Review: 'Stirred with Love' by Marcie Steele (2015)

Sometimes the best friends can be found where you least expect them … 
Still grieving after the loss of her beloved husband, Lily Mortimer is determined to do something with the time she has left. After the end of her fairytale marriage, thirty-something Kate is trying hard to mend her broken heart. Chloe, a young woman with the world at her feet, is struggling to know what to do with her life. 
When Lily embarks on a new venture in the picturesque town of Somerley, the three women come together to open The Coffee Stop, the most charming café for miles around. But opening a coffee shop is never as simple as it seems, especially when you add neighbouring competition, local heart throbs and heartbreak to the mix. 
When tragedy strikes, can the three women pull together to make the new business fly, or will Lily’s last chance disappear down the drain along with yesterday’s coffee grinds?
I'm still making my way through my large pile of review books and last week I felt like reading a warm and trustworthy chick lit read, something to make me feel a bit better during these rainy and grey January and February days. I knew I still had a Bookouture read waiting for me in the form of Marcie Steele's 'Stirred With Love' and it seemed exactly the kind of read I was looking for. I received a review copy of this novel through NetGalley last year and I remember I straight away loved the book cover and thought the description promised a story I would definitely enjoy. I was glad to once again lay eyes on the pretty cover and hoped I would end up enjoying it as much as I hoped I would!
Thirty-something Kate knows her marriage with her husband Nick hasn't been what it used to be, but when she suddenly comes back to an empty house one day, discovering Nick has moved out, she has no idea what to do. Chloe, an 18-year-old who has just finished school, is looking for an adventure, that next step in her life before she decides what she really wants to do. Both women react to the same ad they found in a newspaper, posted by elderly lady Lily who wants to open a coffee shop in the small town of Somerley and needs some help. While at first sight, the three women might have nothing in common, soon Kate, Chloe and Lily are all working hard to make The Coffee Stop a success, with a good dose of trouble, laughter and heartbreak along the way.
'Stirred with Love' is a story about friendship and finding yourself, and another lovely read from publisher Bookouture. The book focuses on three main female characters: Kate, Chloe, and Lily. I straight away warmed to Lily; she's a sweet but determined older woman who knows what she wants, and I would have loved to have learned more about her and her past. I also liked Kate, whose world is suddenly turned upside down when her husband leaves her and she decides to make some drastic changes. However, I did find it difficult to warm to Chloe; she comes across as a rather spoiled and egocentric eighteen-year-old, and I just didn't really click with her as a character.
While the book has an entertaining storyline and a good cast with various characters, I thought the story was a bit slow-paced and just seemed to miss something. I can't put my finger on it exactly; maybe I would have liked a bit more detail, more focus on the characters' backgrounds and more in-depth dialogue. I definitely enjoyed the book, but just not as much as I had initially hoped I would based on the cover and description of the story. Yet, the novel is still a promising one and I will certainly pick up Marcie Steele's next work. Overall, 'Stirred with Love' is a light-hearted, enjoyable and easy-to-read chick lit novel; a book that didn't necessarily blow me away, but still one I enjoyed from beginning to end.

Rating:8/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.