"The Vintage Teacup Club" by Vanessa Greene

A while back I was searching for tea books on Amazon and came across a British title I thought would be fun to read, "The Vintage Teacup Club" by Vanessa Greene. The story begins with three women reaching for the same tea set at a car boot sale. They decide to share the tea set and help each other find more teacups for all to use. Now, I have to confess to you that I just don't believe that would ever happen. A) The first one to lay a hand on the tea set gets the tea set. B) If I found the tea set first but someone else *really* wanted it, I'd let them have it. (I think.) C) Three strangers are comfortable enough to trust each other with sharing a tea set? My inner skeptic says no.

But once I got past that, I did find myself drawn into the plot. There's Jenny, who's planning to marry Dan. She wants the vintage teawares to use at her wedding. There's Maggie, a flower shop owner, who is young, divorced, and has landed a job doing the flowers at one of the biggest society weddings of the year. It's an "Alice in Wonderland" themed event, and she wants the teawares for that. And then there's Alison, who appears to be happily married, until she finds out her household situation is not as she has believed. She makes candles in vintage teacups, so that's why she wants them.

The women are quickly drawn into each other's lives, and over cups of tea, a bit of gossip, a few tears, and plenty of everyday stress, they become good friends. Along the way they meet a few other important characters, including the original owners of the teawares. The book's characters make some lifestyle choices I dislike (must young women nowadays instantly hop in the sack to get a fella? I say no—gals, you are worth so much more than that!), but at least there is redemption in the form of a gracious older couple who've learned what matters most in life. Also, there's a heart-stopping scene near the end of the book that will shake the soul of every teacup collector. By the time the story wrapped up I was rooting for all three women and even believed in their teaset-prompted friendships.

Have any of you read this book? I'd love to hear what others thought!