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look_whos_reading's review
3.0
I listened to the Beach Cafe series on audio but missed Book 1 from the series. I went into it apprehensive that I might not get the context. But it didn't matter all that much. Books 2-3-4 in the series are funny, romantic and cozy stories with enough back story for me to understand the characters and general plot.
I would recommend these for a nice, quiet day in or something quick for when you're in the mood for a light hearted read.
I would recommend these for a nice, quiet day in or something quick for when you're in the mood for a light hearted read.
sidse's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
i_hv's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
fictionophile's review
3.0
There is a lovely little Café in Carrawn Bay, Cornwall. Evie Flynn has inherited the Beach Café from her Aunt Jo. Her boyfriend of five months, Ed, is the Café's chef. After a busy summer of tourist trade, Evie wants nothing more than to have a cozy, romantic Christmas. Just her and Ed, the most perfect Christmas ever.
On the first day of December she roots out Aunt Jo's Christmas decorations, searching for her glass angel. Her Aunt Jo had given the angel to Evie and her sisters when they were children. Her twin sisters had broken theirs, but hers is intact and she treasures it.
When she finds it, she tumbles from the attic ladder and it shatters. This omen precedes several other small disasters that make Evie fear her 'perfect' Christmas is doomed.
Together, she and Ed are making a cookbook to give out as gifts to their friends and customers. "Recipes from the Beach Café" is still not finished and they must get to it before the holiday arrives.
Unexpected company arrives in the form of Ed's younger brother Jake - and then Evie's best friend Amber. Another minor disaster takes place when Jake spills a bottle of wine on Evie's laptop - the Christmas Cookbook was on it, and Evie hadn't backed it up!
A serious snowfall prohibits her houseguests from leaving, yet she will end up with even more company on the big day!
"Christmas was all about magical moments, even when you were a grown-up."
I loved the setting of this novella. In fact I think the setting is what made me purchase it in the first place. The characters were charming. There are some scrumptious sounding recipes at the back of the book.
If you are suffering from pre-holiday stress and want a quick, light read, then this is the book for you. This chick-lit Christmas novel is so light it could pass for a meringue. A feel-good bit of fluff that will de-stress you, not a serious read by any means. This is the first I've read of Lucy Diamond, and to be honest, it is just a bit to 'fluffy' for my tastes. It is good for a reader who has a lot on their mind and just wants to 'veg-out' with a book.
On the first day of December she roots out Aunt Jo's Christmas decorations, searching for her glass angel. Her Aunt Jo had given the angel to Evie and her sisters when they were children. Her twin sisters had broken theirs, but hers is intact and she treasures it.
When she finds it, she tumbles from the attic ladder and it shatters. This omen precedes several other small disasters that make Evie fear her 'perfect' Christmas is doomed.
Together, she and Ed are making a cookbook to give out as gifts to their friends and customers. "Recipes from the Beach Café" is still not finished and they must get to it before the holiday arrives.
Unexpected company arrives in the form of Ed's younger brother Jake - and then Evie's best friend Amber. Another minor disaster takes place when Jake spills a bottle of wine on Evie's laptop - the Christmas Cookbook was on it, and Evie hadn't backed it up!
A serious snowfall prohibits her houseguests from leaving, yet she will end up with even more company on the big day!
"Christmas was all about magical moments, even when you were a grown-up."
I loved the setting of this novella. In fact I think the setting is what made me purchase it in the first place. The characters were charming. There are some scrumptious sounding recipes at the back of the book.
If you are suffering from pre-holiday stress and want a quick, light read, then this is the book for you. This chick-lit Christmas novel is so light it could pass for a meringue. A feel-good bit of fluff that will de-stress you, not a serious read by any means. This is the first I've read of Lucy Diamond, and to be honest, it is just a bit to 'fluffy' for my tastes. It is good for a reader who has a lot on their mind and just wants to 'veg-out' with a book.
laural27's review
5.0
Lucy Diamond is an author I always look out for and I was super excited when I heard about Christmas At The Beach Café. Why? You might ask, well firstly CHRISTMAS and secondly, a follow up to The Beach Café! What more could you want?! (oh and a gorgeous cover too!)
We re-join Evie and Ed at The Beach Café in the last few weeks leading up to Christmas. They’ve closed the café down for the winter months and are enjoying lovely romantic walks along the beach, cosy fires and cooked breakfasts. Evie has a vision of the most romantic Christmas, just her and Ed, but her vision is about to be shattered when Ed’s brother Jake turns up on the doorstep and so does Evie’s friend Amber. Maybe Evie won’t get the perfect romantic Christmas she wanted after all…
It was wonderful to re-join the characters from The Beach Café, it felt like a long time since I’d last been in their world and it was lovely to be with them for Christmas. The descriptions of the snowy beach and Cornwall in the winter transported me there and I wanted to run around in the snow and take walks on the beach with Evie and Ed!
