Hi - Authors don't usually write this bit - the bit on the back that tells you the story. And this story is dead simple: Polly opens a bakery!
But, to me, what this book is really about is being brave; about striking out on your own when everything's against you. It's about daring to drop out of the rat race; about the satisfaction of making things by hand; of sharing with friends and neighbours; and how a simple creative act with a touch of flour and yeast can produce something quite magical.
And it's about how simple things can bring you joy - the changing seasons; the sea; hard work - all these can lift your spirits, even when life tries it's hardest to kick you in the teeth. - Also it contains some very daft jokes about puffins. Probably too many, really, I got very attached to that puffin.
Polly Waterford is on the run, from a relationship gone wrong, her job and the people coming round to take away her beloved possessions. So when she moves away from Plymouth and ends up in the quiet and peaceful town of Mount Polbearne, things couldn't get any worse. Apart from her flat that she is living in if falling around her, her new landlady is a horrible old woman and she hardly has any money to live off.
So, putting her mind to use Polly starts to bake. The only thing that keeps her sane and calm is to bake a homemade loaf of bread, though things start to get out of hand when she takes some down for the local fishing crew and ends up making a pack with half of the people in town to make secret loafs.
Though Polly has a few other things on her mind, what with her new best friend being an injured puffin and Mrs. Manse not liking her baking in "her" village, to which is threatening to boot her out of the home to make sure she never bakes bread again. To which this infuriates Polly and she goes on every quest possible, to annoy the old lady.
Soon Polly has become good friends with all the fishermen, even more so with Tarnie ,the captain of the lot. As well as the rest of the town folk, but there's one mysterious man that everyone talks about that she has never laid eyes on. The quiet and laid back beekeeper of Mount Polbearne, Huckle. But when Polly bumps into him, she soon knows who he is, with his beautiful eyes and long, surfer boy blond hair how could Polly not miss him.
But when a tragedy hits Polbearne unexpectedly, will everyone's life go back to normal? Will Polly keep her business going and has she ruined it with the one man she wanted more than anyone in the world? And will Neil come back?
Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan, is the first book I have ever read by this author and I'm actually questioning myself, why? I should have been reading Colgan's books years ago and cannot understand how I have only just picked this up.
Having a huge passion for baking myself, this book stood out to me straight away in WHSmiths with it's title alone, then after reading the blurb I soon put it on my list to read and was over the moon when I finally bought it. I couldn't wait to read it!
I loved this book so much! I loved all the characters, especially Polly and the little Puffin Neil, I loved his character so much. I thought the story line was really good, I didn't feel it dragged on like some romance stories. Though I find this book was more about finding yourself and who you really are, and that once you have a dream to do something in your life. To never, ever let it go and pursue that dream. Which is exactly what I am doing, and this book and inspired me even more to keep going with my dreams and ambitions, so I thank Jenny Colgan for that greatly.
The story was written very well, it flowed throughout the book and the characters we're amazing! There wasn't one character I disliked or didn't take a shine too. They all had their own little personality which I think is a big thing to do when writing characters.
All in all, I can say that this book has helped me not to let go of my dreams and to keep pushing at them if I'm honest. It's inspiring, heart warming, funny, and romantic all at the same time. There's even a big twist in it too! I will definitely be reading more of Jenny Colgan's books.
I will give this book 10 out of 10
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