on April 30 2020
Format: eARC
Source: Author
Amazon UK
Goodreads
Also by this author: Summer at The Little Duck Pond Cafe, Christmas at The Little Duck Pond Cafe, Snowed in at The Little Duck Pond Cafe, A Bakery at the Little Duck Pond Cafe, Confetti at the Little Duck Pond Cafe, Bonfires & Hot Chocolate at The Little Duck Pond Cafe, Spring at The Little Duck Pond Cafe, A Winter Wedding at the Little Duck Pond Cafe, Lemon Drizzle Mondays at the Little Duck Pond Cafe, Lucy's Great Escape , Log Fires & Toffee Apple Cake at the Little Duck Pond Cafe, A Kiss in the Snow, A Brambleberry Manor Christmas, Sweet Pasteries and Sourdough, A Summer of Surprises, The Wedding Cake Wish , Snow Falls over Sunnybrook, The Christmas Surprise, Chocolate Cake for Breakfast, Jingle Bells in June, Sun, Sea & Strawberry Shortcake , Clara's Secret Garden, A Winter Wish, Clara's Christmas Magic, Kind Hearts & Carrot Cake, The Lottery Win, A Kiss under the Stars, The Sunshine Sisters: Aurora
Ellie’s plan to turn a neighbouring barn into a venue to teach bread-making is under way – but when the construction work interferes with the smooth running of the cafe, she comes up with a plan that lifts the hearts of all the Little Duck Pond Café crew. They’ll close for a month and take a well-earned break in the tiny Cornish village of Pengully Sands, where Sylvia’s sister, Agatha, owns a holiday home. With the glorious golden sands, sparkling azure sea and a quirky beach cafe only yards away, it seems like the perfect location to relax and watch the surfers riding the waves (and maybe even having a go themselves).
But when they arrive, the girls find it isn’t quite the seaside idyll they were expecting. The house is less ‘holiday home’ and more ‘creepy, dilapidated haunted house’. And the beach café is so sad and run down, even the regulars are deserting in droves in order to enjoy their cream teas at the smart new coffee house in the village.
Polly, who runs the beach cafe, has fond memories of it from her childhood, and she's determined to turn its fortunes around and restore it to its former glory. There's only one problem - and that problem comes in the undeniably attractive form of local councillor Dan Honeyman. He wants to raze the old cafe to the ground to make way for a hotel and Polly is equally adamant this won't happen. There's only one snag. Polly, who is never normally stuck for words, is suddenly finding herself weirdly tongue-tied every time she's in Dan Honeyman's presence and trying to get her point across.
The arrival of Ellie and the Little Duck Pond Cafe crew brings new hope for Polly. When they learn of her predicament, they find themselves rising to the challenge, and Ellie devises a plan that just might work.
With an axe hanging over her beloved cafe, Polly has just a few weeks to entice the customers back, and at the same time prove to herself that no man - not even an annoyingly sexy one like Dan Honeyman - is worth losing her heart over.
Cupid's arrows are flying all over the place against this magical Cornish backdrop, and when a certain hot surfer catches the eye of one of the visitors, her loyalty to the boy back home is severely tested.
One thing's for sure - this won't be the relaxing break the girls had planned. But that doesn't mean it won't turn out to be the holiday of a lifetime!
Ok I know I said this for the last book, but this is definitely my favourite! We have the girls, we have a change of scenery and we have new characters introduced – who I hope come back in the future, plus who doesn’t love a bit of a ghostly tale!
This time the girls have managed to get a month off to stay by the sea, lucky devils, in a secluded little place called Harmony Cove. Although when they arrive….well it is not the restful and sunny place they thought it might be. Not only do they help to get the place into a liveable condition, but there is also the ghost tale of a local woman who had drowned after being spurned by her lover. Who doesn’t love a tragic tale like that…well until this ghost decides to make an appearance!
Whilst we have the chapters of the Little Duck Pond girls from Ellie’s point of view, the other chapters are of Gracie! Gracie being a new character, she is loveable and endearing and really not confident within herself. When you learn why her story is one of a sad woe but don’t worry there is sunshine and happiness! I completely related to Gracie straight away. She is trying to carry on her mum’s wishes of keeping the ice cream shack open to the public. But business is slow and Gracie’s heart isn’t in it.
I do also love the introduction of Lucy, who happens to be the focal point of the next book! So it will be interesting to see how the girls all feature and I do hope Gracie will be in it too!! (Hint Hint)
What I do love about this series, it is such a heartwarming, beautiful story of friendship and love. You have a group of friends, whose group is so inclusive and forever growing bigger. You get a mention of what is happening back home but Cornwall is the focal point of this story. It is such a beautiful setting for a story.
I will say, you might need some tissues for this one! I got to 95% and my jaw dropped and I think I gasped and then 96% and the tears started. I love the book so much!! This series is my happy place, I always say it, but it must be true. Every time I read them, I have such a smile on my face and I am welcome back into the group with the girls. Facing whatever comes our way on that day. (Don’t worry thrillers and horror will be back soon!) This is really a series that you should invest in, they won’t take long to read and before you know it, you will be on book 10 and all caught up!!!
Until next time xxx
Thank you so much to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the tour invite and the author for a copy of this book in return for my honest and unbiased review
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Shalini says
I haven’t read any by this author. Lovely review. Now this author too goes on my TBR
nickimags @ The Secret Library Book Blog says
Fab review xx
Zoé says
Thanks lovely. It’s just such a cute series x
Julie says
I love these books, just on the second one. However I have found a glaring mistake concerning the colour that Ellie painted the walls in The Little Duck Pond cafe!! I know I’m a bit OCD but at the end of book 1 Spring at…. she painted them primrose yellow yet in Summer at…. they are described in the early chapters as blue!!!
Zoé says
Oh how are you finding the series?! Oh no! I didn’t catch that! Oh I hope you are enjoying it bar that!
Julie says
Loving the books. Feelgood escapism with lovely settings. I should’ve been a proof reader as tend to notice these things!!
Zoé says
Ha ha you should’ve! It’s good that you notice these things!
Julie says
Hm. Just reading Snowed in at the Little Duck Pond cafe…..she’s done it again !! Fen turns up at Ellie’s flat wearing baggy sweat pants. Goes back out into the snow and falls over with the snow soaking instantly into her jeans !!! No mention of her changing outfits ! Also some typos. Proof reader desperately needed !!
Zoé says
Ha ha no way! It’s so long between books I didn’t even notice! Oh dear!