However, if you’ve never read The Beach Café (where have you been!?) then you can still read this as a standalone novella and understand what is happening, which is perfect! It will probably make you desperate to go and read The Beach Café though!
The talk of Christmas food also made my mouth water and it has made me so incredibly excited for Christmas day now. I was salivating at the mention of a bronzed turkey and mince pies. Mmmm yummy!
Evie and Ed were just as lovely as they were in The Beach Café and I loved seeing their relationship blossom and grow even if at times it seemed as though there might be a few obstacles in their way. It was interesting to see how Jake affected their dynamic and how the addition of Amber also caused some tension but everything is solved by some Christmas love and magic!
Lucy writes extremely well and I constantly feel myself smiling as I read. The descriptions are tangible, the characters are perfectly formed and the pacing of the novella is just right. I just wanted to keep on reading (I couldn’t put it down so read it in one sitting!)
This is a novella which is around 100 pages long. It is the perfect bite sized story which will mean you can read it in one afternoon, snuggled in front of the fire. I hope that in the future we may have another return to The Beach Café because I would love to see where all the characters go to next. You’ll also be please to know that at the back of this novella there are some gorgeous Christmas recipes, plus an extract from Lucy’s new novel (coming in 2014) called One Summer In Italy! Completely and utterly brilliant!
Lucy’s latest festive offering will fill you with joy, Christmas cheer and have you desperate for a mince pie!
We re-join Evie and Ed at The Beach Café in the last few weeks leading up to Christmas. They’ve closed the café down for the winter months and are enjoying lovely romantic walks along the beach, cosy fires and cooked breakfasts. Evie has a vision of the most romantic Christmas, just her and Ed, but her vision is about to be shattered when Ed’s brother Jake turns up on the doorstep and so does Evie’s friend Amber. Maybe Evie won’t get the perfect romantic Christmas she wanted after all…
It was wonderful to re-join the characters from The Beach Café, it felt like a long time since I’d last been in their world and it was lovely to be with them for Christmas. The descriptions of the snowy beach and Cornwall in the winter transported me there and I wanted to run around in the snow and take walks on the beach with Evie and Ed!
However, if you’ve never read The Beach Café (where have you been!?) then you can still read this as a standalone novella and understand what is happening, which is perfect! It will probably make you desperate to go and read The Beach Café though!
The talk of Christmas food also made my mouth water and it has made me so incredibly excited for Christmas day now. I was salivating at the mention of a bronzed turkey and mince pies. Mmmm yummy!
Evie and Ed were just as lovely as they were in The Beach Café and I loved seeing their relationship blossom and grow even if at times it seemed as though there might be a few obstacles in their way. It was interesting to see how Jake affected their dynamic and how the addition of Amber also caused some tension but everything is solved by some Christmas love and magic!
Lucy writes extremely well and I constantly feel myself smiling as I read. The descriptions are tangible, the characters are perfectly formed and the pacing of the novella is just right. I just wanted to keep on reading (I couldn’t put it down so read it in one sitting!)
This is a novella which is around 100 pages long. It is the perfect bite sized story which will mean you can read it in one afternoon, snuggled in front of the fire. I hope that in the future we may have another return to The Beach Café because I would love to see where all the characters go to next. You’ll also be please to know that at the back of this novella there are some gorgeous Christmas recipes, plus an extract from Lucy’s new novel (coming in 2014) called One Summer In Italy! Completely and utterly brilliant!
Lucy’s latest festive offering will fill you with joy, Christmas cheer and have you desperate for a mince pie!
baralillaannie's review
4.0
So since I read this book in Swedish they put all the three novellas together, Christmas at the Beach Café, Christmas Gifts at the Beach Café, A Baby at the Beach Café and called it "Snowfall over the Beach Café" Which I'm not sure was the best thing they could've done since it got kind of jumpy and a little too fast.
Anyway, I had pretty high expectations for this book. I love Christmas since it is my absolute favorite holiday and I just love everything about it. The snow, the cold, it's dark outside, it's warm and bright inside, candles and fires are lit, hot drinks are being served and I get to bury myself in lots of books and blankets!
Sorry I got a bit carried away. I started reading the book two days ago while taking a bath, really lovely by the way. I could not stop reading I found it so entertaining and heartwarming.
I loved seeing how Ed and Evie's relationship had progressed and how in love they are.
I've given this part four stars since I found it a bit to stressy and not as festive as I would have liked. But I still loved it!
The second part I found was both lovely and annoying to read. I loved reading about the kids and how Ruth opened up, also when the dog showed up and how it just all made sense somehow. This part had a little more emotion I felt, but I liked it. One thing I found irritating was how the ending was really predictable... Anyway, it was really Christmasy and festive so I really enjoyed it!
