The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop and Café is just that -- irresistible.
The story pulls you in and you don’t want to leave. Narrator Erin Bennett does an excellent job bringing the characters to life. Her
cadence and mannerisms add to this delightful tale. Her vocalization enhances the author’s words and her expressions of the emotions adds to the characters’ depth.The story begins on a sad note with the death of Ellen Branford’s beloved grandmother. Just before she died, she asked Ellen to deliver a letter to a man in Beacon, Maine, sending her apologies for leaving him in their youth. Feeling she has to fulfill her grandmother’s request, Ellen leaves Manhattan for a quick one-day trip to Maine.
Arriving in Beacon, Ellen finds the town the complete opposite of Manhattan. It’s a simple, quite town. A lawyer by profession, Ellen also enjoys photography and can’t resist taking a photo from a dock near where she’s staying. Ellen’s life turns upside down when she falls through the dock and almost drowns.
She is saved by a local carpenter, Roy, that is nothing like her lawyer, politically-driven fiancé, Hayden. The near-drowning incident makes her a bit of a celebrity in the town. As she searches for her grandmother’s former lover, Ellen begins to discover things about her family and herself, she never knew. Her one-day trip turns into several and when Hayden and her mother arrive in town, things really begin to unravel.
Author Mary Simses has crafted a delightful and charming debut novel. Her vivid descriptions places you among the people of Beacon and you can practically feel the breeze off the ocean. The twists and turns along the way hold your attention. The characters are realistic, likable and well-developed. Simses incorporates the right touches of humor, romance, mystery and nostalgia for an enchanting story you hope will never end.
The delicious looking cover of THE IRRESISTIBLE BLUEBERRY BAKESHOP & CAFÉ may be what pulls you in, but it’s the story and characters that will warm your heart and capture your imagination.
The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop and Café by Mary Simses, Performed by Erin Bennett, Hachette Audio, @2013, ASIN: B00DTE1CRE, Unabridged, Digital Download, Listening Time: 10 Hours 15 Minutes
FTC Full Disclosure - This audio book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
Thanks for stopping by today. Do you have a favorite book that was hard for you to put down?
Mason - I really like the premise here of exploring one's own family history. How fascinating! Thanks for sharing this one.
ReplyDeleteMason, I just took a run through the last few posts that I'd missed and found a bunch more books I'd love to read. You're doing an awesome job of scouting out the best of the best.
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