#BookReview The Cornish Cream Tea Bus by @CressMcLaughlin #Romance #FridayReads

Title: The Cornish Cream Tea Bus

Author: Cressida McLaughlin

Publisher: HarperCollins

My Rating: 5 Star

Book Blurb:

Baking fanatic, Charlie Quilter, inherits a vintage bus in her late uncle’s will and is keen to give it a new lease of life. Charlie thinks it will be the perfect mobile café for afternoon tea, so she heads to the picturesque Cornish village of Porthgolow, hoping for a new start. However, Daniel Harper, the owner of the posh spa up on the hill isn’t very pleased that her bus is parked outside his lovely hotel. Has Charlie’s Cornish dream developed a soggy bottom? Or can she convince Daniel that her bus could take them somewhere wonderful?

My Review:

Anyone who knows me may be shocked to see me reviewing a contemporary romance novel as it’s as far removed from my favourite genres (fantasy/horror) as you can get. However, when I won a copy of The Cornish Cream Tea Bus in an online competition, it felt rude not to read my prize after the author was kind enough to donate and ship.

So…what did this black-hearted horror fan make of it? The term pleasantly surprised springs to mind first of all. I didn’t expect to become so invested in Charlie’s story. As a camper van owner I could resonate with her love of the old bus and could easily picture myself trundling down the beautiful Cornish lanes.

Finding a bright red double-decker bus turned coffee shop would be the highlight of any trip, so the storyline certainly captured my attention. As a small business owner myself, I was also rooting for the independents and rallying behind their plans.

I liked Charlie! She’s sassy, fun, caring, and she’s healing – again, this is something I can relate to. Daniel Harper even managed to melt my frozen heart as the story unfolded. The host of characters from Porthgolow are exactly how I would imagine a small Cornish town to be. Spending time in the pub with Myrtle sounds like a great way to spend an afternoon too!

There was plenty of action to keep the story moving as well as a few revelations. I did manage to see these twists coming, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The ending was wrapped up neatly, and I closed the book with – dare I say it – a contented smile!

The Cornish Cream Tea Bus is one of three in the series, and I find myself feeling curious about how it all pans out for Charlie. Who knows, I may become a romance reader after all.

A beautiful book full of Cornish sunsets, cream teas, and a heart-warming story.

Huge thanks to Cressida for gifting me a copy of The Cornish Cream Tea Bus.

BUY your copy from Amazon UK or Amazon US