This is such a heartbreaking but wonderful story. Tara has been through so much and finds it hard to open up to anyone, but when she realises what she's been missing out on over the years because of the walls she's built around herself she starts to open up to those around her. As she does, wonderful things start to happen and it's so lovely to see. She's such a lovely character and learning about what has happened to her in the past, as she reveals it to her friends, is heart wrenching but it makes you realise what a fighter she is. It made me really feel for her and connect with her as a character and want the best for her. I genuinely wanted a happy ending for her and loved how things turned out in the end. 100% recommended by me.

Starry Skies Over The Chocolate Pot Cafe by Jessica Redland

Tara is at the Chocolate Pot Cafe trying to fight the demons of her past the companion in her life is Hercules her giant house rabbit and she is lonely ! She is struggling so comes to the conclusion that the only way for her to move on is to open up and let her friends in about past betrayals.

This well written book is full of some sensitive heart wrenching events from Tara’s past and it is wonderful how her friends all support Tara overcome her past at the most difficult time of the year.

Like a box of chocolates; sweet, delicious and leaves you wanting more!

I have to admit that I haven't read as many of Jessica Redland's books as I should have, but I have thoroughly enjoyed the ones I have read, and this is no different. It's full of cute characters and feel-good emotion this is one to be read, perfect for the colder nights to come. I liked how the way the story developed and how the characters connected each brought a certain spark to the story, they were likeable and relatable.

There is something very comforting about these books, they leave you feeling warm and cosy like being wrapped in a large woollen jumper, a definite must-read to brighten your day.

This was a brilliant read and is being featured on my blog for my quick star reviews feature, which I have created on my blog so I can catch up with all the books I have read and therefore review.
See www.chellsandbooks.wordpress.com.

This is a gorgeously festive read, perfect for a cup of hot chocolate as the nights get darker.

I really loved watching Tara trust Carly a little more each time they met, and seeing Tara let her walls down and allow people come closer to her.

I did think the romance that enters the second half of the book wasn't totally necessary to the narrative, and would have preferred the book without it at all.

Love Jessica’s books and once again and absolute gem
Another in the Whitsborough Bay series
This story is about Tara who owns the Chocolate Pot Cafe and what happened in her life to not want to let anybody in
Absolutely Brilliant
Thanks NetGalley

Starry Skies Over the Chocolate Pot Cafe

by Jessica Redland

Tara has worked hard to make The Chocolate Pot Cafe a success, but there are lots of heartaches and pain in her story. She has isolated herself on a personal level and focused on her professional life in response to the devastating events of her childhood and the wicked betrayals in her youth, betrayals perpetrated by those she had reason to trust the most. Now she has determined that if she doesn’t let anyone past her barriers, she can’t be hurt again.

In Starry Skies Over the Chocolate Pot Cafe, Jessica Redland has crafted a moving tale of a girl with a Pollyanna type personality, always looking for the good in others and in situations. As a child, she is wrapped in her father’s love and in the black cloak that surrounds her mother who battles depression and mental illness.

When disaster strikes the family, Tara is introduced to the foster care system. After several rough starts, she finds a real home with a loving family. Tara is finally convinced to open up to her friend Carla about her abusive experiences with her foster sister and with her own husband. In three different sessions, Tara manages to relate the trauma. In the telling, it is clear that Tara is a courageous young woman.

Another complication to the story is the return to Whitsborough Bay of Jed, the former owner of her cafe who scammed Tara during the purchase. There are many delightful characters who see Tara for what she is—kind, intelligent, caring, humble, generous, and innovative. A favorite character is Hercules, Tara’s Flemish Giant house rabbit.

Although there are difficult parts of the book that are hard to read, they are important in understanding why Tara is the way she is. Readers will enjoy following Tara’s growth as she learns to open her heart and take a chance on people again.

I would like to extend my thanks to NetGalley and to Boldwood Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: General Fiction (Adult)

Publication: September 8, 2020—Boldwood Books

Memorable Lines:

There was no need for anyone to know anything about me outside of work. I let them see what I wanted them to see: a successful entrepreneur, an excellent chef, and a fair boss who stood for no nonsense. When you let people in—fully in—they have a habit of letting you down, so it’s easier to keep them at arm’s length. That way, they won’t break your heart.