I'm not really sure why they put the third part in this book since that part places out in July, the middle of summer. I enjoyed it and it was funny at times but I just felt like it didn't make sense and the characters with all their emotions just got on my nerves haha.
Good job Lucy(or Sue) for three great books/novellas!
XoXo Annie
Anyway, I had pretty high expectations for this book. I love Christmas since it is my absolute favorite holiday and I just love everything about it. The snow, the cold, it's dark outside, it's warm and bright inside, candles and fires are lit, hot drinks are being served and I get to bury myself in lots of books and blankets!
Sorry I got a bit carried away. I started reading the book two days ago while taking a bath, really lovely by the way. I could not stop reading I found it so entertaining and heartwarming.
I loved seeing how Ed and Evie's relationship had progressed and how in love they are.
I've given this part four stars since I found it a bit to stressy and not as festive as I would have liked. But I still loved it!
The second part I found was both lovely and annoying to read. I loved reading about the kids and how Ruth opened up, also when the dog showed up and how it just all made sense somehow. This part had a little more emotion I felt, but I liked it. One thing I found irritating was how the ending was really predictable... Anyway, it was really Christmasy and festive so I really enjoyed it!
I'm not really sure why they put the third part in this book since that part places out in July, the middle of summer. I enjoyed it and it was funny at times but I just felt like it didn't make sense and the characters with all their emotions just got on my nerves haha.
Good job Lucy(or Sue) for three great books/novellas!
XoXo Annie
leahmichelle_13's review
3.0
Evie Flynn has always felt like the black sheep of her family. Whilst her siblings have gotten married and have steady jobs, Evie finds herself moving from temp job to temp job, still searching for the job of her dreams. But when her Auntie Jo dies and leaves Evie her beloved beach cafe in Cornwall, Evie finally feels as though her life has purpose.She leaves Oxford and her boyfriend Matthew behind and begins trying to make her Auntie proud. Things are tough at first, but soon things begin to pick up and Evie becomes a dab-hand at running the beach cafe, but could new romance be on the horizon with chef Ed? One thing’s for sure, it’ll be an unforgettable summer for Evie...
I’ve been a big fan of Lucy Diamond since I read her second novel Over You back in 2008. I really enjoyed the book and have since read Lucy’s newest books Hens Reunited and Sweet Temptation. So it’s no surprise that when I heard of her new book The Beach Cafe that I really wanted to read it too and I was thrilled to receive a proof copy. It sounded like an idyllic summer read so to take me away from the unexpected cloudy Tenerife weather, I dove in hoping for another fab read from Lucy.
The first thing I’d like to say is that the synopsis is a bit misleading. Yes, Evie’s aunt Jo does die and yes, Evie inherits her beach cafe, but it takes absolutely ages for Evie to literally up sticks from Oxford to move down to Cornwall to make a success of it. It takes until Chapter Eleven for all of that to kick in (a whopping 173 pages) and up until then, Evie flip-flops over what to do with the beach cafe, will she sell it? Will she run it from Oxford? etc etc. and I have to admit, it drove me nuts. Her indecision drove me to distraction. I completely understand she had her relationship with Matthew to consider as well as her temp jobs (that she hated) but God, your Auntie dies suddenly, leaves you her beach cafe and you even contemplate selling it? That just didn’t resonate with me. I expected Evie to rush down there, to keep her Auntie’s legacy going, but she doesn’t. She doesn’t do anything until the chef, Carl, leaves forcing her into action.
When Evie eventually makes up her mind, or rather, has it made for her, the book does pick up. You just have to get past Evie’s constant inability to decide what she wants, rather than what her family want (and considering she’s meant to be the black sheep, I do think it’s strange she wanted her family’s approval so bad). There’s even a very interesting story about a runaway named Phoebe that occurs, which I liked very much. I also enjoyed seeing Evie build the beach cafe up again, and doing her Auntie Jo proud. That saved the book for me, because otherwise I just wouldn’t have continued, it’s that simple. It’s fair to say that Carrawen Bay is very much a community, despite the numerous tourists, and I liked the spirit of the place, I could see how Evie proved herself to everyone else, I could see it all becoming so much better and I loved it.
The characters were interesting, to say the least. Evie’s lack of ability to make a decision was mildly irritating but her spirit for the cafe when she finally went down to Carrawen Bay helped to make up for that. I liked the fact she changed her mind about selling and decided to make a go of it, no matter what happened, no matter what the people of Carrawen Bay thought. But my favourite character without a doubt was Phoebe. She’s a teenager (I think, as far as I can remember, her age wasn’t mentioned) and a runaway who Evie becomes friends with and I loved her. She was sparky and I felt really sorry for her that she ended up sleeping rough. I also liked Rachel who waitresses for Evie at the beach cafe. Ed was an interesting character, it’s obvious from the beginning he has some secrets and I was very much interested in learning them and I thought he was a welcome addition to the book.
