Saturday, September 28, 2019

Book Review: Bonfires & Hot Chocolate at The Little Duck Pond Cafe (Little Duck Pond Cafe, Book 7) by Rosie Green



Bonfires & Hot Chocolate at The Little Duck Pond Cafe (Little Duck Pond Cafe, Book 7)
by Rosie Green


Amazon  US / UK / AU / CA 


If you love all the colors of autumn, you're sure to warm to this uplifting story of love, loss and starting over.


Primrose Wilkins arrived in Sunnybrook with a burning desire to find the family she's never known. But after a heart-breaking false start, she's beginning to have second thoughts. Can she find the courage to battle on in her quest? And with her romantic life at an all-time low, will meeting the intriguing and attractive Callum Davy be just what she needs to renew her faith in love?


Meanwhile, Fen is also finding it hard to be brave. She's made it through to the final of TV show 'Battle of the Bakes' (thanks to Ellie entering on her behalf), but she's always shied away from being in the spotlight. How will Fen cope now that she's a famous 'celebrity', recognised in the street everywhere she goes?


My Rating:


Favorite Quotes:


Apparently alcohol kills brain cells slowly… But that doesn’t bother me because I’m not in a hurry.


I met Harvey at a speed dating event that Gran persuaded me to go to… I later found out he’d gone on the Greek jaunt in question in the company of my mobile hairdresser, Kirsty, who I’d thought was my friend. Presumably Harvey had lots of fun in the sun and a free haircut. (I know what I’d have been tempted to do with Kirsty’s scissors.) It was a double blow. I lost a boyfriend. But worse, I had to find myself a new hairdresser.


I’m Barry, your friendly local photographer. Available for weddings, christenings and contract killings. I shoot people.


The only time I ever saw that depth of affection in my ex’s eyes was when he was checking his own reflection in shop windows, which he seemed to do an awful lot.


And who wouldn’t enjoy being desired by an attractive man like him? Against the backdrop of a starry sky and the lovely party, that kiss should have been a dream come true. But it wasn’t. The reality was that our teeth clashed and his tongue was thrusting in and out of my mouth like a mechanical digger, which made me feel weirdly invaded.


My Review:


I rarely read serials but I have enjoyed all of Rosie Green’s wryly amusing and engaging Little Duck Pond novellas, each comfortable and breezily entertaining installment has featured a different worker or the owner of The Little Duck Pond CafĂ© which is a mainstay in a small British village; while also providing interactions and updates on those previously spotlighted.

This volume was written from the first-person POV of Primrose, a newcomer to the village, who arrived with a mission to find the sixty-year-old woman who would be her grandmother. This unknown, unsuspecting, and mysterious grandmother had given her child up for adoption as an unwed teenage mother and had no knowledge or awareness of Primrose or her plans. I adored Primrose, she was a quirky and sensitive little thing, yet she was also highly relatable despite her penchant for wearing unique, garish, and vividly colored outfits and hair colors. Primrose apparently applied her makeup with a trowel. I truly revel in Rosie Green’s distinctive brand of levity and writing style.

I fell into a rabbit hole session with Mr. Google and Wikipedia as I felt compelled to research Bonfire Night, Guy Fawkes, and ginger parkin - which is a centuries-old Bonfire Night traditional food that is a sticky and rich cake made with oatmeal ginger, and molasses. And now my diet has been ruined once again by that palate tease known as Rosie Green, she is a bane for my waistline.



About The Author

Rosie has been scribbling stories ever since she was little.

Back then, they were rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff or being tied up by 'the baddies'.

Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile, with really not much perilous danger involved at all - unless you count the heroine losing her heart in love.

Rosie's brand new series of novellas is centered around life in a village cafe. The latest, 'Bonfires & Hot Chocolate at the Little Duck Pond Cafe', is out now.

Watch out for 'A Winter Wedding at the Little Duck Pond Cafe', which will be published Christmas 2019.

Rosie is also writing a full-length, standalone book for Christmas 2019, entitled 'Snowflakes over Moondance Cottage'.

Follow Rosie on Twitter - https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green1988



6 comments:

  1. I've seen lots of good reviews for this series. I also miss the Bonfire night celebrations since moving away from the UK. It was always one of my favourites. Adding this whole series to my tbr.

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  2. I so need to get back in touch with this series. I think I'm three books behind. I did love it but then I found I wasn't having time to read them with so many blog tours booked in. Great review.

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  3. I loved bonfire night as a child, and even when my kids were young. However one of my dogs hates it and barks at every firework. I think I would enjoy this book without Finlay barking.

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  4. I keep meaning to start this series. It looks fantastic :)

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  5. Amazing review my friend, I am really glad you fully enjoyed reading this book which it looks and sounds absolutely fantastic and right up my alley as well. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome post.

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