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The Cosy Teashop #2
The Cosy Christmas Teashop
From sleigh bells to wedding bells . . .
After a rocky start, Ellie Hall baked her way into everyone’s hearts at Claverham Castle – even the miserly Lord Henry was won over – and the run-down teashop regained its old sparkle.
Now Ellie has upgraded cupcakes for fairytale masterpieces as the proud caterer for an ever-growing list of weddings at the castle. The teashop team love baking to the tune of happy ever afters, but can they pull together when a certain bridezilla pushes them all to boiling point?
Christmas is just around the corner, and a last minute booking threatens to snow the team under. Ellie and her hunky hubby Joe have their own Christmas dreams to chase, but they’re determined to pull through and give this special couple the winter wonderland wedding they deserve.
Will Christmas at the Cosy Teashop be a showstopper to remember?
After a rocky start, Ellie Hall baked her way into everyone’s hearts at Claverham Castle – even the miserly Lord Henry was won over – and the run-down teashop regained its old sparkle.
Now Ellie has upgraded cupcakes for fairytale masterpieces as the proud caterer for an ever-growing list of weddings at the castle. The teashop team love baking to the tune of happy ever afters, but can they pull together when a certain bridezilla pushes them all to boiling point?
Christmas is just around the corner, and a last minute booking threatens to snow the team under. Ellie and her hunky hubby Joe have their own Christmas dreams to chase, but they’re determined to pull through and give this special couple the winter wonderland wedding they deserve.
Will Christmas at the Cosy Teashop be a showstopper to remember?
386 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 14, 2016
189 people are currently reading
1484 people want to read
About the author
Caroline Roberts
18 books478 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 236 reviews
November 6, 2017
Squints real hard.
So this is not going to be pretty.
Look away, look away.
This book was awful. Let's ignore the typos galore, the freaking continuity errors, the lack of dialogue that was happening. This was barely a Christmas book. At this time of the year, I freaking crave Christmas romance books. I can't help it. It gets me in the holiday mood. I love to decorate, put on some carols, drink some alcoholic eggnog and just relax. Reading this book at 11 p.m. and finishing it up around 3 a.m. just made me angry. Angry because this could have been a nice slam dunk and a great second book. Instead I wonder if this was even edited by someone based on the typos I saw and highlighted on my Kindle. That was the only thing keeping me awake at that point.
"The Cosy Christmas Teashop" takes place three years after the events in book #1. Ellie and Joe are happily married and running the castle and teashop respectively.
Now that Ellie and Joe are settled, they are dealing with having the castle open up to host weddings as well as there regular tours/teashop hours. Ellie and Joe are also now trying to have a baby now that they are bit older.
Unlike with the first book, there is no back and forth between Ellie and Joe. The main character is Ellie. And at times though she is only 31, she sounds like a woman twice her age. We barely get any dialogue in this one, and when we do, Ellie sounds like a stereotypical character from a British soap. She calls another woman her same age "pet" one time. She sounds matronly and old though is near times most of the story.
And I hope you like reading about Joe's penis. Cause it's referenced a lot. There are no hot sex scenes like we had in book #1, we just read a lot about how much Joe/Ellie like to have sex or really Joe likes to have sex. Wait, there may have been a sex scene, but I have blocked it out. Yes, I think I remember one. The other one was just terrible with the author talking about how they danced on each other's bodies and I don't know. What the hell does that even mean?
Ellie barely speaks to anyone and vice versa. It drove me up the wall in the end. I don't even get why she and Joe are even together since they seem to have zero things in common. I love romance series cause you get to see the same couples over and over again and you get why they are together. In this one I was perplexed since they seemed like two strangers who enjoyed having sex with each other.
There is no development with any other characters either. I think it's weird that Ellie's best friend from back home is referenced, but never talked to. We do get a scene with Ellie talking to her dead grandmother though. So there's that.
There are continuity errors galore in this which drove me up the wall. Ellie's brother was only 17 in book 1, it's been three years since they got married or five years since the first book, which would make him 21 or 22 depending. Roberts has him at 26. I wanted to scream about that. Especially since in book #1 it is mentioned that Ellie is 9 years older than her brother.
There are also typos all over. I hope you like reading "Jo-oe" "o-kay" and "Mr and Mrs" with no periods anywhere. There was also I think a couple of times extra "s" in certain words and I refuse to go look that mess up. The funniest/saddest one was Ellie saying Lord H when referencing Lord Henry that is never used again. I assume they forgot to spell out the rest of his name.
The book is also repetitive to the point that I think that it could have easily lost 20-30 pages if things had been cut out. We get that things are okay between Joe's mother and Lord Henry even though there was initial awkwardness. I get that Ellie is going to make some lemon drizzle cake. I know that the rooms that Ellie and Joe live in need to be overhauled. Repeating it more than once was not necessary.
If Roberts wanted to make more an impression there should have been more of a Christmas element to the book. At the end of the book we get some of that (it snows), but other than that, there is no description of the decorations or people in any great detail. You would think that most of the book is just the same 8 or 9 characters mentioned over and over again. And honestly, I was expecting some recipes to appear in this one. It would have made the book better if we had some of Ellie's grandmother's recipes.
