Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery

Little Beach Street Bakery #3

by Jenny Colgan

Christmas at Little Beach Street The best feel good festive read this Christmas [Paperback] Jenny Colgan

Genres: Christmas, Fiction, Romance, Chick Lit, Holiday, Audiobook, Contemporary

339 pages, Paperback

First published October 11, 2016

About the author

Jenny Colgan is the author of numerous bestselling novels, including 'The Little Shop of Happy Ever After' and 'Summer at the Little Beach Street Bakery', which are also published by Sphere.' Meet Me at the Cupcake Café' won the 2012 Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance and was a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller, as was 'Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams', which won the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2013.

For more about Jenny, visit her website and her Facebook page, or follow her on Twitter.

Jenny Colgan has also been published under the name Jenny T. Colgan.

Reviews

[Obsidian · Rating 1 out of 5]

A Christmas romance that revolves around two plotlines that deal with cheating. This entire book was a mess and painful to even wade through.

I got asked for more details on this one and I can honestly say that this book really doesn't highlight Christmas at all which is disappointing. We don't get a lot of insight into Huckle or Polly because they are dealing with other people's stuff. A lot. I think I should have known this was going to go sideways due to the prologue which implied throughout what happens next was Polly's fault because she dared to be happy with Huckle and not be there when a friend was going through some frustration in her marriage. It's baffling that the actual thing that occurs is pretty much glossed over as not the person's fault and ugh. I don't know you guys. The book just didn't grab me and I was annoyed by it.

[Sarah Joint · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book to read while snowed in over Christmas... light, cute, and festive. I often have trouble connecting with the characters when I don't start from the beginning of a series, but it wasn't really a problem here. Starting from the beginning may have added a little to my enjoyment, but I never felt lost or had to keep going back to remind myself who a character was. They're all quite unique. Of course, one of my favorite parts of the story is the pet puffin, Neil. I just can't resist a cute animal character, especially one so charming and unusual.



Polly is the resident baker of Mount Polbearne, where everyone knows everyone. She's happy to own and run the Little Beach Street Bakery, even if she struggles with money. She lives in a ridiculously cold lighthouse with ridiculously handsome boyfriend Huckle and a ridiculously awesome pet puffin. She's looking forward to Christmas and maybe carving in some time off, but everyone seems to need want her help at once. Her best friend's husband insists she cater his Christmas festivities. She would love to say no, but gives in when she realizes what she can selflessly do with the money.

Having drifted away a little from best friend Kerensa for a bit, she soon learns the reason why her bff is acting funny. She has a huge secret she must keep from her husband, and tells Polly but insists she keep it from Huckle, who is best friends with her husband. It makes everything awkward and tense... can all of these relationships survive past Christmas?

So sweet at times it'll hurt your teeth, outlandish, but immensely readable and enjoyable. The characters are so much fun to read. I believe this is supposed to be the final book, but find myself hoping it continues. I can always go back and read the first two, however!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Polly & Huckle live in a light house on the Cornish coast in the town of Mount Polbeane she is finding it hard to pay bills etc but loves baking she runs the Little Beach Street Bakery, she is happiest putting her creative side baking for the residents of the small town community.


Her boyfriend Huckle is always beside her giving support, she has Neil a puffin she adopted & nursed back to health he was my favourite character. Her best friend forever Korensia is hiding a secret a person from Doreen’s past.
Thee is a lot of humour, serious issues in this book as usual I jumped into book 3 in the series I love the quirkiness of the characters they were sweet & cute Colgan always delivers.

[Anne Goldschrift · Rating 2 out of 5]

Abgebrochen auf Seite 98.
Neee, das Buch hat mir so ÜBERHAUPT nicht gefallen, obwohl so, so viele diese Reihe ja zu lieben scheinen. Aber ich fand den Schreibstil fürchterlich und die Geschichte SO flach, dass es mich eher an einen Groschenroman erinnerte.
Schade Marmelade.

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like the baby plot or the estranged father plot or Huckle being an ass. I do love Neil though....

[Ellery Adams]

Sadly, I didn't like this one half as much as the bookshop series. I'm a fan of food, especially baked goods, but I just didn't find the day-to-day operations of the bakeshop as interesting. Also, I listened to this on audio and the American voices were absolutely cringe-worthy. In addition, Rueben is a completely unlikeable, self-centered bully. As the only Jewish character, I hate how he was portrayed as a money-obsessed narcissist. His parents too. Awful stereotypes. The accent attributed to Huckle is awful. The Southern drawl is overdone, and no Southerner adds an "r" to a name like Kerensa (making it sound like Kerenser). And Americans don't say "cor." Not ever. More research and sensitivity toward ethnic groups is necessary here. Also, it felt like the moral of this story was that money can fix everything. I really like Jenny Colgan's books, but it's hard to get past the faults in this one.

[Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dual review with Swedish first and then English!

SWEDISH REVIEW

Vilken härlig bok. Jag har inte läst de två tidigare böckerna om Polly Waterfords äventyr i Mount Polbearne, men jag längtar efter att göra det. Jag blev faktiskt förvånad över hur allvarlig bokens tema var, självklart fanns det en hel del roliga stunder, men boken tog upp allvarliga frågor som Kerensas STORA hemlighet, samt Pollys egna problem angående en person från hennes förflutna, eller rättare sagt hennes mammas förflutna.

Men det är blandning av humor och allvar som gjorde att jag älskade att läsa boken. Det och de vackra omgivningarna i Mount Polbearne. Ärligt talat, en del av mig undrar varför i hela friden har jag inte läst någon av Jenny Colgan böcker innan?

Jul i det lilla bageriet på strandpromenaden är en lätt bok att läsa, ena sekunden har du börjat läsa boken och helt plötsligt är du halvvägs igenom den. Men det är inte alls en bok man läser och sedan glömmer bort. Karaktärerna kommer till liv och berättelsen är rörande att läsa. Allvarligt, jag ville bara packa mina saker och resa till Mount Polbearne pronto! Förövrigt, jag bara avgudar lunnefågeln Neil. Han är en sådan underbar liten varelse. Jag vill ha en lunnefågel!

Den bästa av allt är att min mamma har den första boken i serien, så jag antar att jag vet vad jag kommer att läsa snart...

Tack till Massolit Förlag för recensionsexemplaret!

ENGLISH REVIEW

What a delightful book. I've not read the two previous book about Polly Waterford adventure in Mount Polbearne, but I'm dying to do so. I was surprised to discover how serious the book theme was, sure there was a lot of funny moments, but the book also had a lot of serious things going, like Kerensa's BIG secret, or things concerning a person from Polly's past or rather her mother's past.

But, it's just the mix of humor and seriousness that made me love reading the book. That and the wonderful setting of Mount Polbearne. Honestly, a part of me wonders why on earth haven't I read any of Jenny Colgan's books before?

Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery is an easy book to read, it's the kind that you just breeze through, but it's not at all an easy book to forget. The characters come alive, and the story is touching to read. Seriously, I just wanted to back my things and travel to Mount Polbearne pronto! Also, I just adore Neil, the puffin. He's such a darling. I want a puffin for my own.

The best part of it all is that my mother has the first book in this series, so I guess I know what I will read soon...

Thanks to Massolit Förlag for the review copy!

4.5 stars

[Melissa (Distracted by New Grandbaby) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colgan's third trip to Mount Polbearne revisits Polly, Huckle, Neil and the rest of the gang. As always, the bakery goods are so delectably described that they will cause readers to want to bake, even if they've never tried before. At times, the drama is a tad overwrought, much of it avoidable with simple communication. Yet the ending brings a sigh of happiness, and things turn out well for all involved (as they typically do in these tales). Knowing there's a happily-ever-after just makes the book more enjoyable and is a fitting cap to the series.
Polly and Huckle are happy living in their homey (yet freezing) lighthouse, but Huckle isn't content with the way things are. He wants them to get married and consider having a baby, but Polly is busy with the bakery and isn't sure she's quite ready for all of that. When Polly's best friend Kerensa reveals a huge secret and asks Polly to keep it strictly to herself, it puts Polly in a horrible situation that affects everything and everyone around her. As they move toward Christmas, different stressors bring Polly nearly to the breaking point.

[Karina · Rating 2 out of 5]

But if life teaches us anything, it's that what we assume someone should know about us--even someone we really, really love; especially someone we really, really love--can be completely misunderstood or overlooked, or that the silence we think contains so much is simply unobserved. (PG 155)

I didn't like any of the characters here. The title in itself is misleading. Christmas was hardly mentioned. I hated how Kerensa gets mad at husband, blames the cheating and pregnancy on Polly, and the cheating is swept aside, Like No Big Deal! Let's move on! All the characters sucked and the story wasn't good.

Now back to staring at the sun....

[Jonas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery is the third book in the series. I greatly enjoyed the first two books (both 4 star reads). 3.5 stars for this one, rounded down to 3 stars.

