The Beachside Sweet Shop (Beachside, #1)

by Karen Clarke

[Leah]

I wanted to love this book. A book about a sweet shop sounded like heaven, especially as I have first hand knowledge of a sweet shop, but the more I read, the more infuriated I got. You ever get that feeling a book just wasn't for you? That's how I felt about this one. I thought it would be, I thought it would be fantastic, and I'd be able to nod along with all the anecdotes (to be fair, I could agree with a few of them mind) but Marnie was so incredibly frustrating as a character. If she didn't want to be in Shipley, why didn't she bloody well leave? Instead that's all I heard; how frustrated she was, how she didn't want to be there, how everyone in her life had decided to die or break their leg so she just HAD to stay. It was obviously all an act, though she got furious when it was pointed out. THEN! Just when she had decided to go travelling she became furious at people making plans for the sweet shop. I felt like I had whiplash. I just wanted to shake some sense into her and tell her to stop acting so childish.

Another thing that baffles me, is that Marnie broke up her relationship - her boyfriend left for New York without her, because she couldn't go because of the reasons I said above (death/broken legs etc) yet she still pines for him. I forget his name. Alex? Andrew? I feel like it's Alex, but I could be wrong, because he was a bit forgettable. You broke up with him! You have no right to feel aggrieved if he moves on! What, you don't want him but no one else can have him? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? *Rages* I understand there will still be emotions there, and she obviously only broke up with him so she could set him free, blah blah blah, but that still gives you no right to be furious that he's moved on, WHEN YOU TOLD HIM TO GO.

You're probably wondering why I gave this book three stars, since I haven't yet had a good word to say: BETH AND JOSH. Beth was a fantastic best friend, with a good quip ready whenever it was needed and it made me sad she was shoved into a corner, so Josh could shine. Not because I didn't like Josh - I LOVED Josh. He was fantastic. But I felt like poor Beth got pushed to one side and could have been utilised so much more. She was incredible. Like I said, so was Josh. Josh was by far the best thing about this book (although Marnie's grandmother Celia comes a close second and Chester the dog a close third). He lit the book up, he brought a spark and I cannot for the life of me understand why Marnie went back to Alex. I mean, all that build up for Josh/Marnie and JOSH JUST LEAVES? And Marnie just lets him! And runs right back to Alex *eye roll* y'see what I mean when I say I had whiplash? Jesus, lass, pick a bloke and stick with him.

I genuinely wanted to love this book, I really did, but it just frustrated me to an unreal level. Marnie was so wishy-washy, unable to make a decision, unable to deal with this awful blogger woman who was intent on ruining her business (because bored yummy mummies do that???? They picket businesses because sweet shops are just hell on Earth basically?? Forgetting that eh Tesco and Asda and any other supermarket in the world PLUS the newsagents that was down the road, also sells sugar-filled sweets???) and I just wanted her to have a bit of gumption, a bit of spark, if you're not happy in your life, change it. It's simple. You don't want to run a sweet shop - sell it. She seemingly had enough money to travel for the rest of her life, so go for it if that's what you want. But MAKE. A. DECISION. I am not a fan of characters who hide behind other reasons for not doing stuff.

I've become far too critical of the genre I once devoured. If I had read this five years ago I would have loved it, without picking up on any flaws (except the Josh thing, that will have always have bugged me). It would have been a fantastic read, but it's the kind of book I've read time and time again. I've said it before on social media, I hate reading about people who hate their home towns, as if they're the worst places in the world, as if the grass really is greener on the other side - it isn't - no matter where you go in life, it's all the same: work, home, work, home, work home. That's life in Shipley or New York - you can't survive on fresh air.

I appear to have run out of steam. TL;DR? There were bits I liked, genuinely, but it is the bits I didn't like dominating my review, so *shrugs* what can ya do? I felt how I felt.