I have always enjoyed books by Lizzie Chantree and was delighted when I had the chance to meet her when she lectured at a conference earlier this year. She is as lovely as her books and I was lucky enough to secure a signed copy of her new book The Little Ice Cream Shop by the Sea. These are my thoughts.
The Blurb
An gorgeous seaside romance, full of humour, family life and second chances at love.
Heart-broken, Genie, has lost everything, including her confidence. Living in a tiny corner of paradise and running a pretty little ice cream shop, has been her life for as long as she can remember, but suddenly her mother wants to sell to developers and leave their shared history behind.
Determined to buy the café, Genie finds the courage to accept an unconventional investment offer from customer, Ada, who has a mysterious past and a gorgeous but distracting grandson. Ada feels that Genie and her grandson, Cal, will work well together, but sparks fly and tempers are lost.
Working in a seafront business with its fiery owner, is the only way Cal can think of, to keep his ex-Hollywood glamour-puss, gran from harm. Cal, wants to protect his grandmother from Genie, but soon realises that living in a picturesque seaside town and away from the paparazzi in Hollywood can actually give him time to heal and could even offer him his own happily ever after.
Learning to love herself and find success on her own is Genie’s first step. But when long-lost dreams are reignited, will she be able to trust someone new with her heart?
The Review
The main character of this clever story is Genie who works in the seaside café that has been run by her family for many years. She has big ideas for improvement of the business but these are ignored and she broods because she works very hard but has a boring life.
Then Genie’s parents announce they’re going to sell the café – and move to Cornwall to be near her maternal grandparents and they have even another café there without even consulting Genie.
Genie decides to buy them out but as the business is failing, the bank won't lend her the money she needs, however one of her customers, Ada, does. Ada is a widowed famous actress, with many memories, and they are the reason she is there, having left the rest of her family in America.
What follows is a complex story that follows Genie and her friendship with Ada, her thoughts about a handsome waiter and her feelings for Ada's grandson. Needless to say, heartache and romance follow her around.
Just when I was feeling for Genie, she decides to drive to her parents' new home and uncovers some remarkable family secrets. The book just gets better and better as the story develops.
I thoroughly enjoyed this marvelous book by Lizzie Chantree and highly recommend it.
The Author
International bestselling author and award-winning inventor, Lizzie Chantree, has been featured on television and radio. She discovered her love of writing fiction when her children were little and now writes books full of friendship and laughter, that are about women who are far stronger than they realise. She lives with her family on the coast in Essex. Visit her website at lizziechantree.com or follow her on Twitter, @Lizzie_Chantree
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