Sunday 27 April 2014

Little Beach Street Bakery

Welcome to my little Niche within the library. So grab a coffee and let's review some books. Little Beach Street BakeryLittle Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan




After Polly Waterford's world turned upside down when the business she and her depressed and ' mamma's boy' boyfriend, Chris, went down the pan and had to sell their flat in Plymouth, all Polly wanted to do was start a new life.

She found a cheap flat in Cornwall in the little sleepy Cornish village of Mount Polbearne. There she meets a motely crew of characters including the insufferable Mrs Manse, her grumpy landlady who owns the local bakery, a group of lively fishermen, an American bee keeper named Huckle, Huckle's eccentric friend, Reuben and a puffin named Neil.



Polly tries to forget her past and takes out all her frustrations by kneading bread, which is Polly's favourite pastime. Soon her bread becomes famous throughout Polbearne and word soon spreads of her delicious bread much to the chagrin of Mrs Manse who forbids her to bake more bread. Determine to continue making bread, Polly starts selling her bread to the locals in secret.

When an accident strikes, though, involving Mrs Manse, Polly is forced into helping the old woman in the bakery. Soon Polly, with the gift of a brick oven given to her by Huckle's friend, Reuben, opens a new Bakery in town called The Little Beach Street Bakery.



I enjoyed this book from beginning to end! I especially loved Kerensa and Rueben's Star War-themed Wedding and the scene where Neil comes in the picture. Without giving too much away, the book has a happy ending.



This is the fifth food- related book that Jenny Colgan has written. I loved her Meet Me at the Cupcake Café, and she delighted me in The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris.

What inspired me to read her books was her baking -themed fiction. Being a baker at heart, I can relate to several of the characters in Jenny's books.



Each of these books include lots of recipes for the reader to try. Little Beach Street Bakery is a feel good kind of read. One of the themes covered in the book is starting over or turning a new leaf in life. The characters are well-rounded and believable. My favourite characters in the book are Polly Waterford, Neil the Puffin, the unforgettable Tarnie, Huckle, the Beekeeper from Savannah, Georgia, Polly's quirky friend, Kerensa and the eccentric chef, Reuben.



Born in Scotland, Jenny Colgan now lives in London and France with her husband and three children. Her books, Rosie Hopkins Sweet Shop of Dreams has won her the Romance Novel Award in 2013. A true Dr Who fan, Jenny has written a Doctor Who- related book, Dr Who-Into the Nowhere (Time Trip). Life definitely is Sweet with Jenny Colgan!