What do you think?
Rate this book
A Proper Cuppa Tea
A disastrous office affair has left Channing Hughes bitter, cynical and unemployed. What better time to leave Boston for her native England, where her late grandfather has named her sole heir of the Hughes fortune, along with Penderworth, a centuries-old manor house that’s been in the family for generations. Only one problem with that plan—there is no Hughes fortune. And the only way out from under the hefty tax bill is to sell the manor as quickly as possible and find another job.
If anyone deserves to be cynical about life, it’s Dr. Lark Latimer. She overcame a dysfunctional upbringing in East Boston only to lose both her high school sweetheart and a promising medical career when her Ma fell critically ill. Determined to bounce back, Lark signs on with a pharmaceutical company, a job that takes her abroad to investigate a drug trial gone sideways. Ever the optimist, she finds something to cheer no matter how dismal the landscape. This summer in England, that something is Channing.
Neither woman imagined the spark they shared on their trans-Atlantic flight would lead them to life-changing decisions. Will Channing give up a future with Lark to save her home? Or will Lark persuade her to sell the manor and return to Boston? Their clock is ticking.
Genre: Romance
Editor: Katherine V. Forrest
Cover Designer: Judith Fellows
If anyone deserves to be cynical about life, it’s Dr. Lark Latimer. She overcame a dysfunctional upbringing in East Boston only to lose both her high school sweetheart and a promising medical career when her Ma fell critically ill. Determined to bounce back, Lark signs on with a pharmaceutical company, a job that takes her abroad to investigate a drug trial gone sideways. Ever the optimist, she finds something to cheer no matter how dismal the landscape. This summer in England, that something is Channing.
Neither woman imagined the spark they shared on their trans-Atlantic flight would lead them to life-changing decisions. Will Channing give up a future with Lark to save her home? Or will Lark persuade her to sell the manor and return to Boston? Their clock is ticking.
Genre: Romance
Editor: Katherine V. Forrest
Cover Designer: Judith Fellows
260 pages, Paperback
First published July 15, 2018
About the author
K.G. MacGregor
39 books333 followersA former teacher and market research consultant, KG MacGregor holds a PhD in journalism and mass communication. Infatuation with Xena: Warrior Princess fanfiction prompted her to try her own hand at storytelling in 2002. In 2005, she signed with Bella Books, which published the Goldie Award finalist Just This Once. Her sixth Bella novel, Out of Love, won the 2007 Lambda Literary Award for Women's Romance, and the 2008 Goldie Award in Lesbian Romance. In 2009, she picked up Goldies for Without Warning (Contemporary Romance) and Secrets So Deep (Romantic Suspense).
Other honors include the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Royal Academy of Bards, the Alice B. Readers Appreciation Medal, and several Readers Choice Awards. An avid supporter of queer literature, KG currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Lambda Literary Foundation.
KG MacGregor divides her time between her homes in Miami and Blowing Rock, North Carolina. When she isn't writing, she's either on a hiking trail, a golf course, or if she's really lucky, a cruise ship.
Other honors include the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Royal Academy of Bards, the Alice B. Readers Appreciation Medal, and several Readers Choice Awards. An avid supporter of queer literature, KG currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Lambda Literary Foundation.
KG MacGregor divides her time between her homes in Miami and Blowing Rock, North Carolina. When she isn't writing, she's either on a hiking trail, a golf course, or if she's really lucky, a cruise ship.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
July 5, 2018
This was a really enjoyable romance! I’m a fan of MacGregor; I have enjoyed all of her books except for the one she wrote before this. I’m so happy that book was just a fluke and she is back to the MacGregor we all know and enjoy. I think lesfic romance fans are going to be happy with this book.
Channing and Lark meet on a plane ride to England. Channing is upset over her Grandfather’s death, and the end of a long term affair with her married boss. Lark can’t help being attracted to Channing even if she is in an awful mood. When they part ways Lark regrets not getting her number. When the stars align and these two meet up again, Lark hopes this may be the chance to finally date Channing. Is there a chance at a relationship or are they destined to be only friends?
I thought the writing was really well done in this book. I instantly found myself hooked into the story. I would put this in the traditional romance category, which sometimes can bore me, but I didn’t want to put the book down. Not only were the characters likeable, but their jobs and life were interesting. I found myself really caring about what would happen next.
