Friday Reads – Misty Mornings at The Potting Shed by Jenny Kane

It’s time for another Friday Reads post and this week my featured book is the delightful Misty Mornings at the Potting Shed by Jenny Kane – the third book in The Potting Shed series. Welcome Jenny. Can you tell us a bit about your new book?

Many thanks Karen for inviting me to your fabulous blog. Following on from Frost Falls at The Potting Shed and Bluebell Season at The Potting Shed, this autumnal story introduces a new facility to the Devon based garden centre – the Forget Me Not Café.

Blurb

Don’t miss out on the third lovely book in the brand new series by #1 Kindle bestselling author Jenny Kane.

Welcome back to The Potting Shed! As Maddie and Sabi re-open the doors of their family-run garden centre. Business is booming, and it’s time to give back to the community that has kept The Potting Shed afloat, by opening the Forget-Me-Not dementia café.

But, as the doors to the café open, Sabi is offered the chance of a lifetime, that could take her away from The Potting Shed for weeks, café manager Jo’s frail, elderly mother is taken ill, and Maddie’s partner, Ed, takes a job in a faraway city just when Maddie needs him more than ever. A new member of staff is desperately required – who will join Sara, Jo and Ivan as the busy autumn season fast approaches?

Prior to the café opening at the garden centre, its manager, Jo, ran a refreshment stand from his bright orange VW camper van in The Potting Shed’s grounds. Now, as Misty Mornings begins, Maddie (The Potting Shed’s owner), is celebrating their first week of the Forget Me Not café being open, while Jo is celebrating being safe from the rigours of British weather as he works.

Within the opening chapters of Misty Mornings, Maddie and the team are considering how they can give something back to the community that has helped them grow from a small nursery to a thriving garden centre. It is Jemima (known as Jem), Maddie’s twelve-year-old niece, who has an idea that appeals to both her aunt and Jo – but could it be an idea that Jo comes to regret? …

Here’s an extract from Misty Mornings at The Potting Shed to whet your appetite…

‘You know your niece is a genius, don’t you?’

Maddie hadn’t taken more than a single step into the café when Jo announced Jemima’s brilliance across the room.

‘Of course she is.’ Maddie’s eyes twinkled. ‘Her parents are very clever, and her aunt, well…’

A giggling Jemima waved from the other side of the counter. ‘Thanks, Aunt Maddie!’

‘What particular act of genius has Jem dreamt up this morning?’

Jo paused in the act of collecting up stray cake crumbs with a damp cloth. ‘I was chatting to Michael, mum’s carer at Charlton Lodge. They’re desperate for activities at Mum’s care home. Jem suggested we hold a dementia café here once a fortnight or monthly. Although, obviously, if you hate the idea, then…’

‘I don’t hate the idea.’ Maddie looked thoughtful. ‘How do they work exactly? I’m guessing a small group of residents come here, we provide coffee, cake et cetera – maybe an activity of some sort? Or would it just be a change of scene and conversation over a drink?’

‘I’d have to talk to Michael about that – and find out if they are even interested in the first place. But in theory, do you like the idea?’

‘Very much.’ Maddie beamed. ‘Great idea, Jem.’

Jemima threw her ponytail over her shoulder. ‘It’s obvious really. This place is called the Forget-Me-Not Café. Where better to have a dementia group visit? You could get them talking about the old days and the memories would flow.’

Maddie headed to the café’s till. ‘Have a word with the home then, Jo.’

‘I will, thanks.’ Jo’s smile became tight as an unsettling potential consequence of such a café group began to niggle at the back of his mind.

Memories… what if Mum has one of her forgetful moments? What if she…?

Jemima laid a hand on her friend’s baggy jumper sleeve. ‘You okay? You’ve gone pale.’

‘I’m fine.’ Giving himself a mental shake, Jo waved towards the wall clock. ‘Just noticed the time, that’s all. In ten minutes, those doors will be open, and we haven’t got the bacon and sausages started for the sarnies yet.’…

As with many of my novels, alongside the lighter side of life, some serious subjects are covered as the characters go along. From the challenges of having relatives with dementia to the practical difficulties of long-distance relationships, Maddie and the gang face every day head on – while being determined to give something back to the community that has supported them while The Potting Shed grew from a small nursery, to the much larger affair it has become.

If you would like to read Misty Mornings at The Potting Shed, it is available from:

Amazon UK, Amazon US, Kobo, Nook and Waterstones as an ebook, audiobook, or paperback.

Thanks for talking to us today, Jenny. The Potting Shed sounds an entertaining series, wishing you lots of writing success.

Meet Jenny

Bio

From the comfort of her cafe corner in Mid Devon, award winning author, Jenny Kane, wrote the contemporary women’s fiction and romance novels, Misty Mornings at The Potting Shed, (Aria, 2023), Bluebell Season at The Potting Shed, (Aria 2023,), Frost Falls at The Potting Shed, (Aria, 2022), Winter Fires at Mill Grange, (Aria, 2021), Spring Blossoms at Mill Grange, (Aria 2021), Autumn Leaves at Mill Grange, (Aria, 2020), Midsummer Dreams at Mill Grange (Aria, 2020), A Cornish Escape (2^nd edition, HeadlineAccent, 2020),  A Cornish Wedding (2^nd edition, HeadlineAccent, 2020), Romancing Robin Hood (2^nd edition, Littwitz Press, 2018),  Another Glass of Champagne (HeadlineAccent, 2016),and Another Cup of Coffee (HeadlineAccent, 2013).

Jenny has also written 3 novella length sequels to her Another Cup of…..books:  Another Cup of Christmas (Accent Press, 2013), Christmas in the Cotswolds (Accent, 2014), and Christmas at the Castle (Accent, 2016).

Jenny is also the author of quirky children’s picture books There’s a Cow in the Flat (Hushpuppy, 2014) and Ben’s Biscuit Tin (Hushpuppy, 2015)

Under the pen name, Jennifer Ash, Jenny has also written The Folville Chronicles (The Outlaw’s Ransom, The Winter Outlaw, Edward’s Outlaw, Outlaw Justice – published by Littwitz Press, 2016-2020), The Power of Three (Spiteful Puppet, 2020) and The Meeting Place (Spiteful Puppet, 2019). She has also created several audio scripts for ITV’s popular 1980’s television show, Robin of Sherwood. (2017 – ongoing)

Jenny Kane is the writer in residence for Tiverton Costa in Devon. She co-runs the creative writing business, Imagine. Jenny teaches a wide range of creative writing workshops including her popular ‘Novel in a Year’ course. (www.imaginecreativewriting.co.uk)

All of Jennifer Ash’s and Jenny Kane’s news can be found at www.jennykane.co.uk

@JenAshHistory

@JennyKaneAuthor

@Imagine_Writing

Jennifer Ash https://www.facebook.com/jenniferashhistorical/

Jenny Kane https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011235488766

Imagine www.imaginecreativewriting.co.uk

As Kay Jaybee (erotica- over 18’s only) you can find her at www.kayjaybee.me.uk

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