I’m happy to be bringing you my review on this blog tour for Nicola May’s fantastic new book. The Gift of Cockleberry Bay.
* Firstly apologies for the layout of this post, due to lack of laptop and self isolating. #StayAtHome
I have read and reviewed the previous 2 books in this series.
1. The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay.
2. Meet Me in Cockleberry Bay.
Both were 5 star amazing!
I was very happy when the brilliant blog tour organiser Rachel contacted me to ask if I would like to take part in this tour.
Nicola May is one of my favourite Authors and a lady that I find inspirational 💗
Please support the Author and all these other amazing bloggers on the tour. My review is raving and I know that many more of these reviewers will be giving rave reviews too. .
Book Description:
From the author of the #1 BESTSELLING The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay.
All of our favourite characters from Cockleberry Bay are back in this final, heart warming story in the series. Including Hot, Rosa Smith’s adorable dachshund and his new-born puppies.
Now successfully running the Cockleberry Café and wishing to start a family herself, Rosa feels the time is right to let her inherited Corner Shop go. However, her benefactor left one important legal proviso: that the shop cannot be sold, only passed on to somebody who really deserves it.
Rosa is torn. How can she make such a huge decision? And will it be the right one? Once the news gets out and goes public, untrustworthy newcomers appear in the Bay . . . their motives uncertain. With the revelation of more secrets from Rosa’s family heritage, a new journey of unpredictable and life-changing events begins to unfold.
The Gift of Cockleberry Bay concludes this phenomenally successful series in typically brisk and bolshy style and will delight the many thousands of Rosa’s fans.
My Thoughts:
How nice it was to be reunited with Rosa, Titch, Mary and of course Hot the cutest little Mr Sausage Dog.
After reading many of Nicola May’s books and of course the two that preclude this book, there was no doubt in my mind that I would enjoy this one.
I slipped effortlessly back into Cockleberry Bay life and enjoyed catching up with the old residents and meeting a few new ones.
I just want to add that although I have read the previous 2 books in this series, it would be perfectly fine to read this as a standalone. The Author gives brief updates on past events. Not enough so previous readers will be bored, but enough so new readers know the story.
In this book, Rosa and Josh are married. Rosa now owns a share in the local cafe and she is considering moving on from her beloved pet themed corner shop. A stipulation on Rosa’s inheritance of the shop was that she does not sell it, but gives it away to someone who deserves it.
Rosa is a perfectly imperfect character. She has flaws, ( as do we all), but she is kind hearted, generous, empathetic and fun. I saw an interview that Nicola May did with another blogger where she says who she would like to play Rosa if she ever got to make a tv series of the books. I googled the name and found the image in my head was very similar to the actress I found. I feel from the narrative and descriptions I feel like I know Rosa and also Cockleberry Bay. What a lovely quaint place to be, despite the gossip and everybody knowing everybody. It’s a place I would like to visit.
Nicola May writes as she describes herself ” chick lit with a kick “. There is tradegy , happiness , sadness and sometimes deceit in most of our lives. Nicola May writes real life themes in a fictional way, but adds humour and interesting plots so that she can write about harsher things that you might not find in chick lit fluff books. ( not a criticism of these kind, just a comparison).
The plot in this book is centred a lot on who Rosa will give her shop too. I had my hopes pinned on who I would like to have it, but I didn’t know who Rosa would choose as she chose an interesting way to make the decision.
I think the series ended in a way that was perfectly suited to Rosa. And although I will miss hearing how Rosa and all the other residents get on in Cockleberry Bay. I am already excited to read whatever book Nicola writes next.
Ps. My favourite book of Nicola’s that made me fall in love with her writing is The SW19 Club. If you haven’t read this one, check it out plus the many others she has written. I have nothing but high praise for this talented inspirational author.
Thank you to Eye Lightening Books for sending me a paperback book of The Gift of Cockleberry Bay. It will be taking a proud place on my bookshelf.
Author Bio:
Nicola May lives in the UK, five miles from the Queen’s castle in Windsor, with her black-and-white rescue cat, Stan. Her hobbies include watching films that involve a lot of swooning, crabbing in South Devon and devouring cream teas.
Her bestselling The Corner Shop in Cockleberry, the 1st book in the Cockleberry Bay series, went to #1 on Amazon and stayed there for an unprecedented 6 weeks.
She classes her novels as ‘chicklit with a kick,’ writing about love, life and friendships in a real, not fluffy kind of way. She likes burgers, mince pies, clocks, birds, bubble baths and facials – but is not so keen on aubergines.
Giveaway:
To win a signed copy of The Gift of Cockleberry Bay –
all you have to do to be in with a chance is enter via this rafflecopter link. Press the link and follow the instructions. It’s easy and it’s international.
Press here for rafflecopter link.
Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
Find and follow Author Nicola May here.
Links:
ChocolatePages 
Meggy | Chocolate'n'Waffles
April 13, 2020 at 10:35 pm
Wonderful review, Amanda! This seems so lovely to read. I love being reunited with characters I’ve been following and I am so happy this final installment made you happy. This series seems to take care of many subjects with lovely characters. xx
chocolatepages
April 14, 2020 at 11:20 am
Thank you Meggy. It was like I was going back to a place I loved to visit with characters I know well. It was a great end to the series and now I’m excited to see what Nicola writes next. Thank you Meggy xx
irena_bookdustmagic
April 17, 2020 at 7:39 pm
Amazing review, Amanda! It is obvious that this series has a special place in your heart. I know you love Nicola May.
ClockLeberry Bay sounds like a lovely place. I love small town settings when it feels like the place is it’s own character.
chocolatepages
April 19, 2020 at 2:08 pm
Thanks Irena. Yes you described it perfectly, Cockleberry Bay does have it’s own character as a place. I do love Nicola May’s work and I’m looking forward to whatever she writes next. Thank you for your continued support. xx