I loved everything about this book. I loved the fact that it was set in Wales. I loved that it was about old ties and new beginnings. I loved the romance that authentically blossoms. I loved the touching storyline about family and kindness. I always love Jo Watson's books but this is the best yet.

Sweet story about family, friendship, and community. About finding second chances where you thought there were none.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Penguin for the ARC!

An absolute gem of a book. Loved Becca’s story
The reader is drawn in from the start and real life is put on hold . With Fantastic characters, great locations, superb plot and a wonderful community this book is a winner
Highly Recommended read I loved it
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House UK and Jo Thomas for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin. Jo Thomas books are perfect for escaping reality and this was a real treat - noter to readers it will make you want to crave ice cream every time you turn the pages.

Love this author. And was not disappointed in this book. It had a lovely plot that played out well. The book was very well written. Her descriptive writing style is wonderful. You end up feeling like you ate right there.

Really enjoyed this book, it has a bit of everything, laughter, tears and happiness. It was hard to put down

This is a story which has yet another second-chance romance in it. This seems to be a very popular theme of late(not that I am complaining). The romance is a minor part of this homecoming of our lead protagonist. There are more significant pieces to her life that make up the plot. It is this part and the concept of community that elevates the book in my other reads.
I have been rating several of my previous 'chick-lit' reads as three stars, not because they are bad, but because they all are easy to read and do not involve me using my emotional quotient too much. It is only when I find a certain thought that captures my attention that I raise my rating the way I am doing here.
I have read some other books by the author earlier, and they also feature slightly older (than usual) protagonists. Here, Beca is back in her hometown post-pandemic, having spent her years in the big city making enough money to buy her dream house. Once back, she tries to settle into a new routine, but the past seems to be ever-present around her.
She also has a heartfelt desire which she puts into action almost immediately, much to the surprise of people around her. This, and the ice cream section of the narrative, were my favourites. They have all the working pieces I usually enjoy - the problem being assessed, a team made on the fly, and everyone chipping in and finally conquering the various obstacles they face on the way.
As mentioned earlier, I was not as invested in the romantic thoughts of the protagonist, although they did determine her paths in life. Several people are part of the overall story, and they all bring something interesting to the mix. I also liked the information about gelato as a whole and had originally intended to try something along those lines in my ice cream maker but never got around to it this summer (a season that is already on its way out).
I would highly recommend this to people who like this genre. If readers are familiar with the coast in question, they might be further drawn to the book. This is an author I will continue to pick up other books of as and when I get the chance.
I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

The book of the summer, just brilliant! Jo Thomas has such a talent for creating scenes, you can just imagine being in.

I love everything Jo Thomas has written that I’ve read, her writing is wonderful , her storytelling skills are brilliant and her characters are so likeable, her books are effortless to read and I love it when you can just fall into a story. This is a glorious book to relax whilst reading on your holidays, wether it be on a beach or in an armchair

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up
Thanks to netgalley for providing me an arc for this book in exchange for my honest review. I think I might have found a new “go to” author, this is my first book by Jo Thomas and I really enjoyed it. It had this feeling of a heartwarming summer movie. Summer at the ice cream cafe it’s set in a small town by the beach where our protagonist grew up and now after 20 years away, she’s coming back with new plans.

With every scene on this book I felt like a was watching a movie, and I say this in the most flattering way, the author had the best way of describing the setting and writing the dialogues. It even had me wanting to put on a movie with similar vibes just so I could actually enjoy it as a visual story.

This was such a heartwarming book, the scenes with Blake and Joe were the ones that had me feeling the happiest and definitely the best ones in my opinion. And their relationship was so adorable, I loved it. (it had me tearing up a bit)

So, I would definitely recommend checking it out, it is worth a try even if it’s not your typical read.

A fantastic read, perfect for summer! I loved the characters and the plot of this book and couldn't wait to find out what happened next. Easily finished this book within a couple of hours and I was sad to come to the end. Definitely recommend.

Another great read from Jo Thomas. I think Summer at the Ice Cream Cafe might be my favourite to date. It had everything for the perfect summer read. A great setting, friendship, romance the coming together of a community and explored the connection between foster parents and children. A must read this summer!

I loved this story it was so sweet and such an easy story to read. I loved the characters and how the story developed. Will there be a sequel? Let’s hope so. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This is a great book for a summer read, easygoing and comfortable with an upbeat, overcoming adversity, everything turns out for the best in the end kind of feel! It flows along quite nicely and the story line keeps you interested. It is all a bit too convenient and far fetched at times but sometimes it’s nice to escape to a fictional place where life is uncomplicated and good people have good things happen to them! I enjoyed reading it.

I am a huge fan of Jo Thomas and this did not dissapoint. She writes such descriptive books that the food writing is always the focus for me. This was just another joy in her delight at writing about Ice cream well Gellato but more than that. It was heartwarming, it was about family and not in the conventional way we so often see but in the way that we build our own and often get what we need. Meeting the two boys was lovely as they were both different but at the core, it was about love and what matters. A true summer delight

What a delightful story, it’s so nice to sit and read a feel-good story sometimes, especially during the summer when you can visualise these ice creams! Good characters, good story and location, what more do you want, wish I could go there. Will Beca get it all up and running in time after disaster strikes? Loved the back story about the fostering and a positive spin on the experience.

This must be the ideal Summer read. Set in Pembrokeshire, you can almost hear the sea as you read it and taste that salty sea air. It has a nostalgic feel for anyone who remembers beach holidays in Wales when they were younger as I do. Beca has returned to her childhood village with a plan to create her own home and give something back to society. Surprised to find herself feeling like a visitor rather than a local she looks for all the elements which made it home. As the story develops you see her working out how to integrate back into the place she loves. You also feel for the loss she feels when she remembers her family.

There are some heartwarming and emotional moments in the story but also some genuinely funny episodes, mainly because of the boys she fosters. With a slow burn romance always in the background, this made for a story I loved reading and I was genuinely sorry when I came to the last page. Full of heart, with sone lively characters and humour, it makes you want to go off in search of that delicious gelato.

In short: sunny days and ice cream delights

Beca Valentino returns to the rural seaside town that she grew up in. She has a plan to foster children and let them see what it’s like growing up where she did. A lot has changed though. The place has a lot of second homeowners & new faces. The town has new shops, her family’s old gelato shop has been turned into a wine bar by an ex boyfriend.. Her 1st temporary fostering is two teenage boys whereas she was expecting younger children. Has she done the right thing? The 1st couple of days aren’t easy but the the summer turns out better then she expected.

This is my 1st book that I’ve read from this author. I really enjoyed it.

Beca reconnects with Griff when she moves back to her home town following the end of her marriage. Nothing is as she remembers it and her grandparents ice cream parlour has changed beyond recognition with the new owners. As she settles in will she find her place back home? A great summer read.

Such an ideal summer read. Everything about it screams 'read me' on the beach. Beca returns to her hometown for a fresh start and she's really disappointed to see her grandparents icecream parlour has gone downhill.
She is facing a complete life change and it's lovely to see her embrace her new house, new career and plans for the future. Her relationship with her foster children is heartwarming and you hope everyone is going to be happy.
She makes new friends and renews old friendships and looks to a really rosy future. I just loved every page. A herd of cows came with her house and lead to a summer of gelato making. Every new flavour making you hungry and dreaming of queueing up to get an ice cream and enjoying it overlooking the beach,
I was really sad to leave everyone behind when I got to the end of the book.