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Secrets and Tea at Rosie Lee's
Fast approaching 40 and fighting a serious case of 'empty nest syndrome', Abby Cowan is a woman without a plan. Her business is as dead as her love life and her only potential lifeline is a last-minute job offer from a friend. After years of cooking nothing fancier than a bacon sarnie in her little East End greasy spoon café, Abby is roped in to help cater a party.
As if being forced out of her comfort zone wasn't bad enough, the host of the party turns out to be a man she never thought she'd see again – Jack Chance, her first love and her first kiss. Jack's reappearance brings back some painful memories but also the opportunity for Abby to finally get some answers to the questions that have plagued her since she was 15.
Why did Jack and his family vanish into the night without a word? Where did her father abandon his family? Why did her mother leave her to fend for herself? And how many people, over the years, have conspired to keep Abby away from the truth? When the truth is finally uncovered, Abby must face the fact that even those who claim to love you will sometimes hurt you; when push comes to shove, they will do anything to keep you safe, no matter what the consequences.
484 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2018
39 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Jane Lacey-Crane
3 books13 followersBorn in London, Jane's writing career began in cable TV, writing true crime documentaries. More recently, Jane has contributed to an anthology of short stories and written two weekly crime serials. When she's not writing, Jane loves to read good books, binge watch TV boxsets and drink tea. And wine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
April 15, 2018
I went into this book not knowing what to expect and I really enjoyed this book by Jane Lacey-Crane. Going along with Abbey and her journey - it was obvious she had a hard life growing up. She got pregnant at 19 but also inherited the cafe, Rosie Lee’s when an older couple Ted and Rose retired and left it to her. Then Jack shows up - who she hadn’t seen in 20 years. Lots of family secrets throughout. I really enjoyed the whole book, from start to finish. I received this complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
April 30, 2018
If you expect this to be another tale of a modern cafe in a beautiful setting, then you're way off the mark. This is a deeper read, set in an area of London ripe for regeneration and a family who have had to fight and struggle for all that they have.
Abby owns Rosie Lee's, a traditional cafe in the heart of the East End. She can't afford to compete with all the new style coffee shops and is barely making ends meet. She knows something is going to have to give, but is putting off any decisions until she sees her daughter Lucy set off to Bristol for university. As a single parent, and one with a poor relationship with her own mother, she has put all her energies into making Lucy aware that she is loved, always. Her brother Matt has been a fabulous support ever since she had Lucy and it has brought the siblings closer.
There are plenty of secrets revealed in this novel .. Abby is not aware of lots of things and she isn't the only one. Neither was I! Just when you think things have settled, another one comes crawling out of the woodwork! This is a well-crafted novel, carefully plotted, beautifully written and including mystery, romance, family secrets, sadness and so much more. It is a fabulous read - one which will keep you glued to the page and have you rooting for Abby and her future. Listed as 'a frank, funny, feel-good look at grown-up life and love' this is one book which lives up to it's publicity. Moving along at quite a pace, never leaving time to ponder what's coming next as the revelations spill. Definitely a must read, and one I'm very happy to recommend.
My grateful thanks to author Jane Lacey-Crane for posting about her novel on twitter which alerted me to submit my request via NetGalley, and also to publishers Aria for approving my copy. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.
Abby owns Rosie Lee's, a traditional cafe in the heart of the East End. She can't afford to compete with all the new style coffee shops and is barely making ends meet. She knows something is going to have to give, but is putting off any decisions until she sees her daughter Lucy set off to Bristol for university. As a single parent, and one with a poor relationship with her own mother, she has put all her energies into making Lucy aware that she is loved, always. Her brother Matt has been a fabulous support ever since she had Lucy and it has brought the siblings closer.
There are plenty of secrets revealed in this novel .. Abby is not aware of lots of things and she isn't the only one. Neither was I! Just when you think things have settled, another one comes crawling out of the woodwork! This is a well-crafted novel, carefully plotted, beautifully written and including mystery, romance, family secrets, sadness and so much more. It is a fabulous read - one which will keep you glued to the page and have you rooting for Abby and her future. Listed as 'a frank, funny, feel-good look at grown-up life and love' this is one book which lives up to it's publicity. Moving along at quite a pace, never leaving time to ponder what's coming next as the revelations spill. Definitely a must read, and one I'm very happy to recommend.
My grateful thanks to author Jane Lacey-Crane for posting about her novel on twitter which alerted me to submit my request via NetGalley, and also to publishers Aria for approving my copy. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.
May 19, 2018
The Blurb :
Welcome to Rosie Lee's cafe in the heart of the East End - where there's not an avocado, slice of sourdough or double-shot no-foam soy milk caramel latte on the menu!
Rosie-Lee's owner Abby is a woman without a plan... and her beloved little cafe is a business with a serious lack of customers. The Rosie Lee's fry-up is legendary, but cooked breakfasts alone - however perfectly sizzled the bacon - aren't going to pay the bills.
Fast approaching forty and fighting a serious case of empty nest syndrome, Abby realises it's not just her menu that needs a makeover. And when Jack Chance, her The One That Got Away, saunters through the cafe doors and back into her life things definitely look set to change...
Abby has always believed a cup of strong builders tea makes everything better, but Jack's reappearance is a complication even the trusty sausage sarnie can't resolve...
My Thoughts :
I love that the cover on this book really stands out, its one of those that will call to you whille its sitting on a book shelf.
Abby has been left the Rosie Lee’s Cafe by Ted and Rose when they decided to retire. Abby lives in the flat above. She is 38 years old, and having had her daughter Lucy at 19 she is just about to go to University. Abby has had it tough bringing up her daughter alone. Her dad left whille she was in her teens and she hasnt had much of a relationship with her mum. Her first love and best friend, Jack also moved away when she needed him. Her brother has been her only support.
That is until Jack walks back into her life. With the cafe struggling for business, Abby needs to make some decisions.
The story passes through past and present and we get to see and feel how life was for Abby.
This has a few twists and turns that will keep you wanting more.
Looking forward to more from Jane Lacey - Crane.
May 7, 2018
3.5 Stars
Rosie Lee’s is a teashop, just outside the renewed and regentrified area in the East End of London, a place that hasn’t changed much since it opened and served basic coffee, tea, cakes, and a place to chat and gather. Abby has owned the little shop since inheriting it and the flat abovestairs from Rosie and Tom, an older couple who provided stability, friendship and comfort when her life went topsy turvy. A difficult relationship with her mother, her daughter soon to leave for university, and a determination to ignore/stay away from all romantic entanglements, Abby has plenty of resentment, issues and a not so healthy tendency to overthink situations and choices before half-heartedly committing to a plan of action. In her mid-thirties, Abby was frustrating, contradictory, afraid of change, moody and often far too willing to be snappy and churlish when she felt threatened or questioned- a situation that happened often.
