Summer at the Castle Cafe
Summer at the Castle Cafe
IF YOU ONLY READ ONE BOOK THIS SUMMER, MAKE IT SUMMER AT THE CASTLE CAFÉ…
When Alice Appleton escapes to the beautiful seaside town of Castle Cove it’s the change of scenery she didn’t even realise she needed. Taking up a job in the charming Castle Café, Alice finds herself surrounded by cream teas, chocolate cake and quirky characters. Could this be the perfect place for Alice to embrace the summer?
Mysterious and handsome Jay O’Donnell has lived in picturesque Castle Cove since he was a child. As a volunteer on the lifeboats, his days by the sea are far from predictable. Haunted by a tragedy from his past, he’s on a mission to save as many people as possible. But when Alice Appleton walks into his life – and turns his world upside down – he begins to realise that perhaps it might just be his turn to be rescued…
As Alice and Jay find themselves unexpectedly falling for each other, will they learn the importance of letting go to make way for second chances? Additionally, will Alice find the life she’s always dreamed of in Castle Cove?
Heart-warming, hilarious and utterly romantic, Summer at the Castle Café is perfect for fans of Debbie Johnson, Lucy Diamond and Phillipa Ashley.
My Review
Alice moves to Castle Cove to feel close to her mum who recently passed away. She stays in her mum’s house and gets a summer job in the Castle Cafe where she spends her time organising cupboards and cleaning shelves, as well as serving cream teas to the tourists.
Jay has always lived in the cove. He works as a carpenter but also volunteers for the local lifeboat rescue. A tragedy affected Jay deeply and he is on a mission to keep people out of harms way. He is newly single and not looking for a relationship but when he meets Alice he begins to have feelings for her.
I loved the contrast between Alice and Jay, she was on a mission to live life to the full and take on challenges to push herself and he was intent on keeping people safe and spotting potential risks. However, the reason for these character traits proved that they did have things in common which lead to them both suffering from underlying guilt and sadness.
I loved the lighthearted banter, the sense of community and the idyllic location…. but more than anything I wanted Alice and Jay to live happily together and mend each other’s broken hearts.
Don’t head off on holiday without this one in your suitcase, it’s an absolute gem!
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for supplying me with a review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Kim from Bookouture for organising the blog blitz.
Donna Ashcroft was born in London and grew up in Buckinghamshire. She went to university in Lancashire and, among other things, worked as a copywriter, buyer, waitress, secretary and marketing manager.
Donna wrote novels for over ten years before being published. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and was a joint winner of the Katie Fforde Bursary in 2017. Her first two books Summer at the Castle Cafe and Christmas at the Castle Cafe will publish in 2018.
Donna loves a happy ending and is never happier than when she’s escaping into a romance novel or movie. When she’s not reading or writing she’ll probably be found hoovering … or negotiating with her teenagers about who is doing the washing up.