I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this book. I must apologise that it has taken me so long to supply my review. Severe chronic illnesses have affected my life in recent years and have left me unable to write reviews. I have still read the books, left myself notes, but can’t give the level of review I usually give. It is my hope to return to that level in the future, and will include posting detailed reviews here, to my blog, to Amazon Australia, and Goodreads.



Please accept my apologies, along with the following basic review:


This was a very relaxing “HEA romance” genre break from my usual cosy crimes and cook books. I enjoyed it a lot. The romance side was... good... but I loved the description of the people, places, and day to day things of Japan (seen for the first time through the eyes of a foreigner). It really helped me settle in and go on the adventure with Fiona.

Although listed as the 6th book in a series, it seems to be a series of similar genre but each being a stand-alone book. Which was also a positive for me, as I hate starting a series in the middle.

Would I recommend? Yes. Looking for an afternoon escape of romance and sublime travel (via a book), then you will enjoy this book.

Would I buy myself or continue the series? I’m uncertain. Though have made a note of the author Julie Caplin, so that the next time I’m in the mood for this genre, I know where to start browsing.

I recently completed "The Little Teashop in Tokyo," and it was an enchanting read that completely swept me off my feet! The novel unfolds against the vibrant tapestry of Tokyo, and the author's descriptive prowess whisked me away to the bustling streets and serene landscapes of the city.

The main character, Fiona, embarks on a journey to Japan and her interactions with Gabe, her mentor, are beautifully depicted. Their relationship develops in a remarkably authentic way, and I found myself wholeheartedly invested in their story.

The author's profound love for Japan is palpable in every page, and I was utterly captivated by the intricate cultural nuances and picturesque settings.

If you're a fan of heartwarming romances set against an exotic and alluring backdrop, with endearing and relatable characters, then "The Little Teashop in Tokyo" is a must-read. It's a delightful and enthralling book that will transport you to a world of sheer magic and allure.

Thank you to Netgalley for a pre publication copy. In return for an honest review! #thelittleteashopintokyo #netgalley

Fiona is a budding photographer and lifestyle blogger who has won a competition to go to Tokyo and be mentored by the worlds greatest photographer and then she will get her own exhibition on her return to London but when she arrives in Tokyo she knows the man meeting her at the airport. Will she be able to make this a trip of a lifetime ?

I adore all of Julie's exotic reads after I read "The little cove in Croatia."

This book is a great summer romance read. Although their are some emotional subjects included in this book such as caring, death and health anxiety. I do not feel this takes away from the summer feel of the book but gives each character a third dimension that shows how far they've come.

Slightly slow start which quickly ramped up about a third of the way in. However I loved that we met the characters from previous books but it can be read as a standalone too.

This is such a lovely escapist romance with a wonderfully conjured sense of place and real depth of character that goes beyond most romance novels. I had never previously been interested in Japan as a travel destination but this book has inspired me to visit!

It's a love story with Tokyo Japan as the backdrop.
Cute and funny, with parts that might make you swoon.
I love a rom-com every once in a while and this one definitely checked all the boxes.

Thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of Japan and Tokyo and would love to go in cherry blossom time. We all dream of having our own teashop but the realities of stating one put us off. doubly difficult if you have the distraction of a past romance to deal with but it can be done, can romance be re ignited too?

“The Little Teashop in Tokyo” by Julie Caplin is a second chance love story you won’t want to put down. Fiona is a talented photography blogger, so when the opportunity to go to Japan to be mentored and then share her collection of photos comes up she jumps at the chance. Little does she know her mentor will be someone she knows, in fact someone she once had a crush on and massively embarrassed herself in front of. From beginning to end this was a sweet read.

Caplin captures something truly magical in this book. Maybe it’s the balance between classic and modern, or maybe it’s just a love story in a picturesque setting, but this book had me falling in love all over the place. The vivid imagery of Japan made me feel like I was practically there and the characters were so real. The chapters flew by.

I also loved how much culture Caplin was able to add to the story. It really felt like she had done her research and I love that. I learned a lot, while enjoying some light romantic fiction. Always a win in my book.

This book was a joy to read. Like any good romance it was a little predictable, but I was definitely here for it. I gave this book a solid 4 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and OneMoreChapter for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Julie Caplin seems to have a talent for capturing cultures and the flair of places. I enjoyed The little Teashop in Tokyo very much and was happy to find out more about the Japanese culture. The novel felt very well-researched, which I appreciate a lot. All the places were described in enough detail to feel like you are there with the characters. Even the food was so tangibly described that I almost got hungry.

The protagonists were likable, especially travel blogger Fiona grew close to my heart. I loved to see her develop throughout the novel.

I read this book within two days, even though I was not even on holidays – but now I clearly want to go to Japan. Thank you for the escapism, Julie Caplin!

Sad that this is part of a series and I felt I was missing out when I started this one. Such a cute book about tea and second chances. Serendipity. Fate. Call it what you want - it's fun, flirty and such a quick and easy read. If you want an awesome "beach read" start from the first book to get here and enjoy the ride!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Julie Caplin and HarperCollins UK + One More Chapter, for providing me with an eARC of this publication which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Japan is a place that has been on my bucket list for years but I have found nobody else liked minded and I'm too chicken to travel that far alone so up to now it has eluded me.

This book was so descriptive and vivid with its scene-setting that my resolve to get there has increased. I am longing to see the Sakura or cherry blossoms, to visit the iconic Mount Fuji, or get bedazzled by the lights, noise and bustle of Shibuya, Tokyo. I also find the tea ceremonies fascinating and would love to see one or even better partake in one.