But an unexpected encounter with her first love at an event she catered dessert for her best friend’s new venture fueled her frequent forays into ‘what I lost’ land’ – a serious list of difficult moments, choices and secrets that would affect her life for years. With her father’s disappearance with no explanation when she was fifteen, followed closely by her mother’s breakdown and two year isolation, her grandparent’s aggrieved approach to ‘watching out’ for Abby and her older brother Matt, and the obvious whispers. Abby was in the middle of a family crisis, those angsty teen years, and then, Jack her best friend and first love, leaves without explanation and never contacts her again.
So yes, Abby had plenty to deal with, from a tense and defensive relationship with her mother, a café that is barely making a profit, her daughter soon leaving for university, her best friend Liz pushing her to meet a man and date, and then Jack back in the picture. She deals with all of this by ignoring the big issues, staying busy, and pushing any questions she had out of her consciousness. But her mother’s sudden death, followed shortly by the return of her long lost father, also dead, shed some ‘light’ on the piles of secrets I this family – most that had been kept from Abby to “keep her safe”. It was no wonder that emotionally she was more fourteen than closing in on forty – and that combination of emotional cluelessness combined with some erratic choices, almost non-existent self-esteem, and the here and gone Jack, with some not so vague threats from an ‘associate’ of her more than slightly criminal father – the issues were many, and often felt as if coals were coming to Newcastle. Each question brought more clarifications, more justifications for Abby to be how she was, and for her frustration with everyone ‘taking care’ of her: even as some did a crap job of it – intentions be damned. Not a laugh a minute story, even as there are situations and some commentary from Abby that does bring a laugh – but it was the length of time between meeting Abby and finally starting to see the secrets come to light that made the first half of this book feel far longer. Then the answers and the ‘adult’ back and forth with Jack, his feeling for her and hers for him, more secrets and threats, questions and regrets – all came one upon another in waves of information – it was no wonder she started to have anxiety attacks,. But, the steadiness of friends (Liz, Flo) and her brother Matt, as well as a solid and quite lovely relationship with her daughter did show that, despite her determination and occasional (or not so) strops, Abby is well-loved and cared about – even when that caring goes to levels of secrecy that were unhealthy for all.
Crane’s writing style is very conversational and easy to enjoy – and this debut was a challenging one with the multitude of questions, secrets, issues and personalities, and she managed most in ways that felt both appropriate to what we come to understand is Abby, and still give readers the answers so needed. Full of ‘one more thing’ moments, there were times when yet another issue made me want to scream- but, like life is like that sometime- and showing Abby doing her best at the moment with the hand she was dealt, supported and loved by her friends and family, that was the takeaway from this story. I’m curious to see more from this author, hoping that her next characters will encourage similar emotional reactions to Abby.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
Rosie Lee’s is a teashop, just outside the renewed and regentrified area in the East End of London, a place that hasn’t changed much since it opened and served basic coffee, tea, cakes, and a place to chat and gather. Abby has owned the little shop since inheriting it and the flat abovestairs from Rosie and Tom, an older couple who provided stability, friendship and comfort when her life went topsy turvy. A difficult relationship with her mother, her daughter soon to leave for university, and a determination to ignore/stay away from all romantic entanglements, Abby has plenty of resentment, issues and a not so healthy tendency to overthink situations and choices before half-heartedly committing to a plan of action. In her mid-thirties, Abby was frustrating, contradictory, afraid of change, moody and often far too willing to be snappy and churlish when she felt threatened or questioned- a situation that happened often.
But an unexpected encounter with her first love at an event she catered dessert for her best friend’s new venture fueled her frequent forays into ‘what I lost’ land’ – a serious list of difficult moments, choices and secrets that would affect her life for years. With her father’s disappearance with no explanation when she was fifteen, followed closely by her mother’s breakdown and two year isolation, her grandparent’s aggrieved approach to ‘watching out’ for Abby and her older brother Matt, and the obvious whispers. Abby was in the middle of a family crisis, those angsty teen years, and then, Jack her best friend and first love, leaves without explanation and never contacts her again.
So yes, Abby had plenty to deal with, from a tense and defensive relationship with her mother, a café that is barely making a profit, her daughter soon leaving for university, her best friend Liz pushing her to meet a man and date, and then Jack back in the picture. She deals with all of this by ignoring the big issues, staying busy, and pushing any questions she had out of her consciousness. But her mother’s sudden death, followed shortly by the return of her long lost father, also dead, shed some ‘light’ on the piles of secrets I this family – most that had been kept from Abby to “keep her safe”. It was no wonder that emotionally she was more fourteen than closing in on forty – and that combination of emotional cluelessness combined with some erratic choices, almost non-existent self-esteem, and the here and gone Jack, with some not so vague threats from an ‘associate’ of her more than slightly criminal father – the issues were many, and often felt as if coals were coming to Newcastle. Each question brought more clarifications, more justifications for Abby to be how she was, and for her frustration with everyone ‘taking care’ of her: even as some did a crap job of it – intentions be damned. Not a laugh a minute story, even as there are situations and some commentary from Abby that does bring a laugh – but it was the length of time between meeting Abby and finally starting to see the secrets come to light that made the first half of this book feel far longer. Then the answers and the ‘adult’ back and forth with Jack, his feeling for her and hers for him, more secrets and threats, questions and regrets – all came one upon another in waves of information – it was no wonder she started to have anxiety attacks,. But, the steadiness of friends (Liz, Flo) and her brother Matt, as well as a solid and quite lovely relationship with her daughter did show that, despite her determination and occasional (or not so) strops, Abby is well-loved and cared about – even when that caring goes to levels of secrecy that were unhealthy for all.
Crane’s writing style is very conversational and easy to enjoy – and this debut was a challenging one with the multitude of questions, secrets, issues and personalities, and she managed most in ways that felt both appropriate to what we come to understand is Abby, and still give readers the answers so needed. Full of ‘one more thing’ moments, there were times when yet another issue made me want to scream- but, like life is like that sometime- and showing Abby doing her best at the moment with the hand she was dealt, supported and loved by her friends and family, that was the takeaway from this story. I’m curious to see more from this author, hoping that her next characters will encourage similar emotional reactions to Abby.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
May 1, 2018
Originally posted on the blog-- Fiction and Frosting
Special thanks to NetGalley for providing a kindle copy in exchange for an honest review.
Where to begin? Well, the dying cafe business wasn’t really the focal point rather than the title and synopsis suggests. Instead, it was about family, first love and overcoming the past.
Now that doesn’t sound so bad, does it? It was a really unexpected read. The story went deeper than the cheesy title. Which was great, proving yet again that you can’t judge a book by its cover.