Task 9- Tasks for Winter Solstice and Yaldā Night: Read a book in one night - in the S. Hemisphere, read a book in a day. –OR–Grab one of your thickest books off the shelf. Ask a question and then turn to page 40 and read the 9th line of text on that page. Post your results. –OR–Eat a watermelon or pomegranate for good luck and health in the coming year, but post a pic first!
Bonus task: Read a book in one night.
So this is not going to be pretty.
Look away, look away.
This book was awful. Let's ignore the typos galore, the freaking continuity errors, the lack of dialogue that was happening. This was barely a Christmas book. At this time of the year, I freaking crave Christmas romance books. I can't help it. It gets me in the holiday mood. I love to decorate, put on some carols, drink some alcoholic eggnog and just relax. Reading this book at 11 p.m. and finishing it up around 3 a.m. just made me angry. Angry because this could have been a nice slam dunk and a great second book. Instead I wonder if this was even edited by someone based on the typos I saw and highlighted on my Kindle. That was the only thing keeping me awake at that point.
"The Cosy Christmas Teashop" takes place three years after the events in book #1. Ellie and Joe are happily married and running the castle and teashop respectively.
Now that Ellie and Joe are settled, they are dealing with having the castle open up to host weddings as well as there regular tours/teashop hours. Ellie and Joe are also now trying to have a baby now that they are bit older.
Unlike with the first book, there is no back and forth between Ellie and Joe. The main character is Ellie. And at times though she is only 31, she sounds like a woman twice her age. We barely get any dialogue in this one, and when we do, Ellie sounds like a stereotypical character from a British soap. She calls another woman her same age "pet" one time. She sounds matronly and old though is near times most of the story.
And I hope you like reading about Joe's penis. Cause it's referenced a lot. There are no hot sex scenes like we had in book #1, we just read a lot about how much Joe/Ellie like to have sex or really Joe likes to have sex. Wait, there may have been a sex scene, but I have blocked it out. Yes, I think I remember one. The other one was just terrible with the author talking about how they danced on each other's bodies and I don't know. What the hell does that even mean?
Ellie barely speaks to anyone and vice versa. It drove me up the wall in the end. I don't even get why she and Joe are even together since they seem to have zero things in common. I love romance series cause you get to see the same couples over and over again and you get why they are together. In this one I was perplexed since they seemed like two strangers who enjoyed having sex with each other.
There is no development with any other characters either. I think it's weird that Ellie's best friend from back home is referenced, but never talked to. We do get a scene with Ellie talking to her dead grandmother though. So there's that.
There are continuity errors galore in this which drove me up the wall. Ellie's brother was only 17 in book 1, it's been three years since they got married or five years since the first book, which would make him 21 or 22 depending. Roberts has him at 26. I wanted to scream about that. Especially since in book #1 it is mentioned that Ellie is 9 years older than her brother.
There are also typos all over. I hope you like reading "Jo-oe" "o-kay" and "Mr and Mrs" with no periods anywhere. There was also I think a couple of times extra "s" in certain words and I refuse to go look that mess up. The funniest/saddest one was Ellie saying Lord H when referencing Lord Henry that is never used again. I assume they forgot to spell out the rest of his name.
The book is also repetitive to the point that I think that it could have easily lost 20-30 pages if things had been cut out. We get that things are okay between Joe's mother and Lord Henry even though there was initial awkwardness. I get that Ellie is going to make some lemon drizzle cake. I know that the rooms that Ellie and Joe live in need to be overhauled. Repeating it more than once was not necessary.
If Roberts wanted to make more an impression there should have been more of a Christmas element to the book. At the end of the book we get some of that (it snows), but other than that, there is no description of the decorations or people in any great detail. You would think that most of the book is just the same 8 or 9 characters mentioned over and over again. And honestly, I was expecting some recipes to appear in this one. It would have made the book better if we had some of Ellie's grandmother's recipes.
Task 9- Tasks for Winter Solstice and Yaldā Night: Read a book in one night - in the S. Hemisphere, read a book in a day. –OR–Grab one of your thickest books off the shelf. Ask a question and then turn to page 40 and read the 9th line of text on that page. Post your results. –OR–Eat a watermelon or pomegranate for good luck and health in the coming year, but post a pic first!
Bonus task: Read a book in one night.
December 15, 2016
5 Words: Castle, tea, family, Christmas, weddings.
It's fair to say that I missed Claverham Castle.
Caroline Roberts writes the setting in the most amazing way - when I'm reading I can always perfectly see what the characters can. I love the colloquialisms, they really bring the region to life between the pages.
This book is a little roller-coaster of emotions, with ups and downs, hilarity and heart-break.
It's fair to say that I missed Claverham Castle.
Caroline Roberts writes the setting in the most amazing way - when I'm reading I can always perfectly see what the characters can. I love the colloquialisms, they really bring the region to life between the pages.
This book is a little roller-coaster of emotions, with ups and downs, hilarity and heart-break.