Lark is a doctor whose job is to oversee drug trials. Never thought this would be an interesting job, but it really was. There is a tiny mystery about why three patients got sick on their normally safe medicine. It is up to Lark to find out why. This baby mystery was really interesting and helped to keep me flipping the pages.
I had only one real complaint. While I did like Channing, I didn’t like that at times she could be a bit of a pushover. Part of this story is her dealing with her boss and ex-girlfriend. I really was waiting to see Channing stand up for herself, but that never happened. This didn’t stop me from really enjoying the book but it did stop me from rating this more than 4 stars.
Overall, this was an enjoyable romance that was very easy to read. In my opinion this was classic MacGregor. I definitely recommend this to romance fans and I hope everyone enjoys this as much as I did.
An ARC was given to me by Bella for a honest review.
Channing and Lark meet on a plane ride to England. Channing is upset over her Grandfather’s death, and the end of a long term affair with her married boss. Lark can’t help being attracted to Channing even if she is in an awful mood. When they part ways Lark regrets not getting her number. When the stars align and these two meet up again, Lark hopes this may be the chance to finally date Channing. Is there a chance at a relationship or are they destined to be only friends?
I thought the writing was really well done in this book. I instantly found myself hooked into the story. I would put this in the traditional romance category, which sometimes can bore me, but I didn’t want to put the book down. Not only were the characters likeable, but their jobs and life were interesting. I found myself really caring about what would happen next.
Lark is a doctor whose job is to oversee drug trials. Never thought this would be an interesting job, but it really was. There is a tiny mystery about why three patients got sick on their normally safe medicine. It is up to Lark to find out why. This baby mystery was really interesting and helped to keep me flipping the pages.
I had only one real complaint. While I did like Channing, I didn’t like that at times she could be a bit of a pushover. Part of this story is her dealing with her boss and ex-girlfriend. I really was waiting to see Channing stand up for herself, but that never happened. This didn’t stop me from really enjoying the book but it did stop me from rating this more than 4 stars.
Overall, this was an enjoyable romance that was very easy to read. In my opinion this was classic MacGregor. I definitely recommend this to romance fans and I hope everyone enjoys this as much as I did.
An ARC was given to me by Bella for a honest review.
July 8, 2018
I am a fan of KG MacGregor, but I had big problems with her previous book, Moment of Weakness. While I found A Proper Cuppa Tea to be more enjoyable than Moment of Weakness, it is still not on the level of the Shaken series, Sumter Point, Just This Once, Etched in Shadows... The quality of writing is, as always, very good, the plot is interesting, but the protagonist Channing turned to be quite an irritating and unlikable person. She is rather fast to criticize someone else's behavior, but very slow to see her own mistakes and take some action about it. For two years, she was in a clandestine relationship with her fifteen years older married boss, who treated her quite poorly, but she did not stand up for herself at all and ultimately just ran away from conflict. She practically lost her job and left the impression of an unbalanced and spoiled person. That annoyed me throughout the book, and I hoped that at least their last conversation/encounter near the end of the book would change something in that respect, but it was quite the opposite, it frustrated me even more. The boss remained unpunished for her unethical, unprofessional and generally bad behavior, free as a bird for a rehash.
The other protagonist Lark is much more likable, but I am not sure why she is so bent on finding justifications for Channing where she really should not be, and even found that in a similar situation she too would have had an affair with her married boss. That conclusion did not sit well with me at all. What was the author trying to say with all that!?
The problem with the characters killed a good part of my reading pleasure, and that is why this otherwise well written book did not meet my expectations, especially from this seasoned author. Regardless of that, read it and see yourself. Maybe you will not be bothered by all this as much as I was.
3.25 stars
July 8, 2018
*A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.*
The other protagonist Lark is much more likable, but I am not sure why she is so bent on finding justifications for Channing where she really should not be, and even found that in a similar situation she too would have had an affair with her married boss. That conclusion did not sit well with me at all. What was the author trying to say with all that!?
The problem with the characters killed a good part of my reading pleasure, and that is why this otherwise well written book did not meet my expectations, especially from this seasoned author. Regardless of that, read it and see yourself. Maybe you will not be bothered by all this as much as I was.
