A Cuban Girls’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow

This was an unlikely impulse read, as I'm not usually that keen on romance novels as a genre, but I was really pleasantly surprised. I read it for two reasons,  Firstly I am still hoovering up the work of all of the Heartstopper alumni, and one of the actors will be playing the romantic lead in the film. But what sealed the deal was it was written by an American but the novel is based in Winchester and Hampshire (where I spend my time when not in London!) 

Anyway,  it's a fairly standard set up for a coming of age journey, but it turned out to be a thinly disguised homage to the author's Cuban heritage full of lots of loving and rounded detail about food and culture and family.  And added to this were the locations, not just in Winchester but also accurate descriptions of one of my favourite walks along Basingstoke Canal to Odiham Castle which is not a location that tends to crop up often in bestselling novels. 

Finally, the  characters were also well enough drawn that I did actually care about them. I can see enough in it to get why Kit Connor (who, beyond his current boyband superstar level of appeal, is I think going to be an interesting actor to watch) took the role in the film. So, a surprise hit!