December 2, 2016
Release Date: October 14, 2016
Genre: Chick Lit
This is a sweet and charming novel and I really enjoyed being able to get reacquainted with Ellie, Joe, and the Teashop family. While I wish this book was much more holiday themed, I enjoyed it none the less and can certainly recommend it to fellow readers. For those who are wondering, this is the second book in the series and if interested, you should read The Cosy Teashop In the Castle prior to this one.
Genre: Chick Lit
This is a sweet and charming novel and I really enjoyed being able to get reacquainted with Ellie, Joe, and the Teashop family. While I wish this book was much more holiday themed, I enjoyed it none the less and can certainly recommend it to fellow readers. For those who are wondering, this is the second book in the series and if interested, you should read The Cosy Teashop In the Castle prior to this one.
November 26, 2021
Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I wanted as i didn't like the MC Ellie and the writing style.
Ellie was just very bland and whiny and very fixated on certain issues in her relationship. I don’t feel the romance between her and Joe.
I struggled with it as it has no romance (even though it was implied) and not very (feel good) christmassy. There were too much descriptions of the wedding planning and what they are doing instead of feeling the romance from reading.
Ellie was just very bland and whiny and very fixated on certain issues in her relationship. I don’t feel the romance between her and Joe.
I struggled with it as it has no romance (even though it was implied) and not very (feel good) christmassy. There were too much descriptions of the wedding planning and what they are doing instead of feeling the romance from reading.
October 7, 2016
I received a copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for a fair and honest review
Over the moon to be travelling back to Claverham Castle and the urge to eat even more Lemon Drizzle cake than ever before is back - all thanks to this wonderful tale!!
Adored reading The Cosy Teashop in the Castle and the return is just as wonderful! Lovely to catch up with the goings on at the castle and its' wonderful teashop, and to see how Ellie and Joe are getting on and how married life is treating them both! Oh, and did I mention cake?!
All is going swimmingly for the teashop and the castle with visitor numbers keeping them all busy, and their wedding business offering the idyllic setting of Claverham Castle as a backdrop for happy couples on their special day is bringing its' own joy, and challenges!! Bridezilla is alive and well as one of the clients and it was hilarious reading about her expectations for her wedding day - what bride doesn't want to arrive on the back of a unicorn!!!
For Joe and Ellie though their marriage is stronger than ever, but their struggle to add to their wonderful family seems to be proving much harder to fix and it is often heartbreaking to read how Ellie is trying to carry on as normal as her wish for motherhood isn't proving an easy task.
Loved the community feel to the story with such warm characters and how they all put together to help out those who have suffered heartbreak, although maybe a wedding 2 days before christmas day was never going to be that easy to put together - especially when the wintry weather decides to get in on the act!
A real delight to read!
Over the moon to be travelling back to Claverham Castle and the urge to eat even more Lemon Drizzle cake than ever before is back - all thanks to this wonderful tale!!
Adored reading The Cosy Teashop in the Castle and the return is just as wonderful! Lovely to catch up with the goings on at the castle and its' wonderful teashop, and to see how Ellie and Joe are getting on and how married life is treating them both! Oh, and did I mention cake?!
All is going swimmingly for the teashop and the castle with visitor numbers keeping them all busy, and their wedding business offering the idyllic setting of Claverham Castle as a backdrop for happy couples on their special day is bringing its' own joy, and challenges!! Bridezilla is alive and well as one of the clients and it was hilarious reading about her expectations for her wedding day - what bride doesn't want to arrive on the back of a unicorn!!!
For Joe and Ellie though their marriage is stronger than ever, but their struggle to add to their wonderful family seems to be proving much harder to fix and it is often heartbreaking to read how Ellie is trying to carry on as normal as her wish for motherhood isn't proving an easy task.
Loved the community feel to the story with such warm characters and how they all put together to help out those who have suffered heartbreak, although maybe a wedding 2 days before christmas day was never going to be that easy to put together - especially when the wintry weather decides to get in on the act!
A real delight to read!
December 10, 2020
Don't know why I read this - it was a Christmas gift. Definitely not something I would ordinarily read and I gave it away at the first opportunity. Doesn't look good on my shelf, to tell you the truth. And the memory I have of it - I had to speed through it because it was so boring and I desperately needed to read something else. DNFing was not a thing for me then. Still though, a cute Christmas read.
January 30, 2019
I would like to thank Netgalley and Harper Collins for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a sweet little story that does a good attempt at diversity. However the dialogue can fall flat at times, the story is also simple and repetitive at times. Some points are not emotive at all and too many exclamation marks are used. The ending was a bit more emotive, but then went into a boring epilogue.
·102 pages read
·Read a book that came out this October
·A blue book
= 112 house points
#HHCup #SHHCup
This is a sweet little story that does a good attempt at diversity. However the dialogue can fall flat at times, the story is also simple and repetitive at times. Some points are not emotive at all and too many exclamation marks are used. The ending was a bit more emotive, but then went into a boring epilogue.