3.25 stars
July 8, 2018
*A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.*
June 17, 2019
4.25 ⭐️
Hint of insta-love, U-haul and the likes. Throw in a story of an affair with a married (not so straight) boss, a good friend gone rogue, 2 gorgeous/stunning femmes in the lead role (they always are stunning in most books, are they not?) with minimal angst, a good dose of brewed Tea.... which makes a pretty good recipe for a good read. And oh how I really enjoyed the banters and dry humour between the 2 MCs; one of whom is a stoic Brit no less! Liked it!
Hint of insta-love, U-haul and the likes. Throw in a story of an affair with a married (not so straight) boss, a good friend gone rogue, 2 gorgeous/stunning femmes in the lead role (they always are stunning in most books, are they not?) with minimal angst, a good dose of brewed Tea.... which makes a pretty good recipe for a good read. And oh how I really enjoyed the banters and dry humour between the 2 MCs; one of whom is a stoic Brit no less! Liked it!
July 27, 2019
To celebrate its Goldie Award, Cat Lookabaugh, who narrated the audio version under the name C.C. Sinclair, gave away codes and I was lucky enough to get one. I had been grumpy for a few days, what with struggling with a migraine and the heatwave in France, but this book brought my good mood right back.
As often with narrators I don’t know yet, it took me a few minutes to get used to C.C. Sinclair’s voice. One thing I liked was that I never had to wonder who was talking, she made the various voices very different.
Having resigned from her job after her affair with her married boss turned sour, Channing Hughes flies from Boston to London to settle the estate of her grandfather. She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s about to find out that the fortune she thought she was inheriting has all but disappeared. On the flight, she meets Dr Lark Latimer, on her way to investigate a drug trial failure. Channing and Lark couldn’t be more different, in appearance, but one thing they obviously share is a wickedly dry sense of humor.
That’s probably what I liked most, the humor. While women find themselves in uncomfortable circumstances and have every right to be cynical (and they are), their humor is never mean, never at the expense of anyone else, and it brings some kind of joy to bleak situations.
I’ve read a few of K.G. MacGregor’s books, some I’ve enjoyed a lot (Without Warning or T-Minus Two for example), but even with those I’m not as fond of, I’m never disappointed, there’s always something that makes them worth reading.
As often with narrators I don’t know yet, it took me a few minutes to get used to C.C. Sinclair’s voice. One thing I liked was that I never had to wonder who was talking, she made the various voices very different.
Having resigned from her job after her affair with her married boss turned sour, Channing Hughes flies from Boston to London to settle the estate of her grandfather. She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s about to find out that the fortune she thought she was inheriting has all but disappeared. On the flight, she meets Dr Lark Latimer, on her way to investigate a drug trial failure. Channing and Lark couldn’t be more different, in appearance, but one thing they obviously share is a wickedly dry sense of humor.
That’s probably what I liked most, the humor. While women find themselves in uncomfortable circumstances and have every right to be cynical (and they are), their humor is never mean, never at the expense of anyone else, and it brings some kind of joy to bleak situations.
I’ve read a few of K.G. MacGregor’s books, some I’ve enjoyed a lot (Without Warning or T-Minus Two for example), but even with those I’m not as fond of, I’m never disappointed, there’s always something that makes them worth reading.
August 14, 2018
Such a great book, perfect for a lazy day or relaxing on holiday.
Channing meets Lark on a transatlantic flight to England and her new life. She’s quite standoffish to begin with but soon realises that Lark’s genuine personality and stellar wit are something she enjoys quite a lot. She’s been left heart broken after her office affair with her married boss crumbles and she isn’t looking for that to happen anytime soon but Lark is maybe just the remedy to something greater. But Lark lives in Boston and Channing in England… Are they fools to begin something that can’t last forever?
While this isn’t my favourite KG MacGregor novel it was still a lovely story that gave me the feels. With very little angst and a budding love story that obviously has the making of something great, I fell into the enjoyable world of Lark and Channing. I really liked the fact there wasn’t much angst in this book and felt that it was the better for it however, I did feel that there could have been more passion between the two lead protagonists.