But, alas, my love for the novel didn’t last. I expect a lot of predictability when I read Chick Lit. Duh, being predictable is practically a staple when reading Chick Lit, but instead of enjoying all the predictabilities of The Beach Cafe, instead I found myself getting really really irritated. Sometimes I want something a bit different to the heroine falling madly in love with someone who she thinks doesn’t like her back when he does. Sometimes I don’t want the heroine to jump off the deep end about the hero’s secret and have it all end in tears. It doesn’t always have to be like that and eventually I get so fed up of it that the book I’m reading at the time suffers hugely from my backlash. And this happened whilst reading The Beach Cafe. At times I wanted to stop reading the book because it was tempting me to grind my teeth. I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind for the book, and I think I’ve been overdosing on the more predictable Chick Lit lately and The Beach Cafe suffered for it, which is a shame but I just wasn’t feeling it.
I’ve been a big fan of Lucy Diamond since I read her second novel Over You back in 2008. I really enjoyed the book and have since read Lucy’s newest books Hens Reunited and Sweet Temptation. So it’s no surprise that when I heard of her new book The Beach Cafe that I really wanted to read it too and I was thrilled to receive a proof copy. It sounded like an idyllic summer read so to take me away from the unexpected cloudy Tenerife weather, I dove in hoping for another fab read from Lucy.
The first thing I’d like to say is that the synopsis is a bit misleading. Yes, Evie’s aunt Jo does die and yes, Evie inherits her beach cafe, but it takes absolutely ages for Evie to literally up sticks from Oxford to move down to Cornwall to make a success of it. It takes until Chapter Eleven for all of that to kick in (a whopping 173 pages) and up until then, Evie flip-flops over what to do with the beach cafe, will she sell it? Will she run it from Oxford? etc etc. and I have to admit, it drove me nuts. Her indecision drove me to distraction. I completely understand she had her relationship with Matthew to consider as well as her temp jobs (that she hated) but God, your Auntie dies suddenly, leaves you her beach cafe and you even contemplate selling it? That just didn’t resonate with me. I expected Evie to rush down there, to keep her Auntie’s legacy going, but she doesn’t. She doesn’t do anything until the chef, Carl, leaves forcing her into action.
When Evie eventually makes up her mind, or rather, has it made for her, the book does pick up. You just have to get past Evie’s constant inability to decide what she wants, rather than what her family want (and considering she’s meant to be the black sheep, I do think it’s strange she wanted her family’s approval so bad). There’s even a very interesting story about a runaway named Phoebe that occurs, which I liked very much. I also enjoyed seeing Evie build the beach cafe up again, and doing her Auntie Jo proud. That saved the book for me, because otherwise I just wouldn’t have continued, it’s that simple. It’s fair to say that Carrawen Bay is very much a community, despite the numerous tourists, and I liked the spirit of the place, I could see how Evie proved herself to everyone else, I could see it all becoming so much better and I loved it.
The characters were interesting, to say the least. Evie’s lack of ability to make a decision was mildly irritating but her spirit for the cafe when she finally went down to Carrawen Bay helped to make up for that. I liked the fact she changed her mind about selling and decided to make a go of it, no matter what happened, no matter what the people of Carrawen Bay thought. But my favourite character without a doubt was Phoebe. She’s a teenager (I think, as far as I can remember, her age wasn’t mentioned) and a runaway who Evie becomes friends with and I loved her. She was sparky and I felt really sorry for her that she ended up sleeping rough. I also liked Rachel who waitresses for Evie at the beach cafe. Ed was an interesting character, it’s obvious from the beginning he has some secrets and I was very much interested in learning them and I thought he was a welcome addition to the book.
But, alas, my love for the novel didn’t last. I expect a lot of predictability when I read Chick Lit. Duh, being predictable is practically a staple when reading Chick Lit, but instead of enjoying all the predictabilities of The Beach Cafe, instead I found myself getting really really irritated. Sometimes I want something a bit different to the heroine falling madly in love with someone who she thinks doesn’t like her back when he does. Sometimes I don’t want the heroine to jump off the deep end about the hero’s secret and have it all end in tears. It doesn’t always have to be like that and eventually I get so fed up of it that the book I’m reading at the time suffers hugely from my backlash. And this happened whilst reading The Beach Cafe. At times I wanted to stop reading the book because it was tempting me to grind my teeth. I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind for the book, and I think I’ve been overdosing on the more predictable Chick Lit lately and The Beach Cafe suffered for it, which is a shame but I just wasn’t feeling it.
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