The Christmas Cake Cafe by Sue Watson
Published: October 14, 2016
Book Blurb: As the Prosecco chills and Bing Crosby croons, Jen Barker just knows that her long-term boyfriend is about to propose. But instead of a diamond ring nestled in her champagne flute, Jen finds cold flat rejection. Her once perfect life and dreams of a husband and family seem even further from reach.
A working holiday to the Swiss Alps with her younger sister Jody might not be the Christmas Jen had it mind, but it offers her the chance to recharge her batteries and recover from heartbreak.
When Jen meets handsome ski instructor Jon Zutter her hopes for a happy-ever-after seem within her grasp again. Jon is kind and gorgeous and as they bond over Sachetorte at the picturesque Cake Café, Jen thinks he might just be her perfect man. But a relationship with him comes with a catch – and there are some things even cake can’t fix.
As the snow falls and Christmas approaches, could this be the place that restores Jen Barker’s faith in love?
Book Links: Amazon US
My Review
I absolutely loved this novel, because it conjured up a magical white Christmas for me. Sue Watson never fails to make me laugh, fall in love with her characters, and make me hungry for something sugary and delicious. I like that she tends to write about women in their late thirties/early forties at a point in their lives that they didn’t expect and never thought they’d be at at their age.
I loved watching Jen find herself and slowly learn what life is all about. One of the main themes of this novel is the idea that it’s never too late to be true to yourself and find someone that doesn’t try to change you. ‘I laughed, but what she’d said struck a chord. She was right –I was always trying to take photos, frame the moment, but now it was time to live in it.’ Living in the moment instead of constantly worrying about creating the perfect moment is one of the important lessons jen learns and it’s something we can all learn from. Yes, it’s fun to document fun moments with photos but life isn’t about creating the picture-perfect moment in order to be able to take a photo. It’s about finding those moments organically and embracing them while they’re happening.
5/5 stars for this delightful Christmas confection!
I received a complimentary review copy via the author. All reviews 100% reflect my honest opinion.
About the Author – Sue Watson
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Author Bio: Sue Watson was a TV Producer with the BBC who combined motherhood and family life with a busy career. However, one day it dawned on Sue that Cosmo magazine may have been telling porkies about ‘having it all,’ and her life had become a slightly crazed juggling act.
So after much soul searching (and comfort eating) Sue abandoned her TV career, bought a pink laptop and wrote a novel. ‘Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes,’ tells the story of Stella Weston, whose life is a constant struggle with a nasty boss at work, the weighing scales and being a mum, wife and daughter.
Originally from Manchester, Sue now lives with her husband and teenage daughter in Worcestershire. When she’s not toiling over her latest novel, Sue bakes (and eats) cake and enjoys very large tubs of Caramel Chew Chew ice cream all to herself while watching ‘The Biggest Loser USA.’
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