Review: 'The Sunshine and Biscotti Club' by Jenny Oliver (2016)

Moving to Italy to set up a baking club is a dream come true…
…until Libby catches her husband cheating just weeks before The Sunshine and Biscotti Club opens its doors.
With the first wave of guests set to arrive any day, Libby has no choice but to tie on her apron and get set to bake. But with a dash of sunshine and a sprinkling of old friends, Libby’s kitchen nightmare might just become the best thing that’s ever happened to her.
After all, you can’t bake biscotti without breaking a few eggs…
Last year I got the chance to read and review 'The Grand Reopening of the Dandelion Cafe' (click here to read my review), which was my first experience with author Jenny Oliver's writing. I always see a lot of positive messages about her writing on Twitter and other blogs and have to admit I love the titles and covers of her works. However, up until now I just haven't really had the chance to actually read more of her writing, until 'The Sunshine and Biscotti Club', that is! Thanks to the lovely people over at publisher Carina I got a review copy and as it was pouring down with rain last week, I decided I needed a bit of sunshine in my life and the gorgeous book cover and promising book blurb had me feeling that was exactly what this read would bring me...!
Libby is living the dream; she's a popular food blogger about to open her very own hotel/baking club in beautiful Tuscany. The only problem is that she expected to do this together with her husband Jake; the same husband she discovered was actually cheating on her and has now left the country. Luckily, Libby quickly realises she is not completely alone; she has her group of old university friends to fall back on as they all make their way to Italy to help out with the renovations and start-up of the Sunshine and Biscotti Club. Will Libby be able to pull this off by herself in just a few weeks' time, especially when not just her friends but their individual problems are also thrown into the mix...?
Jenny Oliver's 'The Sunshine and Biscotti Club' is the kind of read that's great for a lovely warm day in the garden or the beach, or a rather chilly or rainy day when you're craving that bit of sunshine and holiday feeling. The book focuses on main character Libby who is busy starting up her own hotel and baking club in Italy but needs to call in the help of her friends when her husband turns out to have been cheating on her. Next to Libby, we meet all of her friends with a specific focus on Evie (who is stuck in an unhappy marriage with two children and needs a break from it all) and Jessica (who is a complete workaholic that devotes all her time to her own design agency, but decides she could use a quick break away from it all). The reader gets to follow these three female characters with chapters told from each of their point of view, with the Sunshine and Biscotti club at the centre of it all.
I don't know whether I maybe had too high expectations of this novel going into it, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I initially hoped I would. I liked Libby, but didn't really warm to her, and neither did I with any of the other characters. Especially the male characters confused me a bit; I couldn't remember who was who and missed some background information and character details. I was also a bit disappointed there was hardly any attention paid to the actual Sunshine and Biscotti club and the hotel. I definitely think the potential for an amazing story is there, it just didn't really work for me personally, but other readers might disagree, and rightfully so. I have no doubt I will pick up another of Jenny Oliver's novels in the future, but while 'The Sunshine and Biscotti Club' is an enjoyable and fun read, it just didn't quite live up to my expectations.

Rating:7,5/10

  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.

Review: 'The Grand Reopening of Dandelion Cafe' by Jenny Oliver (2015)

When Annie White steps back onto Cherry Pie Island, it’s safe to say her newly inherited Dandelion Café has seen better days! And while her childhood home on the Thames-side island idyll is exactly the same retreat from the urban bustle of London she remembers, Annie’s not convinced that Owner of The Dandelion Cafe is a title she’ll be keeping for long. Not that she can bear the idea of letting her dedicated, if endearingly disorganized staff lose their jobs. Plus café life does also have the added bonus of working a stone’s throw away from millionaire Matt and his disarmingly charming smile!
One (shoestring budget) café makeover, a few delightful additions to the somewhat retro menu and a lot of cherry pie tastings later, The Dandelion Café is ready for its grand reopening! But once she’s brought the dilapidated old café back to life, Annie finds herself wishing her stay on the island was just a bit longer. She always intended to go back to the big city…but could island living finally have lured her back home for good?
Over the past few months, I've heard and read a lot of positive things about author Jenny Oliver. Other bloggers loved her books 'The Parisian Christmas Bake Off' and 'The Vintage Summer Wedding' and I have to admit it made me quite curious to check out her work myself! So, when I spotted 'The Grand Reopening of Dandelion Cafe', which was released on the 27th of March by Carina UK, on NetGalley, I immediately requested a review copy and was lucky enough to get one. I couldn't wait to check out the first part of Jenny's new e-book series and had high hopes for a great read!
Annie White grew up on Cherry Pie Island, a Thames-side island and retreat from the busy city of London. After the death of her father, she managed to build up her own successful business and life in Hampstead, a life she doesn't plan on leaving. Until Annie inherits the Dandelion Cafe, which not only brings her back to Cherry Pie Island but also to her family and her childhood memories. Against her own expectations, Annie decides to give things a chance and plans on reopening the Dandelion Cafe. But will she really be able to set aside everything that happened in the past and leave her comfortable London life behind for a return to Cherry Pie Island?
'The Grand Reopening of Dandelion Cafe' is the first part of Jenny Oliver's new Cherry Pie Island series, and it's definitely a wonderful and promising start! This was my first time reading a Jenny Oliver story, after having heard many positive things, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I already fell in love with the title and the book cover, which is simply gorgeous, and luckily the story inside did not disappoint. Cherry Pie Island is a wonderful setting and the author's descriptions really made it come to live in my mind. Combined with the colourful cast of interesting characters and a captivating storyline, I didn't want to put the book down until I had reached the very last word on the last page.
I love stories that focus on rebuilding something and in which memories play an important role, which is definitely the case when main character Annie comes back to the place where she grew up, Cherrie Pie Island. The novel also focuses on family and finding what makes you happy in life; a great combination of themes for an entertaining chick lit read! The next part of the series, 'The Vintage Ice Cream Van', will be released at the end of April and I already can't wait to read it. 'The Grand Reopening of Dandelion Cafe' is an engaging, warm and incredibly promising beginning to a hopefully fantastic series; the perfect read to pick up if you need something to make you smile, and one that will leave you with a craving for some cherry pie!

Rating:9,5/10

  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.