Series: The Little Duck Pond Cafe #17
on October 1 2021
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, A Cornish Summer Holiday, 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
Wedding excitement is in the air! With their big day approaching, Fen has her heart set on a gorgeous, intimate celebration with not much fuss at all.
But strong-minded mother-of-the-bride Marjery seems to have considerably grander plans. There's also the small problem of a missing best man, and when Fen tasks Hudson Holmes and Ruby Watkiss with the job of tracking him down, their investigations unearth far more secrets than they bargained for.
Will the Big Day go ahead in the light of such dramatic revelations?
Can a wedding cake wish save the day?
One thing's for sure – this will definitely be a wedding to remember!
I have to offer my apologies to the author as I have had a few roadblocks this week that has stopped me from getting my review up in time, but it is coming! Instead, she very kindly sent me an extract that I can share with you – thank you so much!!
We’re grinning as we exit the barn.
But as the phony dogs do their barking in unison again, we glance towards the mansion, and to our alarm we see the back door opening and a figure emerging.
‘There’s someone coming,’ I hiss. ‘Oh, my God, it’s a man and he’s seen us!’
‘Come on.’ Hudson starts running and I follow as best I can, not daring to look back.
‘Where are you going?’ I pant, as he hares across to the pool area.
‘It’s the fastest route to the boundary wall.’ He points. ‘We’re aiming for over there.’
‘Right.’ Running past the pool-side cabana, I dare to look back. And my heart lurches with relief when I see the man has disappeared, back inside the mansion. Maybe it’s going to be okay, after all?
Without warning, the ground seems to give way beneath me. My feet have left solid earth and for a split-second, I’m flying through the air. Next moment, I land with an almighty splash.
My feet hit the bottom of the swimming pool. Luckily, I seem to have crash-landed in the shallow end. Not that this prevents the tidal wave of chlorinated water that surges forcefully up my nostrils, as if the Hoover Dam itself has burst its banks.
Coughing and spluttering, I hear the distant barking of dogs and Hudson’s voice, urging me to grab his hand.
I do as he says and he hauls me out most unceremoniously, so that I land panting and stunned on the pool-side like a small whale rescued from inevitable expiry by worried villagers, and feeling wetter than I’ve ever been in my entire life.
For a second, I can’t move. Then the dogs start barking again, which rouses me from my temporary stupor. I know it’s just a machine. They’re not real dogs. But they sound bloody real! And when I glance over at the house, my heart actually stops for a second because a man is running out, shouting profanities in our direction. Followed by a pair of large black dogs. Actual dogs. And they don’t look pleased, either.
Hudson does some more hauling – and I’m on my feet and running with him towards the perimeter wall in squelching strides.
‘I thought you said it was a barking machine!’ I pant.
‘Well, I was wrong, wasn’t I! I’m not bloody Hercule Poirot.’
At the wall, Hudson lowers his locked fingers to make a foothold and I step up, abject terror turning me into an Olympic pole vaulter. From my position on top of the wall, I shout encouragement to Hudson as he runs at the wall and tries to scramble up.
My heart is in my mouth as the dogs us and start leaping up at Hudson’s legs, snarling with intent.
That thug eats enemies for breakfast! And his dogs are just one vicious snap away from taking off Hudson’s leg.
How the hell did I get myself into this?
Oooh!!! I can’t wait to get to this book! I love Hudson and Ruby and the gang! So excited!!
Until next time xxx
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