Welcome to Litsy!

Colgan makes me want to visit Scotland. Her stories, settings and characters are heartwarming and hook me from the very beginning. I share a love of her books with my #AuldLangSpine buddy, @KadaGul πŸ’™πŸ’™

#AuldLangSpine #ALSpine #BookSpinBingo #readyourebooks #Roll100 #SeriesLove2024

#SummerSouls #Sea

#Seaside πŸ–οΈπŸŒŠ #StorySettings πŸπŸŒ·πŸŽ£πŸ•οΈπŸŒ³

#BookNerd πŸ€“πŸ“šπŸ’™

#storysettings #cafe
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

#restaurantcover #restaurantcvr #NewYearNewBooks
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

Jenny Colgan is one of my favorite comfort reads authors. πŸ€— πŸ’• πŸ“š

When Flora returns to her home island of Mure, Scotland for the first time in years, it‘s a mixed bag of emotions for her. She‘s there to get the islanders support for her law firm‘s client who was building a large resort in the island. But she also has to contend with resentment from her family, judgement from the islanders, and repressed pain from her mother‘s death.

#JanuaryJazz @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs
#Cafe

#SavvySettings #Cafe
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

#SavvySettings @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs
#Cafe

As I was listening to the audiobook, I was COMPLETELY confused about this title. Approx. 1/2, when they finally get around to setting up the β€œcafe,”the MC makes a whole point that the Pink House is not a cafe but a kitchen. Then I read the original title is The Summer Seaside Kitchen, which makes much more sense. Why, WHY do US publishers change book titles?!? Seriously, WTF.

The narrator is outstanding. The book is πŸ‘ŽπŸ». My full review on GR.

Bk7 of #WinterGames2020 #BookspinBingo #BookishBingo #TisTheSeasonathon #ChristmasSpirit #CYOHolidayAdventure #MerryBookmas2020 #TRFReads #FestiveFlicksBingo #Winterathon #ReadYourWay #CrushTheRush #ClearUrShit #readathon is done! This one was an impulse read, I have all three of the Mure books & the last is a Xmas theme so I‘m finally getting to them. I‘m not much of a β€œchick lit” reader but I do enjoy Jenny Colgans books. 1,441pts #MerryReaders

Just discovered there are several more books in this series AND they are available to download from the library! Yahoo!!

This is my second Jenny Colgan read. Delightful. I need some scones, butter, cream.... πŸ§ˆπŸ§€πŸžπŸ₯“πŸ₯§

I only β€˜met‘ Jenny Colgan this calendar year, and her writing has been a bright spot in this crazy year. She has single-handedly convinced me that I must visit Scotland!

#15Books15Weeks Book 4

I have never read a book set in Scotland. It was enchanting to say the least.

This was lovely. Set on the Scottish island of Mure, we follow Flora as she comes home from London for the first time since her Mother‘s funeral. Flora‘s there to help a client (she‘s a legal aide), and her boss (whom she‘s crushing on) follows along, roping her into staying for the summer to keep an eye on things. This is about family and forgiveness and bravery and love and I ate it up. Jenny Colgan is now one of my favorite feel-good authors.

I like Jenny Colgan best when she writes community-focused fiction. She‘s in fine form here as she contrasts Flora‘s return to the hometown she both loves and has complicated feelings about with her employer‘s initial failure to engage with any of the people who inhabit the place he loves so much. It‘s beautifully done.

The romantic subplots are a bit weak, but that‘s beside the point. Read this for community, family, and food, not smoochies.

My mum asked me to make her an apple crisp. I never refuse a baking request if I‘ve got the ingredients on hand, so here we are.

Peeling apples and doing dishes let me spend a nice chunk of time with THE CAFE BY THE SEA, too. It‘s lovely, as per usual with Jenny Colgan, and it‘s made me want to go to Mure. I‘d have to visit in the middle of summer, though, or it‘d probably be too cold for me. #audiobaking

After a couple of days from hell, the hubby picked up my latest #librarybookhaul to cheer me up. A very eclectic mix this month, both F & NF,light reads & heavy subjects. Starting off with another Jenny Colgan, this one being the 1st in the Mure Island trilogy. Flora left Mure behind years ago, wanting a different life. But fate has other ideas, bringing her back to her chaotic family but also to a little cafe that revives her passion for cooking.

Flora returns home to the island of Mure on an assignment for work, and although she's hesitant to return, her stay there turns out well.

So this one did the job - fluffy and optimistic but not too sickly sweet. Having moved back home a few years ago I felt that a lot of things were very relatable. Not sure about the wind farm hate - I agree with Flora‘ friend at the end. Sarah Barron‘s calm narration is very enjoyable although her American accents are a wee bit on the dodgy side.