·102 pages read
·Read a book that came out this October
·A blue book
= 112 house points
#HHCup #SHHCup
October 7, 2017
As usual with these types of books, I call fluffies, very predictable. We meet Ellie again in her castle tea shop, the business is doing well, they are now hosting weddings and craft fairs. There's issues in her personal life. All ends well, a light easy read when you're fighting bugs caught from your partner. All I can say is thank god I had the flu jab and haven't gone down with the full on flu like he did 😷.
January 3, 2017
One of the worst books every written, bar none. Banal, shallow, insipid, poorly written, with a non existent plot. I was looking for a fun holiday read. Still looking...
If you want a delightful Christmas book snag Skipping Christmas by John Grisham.
If you want a delightful Christmas book snag Skipping Christmas by John Grisham.
October 22, 2016
The Cosy Tea Shop gets even better in this festive sequel. Set 5 years after the first book, Claverham Castle are now offering weddings, and Ellie is starting to cater for some of them, as well as be a wedding organiser. She and Joe are also really hoping to hear the sound of tiny feet in the near future, but that side of things aren't going as smoothly.
Food is a big part of this book, from the delicious cakes in the tea shop, to the main courses being created for some of the wedding parties. However the cakes that really stick in my mind are two very specific wedding cakes. One of them was for a bridezilla who was very hard to please, and with very little time left to the wedding demanded a change of cake, and rainbow layered cake just sounds incredibly colourful.
The other cake featured towards the end, in a wedding that had me in tears of happiness, as we have got to know the couple getting married throughout the book, and they are down to earth lovely people, and the cake was just exquisite.
In both cases the writing had me being able to vividly see the cakes in my imagination, and could almost taste them, which is a sign of just how good the descriptions were in this book. In fact all of the story, not just the edible side of it, was treated to the same level of details, and I felt as thought I really got to know the castle and Ellie and Joe even better with this book.
If you haven't read the first book, besides missing out on a fabulous story, you will still be able to read The Cosy Christmas Tea Shop, as the timeline has jumped so much, there are things referenced from the first book and I do think it should be enough for you to read as a standalone.
For a book filled with Christmas cheer, a Christmas fayre, a few weddings including the over the top hilarious bridezilla - seriously just look out for how they deal with the request for a mythical creature, an unexpected Father Christmas, and some heartache and emotional ups and downs, and you have a simply marvellous book.
The Cosy Christmas Tea Shop is a very easy to read book, and I found time melting away as I was absorbed in the story, and just enjoyed it from cover to cover.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Harper Impulse for my copy of the book. This was my honest opinion.
Food is a big part of this book, from the delicious cakes in the tea shop, to the main courses being created for some of the wedding parties. However the cakes that really stick in my mind are two very specific wedding cakes. One of them was for a bridezilla who was very hard to please, and with very little time left to the wedding demanded a change of cake, and rainbow layered cake just sounds incredibly colourful.
The other cake featured towards the end, in a wedding that had me in tears of happiness, as we have got to know the couple getting married throughout the book, and they are down to earth lovely people, and the cake was just exquisite.
In both cases the writing had me being able to vividly see the cakes in my imagination, and could almost taste them, which is a sign of just how good the descriptions were in this book. In fact all of the story, not just the edible side of it, was treated to the same level of details, and I felt as thought I really got to know the castle and Ellie and Joe even better with this book.
If you haven't read the first book, besides missing out on a fabulous story, you will still be able to read The Cosy Christmas Tea Shop, as the timeline has jumped so much, there are things referenced from the first book and I do think it should be enough for you to read as a standalone.
For a book filled with Christmas cheer, a Christmas fayre, a few weddings including the over the top hilarious bridezilla - seriously just look out for how they deal with the request for a mythical creature, an unexpected Father Christmas, and some heartache and emotional ups and downs, and you have a simply marvellous book.
The Cosy Christmas Tea Shop is a very easy to read book, and I found time melting away as I was absorbed in the story, and just enjoyed it from cover to cover.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Harper Impulse for my copy of the book. This was my honest opinion.
December 24, 2016
Really loved visiting the teashop in the castle again. Admittedly, it was all about Christmas but it was great to catch up with the warm, friendly characters that you desperately want to exist.
I can't wait to hear more from Caroline Roberts and hope one day I can find the recipe for After Eight Brownies!
I can't wait to hear more from Caroline Roberts and hope one day I can find the recipe for After Eight Brownies!
February 5, 2017
I was really disappointed. It felt like I was being told facts about the characters rather than reading their story. I really struggled with this one, and never really felt it got going.
December 29, 2017
The Cosy Christmas Teashop is a nice little feel good read, but that’s really about the sum of it for me. Despite all of the gorgeous food being created and the frantic wedding planning going on, nothing actually seems to ever happen, and while the second half of the novel is set at Christmas time, it’s not a Christmas story, at least, not in the way I expected it to be. Written as a follow up to The Cosy Teashop in the Castle, I expect the intent of this novel was to give fans of the first a peek at the happy ever after of its heroine, yet that’s all this novel does. The obstacles have already been overcome, the goals have been achieved and the mean people won over; all that’s left is hanging out at the teashop, and frankly, it’s not enough.
