Robbie MacIntyre manages a small post office in the old Station House on the outskirts of sleepy Barton Hartshourn northwest of London. He’s stunned when the owner, Maggie, a close friend, bequeaths him not only the post office, but also Station House.
The rest of her estate is left to an American writer, Jason Young, and when he moves to the village, Robbie is thrown by the attraction he has for the man who has more of a claim on the Station House than he does.
Then there is a box that holds several rare first editions and a cookbook. Only when the secrets of the ingredients in a particular recipe are finally revealed does everything begin to make sense, and a love cut short seventy years earlier is finally discovered.
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RJ Scott's contribution to the Tales of The Curious Cookbook series is a heartwarming one that will make readers misty-eyed but with a smile on their face. When a young Englishman who's always felt a bit lost waiting for something he can't define, meets a carefree artsy American, their unexpected connection brings them together in a sensual journey to HFN that's richly rewarding. Throw in a bit of mystery courtesy of the matchmaking elder Maggie, who recently passed, and you have an entertaining story with a rich atmosphere that fully immerses you into their journey.
Robbie was left adrift after graduating college but was luckily taken under the wing of the sweet and wise Maggie who gave him a job and a home that fed into his creativity. The only thing missing was love which once again arrived courtesy of Maggie's long-lost relative Jason. When fate puts them in close proximity the sparks fly in a slowly sensual burgeoning relationship that crackles in intensity yet is sweet in the support they give one another. Robbie is a quiet soul, self-deprecating when it comes to his art but in Jason he finds the other half to his artistic heart. Robbie's the legacy left behind by Maggie and he works very hard to keep her memories alive in subtle ways like perfecting her famous cake recipe after discovering the most important ingredient...love. Jason is more of a mystery as we only find out things through Robbie's view. What I saw though I liked immensely. He too wanted to do right by his family's memory and uncovering the past was a big part of that with the breadcrumb trail intriguing.
Though Maggie's dead for almost the entire book her character still loomed large. Through her matchmaking and mysterious background she brought two young men together to live out the love story she never had and it made for a sweetly satisfying endeavor. The small town surrounding these characters also plays a part in showcasing the closeness of everyone over one woman's memory and is vividly depicted as to further immerse me in the story. Along with its sweetness was a nice amount of steamy sexual interludes between Robbie and Jason that intensified as they grew closer. All in all it was a short read long on sentiment and sensuality and was a decadently delightful way to spend the afternoon.
My rating for this is a B+
*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
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