I love the setting, I love the characters, but I was expecting a Christmas book. Christmas was not the focal point of the story. I have read two other books by Jenny Colgan with Christmas in the title, and Christmas played a prominent role in the story. If you’re looking for a Christmas story, which I was, this one was a disappointment. I suggest reading other books by her.

The first 250 pages had excessive drama in the lives of ALL the characters. Again, not what I was looking for. The themes of family, acceptance, healing, and moving forward with life were well written and explored on many levels through the lives of several characters. I greatly enjoyed the last fifty pages. The ending was very satisfying and a perfect ending to my final book of 2022.

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes you just want a book that is light and does not require too much mental effort. This book fits that bill. It is a light and frothy feel good read, even though it still manages to cover some deeper issues. It was good to catch up with Polly, who is still running her bakery and living with Neil, the puffin, in the lighthouse she and Huckle have bought. Life is busy in Mount Polbearne and getting busier as Christmas draws nearer. Polly is happy, although she still is resistant to Huckle’s idea of marriage and keeps putting him off. All is going smoothly until her long-time friend Kerensa reveals the secret, she has been keeping from Polly. She is also keeping secrets from her husband. Kerensa and Reuben are just as brash and overpowering as they were in the first Little Beach Bakery book I read. And it is Kerensa’s secret that not only threatens her marriage with Reuben, but affects her friendship with Polly and Polly’s relationship with Huckle. Over the course of this story, Polly is forced to question where her loyalty lies, as well as deal with certain issues from her own upbringing and trying to save a puffin sanctuary. Through all of this Neil, is just as cute and endearing as he was in the first book and Kerensa and Reuben display another more likeable side of their characters, their generosity.
I rarely read Christmas themed books at any time of the year, yet as soon as I saw this one I knew it would come home from the library with me. It is just the thing for those times you want something light and feel good to read. And I was not disappointed. Even though at times things seem a bit over the top, I was happy to go along with it. It was easy to be drawn into the stories and problems of these characters.
There are three books in the Little Beach bakery series. I read the first but not the one in the middle. It didn’t matter as the author gives enough information to fill in the blank. If you are looking for a fun read this can be read as a standalone. But if you want a sweet series maybe start from the beginning and read them all. Unless that sounds like an overdose of sugar. I found this an entertaining and humorous read and was glad I read it.

[Agnes · Rating 1 out of 5]

This series really went downhill so I’m glad I got this last entry from the library. Maybe the author didn’t count on readers could nailing the three books in quick succession, but the inconsistencies between basic character situations and descriptions from the first book are glaring enough to be very distracting, the central tension in the book is lame, and the big finale is totally unrealistic.

[Lisa Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounding up from 3.5 stars.

A sweet, enjoyable finish to the Little Beach Street Bakery trilogy. Polly, Huckle, and (of course) Neil the puffin are back for further adventures. There are secrets and drama along the way, but (no surprise) we get the HEA we've been expecting, and it's a treat to see it all come together. Plus, plenty more of Polly's excellent baking -- yum!

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am Relieved! I loved the first book, but the second one was such a disappointment that I feared this book to be like that as well. Luckily ‘Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery’ is much better than the second. It does not top the first one, but finally I got a bit of the great ambiance back.

Polly still runs the little bakery, is still in love with Huckle, lives in a lighthouse and has still been taking care of Neil, the puffin. Even though running the bakery is hard work and doesn’t give much of an income, Polly is determined to make the next Christmas their best yet.
But when Kerensa, her best friend, entrusts her with a secret, her life is turned upside down. Everything becomes even more tense when an old ghost from her past shows up.
Will her relationships and her life ever be the same again?

Although I still miss the exact feeling I had reading the first book, this has improved so much in comparison to the second one. The pace is much better and once again I love the baking parts(and the recipes at the end). Neil is absolutely a lovely creature that I just can’t get enough of. Huckle wasn’t as irritating as in the second book. And we hear a little more of Polly’s backstory which makes her reactions and feelings a lot more clear when it comes to romantic relationships.
Some deeper issues are being addressed, which is good, but sometimes there is overly drama involved. Like the first book I would have liked more lightness, in combination with deeper meanings. At times it was a little predictable and sometimes it felt a little rushed. I also felt like the Christmas part actually came in really late. In the beginning I was thinking: Wait, this is supposed to be about Christmas, right? It just took a while to get there, which is a shame.

So the first book I gave 5 stars, the second barely 3, This one is a solid 3,5. Rounded upwards.