I feel this novel would have been far better condensed into a novella, at least half the size of this novel. The Bridezilla storyline was over the top and detracted from the lovely Christmas wedding that consumed the second half of the novel. Conversations were repeated, endlessly, giving an impression of ‘padding out’ to achieve a certain word count. The main character, Ellie, had a deep yearning for a baby, but things weren’t working out to plan. I enjoyed these moments of introspection and longing, but again, the substance was lost in all of the mundane fluff. But it does have a happy ending. So I guess that can account for something.
I don’t read a lot of light romance or chick-lit puff, so perhaps my expectations were too high. It’s a quick read, one you can flick through while having an eye on something else, but don’t expect to be engrossed or enthralled, it’s just not that kind of story.
I feel this novel would have been far better condensed into a novella, at least half the size of this novel. The Bridezilla storyline was over the top and detracted from the lovely Christmas wedding that consumed the second half of the novel. Conversations were repeated, endlessly, giving an impression of ‘padding out’ to achieve a certain word count. The main character, Ellie, had a deep yearning for a baby, but things weren’t working out to plan. I enjoyed these moments of introspection and longing, but again, the substance was lost in all of the mundane fluff. But it does have a happy ending. So I guess that can account for something.
I don’t read a lot of light romance or chick-lit puff, so perhaps my expectations were too high. It’s a quick read, one you can flick through while having an eye on something else, but don’t expect to be engrossed or enthralled, it’s just not that kind of story.
December 20, 2020
Oh my, I think I disliked this more than Bleak House - it's safe to say my attempt to ready cheesy romance outside of my chosen 2 authors will stop here. There were more typos and grammatical errors in here than a first draft of one of my essays. I think I now hate Christmas.
November 21, 2020
Nonostante sia carino, a volte è un po' troppo melenso. Lettura leggera per staccare la mente.
December 20, 2016
Ellie's Teashop in the Castle is a big success. She's glad she took the chance five years ago and set it up. Now she has a flourishing business and a wonderful husband. Ellie's is a lot more experienced and she has the confidence to try new things. She's even started planning weddings and enjoys it immensely. Except maybe when she's dealing with bridezilla. Will Ellie be able to make this horrible bride's wishes come true?
Ellie and Joe were perfectly happy, but a setback has disrupted their daily routine. While Christmas is near they aren't automatically happy, they need to find their joy back again. There are many surprises in life, some are bad, but there are also good ones. Will their Christmas be cold and lonely or will it be warm and merry celebrated with a lot of amazing people?
Ellie is a strong and capable person. She's a talented baker and when she's in her teashop there's always a welcoming atmosphere. I love Ellie's character, she's as sweet as the cakes and deserts she can make so well. Joe is a gentle and attentive man. He's always there for Ellie and he's easy to like. It was so much fun to read about these wonderful people again and I'm glad there's a second novel about Ellie's Teashop in the Castle.
The Cosy Christmas Teashop is a heartwarming story. I loved the festive atmosphere and the book has such a special and upbeat ending. It put a big smile on my face. Caroline Roberts writes about the highs and lows of life in a great matter-of-fact way. Sometimes I had tears in my eyes when I was reading her sad scenes. She writes them with empathy and honesty. The impact of the continuously present contrast between grief and happiness makes the ending even more cheerful and fabulous, which is something I liked a lot.
Catherine Roberts is very good at writing about food. Her vivid descriptions of Ellie's cooking made my mouth water. I loved the way she uses food not only as something that's delicious, but also as a way to express emotions. There's comfort food, food that's for relaxed nights on the sofa, food for when someone's tired, food to give someone strength, food to make someone smile, etcetera and all of the matches are spot-on. At the end of the story there's a fantastic masterpiece, which is incredibly creative and entertaining. I really enjoyed reading this cute and tasty book, The Cosy Christmas Teashop is a delicious festive story.
Ellie and Joe were perfectly happy, but a setback has disrupted their daily routine. While Christmas is near they aren't automatically happy, they need to find their joy back again. There are many surprises in life, some are bad, but there are also good ones. Will their Christmas be cold and lonely or will it be warm and merry celebrated with a lot of amazing people?
Ellie is a strong and capable person. She's a talented baker and when she's in her teashop there's always a welcoming atmosphere. I love Ellie's character, she's as sweet as the cakes and deserts she can make so well. Joe is a gentle and attentive man. He's always there for Ellie and he's easy to like. It was so much fun to read about these wonderful people again and I'm glad there's a second novel about Ellie's Teashop in the Castle.
The Cosy Christmas Teashop is a heartwarming story. I loved the festive atmosphere and the book has such a special and upbeat ending. It put a big smile on my face. Caroline Roberts writes about the highs and lows of life in a great matter-of-fact way. Sometimes I had tears in my eyes when I was reading her sad scenes. She writes them with empathy and honesty. The impact of the continuously present contrast between grief and happiness makes the ending even more cheerful and fabulous, which is something I liked a lot.
