I am thrilled to introduce the fifth in Eliza J Scott's Micklewick Bay series, Cupcakes and Kisses in Middlewick Bay which was published by Storm Publishing on June 5th. You can read my review others in the series here: The Little Bookshop by the Sea. | Summer Days at Clifftop Cottage | Finding Love in Middlewick Bay |
Every night, Jasmine Ingilby dreams of delicate sugar
flowers and perfectly swirled buttercream. By day, she steals moments between
her cleaning shifts to craft stunning cakes from her tiny kitchen, hoping to
transform her passion into something more. But as a fiercely independent single
mother of two, finding time to grow her fledgling business feels like reaching
for the impossible.
Just when her hard work seems about to pay off, Jasmine’s
carefully balanced world begins to crumble. Her landlord puts a ‘For Sale’ sign
outside her rented home. Then a figure from her past returns to town, reopening
old wounds Jasmine thought had long healed and causing trouble at school for
her young children.
Then Max Grainger – her childhood best friend – unexpectedly
returns to Micklewick Bay after twenty-five years away, and Jasmine is
blindsided by the emotions his presence stirs. Now a successful businessman
with a son of his own, Max seems determined to solve all her problems. But
years of self-reliance have built walls around Jasmine's heart that even the
sweetest gestures struggle to break through.
Will Jasmine's fear of getting burned again stop her from
accepting help when she needs it most? Or will the loyal support of her friends
help her discover the perfect recipe for love?
A heartwarming, emotional read about second chances,
friendship, and finding the courage to believe in yourself, perfect for fans of
Jessica Redland, Jenny Colgan, and Phillipa Ashley.
My Thoughts
This is a lovely addition to the series. It centres on Jasmine, a single mother who has to juggle so much just to keep going. You have to admire her independent spirit and her determination to do her best for her son. When her son acquires a new friend at school, she little knows how her future is going to change. You learn quite a bit about Jasmine's childhood with her close and caring family. Max, a friend from her childhood was not so lucky with his family and was neglected and bullied at school. Jasmine's bravery in standing up to the bullies shows you her strength of character and independent spirit.
Middlewick Bay is the ideal setting for this story of friendship and community. Jasmine's friends are familiar characters to anyone who has read previous books in the series and you get to catch up with their lives. They are all strongly drawn characters but loyal to each other and they champion Jasmine's ambitions. This is a warm and uplifting read, perfect for a summer read.
In short: family, friendships and second chances
About the Author
Eliza J Scott lives in North Yorkshire with her family and
has wanted to be a writer as far back as she can remember. She is inspired by
her beautiful surroundings and loves to write heartwarming stories based on
romance and friendship with a generous dollop of community spirit and a hint of
humour. She has written fifteen novels (including this one) and has been an
Amazon UK Kindle bestseller.
When she’s not writing, Eliza can usually be found with her
nose in a book or working in her garden doing a spot of plot wrangling (of the
writing variety), and battling against the weeds. The weeds, unfortunately, are
currently winning but Eliza is undeterred. Roses are amongst her favourite
flowers and she doesn’t need much of an excuse to visit a plant centre, where a
new rose always seems to mysteriously find its way onto her trolley much to her
husband’s astonishment.
Eliza also enjoys having a catch-up with friends over tea
and cake, as well as bracing walks in the countryside, rounded off by a visit
to a teashop – for yet more tea and cake!
Check out the rest of the tour!
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