Review: Milkshakes and Heartbreaks at the Starlight Diner

Esther Knight is sharp, sarcastic – and hiding something. She waitresses at The Starlight Diner: a retro eatery where Fifties tunes stream out of the jukebox long into the night, and the tastiest milkshakes in New York are served.

Nobody at the diner knows why Esther left London for America – or why she repeatedly resists the charms of their newest regular, actor Jack Faber.

Esther is desperate to start a new life in the land of the free, but despite the warm welcome from the close-knit diner crowd, something from her past is holding her back. Can she ever learn to love and live again?

Review: This book was so much more than I was expecting. Yes this is a book about a diner in 1990s New Hork, which is cool in itself, but it is also a book with an element of mystery to it. It is also a book with a little bit of crime thrown in. But I would say that the overarching theme of this book is relationships. 

I really liked the character of Esther, and not just because she is a former teacher. She is a fab waitress who has come to the states to get away from everything she left back in the UK. She is incredibly brave and tough with it. She doesn't let that toughness stop her from persuading a lov,e interest, however and I really liked that about her. The other characters in the diner too, what a group of people. Bernie, the owner is a man of mystery himself and I really hope to find out more about him in future books! I loved meeting Mona, she is just fabulous and so are her family. Walt is a real character and the type of person who you know will always be there propping up the character. And then there are Jimmy and Jack, two very interesting men indeed. 

Of course I loved the setting of this novel, I loved the fact that it was set in New York but a New York which is not yet the kind of family friendly tourist attraction that it is today. Not the glamorous Sex And The City New York, and one cannot get in touch with ones family in the UK via Skye of Whatsapp, long distance phone calls still cost a bomb. I loved the description of the neighbourhood and couple picture it entirely, and the diner itself fits in so well with the setting too. It is like this is just  another aspect of this storyline. 

Overall, although this book wasn't what I expected it to be it was really enjoyable. I got really swept up in the storyline right from the word go and just devoured the pages from then on in. I loved meeting the characters, I really liked that the storyline was different to what I was expecting and I a really liked that there was tension to be had right up until the last page! If you're looking for a rom com with. Bit of a darker edge then this is definitely the one for you! 

To grab your copy, just click here!

Look out for a review of the second in the starlight diner series on Saturday!