The Little Teashop on Main by Jodi ThomasMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
I'm not quite sure where to start with this review because there is a LOT going on in "The Little Teashop on Main." There were a lot of characters, almost all of whom served as narrators at various points in the book, and the story moves through a number of different time periods. Frankly, it was all kind of confusing and hard to keep track of at times. I wish there had been one single narrator for the whole book because it might have made the story seem less disjointed.
Also, based on the back cover description, I thought the book would focus on Zoe, Emily, and Shannon, the three little girls who became best friends through tea party play dates, but I feel like more time was actually spent on two of their parents (Zoe's mother Alex and Shannon's father Mack) and their mutual childhood friend Jack. As a result, I didn't feel like I got to know Zoe very much at all. Emily and Shannon seemed to be better developed characters, but neither was especially likeable. Emily seemed like she needed professional help, and I really wish one of her friends had tried to get her to see a counselor. Shannon could probably have used a counselor too, though for different reasons. I hated the way she treated Jack, although Jack must not have minded it because he never hesitated to come running whenever she snapped her fingers.
The plot itself was OK and certainly kept me turning the pages, mostly because I wanted to find out which of the girls was going to die. (This is not a spoiler, as it is revealed in the book's prologue that one of the girls has passed away.) Otherwise, the book is kind of predictable.
Overall, I have very mixed feelings about this book. It seems like Jodi Thomas was aiming for something of a Debbie Macomber or Emily March/Geralyn Dawson vibe, but IMO this book wasn't quite up to their standards. It was by no means a terrible book, but neither did it earn a place on my keeper shelf. I would probably give another Jodi Thomas book a try in the future, though.
*ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
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