The Little Teashop of Horrors is one of those oh so rare
reads that I didn’t want it to end. If I could analyse why I couldn’t put it
down I’d say, in this case, it’s the characters and the writer’s voice that are
so appealing.
Amy and Josh are two very flawed people with some rather
nasty back-story, especially, Josh, who went straight to my heart. Amy, rather
plump and no beauty, is certain guys will only look at her if they think they
can get into her knickers. And Josh? A beautiful Heathcliffe figure who prefers
to live in clapped-out old van (that really only has a roof) because he can’t
stand being cooped up.
The two are such rounded characters that I felt I wanted to
talk to them, to become friends (with Amy).
But Ms Lovering had me from the first when one of Josh’s
hawks (he’s a bird-handler at the 18th century manor house that is
open to the public) takes off for the hills during one of his displays and
Josh’s reaction is, ‘Oh bugger’. Amy, who works in the manor’s teashop, has to
wear 18th century clothes is kind, sweet and gets herself into all
kinds of troubles, from the trivial but hilarious way her mop-cap’s elastic
slowly loosens around her head and the cap pops off, to coming down the dank
stairway after visiting the boss where she scares the living daylights out of a
boy from a visiting school-party. The boy’s convinced she’s a ghost and thereby
starts a chain of events that lead the reader on until he/she reluctantly
reaches the last page where all the loose ends are neatly tied up.
But the main question is whether spooked (no pun intended)
Josh will ever be able to shake off his awful past and realise that Amy is
perfect for him.
An excellent read that kept me on tenterhooks all the way
through and made me want to find Skillex and take him home with me (except Josh
wouldn’t allow it).
This is a definite 5 star read.
Links: Amazon uk
