Wow! Having read Jenny Colgan's Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe before (which is also an amazing read, especially for cupcake lovers like me!) I knew that I would really enjoy this book as I love her style of writing. It's been sitting on my shelf itching to be read, so I finally allowed myself to! and wow!
I think it is plausible to say that I was engrossed from page 1 and have barely put it down since (unless required with much begrudging).
"Were you a sherbet lemon or chocolate lime fan? Soft chewy ones or hard boiled sweeties (you do get more for your money that way)? The jangle of your pocket money . . . the rustle of the pink and green striped paper bag . . .
Rosie Hopkins thinks leaving her busy London life, and her boyfriend Gerard, to sort out her elderly Aunt Lilian s sweetshop in a small country village is going to be dull. Boy, is she wrong.
Lilian Hopkins has spent her life running Lipton's sweetshop, through wartime and family feuds. As she struggles with the idea that it might finally be time to settle up, she also wrestles with the secret history hidden behind the jars of beautifully coloured sweets.
Welcome to Rosie Hopkins Sweetshop of Dreams, a novel, with recipes." (goodreads)
The story itself from afar, at first, seems predictable: city girl moves to sleepy village unwillingly, eventually falls in love with the place, dumps useless boyfriend and falls in love with the man of her dreams, but it is told with such magic that you sit on the edge of you seat wondering if that is how it is going to turn out. You really have no idea until right at the end what is going to happen! I found myself torn between wanting to cry over what was going wrong and screaming at Rosie to not go back to London or leave the man she truly loves!
It sounds exaggerated, but it really isn't!
It's such a wonderful book that offers endless (or not as many if you read it as quickly as I did) hours of escapism and really draws you into such a wonderful story that you don't want to leave! All the characters are so beautifully crafted that even the horrid ones you just have to love! As emotional and romantic as it is, it is also really funny! Don't underestimate the humour in a chick-lit! I found myself frequently chuckling outloud! Especially when Edison says he has a stigmatism and that and wearing glasses means he'll be super clever (my mum believe it as much in my case with my stigmatism!).
Jenny Colgan has really captured the beauty of a story, especially one about sweets! And has really gotten into the minds (and hearts) of those fond, english childhood memories of old fashioned sweet shops!
Not to be read without a bag of sweets of this kind though!!
I think it is plausible to say that I was engrossed from page 1 and have barely put it down since (unless required with much begrudging).
"Were you a sherbet lemon or chocolate lime fan? Soft chewy ones or hard boiled sweeties (you do get more for your money that way)? The jangle of your pocket money . . . the rustle of the pink and green striped paper bag . . .
Rosie Hopkins thinks leaving her busy London life, and her boyfriend Gerard, to sort out her elderly Aunt Lilian s sweetshop in a small country village is going to be dull. Boy, is she wrong.
Lilian Hopkins has spent her life running Lipton's sweetshop, through wartime and family feuds. As she struggles with the idea that it might finally be time to settle up, she also wrestles with the secret history hidden behind the jars of beautifully coloured sweets.
Welcome to Rosie Hopkins Sweetshop of Dreams, a novel, with recipes." (goodreads)
The story itself from afar, at first, seems predictable: city girl moves to sleepy village unwillingly, eventually falls in love with the place, dumps useless boyfriend and falls in love with the man of her dreams, but it is told with such magic that you sit on the edge of you seat wondering if that is how it is going to turn out. You really have no idea until right at the end what is going to happen! I found myself torn between wanting to cry over what was going wrong and screaming at Rosie to not go back to London or leave the man she truly loves!
It sounds exaggerated, but it really isn't!
It's such a wonderful book that offers endless (or not as many if you read it as quickly as I did) hours of escapism and really draws you into such a wonderful story that you don't want to leave! All the characters are so beautifully crafted that even the horrid ones you just have to love! As emotional and romantic as it is, it is also really funny! Don't underestimate the humour in a chick-lit! I found myself frequently chuckling outloud! Especially when Edison says he has a stigmatism and that and wearing glasses means he'll be super clever (my mum believe it as much in my case with my stigmatism!).
Jenny Colgan has really captured the beauty of a story, especially one about sweets! And has really gotten into the minds (and hearts) of those fond, english childhood memories of old fashioned sweet shops!
Not to be read without a bag of sweets of this kind though!!
