Christmas at The Chocolate Pot Café (Whitsborough Bay, #7)

by Jessica Redland

[zooloo1983]

There are some authors where you just see their name come through on an email asking you to take part in a blog tour. You see the author name and you do not even bother reading the blurb of the book, you just do not care, why? Because you know that the author will bring their A game, you know that they will put you through the wringer and still you come out smiling. You know that said main character will not have had it easy, that someone would have destroyed their world that they know and that there is always hope at the end of the book. Jessica is one of these authors.

Before I start my review, I have to do a Simon Baker appreciation, because, like me and fellow blogger Rae Reads, it appears Jessica has a “thing” for Simon Baker. Especially as the male lead in this book Jed Ferguson shares an uncanny resemblance for him. Ahem…

Having read previously Bear with me (still one of my fav books) and Callie’s Christmas Wish, it was nice to recognise some characters in the Christmas at the Chocolate Pot Café. Tara, the MC in this book, has had the worse of the worse backstory. I mean how mean are you, Jessica!! (Just joking, please don’t stop writing your books!) Tara has shut herself off from the world since her traumatic break up with the douche Garth and the fall out with her sister Leanne. When you finally learn what has befallen her, you understand why she is private, untrusting and lives in a hygge with her giant rabbit Hercules (best pet ever).

Once Tara up sticks and moved to my favourite place of Whitsborough Bay, she buys up the old crumbling café from Jed, and makes it into something of a dream place. Miscommunications, open hearts and tears are strong through the book, but like her other books, Love, Strength and Hope are the main features pulling the strings of this book. I am going to admit, I have the case of the feelings when reading this book, I cried again, goddammit not again something in my eye. My heart broke for Tara, but it was healed for her in time for her own personal growth.

I would love to live somewhere like Whitsborough Bay, there is a feeling of family and togetherness as everyone wants to help everyone, they are friends and supportive and there is just a magical feel to it all.


Jessica has a knack of making you love her characters, cheering for them, defending them and caring so damn much about them. Plus she made me want to drink a LOT of hot chocolate when reading this!!! Now the Grinch in me really did not want to read a Christmas book, but this is not really a Christmas book, ok it does feature but it is just an added feature. The book begins in November and ends the following December, but that it is. It is part of the scenery, the background while Tara and her epic Chocolate Pot Café take centre stage.

I do strongly recommend you pick up one of Jessica’s (or all of them) books, I have not started the series yet, but from what I heard it does not matter what order you read them, you will see your favourites pop up all over the place, leaving a little smile on your face.