Woo hoo, it’s finally autumn! And the excitement isn’t because I’m a big fan of mists and mellow fruitfulness (or darker evenings and the nip in the air) – it’s because Autumn at the Café at the End of the Pier by Helen Rolfe landed on my kindle last week, and I couldn’t wait to see what life had in store next for Jo and the other characters I’ve grown to love in Salthaven-on-Sea.
Do catch up on my reviews of this series – the short story prequel Valentine’s Day at The Café at the End of the Pier, the first novella, Spring at the Café at the End of the Pier, and the second, Summer at the Café at the End of the Pier. So shall we see what’s been happening?
Autumn brings golden leaves and crisp days to Salthaven-on-Sea – but inside the Cafe the lights are glowing, the hot chocolate is warming, and romantic sparks are flying…
Jo has found her place at the heart of the seaside community, her blind dates are fizzing with chemistry, and this season she plans to bring young and old together with her pumpkin-carving event. But Jo must also find a way to heal the rifts in her own family, even if it means facing up to some home truths.
With the mystery of Jo’s own secret admirer to unravel, there are bound to be fireworks this bonfire night at The Cafe at the End of the Pier…
Do you know, apart from the loveliest feel-good stories and the very best of writing (along with so many characters I’ve taken to my heart), I really love the way the author has captured the changing seasons and their moods. And the descriptions – the opening pages of these books are just perfect, the seafront vista opening up before you, little details catching your eye, before the action homes in on the café itself.
This is another lovely read – wondering if we’ll discover Jo’s mystery admirer, watching new relationships develop, the aroma of apple strudel and the colour and taste of cape gooseberries, choosing the fancy dress to wear to watch the fireworks, Steve on his ladder repairing the leaking gutters, another one of Jo’s matchmaking dinners, and so much more, all packed into its 89 pages. This is an episode that focuses on the family too, uncovering some long-buried secrets, with moments that really touch your heart. Is it so wrong to be looking forward to Christmas – and the next instalment – already?
If you haven’t yet read any of these lovely novellas, I’ll forgive you – A Year at the Café at the End of the Pier, bringing together all the stories, will be available for kindle and in paperback on 24th January. Actually, you might just like to pre-order it now…
About the author
Helen J Rolfe writes contemporary women’s fiction with an emphasis on relationships and love. She enjoys weaving stories about family, friendship, secrets, and characters who face challenges and fight to overcome them. Helen enjoys creating strong female lead characters and although her stories often deal with serious issues, they always have a happy ending.
You can connect with Helen online and discover more about her and her books via Twitter, her Facebook author page, Goodreads, her website, and Amazon author pages (UK/US).