Review: Tea, anyone?
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 13, 2014
The future of the 'The Tea Chest', a boutique chain offering gourmet and custom tea blends, is in doubt after Simone Taylor's sudden death. Judy, Simone's step-sister and part owner, is desperate to sell but Kate Fullerton, who inherited Simone's share of the business, is determined to follow through on her mentor's vision and launch a new store in London. It's a huge undertaking, a scary financial risk, and means leaving her husband and young sons behind in Australia for months, but if it succeeds, Kate's wildest dreams could come true.A charming debut novel from Josephine Moon, The Tea Chest is a story about self belief, friendship, love and tea.As a tea designer, with no experience in running a business, Kate knows she needs help and during the process of readying the store recruits Leila Morton, and sisters Elizabeth Clancy and Victoria Plimsworth. All four women, have something to prove, to themselves and others, and need to work together to launch The Tea Chest on time, and on budget, but their path is strewn with obstacles, both personal and professional.A third person narrative shifts between the perspectives of the four women, providing individual back story while moving the story forward, and an additional narrative begins about a third of the way into the book to share Judy's story. To be honest I found this thread a bit distracting as it seems so removed from the main action, though ultimately it explains Judy's motivation for selling.The technicalities of tea making didn't really interest me, as I don't drink tea (or coffee) but Moon infuses Kate's passion for blending with a romanticism and glamour that is appealing, and I'd certainly be tempted to stop and browse in The Tea Chest should I pass it on the street.I thought The Tea Chest was a light, easy read with a lovely message about trusting yourself and reaching for a happy ending.