About the Author

Jenny Colgan is the author of a number of best-selling books  and some of the stories in Doctor Who series. She won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award in 2013.

Synopsis

Polly Waterford is all set to welcome the holiday season at her bakery. She has plans for the holiday and too many things to keep her busy already. Then comes the demand for the local Christmas fair and a Puffin sanctuary to save. If that was not enough, she had to have an emotional roller coaster as well. As Polly puts it, “it all started with a bad thing that happened in the spring.”

Polly had left her job as a graphic designer and embraced baking in which she found real joy. With her doting fiancée, Huckle and her own Puffin Neil, Polly had everything in life. But was that enough? Was all that enough for Polly to finally let go of her insecurities and be as happy as she ought to be?

My thoughts

Narrative and plot

Looking for a book that is light, cozy and most of that Christmas delicacies?  Here we go, Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery might be your perfect Christmas read. Set in the fictitious island of Mt Polbearne, this is a book that invites you to the holiday spirit and the anticipation of Christmas Eve almost perfectly. Starting the book, I didn’t realize that it was the third of Little Beach Street Bakery. I was already into it and didn’t care to back out and read the other ones. Not when I am planning a Christmas reading series. So I went ahead anyway and didn’t miss much. The book stands for itself. Although the dynamics, between the different characters, might be more clear to someone who has already read the previous books.

Even so, this was a delightful read. It is a bakery. The mention of the gingerbread aroma, baking, yummy pastries, and pies is enough to salivate and read. Couple that with a fun narrative and an engaging story, you are all set. You know, how to read this one. The best way to read that is. Take those Christmas left over snacks in a Tupperware and find a quiet place and munch it on while reading. This is a book for the snack lovers.

Characters and conflict

This is a story with enough heart I would say. Every character had their own space and an arc over the course of the story. How they come out of their own internal struggles is mostly the essence of the story. Everyone except Reuben may be. I suppose he has some insights in the previous books but in this one he is pretty much the same guy from the beginning till the end of the book.

However, if a book starts with a conflict we expect it to boil up and then stage the confrontation part. Especially when it is a holiday book. Isn’t that what holidays are all about? However it looked like most characters got the easy way out. It never gives you that satisfaction of all things going down in a real serious way. I was about to give a four star rating but then the ending happened. And to me, it was a little bit over the top. Polly had an inner struggle from the beginning of the book till the end. I wanted her to resolve it for herself rather than finding an easier way and going with the flow. Perhaps it is meant to be just a light hearted read.

Conclusion

I enjoyed reading the book but did I like it as much as the other holidays I’ve read so far this month? No. It took time for me to get invested in the story but eventually I had a good time. You know that fun vacation mood, eating a chocolate and reading a book carefully so that you don’t stain the book.  If you want that fuzzy feeling, you should pick this book up.

Find your copy here :

Amazon_IN , Book Depository

Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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