Member Review
Review by
Karen B, Reviewer
A lovely summer romance from this accomplished author sees 40-something Beca Valentino return to Welsh seaside town of Swn Y Mor which she left in disgrace over 20 years ago. Having sold her cleaning business she has bought the local farmhouse manor and looks forward to fulfilling her dream of filling it with foster children and offering them her childhood experiences of sunshine, swimming and ice-cream from Valentinos, the ice-cream parlour her grandparents owned. But though some things in the town are the same - especially the gossip - others have changed, particularly the ice-cream parlour, now owned by the man who once broke Beca's heart.
With the help of her old friend Grif, and her first pair of foster children, Beca sets out to turn things around for herself and the town, but there are a lot of challenges to overcome along the way.
This book has a gorgeous setting - you can feel the summer breeze on your face, taste the salt water and hear the gentle moo-ing of the small dairy herd that Beca now owns. The narrative flows beautifully, the romantic elements strengthened and underpinned by the fostering element of the story, which adds depth to the story.
The characters are strong and sympathetic - Joe, the younger foster boy will win over your heart - and there are a few twists along the way to keep you guessing the outcome.
And finally there's the food - a hallmark of Jo Thomas's stories. She knows how to tantalise the tastebuds, and this time she does it with ice-cream, home=made in so many flavours. I want to try them all!
I'd definitely recommend this summer read.
With the help of her old friend Grif, and her first pair of foster children, Beca sets out to turn things around for herself and the town, but there are a lot of challenges to overcome along the way.
This book has a gorgeous setting - you can feel the summer breeze on your face, taste the salt water and hear the gentle moo-ing of the small dairy herd that Beca now owns. The narrative flows beautifully, the romantic elements strengthened and underpinned by the fostering element of the story, which adds depth to the story.
The characters are strong and sympathetic - Joe, the younger foster boy will win over your heart - and there are a few twists along the way to keep you guessing the outcome.
And finally there's the food - a hallmark of Jo Thomas's stories. She knows how to tantalise the tastebuds, and this time she does it with ice-cream, home=made in so many flavours. I want to try them all!
I'd definitely recommend this summer read.
*This page contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