[Flannery · Rating 3 out of 5]

At least the American accent the audio narrator used for the male lead love interest in this one didn't make me want to pull off to the side of the road and throw the CD into the woods.

[Bori Pál · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, so I have this thing that I like to read something light at Christmastime, but then too easily, I end up reading trash. It happened last year with Katie Fforde, and this book from Jenny Colgen is no exeption. Of course you don't read these books because you want excellent writing, and that's fine. But the stories are really stupid, and even reflect sexists ideas which are quite harmful (men who are assholes and they still end up being the victims of every situation...) Still, I think I could have forgiven all, if there wasn't that terribly kitsch wedding at the end. Bleeeh!

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

With "chick lit" books it's a thin line between fun & frothy and inane. This one was toeing the line for awhile before throwing in the towel and going all-in for inane.

[Emma.catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a HUGE Jenny Colgan fan but unfortunately this wasn’t one of my favourite books she has written. It was good, but the connection between myself and the characters was lacking.

It did one thing for sure though and that is it got me in the Christmas spirit and hey, is that not the goal of any Christmas book?

I believe Jenny has written 3 Christmas books. I loved the first (Rosie’s sweet shop), this was okay and I still have what I think will be my favourite to read - The Christmas Bookshop 📚 (review for that will be up by the end of the week because I am one of those people that refuses to read or watch anything Christmassy after Christmas lol)

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps if I read the other books in the trilogy I might have enjoyed this a wee bit more? Despite the author's assurances in the beginning that reading the other books isn't necessary; I'd say it might enhance the experience. Partially because I had no connection with any of the characters and a few I was at a loss to see the allure of them? It was a nice story but thankfully a library book.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buch 3 der kleinen Bäckerei-Reihe rund um Polly, Huckle und Vogel Neil auf der englischen Gezeiteninsel in Cornwall.
Trotz langer Lesepause ist man sofort wieder drin und die Charaktere sind so toll, dass man sie ins Herz schließen muss.
Es gibt wie in allen Teilen, Liebe, Drama, viel zu essen, Beinahe Trennungen, Affäre, Hochzeiten und vieles mehr.
Das Ganze ist keine Weltliteratur, "Trivialliteratur" at it's best, easy Read zum nicht nachdenken. Ich bin absoluter Fan, auch wenn Fr. Colgan wohl der Trend für Buchtitel a la "der kleine xyz am xyz Strand" gestartet und mitverantworten muss.

[Lauri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Completely adorable Christmastime tale about dysfunctional families, romance, finding your passion in life & living with the consequences of your life choices. Polly's a thirty-something baker living in the back of beyond UK. She lives in an old lighthouse with her boyfriend, Huckle, and a puffin named Neil. She provides bread & pastry for the entire village. Everyone loves her. It wasn't always this way... She used to live in the city with a normal 9 to 5 job. Her mum is a bit of a recluse, never wanting to leave the house. Never talking about Polly's father. Polly tried her best not to dwell on him. Then one day she gets a phone call...
Lots of twists, sub plots & craziness here! There's some filthy rich friends, Huckle the beekeeper (from the US), Mum herself, and a host of batty townsfolk. Love this story & the surprise ending!

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Originally published on my blog, Musings of a Bookish Kitty:
http://www.literaryfeline.com/2017/12...


Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery (Little Beach Street Bakery #3) by Jenny Colgan
William Morrow, 2017
Fiction; 320 pgs
Source: Review copy provided by publisher for an honest review.

It's often the blurbs that convince me to read a book, and it was the last paragraph of the above one that especially captured my attention. As a result, I had a built in expectation of what was coming as I read. By the time I reached the end, I wondered if maybe I missed something. There was a big storm. And it did cause a lot of havoc. However, events didn't play out quite the way the blurb suggests . . .

Setting that aside, I was pleasantly surprised by Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery which, while the third book in a trilogy, was my first visit to Mount Polbearne. Jenny Colgan does a wonderful job of putting the reader right into this little Cornish community, a bit cut off from the mainland. When high tide rolls in, it can be dangerous crossing over to the village, water lapping at the tires of the vehicles who dare to cross. Mount Polbearne is a coastal village that prides itself in maintaining a more traditional feel, which means updates and modern additions aren't always welcome.

