Member Reviews
Milla’s ex fiancé and ex friend are expecting a baby together, so to avoid the heartache of the situation she decides to return to Cornwall to work in the Wedding Shop where she is tasked with planning a wedding for handsome sailor Nic.
I haven’t read any of the other books in this series, however it didn’t hinder my enjoyment of this one.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Lovely book. This was such a lovely summer holiday book. I read it in the beach and it was perfect.
I live the St Aidans family, Jess and her wedding shop family are so supportive and warm.
Milla is seriously licking her wounds when she comes home to the fold with her kooky retro pink camper van. She has been let down and hurt badly by dastardly for Phoebe and Ben.
Nic is grieving for the life he thinks he has stopped his sister from having due to an accident.
They meet and grow to support and befriend each other gently.
Such an excellent book in the series.
5* book.
This arc copy was provided in exchange for an honest review by me for netgalley.
Even though I have read two of her other works (can't resist those cute covers), this is my first step into the 'Little Wedding Shop by the Sea' series. Surely, it lives up to its name. Though each book can be read as a standalone, we do get to meet a lot of characters from the previous books and the tightly knit group is enough of a temptation to pick the other books in the series. Well, I will have to follow the reverse order now.
Milla is back in St. Aidan for a working holiday. That's the excuse, but the real reason is that she wants to be away from her ex-fiance and business partner who are now having a baby together. What is a better way to a speedy recovery other than working with her best friends? What she didn't foresee is that her first client will be the handsome stranger she kissed on Valentine's day. But Nic is here for arranging his marriage and so totally off-limits. Can Milla remain professional throughout the ordeal?
Talk about a messy situation. I was worried in the beginning as snatching someone's fiance is not really a story I want to read. Well, I can't give you any spoilers, but rest assured, all will be well in due time. We could pretty much guess the way it's going but that didn't spoil anything for me. Even if you are not really into weddings, this will really pull you in. The wedding jitters, walking the aisle and the first dance . . . it is hard to keep back the happy tears once you come to know the work in the background.
All in all, another delightful read from Jane Linfoot where Cornwall works its magic . . . again.
I didn't realize that Love at the Little Wedding Shop by the Sea was a series until I was well into it. That's a good thing, in that it didn't inhibit me from knowing what was going on in the story. I do think, though, had I read the series I would have a bit more insight into the peripheral characters who had smaller parts in this book.
The book is about a wedding planning business set in a charming town in Cornwall. Milla returns to her hometown when heartbreak and disappointment have her searching for a new beginning. If you like weddings and all the fun surrounding them than this is the series for you. Plus there is a romance brewing between Milla and her client, Nic. I am not fascinated reading about weddings. I'm far beyond that time in life so maybe that's why I had a little trouble being totally drawn into this book. I could see that it was well written, fun characters, drama, and lots of action. I would rate it 3.5 as to how interested I was, but I'm giving it a 4 because other reviewers are very positive and I am thinking I was maybe just not the right reader for this book.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for letting me read an ARC of this book.
This is such a fun series and I’m so happy that it’s still going strong after 5 books! I’ve read them all so far and this book follows the same hilarious (but often deeply sad) antics of a group of friends in St Aiden who are all involved in the wedding business somehow. If you’re after romance then this is definitely the series for you and I’ve enjoyed watching the women achieve their own “happy ever after” so was keen to see if new girl Milla would be able to put her very sad past behind her and find true love…
To begin with I wasn’t actually sure if I took to Milla as she arrived in St Aiden with her bright pink van! There was certainly a rather frantic start to Love at the Little Wedding Shop by the Sea culminating in a St Valentines Day event. Milla has already had an encounter with an attractive man at the Quay where he kept his boat but when he also appears at the event, he becomes much more important to Milla as she becomes the client that she really needs to impress! But as they spend time together planning a perfect wedding, it become obvious that there is a spark between them that there possibly shouldn’t be between a wedding organiser and her client!
I found myself hoping for so much more for Milla that the deal she appeared to be getting here as she had suffered so much heartache in the past. Her backstory went a long way in explaining her response to a possible new and important relationship in her life but not the never ending disasters that seemed to follow her! I loved how her story developed and there were a few times I got quite weepy especially when there was a rather surprising moment during a wedding!
Love at The Little Wedding Shop by the Sea was a lovely read and a welcome return to a group of friends who really are there for each other through some very challenging times. Poppy has always been a favourite of mine (possibly due to my love of cake!!) and it was great to have her involved throughout this journey for Milla. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of my trip to St Aidens and only wish I could visit for real!
