Fun, light, easy to read story that I didn’t want to put down. Really lovely holiday story. Looking for any more by the same author.

My favourite book of the summer!
When Lucy is jilted at the altar she decides that she needs to do something with her life. Never did she imagine she would end up living in Naples, moving in with a lovely but bereaved family and making the best friends she had ever had.
Her journey leads her to exploring Naples, eating pizza and wonderful food, being targeted by the Mafia and finding love.
A fabulous book, five stars all the way!

This beautifully written story is a celebration of unexpected second chances, blossoming friendships, and the strength that comes from starting over. After being left behind by her fiancé, Lucy’s impulsive move to Naples sets her on a path of self-discovery and renewal. There, she meets Elena, a widowed mother trying to keep both her late husband’s language school and cheese business afloat. Their shared grief and resilience form the foundation of a touching and transformative friendship.

Lucy, once a people-pleaser, begins to rediscover her voice and dreams, encouraged by the warmth of her Neapolitan surroundings and a budding connection with Dario—the swoon-worthy police officer and godfather to Elena’s son. Elena’s journey is equally poignant, as she learns she doesn’t have to carry her burdens alone.

The story explores loss, love, and loyalty with heartfelt sincerity while giving a nod to real-world challenges like the shadow of organized crime on local families. The setting, the characters, and the rich emotional layers make this a charming and thoughtful read I thoroughly enjoyed.

This is such a good story! The only thing preventing me giving it 5 stars is it feels a little incomplete, as if there’ll be another book to make it a series.

But both Lucy and Elena are fabulous, well-rounded characters and the reader feels for them and their griefs, though quite different. Lucy’s fiancé dumped her by voicemail (seriously!) while Elena’s husband has passed away. Taking a risk, Lucy flies to Napoli for a teaching job, where the two women meet.

Lucy seems to have always put others first, so it’s lovely to see how she blossoms with ideas for herself with the encouragement of her new Italian friends, as well as learning to love again. To be honest, I was a teeny bit disappointed that said love interest is Elena’s son’s godfather and not Elena, but the burn was slow and satisfactory, so I’ll forgive this for not being a sapphic romance!

As I mentioned, there are hints of there being at least one more book, dealing (I presume) with the tentative, blossoming romance on Elena’s side of things. This one is a story of feminine friendship, community, and healing from loss, set in gorgeous countryside with depictions so vivid, you’ll feel the sun on your face.

A lovely story that warms the cockles of your heart as you follow the lives of two strangers who become friends. Both Elena and Lucy are feeling alone for different reasons but as their friendship develops, they each discover a new zest for life. Set between Scotland and Naples, this book gives the reader the best of both worlds. Tenderly written and can thoroughly recommend.

A Scottish Teashop in Napoli by Jane Lambert

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

When Lucy's childhood sweetheart stands her up on their wedding day, she finds herself alone on a plane to a tropical location. Her dream of a bairn-filled future is gone in a heartbeat and the time it takes for her to listen to the rambling drunken voicemail he left calling off the wedding.

In Naples, Elena is recently widowed and trying to keep her husband's family's beloved and centuries old mozzarella factory afloat, whilst running her language school and bringing up their son. At risk of losing both businesses - and adding even more disruption to their life - she advertises a job and hopes for the best.

The stars seem to align and Elena and Lucy, each suffering from a very different sort of loss and loneliness, set about trying to lift the struggling business and each other.

A charming, tender and funny novel about the power of female friendships, the importance of letting go and the joys of eating pasta!

My Opinion

During the opening chapter of this book, I really felt for Lucy. Elena needs some help and Lucy is in need of a fresh start. Jane Lambert has written a stunning novel that takes the reader on a journey. With wonderful descriptions and lovely characters this was an enjoyable book to read.

