Well hello to you my reader chums! Lockdown means I'm finally delving into my to be read pile and one of the books on it was 'A Nice Cup of Tea' which I received as a present. It's not my usual read as I would describe it as a holiday or lighthearted type of book, however, I did really enjoy it and it changed things up.

Here are my overall thoughts on the book:

Plotline

The book is about 5 ex-pats, Theresa, Sally, Carol, Ben and William who have moved to the South of France for different reasons and purchase a restaurant together. However, after a terrorist attack, the tourism scene has decreased and they find themselves struggling with keeping the restaurant La Mosaique afloat. There is also trouble in paradise when Theresa's grandaughter goes missing and Sally bumps into a couple from her old acting days. Through the novel, you learn all about each character's lives, how their stories intertwine and exactly what it takes to save the restaurant in the sunny Bellevue-sur-Mer.

Characters and relationships

The characters really made this book as the description of each of them, their thoughts, and what they were getting up to were incredibly detailed which I loved. Theresa was the main character of the plotline I would say and the chef at the restaurant. She's loved by her many friends that she shares the restaurant with and is the closest to Sally. Their bond is typical of an older friendship and they have each other's back through everything. However, with Theresa, everyone would do anything with her and her family to ensure they are safe. Sally was more of a fiery and independent character with a glamorous past life of acting which pulls through nicely in the plotline. Carol was a funny character and made me laughed at how she went about her day and interacted with the other characters.

Their bond together was a joy to read and really showed the honesty of what it is like to run a business with a few other friends.

Thoughts on book

To keep it simple, I really enjoyed this book. From chapter to chapter, and as the ball got rolling with the story, more things began to occur which added depth to the plotline. It has a lighthearted vibe with the description of the South of France and the fun everyone got up there. However, there was also a bit of drama with Theresa's family, what was going on with Sally, and the pressure of losing the restaurant. All the book themes went hand in hand with each other and it was written nicely to follow along with the plot. I also loved that each chapter had a recipe at the beginning! It got me wanting to cook as I read.

Ending

The ending of this book was perfect for closure and it brought all the ideas in the book together and how those storylines overlapped. It was happy, lighthearted, and heartwarming. This book is the perfect holiday or relaxing read!

I hope you enjoyed this book review. What books would you recommend?

Thank you for reading <3