Hanukkah at the Great Greenwich Ice Creamery by Sharon Ibbotson #Review

Seasonal reading continues today with Sharon Ibbotson's Hanukkah at the Great Greenwich Ice Creamery, which was published by Choc Lit on December 4th 2019. 

 

Hanukkah days, Christmas nights and strawberry ice cream …

Cohen Ford is a man who could do with a little bit of sweetening up. It’s no surprise that when he walks into The Great Greenwich Ice Creamery on a typically gloomy London day before Christmas, he insists on a black coffee rather than his childhood favourite – strawberry ice cream. 

But then he meets River de Luca, the woman behind the flavours. After their first encounter, Cohen begins visiting the ice creamery every Tuesday, gradually learning more about the intriguing River. Could her influence encourage cynical Cohen to become the man who embraces Christmas, Hanukkah and even strawberry ice cream?

My Thoughts

Written through the hero's eyes for the most part, I thoroughly enjoyed this story which makes ideal holiday reading. Cohen turned out to be quite a complex character and certainly one who did not fit any stereotypes. His childhood proved to be still casting a shadow over his present, as he came to realise that he didn't much like the adult he had become. 

    There are some clear messages behind the story of how disability does not need to define you or hold you back. Home is not necessarily a building or a place as Cohen comes to realise. He learns to overcome obstacles in communication and can see past the surface to his true feelings below. In Rtver, he finds an independent woman and a great role model in the Deaf Community. Although this is a brief read, at 210 pages, it is a little gem of a story, which I was delighted to read.  

In short: Warmth and sincerity flavour this festive read.
 

About the Author

Sharon was born in Sydney, Australia but now lives in London with her husband, two small children and two black cats named for desserts. She started writing ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ fanfiction aged 15, which eventually transformed into the historical romance novels she writes today. She has two novels published by Choc Lit, and when not writing, can be found baking cakes badly or drinking wine well.

 

You can follow Sharon here: Twitter  |  Facebook   |  Instagram 

                                            |  Website

Book links: Amazon UK   |  Amazon US  

Thanks to Sharon Ibbotson, Choc Lit and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.

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