It is so many years since I have read a rag-to-riches saga, I can not remember the last one’s title or detailed storyline. I tend to walk past their illustrated covers of a defiant female protagonist, in favour of the often more eye-catching, bold sci-fi books or dark, brooding psychological thrillers but a deal from Amazon arrived in my email tempting me to explore the genre again. The blurb promised a tale surrounding my favourite drink – tea. How could I resist?
I am so happy I indulged. My plan to tackle my evergrowing to-do list was put on hold because all I wanted to do this weekend was curl up with a cup of tea and read this book. If I had to partake in real life, moments were snatched here and there to read another page.
A chunky book of 772 pages made it well worth downloading the e-book to save sore wrists. Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly follows the story of Fiona Finnegan a feisty, plucky tea girl from East End from a close working class family in 1888. The first chapter immediately transports you to a time of swirling fog and the infamous Jack the Ripper murders.
In love with her childhood sweetheart, Fiona has ambitions of having her own shop and leaving the tea production factory life behind. With a strong work ethic and full of hope she appears to have her dreams within her grasp but life, as always, has different ideas. The transatlantic epic story introduces you to a collection of characters you grow to love and care about as well as those you hate. The descriptions of life and places make it an easy book to lose yourself in. With many twists and turns about love, family, friendship, revenge and following your dreams, it is a story which you long to know what happens next but do not want to end. Fortunately, it is the first part of a trilogy.
The East End family life makes you reach for some builder’s tea (in my case, a mug of Yorkshire tea) but as the story progresses your taste buds tingle inspiring you to explore different blends as Donnelly describes the aroma of open tea chests full of fresh tea from your Assam, Darjeeling to flavoured blends. I am so glad I have tin full of a variety of teas I could dip into when inspiration hit.
A great book to snuggle up to read on a dark winter’s afternoon.
The ups and downs of being wobbly 