Rating 4/5

Imagine setting off on the holiday of a lifetime, with a dream wedding planned at the end, only to have it all come crashing down when he jilts you by not even getting on the plane.
This is the situation for poor Lucy, left alone in a tropical paradise by her fiance,
She takes the bull (or should I say buffalo?) by the horns and hands in her notice at the school where she taught after finding an interesting-looking opportunity teaching English to students in Napoli, Italy.
Elena, in Naples, is suffering her tragedy, having been suddenly widowed, with her dream English school to run, as well as her husband's family business, a handmade mozzarella factory to contribute to, plus being there for her son.
I loved this story: a celebration of female friendship, as well as new beginnings and the lesson that you should take every opportunity that comes your way.
Lucy is someone who seems to have always pleased others, and it is beautiful to see how, with encouragement from her new Neapolitan friends, she blossoms with ideas for herself, as well as learning to love again.
Elena's deep love for her husband and her loyalty to the family lead her to feel like she is failing everyone, including herself. Through this story, you see her grow and develop a friendship with her new English teacher, Lucy, that is more fruitful than she ever thought it would be.
And romance? Of course there is! Dario, the godfather to Elena's son Stefano, is a hunky police officer who comes to the aid of Lucy in several ways, and the slow burn of this romance is gorgeously built up.
Loss is covered in different forms, and mentions of the effect of the Mafia on families in Italy ground the story in a reality not many live through.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bedford Square Publishers for an ARC.

It's the first book I've read from Lambert and I can see I've clearly been missing out!

Exquisitely written and rich in detail, Lambert immediately transported me to different shores and delighted with a story of love, loss, and friendships.

Taking place across the stunning locations of Scotland and Italy, scenes are set, rich in description and evocative.

There's a wonderful cast of characters too, warm and embracing. By the time the book ended it was like saying goodbye to old friends.

And the food...not only is there lots to tempt your taste buds throughout the book, when you get to the end there's recipes too!

An absolute joy to read, I loved every minute.

Cosy, charming, and full of wanderlust 🫖🇮🇹. A Scottish Teashop in Napoli is a delightful escape blending the magic of Italy with heartwarming community spirit and a dash of romance. Jane Lambert crafts lovable characters, mouth-watering descriptions, and plenty of feel-good moments. I adored the cross-cultural charm and uplifting message. Perfect for fans of cosy fiction, travel, and second chances.

This was my first book by this author and it won't be the last! I enjoyed this trip to Italy and look forward to what the author produces next.

I'm only 50% in so far but I am enjoying this book very much! (Will edit the review when I'm done)

This is the perfect summer read and it will definitely make you want to move to Napoli.

I loved that Lucy is so relatable in the way she is questioning her love life, starting over in her 30s and her reflections on wanting children... I also loved her journey of self-discovery. I know many people will see a lot of themselves in her. I know I did.

A little piece of advice to future readers: do not read this book on an empty stomach because you will be drooling over the yummy Italian food and Scottish treats! But fret not, if you do get hungry (and you will), flip to the end of the book for a delightful surprise. I won't say more about it, no spoilers, but trust me.

(Full review to come in a few days)

Being married to a Scotsman, it should come as no surprise that I love books with a Scottish theme. Add to that my desire to visit Italy, and this book could have been written just for me.
After being jilted in the most heartless way imaginable, Lucy manages to dust herself down and rearrange her priorities making herself number one. She accepts a new job working in an Italian language school in Naples, and helping young widow, Elena with her gorgeous son.
As painful as Lucy’s experience was, it was impossible not to feel the devastation that Elena had endured through losing her husband and raising her son alone. Determined to continue her husband’s dream of seeing his family’s Mozzarella factory thrive, she has been working too hard and neglecting the parts of her heart and soul that needed to be sustained.
The arrival of Lucy brings a gentle calmness to Elena’s world, and like a cooling compress, she radiates that to all elements of her new life. Similarly, Elena’s determination to see the businesses thrive proves to be contagious and Lucy soon channels her desire to start over and introduces new elements to the language school and the factory.
This beautiful book boasts some wonderful characters, and I loved so many of them, but I must give special mentions to Dario, who is mourning for his best friend, and Matteo who was saved from a life of crime by being given the opportunity to work at the factory and focus on earning and turning his life around.
I loved having a front row seat to watch both Elena and Lucy slowly heal from their traumas and to see them begin to rebuild their lives was a joy. Jane Lambert told this story beautifully and I loved everything about it. I will certainly be looking forward to her future books and reading them hungrily.

