Book Synopsis:
Everyone’s welcome at The Afternoon Tea Club…
Marjorie, Stacy, Raymond and Dora each hold a different story to their chest – lost loves, abandoned dreams, crippling self-confidence issues, and simply feeling invisible. For each of them, the thought of letting those stories out is almost as terrifying as letting strangers in, and that makes for a very lonely life indeed.
But when these four strangers who have struggled to “fit in” end up on the same table for an event at their local community centre, little do they know that their lives are about to be entwined and changed forever because of an Afternoon Tea club.
Cue an unexpected journey of self-discovery, some unlikely new companions, and plenty of tea and biscuits along the way…
Heart-warming and poignant in equal measure, this is a story about loneliness, kindness, and the power of friendships that span generation, proving that the most simple of human connections unite us all. Perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village and The Keeper of Lost Things.
The Afternoon Tea Club is available in ebook now and paperback on the 3nd of April 2020. You can purchase or pre-order your copy using the link below.
My Review:
This was a heartwarming read which is perfect for escaping into. It covers quite a current problem of loneliness amongst older people which made it quite an emotion read at times as it seemed very real.
The characters were all wonderful, realistic creations and I enjoyed finding out more about them. I didn’t particularly warm to any of them at the begining but as I discover more about their back story I found myself growing fond of them. They are definitely an eclectic mix of people and it was interesting to see the many different reasons that they had seeked out the club for companionship. My favourites was Stacey the librarian whose love of cats has meant that she has ended up with 8 of them. I think I felt a bit of sympathy for her as she joined the club so she’d have someone to talk to other than the cats, which is similar to the reason I go to groups so I have someone other than the kids to talk to.
The book is written in a lovely easy style that has a great flow to it. This just draws the reader into the book and ensures that they get fully emersed into the story. There is some funny parts and wry humour which I enjoyed and helped give the story a lighter feel to it. I’m normally a bit wary when books are described as similar to Rachel Joyce’s books but in this case I think the comparison is justified as the style did remind me of those books.
Huge thanks to Sabah from Avon for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley.
About The Author:
Jane Gilley was born in Nottingham and now lives on the beautiful island of Jersey, with her husband, a rabbit and a Senegal parrot.
Following a career in Interior Design and after writing 6 children’s books, Jane now writes adult books full time.
Over The Rainbow Blog 