Abigail Cowan was a thirty-something woman who lived all her life in the same place in London. She was knocked up really young, her family has kept her father’s whereabouts a secret for the last twenty years, and the cafe she inherited was lacking what it needed to survive—customers. So when her first love, Jack, came back from the States to do business, the missing spark in her life finally ignites.
Now I know, it sounds like the typical The One That Got Away story, but what I loved about this book was that it was more than that. It was about family. Abigail's family was not perfect. They've kept secrets, they've neglected, but they still fight to keep all of them together despite everything. Which is what family is all about. This book perfectly portrayed that image and message to the readers.
But this is hard for me to say; I loved all the secondary characters and their relationship rather than our protagonist—Abigail. She came off as really whiny for a mature woman. I found her emotionally dependent to others, especially to her daughter, Lucy, who was going away for college.
She kept saying that she is not a teenager anymore, and shouldn’t be fooling around with Jack, yet she can’t handle just being straight and honest with him like the mature adult she supposedly is. She was pushing him away for about a third of the book and it got really annoying.
What drove me to finish was the plot itself. The secrets were really intriguing but I didn’t really expect to have that much lies in one household, especially when their ultimate goal was to protect.
Anyway, I guess this book will stay neutral for me, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. In the end, it all worked out for the characters and the story so cheers to that!
Special thanks to NetGalley for providing a kindle copy in exchange for an honest review.
Where to begin? Well, the dying cafe business wasn’t really the focal point rather than the title and synopsis suggests. Instead, it was about family, first love and overcoming the past.
Now that doesn’t sound so bad, does it? It was a really unexpected read. The story went deeper than the cheesy title. Which was great, proving yet again that you can’t judge a book by its cover.
Abigail Cowan was a thirty-something woman who lived all her life in the same place in London. She was knocked up really young, her family has kept her father’s whereabouts a secret for the last twenty years, and the cafe she inherited was lacking what it needed to survive—customers. So when her first love, Jack, came back from the States to do business, the missing spark in her life finally ignites.
Now I know, it sounds like the typical The One That Got Away story, but what I loved about this book was that it was more than that. It was about family. Abigail's family was not perfect. They've kept secrets, they've neglected, but they still fight to keep all of them together despite everything. Which is what family is all about. This book perfectly portrayed that image and message to the readers.
But this is hard for me to say; I loved all the secondary characters and their relationship rather than our protagonist—Abigail. She came off as really whiny for a mature woman. I found her emotionally dependent to others, especially to her daughter, Lucy, who was going away for college.
She kept saying that she is not a teenager anymore, and shouldn’t be fooling around with Jack, yet she can’t handle just being straight and honest with him like the mature adult she supposedly is. She was pushing him away for about a third of the book and it got really annoying.
What drove me to finish was the plot itself. The secrets were really intriguing but I didn’t really expect to have that much lies in one household, especially when their ultimate goal was to protect.
Anyway, I guess this book will stay neutral for me, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. In the end, it all worked out for the characters and the story so cheers to that!
May 12, 2018
The cover of this book is very eye-catching. I expected (just from the title) that it would be a lighthearted story about people who use the café as their base to meet up when chatting and sharing secrets. The title itself is a great play on words (rosie lee meaning "tea"in Cockney slang) and that was another reason I was interested in the book. The catchy totle.
It's not a full-blown romcom, although I felt the atmosphere at Rosie Lee's was true-to- life and what you would expect of a small café in a gentrified area of London. I'll admit, the first few pages did pull me in, and made me laugh in some parts, so that's a bonus. The rest seems more like a family and life/ relationship drama which was fine, as I enjoy the genre.
Do not be fooled, though as the story is so much nore than Rosie Lee's café itself. This is just a setting and ends up being the workplace of Abby who is 38 and who has a daughter who is about to go away to University. Abby has had a hard life so far. Pregnant at 19, she has an ongoing bad relationship with her mother and her first love, Jack, left her to bring her daughter up alone.
She's left Rosie Lee's Café by the elderly couple who used to own it, so that gives her a place to work and live, as she lives in the flat above. She does all she can trying to make ends meet and live her life, Until Jack suddenly reappears.
The characters are well-fleshed out and interesting, but I felt Abby was a little immature in how she reacted to life and in how she related to her daughter. It was like she felt herself incapable of leading life without her presence. I can understand this in a way seeing as Abby had bought her up alone, but she seemed a bit too whingey for me to really like her. I'd have liked her to be more of a herione.
Thanks to all the characters and the struggle of Abby and her family to get along no matter what life throws at them this book was an interesting one. The pace is fast and the struggles are realistic. The book is more about family and uncovering secrets than the title suggests. It's worth the read though and I liked discovering the secrets.
Secrets and Tea at Rosie Lee's is one of those books where you are taken on a journey. I always like this type of book and I was happy to accompany Abby on her journey.
Thanks to Jane Lacey-Crane and Aria for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review as well as an opportunity to take part in the blog tour for the title. This is the author's debut novel.
3.5 stars
It's not a full-blown romcom, although I felt the atmosphere at Rosie Lee's was true-to- life and what you would expect of a small café in a gentrified area of London. I'll admit, the first few pages did pull me in, and made me laugh in some parts, so that's a bonus. The rest seems more like a family and life/ relationship drama which was fine, as I enjoy the genre.
Do not be fooled, though as the story is so much nore than Rosie Lee's café itself. This is just a setting and ends up being the workplace of Abby who is 38 and who has a daughter who is about to go away to University. Abby has had a hard life so far. Pregnant at 19, she has an ongoing bad relationship with her mother and her first love, Jack, left her to bring her daughter up alone.
She's left Rosie Lee's Café by the elderly couple who used to own it, so that gives her a place to work and live, as she lives in the flat above. She does all she can trying to make ends meet and live her life, Until Jack suddenly reappears.
The characters are well-fleshed out and interesting, but I felt Abby was a little immature in how she reacted to life and in how she related to her daughter. It was like she felt herself incapable of leading life without her presence. I can understand this in a way seeing as Abby had bought her up alone, but she seemed a bit too whingey for me to really like her. I'd have liked her to be more of a herione.
Thanks to all the characters and the struggle of Abby and her family to get along no matter what life throws at them this book was an interesting one. The pace is fast and the struggles are realistic. The book is more about family and uncovering secrets than the title suggests. It's worth the read though and I liked discovering the secrets.
Secrets and Tea at Rosie Lee's is one of those books where you are taken on a journey. I always like this type of book and I was happy to accompany Abby on her journey.
Thanks to Jane Lacey-Crane and Aria for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review as well as an opportunity to take part in the blog tour for the title. This is the author's debut novel.