Milla and Nic have the type of romance you wish would happen to you! The chemistry between them as they try to fight their feelings real and immediate, and the balance between humour and pathos is lovely.
A really gorgeous escapism read.
The wedding planners of The Little Wedding Shop by the Sea approach their busy wedding season with lively enthusiasm, especially as they are celebrating their tenth anniversary. The celebrations party is a huge success and everyone seems to be having a good time but as with as with life, not everything is going to run smoothly.
Milla is newly arrived back in St Aidan, a place she grew up in, but her return is marred by some pretty dastardly goings on between her best friend and business partner, Phoebe, and her now ex-fiancé, Ben. Whilst Milla’s back story is somewhat sad, she does have bag loads of personality and a penchant for getting into difficulty, however, her self esteem has taken something of a battering and through the course of this lovely ‘feel good’ story we see Milla grow in confidence. Her role as wedding planner gets her into all sorts of odd situations but it is her connection with the handsome and charismatic Nic where the story really comes alive.
The whole complex world of wedding planning is done really well, from the cakes, to the dress, the wedding fairs and venues, it’s all a mysterious minefield which, to be fair, causes Milla a whole heap of trouble, but it's all done with great good humour and the author has a lovely way of bringing everything together in a lively way.
I haven't read any of the previous books four books in this series and whilst it would probably have been helpful to know a little more about some of the characters, overall I read this quite comfortably as a standalone. I loved the fun aspect of the story, along with a few sad bits, the bright and cheery book cover, and the rather sweet picture of the dog, the importance of which you'll have to find out by reading Love at the Little Wedding Shop for yourself.
Uplifting, utterly charming & wonderful.
Linfoot is one of my go-to authors and this book met all my very high expectations. She combines the perfect amount of funny, cringeworthy, serious, and heartfelt moments to make the most wonderful feel-good reads.
The whole cast of characters is strong, relatable, and endearing. Milla especially as she is determined to be positive in the face of agony and look on the bright side with her epic achievements of the day.
Set in gorgeous picturesque Cornwall, the harbor and the beaches of St Aiden are so dreamy if someone could just whisk me there immediately, please.
It's an absolute must-read for all rom-com lovers! We all need more Linfoot magic in our lives and I for one can't wait to get my mitts on her next release.
A huge thanks to Rachel's Random Resources & One More Chapter for gifting me a copy in return for an open & honest review.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I absolutely love Jane’s work and I have been a fan of hers for a while. I love the series featuring ‘The Little Wedding Shop’. It sounds like a divine place to live, work and eat. I happen to love stories that are set in Cornwall. Anyway back to the point. When I read that Jane was due to release another book in the series I just knew that I had to read the book as soon as I could. Having just finished reading ‘Love At The Little Wedding Shop By The Sea’, all I can say is ‘wow’. I thoroughly enjoyed reading every single second of this delightful story but more about that in a bit.
I loved the character of Milla and warmed to her from the very start. When the story begins, we learn that Milla has gone back to her roots and she has returned to where she grew up. I got the impression that she is going back to familiar surroundings to allow herself time to heal from betrayal by a friend and Milla’s ex-boyfriend. I won’t go into the whats and wherefores because I would hate to spoil the book for anybody else. Milla isn’t home for long before she meets a hunky sounding chap and there’s definitely lip action, which could potentially turn into something else. Milla claims that she isn’t looking for a relationship but does she protest a bit much? Milla is a lovely lass, who is kind, funny, compassionate, generous and a good laugh. Will Milla heal? Is Milla about to find her happy ever after ending? Well for the answers to that question and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
It took me next to no time to get into this story. In fact by the time I got to the end of the first page, I knew that I was going to be in for a cracking read and a half. I loved being back in Cornwall and reuniting with such familiar character. In fact, I felt like I was going home never mind Milla going home. This book was hypnotic in the sense that I felt I couldn’t put the book down. I felt compelled, in the nicest possible way, to keep reading. This book was a bit like the tonic I needed. I had been feeling a little low and rather tired and in need of a pick me up. This book was all that and more. I started chuckling away to myself from fairly early on as I read more about Milla’s shenanigans. This book certainly did more to cheer me up more than any tablets could have done.