Catherine Roberts is very good at writing about food. Her vivid descriptions of Ellie's cooking made my mouth water. I loved the way she uses food not only as something that's delicious, but also as a way to express emotions. There's comfort food, food that's for relaxed nights on the sofa, food for when someone's tired, food to give someone strength, food to make someone smile, etcetera and all of the matches are spot-on. At the end of the story there's a fantastic masterpiece, which is incredibly creative and entertaining. I really enjoyed reading this cute and tasty book, The Cosy Christmas Teashop is a delicious festive story.
January 23, 2017
Likable characters in a great setting, but an awkwardly fragmented and repetitive writing style makes this continuation of Ellie's and Joe's story a less enjoyable read than it could have been.
There's not a lot of plot here. Ellie and Joe have been married for a couple of years, and are ready to move on to the next stage-becoming parents. Most of the book, though, is simply a report of how Ellie spends her days -running the tea shop in the castle and organizing weddings. Of course, bridezillla makes an appearance. There are lots of detailed descriptions of things that don't matter- like flowers at weddings, when the wedding in question is barely a blip on radar of the story.
Still, I like Ellie and Joe, and there were some funny scenes.
There's not a lot of plot here. Ellie and Joe have been married for a couple of years, and are ready to move on to the next stage-becoming parents. Most of the book, though, is simply a report of how Ellie spends her days -running the tea shop in the castle and organizing weddings. Of course, bridezillla makes an appearance. There are lots of detailed descriptions of things that don't matter- like flowers at weddings, when the wedding in question is barely a blip on radar of the story.
Still, I like Ellie and Joe, and there were some funny scenes.
December 15, 2019
This is not the kind of book I would ordinarily look twice at, let alone read, but a friend gifted it to me so I gave it a go. I‘ve not read the first one, so I’m coming at this without a comparison to offer. I disliked it so much I felt compelled to write my first review. I finished it because I’m stubborn and a completist.
It’s fluff and filler and much of it left me cringing. Endless descriptions of what Ellie’s got to bake/do/remember (I’ve got enough of that in reality, thanks). How exhausting her job is and how it makes her feet ache and back hurt, which doesn’t convince me how much she supposedly loves it. It’s so repetitive, with the same scenarios over and over. Irene’s going to bake some scones/quiche! Ellie’s too tired to cook dinner! The electrics are a bit dodgy! Lord Henry is a bit of a grump!
There’s some saving grace with a storyline around miscarriage and support from other characters but even here dialogue seems a bit too forced and unnatural. We also seem to have to keep revisiting how Ellie gets emotional thinking about ‘what ifs’ which I think is meant to show her emotional depth but just leaves me rolling my eyes. I don’t think she has much personality at all. Maybe I’m too hard!
It’s fluff and filler and much of it left me cringing. Endless descriptions of what Ellie’s got to bake/do/remember (I’ve got enough of that in reality, thanks). How exhausting her job is and how it makes her feet ache and back hurt, which doesn’t convince me how much she supposedly loves it. It’s so repetitive, with the same scenarios over and over. Irene’s going to bake some scones/quiche! Ellie’s too tired to cook dinner! The electrics are a bit dodgy! Lord Henry is a bit of a grump!
There’s some saving grace with a storyline around miscarriage and support from other characters but even here dialogue seems a bit too forced and unnatural. We also seem to have to keep revisiting how Ellie gets emotional thinking about ‘what ifs’ which I think is meant to show her emotional depth but just leaves me rolling my eyes. I don’t think she has much personality at all. Maybe I’m too hard!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2016
Oh how lovely it's been to renew my acquaintance with Ellie and Joe and read what happened after the happy ending! I've had a lousy cold this week and staying in bed reading this cosy story has made it more bearable. I think I definitely need to do some baking this weekend though, the descriptions of all the goodies baked and sold in the castle tea shop have had my mouth watering and my tummy rumbling. A wonderful, seasonal read to get you in the Christmas spirit.
January 1, 2018
Repetitive and fluffy. Not even really based at Christmas. There was a lot of talk about lemon drizzle and not really enough about some serious parts that happened.
Haven’t read the first one but with the amount of repetitive lines I know pretty much exactly what happened in it, bet there were some lemon drizzle in it too!
Not bad but not excellent. Although the food descriptions were excellent and made me hungry every time I read.
Haven’t read the first one but with the amount of repetitive lines I know pretty much exactly what happened in it, bet there were some lemon drizzle in it too!
Not bad but not excellent. Although the food descriptions were excellent and made me hungry every time I read.
September 12, 2020
Unfortunately not as magical as I'd hoped. It was more of food porn, and the rest was a whole lot of hubbub about weddings and wedding planning (which were never my thing). It was like reading the diary of a caterer, rather than it feeling like a romance. All the activity in the castle felt a little tiring to be honest. A shame, because the characters were likable. Redeeming point for tackling the topic of miscarriage in a women-supporting-each-other way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2016
This book just didn't do it for me. It was all too nice and neat. Quite unrealistic and just kinda schmaltzy. Which I know Christmas fiction can be but this was just sickly sweet. It did make me hungry though because the food descriptions were brilliant
December 30, 2016
Utter shite.
October 29, 2018
Bad editing, no plot or character development, this was even worse than the first book. I really got tired of Ellie making lemon drizzle and coffee cake over and over again. Disappointing.