I really enjoyed the secondary characters in the novel and found that I was quite intrigued about their story as well. I was shocked to see I was 80% in and hadn’t come up for air but that’s what makes a good story great, when you fall down the rabbit whole into the authors’ world.
As always I will be waiting with bated breath for the next KG book.
4 stars
Channing meets Lark on a transatlantic flight to England and her new life. She’s quite standoffish to begin with but soon realises that Lark’s genuine personality and stellar wit are something she enjoys quite a lot. She’s been left heart broken after her office affair with her married boss crumbles and she isn’t looking for that to happen anytime soon but Lark is maybe just the remedy to something greater. But Lark lives in Boston and Channing in England… Are they fools to begin something that can’t last forever?
While this isn’t my favourite KG MacGregor novel it was still a lovely story that gave me the feels. With very little angst and a budding love story that obviously has the making of something great, I fell into the enjoyable world of Lark and Channing. I really liked the fact there wasn’t much angst in this book and felt that it was the better for it however, I did feel that there could have been more passion between the two lead protagonists.
I really enjoyed the secondary characters in the novel and found that I was quite intrigued about their story as well. I was shocked to see I was 80% in and hadn’t come up for air but that’s what makes a good story great, when you fall down the rabbit whole into the authors’ world.
As always I will be waiting with bated breath for the next KG book.
4 stars
September 2, 2019
When an unlikable character ruins a very good book! This is the simplest way to explain or review this one!
So the writing is amazing! Come on that’s quite expected from a very well seasoned author who i have a lot of respect for :)
The plot was actually very interesting as it had an interesting twist (the medical research part where one of the MCs is trying to solve an issue). I also really liked the supporting characters and a few times I laughed.
This book had all the right elements to be an incredible read! Unfortunately one of the MCs was quite frustrating! Her character ruined a big part of the story.
Rating: 3.5 but I couldn’t get myself to round it up to 4.
So the writing is amazing! Come on that’s quite expected from a very well seasoned author who i have a lot of respect for :)
The plot was actually very interesting as it had an interesting twist (the medical research part where one of the MCs is trying to solve an issue). I also really liked the supporting characters and a few times I laughed.
This book had all the right elements to be an incredible read! Unfortunately one of the MCs was quite frustrating! Her character ruined a big part of the story.
Rating: 3.5 but I couldn’t get myself to round it up to 4.
October 7, 2018
I am a fan of MacGregor. I liked most of her books. This one however I found ok, but not more than that. I liked the humour and it was well written. I couldn’t however connect with the main character Channing, didn’t like her very much. Also thought she moved on very fast after just breaking up with her previous lover. The part of the story about that previous love and the explanation at the end of the book of why it ended didn’t work for me.
October 31, 2018
As always, a very entertaining read from KG MacGregor.
October 14, 2018
This is for the audio version. I really loved this. Very good. Narrator was awesome as well.
September 11, 2018
I’m so tempted to give this book just 1 star for being so incredibly bland. There was absolutely no chemistry between Lark and Channing, there was no foundation for any attraction and there relationship was not engaging or believable. Right up until the end Channing didn’t seem at all consumed with Lark. They really weren’t very like able characters.
August 3, 2019
This was my first book by KG MacGregor and was a decent read/storyline. I enjoyed both of the characters for the most part and their witty and sometimes snarky interactions. At times I was more invested with Lark's investigation into who tampered with the drug trial and while I guessed who did it, the why they did it was never actually explained which disappointed me a bit. The other thing that has me scoring this as a 3.5 was the fact that Lark stated she also would have an affair with her married boss if she wasn't with Channing just as Channing had done with her boss....seriously, neither woman has respect for themselves, or the sanctity of a relationship, and it's a great and normal thing to have an affair with their married bosses with no care for anyone else's feelings or lives that it destroys? I just didn't get/care for that point the author was trying to make. I think C.C. Sinclair did a great job with narrating the characters voices and has a pleasant cadence to her voice, if they could edit out where I could hear her every intake of deep breaths throughout the entire book, the narration would have been perfect instead of very distracting.
