Little Teashop of Horrors

Jane Lovering’s novels are always guaranteed to bring you joy, and Little Teashop of Horrors is no exception! With a heroine you’ll love because she’s just so genuinely, well, nice, and a hero who’ll creep up on you and steal your heart without you noticing, this is a tale that will have you laughing one minute, then sniffling into a tissue the next.

Amy was a joy as our heroine. We all know someone like Amy, who is too nice for their own good (and often wish we were like her when our tempers get the better of us), and one of the many joys of this book was seeing the transformation that Amy made from the beginning to a strong, young woman who stood up for herself, and realised her worth. It beautifully mirrored Josh’s own transformation whose story will have you near to tears. Lovering beautifully creates a tentative friendship between the two that you will root for from the beginning.

Filled to the brim with a quirky humour that Jane Lovering never fails to bring to her novels, you will laugh out loud throughout; Sam and his artichokes, Gran and her spoons – all are so relatable that you feel as though you too are a part of the Monkpark family. There were many moments that I wished I was sitting in the Monkpark cafe, sipping tea and eating cakes and plotting ways to get rid of the snotty manager Edmund.

A delight from start to finish, Little Teashop of Horrors is the perfect book to dive into this spring! 5 Stars!

*Review copy kindly provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Little Teashop of Horrors is a story that will draw you in to a complex world and keep you on your toes throughout. Full of characters you’ll love or soon love to hate, it’s a tale that shows real life with all of it’s happiness, changes, dark sides and yes, quirkiness. I’ve been a fan of Jane Lovering for some time now. I believe I’ve read most of her work, but not reviewed them all (I’ll have to fix that) and I can say without a doubt in my mind that Little Teashop of Horrors touched me more deeply… and I believe it’s her best to date.

When you first meet them Amy and Josh may seem like an unusual couple. Give them a little bit of time and you’ll soon discover two wounded souls who bring out the best in each other, and together they’ll do a lot towards healing those wounds. Part of my enjoyment of this couple was the realistic impression that not all of their personal issues are wrapped up in a bow by the ending of this story, but an ongoing, loving relationship that will continue to ease those old wounds over time. They make a good start and that’s what matters. In that sense their romance is very satisfying to me for the believable factors within it.

Edmund, now there’s a character who at his arrival simply made my skin crawl. You know those moments when a character first appears on the page and you simply know that they are a worthless, nasty piece of work… yeah, that was my first impression of this man who has the charm of a cobra waiting to strike. For all of his surface “charms”, Edmund is a man who takes what’s not his, things people and ideas, and presents it as if he owned it all along. I didn’t like him, and couldn’t wait for him to get exactly what he deserved.

I completely enjoyed my time in Little Teashop of Horrors. There is friendship, family, blossoming love, danger, true friends (both human and feathered) and a very satisfying conclusion. Like life, this story has ups and down, happiness and sadness, danger and comfort, and yes funny and quirky moments as well – it’s a believable romance with characters that we probably see parts of in people we know in real life. That is what I find entertaining about this one, I could put these people down in my neighborhood and they’d fit. Look for a few surprises along the way, I never put everything in a review. Discovering the reason behind the title is a fun aspect of this one.

I would highly recommend this one, and would encourage you to take a chance on Little Teashop of Horrors. I believe you’ll enjoy the experience and perhaps find a new to you author to follow… she’s really quite good. *grin* Go ahead, indulge yourself and enjoy a really good story.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Jane Lovering writes with a flair of reality which is refreshing. Her details and descriptions easily set the scene for the reader. The characters are dimensional and engaging. Recommended.