What I would not give to taste one of Polly Waterford's baked goods! The descriptions of her treats just about had me salivating--and I'm not a a big foodie person. I liked Polly's strong work ethic and her kind heart. It is obvious she bears scars from her past, raised by a single mother who had been wronged by the man she loved, Polly's father, whom Polly has never met. It's tainted Polly's own views of marriage, despite her engagement to Huckle. Can I just say now how much I adore Huckle? He seems like such a great guy, very dedicated to Polly. He is supportive and would clearly do anything for her. He doesn't quite understand Polly's reservations about marriage and starting a family, however, given that she hasn't exactly shared her fears with him.

Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery has quite a bit going on. Polly is burdened with a secret one of her best friend's is wrestling with, and keeping it from Huckle is not only wearing on her, but is taking it's toll on their relationship. Polly's father's wife has reached out to her, hoping Polly will consider meeting with her father--something Polly isn't sure she wants to do. Not only might it be hurtful to her mother, but this is a man who wanted nothing to do with Polly her entire life. Why should she give him the time of day now? Add to that a big party to cater, a pregnant and depressed best friend, a puffin sanctuary that needs saving, and an oncoming storm. I was pulled into the novel right from the start and enjoyed every minute I spent with all the characters. I shivered in that old lighthouse they lived in at night, wished alongside them for a quiet Christmas just the two of them, cried with them when they were at odds and when Polly was struggling with her mixed feelings about meeting her father, and wanted to visit with them a bit longer than I could once I reached that last page.

I especially loved Neil. Who wouldn't love that little puffin who has made his home with Polly and Huckle?

I enjoyed the humor and romance Jenny Colgan brings out in the novel, and I also appreciated the varying voices of her characters as they struggled with some rather complicated moral and just plain emotional issues. People make some pretty stupid choices--or even choices we don't agree with. When it's a friend or someone you love, how do you react? Do you stand by them? Take a superior moral stand? Straddle both? Especially when so much is at stake.

I liked that each of the characters, even the minor ones, are fully developed, and flawed. I don't necessarily see a happy ending for all of them, despite this being the kind of book that definitely ends on a high note. That could just me my more realistic nature, however. I hope at least Polly, Huckle and Neil--and the rest of the puffins, at least--have their happily ever after ending the book suggests.

As much as Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery can be read as a stand alone, I do think it might be preferable to start with the first book in the trilogy. I had no problem following along and getting to know the characters. The author does a decent job of making sure their back stories are more or less filled in. I think though I missed out on some of that by starting with the final book in the trilogy. I definitely want to go back and start from the beginning.

[Karen’s Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very rarely read contemporary romance novels, and I don't think I've ever read a Christmas book. My book bestie sent me this book for a Xmas book exchange this year, and since I'm on a beach vacation, I thought I'd give it a go.

Well, I finished it in one day and could barely put it down.

I loved the location, in Cornwall, and loved the people. And as it's set in a bakery, craved fresh bread all day.

The ending was amazing! Definitely a feel good book and perfect to read at the beach in mid-December.

[Christy · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf'd at page 190

idk why finding a cute, cozy christmas book w likable characters is too much to ask. reuben, the husband of the main character's best friend, is ABHORRENT. he doesn't want to be in the delivery room when his wife goes into labor because "it's like watching my favorite pub burn down", near the end of his wife's pregnancy he whines because she "used to be fun" and "not a whale" (seriously). and when his baby finally does come, he is absolutely beside himself because the baby has a BIRTHMARK. i wish i was joking.

he's not even the main character but he was so awful, i couldn't even enjoy the rest of the book. and pretty much everyone around him is like "oh lol that's just reuben". umm no he's not quirky*~ he's just a pos.

[Katy O. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, how I adore this series! This is book 3 and YES, you do have to read the first 2 to fully appreciate this one. If you start here, you rob yourself of the experience of savoring the whole Beach Street story! Loved this one just as much as the others, and the audio was absolute perfection. The accents were excellent and I cracked up every time Reuben talked. If you like sweet English happiness, Jenny Colgan is the author to read. LOVE her books!

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have loved the character of Polly since meeting her in the first book. This one though was just too much drama and was not enjoyable to read. Am glad for the happy ending though for Polly and Huckle.