3.5 stars
September 2, 2018
i loved this book. Abby Cowan of the Rosie lee's cafe after working for ted and rose from the age of fourteen and they retired she became the owner. with help from Flo she lives above the cafe with her daughter Lucy. set in Eastend london, the cafe keeps her and her daughter comfortable. then Jack Chance abbys first love comes back after 20 years away in america and they both have a lot of catching up to do, abby cant forgive jack for leaving her especially just after her father went missing leaving her and her mother.i loved this book, it has every emotion in it all the way through that pulls you into the book. abby finds out so many answers from so many secrets, and i did shed a tear or two while i was reading, a perfect book with a lovely ending
April 1, 2018
This book needs a better title. The main character was always drinking coffee, rarely tea. The cafe name was hardly mentioned and the story did not revolve around the cafe itself as the title would suggest.
This is not a romantic comedy, it's too whiny for that. The story overall wasn't bad but also wasn't great. The plot was predictable.
I found the main character unbelievable. At 38 with an 18 year old kid and having split from the kids father when the kid was young, the lead Abigail states that the kids father was the only man she ever slept with. So basically no romantic history since her ex beat her and treated her like crap. Then her childhood crush/first love shows back up in her life and suddenly she's all about getting into his pants. After having dated basically no one for almost 18 years. Makes no sense.
2.5 stars
This is not a romantic comedy, it's too whiny for that. The story overall wasn't bad but also wasn't great. The plot was predictable.
I found the main character unbelievable. At 38 with an 18 year old kid and having split from the kids father when the kid was young, the lead Abigail states that the kids father was the only man she ever slept with. So basically no romantic history since her ex beat her and treated her like crap. Then her childhood crush/first love shows back up in her life and suddenly she's all about getting into his pants. After having dated basically no one for almost 18 years. Makes no sense.
2.5 stars
May 2, 2018
This has turned out to be a tough book to review, as I have mixed feelings about it. I’m still tussling with it a bit but, for better or worse, these are my thoughts.
There is a proliferation of books set in cafes at the moment and from the title, cover and blurb of this book you might be expecting it to follow certain conventions that have sprung up around these books, but you’d be wrong to do so. The cafe setting is completely incidental to the storyline, it really is not the focus or the driving force of the plot. I am not saying this as a positive or a negative – it depends entirely on why you have picked up the book.
This is a book about family and how complicated those relationships can be and how it affects every aspect of our lives. Abby’s family life growing up can best be described as dysfunctional. Her father disappeared when she was in her teens, her relationship with her mother was always difficult and her best friend and first love, Jack, moved away just when she needed him most. Abby fell pregnant at 19 and ended up with a baby to raise alone. However, Abby has pulled herself up by her bootstraps, determined to give her daughter Lucy a more stable upbringing than the one she had, despite being a single parent. She has succeeded in doing this with the help of her brother, but Abby’s romantic life is non-existent, her relationship with her mother irreparable and her cafe in financial difficulty. The Jack walks back into her life and Abby’s life becomes even more complicated.
As Abby struggles with unresolved feelings for Jack and tries to find out why he left without a word all those years before, the secrets that Abby’s family have been keeping begin to unravel and she has to reassess everything she thought she understood about her past.
This is a book that has some real emotional depth and explores some complicated issues. I was pleasantly surprised at the places the plot took me. However, the problem I had was that, at the same time, the main character Abby displays some very contradictory superficial and immature behaviour that I found difficult to reconcile with the other aspects of her story. In addition, I was struggling to buy into Jack’s behaviour as a sympathetic romantic lead. I will try and expand on this in a way that will make sense without containing any spoilers.
Abby has managed to build a stable life for herself and her daughter from a young age without the support of either of her parents or a partner. Her daughter has turned out to be a wonderful young woman, so Abby has obviously dealt with her less-than-perfect situation in a way that has proved positive for her daughter despite huge obstacles. When all the family secrets start to come out of the woodwork, she manages to take them in her stride and deal with them fairly sensibly and rationally, which would lead you to conclude she has a certain level of emotional maturity.
At the same time her actions around Jack exhibit the opposite. She acts like a teenager, unable to make up her mind how she feels from one minute to the next, egging him on then pushing him away. This behaviour is repeated over and over to the point where it started to become irritating. She seems incapable of having an honest adult discussion with him about the past and how she feels. Her reasoning for not wanting to be with him mostly seemed to be that he was too rich and good looking for her. This was coupled with far too much focus on how physically attractive she found him every time he came near her – the point was laboured to the point of tedium – and I felt that this did Abby an injustice. I actually believe that she has more emotional depth and maturity than that. I could understand her insecurities about re-starting a relationship with an old flame given the changes the intervening years had wrought on her body. I could understand that she might not trust him not to abandon her again given his past form. These were motivations that were hinted at and would make more sense as valid reasons for avoiding getting involved to me but they were undermined by the rest of her thought processes which seemed inauthentic for a woman of her age and experience. I don’t know if the author was deliberately giving the impression that Abby’s romantic development was stunted as a result of her circumstances, maybe that is the generous assumption to make. I’m still undecided.
Jack’s motivations were even harder to fathom. He hasn’t seen Abby for 25 years but then, following a chance meeting, he is suddenly obsessed with her to the point of refusing to leave her alone, despite frequent requests by her that he do so. We are supposed to believe that he has been in love with her for the whole intervening period, but he has never made any efforts to contact her during that time, despite the fact that she is living in almost exactly the same place as she did the last time he saw her and would be very easy to track down. . I think his sudden relentless pursuit of her was supposed to be romantic and protective but he was so persistent in the face of rejection that it bordered on the edge of stalker-ish, especially given the less than savoury behaviour of her ex. My feelings about him were ambiguous at best.
This book moves on at a cracking pace with plenty of events thrown in to push the story along. In fact, so much had happened by the time I was fifty per cent of the way through that I wondered what could possibly be left to carry the book on to the end but it did not let up. I really enjoyed the momentum of this book and the twists and turns of the plot, it definitely packed more punch that the gentle food-based story you might be expecting from its wrappings. I think it was a shame that some of the emotional developments didn’t match up to the rest of the story.
This is the author’s debut novel and it shows real promise, despite some of the issues I identified above. I think this is a book that will appeal differently to different readers and someone else picking up this book will read it in another way and not have some of the misgivings I had. I recommend that you read it and reach your own conclusions. It is a complex story that deserves attention and feedback and is more than the sum of its cover and title.
I apologise for the length and rambling nature of this review, I think it is an accurate reflection of my many and complicated thoughts about this book.
There is a proliferation of books set in cafes at the moment and from the title, cover and blurb of this book you might be expecting it to follow certain conventions that have sprung up around these books, but you’d be wrong to do so. The cafe setting is completely incidental to the storyline, it really is not the focus or the driving force of the plot. I am not saying this as a positive or a negative – it depends entirely on why you have picked up the book.
