After a crushing separation and bankruptcy of her and her partner’s design business, Polly Waterford moves to the somewhat isolated and run-down island of Mount Polbearne on the little money she has left to figure out her next steps. With so much free time and so little to do, she pours her heart into baking as a release. The townspeople, including the cute beekeeper from the American South and the charming local fisherman, adore her breads and desserts, so much so that they try to hide it from her disgruntled landlady and owner of the only (and terrible) bakery in town. Author Jenny Colgan takes us along as we watch Polly’s struggles and victories in love, individuality, death, business, and friendship.

Little Beach Street Bakery may be be considered a romance novel, but its slightly more heavy themes and character development lead me to put it in more of a fiction category. I felt it was a genuine read, something a lot of thought was put into, and more than just a form of escape that most romance novels provide. Aside from the ending, I have no other complaints about this book. Polly was a realistic character with realistic flaws, the situation she would find herself in was well supported from the beginning chapters, and Colgan’s world-building was spectacular. From the changing of the seasons to the quiet-turned-bustle of Mount Polbearne, we always are put right in the shoes of the characters.

As I mentioned before, I was not pleased with the happy ending. I really felt like having Polly end up single and happy would have been the ultimate form of growth, completing the circle that the opening started. Throughout the entire novel, she is put against situations that help her gain independence and joy in her new life, so to end up once more in a stifling romance felt unexpected and mildly frustrating. I am usually not one to promote “unhappy” endings, but the final moments of whirlwind romance felt so forced. There was never good enough chemistry between the characters for there to justify it. I am still giving this book 5/5 stars, though, because despite the ending, I am not the one who gets to make these decisions and it was most certainly a hearty read.

Happy reading,
-Beppa