The Teashop on the Corner

I loved this book. It was so easy to read, I loved the characters, and the teashop concept, and I really wished for it to never end. A highly enjoyable book to relax with.

If this story doesn’t make you cry, your heart may be made of stone.

The Teashop on the Corner has an endearing cast of main characters. Real people you feel you know and want to be friends with.
Carla finds out after the death of her husband that her whole marriage has been a lie.
Will has worked hard to build his business to the level where he and his wife can afford a life of luxury only to loose it all after a bad investment.
Molly, who only ever wanted to find her prince, feels that life has simply slipped away from her.
Shaun, brought up in foster homes and boys homes, had never known a mother’s love and his heart had frozen over. He now filled his days with work and books.
Leni, the teashop owner, has a smile for everyone and a willing ear to listen whenever needed. But buries her own hurt deep inside.
Pavitar, the retired surgeon, finds himself alone and lonely after his wife’s death.

They each happenstance upon the teashop on the corner as if it was beckoning them to come inside. Once inside they found friendship and acceptance.

The Teashop on the Corner has a perfect mix of tea, cake, books and friendship. Johnson’s descriptions of Leni’s literary wares makes me want to jump straight online to find some of these gems for myself. It fills me with a need to read the classics mentioned throughout the novel.
I fell in love with every character and I was captivated by their stories of love, loss and second chances. I just wanted to give Molly a big hug.

The Teashop on the corner is Milly Johnson’s tenth novel. Johnson was the recipient of RNA’s RomCom award 2014.

I recommend this novel to anyone who loves new found friendships and happy endings.

The Teashop on the Corner by Milly Johnson

Category Book review

In brief: Leni’s teashop is where a number of strangers meet and help each other through hard times.
The good: Left me with a warm, fuzzy feeling that there are still good people in the world.
The not-so-good: The characters feel like friends now, and I’m sad to leave them.
Why I chose it: The title caught my eye (I love tea, and the sweet treats found in tea shops). Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the eARC.
Year: 2014 Pages: 512 (eARC)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Setting: England My rating: 9 out of 10 The Teashop on the Corner was the perfect book to read in the lead up to Christmas – food, friendship, love and overcoming life’s stumbling blocks wrapped up in a delightful package. My only regret is that I didn’t write this review earlier so you could all rush out and buy it for Christmas! Never mind – there’s long, lazy summer days in Australia and long, cosy nights in the northern hemisphere to be had this month, so get on to it! This book is perfect for fans of Maeve Binchy and Cathy Kelly as it has that warm, friendly feeling that you’re part of a community.
The story opens with the funeral of Carla’s husband Martin, who died unexpectedly. Nobody expected an astonishing secret to be revealed at the service and now poor Carla is heartbroken and about to be homeless. Meanwhile Will has just lost his business and his wife. What’s worse is that he’s now a roofing man with a fear of heights… Molly’s got a sneaking suspicion that she’s losing her mind as things keep on disappearing and her daughter-in-law suggests she should move into an old folks’ home. What will happen when her ex appears on her doorstep? It’s Leni, owner of The Teashop on the Corner that brings this disparate crew together over Austen Tuesdays and delectable cakes. They become good friends, able to help each other through the hard times and see that good things are just around the corner. Initially I was confused when a book with a title about a teashop opened with a funeral, but I soon got into the swing of things as each character was introduced. The characters were all so well drawn and likeable that I didn’t have a favourite, but wanted to know what was happening to all of them. This made the pages speed by until I was at the end and felt somewhat bereft at letting the characters go. Milly Johnson also put all of the main characters through the wringer, which made for a more exciting story and the added bonus of seeing them grow through the book (Carla especially). There’s also the mouth-watering description of Leni’s cakes to read as the characters meet each Tuesday – they had me thinking how I could recreate those treats in my kitchen…
The story, despite the sad parts that happen to each character, is a lovely one. Each page is handled with grace and gentle humour. While it’s a light read, it handles sensitive subjects (your heart will break as Ryan explains why he needs a part-time job – to save up for a Kindle) but it finishes with a warm glow. I highly recommend this as a book to relax with this summer (or winter) and let the story take you away to a place of good friends, love and delectable cakes.