This is a book about family and how complicated those relationships can be and how it affects every aspect of our lives. Abby’s family life growing up can best be described as dysfunctional. Her father disappeared when she was in her teens, her relationship with her mother was always difficult and her best friend and first love, Jack, moved away just when she needed him most. Abby fell pregnant at 19 and ended up with a baby to raise alone. However, Abby has pulled herself up by her bootstraps, determined to give her daughter Lucy a more stable upbringing than the one she had, despite being a single parent. She has succeeded in doing this with the help of her brother, but Abby’s romantic life is non-existent, her relationship with her mother irreparable and her cafe in financial difficulty. The Jack walks back into her life and Abby’s life becomes even more complicated.
As Abby struggles with unresolved feelings for Jack and tries to find out why he left without a word all those years before, the secrets that Abby’s family have been keeping begin to unravel and she has to reassess everything she thought she understood about her past.
This is a book that has some real emotional depth and explores some complicated issues. I was pleasantly surprised at the places the plot took me. However, the problem I had was that, at the same time, the main character Abby displays some very contradictory superficial and immature behaviour that I found difficult to reconcile with the other aspects of her story. In addition, I was struggling to buy into Jack’s behaviour as a sympathetic romantic lead. I will try and expand on this in a way that will make sense without containing any spoilers.
Abby has managed to build a stable life for herself and her daughter from a young age without the support of either of her parents or a partner. Her daughter has turned out to be a wonderful young woman, so Abby has obviously dealt with her less-than-perfect situation in a way that has proved positive for her daughter despite huge obstacles. When all the family secrets start to come out of the woodwork, she manages to take them in her stride and deal with them fairly sensibly and rationally, which would lead you to conclude she has a certain level of emotional maturity.
At the same time her actions around Jack exhibit the opposite. She acts like a teenager, unable to make up her mind how she feels from one minute to the next, egging him on then pushing him away. This behaviour is repeated over and over to the point where it started to become irritating. She seems incapable of having an honest adult discussion with him about the past and how she feels. Her reasoning for not wanting to be with him mostly seemed to be that he was too rich and good looking for her. This was coupled with far too much focus on how physically attractive she found him every time he came near her – the point was laboured to the point of tedium – and I felt that this did Abby an injustice. I actually believe that she has more emotional depth and maturity than that. I could understand her insecurities about re-starting a relationship with an old flame given the changes the intervening years had wrought on her body. I could understand that she might not trust him not to abandon her again given his past form. These were motivations that were hinted at and would make more sense as valid reasons for avoiding getting involved to me but they were undermined by the rest of her thought processes which seemed inauthentic for a woman of her age and experience. I don’t know if the author was deliberately giving the impression that Abby’s romantic development was stunted as a result of her circumstances, maybe that is the generous assumption to make. I’m still undecided.
Jack’s motivations were even harder to fathom. He hasn’t seen Abby for 25 years but then, following a chance meeting, he is suddenly obsessed with her to the point of refusing to leave her alone, despite frequent requests by her that he do so. We are supposed to believe that he has been in love with her for the whole intervening period, but he has never made any efforts to contact her during that time, despite the fact that she is living in almost exactly the same place as she did the last time he saw her and would be very easy to track down. . I think his sudden relentless pursuit of her was supposed to be romantic and protective but he was so persistent in the face of rejection that it bordered on the edge of stalker-ish, especially given the less than savoury behaviour of her ex. My feelings about him were ambiguous at best.
This book moves on at a cracking pace with plenty of events thrown in to push the story along. In fact, so much had happened by the time I was fifty per cent of the way through that I wondered what could possibly be left to carry the book on to the end but it did not let up. I really enjoyed the momentum of this book and the twists and turns of the plot, it definitely packed more punch that the gentle food-based story you might be expecting from its wrappings. I think it was a shame that some of the emotional developments didn’t match up to the rest of the story.
This is the author’s debut novel and it shows real promise, despite some of the issues I identified above. I think this is a book that will appeal differently to different readers and someone else picking up this book will read it in another way and not have some of the misgivings I had. I recommend that you read it and reach your own conclusions. It is a complex story that deserves attention and feedback and is more than the sum of its cover and title.
I apologise for the length and rambling nature of this review, I think it is an accurate reflection of my many and complicated thoughts about this book.
September 6, 2018
I enjoyed this book from start to finish. I thought the characters came alive and that I got to know them kinda...I loved Jack and Abbies story and was so happy they ended up together in the end. I loved the English talk in th story and I had a couple laughs at a few things Flo and Liz said and did. They are quite the characters! Having bodies on display for a funeral in the house is not uncommon in some places I have heard of this before... I look forward to.the next novel by Jane and will definitely be reading it! This book is very well done, great accomplishment Jane😘
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2018
This book is being perfect for fans of Jill Mansell and Debbie Johnson. I am a huge fan of both ladies and so I knew that this was a book I had to read. I am so glad that I did read it as I adored it but more about that in a bit.
I really took to the character of Abby. I felt for her too. She is the manager of a cafe which isn’t doing too well. It has had a snooty review from the local paper, which is hardly going to bring the customers in. Abby was hoping that a positive review would see customers flocking to the cafe. To be fair Abby does know that the menu needs revamping and the décor could do with being refreshed but she hasn’t been able to do that just yet. Abby is fast approaching middle age and her life has become her own again as she has an empty house after the chicks have flown the nest. Abby doesn’t know what to do with her free time. The start of the book sees Abby agree to help her friend, who has been asked to host a business bash and Abby agreed to make the desserts for her. Both Abby and her friend attended the same catering college and despite a couple of hiccups along the way, the pair have remained firm friends since then. Abby unexpectedly meets her childhood sweetheart and suddenly the future starts to look brighter. Will Abby find happiness? Will her cafe be a success? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Oh my days, I picked up this book at the right time. I was feeling fed up, too hot (us ginners do not cope well with hot weather), my back was hurting and I just needed a giggle. This book certainly ticked all those boxes and then some. From the moment I started to read, I found myself chuckling away at some of the antics that were taking place. There were also some moments where I found myself wanting to jump into the pages of the book to stand up for Abby and her friend over something I had read. The author’s writing style is such that you can’t fail to be drawn into the story and the story is so well written that I almost begin to believe that the story was ‘real’ and I found myself becoming involved with the characters. The characters certainly seemed to come alive. I began to think of Abby as a friend and of course I wanted to jump to her defence. I was hooked on this book from the moment I picked it up until the moment I closed the back page so to speak. Reading it became an addiction and before I knew what was happening I had cleared a fair chunk of the book but I hadn’t realised because I was enjoying the story and the characters so much.
I have to admit that ‘Secrets & Teas At Rosie Lees’ is a light hearted and funny read, particularly recommended from those who need a pick me up tonic or a distraction from their daily lives. This book certainly did both for me. I can’t wait to see what Jane Lacey-Crane comes up with next and here’s hoping that we don’t have too long a wait in store. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 5* out of 5*.
