Charlie has a new helper on her bus, her free-spirited and loveable cousin, Delilah, who’s paid a visit to the charming Cornish village of Porthgolow and is helping out on Charlie’s adorable cream tea bus.
When the Director of a new TV series filming further along the coast tells Delilah that the bus would be the perfect addition to their onsite catering, she takes him a bit too literally. Charlie and Delilah find themselves caught up in the filming of a lavish period drama and it isn’t long before Delilah finds herself drawn to the handsome male lead.
But Delilah has made a habit of making rash decisions and it’s one of the reasons she’s hiding out in Cornwall. Could this be one impulsive step too far, or is a change of direction the start of something quite unexpected…
Review: This book, originally published electronically in four parts, follows on from this author’s previous novel, The Cornish Cream Tea Bus. I have waited until having read all parts before writing this review to avoid giving away any spoilers. Although this could well be read as a stand-alone book, I would recommend reading the other novel first. Many of the characters have been well established in the first book and it would be easier to understand the relationships with previous knowledge. I found this a quick and satisfying read, eagerly awaiting publication of each part of the e-series.
In this book, the proprietor of the Cornish Cream Tea Bus, Charlie, is joined by her cousin, Delilah (Lila for short), whose impetuous nature has got her into trouble, resulting in her losing both her job and her best friend. She has fled from her life in London to stay with Charlie in the lovely Cornish seaside village of Porthgolow for a while. A chance meeting between Lila and a TV executive results in the bus becoming part of the onsite catering provision for the set of a period drama being filmed nearby. Both girls enjoy meeting the cast and crew members as they serve them delicious offerings. Lila becomes particularly friendly with actors Sam and Keeley, and even discovers a flair for acting herself. As time goes on, it looks as though Lila’s feelings towards Sam could be more than friendship, but she’s not sure whether taking things further would be the best step for either of them.
I can wholeheartedly recommend this book, and the series, to other readers. There is a satisfying mix of serious and light-hearted moments. Lila’s impulsive actions had me worried on more than one occasion and glad of the steadying influence of her more grounded cousin. While making a lovely summer read, i feel that the story would, in fact, raise the spirits at any time of the year, as the reader is treated to descriptions of the picturesque Cornish seaside and countryside as well as a myriad of delicious things to eat and drink. I enjoyed the peak behind the scenes on the film set, with the characters appearing in costume from time to time evoking thoughts of Poldark and Jane Austen novels. I was happy to find that another book in the Cornish Cream Tea series is in the pipeline, hopefully with us for Christmas; I shall be on the lookout for that.
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