Inver Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 It was the title that caught my eye. Any excuse to read about another favourite hobby...visiting Tea Rooms....!!! This was a lovely easy read. Ideal for an inbetween more serious reads. Based around 'The Tea House' it tells the story of the lives of those who use the tea house. Penny who owns the shop with her husband Daniel but is hoping for a change in how they run the place. Brenda, the would be artist, struggling to make ends meet but ever hopeful she will one day meet Nicholas Cage. Sadie finds refuge in her indulgence of scoffing back the famous cherry cheesecake and in so doing takes away the truth about her husbands infidelity. Clare who returns home and seeks to find her first love. Henry, who suffers quietly on his own, with his wife's obsession of creating a group called 'the Bronte Bunch' and holding readings in her new conservatory. They all intermingle with one another but they all have the one thing in common 'The Tea House'. Sometimes a wee bit sad and others funny. You do hope it all works out for those concerned.....but you will have to read it to find out. Have now offered this as a Bookring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K1nS Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Great review Inver, I have just ordered this from the library Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I'm sure I've read this, and the follow up, The Ballroom on Magnolia Street, but I just can't remember it, even from the blurb. I can even remember which coffee shop I was in as I read it, but I just can't recall the story at all! I must have enjoyed it because I did read her second book, which I do remember, and also liked. I've just looked on fantasticfiction.co.uk to see if the cover would jog my memory, and I do definitely remember it, but I still can't recall the story. However, I have noticed the author has written a book every year, and has five more books out since I read the last one, and I haven't seen any of them jumping out at me in bookshops - something to look out for next year when I've reduced my TBR pile! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I have noticed the author has written a book every year, and has five more books out since I read the last one, and I haven't seen any of them jumping out at me in bookshops - something to look out for next year when I've reduced my TBR pile! How easier said than done that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosegarden Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Yes, it was the title that caught my eye as well ! I borrowed the audio version of this a couple of years ago from the library and remember it was a lovely easygoing book following the lives of various characters. Carole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inver Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share Posted February 23, 2009 I'm sure I've read this, and the follow up, The Ballroom on Magnolia Street, but I just can't remember it, even from the blurb. I can even remember which coffee shop I was in as I read it, but I just can't recall the story at all! I must have enjoyed it because I did read her second book, which I do remember, and also liked. I've just looked on fantasticfiction.co.uk to see if the cover would jog my memory, and I do definitely remember it, but I still can't recall the story. However, I have noticed the author has written a book every year, and has five more books out since I read the last one, and I haven't seen any of them jumping out at me in bookshops - something to look out for next year when I've reduced my TBR pile! Thanks for all that....must keep a look out for some more of them to add to my toppling TBR pile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Synopsis from FantasticFiction: The old tea house on Mulberry Street in Belfast hasn't changed much over the years. But it's about to bear witness to some significant transformations Daniel Stanley might make the most glorious deserts in the whole of Ireland, but he won't support his wife Penny's desire to have at least one bun in the oven. And the owners of Muldoon's Tea Rooms are just two of the people inside hoping for change. Struggling artist Brenda sits penning letters to Nicholas Cage and dreaming of a better life. Sadie finds refuge from her diet and her husband's infidelity in Daniel's famous cherry cheesecake. Clare returns home from twenty years in New York, still cherishing the memory of the one night she truly loved and lost. And Penny herself discovers a secret from the past and a sexy estate agent very much in her present. They all want their lives to change but are they willing to face the consequences? And the possibility that you might not always be able to have your cake and eat it. This was another author I had not read before and found her to be OK. The book is a bit disjointed. The characters don't really mix - all of them led separate lives which did not connect. However, I enjoyed the story. I found it interesting to discover what would happen to Penny as she tries to change her unhappy life, Sadie plots revenge on her cheating husband, Clare pines for and hunts down the love of her life and Brenda as she paints and longs for Nicholas Cage. There were more characters that I can't even remember much about. There was just a little bit too much going on and it didn't come together neatly. All that said, I did read to the end and wanted to know what happened. Maybe the ending wasn't too convincing but then that didn't spoil the story too much. This is an OK chick-lit book. 7/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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