I really took to the character of Abby. I felt for her too. She is the manager of a cafe which isn’t doing too well. It has had a snooty review from the local paper, which is hardly going to bring the customers in. Abby was hoping that a positive review would see customers flocking to the cafe. To be fair Abby does know that the menu needs revamping and the décor could do with being refreshed but she hasn’t been able to do that just yet. Abby is fast approaching middle age and her life has become her own again as she has an empty house after the chicks have flown the nest. Abby doesn’t know what to do with her free time. The start of the book sees Abby agree to help her friend, who has been asked to host a business bash and Abby agreed to make the desserts for her. Both Abby and her friend attended the same catering college and despite a couple of hiccups along the way, the pair have remained firm friends since then. Abby unexpectedly meets her childhood sweetheart and suddenly the future starts to look brighter. Will Abby find happiness? Will her cafe be a success? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Oh my days, I picked up this book at the right time. I was feeling fed up, too hot (us ginners do not cope well with hot weather), my back was hurting and I just needed a giggle. This book certainly ticked all those boxes and then some. From the moment I started to read, I found myself chuckling away at some of the antics that were taking place. There were also some moments where I found myself wanting to jump into the pages of the book to stand up for Abby and her friend over something I had read. The author’s writing style is such that you can’t fail to be drawn into the story and the story is so well written that I almost begin to believe that the story was ‘real’ and I found myself becoming involved with the characters. The characters certainly seemed to come alive. I began to think of Abby as a friend and of course I wanted to jump to her defence. I was hooked on this book from the moment I picked it up until the moment I closed the back page so to speak. Reading it became an addiction and before I knew what was happening I had cleared a fair chunk of the book but I hadn’t realised because I was enjoying the story and the characters so much.
I have to admit that ‘Secrets & Teas At Rosie Lees’ is a light hearted and funny read, particularly recommended from those who need a pick me up tonic or a distraction from their daily lives. This book certainly did both for me. I can’t wait to see what Jane Lacey-Crane comes up with next and here’s hoping that we don’t have too long a wait in store. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 5* out of 5*.
August 27, 2018
A lovely book which I found hard to put down so I read it in 2 long sessions.
Abby runs a cafe in East London, having been left on her own with baby Lucy, 18 years ago. She's got by with her brother's (Matt) help along with her good friend Liz and old friend Flo.
Doing some catering for Liz she meets up with Jack, an old friend from her schooldays who is now a millionaire businessman.
When her Dad left when Abby was at school her Mum had a breakdown so her Grandparents looked after her and her brother.
Secrets start to come out of the woodwork though, which rock Abbys world. What is she going to do, especially when Lucy leaves for Uni in a few weeks time? Will Jack be there to pick up the pieces? Well she find out what's been kept from her all these years?
Full of twists and turns its a love story with a darker side. Well worth a read!
Abby runs a cafe in East London, having been left on her own with baby Lucy, 18 years ago. She's got by with her brother's (Matt) help along with her good friend Liz and old friend Flo.
Doing some catering for Liz she meets up with Jack, an old friend from her schooldays who is now a millionaire businessman.
When her Dad left when Abby was at school her Mum had a breakdown so her Grandparents looked after her and her brother.
Secrets start to come out of the woodwork though, which rock Abbys world. What is she going to do, especially when Lucy leaves for Uni in a few weeks time? Will Jack be there to pick up the pieces? Well she find out what's been kept from her all these years?
Full of twists and turns its a love story with a darker side. Well worth a read!
May 24, 2018
Abby Cowan is a thirty seven year old woman who owns a small cafe called Rosie Lee's in East London that hasn't been doing so well lately and may very well go out of business if Abby isn't able to drum up more business. Her daughter Lucy is off to college soon, her love life hasn't seen the light of day in years, her Dad went away mysteriously when she was fifteen and she doesn't seem to get on too well with her Mother most days.
It's a lot for a person to try to take on and life's about to get even more tricky when she runs into her first love Jack Chance while helping her best friend Liv cater a party, it tilts her world on its access. His family moved without warning shortly after her Dad left and though there seemed to be a budding romance, she hadn't heard a word from him since. Caught between wanting to give in to her libido or completely pretend she couldn't care what he does either way, Jack isn't about to let her go so easily this time.
Then one day Abby receives a call about her Mom that will change everything she thought about her Mom, reveal secrets that have been kept since she was fifteen including what really happened to her Dad.
It will take the strength of family and friends to help show Abby that life is just getting started for her and sometimes there's a chance to make a go at the one that got away.
It was such a pleasure to read this book and there's so much to take in. I loved Abby's relationship with Lucy, Flo and Liz who all were there for her and always trying to look out for her. Abby and Lucy are Mother and Daughter but they are also very close and have formed such a wonderful bond.
I also loved how Abby and Jack just couldn't stay away from each other for long once he was back in the East End of London. They may have led different lives but it's obvious how crazy Jack is for Abby though I do think he could have tried harder to stay in contact in the beginning. It makes sense why Abby is reluctant to be around Jack because the feelings keep knocking her over and yet she's scared at the thought of being hurt again.
This book was an interesting mix of funny, heartbreaking, the power of friendship, large amounts of tea and the importance of believing in yourself. I hope you'll enjoy this story as much as I have!
It's a lot for a person to try to take on and life's about to get even more tricky when she runs into her first love Jack Chance while helping her best friend Liv cater a party, it tilts her world on its access. His family moved without warning shortly after her Dad left and though there seemed to be a budding romance, she hadn't heard a word from him since. Caught between wanting to give in to her libido or completely pretend she couldn't care what he does either way, Jack isn't about to let her go so easily this time.
Then one day Abby receives a call about her Mom that will change everything she thought about her Mom, reveal secrets that have been kept since she was fifteen including what really happened to her Dad.
It will take the strength of family and friends to help show Abby that life is just getting started for her and sometimes there's a chance to make a go at the one that got away.
It was such a pleasure to read this book and there's so much to take in. I loved Abby's relationship with Lucy, Flo and Liz who all were there for her and always trying to look out for her. Abby and Lucy are Mother and Daughter but they are also very close and have formed such a wonderful bond.
I also loved how Abby and Jack just couldn't stay away from each other for long once he was back in the East End of London. They may have led different lives but it's obvious how crazy Jack is for Abby though I do think he could have tried harder to stay in contact in the beginning. It makes sense why Abby is reluctant to be around Jack because the feelings keep knocking her over and yet she's scared at the thought of being hurt again.
This book was an interesting mix of funny, heartbreaking, the power of friendship, large amounts of tea and the importance of believing in yourself. I hope you'll enjoy this story as much as I have!
May 21, 2018
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the Publisher, Aria for this review copy given in exchange for an honest review. Also thank you to Melanie from Aria for organising the Blog Tour!
