Product Description

The old tea house on Mulberry Street in Belfast hasn't changed much over the years. But it's about to bear witness to some significant transformations Daniel Stanley might make the most glorious deserts in the whole of Ireland, but he won't support his wife Penny's desire to have at least one bun in the oven. And the owners of Muldoon's Tea Rooms are just two of the people inside hoping for change. Struggling artist Brenda sits penning letters to Nicholas Cage and dreaming of a better life. Sadie finds refuge from her diet and her husband's infidelity in Daniel's famous cherry cheesecake. Clare returns home from twenty years in New York, still cherishing the memory of the one night she truly loved and lost. And Penny herself discovers a secret from the past and a sexy estate agent very much in her present. They all want their lives to change but are they willing to face the consequences? And the possibility that you might not always be able to have your cake and eat it.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #205640 in Books
• Published on: 2005-02-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Review
The end of the millennium is approaching, and the regular customers of Muldoon's Tea Rooms are destined to confront many changes in their lives. Penny and Daniel Stanley work from dawn till dusk cooking and cleaning, but Penny has been feeling broody for a long time now and mopping the cafe floor is definitely a second best to changing nappies. Marriages crumble, affairs begin, lost loves are mourned and vengeance plotted, within the walls of Muldoon's, as a constant stream of customers play out the dramas of their chaotic, colourful and often wretched lives. Brenda, an impoverished artist with an unrequited passion for Nicholas Cage, whiles away the hours over a coffee as she pens endless letters which she will never send; Sadie indulges her passion for cheesecake while planning to bring down her unfaithful husband. A series of hapless coincidences have separated Clare from the only man she has ever loved, and there are secrets lurking in the past of the do-gooding Creepy Crawleys, Beatrice and Alice, which threaten their reputation. All these engaging characters and more, throng the pages of Sharon Owen's debut novel. Immensely enjoyable, and hugely uplifting, The Teahouse on Mulberry Street heralds the arrival of a sparkling new talent on the Irish literary scene. Maeve Binchy watch out - there is a pretender to your throne!(Kirkus UK)

Evening Herald
A lovely, nostalgic, romantic first novel

The Bookseller, October 22, 2004
"My reader's favourite of the month...highly recommended"

Customer Reviews

Great comfortable reading
I really liked this, not too chic-lit and not too heavy, it is cleverly written, easy to read and enjoyable, you really feel as if you are getting to know the characters.

5 out of 5!
I read this book as soon as it was published, based on a review that I came across in a magazine.
I was not disapointed. You immediately get drawn into all the stories of the characters, and how their lives all intertwine, as they centre around the Tea House on Mulberry Street.
The author narrates extremely well, and you have a clear view of everything she is describing.
I can honestly say that I couldn't put this book down!
I have since read The Tavern on Maple Street, and was not disapointed with that either.

Surprisingly filling
I got this book for a birthday and was a bit dubious at first, as the pastel cover seemed to indicate chick-lit. However, I was wrong, and I'm glad. This is a light but interesting and entertaining book. It's a collection of stories centering around the said tea house. Your interest in the stories depends on which characters you find interesting. Most people will cheer for Sadie Smith, the downtrodden housewife who finds a backbone, and sympathise with Penny, shut out from her husband Danielwithout knowing why. Some of the stories are neglected in favour of others (the story of Clare and Peter suffers particularly) but Owens has a deft touch and never lets the story flag. As sweet and filling as one of Daniel's pastries.