When Fiona is offered the chance of two weeks in Tokyo, shadowing renowned photographer Yutaka Araki, she jumps at the opportunity. However when she arrives and finds that instead she is working with Gabriel Burnett, who she’d had a crush on at college, the trip suddenly doesn’t seem as appealing. But with the help of her host Haruka and family, the beauty of Japan overrides her fears about Gabe.

In all of Julie Caplin’s novels, the settings are well researched and the Little Teashop in Tokyo is no exception. Once I’d realised that the teashop was, of course, not a cafe, but a traditional tea ceremony, the beauty of Japan shone through. Having never visited, I could still imagine the cherry blossom in the parks, and the snow capped Mount Fuji. The scenery provides a glorious backdrop to the relationship between Fiona and Gabe, as he introduces her to new experiences, and their growing romance builds throughout the book. My favourite character has to be Haruka’s granddaughter Mayu, who introduces Fiona to a different form of Japanese culture.

Another great book in the Romantic Escapes series.

The Little Teashop in Tokyo by Julie Caplin
Publication Date: June 11, 202

Description from NetGalley...
“Grab your passport and escape to a land of dazzling skycrapers, steaming bowls of comforting noodles, and a page-turning love story that will make you swoon!
For travel blogger Fiona, Japan has always been top of her bucket list so when she wins an all-expenses paid trip, it looks like her dreams are coming true. Until she arrives in vibrant, bustling Tokyo and comes face-to-face with the man who broke her heart ten years ago, gorgeous photographer Gabe. Fiona can’t help but remember the heartache of their last meeting but amidst the temples and clouds of soft pink cherry blossoms, can Fiona and Gabe start to see life – and each other – differently?”

Thank you to @NetGalley, @harpercollinsuk @OneMoreChapterhc for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.

My thoughts...
So I picked this book because of the title and the cover. This is my first book from this author. And I wasn’t expecting it to be more of romcom. The romance story was predictable which is what you should expect in a romcom generally), the character’s inability to let go of an “embarrassing moment” was a bit prolonged. More focus on the bullying story would have been better, because the character made decisions in her life based on that. But, what I enjoyed were the fantastic descriptions of the food and the tea ceremony. I felt like I should have ordered sushi while reading it. The author also did a great job in describing the settings, surroundings and famous areas. Japan is on my list of places to visit and this book made me want to go even more. Overall, it was a quick, light and entertaining read with an ending I appreciated.

The Little Teashop in Tokyo was a nice little change of pace. This is your typical rom-com that just happens to be set mainly in Tokyo. I really enjoyed the setting since I know very little about Tokyo and the Japanese culture. After reading this book, I was surprised that I think I would enjoy visiting Tokyo which was not on my bucket list before reading this book. The descriptions of sites and traditions were fascinating.

The reason that I did not rate the book higher was the fact that Fiona and Gabe's relationship progressed so quickly. It "started" as a impulsive kiss ten years earlier which was interrupted by a classmate and not having any contact since to after only a few days a full fledged relationship with them looking towards the future. Since so much emphasis was put on how devastated Fiona was by the situation when she was eighteen that I just found it hard to believe.

If you need a nice escape from reality while get some insights to a culture then I would recommend this book, I will be checking out the others in the series.

This book is pure escapism, I loved my trip to Toyko reading this book. It oozed Japanese culture and traditions and took us on a tour of landmarks. The descriptions were vivid and portrayed a love of Japan and gave great insight into then food and culture.

The characters were delightful and I loved getting to know them. Fiona was a complex character who was finding her feet after having her confidence shattered; making her bucket list trip and determined to take in as much culture and immerse herself in Japan both as a tourist and as a resident.

I absolutely loved this book, Japan as a country is somewhere I would love to visit and reading about the amazing sights and traditions just made me want to visit even more. This book is escapism at its best, I felt like I was sitting in the teashop soaking up the culture and enjoying the amazing views from Mount Fiji.

A superb story, with a wonderful balance of characters that makes your heart break and soar as you lose yourself between the pages.

A great read for summer: I liked the setting, the characters and the well plotted story that kept me hooked.
I recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

I was given an advance copy of this book by NetGalley, in return for a review of the book.
This is the sixth book in Julie Caplin’s Romantic Escapes set, and one of my favourites! Japan has never been somewhere I’d particular thought I’d like to visit but the book made me think differently about that- with talk of cherry blossom, amazing food and unique culture.
The book was really easy to read- like the rest in the series, the main character is someone we’ve met before, and this time it was Fiona, who we’d met before in ‘the little cafe in Copenhagen’. Fiona, who is taken out fo her comfort zone, is whisked off to Japan to be mentored in photography for 2 weeks. The character is instantly relateable, and because of that, I felt like I knew her and became instantly engrossed in the story.
My recommendation- if you’ve not read the whole series, start at the beginning and enjoy each one. You don’t have to of course, each one could be read individually, but with summer ahead and hopefully some time on your hands, make this series your next project!

