Fleeing from a romance gone wrong, Ellie Farmer arrives in the pretty little village of Sunnybrook, hoping for a brand new start that most definitely does not include love! Following an unscheduled soak in the village duck pond, she meets Sylvia, who runs the nearby Duck Pond Café. Renting the little flat above the café seems like the answer to Ellie’s prayers. It’s only for six months, which … will give her time to sort out her life, far away from cheating boyfriend Richard.
But is running away from your past ever really the answer?
Clashing with the mysterious and brooding Zack Chamberlain, an author with a bad case of writer’s block, is definitely not what Ellie needs right now. And then there’s Sylvia, who’s clinging so hard to her past, she’s in danger of losing the quaint but run-down Duck Pond Café altogether.
Can Ellie find the answers she desperately needs in Sunnybrook? And will she be able to help save Sylvia’s little Duck Pond Café from closure?
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This was a sweet story, introducing a lot of characters around town. Ellie was trying to find the strength to move beyond her broken heart. I loved her devotion to her mother as well as how quickly she grew to love Sunnybrook and its residents. Zak was a troubled soul, trying to find his way forward. His love for his family and neighbors was wonderful, even though he tried to control his heart. I look forward to reading more in this series.
I received a copy of this story through Goddess Fish Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.
What a delight. This is just fun and clean. It will make you smile, and make you hope now and then that things are going to work out as you wish. All of that’s wrapped up in a very quick read. This is a cozy with sweet characters and funny moments.
My description sounds as if this is fluff but the truth is, this cute, sweet book also touches on some deep problems many of us face with family and friends. It isn’t sad except it has its touching moments. Some “swallow hard” moments.
This is Book 1 of a series titled Little Duck Pond Café. Rosie Green has several books published and I couldn’t find anything but good reviews on all of them. This is just one of those books you need to put on your TBR list.
Two thumbs up! Ellie was easy to relate to, especially with her nicknaming certain pieces or people in her life – Thing. Haha The story had so much to offer and I was amazed of everything tucked in between the pages for a novella. I want to go to Sunnybrook and visit the Little Duck Pond Cafe! A quick and delightful read over my holiday break!
I was delighted to return to Sunnybrook and meet new resident, Jaz Winters. She has come to the quaint village to start over again. She literally put a pin on a map, and Sunnybrook was where it landed.
Jaz is fleeing a bad relationship with just one regret….Titch, her ex’s daughter. She has to leave her behind. All the villagers welcome Jaz with open arms. Love is the last thing on her mind, but Harry Bentham, a photographer, seems to continually get under her skin. As much as she tries to fight it, Harry does something to her. I am glad that Green didn’t rush their romance. Jaz definitely has trust issues, but Harry is patient and is intent on earning her trust. In fact, that was what I loved most about him.
I enjoyed the friendships she developed with Ellie and Fen. These two ladies help Jaz discover who she really is and help her find her strength again. Without spoiling anything, she will need their support to help her get through some trying time she will face in the future. It is the townspeople who really make this such a delightful series. Great characters with a fantastic setting really draw me into the book.
My favorite part of the book was the epilogue. I loved how she weaves all the characters together in the end which ties up the story quite nicely. I hated to tell them good-bye, but I can’t wait to see them again.
Favorite Quotes:
… all the bravado drains out of me, leaving me feeling like a balloon three days after the party.
After all, they do say the joy of being a grandparent is that you can hand the little terror back at the end of the day . . .
My Review:
While reading, I vacillated in how to rate this slowly developing and somewhat bittersweet tale about a small British village, where each of the main characters appears to be in a transitional stage in their lives. The premise was relevant and the storylines and writing were chaste enough for my elderly mother’s church ladies book club, yet still held my attention, which is rare ;). As the first story in a trilogy, the stage was being set for subsequent installments, which was thankfully done without feeling like an information dump – yet it felt a bit flat to me. While there were humorous items and amusing observations, the story seemed to come up a little short of a Four-Star ranking, but close enough. I enjoyed the quirky characters and look forward to their future antics and adventures and proudly have two new additions to my Brit vocabulary list which now includes “came a cropper” which is to fall headlong, and “browned off” which is to be greatly annoyed. I do love being able to claim learning something new.
I absolutely fell in love with this book. I picked it up Sunday evening and read it in just a few short hours. I wish it hadn’t ended so soon!
Sunnybrook is just darling. With the cute little cafe, the artisan bakery, and the duck pond, this village sounds like a perfect sanctuary for a broken heart.
The characters are likeable and relatable. I loved Ellie’s character. She’s vivacious and entertaining. I laughed out loud at her antics several times.
I enjoyed this book a lot and can’t wait for the next in the series.
It definitely deserves 4 paws up!
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Rachel’s Random Resources for this book. This my honest opinion.
Warning: Ellie’s mother is dealing with Alzheimer’s disease.