Welcome to Rosie Lee’s. A no frills café in the heart of the East End of London. There’s no fancy bread or funny milk here. What the café’s owner, Abby offers in good old fashioned fry-ups! Unfortunately, cooked breakfasts alone doesn’t pay the bills. Not only does Abby’s café need a serious makeover, but so does Abby. Reaching the forties faster than she would like to admit, Abby grasps her teapots with both hands when Jack Chance, her ‘One That Got Away’ reappears back in the café. Can things be on the up?
My first book by this author and I did enjoy it! It wasn’t quite what I was expecting as I imagined it to be more of a ‘chick-lit’ read than it actually was! It was more of a book of lost love, family and growing old! Abby was a lovely character and I loved the idea that the café wasn’t in some beachside position or trendy London street, but in a run-down area of London. I had a picture in my mind of what it looked like and could imagine how difficult it must have been to make it a successful business. I wasn’t keen on Jack’s character and really wanted him to just go away and leave Abby alone – she didn’t need him even though she obviously wanted him!
This was definitely an enjoyable read and it could have fitted really well into an episode of Eastenders! It is quite a long book though, but it’s is perfect as a beach read, lounging around in the sun! Will definitely keep my eye out for more by this author!
Welcome to Rosie Lee’s. A no frills café in the heart of the East End of London. There’s no fancy bread or funny milk here. What the café’s owner, Abby offers in good old fashioned fry-ups! Unfortunately, cooked breakfasts alone doesn’t pay the bills. Not only does Abby’s café need a serious makeover, but so does Abby. Reaching the forties faster than she would like to admit, Abby grasps her teapots with both hands when Jack Chance, her ‘One That Got Away’ reappears back in the café. Can things be on the up?
My first book by this author and I did enjoy it! It wasn’t quite what I was expecting as I imagined it to be more of a ‘chick-lit’ read than it actually was! It was more of a book of lost love, family and growing old! Abby was a lovely character and I loved the idea that the café wasn’t in some beachside position or trendy London street, but in a run-down area of London. I had a picture in my mind of what it looked like and could imagine how difficult it must have been to make it a successful business. I wasn’t keen on Jack’s character and really wanted him to just go away and leave Abby alone – she didn’t need him even though she obviously wanted him!
This was definitely an enjoyable read and it could have fitted really well into an episode of Eastenders! It is quite a long book though, but it’s is perfect as a beach read, lounging around in the sun! Will definitely keep my eye out for more by this author!
August 20, 2018
Well-written British women's fiction/romance that I enjoyed overall. Parts of it were hard to read because of certain subject matter that hit a little too close to home, but that's no fault of that book. The main protagonist was irritating at times but the charming supporting cast helped make up for it. Depended a little to much on the romance trope of a misunderstanding that never would have happened if the couple just grew up and had an honest conversation, of which I'm not a fan. But overall it had a good plot and characters I cared about, and I'm still thinking about it a day after finishing, so it was a worthwhile read.
July 31, 2018
This book truly has everything: family secrets & ties; a captivating love story and a thriller streak. I have just finished it and I feel emotionally raw (in a good way!). The writing is effortless, it flows beautifully and you feel so attached to Abby, the heroine, as well as the people she comes into contact with. You get a good feel for them all, their characterisation is wonderfully strong and realistic.
You truly spend the entire book rooting your socks off for Abby, willing her to get everything that is fabulous in life. Her tale is so poignant, addressing the many emotional turns that real-life throws at us: death of loved ones; difficult family relationships; kids leaving the family nest; the need to protect those that we love...
I just couldn't put it down, so here I am, less than 24 hours after I started it, telling you to just buy it and experience it for yourself. You really won't be disappointed. And for a debut, well blow me, if that's Miss Lacey-Crane's debut then I for one cannot wait for what's coming next!
You truly spend the entire book rooting your socks off for Abby, willing her to get everything that is fabulous in life. Her tale is so poignant, addressing the many emotional turns that real-life throws at us: death of loved ones; difficult family relationships; kids leaving the family nest; the need to protect those that we love...
I just couldn't put it down, so here I am, less than 24 hours after I started it, telling you to just buy it and experience it for yourself. You really won't be disappointed. And for a debut, well blow me, if that's Miss Lacey-Crane's debut then I for one cannot wait for what's coming next!
July 12, 2018
Abigail has grown up in a home without a father, as he disappeared twenty years earlier, and is currently a single mother and solo owner of a small tea shop. No romantic opportunities on the horizon, until she helps her best friend Liz with the catering of a social function . Don't want to spoil it for anyone but it is so worth reading this book. A perfect read at the beach, on the bus or train or just sitting at home.
I thoroughly enjoyed this delightful, romantic read. It was well written and I would certainly love to read the author's next book. A sequel would be fabulous!
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy. This is my honest opinion.
I thoroughly enjoyed this delightful, romantic read. It was well written and I would certainly love to read the author's next book. A sequel would be fabulous!
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy. This is my honest opinion.
June 7, 2018
True love
Gosh! this was a great book, best I have read in a long time, witty, sad, loving, bullying, stealing, it had it all. The best person in all this was Jack, his love drove him back and forward for his childhood sweetheart, read to see how it panned out, you won't be disappointed.
Gosh! this was a great book, best I have read in a long time, witty, sad, loving, bullying, stealing, it had it all. The best person in all this was Jack, his love drove him back and forward for his childhood sweetheart, read to see how it panned out, you won't be disappointed.
June 7, 2018
Fabulous. A winner. A must read. I couldn’t put the book down. I read until I fell asleep on the couch. With twists in the plot, I didn’t figure it out. A bit of family drama, family love, disappointment, old love/new love and loyal friends.
May 18, 2018
It took me a while to get in to this book, but once I did I enjoyed reading it.
Characters who are likeable and some twists in the story to keep you guessing.
Characters who are likeable and some twists in the story to keep you guessing.
May 18, 2018
Drew me in from the first pages.An English saga full off drama complicated relationships old loves,looking forward to more from this author.thanks NetGalley ,aria for advance copy.
Aria
Aria
September 7, 2018
As a debut novel Jane Lacey-Crane has done a great job with Secrets and Teas at Rosie Lee’s it’s so much more than your average chick-lit café-based novel. It’s a book which is filled with family secrets, romantic twists and the criminal world of east end London.
Single mum Abby is struggling to keep her café business in the east end of London afloat as she competes with the trendier establishments opening up in the neighbourhood. She’s happy on her own until one-night Abby runs into Jack Chance her childhood sweetheart (and the one-that-got-away) and life as she knows it slowly begins to unravel. As Abby confronts the demons of her past maybe she will get a second chance at love?
I loved that this book totally shattered my expectations, quaint and cosy it is not. Abby’s life has been hard and throughout the book she’s dealt even more trouble which made for excellent reading as it felt more realistic. I thought she was a good character but did get a little frustrated with her behaviour towards Jack, it felt very immature the way she was throwing herself at him one minute and then shutting him out completely the next. Although perhaps with all she was going through she didn’t have a clue what she really wanted.