Read
June 21, 2019when I started reading, I was immediately struck by the quality of the writing. the characters were round, not falling into troupes of jealousy or pigheaded pining. I loved hearing about the characters' lives. i wasn't really on board with channing's gay bff; i had a hard time finding redeeming qualities.
one disappointment was the resolution of the medical mystery that brought lark to England. there was an answer to the whodunnit, but the motivations were never explained.
one disappointment was the resolution of the medical mystery that brought lark to England. there was an answer to the whodunnit, but the motivations were never explained.
December 16, 2018
Yea, OK - no complaints - did some hard stuff before the mushy bits so got me money's worth! Recommended.
January 8, 2020
A fabulous read!
This book well written, great characters, and a joy to read. I heartily recommend this book to any lesbian romance fan that needs a smile. I enjoyed myself, thank you to the author.
This book well written, great characters, and a joy to read. I heartily recommend this book to any lesbian romance fan that needs a smile. I enjoyed myself, thank you to the author.
November 16, 2018
4 Stars. I really enjoyed this cute little romance. This story is about Lark, a doctor who gets send to Cambridge to investigate an inconsistency in a medical trial and meets Channing Hughes in the airport on the way to England. Channing is going to England to reclaim her family home and deal with the inheritance. Lark gets upgraded on her flight and winds up sitting next to Channing who had just been broken up with by her married boss and girlfriend and is not very pleasant to Lark. Lark breaks her down a little and they talk during their flight. Coincidence happens and they meet again at Cambridge and then create solid plans. They quickly realize they have feelings for one another, even though Lark is only in England for a short period of time.
I enjoyed this book a lot. I enjoyed the banter between the two main characters and how they relationship evolved. Their relationship evolved pretty quickly but it makes sense since they do not think they have a lot of time together. I enjoyed how their relationship evolved. The only thing that bothered me was Channing's relationship with her boss seemed to be too main of a story line for my taste. It seemed to drag on throughout the book and it felt overplayed. I would recommend this book, I enjoyed it a lot.
I enjoyed this book a lot. I enjoyed the banter between the two main characters and how they relationship evolved. Their relationship evolved pretty quickly but it makes sense since they do not think they have a lot of time together. I enjoyed how their relationship evolved. The only thing that bothered me was Channing's relationship with her boss seemed to be too main of a story line for my taste. It seemed to drag on throughout the book and it felt overplayed. I would recommend this book, I enjoyed it a lot.
October 5, 2019
I don’t remember if there’s a specific reason I’ve not read a novel by MacGregor in ages, but after this I’m not likely to try another soon.
It’s just so incredibly bland. The characters aren’t particularly interesting or likable, for me this pretty much kills a romance novel. And not just the main characters, the secondary ones as well. Not much life in them at all. I already complained about one aspect of the writing in an update.
So yeah, I must stop reading lesfic just because it’s set in England.
Also, it’s not the first time I've really not liked a book edited by Katherine V. Forrest. Maybe something else I should pay attention to, even if it pains me to say it. I mean, she‘s KVF!
It’s just so incredibly bland. The characters aren’t particularly interesting or likable, for me this pretty much kills a romance novel. And not just the main characters, the secondary ones as well. Not much life in them at all. I already complained about one aspect of the writing in an update.
So yeah, I must stop reading lesfic just because it’s set in England.
Also, it’s not the first time I've really not liked a book edited by Katherine V. Forrest. Maybe something else I should pay attention to, even if it pains me to say it. I mean, she‘s KVF!
August 10, 2018
Usually quality from the author with enjoyable mature characters, good dialogue, and an interesting set of plot lines. I love the obvious research and plotting that goes into MacGregor’s books. This will be on my reread list.
November 14, 2020
A very predictable lesbian romance. Set in Britain, but language does not feel quite right.
August 28, 2018
There are so many things that I love about this delightful and touching story. Channing's quick wit and her dry, sarcastic sense of humor endeared her to me. Now Lark stole my heart with her down to earth and loveable personality, she always looks for the best in others and she is a by the book person when it comes to her job. The author did a wonderful job of breathing life into these remarkable women and she made me fall head over heels in love with the English landscape and most importantly, I am now a huge fan of tea!
June 18, 2019
Listened to the audio book version. Good story, the narration isn’t bad, but a lot of British folks in the book. Might have been better to have a British narrator.
