The Little Shop On Silver Linings Street by Emma Davies

First things first, as soon as you find out about the rather twisted competition Bea has set for her three sons you know what the outcome will be.  Seeing as the whole book sort of revolves around the premise of Lawrence, Bertie and Kit getting to know Daisy so they can choose the perfect jewellery for her it is a little bit of a disappointment that the outcome is not more hidden.  Unfortunately from the moment Bea announces it the reader knows how things will shake out and you are just hopeful that the ride to get there is worth the investment of your time.

The good news is that, on the whole, it is well worth the time spent getting to Bea's decision.  Yes, Daisy can be exceptionally infuriating at times and the author's explanation for why she is the way she is just feels half-hearted and poorly thought through.  Much of Daisy's character relies on her "quirks" and these often serve to mask her real personality so she does come across as quite flat in sections of the book and as simply annoying in others.  I also found her constant lack of self-confidence vaguely irritating, not that the character had these crises of confidence but more the repetition of the author reminding us.

The three very different "dates" that the brother's set up for Daisy are fun to read about and I did almost feel as though I was there with her.  This was particularly true with Bertie's choice and even Lawrence's; Kit's less so as it felt slightly too removed from reality.  I also found myself feeling slightly sorry for Lawrence as he is more or less demonised throughout the book, although it does give the reader the opportunity for a good old fashioned seasonal Boo, Hiss!

I was surprised to realise that this is set in a fictional world that the author has taken us to before - I presume the previous book details Flora and Ned's journey.  However, a prior knowledge of this little fictional world and it's characters really isn't necessary as it is enjoyable as a stand alone book. 

In fact, this is the perfect accompaniment to a cold winter's night, a roaring fire and some crumbly mince pies.