This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Sometimes you read a novel that does you as much good as a sunny weekend by the sea. It’s like hot chocolate in book form – warm, cozy and refreshing with a slice of decadent escapism on the side.
This is the category that The Grand Reopening of Dandelion Cafe by Jenny Oliver falls into. Perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley and Lucy Diamond, to slip into its pages is to leave everyday life behind as you cross the footbridge to quirky, leafy and secluded Cherry Pie Island on the banks of the River Thames.
Artist shacks, houseboats, ramshackle gardens and loveable locals await as well as that famous, mouthwatering cherry pie, giant wedges of the stuff – delicious plump cherries, dark like velvet, under a crisp lattice adorned with sugar crystals and just enough cream to make a swirl in the juices.
Truth be known, once you’re on the idyllic little island with its oddball characters and happenings, you might not want to leave, so it’s just as well The Grand Reopening of Dandelion Cafe is the first in a brand new eBook series of Cherry Pie Island books published monthly beginning March 27. While each part can be read as a standalone book, we’re very much looking forward to following the lives and loves of Annie White and Co throughout the year.
About The Grand Reopening of Dandelion CafeWhen Annie White steps back onto Cherry Pie Island, it’s safe to say her newly inherited Dandelion Café has seen better days! And while her childhood home on the Thames-side island idyll is exactly the same retreat from the urban bustle of London she remembers, Annie’s not convinced that Owner of The Dandelion Cafe is a title she’ll be keeping for long. Not that she can bear the idea of letting her dedicated, if endearingly disorganized staff lose their jobs. Plus café life does also have the added bonus of working a stone’s throw away from millionaire Matt and his disarmingly charming smile!
One (shoestring budget) café makeover, a few delightful additions to the somewhat retro menu and a lot of cherry pie tastings later, The Dandelion Café is ready for its grand reopening! But once she’s brought the dilapidated old café back to life, Annie finds herself wishing her stay on the island was just a bit longer. She always intended to go back to the big city…but could island living finally have lured her back home for good?
About Jenny Oliver
Jenny Oliver wrote her first book on holiday when she was ten years old. Illustrated with cut-out supermodels from her sister's Vogue, it was an epic, sweeping love story not so loosely based Dynasty.
Since then Jenny has gone on to get an English degree and a job in publishing that's taught her what it takes to write a novel (without the help of the supermodels). She wrote her first book The Parisian Christmas Bake Off on the beach in a notebook that would end up covered in sand each afternoon and damp from the sea. This time the inspiration was her addiction to macaroons, the belief she can cook them and an all-consuming love of Christmas. When the decorations go up in October, that's fine with her!
Jenny's books also feature her love of all things vintage, Sunday morning car boot sales (on the hunt for the thrill of a bargain) and an unwavering belief in happy ever after! (Whatever she's loving on TV might crop up as well!)
Look out for The Vintage Summer Wedding in print from March 26. And then on March 27, Jenny's brand new eBook series, all set around the idyllic Cherry Pie Island, kicks off with The Grand Reopening of Dandelion Cafe. Mouthwatering, feel-good and perfect for lazy spring days. Pop on over and say hello to Jenny on Twitter, too, and let her know what you think of the new series!