A SEASON FOR SECOND CHANCES
This charming English rom com swept me off my feet - twice! Annie Sharpe is a gifted chef and restaurant owner who unexpectedly must upend her professional and personal life in the city for a fresh start. When Annie accepts a position minding a historic old house in a tiny seaside town, she quickly becomes attached to her quirky new community, bringing bright cheer to their time-honored traditions. But the skeptical nephew of the house’s elderly owner has a different idea for the future of Saltwater Nook. Can they reconcile their differences for the sake of the beloved coastal home - and perhaps spark a new beginning for themselves?
I read this cozy novel last January, but got busy and never posted about it. I thought I’d refresh my memory, dusting it off for a quick skim - and ended up reading/listening to the entire story again! This book is like a warm mug of tea, hitting all the right notes with seasonal atmosphere, a positively magical setting, and characters to fall in love with. It’s a refreshingly grown-up rom com about a woman with a career and adult children, figuring out what the rest of her life will look like if she stops settling - with plenty of “rom” and genuine “com” to enjoy! The audio kept me company on leafy October walks and cinnamon-y fall bakes. I never re-read books but this one was even better the second time around!
The Halloween festivities are among my favorite parts of the story, with transporting descriptions that made me want to bob for apples, carve a pumpkin and listen to ghost stories along with the residents of Willow Bay! I re-imagined Annie’s seasonal treats here as a pumpkin cake roll filled with cream cheese frosting, recipe by the always perfect @sallysbakeblog . I wasn’t sure I could manage the mechanics of this cake but it was a fun challenge! I recommend this one if you’re looking for a sweet fall dessert that would be right at home in a charming English tea shop! What’s your favorite thing to bake in October?
