Kristina Anderson
The Seafront Tearoom by Vanessa Greene is a British novel about friendship. The Seafront Tearoom is owned by Letty. It has been in her family for over a hundred years. It is a local gathering spot in Scarborough and the people that know about it like to keep it quiet (and so does the owner). Kat Murray is twenty-six and lives nearby with her son, Leo. She was living with Jake but they are better off apart. Jake is now trying to set up a new business in Scotland. Kat is having trouble making ends meet and is looking for a job. Seraphine Moreau is twenty-three and just got her teaching certification. She wants to teach English to teens in France. She has decided to visit England to improve her conversational English. She will be staying with Adam and acting as his au pair. Seraphine has a secret that she has not told anyone and she is not sure she will be able to share it. Charlotte “Charlie” Harrison is a writer and features editor with Indulge magazine. She has decided to write an article (actually a spread) on tearooms. She will visit her sister and her new baby while she is in the area. These three women meet and The Seafront Tearoom. Charlie wants to feature the tea shop in her article, but Kat asks her to reconsider. Kat and Seraphine offer to help Charlie with her article by finding other tea shops for her to write about. The three set out on their adventure indulging in tea, sandwiches, and sweet treats. They will become fast friends who can discuss anything with each other. They help each other discover what they want out of life professionally and personally as well as help each other out during the good and bad times. I give The Seafront Tearoom 3.75 out of 5 stars. The Seafront Tearoom has romance, friendship, break ups, secrets, and more. There are a lot of descriptions of British desserts with unusual names (it is interesting how different countries call the same item different names) and enough tea to fill a giant lake. The books pace slowed down in the second half, and I felt the story could have ended much sooner (went on too long). There was a nice twist that I liked and a lovely ending (these types of books always have a good ending). If you are looking for a light, fluffy book to read, then you will enjoy The Seafront Tearoom. If you are looking for a novel with depth, then skip it. I received a complimentary copy of The Seafront Tearoom from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Bette Hansen
A wonderful story of discovering new friendships, laughs, tears, and a touch of romance. Charlie Harrison wants to write an article on the Seafront Tearoom in Scarborough that will bring it the recognition it deserves. Kat and Seraphine don't want there hidden gem discovered by the masses and set out to help Charlie find other places that will be better for her article. As they set off on this journey a strong bond is developed between these three women and their lives will never be the same. A great comforting read that I highly recommend.