About the Book
Daphne dreams of Mr. Darcy. Finn serves up pints and rock music. Can opposites attract when a tea shop princess meets her pub-owning rival?
In the charming mountain town of Wisteria, North Carolina, Daphne Austen clings to tradition like cream to a scone. She's built her life--and her late grandmother's tearoom, Tea Thyme--around all things delicate china, Jane Austen novels, and the comforting predictability of routine. The only thing threatening her perfectly ordered world? The loud, aggravatingly handsome Brit opening a pub next door.
After his ex-wife broke his heart and his business partner nearly destroyed his career, Finn Dashwood packed up his six-year-old daughter and left England behind. He's looking for a fresh start, and the last thing he needs is a fussy, tea-obsessed neighbor criticizing his every pint and playlist. It doesn't matter that she's ridiculously kind (to everyone else) and that his daughter is utterly fascinated by her. Finn's heart is not open to being broken again.
But disagreements turn into prank wars and then a competition when a high-profile wedding needs a last-minute caterer. The townsfolk are thrilled--Wisteria hasn't seen this much excitement since the county fair lost a goat.
When the wedding demands both sweet and savory fare, Daphne and Finn are forced to put down their swords and pick up their serving trays. Between burnt pastries, brewing tempers, trending hashtags (#SipsAndSpats, anyone?), and one very adorable little girl, rivalry soon gives way to reluctant friendship--and maybe something that feels suspiciously like chemistry.
Can a tea shop princess and a pub owner with a past mix their lives as seamlessly as clotted cream and jam . . . or will their differences keep them steeped in rivalry forever? (Goodreads)
My Thoughts
This author is so fun to read and I was excited to dive into her new novel. The setting is small town North Carolina and a tea shop. There is a lot of humor as one would expect and a dashingly handsome English man named Finn. He comes onto the scene and creates an enemies to lovers type trope. He is opening a pub next door to the frilly pink tea shop and you can imagine how that plays out. The tea shop sounds so fun and the way it is described made me feel like I was there sipping tea. The only negative I have with this book is there are a lot of references to appearance and how handsome and gorgeous they are with the abs and the legs and the eyes etc. It was too much and drove me a bit crazy and took me out of the story each time. Near the end of the book the author weaves in a bit of the reality of life and I actually thought the story really came alive in the last chapters. It was a solid ending and because of that I found it be overall an enjoyable read.
Four Stars.
"I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review."