My heart really went out to Lucy as this book began. Stewart might not have been perfect – or even particularly exciting – but she’d made her choice when she agreed to marry him, only to discover, with the worst possible timing, that he’d changed his mind. And then there was the horror and humiliation of finding herself alone in a Caribbean wedding resort, waiting for a flight home to Glasgow – the rose petals hastily cleared from the bed in the bridal suite, and thank goodness for the wonderfully caring and attentive hotel staff.

But she wasn’t the only individual in this book I really felt for. In Naples, recently widowed Elena, despite the help of the family and the support of her husband Giancarlo’s best friend – police officer Dario – is struggling both with her grief and her many responsibilities. She’s mother to six-year-old Stefano, and he’s now the most important person in her life – but she’s being pulled in too many different directions as she tries to run her language school while taking on all the administrative tasks connected with the family mozzarella factory when she knows so little about its running.

Lucy needs a fresh start, Elena needs another pair of hands to help out – and perhaps some emotional support too. An advert brings the two women together, Lucy travelling to Naples, staying in Elena’s apartment in the heart of Naples, overlooking the sea – and it soon becomes evident that they’ve both made exactly the right choice. Teaching at the language school isn’t as demanding as Lucy fears, with an eclectic group of students who are particularly keen to learn – and she comes up with an original idea to help the factory’s finances, inspired by the love of Scottish home cooking she learned from her grandmother.

There’s far, far more to the story – but the author tells it so much better, so I won’t go into all the ensuing twists and turns. But I will say that this was a story I absolutely loved – a summery one with all the perfectly handled emotional touches, but an unexpected amount of very well-written edge-of-seat drama too. There’s also a rather special romance – a particularly slow-burn and satisfying one (and I wouldn’t have been able to resist either – what a gorgeous man!) – and some scenes towards the book’s end that made me think “oh goodness, how perfect!”, bringing a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye, reminding me of every Italian-set love story that’s ever thrilled me on the silver screen.

Every relationship – friends and family – is beautifully handled, with exchanges and actions that really touch the heart. But perhaps the most special relationship of all was the one between Lucy and Elena – slowly opening up, sharing their hopes and fears, healing together. But don’t get the impression that it’s all sadness – this book has all the elements of a good romantic comedy too, with plenty of moments of laughter (and sheer joy) along the way. While Lucy’s brother (most definitely Scottish) found his own special place in my heart as he played his important part in the story, the Italian cast is simply fantastic – every individual, however small their part, springing to life on the page, with just enough background detail, and often with their own particular quirks and eccentricities.

And I really can’t finish without mentioning the story’s setting, which the author brings so vividly to life. The whole book provides a quite wonderful insider view of the city of Naples, in all its chaos and complexity, complete with its darker edges, but also sharing its unique and very special beauty – I reached the end feeling that I’d been away on a rather lovely holiday. Such a special book, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed – and, if you like the same books that I do, I think you might just love it too.

I love stories set in Italy, and this was no exception. It was a great story of female friendship with some mystery and romance sprinkled in. Lucy ends up in Naples after being stood up at the altar. She heads there to help run Elena's language school after she loses her husband and is overwhelmed with running her husband's mozzarella factory. It follows Lucy and Elena's friendship, when Lucy ends up in Naples to help Elena run her language school after the loss of her husband. The bonus was the immersion in life in Naples, the food, the life, the culture. Lucy brought her Scottish culture to Napoli by creating a Scottish tearoom, as well as her English language lessons. This is the first story I've read by this author, and it won't be my last.

Thanks to @bedfordsquarepublishers, @netgalley, and the author for this arc.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Lucy is a teacher, living in Glasgow and is due to get married to Stewart, they’ve been together a while, in the Caribbean.

But when she arrives at the airport, he’s not there. When Lucy lands in the country they’re due to be married in, does she get a message from Stewart informing her that he can’t go through with it.