…for the first time ever, I realised that my past had the power to do good. Instead of hiding from it, I could harness it and help others face their future.

“Facebook isn’t real, you know.” “What do you mean?” “It’s all about what people want others to see…most people I know use it to present the shiny side of life…And because it’s accompanied by a fanfare and smiles, we’re all fooled into thinking that everyone has a better life than us.”

Was expecting something light-hearted and fluffy, which is what the cover and blurb suggest. But found this read really heavy and depressing, and it was hard to connect with the heroine and her dejection and the whole 'down' vibe of it. The start thus felt very glugging and tough to get through, which then unfortunately set the pace for me for the rest of this book.

A great festive read, which was lighthearted and a joy to read.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

Another visit to Castle Street, Whitsborough Bay. I feel like I know it well.
Tara’s story this time and what a story!
Jessica Redland is a wonderful writer, story lines are strong and draw the reader in, Characters all engage the reader good or bad!
Descriptions of locations are exceptional
This was a heartwarming read overcoming diversity, but also extremely humorous, loved Hercules ! It looked at difficult subjects but it was sensitively written. I would recommend this book
Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books, and Jessica Redland for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review

Tara runs the Chocolate Pot Cafe and is a main stay of the Castle Street community, although she is pleased to see people and her customers, she always holds something of herself back.

After being consistently hurt through her life, she has decided that being on her own is the best thing for her. She can protect her heart this way, which would be great if she didn’t feel so lonely. As Christmas approaches she finds herself getting friendly with Carly and letting some of her guards down.

Can Carly help Tara become more trusting.

A great feel good read.

I read this book immediately after ‘Christmas at Carly’s Cupcakes’ as I enjoyed that one so much and this is set in the time period in which that book ends so when I finished that I was desperate to continue my time on Castle Street. Starry Skies over the Chocolate Pot Cafe did not disappoint and kept the lovely feeling within another book with a strong female main character overcoming adversity and running a successful business. Tara may run a wonderfully successful business and be the backbone of Castle Street, but she has never let anyone into her life after being so badly betrayed by those she loved years before. Over a decade ago, Tara left everything she knew and loved behind and escaped London, heading wherever fate would take her. Thankfully fate was on her side and she ended up in the delightful seaside town of Whitsborough Bay. Independent but lonely, Tara begins to let people into the life she has built for herself and endeavoured to keep completely private until now, and experiences the difference it can make when you let others see your true self. Tara’s backstory was sensitively written, and, despite some of it being rather shocking, and completely not what I was expecting to occur, lets us in to see why Tara has tried so hard over the last decade to keep others out.
I really enjoyed this book, particularly the return of the perceived antagonist, Jed, previous owner of the cafe Tara now owns and successfully runs. Jed apparently added to Tara’s misery when she escaped to Whitsborough Bay, by conning and pressurising her to pay out an additional £20,000 on top of the agreed sale price, and to whom Tara has attached much of the hurt caused by her experiences 13 years previous. When Jed reappears, apparently to open a rival cafe across the road from The Chocolate Pot, all of Tara’s hurt turns to anger and becomes focussed on Jed. But, as in all good books of this genre, there has been misunderstandings and confusion, which creates a barrier between the two characters, in addition to the huge wall that Tara has built around herself having not let anyone in since the day she found out the truth about her old life and escaped London.
As Tara tentatively makes changes to her life and begins to open up the things she has kept completely private all those years, she also realises that Jed may not fit the evil baddie persona she has created for him in her mind.
I really enjoyed reading this new imagining of the Chocolate Pot Cafe book, it brightened up the days in between Christmas and New Year.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my copy of Starry Skies Over the Chocolate Pot Cafe by Jessica Redland in exchange for an honest review. It published September 8, 2020.
First off, I had to say, I LOVE THIS SERIES! I need to get copies of the first 5 books now. These are the perfect mix of English small-town coastline romance, and actually difficult subjects. Sometimes books like these can be cute and fluffy, but forgettable without much substance. These book aren't so. They deal with actually hard real-world situations that bring about pain and resolution. I am being generic to avoid spoilers. But if a book can melt my icy heart and tough exterior to have me choking up and wiping tears, it's doing an excellent job!
Another thing I loved about this book were the parallels to Pollyanna and the sweet references. It wasn't overdone, but rather helped to set the tone of the book, and so well done!
I highly recommend this book and series! As far as trigger warnings go, there are some: Some language, but not much. There is some grooming and deviant behavior, however not extremely detailed or embellished, rather added just to tell the story.
I think this book could appeal to older and younger adults alike!

