Review by Booklist Review
Colgan (The Café by the Sea, 2017) returns to the rugged Scottish island of Mure for the further adventures of Flora MacKenzie, proprietor of Anna's Seaside Kitchen, and her delightfully quirky neighbors. Among them are Saif, a Syrian refugee acting as the island's only doctor while waiting for news of his missing wife and children; Colton Rogers, an eccentric American billionaire who bought a crumbling castle and is now engaged to Flora's brother Fintan; and Joel, formerly Flora's boss, now her boyfriend. Maybe. Joel's work as Colton's lawyer takes him away often, but he always seems happy to return to Flora. But when she surprises him in New York City, he's a bit less welcoming. Meanwhile, Saif has news of his boys, and he is afraid of the reception they will receive on this remote, very pale island. Readers will be as transported by the smell of peat in a wood-burning stove as they will by Colgan's magical ability to create scenes that elicit simultaneous laughs and tears, and to tackle real-world problems in a convincingly cozy way.--Maguire, Susan Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Colgan opens this sequel by assuring readers it doesn't matter whether they've read the first book (2017's The Café by the Sea), but this is unmistakably the second book in a trilogy-the dark middle of everything, without the optimism of beginnings nor the happily-ever-after closure that one hopes will eventually appear. Flora MacKenzie, newly minted entrepreneur on the Scottish Isle of Mure, and Joel Binder, American lawyer, have come together under the ruthless aegis of billionaire Colton Rogers, who's bought half the island and Joel too, and is trying to draw in Flora's brother, Fintan. Joel and Colton depart on a prolonged, confidential business trip, leaving Flora struggling, feeling pushed away by Joel's unexplained silences. Problematic simplifications found in the first book-fetishization of Flora's "milky, creamy" whiteness, pure faith in benevolent capitalism-become nuanced here, but other flaws appear, such as Syrian refugee Saif Hassan, whose sad history is leveraged into inspirational pathos while he remains underdeveloped as a character. Colgan's brand expertly combines quirky contemporary U.K. settings and snarky-sweet realism, but, with little resolved for these characters after so much pain, this book is not a good introduction to the series or her work. Agent: Jo Unwin, Jo Unwin Literary (U.K.). (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Colgan (The Cafe by the Sea) revisits the endearing residents of the tiny, remote island of Mure, Scotland. Flora is grateful to be back home in Mure and even happier that her former boss Joel, now boyfriend, has joined her. But her café is barely making ends meet and workaholic Joel is frequently away on business. When Flora surprises Joel with an unexpected trip to meet him in New York, nothing goes as planned, and she returns home unsure of their future. Meanwhile, her brother Fintan is busy planning his wedding to American billionaire Colton, who bought up part of the island and fell in love during the process. Saif, the island's doctor and a Syrian refugee, is also slowly making Mure his home and is thrilled but worried about being reunited with his children and bringing them to the island. There's never a dull moment on Mure as Flora and her friends and family face their pasts and also a terrible new secret. VERDICT Readers are sure to be charmed by this novel of heartache and healing and its remote island setting. [See -Prepub Alert, 11/26/17.]--Melissa DeWild, Spring Lake Dist. Lib., MI © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
