Snowflakes Over the Starfish Cafe – Jessica Redland

What a treat – it is with the utmost pleasure that I have received this latest Jessica Redland novel to review. This is invariably going to be a hit, judging by the past novels I have read by this author and I can’t wait to get stuck in.

I immediately warmed to both Holly and Jake as characters. They both instantly seemed like wholesome family orientated folk; the kind of people you would want to count among your friends. Craig fell foul of my affections fairly early on, but especially when he was critical of Holly’s beautiful wood carvings. There really was no need to be snarky about them and he plummeted in my estimations. I wondered if Holly just liked being in a relationship, as opposed to being particularly attached to Craig? Jake, I just felt that he was lonely, partaking in little activity outside of work. I felt particularly sad at the way his older Sister had treated him in the past. Equally I felt terrible for Holly, at the amount of heartbreak she had endured in such a relatively short period! As for Larissa, to call her vile, would be a major understatement!

I liked the idea of Mr Pickles being sent to a Jake from heaven, to help him get brought the anniversary of his Mother’s death; it appealed to my emotional side. I just felt so desperate for Jake to be released from his sadness; Holly, going through similar feelings – could she be a good companion for him, or would they drown in each other’s misery? Either way, the pair of them both needed and deserved more happiness in their lives, and if they could get, that happiness from each other, then why not! At least they each would be empathetic to the other’s sorrow. I am no expert, but in my opinion, Jessica Redland dealt with the subject of grief in a most empathetic manner and I would hope that those that suffer from similar grief would get comfort from her writing.

There is no doubt in my mind that Jessica Redland has a rare gift. To be able to take two separate yet inexorably entwined tales of sorrow and to combine them into such a joyous, intelligent, empathetic novel really does take some truly special skills and I can but thank her for sharing these wonderful skills with us readers.

Please follow this link to get your own copy; if you garner half as much pleasure as I did with this read, then you will not be disappointed. https://amzn.to/34I47Zk

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