Starry Skies Over The Chocolate Pot Cafe by Jessica Redland was a fab feel good Christmassy book that I was able to escape into from the first few pages. I just love it when a book hooks me in and this was no exception, I could not put this book down.

Taras lifestory isn't what you expect in a chick-lit. But, on the other hand, this isn't a conventional chick-lit either. I even could have done without the love story that appears in the second half of the story. Tara, her past, present and future would have been enough for me, because she has so much to tell, and nothing is run-of-the-mill. And not to forget Hercules, her house bunny. Since we also have bunnies ourselves as pets I especially liked him.

Towards the end of the book it got very corny, a bit too much for my liking. Everything and everyone was so perfect and thoughful and understanding and loving. But all in all it's another nice story from Whitsborough Bay.

As soon as I'd had said a goodbye to Carly, Liam and all of the other wonderful characters throughout Christmas At Carly's Cupcakes, I returned immediately, now with our leading lady, Tara. Tara is the owner of the Chocolate Pot Cafe, a place in which everyone feels loved and glowing.

Despite how much Tara's life seems to be thriving from the outside, the inside is a much different story, filled with loneliness and a giant house bunny called Hercules for company. Tara has never let anyone dig deeper than the surface when it comes to her story and with the loneliness weighing her down, she decides that it's now the time to release the burden of her secrets from her shoulders and let her friends in to her life, completely.

I really loved this book - Tara's story had so much depth to it and was heart-breaking to say the least. Her past still hung heavily over her head and on her shoulders, never allowing her to see what the future could hold. She is a very loveable character that I wanted to hug oh so tightly and tell her that everything was going to be okay. The community really tugged at my heart strings, as Tara slowly revealed her story and them immediately finding ways to show her that that part of her life, doesn't need to define her.

I enjoyed getting a glimpse in to what life had in store for Carly and Liam, since I last read about them and it was so lovely to be back in such a heart-warming, cosy place, filled with festivities and brownies and hot chocolate, with just a dash of romance for my favourite leading lady of this year.

The perfect festive romance to read for the christmas time. It was heartwarming and lighthearted and I just cannot leave this book behind.

Thank you, NetGalley for this read. It is a delicious read that just makes your heart happy. Highly recommend!

Only a few days ago did i visit castle street and i am already back and let me tell you, for my favourite visit yet. This time we meet Tara who is the owner of The Chocolate Pot, a thriving cafe that leaves everyone who visit with something to talk about. Tara was always destined to run somewhere like this and you can feel the love pouring from the pages.

As much as she puts herself into the place, she is lonely. No one really ever gets to know her past the surface, and something has to change. Her loneliness is weighing her down and when an old face moves onto he street, Tara realises its about time that she shared the burden with her friends.

I simply loved this book, it felt like it had such depth. Tara had such depth, she had a past but also a future. She is so likeable and The Chocolate Pot is somewhere i certainly want to visit, i cant stop thinking about brownies. The community once more is strong and vibrant and its nice to have the nods to those we have already met. Set around the start of the festive season, we see the cafe in all its festive glory but we also see Tara handling her festive blues and it hurt my heart.

I really rooted for her, for her to find the value of the friendships she had already built, it was simply lovely and packed with emotion to read. My favourite visit to Castle street so far.

What a lovely book. Tara is the owner of the Chocolate pot caffe. Her mum and dad died when she was very young. She had a few foster families. The last family she lived with treated her very well, her foster parents treated her like their own daughter. They also had a daughter called Leanne,who was jealous of Tara ( Tara didn't know then).Leanne manipulated Tara into marrying Garth, who was older and led a double life.when Tara found out, she divorced him and left to start a new life on her own. She found a coffee shop, bought it from Jed ( who emigrated to Australia) and made success of it.
Overall it is a lovely book and a good read.