Review: The Cake Shop in the Garden by Carole Matthews

The Cake Shop in the Garden by Carole Matthews

Publisher: Sphere (23rd Apr 2015)

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Blurb:

Fay Merryweather runs her cake shop from her beautiful garden. She whips up airy sponges and scrumptious scones, while her customers enjoy the lovely blossoms and gorgeous blooms. Looking after the cake shop, the garden and her cantankerous mother means Fay is always busy but she accepts her responsibilities because if she doesn't do all this, who will?

Then Danny Wilde walks into her life and makes Fay question every decision she's ever made.

When a sudden tragedy strikes, Fay's entire world is thrown off balance even further and she doesn't know which way to turn. Can Fay find the strength to make a life-changing decision - even if it means giving up the thing she loves the most? Life, love and family are about to collide in The Cake Shop in the Garden.

I always look forward to Carole Matthews’s books every year because they are such little treats that would brighten your day. This year, as usual, Carole Matthews will be releasing two books, The Cake Shop in the Garden and The Chocolate Lovers’ Christmas! From the look of the cover and the sound of the blurb, I was immediately taken by the book! I adore the cover and the idea of reading a book on cakes was just too tempting and too good to pass up!

The Cake Shop in the Garden follows the story of Fay Merryweather, owner of Fay’s Cakes, a gorgeous cafe in the garden of her home by the canal. Aside from running the business with her assistant Lija, she cares for her bedridden mother and redundant sister, Edie, who’s living across the Atlantic Ocean, pining for a married man who she can never have. Enters Danny Wilde, a young, fit and incredibly charming bloke who has escaped the clutches of the corporate life in the city, looking for a change. Slowly, Fay realises that she hasn’t been living her life, instead, her life revolves around those she loves, but could she put everything off for her own happiness?

As usual, Carole Matthews’s books are such little treats that would brighten your day. With a string of best-sellers in her name, her trademark flair and humour is very much still shining brightly in her writing. If you know me well enough, I do love a good book that is food-themed, especially Jenny Colgan’s, and I really had high hopes for The Cake Shop in the Garden. Judging from the cover, it may seem like the run-of-the-mill romantic comedy with loads of yummy descriptions of cake, but it runs deeper than that. Aside from the gloriously summery cover, it’s a tale of family, responsibilities, dreams, love and let’s not forget the cherry on top of the icing: cake!

The characters in the book are a hoot, I liked Fay who is a likeable protagonist but she does need a good ol’ shake because I got really frustrated with her being so compliant and her habit of helping others readily when she doesn’t even care one bit for herself. At least there’s character development, which I’m happy to report. I loved Fay’s Latvian assistant, Lija. She’s spunky, feisty and straight-talking and there is this particular line she said that made me gasp out loud and stopped reading so I could tweet about it. And ladies (and gentlemen who read my blog), I shall begin fangirling over the irresistibly charming and suave, hot, fit, sexy, easygoing Danny Wilde. He is just every girl’s dream. A book boyfriend worth lusting over. Another man stole my heart in The Cake Shop in the Garden. I was completely taken by the lovely Stan, who dishes out the best life advice and who is a complete sweetheart.

A heartwarming tale of putting yourself ahead of others and seeking your happiness. It touches on the importance of family and following your heart, leaving room for a whirlwind romance which will make you pine for more. I would have loved this book more if there were more descriptions of the delicious cakes Fay and Lija whip up! A delectable morsel of chick lit that will satisfy your appetite!

Jennifer Garner as Fay and the dashing Bradley Cooper as Danny