📚After a fabulous month of thrills and suspense for Crime and Thriller May, I treated myself to a little something different over the weekend. To combat the lockdown blues, I picked up Julie Caplin's latest in getaway romances – I know not my usual scene at all, but this one was set in Tokyo. I feel incredibly priviledged to have had my time away in Australia and New Zealand before the pandemic hit, but the next destination on list is Japan – or will be when travel becomes a thing again🤞– so I couldn't resist.

THE LITTLE TEASHOP IN TOKYO is a lovely and sweet story that sees blogger Fiona jetset off to Tokyo after winning a photography competition, and yet after, nine thousand miles of travel, she comes face to face with a figure from her past that makes her blush a bright shade of blossom pink.

Although the romance is endearing, I did find the characters a little hard to connect with to begin with. However, the most enjoyable parts of the novel for me were the descriptions of Japan and Japanese culture; the food, the people, the cities, the sakura (blossom). It sounds like a whirlwind of colour and vibrance contrasted with a calm bliss. So although I'll have to content myself with travelling in my mind whilst curled up on the sofa in Kent, this was the perfect little weekend companion...🌸🌸🌸

Thanks to the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. #gifted

As a Japanese myself, I need to point out some spelling mistakes with some Japanese words. Also the bullet train does not take you from Tokyo to Osaka in one hour. The fastest one will take 2 hours and 22 minutes. As I feel the author’s love towards Japan and Japanese culture, I really appreciate it, however the small mistakes bothered me. Please have it checked by “Japanese native” if you can. If you want me to do it, send me a message.

I was reading this book while the cherry trees were in blossom. I don't know if I have ever enjoyed my backyard more!!

If you are going to Japan before the cherry blossoms bloom next, read it under a beautiful tree or in a lovely garden. If you can wait (won't blame you if you can't!!) read it when the cherry trees are in blossom. It was wonderful!!

This is the first of the series that I have read and am now annoying my librarian to get the series!! Very visual book which are my favorite. Travel is a joy in my life so I got to visit Japan. And of course, a HEA ending. Really what more do you want?

The descriptive writing really did for me - from the scenic settings, the architecture or the photography, I was able to see it all in my head and enjoyed the experience.

I received an ARC for my review

As with all of the books written by Julie Caplin this was a delightful read, fun and lighthearted. The writing is well done and keeps you interested.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for a review. I will be putting this review on Amazon too.

What an absolute delight this book was!

Fiona is overjoyed when she is given the opportunity to travel to Tokyo thanks to a photography competition entry. But when she arrives and comes face to face with Gabe - an all too familiar face from her past- everything changes.

The insight into Japanese culture and the the exploration of the key landmarks throughout is extraordinary and truly makes you want to experience the sights yourself.

The characters were also delightful. The friendships that Fiona builds throughout her journey are heartwarming and all help her character truly blossom.

This book was heartwarming and beautifully written from start to finish.... a true delight to read.

I have mixed feelings about this novel. It’s gives you a great insight into Japanese culture plus the descriptive prose of the scenery and food will almost transport you there. However, I just found the book to be dull. I didn’t particularly like the main character and felt that nothing really happened in the book. Sorry but this wasn’t for me. Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins, One More Chapter and the author for the chance to review.

A bit of foreign culture and a sweet romance: captivating😍!

This was a great read😊! The romance was pretty rapidly-developing, all on Fiona's prize two-week trip to Japan, but the couple's backstory made it seem less instantaneous. Gabe, the lead male character who unexpectedly pops back into Fiona's life, is a bit of a jerk through a good part of the story and his careless attitude actually makes his later behavior seem that extra notch better. With an ex to stir things up and the way they connected through their photography, the romance was a memorable one with a sigh-worthy ending😌.

🗾 I've never been to Japan yet the author took me there with her loving descriptions of both the vibrant modern Tokyo and the traditional with its calm and natural beauty. I felt like I was seeing it all for the first time along with Fiona and, by the way she describes the photographic gems Fiona snaps, I would say author Julie Caplin has a very artistic eye and deft descriptive talents. I really enjoyed the photography element in the story.

As to the characters, Fiona grew and proved reserves of emotional strength that I envy and the three generational family who hosted her were wonderful. Even Gabe grew on me eventually and Fiona's mother redeems herself with a selfless gesture at a crucial moment for Fiona's career.

This is the second of Caplin's novels that I've read and I will be looking for more. She combines prime foreign settings with a good love story and executes them with a easy flowing writing style. 👍👍

Thanks to publishers One More Chapter/Harper Collins for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review and opinions expressed are completely my own.

Thank you to One More Chapter for providing a digital review copy of this gorgeous book. My thoughts are my own and not influenced by the gift. Also thank you to The Book Babe for sharing your review, this encouraged me to apply for a review copy too.