December 12, 2018
Recensione presente nel blog www.ragazzainrosso.wordpress.com
Sono passati cinque anni da quando Ellie ha preso in gestione la sala da tè del Claverham Castle e tre da quando ha sposato Joe. Ellie ora è alle prese con l’organizzazione di matrimoni (alcuni dei quali parecchio scenografici) e col desiderio di maternità. Il Natale sta per arrivare e per Ellie si prospetta un periodo denso di dolcetti e di iniziative a tema. E se a tutto questo si aggiungesse un matrimonio all’ultimo minuto organizzato per il 23 dicembre?
“Tre anni di matrimonio non avevano offuscato il suo amore, l’avevano reso solo più solido. Come le mura di pietra di quel castello, sentiva che lei e suo marito erano fatti per superare le tempeste, per resistere nel tempo. Almeno, lo sperava.”
In questo secondo volume della duologia l’attenzione dell’autrice si focalizza principalmente sulla quotidianità.
Ellie e Joe sono una coppia affiatata che è riuscita a conciliare lavoro e vita privata, tuttavia vi è un qualcosa pronto a gettare l’ombra della malinconia sulla loro esistenza idilliaca. Ellie, che sapevamo già essere determinata nei suoi obiettivi, è in preda a un grande desiderio di maternità. Avere un figlio sarebbe per lei un magnifico regalo, ma il destino sembra non pensarla allo stesso modo. Dispiace vederla soffrire, eppure sarà proprio questo tratto a renderla umana a tutti gli effetti. Diciamocelo, nel precedente volume era apparsa in alcuni momenti come la wonder woman della situazione, instancabile, sempre disponibile con tutti, qui, invece, appare fragile, indifesa, timorosa di quello che potrebbe accadere. Sicuramente efficaci risultano le introspezioni della protagonista che consentono al lettore di scoprire tutti gli stati d’animo via via provati.
Joe appare come un uomo altruista che è riuscito finalmente a superare i problemi col passato, e come un marito premuroso, desideroso di vedere la sua Ellie felice e appagata. Pur desiderando vivamente un figlio non esterna mai questo suo desiderio per non ferire sua moglie probabilmente, lo si intuisce da alcuni piccoli gesti o frasi pronunciate in particolari momenti.
Ritroviamo anche i personaggi secondari come lord Henry, i genitori di Ellie, suo fratello e la madre di Joe. Tutti agiscono concretamente nella trama, interagiscono tra di loro come membri di un’unica, grande famiglia.
Gran parte del romanzo è occupata dall’organizzazione di matrimoni. L’autrice non risparmia dettagli, aneddoti, ricette, racconti riguardo lo svolgimento della cerimonia e della festa, narrazioni che si protraggono per molte pagine e che spesso, a mio parere, distolgono l’attenzione dalla vicenda dei protagonisti in quanto il lettore si trova inevitabilmente a seguire le vicissitudini delle sposine in preda a crisi di nervi o a richieste assurde, imprevisti meteorologici e ampie descrizioni che sembrano essere un po’ tutte uguali.
Lo stile dell’autrice è semplice e abbastanza dialogato. Personalmente avrei preferito che si desse maggiore spazio alla componente natalizia, solo accennata e ben oltre la seconda metà del romanzo.
Una lettura sì piacevole ma con un qualcosa in sospeso, come un tassello che manca.
Sono passati cinque anni da quando Ellie ha preso in gestione la sala da tè del Claverham Castle e tre da quando ha sposato Joe. Ellie ora è alle prese con l’organizzazione di matrimoni (alcuni dei quali parecchio scenografici) e col desiderio di maternità. Il Natale sta per arrivare e per Ellie si prospetta un periodo denso di dolcetti e di iniziative a tema. E se a tutto questo si aggiungesse un matrimonio all’ultimo minuto organizzato per il 23 dicembre?
“Tre anni di matrimonio non avevano offuscato il suo amore, l’avevano reso solo più solido. Come le mura di pietra di quel castello, sentiva che lei e suo marito erano fatti per superare le tempeste, per resistere nel tempo. Almeno, lo sperava.”
In questo secondo volume della duologia l’attenzione dell’autrice si focalizza principalmente sulla quotidianità.
Ellie e Joe sono una coppia affiatata che è riuscita a conciliare lavoro e vita privata, tuttavia vi è un qualcosa pronto a gettare l’ombra della malinconia sulla loro esistenza idilliaca. Ellie, che sapevamo già essere determinata nei suoi obiettivi, è in preda a un grande desiderio di maternità. Avere un figlio sarebbe per lei un magnifico regalo, ma il destino sembra non pensarla allo stesso modo. Dispiace vederla soffrire, eppure sarà proprio questo tratto a renderla umana a tutti gli effetti. Diciamocelo, nel precedente volume era apparsa in alcuni momenti come la wonder woman della situazione, instancabile, sempre disponibile con tutti, qui, invece, appare fragile, indifesa, timorosa di quello che potrebbe accadere. Sicuramente efficaci risultano le introspezioni della protagonista che consentono al lettore di scoprire tutti gli stati d’animo via via provati.