‘Love At The Little Wedding Shop By The Sea’ truly was a delight to read from start to finish. Jane grabbed my attention from the start and she drew me into the story. I love the way in which Jane makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story themselves. That’s how I felt at any rate. Jane describes Cornwall so vividly and so realistically that I really did feel as though I was there myself. In fact I was all for packing my case and going on holiday to Cornwall and finding the Little Wedding Shop. Yes I know it isn’t real but I find that if I enjoy a book to the extent that I enjoyed this one, I tend to ‘live’ the story as if it were real. I loved the storylines, the characters, the setting and the little wedding shop. I can confidently say that there was not one thing about this book I didn’t like.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Love At The Little Wedding Shop By The Sea’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Jane’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
This is one of my favourite authors of all, her writing style is just perfect for me.
this book is part of a series but i can tell you i have not read them in order and you could read them as a stand alone book too. The main character is centred around Milla and the wedding shop is back in force in beautiful Cornwall. Milla isnt feeling too great because her business partner and her friend have got together and shes..... PREGNANT!!!! So Milla escpaes to Cornwall to avoid them and fix her broken heart. As the baby is due Milla is settling down in Cornwall and starts a job planning a wedding for Nic. Can she throw all her effort into the wedding shop and make it a big success. She is with her friend Popppy and theyve both been there for each other over the years and Milla is healing but does she wnat to get inot another realtionship?
I Really loved the town of St Aidan in cornwall, cornwall is just beautiful and these stories make you want to go back but when covid is over. I was a little emotional towards the end of the book, just so well written.
I love Jane's writing and her descriptive skills are just sublime. This is just what you need on days like now when winter isnt far away, brilliant.
I’ve been a fan of this series of books since the very first one, so I was thrilled to be taking a trip back to St. Aidan to catch up with the girls from Brides By The Sea, and to find out more about new girl, Milla.
I have to say, the opening of this book is a little bit of a whirlwind, with a lot of action and information thrown at the reader from the very beginning, which might seem a little confusing to readers who are new to St. Aidan and the Little Wedding Shop set up. I was on a slightly firmer footing, having read the previous books, but even to me it seemed a little frenetic. However, this feeling didn’t last beyond the first chapter and then the narrative settled down into an easier, clearer rhythm, making the book accessible to readers who haven’t read the previous books. Although this is a series, each one works perfectly as a standalone, and not knowing the back stories of some of the characters does not detract from the current plot, although I guarantee you will want to go back and find out more about the other girls from the previous books once you have read this one.
Out main protagonist here, Milla, is a bit of a disaster area to say the least. Clumsy and disorganised, with a sad back story, she is a character whose future doesn’t look too promising when we first meet her. However, she is full of verve and heart and enthusiasm which makes her very endearing, and the series of mishaps she encounters through the first half of the book make us root for her to turn things around even more. The fact that the worst of her mishaps happen in front of a very hot man who is causing flutters in interesting areas of her anatomy just makes things worse and, of course, more fun for the reader!
This is a story about new beginnings, confidence and pulling yourself up by the bootstraps. I really wanted Milla to succeed and believe in herself (and to get one over on one character who was loathsome to my mind from the beginning!). I also wanted her to get her man, although there were times at the beginning when I did wonder why she would want him after some of his behaviour (although his pecs and six-pack probably had a lot to do with it!) Milla’s story is full of laughter – Jane’s writing is absolutely hilarious – but there are also moments of real pathos and I defy anyone not to be moved by parts of this book amidst the hilarity.
Throw in the beautiful Cornish setting of St. Aidan with its gorgeous harbour, and all the fun, imagination and celebration of the wedding business, and this is a great escapist read. It is also a fabulous book about friendship, good and bad, as Milla’s friends rally around to help her establish a new life after a terrible betrayal. If you are a fan of chicklit and romcoms, and you are looking for a book to transport you to the seaside, give you some giggles and some feels, this is the perfect book for you, and I know you are going to want to look at Jane Linfoot’s back catalogue once you have read this. Loved, loved, loved it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was hooked from the first chapter. This book was just what I needed after a busy working week. It was pure escapism at its best. You know when you read one chapter and fall in love with the lead character instantly. Which then leaves you routing for her the whole way. Milla you gem!
The story set in Cornwall, was written and described beautifully, charming and wonderfully well. I am off to Cornwall Friday for the first time, which made this even more exciting to read. Based on friendships, an awful ex to run away from, romance and moving on from the past it was heart-warming. Plus, the chemistry between two of the characters. Wowzers! It was insane!