May 10, 2022
I adore the premise of this book *swoon*; an adorable meet-cute, the most random of fated meets between the protagonists and tea! SO much potential...Unfortunately *sigh*, it simply doesn't deliver (I had to DRAG myself to the finish line on this one). I found it SO incredibly difficult to even picture the women as a romantic item; the one a gaga puppy and the other standoffish and UTTERLY uninterested to even get to know the aforementioned pup (BUT more than happy to unload on her about her disastrous office affair)...AND why must she and her friends be cruel! The "spark" simply doesn't exist or EVER materialise and it's quite predictable (with missing detail I simply can't fathom the reason for). The ONLY saving grace is the hint of mystery and intrigue surrounding the drug trial gone wrong...
February 2, 2021
Brilliantly written with dry wit running through every page, this romance is a great read.
Read the full review @ https://bestlesficreviews.blogspot.co...
Read the full review @ https://bestlesficreviews.blogspot.co...
November 28, 2018
I was introduced to KG MacGregor’s writing back in the heyday of the Xenaverse. Her fan fiction was/is some of the best out there. Luckily for all of us, she worked on those stories, expanded them, fixed them up, and got them published. And now, we have MacGregor’s 25th published novel. She is the embodiment of the wise saying “Write the book that you want to read.” In MacGregor’s case, she wrote the books that we all want to read.
A Proper Cuppa Tea was released in July 2018 by Bella Books. It took me a little time to get to it, but get to it I did! I’ve always enjoy reading a KG MacGregor story, and that holds true with A Proper Cuppa Tea. The setting is lush, the characters are interesting, and the romance is lovely.
While Boston certainly serves as an anchor in the novel, the true setting for A Proper Cuppa Tea is in England. Cambridge, to be exact. MacGregor does a beautiful job of describing the English countryside and Penderworth, an historic estate recently inherited by one of the protagonists. Now, I’ve never been to England. So, I can’t attest to the accuracy of her descriptions. But, I’m going to take that on faith. If for no other reason than because they are so lusciously depicted. The Crown and Punchbowl seems the quintessential English pub. I could picture it in my mind as I read. Clearly, MacGregor has done her research!
Channing Hughes and Lark Latimer are two lovely protagonists. Channing, having dual citizenship in England and the United States, has a foot solidly in both cultures. She’s seems able to move seamlessly between the two. Lark is a native Bostonian who, while well-traveled, isn’t quite as up on British customs and mannerisms. Fortunately, she is self-aware and adapts well – even able to poke a little fun at herself. Their personalities compliment each other nicely. Neither takes herself too seriously and, therefore, is approachable and likable. The secondary characters, too, are quite fun. Even though I may have occasionally wanted to assault Kenny with a well-placed ascot, he was still charming and interesting. I like him.
From the meet cute on the plane at the beginning to the HEA, the romance between Channing and Lark was really quite lovely. While the initial attraction was pretty obvious, I did like that they became friends before they hopped in the sack. The twists and turns of getting to know one another, navigating misunderstandings, and dealing with their own past heartbreaks made for a much more interesting story. When the intimate scenes did make their appearance, they did so in a way that was hot, yet not overdone.
MacGregor also handled the language difference very well. The British characters were appropriately British. The American characters were appropriately American. Of course, there was some blend for Channing and Lark. It was appropriate. I admit to a bit of dissonance with the third-person point-of-view. The narrative “voice” didn’t always remain consistent in my mind. I found it difficult to tell if there was one narrative voice or multiple. That could also just be me. I didn’t find it a hindrance to enjoying the story. It’s just the way my brain works – when I read, I’m always thinking, “How would I read this if I were doing an audio book or reading in front of an audience?” It’s just who I am. So, me not recognizing a consistent narrative voice could simply be my own limitations. In fact, it probably is.
I would have liked a more complex ending. The resolution seemed to go from “we’ll figure it out” to the HEA rather sharply. I guess I wanted a little more there, some detail about any angst or difficulties that popped up in that time. Again, it’s very likely that was just my desire to have more of this book. And it’s always good when a reader wants more!
Yes. I thought reading A Proper Cuppa Tea was a delightful way to spend my time. I was able to enjoy a lovely romance set in beautiful surroundings. And I quite possibly know more about tea than I ever really expected to learn.
