About the book, The Little Teashop on Main
- Genre: Contemporary Literary Fiction / Coming of Age
- Publisher: HQN
- Publication Date: May 7, 2019
- Number of Pages: 336 pages
- Scroll down for the giveaway!
A rainy-day ritual—a tea party between three little girls—becomes the framework of not only their friendship, but their lives.
Blonde, curly-haired Zoe is openhearted, kind and free-spirited, and dreams of becoming a famous actor in New York City. Shy Emily struggles with mental health but has the heart and soul of a writer. And Shannon—tall, athletic, strong—has a deep sense of loyalty that will serve her well when she heads off to military college.
As Zoe, Emily, and Shannon grow into women—forging careers, following dreams, and finding love—they’ll learn that life doesn’t always unfold the way they want it to, but through it all, the one constant is each other and their regular tea parties. And when the unthinkable happens, the girls must come together to face the greatest test of all.
A deeply moving novel about the family that raises us, the hearts that nurture us, and the great friendships that define our lives.
Praise for The Little Teashop on Main:
“Heart-wrenching as well as heartwarming, the book reflects the experiences of these seven multifaceted and compelling characters as they journey through challenging years together.” — NY Journal of Books
“A comforting treasure for regular Thomas readers who enjoy the easy flow of her writing, a little steamy romance to spice things up, and the development of vulnerable, realistic characters.” — Booklist
Buy, read, and discuss this book:
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About the author, Jodi Thomas
With millions of books in print, Jodi Thomas is both a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 45 novels and 14 short story collections. Her stories travel through the past and present days of Texas and draw readers from around the world.
In July 2006, Jodi was the 11th writer to be inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. With five RITA’s to her credit, along with National Readers’ Choice Awards and Booksellers’ Best Awards, Thomas has proven her skill as a master storyteller.
Honored in 2002 as a Distinguished Alumni by Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, Thomas enjoys interacting with students at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas, where she currently serves as Writer in Residence.
When not working on a novel, or inspiring students to pursue writing careers, Thomas enjoys traveling with her husband, renovating an historic home, and “checking up” on their grown sons and four grandchildren.
Connect with Jodi:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon | BookBub | Pinterest | Goodreads
My Thoughts
In The Little Teashop on Main, Jodi Thomas invites us to visit Laurel Springs, Texas, where most people don’t bother to lock their doors, and three little girls who meet at a princess-themed tea party grow into lifelong friends.
Zoe, Emily, and Shannon each represent a different kind of femininity, but remain strong women as well. Zoe is wild and free-spirited, determined to pursue a stage career. Emily is quiet and shy, a voracious reader, with mental health issues that have her flirting with death a little too closely. Shannon is the only child of a single father – a military man who raises her to be fiercely independent. Separately, each woman is interesting and each has a compelling story, but together, they form a trio of friendship, loyalty, and chosen family that is inspiring.
With three primary characters, plus Zoe’s mother Alex, Shannon’s father Mack, the girls’ childhood friend Jack, and Emily’s newer friend Fuller, Thomas has a lot of perspectives to juggle, but she doesn’t just weave a colorful tapestry, she braids together a comfortable rag rug that makes you want to toss it on the floor in front of the fire, and sprawl on it with books and tea and a dog for hours on end.
What I really loved was that Alex’s bakery, which eventually morphs into the eponymous Teashop, is a character in its own right. The baked goods that come out of the ovens there – holiday pies, thumbprint cookies, scones, and even cookies shaped like books for a bookstore event – feature in the plot, adding a hint of sweetness and comfort just when they’re needed most.
If a cup of coffee or tea and a sweet treat is comfort for the stomach, this novel is comfort for the mind. Through all the family trials and drama associated with girls growing into women, and single parents learning to find their own lives after their children are grown, author Thomas never overwhelms us with angst, but keeps her story emotionally truthful.
This book is a charming, delightful read, and Laurel Springs is one of those fictional towns I’d love to visit again.
Goes well with Nepali Breakfast Tea (a chai blend) and almond sugar cookies.
Giveaway
ONE PRINT COPY OF MORNINGS ON MAIN,
THE FIRST LAUREL SPRINGS BOOK
May 8-18, 2019
(US ONLY)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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