Cosy up with a mug of hot chocolate for some festive sparkle from bestseller Jessica Redland.
Everyone is getting into the festive spirit on Castle Street - snow is falling, fairy lights are glistening and Christmas shopping is underway.
But for Tara Porter, owner of thriving cafe, The Chocolate Pot, this is the most difficult time of the year. From the outside, Tara is a successful businesswoman and pillar of the community. Behind closed doors, she is lonely.
With a lifetime of secrets weighing on her shoulders, she has retreated from all friends, family and romance, and shut her real self away from the world. Afterall, if you don't let them in, they can't hurt you. She's learnt that the hard way.
But as the weight of her past becomes heavier and an unexpected new neighbour moves onto the street - threatening the future of her cafe - Tara begins to realise that maybe it's time to finally let people back in and confront her history. It could just change her life forever...
But for Tara Porter, owner of thriving cafe, The Chocolate Pot, this is the most difficult time of the year. From the outside, Tara is a successful businesswoman and pillar of the community. Behind closed doors, she is lonely.
With a lifetime of secrets weighing on her shoulders, she has retreated from all friends, family and romance, and shut her real self away from the world. Afterall, if you don't let them in, they can't hurt you. She's learnt that the hard way.
But as the weight of her past becomes heavier and an unexpected new neighbour moves onto the street - threatening the future of her cafe - Tara begins to realise that maybe it's time to finally let people back in and confront her history. It could just change her life forever...
Only a few days ago did i visit castle street and i am already back and let me tell you, for my favourite visit yet. This time we meet Tara who is the owner of The Chocolate Pot, a thriving cafe that leaves everyone who visit with something to talk about. Tara was always destined to run somewhere like this and you can feel the love pouring from the pages.
As much as she puts herself into the place, she is lonely. No one really ever gets to know her past the surface, and something has to change. Her loneliness is weighing her down and when an old face moves onto he street, Tara realises its about time that she shared the burden with her friends.
I simply loved this book, it felt like it had such depth. Tara had such depth, she had a past but also a future. She is so likeable and The Chocolate Pot is somewhere i certainly want to visit, i cant stop thinking about brownies. The community once more is strong and vibrant and its nice to have the nods to those we have already met. Set around the start of the festive season, we see the cafe in all its festive glory but we also see Tara handling her festive blues and it hurt my heart.
I really rooted for her, for her to find the value of the friendships she had already built, it was simply lovely and packed with emotion to read. My favourite visit to Castle street so far.
I was born in Teesside but now live in Scarborough on the stunning North Yorkshire Coast. My home inspired the creation of the fictional seaside town of Whitsborough Bay where I set many of my books although the Hedgehog Hollow series takes readers to a gorgeous new countryside setting in the Yorkshire Wolds.
I live with my husband, our teenage daughter and sprocker spaniel, Ella. I'm a self-confessed stationery addict with a ridiculously large collection of notepads who loves chocolate (although it doesn't love me), hedgehogs, 80s music, collectible teddy bears and lighthouses.
Other than a career detour into retail to set up and run my own teddy bear shop (the inspiration for novel Bear With Me), I've always worked in HR, specialising in resourcing, coaching and L&D. Writing always had to take a back seat to the day job until June 2020 when I left the world of HR to become a full-time author. I'm so very grateful to anyone who has bought or borrowed my books in whatever format, helping me fulfil a long-held dream of writing full-time. I still can't believe I get to spend every day chatting to my fictional friends and making stuff up
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