My reading in 2016 has been taken up a lot by reading novels where bookshops feature. It is not deliberate but of course I am naturally going to be drawn to such books being a lover of books and bookshops.
This book was no exception. Kitty Cartwright has amassed a number of cookbooks, which cover everything from lard to aspic and everything in between. Cooking was her passion and her joy. However when her joy and passion went, the cookbooks stayed and now Kitty has sadly died it is up to her daughter Della Cartwright to find something to do with all these cookbooks.
And she does not want to throw them away. She wants to do something with them. In fact Della wants to do something with her life.
Now her daughter Sophie has left home, and her husband sudden interest in golf turns out to be something else entirely, Della wants to do something for her. And she wants to remember her mother and the fun time she had with those cookbooks.
Everyone thinks opening a shop that only specialises in cookbooks is madness, but Della is determined to see it through and she starts to embrace another part of her life she never saw coming.
If you are a fan of Trisha Ashley, Carole Matthews and Katie Fforde to name a few then this book is just right for you to while away a few hours.
The storyline is good to keep you turning the page and whilst perhaps you think Della is a bit of a mumsy drudge she has in fact got strength from somewhere and stands up to everyone and for what she wants to do. By the end of the book I was cheering her on as she achieved much more than just simply opening a specialised book shop.
A feel good book and I would love to go back to Della and see how she is getting on in her bookshop on Rosemary Lane.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.
The Bookshop on Rosemary Lane is out today.
The Book Jotter 