Friday 14 October 2016

Book Review - The Christmas Cake Cafe by Sue Watson

Amazon UK
Title: The Christmas Cake Cafe
Author: Sue Watson
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Netgalley
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: 14th October 2016
Rating: 5 Stars


As the Prosecco chills and Bing Crosby croons, Jen Barker just knows that her long-term boyfriend is about to propose.  But instead of a diamond ring nestled in her champagne flute, Jen finds cold flat rejection.  Her once perfect life and dreams of a husband and family seem even further from reach.  

A working holiday to the Swiss Alps with her younger sister Jody might not be the Christmas Jen had it mind, but it offers her the chance to recharge her batteries and recover from heartbreak. 

When Jen meets handsome ski instructor Jon Zutter her hopes for a happy-ever-after seem within her grasp again. Jon is kind and gorgeous and as they bond over Sachetorte at the picturesque Cake CafĂ©, Jen thinks he might just be her perfect man. But a relationship with him comes with a catch – and there are some things even cake can’t fix. 

As the snow falls and Christmas approaches, could this be the place that restores Jen Barker’s faith in love? 

What a deliciously delightful Christmas book that will make you laugh and cry with happiness, while set against a gorgeous wintery backdrop of a ski resort in Switzerland. 

Amazingly with the exception of one truly memorable scene including a cow onesie there wasn't much skiing involved, but there were loads of descriptions of mouthe watering Christmas cakes, as well a gorgeous ski instructor who sweeps Jen off her feet, quite literally. 

A year ago Jen had been hoping for a proposal for Tim, only for him to dump her, in the months that followed, her half sister Jody who she hadn't really known that well, does a lot to cheer her up. In fact it is Jody's idea for Jen to spend this Christmas in Switzerland on a working holiday, along with some of Jody's friends. 

One of the recurring jokes in the story but that doesn't get old is the amount of times Jen ends up in an embarrassing situation, where Jon is present, while not wearing her own clothes, thanks to what appears to be the world's most inept airline at recovering a case. 

As the story progresses, even in a relatively short space of time it was great to see the amount of personal development shown from Jen, who in her early 40s has been despairing a bit about life. She is learning slowly how to be free from the brainwashing of her long term partner, and just what being herself is all about. 

I found The Christmas Cake Cafe to be just the sort of wonderful distraction I needed from some things going on in my personal life, it cheered me up no end, even if at some of the descriptions I felt very hungry. It has all of the humour you would expect from a Sue Watson story, complete with plenty of  snow and a just generally light hearted wintery story, that won't fail to lift your spirits. 

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bookouture for this review copy. This was my honest opinion. 

1 comment:

  1. Awww, fab review! Glad it provided a lovely distraction for you, Rachel! Well done, Sue! :) xx

    ReplyDelete

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