The characters in the story were all well thought out and carefully orchestrated into the plot. Our heroine Fiona was magnificent, it was great watching her blossom and her confidence building as the story progressed and you really found yourself rooting for her, not just for her relationship with Gabe but with everyone else around her. Her gentle camaraderie with all three generations of the family she stayed with and also her relationship with her mother, from spiky and brittle to a loving and warm acceptance.
Gabe was a broken man at the start, moody, tired of life in general and closed off to others but the more time he spent with Fiona, the more he warmed up and opened up, seeing things in his life for what they really were, be it good or bad and for realising what he needed all along.

This is the third of this series I have read, I got the first 2 then jumped ahead to this which is number 6 but each one is its own story with only minor references to the others so they didn't make anything confusing or difficult to understand.

I will be back for more Romantic Escapes very soon

I have to say that this is my least favourite Julie Caplin book, to date. I just couldn’t get on with the main characters at all and I found it hard to concentrate on the story. I kept finding myself distracted by something else instead of just sitting and enjoying the book. It Hasn’t put me off because I’ve always given this series of books either 4 or 5 stars, so I’m definitely still looking forward to the next one.

This was a brilliant read and is being featured on my blog for my quick star reviews feature, which I have created on my blog so I can catch up with all the books I have read and therefore review.
See www.chellsandbooks.wordpress.com.

This was a really cute and heartwarming second chance romance! The Tokyo setting and well-developed characters made this for a quite enjoyable reading experience. I understand this is part of a series, but I read it without having read the other books in the series and I didn't feel like I was missing anything. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a fun and uplifting read! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC.

Thank you to the publisher for my eARC copy of this book. Unfortunately I didn’t love this book and therefore didn’t finish, I just didn’t connect with this one. Not for me, sorry.

🌟This novel a gorgeous love letter Toyko (I've never been but I certainly want to now!).
🌟Among the laugh-out-loud moments of this book, there are heartfelt poignant moments as the characters reevaluate their lives.
🌟Caplin's writing is absolutely magical making you feel all warm and fuzzy as she transports you to Tokyo.
🌟If you are looking for a feel-good read this book is for you.
🌟 Heartfelt, charming & thought-provoking.

Fiona has won a trip to Japan where she will take photographs to show at an exhibition back in London.
She is met at the airport by the man who she had a massive crush on as a student.
He is unaware who she is.
As the trip progresses she learns much about the Japamese lifestyle and new bonds develpp between her and Gabe.
I've read all the books in the series and unfortunately this one I found really hard to get in to.

I love all of the books in this series and this one certainly doesn't disappoint. You are immediately transported to the cherry blossoms of Japan and the story of Fiona and Gabe. As always the story is so warmhearted and fun that you can't put it down. Perfect lighthearted read

This is part of a series, but I feel it can easily be read as a standalone. There isn't a lot of overlap with the series.

I liked the descriptions of Tokyo, where I've never been before. However, I found the romance a little unbelievable.

This is a lovely book when you're looking for escapism fiction.

If you like a light, quick read romance, this is the book for you. The relationship trope is one of my favorites ever, and the dissing and bantering was entertaining to read. We have two characters with a past history that never expected to see each other again, only for fate to bring them back together and have them work together. Except one of them doesn’t remember the other, awesome.

We have complex characters living their adult life (it’s hard to say this when I mostly read YA) and dealing with their different views of life and their expectation of it. Both characters are missing something in their life and that’s dragging them down. I believe what got me more invested was the way they help each other grow back into themselves.

The way Fiona’s enthusiasm reminds Gabriel of his passion for photography, of his love for the art, the motivation, and creativity he had lost. While Fiona got freed of the humiliation and sense of failure that had affected her entire life after what happened with Gabriel when she was 18.

The Kobashi family, who hosted Fiona during her time in Japan, was also one of my favorite things from the book. Their perspective of life was refreshing, reminding the characters, and us, that we have to enjoy life, live in the moment, enjoy things while they last, and we have to embrace our mistakes.

And of course, the real reason why I even requested this book, the travel side. Traveling to Japan was one of my plans for 2020 and reading this book has only made me want to buy the ticket and get my ass on the plane. Since Fiona is traveling to Japan for the first time in her life, most of the common and popular sites are mentioned. Such as Mount Fuji, the Robot Restaurant, and Tokyo Skytree. It was all very basic, but I loved how Fiona did not focus on the sites themselves, but the way people reacted to them. And it was beautiful to imagine seeing a temple’s tori for the first time, or the view from up high on the Skytree. I also want to try tempura so bad once I’m able to eat fried things without retching in disgust.

The romance was there but…

Maybe it’s the fact that my passion for fanfiction has been reignited in the past few months, but the romance in this book was kinda meh.

And I know I can’t expect a blown-out romance or too much cheesiness in an adult romance novel. However, the moment I realized this was not going to make me feel gooey and fluffy, I at least expected some big drama to go down. And there was drama, but it happened at a point in the book where it felt predictable and was not that interesting.

Also, and this is probably just me, whenever sexual tension comes in too blatantly as it did here I can’t help but cringe. “I felt warm in places that didn’t have a reason to be warm”, I just… no.

Overall, it was a nice read. Like I said, if you want to get something nice and quick, with character development (and mad dashes through the airport), this is the book for it.

I love this series and this title will always be particularly special to me as it was so wonderful to escape somewhere as fascinating as Japan when even going to the supermarket felt like a big trip out. Japan wasn't in my Top Ten must travel list, but after reading this it's definitely up there. It's impossible not to get caught up in the beauty of the blossom, the tea ceremonies and the delicious sounding food. Julie Caplin has done it again, a must read.