[Marloes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Afgelopen week heb ik me ondergedompeld in winterse sferen, omdat ‘Winter in de kleine bakkerij’ al beschikbaar was als e-book! Nadat ik zo genoten had van de eerdere avonturen van Polly, wilde ik geen dag langer wachten om het slotdeel van deze fijne trilogie te lezen! Ik vermijd ze altijd zo veel mogelijk, maar omdat dit het derde deel is, is het onvermijdelijk dat hier een paar kleine spoilers over de vorige boeken in staan. 🙃

Het is winter, alle toeristen zijn weer naar huis en Polly werkt nog altijd hard in haar kleine bakkerij op Mount Polbearne. Het is zonder alle extra inkomsten lastiger om het hoofd boven water te houden, maar de inwoners blijven de lekkerste broden bij haar kopen. Ze woont in de oude vuurtoren met Huckle en Neil, wat gezellig maar ijskoud is, ze is gelukkig en ze is ervan overtuigd dat het de beste kerst ooit gaat worden, maar zal dat lukken? Een gevoelig geheim dat haar vriendin Kerensa haar vertelt zet verschillende relaties onder druk, de veeleisende Reuben heeft wilde plannen en wanneer een bekend gezicht uit Polly’s verleden contact met haar opneemt, staat haar leven helemaal op z’n kop. Zal alles wel weer goedkomen?

Door de fijne, vlotte, beeldende schrijfstijl van Jenny Colgan word je het verhaal ingetrokken, bevind je je op het getijdeneiland en kon ik niet meer stoppen met lezen. Polly krijgt in dit deel heel wat voor haar kiezen, en hoewel ik sommige ontwikkelingen vrij snel vond gaan en ik bepaalde keuzes van enkele personages niet goed begreep en daardoor af en toe de connectie met hen even kwijtraakte, maakt de sfeer in dit boek veel goed! Je voelt de kou, ruikt de heerlijke broodjes en watertandt bij het idee van de speciale chocolademelk. Je gunt Polly een gelukkig leven en hoopt dat alles uiteindelijk goedkomt. Er zitten veel mooie en grappige momenten in het boek en het einde is geweldig, liefdevol en hartverwarmend. Dit is een fijn verhaal over liefde, vriendschap, familie, moeilijke keuzes, twijfels over de toekomst, hard werken en je hart volgen. Ik heb genoten van deze serie en wil alleen nog maar meer lezen van Jenny Colgan!

3.5-4⭐️

[Book Concierge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Digital audiobook read by Anne-Marie Piazza


Book three in the Little Beach Street Bakery series, featuring Polly Waterford, master baker, her boyfriend Huckle, their friends Reuben and Kerensa, and the residents of Mount Polbearne, the Cornish coastal village in which Polly lives.

This is a fun chick-lit romance with some over-the-top coincidences and new-adult drama. Not much of a spoiler to say that it all works out with a fairytale HEA ending. I didn’t realize it was a series when I picked it up, and I don’t really feel that I was missing all that much for not having begun with book one.

I rather like Polly, though her indecisiveness and hesitancy drove me a little crazy. (I would probably understand her better if I’d read the previous books.) Her friend Kerensa is a mess, though. Polly certainly seemed to have enough on her plate without having to deal with Kerensa’s drama.

Have to say I really appreciated the recipes at the end – especially the hot chocolate!

Anne-Marie Piazza does a find job narrating the audiobook. She has quite a few characters to handle and managed to give them distinct voices. Huckle and Reuben being Americans required some stretch in providing authentic accents, and Piazza did make them sound rather stereotypical. But it was still a fun listen.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Little Beach Street Bakery trilogy by Jenny Colgan. It can be read as a stand alone with no confusion but it's such a good series that I think you need to read them all!

In this book, we go back to Mount Polbearne, a small isolated island in Cornwall, England just as the Christmas season is beginning. Polly is the town baker and is trying to keep up with demand from the townspeople plus spend enough time with her boyfriend Huckle and their pet Puffin Neil. Polly and Huckle are having problems with money after they bought a lighthouse to live in that won't stay warm in the winter and needs a lot of work done. To make extra work, Polly agrees to cater the Christmas celebration for her best friends very rich husband. Anything that can go wrong with her plans and her romance, goes wrong during the weeks leading up to Christmas. Will Polly be able to overcome the stresses on her life and live happily ever after?

This is a great book to read full of love and family and the quirky and often very funny people of the town. I enjoyed the entire series and hate knowing that this is the end of our stories about Polly and Huckly and their pet puffin.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

[Sandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hmm - where was the fact checker? Inconsistencies galore - 1st book in the series - her dad died when she was 20? 2nd book mention of her sister who likes Huckle and by the 3rd book she's an only child who grew up without a dad?!? What the hell??? Did no one bother to check? Apart from that it was a pleasant read but I'm disappointed. Actually no I'm annoyed - not worth the price I paid for the ebook and it's put me off wanting to read any other series of hers.