Christmas Reading Challenge: Lucy Diamond - Christmas at the Beach Cafe

After a hectic summer running her beach café in Cornwall, Evie Flynn is looking forward to her first Christmas with new boyfriend Ed – she’s determined that it’s going to be the most perfectly romantic one ever. Cosy nights in front of the fire, spicy mulled wine, mince pies . . . what’s not to love? But the peace is shattered when Ed’s ex suddenly gets in touch again, and then some unexpected guests arrive: Ed’s surly brother Jake and Evie’s heartbroken best friend Amber. Add in the stress of trying to finish her very own recipe book, snow blizzards and family dramas and Evie’s Christmas starts to look as if it’ll be a total turkey. Will any of her festive wishes come true . . . or is this Christmas just a recipe for disaster?

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I really enjoyed reading The Beach Cafe when I read it a couple of years ago so when I heard that Lucy Diamond was writing a Christmas novella follow up I immediately pre-ordered a copy.  Even if you haven't read The Beach Cafe, I think you'd enjoy reading this novella as I'd say that it can definitely be read as a standalone.

The story picks up 5 months after we left it in The Beach Cafe with Evie looking forward to her first Christmas in Cornwall and with Ed plus working together on a recipe book of  her aunt Jo's favourite dishes.  But their quiet first Christmas together doesn't quite turn out that way that either of them planned as they get one surprise guest after another turning up on their doorstep!  So will they still manage to have their perfect Christmas together or will there be one surprise too many to ruin things for them?

Lucy's descriptive writing really took me to the beach and despite being someone who hates being cold I even found myself liking the idea of walking along the beach in the middle of winter!

When I first heard that there was going to be a novella featuring Evie and Ed, I had at first expected it to be set a couple of years later, i.e. now in 2013, but actually having just finished reading it I'm glad it was set shortly after we'd last left them as it was great to see how things had developed between them and how they coped with a few hurdles being put in their way.  My only wish now is that Lucy would write another full-length follow up showing us what Evie, Ed & co are up to these days...