From the author of the #1 BESTSELLING The Corner Shop in Cockleberry BayAll of our favourite characters from Cockleberry Bay are back in this final, heart warming story in the series. Including Hot, Rosa Smith’s adorable dachshund and his new-born puppies. Now successfully running the Cockleberry Café and wishing to start a family herself, Rosa feels the time is right to let her inherited Corner … her inherited Corner Shop go. However, her benefactor left one important legal proviso: that the shop cannot be sold, only passed on to somebody who really deserves it.
Rosa is torn. How can she make such a huge decision? And will it be the right one? Once the news gets out and goes public, untrustworthy newcomers appear in the Bay . . . their motives uncertain. With the revelation of more secrets from Rosa’s family heritage, a new journey of unpredictable and life-changing events begins to unfold.
The Gift of Cockleberry Bay concludes this phenomenally successful series in typically brisk and bolshy style and will delight the many thousands of Rosa’s fans.
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Another winner from Nicola May!!!! This charming series has gotten better with every book!
Life is changing for Rosa. She really wants to start a family, and she feels like it is time to let her corner shop go. I could completely understand why this is such a difficult decision for her. It is a part of her heart. Plus, it has to be passed down to someone who really deserves it. What is she going to do? It doesn’t take long for news to travel, and boy does that bring people out of the woodwork? What are their motives?
If making a life decision isn’t enough, she really, really wants to be a mother. Plus, some more secrets from her family surface too! I have really come to love Rosa throughout the series!!!
It was wonderful catching up with all the characters that have become so close to my heart….Josh, Titch, little Theo. If you are looking for a sweet read that warms your heart, you can’t go wrong with this one!!!
Favorite Quotes:
‘It always seems to be loving families who lose a parent or a child. I do believe the good die young. ’‘My mum wasn’t that young.’ ‘She wasn’t that good either.’ ‘Oi.’ They both then laughed nervously.
‘I’m internet dating, you see, and there are very few handsome men to be found in this area, as you can imagine.’ She picked up a thick church candle from the shelf and held it at the base with both hands. Danny blinked and cleared his throat.
‘Show me again.’ Rosa held up the grey and white picture. ‘Aw. That’s our baby, that is.’ Josh was beaming. ‘Look to the right, I’m sure I can see a willy.’ Rosa laughed. ‘I don’t ever want to see one of those again if it makes me feel this sick.’
Christmas Eve and the Cockleberry Bay Village Hall had not seen so much activity since the adult version of the nativity play twenty-five years ago, when Joseph had outed his wife for having an affair with the Angel Gabriel; in his hurry to escape the humiliation, the latter got his wings caught in a wise man’s stick and fell off the stage, breaking his ankle.
My Review:
I enjoy Ms. May’s wry comedic humor and she is a wily one as her amusing levity kept my lips twitching with a ready smirk. She is rather sneaky and slipped in jocularity in the midst of other scenes in unexpected places such as when a character was adding their coins to the café’s communal gratuities jar, which was described as “a ceramic burlesque dancer money box that held a sign saying Nice Tips.”
In addition to her clever and playful use of wit, several hefty social and personal issues were tapped and used as a positive platform for dispersal of thoughtful information and awareness, which I always appreciate. Ms. May’s characters tend to be diverse, quirky, deeply flawed, and uniquely intriguing. And despite his stinky breath and proprietary barking, I adore that little Hot Dog, AKA, Mr. Sausage to “where the sky touches the sea.”
Thank you Rachel’s Random Resources and the author for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
The Gift Of Cockleberry Bay
By: Nicola May
REVIEW
I’m going about this backwards, but oh, well! I haven’t read the first two books in the series, but I have read this, the third, The Gift Of Cockleberry Bay. Knowing the ending is not a big deal to me, so I intend to read the other books next. This is a charming place for a story to occur, and I wish it were real. I like the premise of this story and found it interesting, light and refreshing to read. Rosa is a warm hearted sweet character with a big decision to make. Everything about the story is really delightful, and it’s just what I needed to read. I highly recommend reading Nicola May if you need a smile or a feel good moment!