I was delighted to be invited to take part in the blog tour for The Second Chance Cafe in Carlton Square by Lilly Bartlett. Today I will be sharing my review of this fab book.
First of all let's take a look at the description for the book...
About the book
One chance isn't always enough…
Everyone expects great things from Emma Billings, but when her future gets derailed by an unexpected turn of events, she realizes that getting back on track means traveling in a different direction.
She finds that new path in the closed-down pub on Carlton Square. Summoning every ounce of ingenuity, and with the help of her friends and family, she opens the Second Chance Café. The charity training business is meant to keep vulnerable kids off the streets and (hopefully) away from the Metropolitan Police, and her new employees are full of ideas, enthusiasm … and trouble. They'll need as much TLC as the customers they’re serving.
This ragtag group of chancers have to make a go of a business they know nothing about, and they do get some expert help from an Italian who's in love with the espresso machine and a professional sandwich whisperer who reads auras, but not everyone is happy to see the café open. Their milk keeps disappearing and someone is canceling the cake orders, but it's when someone commits bloomicide on all their window boxes that Emma realizes things are serious. Can the café survive when NIMBY neighbors and the rival café owner join forces to close them down? Or will Emma’s dreams fall as flat as the cakes they’re serving?
Buy Links
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2qOjV7L
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2rcklE4
My Review
With me not reading the first book in the series I did wonder if I would be able to pick up the story and follow the characters. Well my worries were completely unfounded I basically smiled the whole way through the first couple of chapters and to be honest I carried on all the way through. It was so easy to become charmed by the characters in this book so I will definitely be reading book one just so I can see how it all began. The best thing about this book is that there is a lovely down to earth feel to it that just completely captured my attention and held it right through to the end. Emma is a delight, I couldn't help but like her she is so determined even with all the mishaps that occur. Along with trying to navigate being a mum and running a business it really is a difficult balance to get right. All of the characters in this book bring something to the storyline but I have to mention Emma's trainees they are brilliant and both of them brought an extra layer of humour and warmth to the book. Carl and Elsie had me intrigued and I really liked the sub plot involving them so it was lovely to see that play out.
The writing is funny and guaranteed to entertain, there are so many moments where I was completely engrossed in the characters lives. The setting up of the cafe was great to read and who knew learning how to make coffee was such an experience. The cafe itself is a wonderful place and I am sure anyone who reads this book would love for it to be a real place mainly due to there being that lovely community and family feel to it. I became quite attached to the cafe so much so that I was getting quite worked up on Emma's behalf with all the acts of sabotage! There is so much packed into this story but it just seems to flow beautifully and I actually didn't want to leave Carlton Square behind!
The Second Chance Cafe in Carlton Square has wonderful friendships and a gorgeous warmth to it that will make you smile throughout!
With thanks to Michele Gorman & Harper Impulse for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.
The writing is funny and guaranteed to entertain, there are so many moments where I was completely engrossed in the characters lives. The setting up of the cafe was great to read and who knew learning how to make coffee was such an experience. The cafe itself is a wonderful place and I am sure anyone who reads this book would love for it to be a real place mainly due to there being that lovely community and family feel to it. I became quite attached to the cafe so much so that I was getting quite worked up on Emma's behalf with all the acts of sabotage! There is so much packed into this story but it just seems to flow beautifully and I actually didn't want to leave Carlton Square behind!
The Second Chance Cafe in Carlton Square has wonderful friendships and a gorgeous warmth to it that will make you smile throughout!
With thanks to Michele Gorman & Harper Impulse for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Lilly Bartlett Bio
Lilly Bartlett’s cosy romcoms are full of warmth, quirky characters and guaranteed happily-ever-afters.
Lilly is the pen-name of Sunday Times and USA Today best-selling author, Michele Gorman, who writes best friend-girl power comedies under her own name.
Why not follow along with the tour...
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