My Summer Reads: The Cherry Tree Cafe by Heidi Swain

 

 

Lizzie Dixon is expecting a proposal from her boyfriend Giles after he's treated her to the day at a spa followed by a romantic meal. But rather than producing a ring, Giles delivers a devastating blow: he's breaking up with Lizzie and going back to his ex, who he has never stopped loving.

 

When it looks like she is about to lose her job too, Lizzie feels like her life is falling apart. With encouragement from her best friend, Jemma, Lizzie returns to her hometown where Jemma is preparing to open a café. Putting her sewing and crafts skills to good use, Lizzie helps to reinvent the café.

 

The Cherry Tree Café distracts Lizzie from her heartbreak, as does the familiar face of her high school crush Ben, but can Lizzie really get over Giles and move on with her life?

 

I was looking forward to reading The Cherry Tree Café as it contains two of my favourite things: cake and crafts. I loved the café setting of the book and I wanted to join in the sewing sessions and eat a cupcake or two! I liked Heidi's writing style as it eased me into the story nicely and had a lovely flow to it. I immediately took against Giles (the pig!) and hoped that by moving back with her loved ones, Lizzie could rebuild her life.

 

There are some hiccups along the way, especially with Lizzie's former crush Ben, who has a mysterious, heartbreaking past himself, and Lizzie and Jemma's friendship becomes strained, which is a shame as they work well as a team. I hoped they could find a way to resolve their issues and remain the close friends they obviously are. Although as a reader I knew what would happen with regards to Lizzie's love life (and wouldn't have wanted it any other way), there were plenty of twists, turns and surprises to keep me on my toes!

 

There are some great characters within the book, whether they are sweet and likable or not quite so sweet and likable. I was particularly interested in the relationship between Lizzie and her mother and I adored the bond between Lizzie and her father as they united against her mother's sometimes brusque nature.

 

I thought The Cherry Tree Café was a fun, craft-and-cake-filled novel that I enjoyed very much.

 

 

 

My Summer Reads is a celebration of summer reading, with reviews, giveaways and sunshiny reading habits.

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