I loved this book. Fiona is a great character, full of talent without realising it and full of empathy for others, usually at the cost of her own happiness, especially with her mum. Travelling to Japan on her own is a huge step out of her comfort zone and it is great to see how she deals with being in a different country, full of new traditions and photographic opportunities.

Gabe is an interesting character, who finds his life changed totally when called to mentor Fiona at the last moment. Will Fiona be the catalyst he needs to shake up his life?

Haruka, Setsuko and Mayu welcome Fiona into their lives and teashop - the detail in the book about the tea shop and tea ceremonies makes it feel as if you are there.

This is a no spoiler review so I'm not going to comment any further on how Fiona deals with working with Gabe, the teacher she kissed 10 years ago. I recommend buying a copy to find out what happens to Fiona and to enjoy a virtual visit to Tokyo - this book could also double as a tour guide.

Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It transported me back to Tokyo, a city I visited last year, and brought back many happy memories. The author must do extensive research because the descriptions of the attractions in Japan and life in the country were very accurate. I was amazed that even the Robot Restaurant got a mention!
The characters were very believable and the descriptions of the Japanese ladies was spot on. This was a really good read and is recommended wholeheartedly.

I enjoyed this book very much; it had a good storyline and a great setting!

I loved reading about Japan and it brought back all kinds of memories of when I visited Tokyo. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of tea ceremonies and the trip to Mount Fuji. I also learnt more about Japanese customs and the balance between the traditional and the modern.

A great book - and an original setting - if you enjoy romance and armchair travel!

Another cracking read from this author, Ilove her books, such easy reading and great feel good factor. Great descriptions of the location, always makes me want to visit, especially as we can’t travel at the moment. Grab your sunscreen and head outside - enjoy!

As with ALL of Julie Caplins books, I was in love with this from the very first page. We're currently stuck in lockdown here in Scotland, my planned holiday abroad cancelled, and then along comes this book to drop me straight into the streets of Tokyo for an adventure! Japan is my all time favourite country so I couldn't wait to see how it would be portrayed in this book.

Needless to say, I was not disappointed! From the bustling streets of Shibuya to the quiet contemplation of the temples, the book really took you there, and getting lost in it's pages truly left me feeling like I had been there right beside Fiona. (Even if I was incredibly jealous of her all-expenses-paid trip to Japan!!) And it wasn't just the atmosphere of the different areas, it was the food! The glorious descriptions of the food, the freshly blended tea for the ceremonies, all of it. It was wonderfully written, as were all the little nods to traditional Japanese culture, from how they presented their homes to how they behaved in public. 

I loved Fiona as a character, she started out so shy and closed off, but slowly seeing her open up and being more of an outgoing character was brilliant. With her coming face to face with Gabe after all those years, I really felt for her, especially with his behaviour in the beginning! And of course the brief flash of having the Copenhagen gang back together again at her exhibition was lovely!

I'm now left feeling homesick for a country I've never visited, and am desperate for Haruka to be real so I can go and stay with her and drink tea in her garden!

What a gorgeous setting! This is the first book I've read set in Japan and I adored Julie Caplin's beautifully detailed descriptions of Fiona's surroundings.As well as reading a Romance novel it also felt like I was being given a tour of some of the most famous parts of Japan. I almost felt like I was watching one of those Joanna Lumley travel programs!

Julie Caplin's writing took me on a wonderful adventure in a beautiful country, and I was immersed into the fascinating culture. It was so interesting to read about the contrasts between technology and tradition in Japan, with Fiona visiting a Robot Restaurant, an immersive art installation, and the famous Shibuya crossing, as well as attending a traditional tea ceremony!

I could picture the sights and smells of a busy Tokyo; but I'd love to feel the serenity of a Zen garden or see the beautiful cherry blossom with my own eyes. The description of the Tempura Restaurant made my mouth water, and at times I even wished I liked seafood!

Fiona was an interesting character who has led a reclusive life after an incident in her teens led to bullying.The trip to Japan pushes her out of her comfort zone and she discovers a new resolve and determination that she never knew she had. She grabs the opportunity with both hands and despite her initial nervousness she immerses herself in the Japanese culture. Of course she didn't expect to fly all the way to Japan and bump into Gabe Burnett; the last person she wanted to ever see again. Obviously this is a massive shock to her, but that new found resolve comes into play and she's determined that he won't ruin this once in a lifetime trip.

Overall, although this book didn't grab me as much as I'd hoped, it was still a lovely story and the setting was gorgeous. I got to visit Tokyo, I saw the beautiful cherry blossom, and I even got to see Mount Fuji, all from the comfort of my bedroom!

This was a nice feel good love story in an amazing setting! I loved the descriptions of the places and food. Fiona is a sweet character so you find yourself rooting for her, but she seems so much younger and more immature than her age.