Definitely a recommended novel!
A Proper Cuppa Tea was released in July 2018 by Bella Books. It took me a little time to get to it, but get to it I did! I’ve always enjoy reading a KG MacGregor story, and that holds true with A Proper Cuppa Tea. The setting is lush, the characters are interesting, and the romance is lovely.
While Boston certainly serves as an anchor in the novel, the true setting for A Proper Cuppa Tea is in England. Cambridge, to be exact. MacGregor does a beautiful job of describing the English countryside and Penderworth, an historic estate recently inherited by one of the protagonists. Now, I’ve never been to England. So, I can’t attest to the accuracy of her descriptions. But, I’m going to take that on faith. If for no other reason than because they are so lusciously depicted. The Crown and Punchbowl seems the quintessential English pub. I could picture it in my mind as I read. Clearly, MacGregor has done her research!
Channing Hughes and Lark Latimer are two lovely protagonists. Channing, having dual citizenship in England and the United States, has a foot solidly in both cultures. She’s seems able to move seamlessly between the two. Lark is a native Bostonian who, while well-traveled, isn’t quite as up on British customs and mannerisms. Fortunately, she is self-aware and adapts well – even able to poke a little fun at herself. Their personalities compliment each other nicely. Neither takes herself too seriously and, therefore, is approachable and likable. The secondary characters, too, are quite fun. Even though I may have occasionally wanted to assault Kenny with a well-placed ascot, he was still charming and interesting. I like him.
From the meet cute on the plane at the beginning to the HEA, the romance between Channing and Lark was really quite lovely. While the initial attraction was pretty obvious, I did like that they became friends before they hopped in the sack. The twists and turns of getting to know one another, navigating misunderstandings, and dealing with their own past heartbreaks made for a much more interesting story. When the intimate scenes did make their appearance, they did so in a way that was hot, yet not overdone.
MacGregor also handled the language difference very well. The British characters were appropriately British. The American characters were appropriately American. Of course, there was some blend for Channing and Lark. It was appropriate. I admit to a bit of dissonance with the third-person point-of-view. The narrative “voice” didn’t always remain consistent in my mind. I found it difficult to tell if there was one narrative voice or multiple. That could also just be me. I didn’t find it a hindrance to enjoying the story. It’s just the way my brain works – when I read, I’m always thinking, “How would I read this if I were doing an audio book or reading in front of an audience?” It’s just who I am. So, me not recognizing a consistent narrative voice could simply be my own limitations. In fact, it probably is.
I would have liked a more complex ending. The resolution seemed to go from “we’ll figure it out” to the HEA rather sharply. I guess I wanted a little more there, some detail about any angst or difficulties that popped up in that time. Again, it’s very likely that was just my desire to have more of this book. And it’s always good when a reader wants more!
Yes. I thought reading A Proper Cuppa Tea was a delightful way to spend my time. I was able to enjoy a lovely romance set in beautiful surroundings. And I quite possibly know more about tea than I ever really expected to learn.
Definitely a recommended novel!
August 17, 2018
A thoroughly enjoyable romance by one of the masters (mistresses?) in the field. A bi-continental story of an American on a business trip and a Brit headed home to handle her grandfather's estate; whose chance encounter on a flight from Logan to Heathrow leads in directions neither expected. This author has a definite gift for creating characters who come to life on the page, with conversations and experiences that feel authentic. All of her secondary characters help form a picture of the main characters, as well, and provide a depth to the story that increases it's appeal. What made this novel especially engaging was that in addition to the romance, each character had a fully realized secondary story going on, with possible rewards or repercussions completely separate from the expected denouement of the romance. The majority of the story is set in England, near Cambridge to be exact. Channing, the Brit, comes from a well regarded family, with an lovely ancestral manor home and connections to aristocracy, including her best childhood friend. He's heir to a fortune and as queer as Channing herself. Lark, the American, is an MD employed by a drug company, who is sent to Cambridge to investigate problems with a drug trial. In both of their stories, the attention to detail, clear evidence of the author's research, provided a richness to this story that puts it a cut above many other standard romance stories. When circumstances in a story leave me teary-eyed, it's one of the reasons I bump the stars up to a full five.
