Now who doesn’t enjoy a book about finding love at Christmas? I’m a little sad too though – today I’m finally reviewing Christmas at the Café at the End of the Pier by Helen Rolfe, and I’m going to really miss my visits to Jo’s café in Salthaven-on-Sea and finding out what’s been going on in everyone’s lives.
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; the second, Summer at the Café at the End of the Pier; and the third, Autumn at the Café at the End of the Pier. I’ve loved every moment so far – but what about this last one in the series?
Looking for love this Christmas? You’ll find it at The Café at the End of the Pier…
With her grandparents taking a long-awaited holiday, Jo finds herself completely in charge of the Café over the festive season. Salthaven-on-Sea is brimming with Christmas cheer – the pier is decked with tinsel and twinkling with lights, and the Café is full of the delicious aromas of Jo’s mulled wine and freshly-baked cinnamon rolls.
Love is in the air, too, and when another mystery postcard arrives, it’s finally Jo’s turn for a blind date… But who will be waiting underneath the mistletoe?
As the whole community is brought together on the sands of Salthaven for a frosty Christmas Day swim, will Jo finally find her own happy ever after?
Ok, I’ll be honest – I’d written this episode in my head already, and it didn’t work out in quite the same way! But it really didn’t matter one bit – the outcomes for all the characters left me with a smile on my face, a tear in my eye, a lump in my throat, and the knowledge that there’d be a lovely future for Jo and for all the other people who’d become my friends over the last year. This was a book full of the tastes, smells and sounds of Christmas – with a perfect touch of sparkle and twinkle.
That “who will it be” thread keeps you guessing as Christmas comes ever closer, and I was almost as excited as Jo when she finally opened the cafe door to find out the identity of her mysterious admirer. And I really wasn’t in the least disappointed – surprised maybe, but I really should have seen it coming, and I was rather kicking myself for missing the clues. A gorgeous series, beautifully written, and a really perfect ending…
If you haven’t yet read any of these lovely novellas, The Little Café at the End of the Pier – bringing together all the stories – will be available for kindle and in paperback on 24th January. Go on, 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).