From Amazon

Were you a sherbet lemon or chocolate lime fan? Penny chews or hard boiled sweeties (you do get more for your money that way)? The jangle of your pocket money . . . the rustle of the pink and green striped paper bag . . .

Rosie Hopkins thinks leaving her busy London life, and her boyfriend Gerard, to sort out her elderly Aunt Lilian's sweetshop in a small country village is going to be dull. Boy, is she wrong.

Lilian Hopkins has spent her life running Lipton's sweetshop, through wartime and family feuds. As she struggles with the idea that it might finally be time to settle up, she also wrestles with the secret history hidden behind the jars of beautifully coloured sweets.

Review

I love well-written chick lit, and that's what this book most certainly was. It treads a similar path to Meet Me At The Cupcake Cafe - townie Rosie ends up in the country returning her aunt Lilian's sweetshop to being a thriving concern and meets a diverse and entertaining cast of characters, dumps boyfriend and finds new love. But she does it so very, very well. Richness is added by Lilian's sad wartime story, and each chapter is introduced by extracts from her book musing on confectionery of the past. This book was a really lovely read for anyone who likes their chick lit with depth, warmth and real humour - I loved it.  

Thanks for the review. I haven't always liked Jenny Colgan's books but did enjoy Cupcake Cafe and this sounds just as good.  

BTW I was a penny chew and sherbert 'spaceship' person! 

Oh Annie, why did you have to discover another book I simply HAVE TO HAVE !

Jenny Colgan really has gone from strength to strength over the years, looking forward to reading this one.  Cheers for the review Annie x

For some reason this review put me in mind of The Mistress Of Spices by Chitra Divakaruni, which I loved.   I'm not sure you've quite sold a chick lit book to me yet Anne (and I know it's a very misleading tag) but keep going!

I LOVED meet me at the cupcake cafe, it was ma favourite of 2011, and I am currently reading this and it's okay so far, not keen on the bits about Lillian but know it needs to go back there to truly get an understanding of the background. 

I meant to add to this, gave up on this. Just wasn't for me, Looking forward to her new one at the end of the year though :)

Must admit Kat, I actually preferred the Lilian bits, but you're right about the balance needed. And Tracy, I'll treat that as a challenge - reading more + more chick lit these days (antidote to a busy life!) so I have plenty to tempt you with!! 

ok yer on

I've just finished this and gave it a 7/10.  It was very nostalgic with all the older brands of sweets that are mentioned throughout.  It was typical chick lit and it was just the dose of sweetness that I needed to escape too.  Well worth sinking your teeth into in my opinion.  I really like Edison the little boy that befriended Rosie, at times he seemed to be neglected by his Mum, she always seemed to be busy doing something else rather than being with him.  It made me wonder what damage we as Parents inflict on our Children by wanting them to follow our way of life, if you know what I mean.  Maybe damage is the wrong word to use.

Were you a sherbet lemon or chocolate lime fan? Penny chews or hard boiled sweeties (you do get more for your money that way)? The jangle of your pocket money . . . the rustle of the pink and green striped paper bag . . .

I had a quarter of chocolate limes the other week and I really miss mint sensations, I'm not sure if you can still get them or not.

wyres:

Were you a sherbet lemon or chocolate lime fan? Penny chews or hard boiled sweeties (you do get more for your money that way)? The jangle of your pocket money . . . the rustle of the pink and green striped paper bag . . .

I had a quarter of chocolate limes the other week and I really miss mint sensations, I'm not sure if you can still get them or not.

 

I bought some choc limes after reading it!  How could you not.  Then I saw some cola cubes in a fancy jar in the charity shop - NOT second hand I hasten to add!  Was tempted but refrained!

It was a lovely book, nostalgic with great characters, really enjoyed it.  It's a book to escape into, a real feel-good book.  Thanks Anne for persuading me to buy it in Skipton - glad you did!

scarlet21:

Thanks Anne for persuading me to buy it in Skipton - glad you did!

Glad you enjoyed it Lisa - I just knew you would!

I've just finished this and loved it.  I read a lot of crime books and this lovely light read brought a welcome change.

I've just finished this, and it was the perfect read for me right now!  Undemanding, sweet as the shop it was set in, yes, as most chick lit, it was undeniably ridiculously predictable, but when you have such a likeable cast of characters as this, it really doesn't matter!!  I kinda want Stephen or Jake for myself!!  

Nat

It's on my TBR list and it's getting bumped up right now!

Thanks for the wonderful review and other endorsements....