The Café on Manor Lane

This is a book to lose yourself in. The lives of Bella, Amara and Gina are linked by much more than their association with the South London café of the title, as is revealed in this hugely engaging and readable novel. The contrasting stories of the three generations of women are told with warmth, wit and understanding. The characters leap from the page, each extraordinary in their outwardly ordinary ways. Best of all, the joys and pains of relationships – romantic and familial – are beautifully and realistically depicted in this ultimately uplifting book. A treat to read.