I was recently asked to review a tea-themed novel and as soon as I received it, I dove right in - just life got busy and the review got put on the back burner. So a week or two later than intended, here it is, with my apologies for my tardiness to the author, Laura Schaeffer.
The audience for the novel is pre-adolescent and young adolescent girls, and perhaps die-hard tea lovers who eat up anything tea. Written from a 1st person point of view, the story follows 13 year old Annie as she attempts to save her grandmother's tea shop, which is experiencing a competitive pinch from the high-end coffee shop that has opened across the street. The tea shop, The Steeping Leaf, has been the home away from home for Annie and her friends Zoe and Genna, but as the girls grow up, their interests change, and so do the dynamics of their friendship. Schaeffer has successfully expressed these tensions through Annie's voice.
One might wonder why Louisa, Annie's grandmother, would need the help of a 13 - year old to save her tea shop, but as we read, we discover that the shop was originally opened by both of Annie's grandparents, but since the passing of her grandfather, Louisa struggles with maintaining all aspects of running the business. To some extent, the portrayal of Louisa's character comes across as a bit of a caricature - she's the hippy-type. If you remember the TV show Dharma and Greg and can recall Dharma's mom, well Louisa is a bit like that - referring to Zen wisdom, yoga, meditations and wearing flowing scarves. Consequently, she needs someone who is a bit more grounded to get the required marketing done.
I won't give away the ending - you will have to read for yourself whether Annie and her friends can work together and whether their efforts will be successful. You'll find it quick read and a fun romp. The addition of Annie's lists as well as excerpts of rules, recipes (which sound delicious!), and vintage tea ads from the Tea Handbook the girls created when they were younger add interest.
A note to Christian parents deciding whether to add this novel to the family bookshelf: The conversation of Annie and her friends is fairly judiciously peppered with "Oh God" expressions. Perhaps the author thought this added authenticity to their 13-year old voices, or provides a true reflection of the secular world, but I could live without it.
