Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan

Doesn’t the cupcake on the cover look scrumptious and want you to read this book?  I’ll admit this is one of my favorite book covers of all time and constantly made me crave cupcakes while I was reading it.  Once I got into the book though, I found myself craving some of Polly’s homemade bread!

Polly Waterford and her boyfriend Chris just witnessed the collapse of their advertising business as well as the end of their relationship.  With no flat, boyfriend, or job, Polly is struggling to figure out where she can afford to live and what to do with her future.  Finding she can’t afford anything in Plymouth, Polly founds a cheap and large flat on Polbearne, an island off of Cornwall that is only accessible during low tide.  The flat is falling apart and scary on the second floor of an old bakery, but Polly takes it with the determination to start life anew.  While there she decides to also do what she loves and gets a job baking specialty bread.  Polly also meets two very different and interesting men who may become love interests.

I loved, loved, loved this book.  Polly was a great character who takes life by the horns and with sheer determination and passion is able to build a better life for her.  Polbearne was a wonderful setting – I loved the small town island feel and also all of the great unique characters that Polly meets.  This book was a great story to get immersed in and forget about the stresses of everyday life.  I’ve read a couple of Colgan’s previous novels and enjoyed them, but this one is my favorite thus far.  I really hope there is a sequel one of these days as I would love to read more about the characters.  I also think this would make an excellent movie.

Overall, Little Beach Street Bakery is a great escape novel about a woman who is able to start a new life by hard work on her great passion – baking.  The recipes at the end of the book look great!

Book Source:  Review Copy from William Morrow – Thanks!