December 16, 2018
The story was good, but some of the character morals were questionable, even though it was explained away at some point in the story. I also felt this one was less romance focused and more story driven... which is fine, but I expeceted a lesfic romance. That could also be my own conception because I wasn't as invested in Lark and Channing. Channing talked about Peyton in more depth and feeling than she ever did about Lark so that may also have something to,do with it.
So it was overall just kind if ehh for me. It wasn't a bad read overall, but it just wasnt the feel good romance I was looking for.
(Audiobook listen/read) The narration was top notch! CC did spectacular between all the voices. loved IT! It made it easy to detect who was talking in each scene. So I would recommend based on the narration.
So it was overall just kind if ehh for me. It wasn't a bad read overall, but it just wasnt the feel good romance I was looking for.
(Audiobook listen/read) The narration was top notch! CC did spectacular between all the voices. loved IT! It made it easy to detect who was talking in each scene. So I would recommend based on the narration.
January 9, 2022
I loved their jobs, in real world specialties (business valuations and pharmaceutical drug testing). However this book had three strikes against it
1. The main couple’s sudden leap from new acquaintances to being ready to give up countries for each other didn’t feel real. Even at the end they felt more like near-strangers than a couple.
2. While there were some positive female characters, both heroines’ mothers were selfish, unloving and awful. Bad and dead mothers run rampant in romance genre. Their prevalence is misogyny.
3. One of the heroine’s beloved grandfather’s was a fervent Thatcher supporter and enabler. Which is a dark legacy of human harm that the heroine never really engages with. She’s seen as ‘more liberal’ than him, but pretty much unreservedly loves him.
1. The main couple’s sudden leap from new acquaintances to being ready to give up countries for each other didn’t feel real. Even at the end they felt more like near-strangers than a couple.
2. While there were some positive female characters, both heroines’ mothers were selfish, unloving and awful. Bad and dead mothers run rampant in romance genre. Their prevalence is misogyny.
3. One of the heroine’s beloved grandfather’s was a fervent Thatcher supporter and enabler. Which is a dark legacy of human harm that the heroine never really engages with. She’s seen as ‘more liberal’ than him, but pretty much unreservedly loves him.
September 23, 2018
This book had the potential to be a 5 star romance for me. As I was reading, I really like the characters and the storyline. I found the story line to be realistic. So why did I rate it 3 stars(reallly like 3.5), it was because I felt something was missing. Initially, I could not figure it out until I got half way through the book. The MC’s lacked chemistry. There was no spark, no magic...nothing. Sure the story came together and the author did a good job with the dialogue, but the relationship felt forced. Sure, Lark was attracted to Channing, but I felt the author forced Channing to be attracted to Lark. I say read for yourself as it was still a decent romance.
March 4, 2026
3 stars. I wasn’t feeling the romance. Channing and Lark had no chemistry and Channing didn’t even seem to like Lark. Channing is also incredibly unlikable and so is her annoying ass best friend. Lark was a much better character. She was likable but for the life of me I didn’t get why the hell she was so into Channing. Like, down bad. The writing was really good and the medical part of the plot was interesting but other than that this was a slog to get through for me. I found it to be really dull.
Spice: ❤️🔥/❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥
Content Warning:
Spice: ❤️🔥/❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥
Content Warning:
August 18, 2019
I really enjoyed this novel by K.G. MacGregor.. C.C. Sinclair did a wonderful through her narration of expressing each character's attitude and personality. The dry British humor and the emotional path this story takes are so engaging that it was a joy to listen to. The development of the relationship between Lark and Channing is filled with interesting insight and sensual intrigue. I would recommend this novel to anybody who enjoys a serious yet dryly humorous read. I look forward to reading more by K. G. MacGregor.
April 7, 2023
I was, once again, thoroughly entranced by the depth and "realness" of these characters, both main and secondary. KG MacGregor has absolutely mastered the art of dialogue, especially the witty repartee so prevalent in A Proper Cuppa Tea. Channing and Lark are so realistically drawn, they practically leap off the page and become people we wish we knew in real life. This is a wonderfully written, angst-light story that is utterly entertaining and engaging...and hot in just the right places.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews