Cover Image: The Cornish Cream Tea Bus: Part Two – The Éclair Affair

The Cornish Cream Tea Bus: Part Two – The Éclair Affair

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Member Reviews

Another fab installment. Will they? Won't they? Bit of a love story. A mysterious local woman. Cream teas. Cornish beaches. What is there not to like. Bring on part three.

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I really enjoyed this book. I adored the story line and loved the main characters. I read this book in one sitting and would highly recommend this book.

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As soon as the second part of The Cornish Cream Tea Bus became available, I downloaded it and started to read, still remembering how nice the first part was and looking forward to meet Charlie and Marmite and their new friends again, and see what the people of Porthgolow are to do with her fresh ideas to bring a little life to this coastal village.

Charlie is settling in Porthgolow, even though she was initially supposed to stay there for a few weeks, and not for a few months. She's determined to make a name for herself but also to wake Portholow up, and so she'd like to organise Porthgolow Food Fest, inviting some of the best food trucks. And when she sets her mind on something, there is nothing stopping her. Or is there? Like some unwilling residents?

So. This short story. As usual, so colourfully, vividly written, and Cressida McLaughlin brings the place so easily to life. I loved the descriptions of the food festival and then the fire on the beach, they were beautifully and gorgeously written. Of course, the food sounds DE - LI - CIOUS, all the cream teas mentioned, cakes but also all kind of other goodies.

The more I get to know Charlie, the more I like her. She's determined, consequent and also stubborn, but she wouldn't achieve this what she has achieved till now without being stubborn, right? She has only good intentions and she gives always her best. The romance aspect that is looming on the horizon is also lovely and right now I can't tell you in which direction is going to go, which is a great feeling as I love surprises! I have my favourite here already and I'm so curious if my gut feeling is right again.

I can't wait for the next instalment, as we are - again! Again! - left on a cliff-hanger, with Charlie facing many decisions. Cressida McLaughlin has such a great way with words, and I adored this lovely, warm and welcoming story. Recommended!

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A lovely summery read, light and humerous with great charcters and good humour. Lovely front cover too. Thank you for the chance to review.

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Charlie is more settled into her Cornish life, The cream tea bus is proving a popular attraction, and Charlie wants the village to realise its full potential Her latest foody idea is received with mixed emotions, but does introduce the prospect of romance into her life, but is she ready for it?

The characters are complex and realistic, the possibility of a love triangle is suggested in ‘The Eclair affair, and Charlie meets another of Porthgolow’s residents, who has a surprising if reticent insight into to Daniel’s motivations. There is also the hint of someone messing with Charlie’s plans, but who, and the motivation for this, are still a mystery.

An absorbing, quick read, which leaves you wanting more. Set in a delightfully quirky Cornish coastal village.

I received a copy of this book from Harper Collins UK - Harper Fiction via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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A perfect summer read. How can you go wrong reading about hot tubs, quiet beaches and Cornish cream teas. Escapism at it’s best. Can’t wait for the next instalment of this great little series.
Thanks to Cressida McLaughlin and Netgalley for the early e book copy.

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After I enjoyed part one I was eagerly awaiting the release of the second instalment and I have to say that I enjoyed it just as much!

I thought that it was a good continuation story flowed well, I really enjoyed the author’s writing style too and I am now really looking forward to reading part 3 when it is released!

It is another 5 star review for me, very highly recommended and such an enjoyable series!

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Charlie and Marmite her yorkiepoo are back and setting up the Portgollow food festival to help raise the areas profile and make their businesses a success as she runs her Cornish Cream Tea Bus.



As she reunites with Oliver from The Marauding Mojito, Daniel invites her to the spa after her opens up about helping and failing to give her friend a job.



So on enough she has a choice to make and to address her feelings, safe Oliver but sexy and risky choice Daniel, who'll she realise her feelings for?



I love this story and read it in one sitting as soon as it was available I was that excited! The chemistry between the characters is building nicely and the business is helping the area slowly but hopefully surely, the book is light and fun romance which is as sweet as the cream tea's and eclairs I'm imagining being served on board!



Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

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Charlie Quilter arrives in Cornwall, in Gertie, a vintage Routemaster bus left to her when her uncle Hal died. The bus has been jazzed up and now cream teas are being sold from it. Charlie plans, against much local opposition and suspicion, to hold a Food festival, determined that the local businesses and community will get a badly needed boost from the festival goers.
Throw in a handsome, distant man of mystery in the form of Daniel, the owner of a spa, as well as Oliver, from the Marauding Mojito wagon, and there’s definitely romance in the air.
Having loved Cressida’s previous novel, The Canal Boat Cafe, I was really looking forward to this new book. It’s a very easy summery read, the descriptions of Cornwall made me think about booking a holiday in the area, but I was a bit disappointed in some of the text. It felt a bit lacking in description at times, I was left wanting more.
I’m not keen on my fiction reading in instalments but if it was good enough for Charles Dickens.... I look forward to reading the concluding chapters

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Thankfully the time between finishing part one of Cressida McLaughlin's new series, The Cornish Cream Tea Bus, and being able to read part two The Éclair Affair was very brief. As soon as part two was available I couldn't wait to dive in and it didn't linger for long on my Kindle. Charlie Quilter is settling into her new surroundings in the Cornish coastal village of Porthgolow and we more or less pick up where the introductory part left off. I simply adored part one and the Éclair Affair was just as good.

We know a little bit about Charlie but I think there is still lots more to be revealed and her ambition and courage really shine through here. She is determined to continue the legacy of her Uncle Hal and to not let him down. She is a person that once she has made a promise, she really does stick to it and sees things right through to the bitter end. The focus on this part of the story was on establishing the Porthgolow Food Fest. One might think why had Charlie such energy and enthusiasm in getting Porthgolow back on the map? Well she could see its potential and like this reader she had fallen in love with the area and didn't wish to see it slowly fall apart due to lack of tourism.

Porthgolow is a special place and the way the author describes the village and the surrounding areas makes you instantly feel like you are there alongside Charlie and all the various characters she encounters. Charlie has her own personal issues to deal with but she views breathing new life into the village as being her main objective. If she can do this it will also help her with her own healing and she feels she will be doing good for the village which desperately needs the help even if there are a few unwilling residents. The village has become forlorn and unloved but it has plenty of potential.

Charlie's plan to revitalise the village really gets going and she is decisive and resolute that one way of going about this is establishing the Food Fest on the beach with lots of food trucks there with her pride and joy Gertie, the double decker route master she inherited, at its centre where she serves delicious cream teas as well as many other tempting treats. Given the title of each part features a pun to do with cakes, of course cakes and other goodies have to be mentioned and my mouth was watering whilst reading. SO much so I wish I could have attended the festival.

Nothing comes easy for Charlie and she doesn't want to let the village down so she persists in her quest and I admired her for this. She is a brilliantly written character with nothing but good intentions and when faced with opposition she finds ways to work around it. I also loved the simmering tension of romance bubbling away with her, it's almost like she has gotten herself in a little love triangle. This aspect of the storyline isn't the sole focus instead I think it balances nicely with her main goal of the festival. Oliver from The Marauding Mojito cocktail truck is calm, kind and a safe bet in my eyes. He was there in a supportive role for Charlie and they had a lovely friendship but was he the safe bet and was Charlie leading him to think things could develop into something more? As for Daniel who runs the luxury hotel nearby which everyone feels is threatening the village. People believe he is taking away the tourists and offering so much that they can't possibly compete.

Daniel really was an enigma. I don't think he ever revealed too much about himself but then saying that some of his actions in this story surprised me because he did things that wouldn't have been expected of him given his reputation. I loved the tension between himself and Charlie, they seemed to constantly rub each other up the wrong way but that was more to do with preconceived opinions of each other and the lack of communication and the willingness to work with instead of against each other. Compromise is a word that springs to mind and I think Charlie could apply this to both her personal and professional life. There were numerous humorous moments dotted through the story which added fun and laughter. Marmite, Charlie's Yorkipoo, just watch out for her antics.

All in all this was another fantastic read and one which I enjoyed very much. Charlie is facing many decisions when we leave her and she has to ask herself can she risk the possibility of her heart being broken again but as she always remember Uncle Hal saying 'live life to the full, you only get one chance' but what happens if she can't transform the village, will she cut the ties that bind her there and run? Part Three Scones Away will be with us in early July and I am eager to continue reading Charlie's story.

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Thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
BRILLIANT
This is the 2nd part of their book series
CORNWALL
DOUBLE DECKER BUS
CREAM TEAS
BIT OF ROMANCE
BIT OF MYSTERY
MIX TOGETHER FOR A FABULOUS READ.
CAN HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
GREAT SUMMER READ.

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I was dying to read part two of this series, as I enjoyed the first one so much. Where they are separated into novella's, you read them so quickly and then you're left eagerly awaiting the next one in the series! I think I love this cover more than the first! I love the pink sky, the pretty bunting hanging along the top of the cover, and of course the bus - Gertie - taking centre stage. I also love the names of the novella's, this one in particular was a fave - The Eclair Affair, sounds so mysterious and I couldn't wait to read about where the story goes in this one...

Charlie is in full swing when we start this novella, her bus has recently been transformed so that it's a mobile cafe and it sounds delightful. There's an upstairs seating area as well as space downstairs for seating and a kitchen! It sounds like a great idea, to have a travelling tea bus. The baked delights that Cressida describes sound mouthwatering and I just wished there was something like this that existed in real life as it sounded so tempting!

Charlie's character herself was really relatable. She seemed like such a genuine and caring character. And I loved reading about her conversations with the eccentric Reenie. As well as Reenie, there are also other secondary characters that you get to meet and read about, and most of them (with the exception of a few) are all really lovely and a dream to read about. The storyline itself is really addictive, reading it in a few hours and then not knowing what to do with yourself next because you need to wait for the next in the series!

Porthgolow once again sounded idyllic and I loved the idea of the food festival which was being held on the beach. Charlie gets a few bits of bad feedback (mainly just locals who don't like change) but she goes with her gut and it works out well. With regards to Daniel, he seems like a mystery to me. One minute I feel he is really lovely and him and Charlie are getting on well, the next he is a bit distant! One things for sure, I can't wait to read about how their relationship is going to go over the next few instalments! Can't wait!

Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read an advance copy, which I have reviewed honestly.

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Part 2 of a new 4-part series from Cressida McLaughlin and she's onto another winner!

I thoroughly enjoyed part 1 and this latest instalment was another amusing and light-hearted read that flowed so well.

Charlie is bequeathed a vintage bus following the death of her uncle and partly to keep his memory alive and partly out of sheer determination she decides to turn it into a bus cafe, this has carried results but Charlie is so determined, I love her grit.

I can predict how the story goes and we got a little closer in this part to a new romance, Daniel is my new literary crush and I'm so excited to read more about these 2 and their Porthgolow escapades!

My many thanks to Harper Collins UK (HarperFiction) for providing me with this advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

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I loved part 1 of the Cornish Cream Tea Bus series, and was very excited to be able to read an early edition of part 2 of the series via Netgalley.
The second part of the series is about the Food Festival that Charlie organises, despite opposition from some of the residents. Charlie now has a fully functioning tea shop on her bus, and she is trying to make a success of her business.
I absolutely loved this book, the only downside is that I have is that I have finished reading it and now I have to impatiently wait for the next part to come out. I can't wait, I'm really looking forward to reading it and finding out what happens next

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Part 2 of this book, which leaves you wishing you didn't have to wait for the next part.

Charlie is now running more events and the bus cafe is up and running. She has spent more time with Daniel, so what will happen next!

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I love this so much, have been waiting for the second part to see where Charlie and Daniel go from here, it was well worth the wait , as always great level of humour, I love Charlie’s friendship with Juliette. The characters are just so warm and lovely. But oh my god each part ends far too quickly and I need the next part and it’s not here yet ! Argh, brilliantly addictive, you will devour in one sitting and need the need like just like the book junkie that I am. Another fabulous instalment from Cressida.


Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

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I eagerly awaited part two of the Cornish cream tea bus, Charlie and Daniels relationship continues to develop and I can’t wait to see how it evolves!
Gertie the bus continues to go from strength to strength and the weekly foodie markets despite much misgivings are thriving and bringing much needed revenue into porthgolow, excited to see what happens in part three!

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