🍨🍦 “The Sweet Life” (Cape Cod Creamery #1) (2022) 🍦 🍨– Book Review
MY REVIEW
Series: Cape Cod Creamery #1
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Revell (May 3, 2022)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0800739477
ISBN-13: 978-080073948
⬅️ Click Photo for Purchase Information
“Dawn Dixon can hardly believe she's on a groomless honeymoon on beautiful Cape Cod . . . with her mother. Sure, Marnie Dixon is good company, but Dawn was supposed to be here with Kevin, the love of her life (or so she thought).
Marnie Dixon needs some time away from the absolute realness of life as much as her jilted daughter does, and she's not about to let her only child suffer alone--even if Marnie herself had been doing precisely that for the past month.
Given the circumstances, maybe it was inevitable that Marnie would do something as rash as buy a run-down ice-cream shop in the town's tightly regulated historic district. After all, everything's better with ice cream.
Her exasperated daughter knows that she's the one who will have to clean up this mess. Even when her mother's impulsive real estate purchase brings Kevin back into her life, Dawn doesn't get her hopes up. Everyone knows that broken romances stay broken . . . don't they?
Welcome to a summer of sweet surprises on Cape Cod--a place where dreams just might come true.”
Thank you in advance to the publisher, Revell Books (a division of Baker Books), for providing a complimentary review copy through Interviews & Reviews. A positive review was not required nor requested, and all words are my own.
When I saw this on Library Thing I almost requested it, but another book grabbed my attention. I still couldn’t shake the draw to the cutesy cover and oh-so-very PINK cover.
The author is known for both her contemporary fiction/romance as well as her Amish books. I read the THREE SISTERS ISLAND trilogy (On a Summer Tide, On a Coastal Breeze, and At Lighthouse Point), and a standalone Amish book, A Season on the Wind.
The THREE SISTERS ISLAND trilogy was pretty good, ranging from 4-5 stars. I didn’t connect with many of the characters, but they weren’t bad reads either. That was likely why I was slightly standoffish when it came to this book.
But, the cover won me over and I got it.
I’m glad I did. I ended up – between reading sessions – finishing this under four (4) hours. For a book of this size, that’s pretty good I’d say, putting it at the “can’t really stop reading this” category.
The Sweet Life is the first book of a new series – CAPE COD CREAMERY. The cover is attention grabbing, serving as a great introduction.
Fisher introduces readers to Dawn Dixon, a recently jilted bride-to-be and her mother Marnie, a recent breast cancer survivor. Marnie’s illness or rather her past illness will have some key focal points in the story. As a result, this might be a difficult read (even though it is a lighter one) for those who’ve had a diagnosis and are in remission (like Marnie), are battling it, or lost someone to it.
Along with Dawn and Marnie, Fisher adds in Kevin (Dawn’s ex), Lincoln (one of the Chatham residents and handyman), Brynn (Dawn’s friend), and Mrs. Nickerson-Eldredge (head of historical society and descended from one of the “original” residents).
There is also the creamery’s previous owner: Bonnie Snow who gets introduced and wrapped up quite quickly, though she leaves an impression.
The plot of The Sweet Life is rather “sweet” in more than just its title and the literal sense (due to the ice cream). As I began to read it, I was actually thrilled to have gotten the book. In all honesty – I really LOVED it more than the THREE SISTERS ISLAND series. I connected more with Marnie though, and had a soft spot for Kevin.
The first quote of the story drew me right in:
“Never ask a woman who is eating ice cream straight from the carton how she’s doing.”
[As of note, there are some smaller cartons that act as a single serving.]
In early February, Dawn has to confront the fact her fiancé Kevin wants to call their wedding off – and it seems their engagement as well. He claims they’re not working, despite having known each other since school. He isn’t sure he even loves her (though his actions throughout the book seem to show otherwise). It is clear Dawn loves him (and misses him) as he was her first love.
She is forced to tell her mother, Marnie. But, Marnie has her own news as well – almost as devastating.
Marnie, in order to not disrupt her daughter’s wedding day, takes care of her breast cancer diagnosis (including surgery) under the radar. Marnie’s mantra becomes: “HAD cancer, it’s gone”. Though that is never really the end as some might note (slight spoiler: there are no issues with a reoccurrence in the book – wanted to add that in to put everyone at ease given the sensitivity of the subject).