This is a fast-paced book which I raced through as I was desperate to uncover all the secrets, which just kept coming. I’m very excited to see what the author comes up with next as I thought this was a brilliant debut with realistic characters who worked well together throughout the emotional journey Abby and her family face.
Thank you to Aria for sending me a copy to review and inviting me to be part of the blog tour.
Single mum Abby is struggling to keep her café business in the east end of London afloat as she competes with the trendier establishments opening up in the neighbourhood. She’s happy on her own until one-night Abby runs into Jack Chance her childhood sweetheart (and the one-that-got-away) and life as she knows it slowly begins to unravel. As Abby confronts the demons of her past maybe she will get a second chance at love?
I loved that this book totally shattered my expectations, quaint and cosy it is not. Abby’s life has been hard and throughout the book she’s dealt even more trouble which made for excellent reading as it felt more realistic. I thought she was a good character but did get a little frustrated with her behaviour towards Jack, it felt very immature the way she was throwing herself at him one minute and then shutting him out completely the next. Although perhaps with all she was going through she didn’t have a clue what she really wanted.
This is a fast-paced book which I raced through as I was desperate to uncover all the secrets, which just kept coming. I’m very excited to see what the author comes up with next as I thought this was a brilliant debut with realistic characters who worked well together throughout the emotional journey Abby and her family face.
Thank you to Aria for sending me a copy to review and inviting me to be part of the blog tour.
May 20, 2018
If you're expecting a story that revolves around a cafe, you'll be disappointed; the cafe does feature in this tale of second chances, family secrets and organised crime but its more about the heroine's emotional journey than hearty breakfasts and afternoon tea.
Abby is a likeable protagonist, despite having a difficult childhood and teenage, she has enough people around her that care to make a success of life but she finds it difficult to trust and when her first love returns, even though she feels the emotional and sensual pull she runs the other way.
Jack is a dreamy hero, but he finds despite his entrepreneurial success, true love alludes him. He too has an emotional journey to travel, and he struggles to understand Abby and her conflicting signs and what he has to do, to get her in his life again.
Family and indeed community secrets are the backbone of this story, and they come across as believable, organised crime threatens everything Abby holds dear and as the secrets unravel the danger increases.
A mix of romance and crime make this an absorbing read, even if it's not the feel-good cafe story I expected.
I received a copy of this book from Aria Fiction via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Abby is a likeable protagonist, despite having a difficult childhood and teenage, she has enough people around her that care to make a success of life but she finds it difficult to trust and when her first love returns, even though she feels the emotional and sensual pull she runs the other way.
Jack is a dreamy hero, but he finds despite his entrepreneurial success, true love alludes him. He too has an emotional journey to travel, and he struggles to understand Abby and her conflicting signs and what he has to do, to get her in his life again.
Family and indeed community secrets are the backbone of this story, and they come across as believable, organised crime threatens everything Abby holds dear and as the secrets unravel the danger increases.
A mix of romance and crime make this an absorbing read, even if it's not the feel-good cafe story I expected.
I received a copy of this book from Aria Fiction via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
May 3, 2018
An easy light read, perfect for by the pool or beach. Abby is approaching her forties and encounters a flame from her past as she tries to navigate through the uncertainty of her own future as her teenage daughter gets ready to fly the nest to head off to university. The secrets were at times a bit far fetched, and you have to ignore some of the questions that come into your head regarding Abby's inability to find out what happened to her missing father (seriously, if you can google your ex, you can google what happened to your dad), but aside from those irritating plot devices in order to keep the secrets shrouded until the reveal the characters were likeable enough. I personally wasn't keen on Jack (sorry Jane), and it seems almost impossible to believe that in the time since leaving Abby the two of them had not grown and developed much more than what the book allowed, and Abby's lack of dating experience was also difficult to accept in the online dating age. But aside from these little quirks, Jane's debut novel shows great promise and I am sure she will have more for us in the next book.
May 30, 2018
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This is a brilliant summer read and it has everything needed to help you happily pass a few hours in the sun!
The characters were great, immediately likeable and I loved the plot! It’s a funny book and had me laughing at times, it completely relaxed !e and let me escape from the day to day! I thoroughly enjoyed it!!
4.5 stars from me, rounded up to 5 stars for Amazon and Goodreads!
This is a brilliant summer read and it has everything needed to help you happily pass a few hours in the sun!
The characters were great, immediately likeable and I loved the plot! It’s a funny book and had me laughing at times, it completely relaxed !e and let me escape from the day to day! I thoroughly enjoyed it!!
4.5 stars from me, rounded up to 5 stars for Amazon and Goodreads!
January 9, 2019
This was a charming novel with a genuine feel for 'real' London (not always easy to get right) and a beautiful story at its heart. I'm an absolute sucker for the reunion romance trope, and this book did not disappoint on that front. I adored falling in love with the hero and crossed my fingers all the way through that he and the heroine would- finally!- work things out between them. There is a lovely cast of background characters to liven up the romance, and I laughed out loud on occasion. I have already bookmarked the author's second book to be read in February, and I can't wait.
April 7, 2019
I received a digital arc of #SecretsAndTeaAtRosieLee's from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When I got this I was expecting a light hearted book that is typical of the cafe setting. However the story line of this book was a lot deeper than that. It was a lovely read with some mystery thrown in too. There are definitely plenty of secrets at Rosie Lee's!
When I got this I was expecting a light hearted book that is typical of the cafe setting. However the story line of this book was a lot deeper than that. It was a lovely read with some mystery thrown in too. There are definitely plenty of secrets at Rosie Lee's!
May 10, 2019
Great story
A story full of misunderstandings, friendship, mothers and daughters and of course teenage sweethearts that meet up again. Secrets and scary things all make this a delightful read. Try it - I am sure you will enjoy it.
A story full of misunderstandings, friendship, mothers and daughters and of course teenage sweethearts that meet up again. Secrets and scary things all make this a delightful read. Try it - I am sure you will enjoy it.
July 21, 2019
This book was not what I expected at all. To begin with I thought it would be just an easy read about a lady who opened a cafe. I was wrong there was so many other bits going on it really added to the story and was a great engaging read. Recommend if you want a light read but with twist and turns along the way.
October 30, 2018
The plot of this book was quite original and had a small twist at the end that was surprising. The romantic female lead character was described in depth but the male lead character felt a bit lacking. A big splash was constantly made about him being a millionaire and not more of his personality came out. There was not much of a developing romance between the characters. More of a "we knew each other years ago and we still love each other" but will she or won't she. The focus I felt was more on the family tragedy that the female lead has. The book was readable but didn't evoke any real emotion in me.
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