The females in this book were all fantastic and always there for each other. Everyone always had a solution to a problem. Girl power at its finest! The wedding shop sounds utterly divine. I love how everyone used to drop in and hang about there.
I felt for Milla from the beginning what she went through and what she had to put up with was awful. I cannot believe she actually lasted as long as she did! Crazy!! She was great, so it was no wonder she had all her girls supporting her throughout. Minus awful Phoebe, I can’t believe what a stuck up, self-centred women she was. I really couldn’t stand her.
I’m a sucker for romance, I love the build up of a relationship blossoming, seeing it develop into something wonderful. But of course, nothing is ever straight forward. I loved the little jokes and banter between the two of them.
I liked the plot around Pixie too, it did leave me guessing, which was good!
Apart from the above there were many other things to love about this book:
•The little quotes. My favourite was: ‘Always believe something wonderful is about to happen’.
•The music choices in the book, all just so lovely. Ellie Goulding How long will I love you, gets me every time. I was an emotional mess at this point in the story, well from the wedding. Perfect choice.
•The start of each chapter’s description. I felt it added a fun factor to the book and gave a little insight of what was about to come but without giving anything away. As I got further into the book I started to guess and try and piece what was about to come.
Overall as you can tell I adored this book and certainly recommend it. I will be reading more of Janes books as I really enjoyed the warm, lovely, way it written.
Omg, this was so adorable!!! I wasn’t sure if I was in the right mindset to start this, but once I started reading I couldn’t put it down! The lovely ladies were so supportive, the settings delightful, and some of the mishaps had me laughing out loud. And it was the perfect book to enjoy on a do nothing day.
Favorite Quotes:
I know if Ben were the last guy in the world on a desert island, I’d actually have to make a boat and leave. And that’s saying a lot from me, who came bottom of the class in woodwork.
‘…we’re desperate for your input with the Faceplant side.’ Poppy stifles a smile. ‘That’s Jess’s affectionate name for Facebook.’
Once your eyes are open to the possibilities of super-hot, lukewarm doesn’t get a look in.
Nic’s young-at-heart Great Auntie Di was very grateful for the sewing kit in the emergency basket I had tucked away in the downstairs cloakroom. A few stitches and some safety pin reinforcement was all it took to make her look like an on-trend seventy-nine-year-old again, rather than a teenager on the pull.
It could have been worse, at least they weren’t playing naked Twister.
My Review:
Jane Linfoot has become one of my favorite people, she is certain to be my favorite person of the month, as I adored this book from beginning to end. The storylines were entertaining as well as insightfully observant and cleverly amusing while her character development was simply stellar. I reveled in their banter and thoughtfulness of each other. I admired Milla’s evolution and smirked at her propensity for creating a bit of chaos as she appears to be more than a bit of a Calamity Jane and destined to be plagued with funny little disasters, despite her best efforts and good intentions. These were endearing and lovable people whom I would enjoy spending time with and knowing well. I look forward to delving into this series again and again for more antics and bridal adventures to keep Poppy’s busy eyebrow wagging.
“Love at the Little Wedding Shop by the Sea” by Jane Linfoot is the fifth book in the series, and I usually don’t jump into a series out of order, the synopsis sounded like such a cute book, and I have read another book by Jane Linfoot that I enjoyed, that I had to take a chance.
Do you love cozy villages? Do you love weddings? How about a wedding shop in a cute village and a decade anniversary? That’s the setting we have in this book. I do love weddings and I’m from a small town, so of course I felt at home with this book.
As we met Milla, I can’t help but loved her. Although, personally, I couldn’t fully understand her pain and the emotional state she was in at the beginning, I definitely felt connected to her and I wanted her happiness. I loved getting to know her background story and see her growth through the pages, seeing how she dealt with each moment and problem.
Because of Milla’s interactions with other characters and my introduction this this place and the shop, right until the very end – and even now – I’m quite curious to know the other characters in other books. I felt like I missed a couple of pieces about them, although that didn’t made me confuse, it mostly made me want to explore St Aidan more.
The atmosphere of the story, the plot, the characters, and the emotional waves that transported me to Jane Linfoot’s world, made reading the book exciting, lovely and warming. Especially since there is a party going on and who can resist a good and funny party.
Overall, I loved the book. I’m a romantic, I love to read about romance and see people get together and be happy. I love the journey to happiness, with all the crazy events, hardships and excitement, along the way. And this book made that feel real for me. Made the characters touch my heart.
