand what problem did Joe has in fact.
"The Cosy Teashop in the Castle" is an easy, not too challenging novel that is not going to stay with you for long, yet I have spent some entertaining, carefree hours in its company, and I enjoyed reading it. I think it was the overwhelming feeling of cosiness that made this book so special and so nice to read. It was written in a very accessible way and I felt as if the words are being whispered in my ear. It is a light read that also touches upon some more sad and important issues, and I like how this all wonderfully blended with each other. Altogether, a very nice, uplifting read.
Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for a review.
March 30, 2025
Cute storyline and liked the little twist at the end!
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