What do You think about The Tea House On Mulberry Street (2005)?
My friend recommended this book to me. I must say, I would not naturally gravitate towards this type of book because what else could you expect from a book based on tea shops? I read a few, liked them but truth be told, it's pretty cliche, ain't it? Meeting your one true love in a quaint tea shop somewhere in a quiet town (cough, cough, Billy and Me. I liked it though.. the start of the book was pretty hard to get into but that's for another review..haha)For this particular book, I was quite hesitant on how many stars to give. 3.5 from me then! The story didn't give me this nagging feeling to keep reading the book at odd hours and keep me on tenterhooks. It was a smooth read and interesting as well. Just not as gripping.What I find exceptionally marvelous in this book is the varieties of stories all mashed up in one single book. We got Penny and Daniel, the tea shop owners, Brenda Brown, the talented and misunderstood artist next door, Henry Blackstaff, a gentleman who owns a bookshop and loves gardening, Olivia, his wife, Rose, a florist opposite the shop, Sadie Brown, Clare Fitzgerald, the Crawleys..and..I think that's about it. So you get to see the lives of 5 characters from the book. It's unique because I've never read a book quite like this before and thumbs up Sharon Owens for doing it well. Plus, the author really tried and succeeded in bringing a message across in all the lives of her characters.I really enjoyed this book. It's those kind of stories you can chill in the garden while sipping ice cold tea, on a lazy evening. Oh before I end this, I must say, my favourite story must be that of Sadie Brown! oh, and Clare Fitzgerald! I love how the characters got a spine of their own and stand up for themselves to make a difference. Least favourite is the Crawleys.
—Aisyah Samuin
This was a fun read after the sadder books I have read lately.Sharon's story covers the lives of the owners and customers of a cute little tea house in Belfast. Each chapter covers a different person and there isn't too much overlap with the stories which can be annoying in some books.Sharron's writing is reminiscent of Sheila O'Flanagan and Jill Mansell and a great little touch of Ireland.Despite the sometimes sadder topics covered of failing marriages, unemployment etc. ultimate this is a fun read. Looking forward to reading more
—Bec
I really enjoyed this book, which I listened to via audio recording. Muldoons Tea room feels like a place that you can sit quietly on an afternoon to read a good book when this trail of character's walk through and catch your attention. The tea house, run by Penny and Daniel, grounds them to the town but also holds them in a past that Penny is no longer enchanted with. Brenda, a struggling artist, visits the tea shop regularly to write desperate love letters to Nicholaus Cage. Sadie hides from her husband and eats cheesecake despite her desire to lose weight, and Claire comes in search of a boy she lost 20 years boy. Their stories epitomizes what many couples/individuals struggle with: is it worth it to jump into something new when what you have is fine, not spectacular but bearable. While the book did feel jumpy as it went from story to story I enjoyed discovering what happened to each character and was engaged to the end. The quirkiness of the characters offsets nicely with the darker themes that run through the book such as infidelity, disappointment, and loss. I appreciate the balance the author struck when it came to the decisions made by the characters. It's very easy to take characters in the middle of a crises and have them make the "wrong" decision every time (i.e. indulge in an affair, lie, etc), and while some of these situations definitely arise they feel balanced.
—Amy Deger
