586#Ai no Kotoba ~ [Book Review] Chocolate Shoes and Wedding Blues

[edited: Dec 29, 2015]

I've never heard of Trisha Ashley before even though she has more than 10 books under her name. I picked one when I went to the previous BBW since I didn't know where to find one. 

Rating : 4.5/5

When Tansy Poole inherits a run-down shoe shop tucked away in the village of Sticklepond, ‘Cinderella’s Slippers’ is born – providing the footwear to make any fairytale wedding come true…

Carrying everything a bride would want to walk down the aisle in, Tansy’s shop soon expands to carry shoe-themed wedding favours, bridesmaid gifts and even delicious chocolate shoes. It’s the dream destination for any shoe-lover!

If only everything in her personal life could be as heavenly – but with a fiancé trying to make her fit into a size 8 wedding dress, not to mention the recent discovery of disturbing family revelations, Tansy takes refuge in the shop’s success.

But one man isn’t thrilled by the stream of customers hot-footing it to Cinderella’s Slippers… Actor Ivo Hawksley, resident of the cottage next to the shop, is troubled by a dark secret in his past and has come to Sticklepond to nurse his own broken heart.

However, Ivo realises that he and Tansy have a link in their past and soon, they both find out how secrets shared can make a very strong bond indeed…

I think most chick lit I've read has the same concept - traditional shops inherited from the family, love problems, beautiful countryside village and dark secrets within the family. 

Tansy Poole has a good relationship with her great-aunt, Aunt Nan (Nancy Bright) who owns a shoe shop. Aunt Nan's old age makes Tansy inherits the family shoe shop. Tansy has problems with her two evil stepsisters and Justin, her ex-fiance. She finds solace in Sticklepond, in her aunt's company and Cinderella's Slippers success. But, Aunt Nan would not always be with her. Aunt Nan leaves Tansy her Living Archives, so Tansy knows what she has to say about her life before. 

Tansy doesn't sell any shoes, she sells bridal shoes only! And some souvenirs - shoe-shaped chocolates, shoe and bluebirds trinkets, shoe-patterned umbrella and her Slippers Monkey books!

In the meantime, actor Ivo Hawksley moves in the cottage next to the shop. He comes to Sticklepond with her late wife's diaries, to mend his broken heart with the revealings in the diaries. Ivo and Tansy have a connection, a red thread which keep on linking them years ago. 

What I love about Tansy is she is an independent and down-to-earth woman. She doesn't let her disappointment due to her ex-fiance's betrayal stands in her way. She doesn't depend on anyone to make Cinderella Slippers a success. Even though I kinda dislike Ivo in the beginning, Tansy forgets Justin's indecent revelations and Aunt Nan's shocking Living Archives in the company of Ivo. When Tansy has her own share of feeling betrayed, so does Ivo. 

I had to keep myself in check from skipped to Aunt Nan's Living Archives before I finished the rest of the stories *sigh*

Till then.

Wassalam.