[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, Jane Linfoot and One More Chapter for the eCopy of this book, via Netgaley. Thank you for allowing me to join in the fun and being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
I’m going to start by saying that I really loved this book – because I do have to admit that, at first, I really thought I wasn’t going to like it at all. I do have a particularly jaded view of the wedding industry – I’d rather agreed to set that to one side, given the book’s title – but the first 50 pages or so of the book just made me feel so dreadfully old.
First there was Milla’s arrival in St Aidan, in her bright pink camper van with the flashing lights – a hint of a sad back story, a bit of an unexpected encounter on the quayside, and then we’re plunged into the midst of the most frenetic party imaginable. I’ve rarely felt so strongly that this really wasn’t going to be the book for me – the humour seemed to be piled on particularly thickly, and it was all far too slapstick for my tastes. And it really did amaze me that anyone could think that Milla was a suitable candidate to be given responsibility for the more special wedding clients – goodness, she can barely stand upright in her stilettos, she’d be a total disaster.
But then, slowly but surely, a little magic started to happen. All the characters became a bit more rounded as I got to know them better – and I found myself starting to rather like Milla as her rather sad back story was fleshed out. I was surprised to discover that I found the whole wedding side of things quite fascinating – the search for the perfect venue, the themes, the wedding fairs and all the effort that goes into them, the catering side (all those wonderful cupcakes!), the commitment and really hard work of the wedding organiser.
Then there’s that rather special chemistry between Milla and her main client – and it grew very convincingly, despite the obvious obstacles in the way, and I began to really enjoy it. And then, to my surprise, I found myself laughing out loud – I think it was at a particular point in a muddy field, another of Milla’s many disasters.
And the story continued to build, and Milla began to find her feet and grow in confidence – and I found myself cheering her on, really wanting her to make a success of things, hoping she’d get a bit of a happy ending. And through all its twists and turns, the whole book became considerably more substantial – but I’d really never expected to find myself having quite a few emotional moments. And there aren’t many times when I find myself with a smile on my face while reading through real tears – towards the end, I was really sobbing.
This was such very clever writing – and a quite wonderful story of the most unlikely heroine turning her life around, making a success of things in a way I never expected, showing real bravery and determination, and doing everything she can to get herself that happy future she so thoroughly deserves. And the large supporting cast is also excellent – a group of really supportive friends who become Milla’s family, watching her back and picking her up when she stumbles, celebrating every little success she achieves. The backdrop is superb too – St Aidan itself, the harbour and the beach, and all those fantastic and well described wedding venues.
Things might not have started too well – but that was entirely about a bit of a mismatch between a book and its reader, nothing to do with the book itself. It really is quite a wonderful story about fresh starts and new beginnings, so different and exceptionally well told, so uplifting and joyous, good fun but with a rather perfect emotional touch – and I’m very happy to say that this was a book I absolutely loved.
(Copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)
Love at the Little Wedding Shop by the Sea is the first book I have read in this series. Even though it is number five, I had no trouble following the story or becoming immersed in Milla’s tale.
This book is such a feel-good story. The setting is delightful, making me wish I could visit the area. The author writes with a beautiful, descriptive style that helps you visualize every scene.
Friendship is as much a theme as romance in this book. I found that to be exceptionally refreshing. Everyone deserves a set of friends like Milla’s.
The banter between Nic and Milla is romantic comedy at its best. This style makes the pages just fly by while you are anticipating what will happen next.
I recommend this book to all lovers of fun and flirty romantic comedy. As soon as I find an extra bit of reading time, I’ll be going back to read the earlier books in the series.
I received a review copy of this book. The review is my honest, unbiased opinion.
I loved this book – it was full of misunderstandings, mishaps and magic!
Jane has the magic ability to capture details that really give you an insight in to the characters “soul” as well as their personality – the characters in this book are fabulous.
I loved it from start to finish, romance at its best – 5 stars from me!!”
This book is fantastic I loved it all. You will be engrossed by the planning of a wedding by the sea. Too many great things to mention about a blossoming romance that we as readers can see between nic who wants a wedding and milla the wedding planner but they can't, I read it with tears of happiness at the love and beauty of the story. Trust me it's a good one!!!
I loved this book. It has all the ingredients that make it a feel good enjoyable read. Humour, romance, great characters, a will they won't they moment or two all set in an idyllic sounding Cornish town. Part of a series of books but written that it can be read as a standalone book.