This is one of those reviews that is going to be hard to write because I LOVED The Cake Shop in the Garden. If you’re a regular blog reader you will know I’m a fan of Carole Matthews but she’s raised the bar even higher with her latest novel.
Fay Merryweather runs her cake shop from her beautiful garden. She whips up airy sponges and scrumptious scones, while her customers enjoy the lovely blossoms and gorgeous blooms. Looking after the cake shop, the garden and her cantankerous mother means Fay is always busy but she accepts her responsibilities because if she doesn’t do all this, who will?
Then Danny Wilde walks into her life and makes Fay question every decision she’s ever made.
When a sudden tragedy strikes, Fay’s entire world is thrown off balance even further and she doesn’t know which way to turn. Can Fay find the strength to make a life-changing decision – even if it means giving up the thing she loves the most? Life, love and family are about to collide in The Cake Shop in the Garden.
41 year old Fay is living at the house she was born and brought up in along the Grand Union Canal. Having given up her job to look after her invalid mother Marigold, sister Edie has shed all responsibility and is living in NY (although still in contact, draining away Fay’s savings). Fay has turned the garden into a successful cafe and their narrowboat, The Maid of Merryweather, sells to passing tourists on the waterway. After being with Anthony for ten years,, life is predictable and the only excitement she gets is ironing his shirts. Assistant Lija is the only person Fay doesn’t look after … she is fabulous with her sarcastic wit to everyone – even 93 year old Stan, a regular at the cafe (who is a sweetie and whose advice is born out of life experience) doesn’t escape her bluntness. She made me chuckle with her ‘as it is’ attitude.
So we have our protagonist who puts herself before everyone else and accepts that this is the way life is …
Until that is, The Dreamcatcher moors up with owner Danny Wilde (Irish and gorgeous!) who offers his help for a couple of weeks with maintenance jobs. Younger than Fay and an enigma (he’s not your usual water dweller) a fragile link between them develops and makes her question herself.
Conflict isn’t just about the romance, Edie who is selfish and knows that Fay will do anything she asks gets away with so much and is the cause of much emotional pain.
Not only that, there is a twist that although puts things into perspective, made me feel angry at the injustice.
Anthony isn’t around much (with his bell ringing practice for the festival and golf after work) so Fay is left to deal with a lot on her own. We see her character develop as she begins to take ownership of her life and make her own choices.
The Cake Shop in the Garden does have its humorous moments but it is a deep and introspective story too. Family, secrets, possessions, community and the romance (I felt THE kiss!).
Fay teaches us that no matter your age, take the opportunities in life with both hands and RUN 🙂
Carole Matthew’s Website
Twitter @carolematthews
Facebook CaroleMatthewsBooks