When she arrives back home, she’s still upset over what happened and decides to take a job in another country, she sees one for teaching English, it’s in Naples, Italy.

Elena lives in Naples, after the death of her husband, she’s finding it hard to keep the school and her mozzarella business going. Valentina, her sister-in-law Alfonso, her father-in-law help as much as they can.

The death of her husband happened in a car crash which is a mystery, she has a son who is 6, Stefano.

Employing Lucy is her only way to save the language school..

When Lucy begins to set up a Scottish teashop, they are contacted by a company to do a documentary on the mozzarella business. They plan a ceilidh and other events to bring more visitors to the business.

The business soon attracts the attention of an unpleasant character and the mystery of Elena’s husband’s death is solved.

I recommend this book.

I really enjoyed A Scottish Tea Shop In Napoli. It was an easy, engaging read and I would recommend it. The characters were well written and the setting was described well.

oh this was like a love story to my heart. and the type of book you truly do want to go into a cosy corner and give all your time too. but since life doesnt work like that id happily and did read this all over the place until i finished. it was just superb.
i love how Lucy and Elina were these total strangers. living totally different lives and circumstance and in totally different world almost. but still, they found each other, and found the need,loss and kindness in and for each other.
lets be clear the part where the bride is meant to be going away to a destination wedding. HER OWN. and the groom doesnt turn up to go with her!? no. how does one not melt at that point. and lets her know when she is already there via voicemail. grrrrrrr doesn't even begin to cover it.
but Lucy does something about it. she is one strong cookie, or just running away. but right now maybe that is what she needs to off to Naples to teach she goes.
in Naples is Elena. she is struggling to keep her school going. and her mozzarella business is struggling equally as much. her family are adorable and i love books that include characters such as these. but still, all is seemingly a struggle for her right now. she also lost her husband tragically and has a young son. having Lucy here as almost her last chance. this is the last hope for her to try.
and lets just say when these two come together with both hearts and minds then boy does it help. and helps us readers too. for the reading of the story is just wonderful.
oh and did i mention the food mentions in this book. mmm... chefs kiss.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bedford Square Publishers for this ARC.

Lucy Anderson, 39, a teacher from Glasgow, was going to get married to long-term fiancé Stewart Mackintosh in a small wedding in the Caribbean, but he doesn't turn up to the airport. Only when Lucy has already landed, does he let her know in a voice mail that he can't get through with the wedding. Lucy is devastated and takes a job teaching English in Naples, Italy. Brother Jamie warns her not to act hastily but she has her heart set on it.

In Naples, widowed Elena Moretti is struggling to keep both her language school and her mozzarella business afloat with the help of sister-in-law Valentina and father-in-law Alfonso. Her husband Giancarlo died in a mysterious car crash and her son Stefano is only 6 years old. Getting Lucy to help out is her last attempt before selling the businesses.

Lucy initiates a Scottish teashop, a documentary about the mozzarella business, a ceilidh and other random events to help the businesses, and her haphazard approach seems to work. There is also a romance with police officer Dario developing during the year or so the book covers, with absolutely no thoughts whatsoever how Lucy can stay in an EU country that long after Brexit. Also, the Mafia storyline is ridiculous.

I found the writing style a bit abrupt and choppy, going from one event to the next without much in between preparation. I would have liked to have more description of the Caribbean holiday, but as so much in the book, it's barely touched upon.

I hated all the HP references. Now, more than ever we should not constantly refer to the books of a hateful terf. There is other, much better children's literature that could be used, that hasn't been written by a transphobe.

If you're just here for the Italian food and culture descriptions, there are many and they are evocative. The romance is barely there but the recipes at the end are a nice touch. If you ignore the randomness and jumpiness of the plot, you'll have a good time.

2.75 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I couldn't put this book down – absolutely loved it.

What a brilliant story. So many twists. You need good cake to read it Great characters . The beginning has you in floods The wedding dress gesture made me you happy. There is so much to say. The buffalo . The beautiful cheese. A community pulling together and you have love and loss. A fabulous book you can’t put down. My review does not do it justice. Read it.