I have no idea what the Isle of Skye is like, so it may be nothing like the fictional island of Mure featured in Jenny Colgan‘s series.

#TheSkyeBoatSong #SoaringScores
@Cinfhen @CrowCAH

I‘m due any day now with my first baby, so I‘m taking advantage of the beautiful weather and freedom while I still can!

In this book, Flora gives up her career as a paralegal in London to skivvy for her father and brothers, but also finds the time to set up a café serving a selection of sweet,(and savoury) delights. So you could sort of call the café a #SweetSuccess...

#SoulSeptember @Eggs

(The book, IMO was not such a success - I gave it one star on Goodreads!)

Just lovely. Great summer read, funny, clever, full of baking, cheese, and cold Scottish cliffs. Maybe a bit predictable but sometimes that‘s the perfect fit and this one was for me. Looks like in the UK it has the title is The Seaside Summer Kitchen.

#SongsOfSummer This is a book set during the summer, that I plan to read #ThisSummer.
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

Finished a couple days ago and I loved this book so much - the audio was really well-done (hello wonderful accents!!). The setting is so amazingly cozy, rural and by the sea. Definitely a much-needed comfort read this week.

Today‘s #labsoundtrack is much-needed after a rough couple weeks. Jenny Colgan always provides the best atmospheric books with cozy villages and beautiful scenery that just make me want to pack up and move there.

An easy light read. Sweet. Not as good as her series but still....nice.

This was exactly the right book for me right now. First and foremost, I'm in love with the island. One of my favorite things is when the setting of a book is practically one of the characters and that was the case here. Speaking of characters they are all interesting and very believable. This is the first time I've read this author but I see that she's written a gazillion books so I'll be returning to her work in the future.

My finalized #24in48 stack! I'm super excited about this weekend! But my euphoria was dimmed earlier when I tried to express my excitement and explain the 24in48 to my sister and she just didn't understand -either one. Kind of bummed me out when I realized no one in my family understands or is the reader I am and can relate. Does anyone else experience this?

🐢

I don't know why, but I found the dialogue hard to follow--kept losing track of who was doing the talking. The premise was forced, but the story itself was good.

After a busy and productive weekend it's finally time for a book and a cuppa πŸ™‚

Current read

I‘ve spent the past few days utterly devouring these books. I bought Christmas on the Island, not realizing it was the 3rd and final book of this series. Fortunately I was able to get these for my kindle from the library! I have loved reading the story of Flora Mackenzie, her family and life on Mure, a very remote village in Scotland and can‘t wait to jump into part 3!

Post 4 of 4 Thanks to @debthmpsn, I'll be happily reading my way around the world for the next few months. These were part of my #greatwideopen package.

@LazyDays

I liked this one. I loved her other series, Little Beach Street Bakery, and the characters in this were just as great. I liked the other series better though. It's a tad too similar - girl goes back to home town, says she will never stay, meets the unlikely guy, quirky billionaire changes life for everyone... And those aren't spoilers, I promise. 😊 All-in-all, I enjoy her writing, the stories get me reading again, and they're fun reads. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

1) I went to Tahoe with the Hubby for his birthday
2) No travel. Our daughter came home from college. ❀️
3) Decorating for Christmas and getting in the spirit.
4) My wiener dog, Ramses 🐢
5) The Cafe By The Sea - Flora goes back to her home in Scotland for work but discovers what she misses and loves. πŸ‘πŸΌ

Happy Saturday πŸ€“πŸ“–

I needed a series I knew I could dive into and really get reading again.... this one is perfect! πŸ€“πŸ’–

I finished this today and it was cute, but just kinda eh for me. The romance was a little too unbelievable, but Mure sounds gorgeous 😊 I liked The Bookshop on the Corner much better.

This story was so sweet and fun, and honestly made just want to call out of work tomorrow and cook a million delicious things #2018 #yearofbooks #book59

I mostly really liked this, but I didn't end up liking where the romantic subplot went. I really thought it was going to go a different way.
3 / 5🌟

I have chosen this book for this option on the#popsugarchallenge as even though it's not set at sea the sea is very much a part of the story.

Good. I loved the story as the characters were just so heartwarming and you really felt involved with them. Also the setting was a character in itself as I felt the storms and the sunny days as if I was on the island myself. Recommend.

15/20 for my #mounttbrchallenge
@DivaDiane
#Sphere

Starting a new book while at the hairdresser

Haha! Pretty sure the smelling of bacon isn't a deal breaker for alot of guys. Wouldn't be for my hubby!

Braving the heat to try and get a bit of sun on my legs. Lol. So far this is a cute summer read.