As a result of having to cancel everything, Kevin offers to help with as much as he can. The one thing they can’t get a refund for – the honeymoon. Kevin sweetly tells Dawn to take it. And, Dawn decides to take her mother in early April to Cape Cod.
It is in the quaint town of Chatham where Marnie sees the chance at a new life, and it isn’t Lincoln Hayes either. It is the Main Street Creamery – or rather what is left of the quaint ice cream shop after a fire.
Marnie recalls that her late husband (and Marnie’s father), Philip, saying something about working there or at a place similar. Despite being left out of Philip and Dawn’s ice cream making, Marnie sees this as a great opportunity.
The owner is looking to move to Alaska to be with her boyfriend. Bonnie Snow is through with the shop. It’s a good thing too, according to Lincoln, Bonnie’s ice cream was terrible.
Marnie can’t make ice cream at all, but Dawn can.
Dawn isn’t eager about her mother’s venture. She’s hoping to get her out of it, thinking perhaps it is the cancer that is affecting her thoughts. Dawn worries she’ll have to take care of her mother, even more so if her mother spends all the money from Philip’s life savings.
The shop faces several hurdles:
🍨 Dawn’s attitude towards the idea of her mom owning the shop
🍨 Dawn trying to perfect the recipe (and not taking her mom’s idea of a “pre-packaged” base)
🍨 The shop needing both internal and external repairs to become operational
It is the repairs that draw most of the drama because of Mrs. Nickerson-Eldredge and the “codes” for historical buildings. Though the woman keeps referring to what the Dixon ladies are doing as “renovations”. Even painting the exterior draws the woman’s ire.
As a result, most of the story centers around Dawn helping her mother with the ice cream shop to meet Dawn’s goal of opening by Memorial Day and closing by Labor Day to sell it.
I didn’t like Dawn’s treatment of her mother for most of the book. On the other hand, I dearly loved Kevin and how he kept in contact with Dawn post-breakup, even helping Marnie out. To me, he was the actual hero of the story.
This did have a second-chance romance potential between Dawn and Kevin, but that didn’t surface until the last 1/3 to ¼ of the book. However, it came up a bit short. This was more general fiction than romance.
I also had so many questions regarding the repairs and opening of the shop:
✳️ What did Marnie (and Dawn) do about a business license?
✳️ What about a “food handlers” card for everyone? (In my state, and a lot of states it is required for food workers)
✳️ What about the inspections?
✳️ Electrical and plumbing repairs?
✳️ Were there no “how-to” guide for renovations that was accessible to residents?
The story was fast paced beginning February 6th and ending May 30th. From when Marnie buys the creamery (April 19th) to when it opens takes the majority of the story – about 41 days.
The unanswered questions didn’t keep me from enjoying this book, but overall, it felt slightly rushed in the story-telling effort. It was higher than 4 stars, but a bit lower than 5.
The short chapters and descriptive writing definitely kept me turning the page. There were a few times that the descriptions for making ice cream felt like a how-to guide. Though the ice cream quotes at the beginning of each chapter were certainly worth reading too. I loved some of Marnie’s proposed flavors (cinnamon streusel; coffee ones), and especially about making the flavors regional or “area” related.
I am looking forward to the next books in the series as I want to see how the Marnie/Lincoln and Dawn/Kevin relationships are going to work out. I do wonder if Dawn is going to figure out where the brand-new ice cream machine came from.
I also want to know how well Bonnie is doing in Alaska and how much, if any, of her stuff she took – also why did she leave it? Perhaps a bit more of her background would serve as a plot point?
Revell is more of a Christian/faith-themed publisher. Books distributed by them tend to have more of a faith element to them as opposed to other books. This has very few elements and they are not integral to the plot.
Overall, this was a delectable, tasty, and irresistible read that ice cream fans will scoop right up.
Fans of the author’s contemporary romance/fiction stories are sure to enjoy this read. There is a THREE SISTERS ISLAND reference in this as Maeve (Marnie’s best-friend) is moving there.
[Note: I have a slightly older cousin by the name of Marnie, so I definitely had to smile at seeing the name being used]
RATING:
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Goodreads
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Bookbub
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Personal Rating (see rating explanation in this blog: https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2020/01/rating-system-2020-changes.html)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than thirty books, including The Moonlight School and A Season on the Wind, as well as a number of other series, including the Three Sisters Island and Nantucket Legacy, and several nonfiction works. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.
She can be found on the following social media accounts:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzannewoodsfisher/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/suzannewfisher
*This post contains affiliate links
Comments
Post a Comment