Originally published as a four-part serial, The Plumberry School of Comfort Food by Cathy Bramley is also released as one paperback. I must admit, I always prefer to wait for a whole story to be released together.
This is such a feel-good story with plenty of tension and conflict alongside the friendships and love.
- ASIN : 0552172081
- Publisher : Corgi (30 Jun. 2016)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 480 pages
- ISBN-10 : 9780552172080
- ISBN-13 : 978-0552172080
Putting other people first doesn’t always mean you have to come second…, Verity has lost everything she loved; her best friend and baking companion has died, taking with her their shared passion for cooking. To top it off, it looks like her career and love life might soon follow suit. Although she’s very much in need of some time for herself, Verity instead leaps at the opportunity to help a friend find her feet and help establish a cooking school., Just as long as she doesn’t have to cook anything! Even so, it’s all far from easy, even with the comfort of new friendship and a taste of fresh romance. So when tragedy strikes at the very heart of the cookery school Verity once again risks losing everything. Can Verity find the magic ingredient for Plumberry?Above all else, can she finally write her own recipe for happiness and finally put herself first?
Book Review
When I think back to the beginning of the story I realise how out of step with life Verity was. Like most people she’s living her life for the ‘should’ and ‘ought’ – other people’s expectations. She’s in a relationship because she ‘should’ be and her job doesn’t offer her fulfilment. However, it’s perfect for where she is emotionally as she’s just going through the motions to get by. I’ve enjoyed her transformation and the journey of getting where she should be. I thought the right emphasis was put on her grief for Mimi which made it all feel very real. Not only did I care about what happened to Verity, I also felt emotionally attached to the other characters too. Verity isn’t the only one who we see change.
I was fascinated by the whole concept of Plumberry. I was engrossed through the stages of getting the school up and running and the ideas for revenue streams. The differing opinions gave depth to the characters and I could see how both had value. The cooking competitions were fabulous. I couldn’t get enough and kept turning those pages as fast as I could. I recently attended a cookery event where two chefs were head-to-head. I couldn’t help thinking of Plumberry!
Without a doubt, Plumberry is a community that’s a part of the village. I loved the friendships and the care they have for each other.
Of course there needs to be a balance and there is one particular crises that to be truthful, I hadn’t even considered might happen. Sorrow doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt. I had to keep reading through my tears to see how it would impact the story.
There’s an underlying theme that I thought Cathy dealt with sensitively and with realism. Although it was in the past, it had reverberations in the now and future.
The disasters and conflicts were well paced and kept me turning those pages. I would have been on tenterhooks had I read each serial as it came out!
The right amount of conflict/tension, fabulous characters and a beautiful setting,
The Plumberry School of Comfort Food is a romance read that will engage your emotions and leave you feeling positive and inspired.
Connect with Cathy Bramley
Twitter @CathyBramley
Facebook Page CathyBramleyAuthor