Joe appare come un uomo altruista che è riuscito finalmente a superare i problemi col passato, e come un marito premuroso, desideroso di vedere la sua Ellie felice e appagata. Pur desiderando vivamente un figlio non esterna mai questo suo desiderio per non ferire sua moglie probabilmente, lo si intuisce da alcuni piccoli gesti o frasi pronunciate in particolari momenti.
Ritroviamo anche i personaggi secondari come lord Henry, i genitori di Ellie, suo fratello e la madre di Joe. Tutti agiscono concretamente nella trama, interagiscono tra di loro come membri di un’unica, grande famiglia.
Gran parte del romanzo è occupata dall’organizzazione di matrimoni. L’autrice non risparmia dettagli, aneddoti, ricette, racconti riguardo lo svolgimento della cerimonia e della festa, narrazioni che si protraggono per molte pagine e che spesso, a mio parere, distolgono l’attenzione dalla vicenda dei protagonisti in quanto il lettore si trova inevitabilmente a seguire le vicissitudini delle sposine in preda a crisi di nervi o a richieste assurde, imprevisti meteorologici e ampie descrizioni che sembrano essere un po’ tutte uguali.
Lo stile dell’autrice è semplice e abbastanza dialogato. Personalmente avrei preferito che si desse maggiore spazio alla componente natalizia, solo accennata e ben oltre la seconda metà del romanzo.
Una lettura sì piacevole ma con un qualcosa in sospeso, come un tassello che manca.
December 14, 2020
DNF at 50%
For a book called "The Cosy Christmas Teashop", there was hardly any mentions of Christmas or tea, which is what I was hoping for. Even though this is the second book in the series, I didn't feel lost with not having read the first book. In fact, there was a little blurb at the beginning that summarized what had happened previously (side note: can this happen for all series??).
I didn't care for the characters at all. In fact, I couldn't tell most of the employees of the teashop apart. Our main character, Ellie, who is around my age, didn't talk like anyone that I know. I also didn't care for her relationship with her husband Joe. I hate it when authors spend most of their books talking about how amazing of a marriage that a couple has instead of showing why they have such a great relationship.
And then there was the plot. I did get up to 50% of the book and during that time there was 1 wedding. That's it. The majority of the first half talked about this wedding and the horribly demanding bridezella. I was over it and didn't want to see what would happen in the second half of the book.
For a book called "The Cosy Christmas Teashop", there was hardly any mentions of Christmas or tea, which is what I was hoping for. Even though this is the second book in the series, I didn't feel lost with not having read the first book. In fact, there was a little blurb at the beginning that summarized what had happened previously (side note: can this happen for all series??).
I didn't care for the characters at all. In fact, I couldn't tell most of the employees of the teashop apart. Our main character, Ellie, who is around my age, didn't talk like anyone that I know. I also didn't care for her relationship with her husband Joe. I hate it when authors spend most of their books talking about how amazing of a marriage that a couple has instead of showing why they have such a great relationship.
And then there was the plot. I did get up to 50% of the book and during that time there was 1 wedding. That's it. The majority of the first half talked about this wedding and the horribly demanding bridezella. I was over it and didn't want to see what would happen in the second half of the book.
December 21, 2017
This book is the second in the series, and I have to say, I really liked it! Even more than the first one, especially the Weddings in the book were amazing. It was a lovely read and even had like a turning point, that I didn´t expect in this kind of light hearted book! I really enjoyed it till the end!
Dieses Buch ist das zweite Buch aus der Reihe und ich muss sagen, es hat mir sehr gut gefallen, sogar noch besser als das erste! Am Anfang war es sehr vorhersehbar, so wie das erste auch, aber dann kam ein Wendepunkt und es wurden Themen behandelt, die ich in einem solchen Buch nicht erwartet hatte und das hat mir gut gefallen!
Dieses Buch ist das zweite Buch aus der Reihe und ich muss sagen, es hat mir sehr gut gefallen, sogar noch besser als das erste! Am Anfang war es sehr vorhersehbar, so wie das erste auch, aber dann kam ein Wendepunkt und es wurden Themen behandelt, die ich in einem solchen Buch nicht erwartet hatte und das hat mir gut gefallen!
December 17, 2017
Not really my cup of tea.... I struggled to get into this book, and thought the story was lacking depth and direction. I haven't read the first book though, so maybe I would've enjoyed it more if I had?
December 18, 2021
⭐️⭐️.5
This book is a nice romantic fiction but isn’t what I was expecting. Christmas is not mentioned until a third of the way through and even then it didn’t feel festive until two thirds. Also there wasn’t much about the tea shop/tea but more about the main characters wedding coordination business.
This book is a nice romantic fiction but isn’t what I was expecting. Christmas is not mentioned until a third of the way through and even then it didn’t feel festive until two thirds. Also there wasn’t much about the tea shop/tea but more about the main characters wedding coordination business.
December 27, 2024
I was looking for an easy Christmas read and so gave this a try. Unfortunately nothing really happens. I kept reading thinking that there would be more of a plot coming but there wasn’t. It was an easy read just not very interesting And not very Christmasy.
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