Novel set in London and Brisbane (full of “oriental spice” and “garden pickings”)

• Book: The Tea Chest
• Location: Brisbane, London
• Author: Josephine Moon

Review Author: tripfiction

Brew yourself a warming cup of rooibos, Darjeeling or basil infused tea (my personal favourite at the moment is Quilliam BrothersTingly Fresh Masala). Put your feet up and enjoy this novel. It is as sweet and warm as a well blended fruit tea and has romance and female determination at its life-affirming heart. The story moves between the recent past and the present, which builds the backstory to the current situation (the structure of the book takes a little getting used to).

Kate has been left a stake in The Tea Chest, a small chain of tea houses selling delicious cups of tea, and tea in the raw to those who want to brew their own. The setting of the story starts is Brisbane and we learn of the legacy and vision that the original owner Simone Taylor has invested. But Simone has had a growing drink problem and finally dies, leaving a share to Kate, but also to her seemingly dragon-like step-sister Judy. And that is the essential rub at the core of the storyline.

Kate decides with her very understanding husband Mark that she will move to London for a short while and arrange the renovation of a property in the King’s Road, Chelsea which Simone had earmarked as the latest addition in the Tea Chest chain. But,

of course, nothing is simple. Some of the locals see her as competition; the property – although situated in the up market ‘happening’ road (think Saatchi Gallery just round the corner, innumerable trendy boutiques, as well as Sloane Square within spitting distance) – is as defunct as you can imagine. But Kate is a plucky girl and brings on board Leila (recently fired for standing up to her boss) and sisters Elizabeth and Victoria, whom she meets in a pub. The girl gang is ready to tackle the most tricky of situations and certainly things get sticky as finances and love weave their capricious path through the fabric of the story.

You will pick up glimpses of the tea trade along the way, you will smell some of the ingredients that go into tea and you will be transported from Brisbane to this special part of London through the eyes of this author.

This is a debut novel, and the writing style and original storyline indicate some good things to come from Josephine Moon. A truly tealicious first novel.

The review can be found on our blog here

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