BABBLING BOOKS

annecater

Synopsis

London, 1895, Robert Wallis, bohemian, dandy and would-be poet, reluctantly accepts a commission from coffee merchant Samual Pinker to catergorise the various flavours of coffee. Intoxicated by the heady aroma of Pinker's beans, and the even headier attractions of his daughters, Robert falls in love - with disastrous consequences.

Sent to Abyssinia to oversee the successful creation of the latest Pinker coffee plantation, Robert then finds himself tempted by a native girl, Fikre - an attraction that will change not only his life, but the lives of the Pinker sisters.

Sensual, surprising and full of rich period detail, The Various Flavours of Coffee is a delicious confection from the author of The Food Of Love.

Well, what a romp of a read! And so very different to The Food Of Love or The Wedding Officer. If you fell in love with Bruno from The Food Of Love and expect another lucious hero then think again. Our hero in 'Coffee' is Rober Wallis - and although he comes through by the end, it takes a long time to warm to his character. This one moves away from Capella's usual romantic comedy and although it is still playful and sensual there is less farce.

The story follows twenty years of Robert's life. From his days as a bit of a waster, hanging around brothels and clubs in London with his rich play-boy friends, through his discovery of the Pinker sisters, his five years overseas and back home to London.

There are some wonderful quotes in this book, some that made me gasp and some that had me giggling. Amongst my favourites; Robert has just landed at Alexandria and quickly found his way to the local bar/whorehouse, where he takes the opportunity to sample the girls on offer. When relaying this episode to a friend at home in a letter, he writes: ".... my first dark-skinned girl. Completely shaven, incidentally. She was pleasantly flexible, I thought, in comparison to London girls, though a little dry."

So that is the sort of guy Robert starts out like. Through the years he mellows, he has many experiences. He lives amongst a native tribe and falls in love with a native girl - head over heels in love - the consequences of this love affair, change Robert completely and this is when he becomes more human and the reader starts to really care about him. The story also centres around the sufragette movement, and of course the coffee industry in the early 20th Century.

Anthony Capella is a talented author who has shown with this novel that he can turn his hand to more than the romantic comedy he is known for.

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Currently reading: The Tent The Bucket and Me by Emma Kennedy and Granny The Pag by Nina Bawden

1001 Challenge Books read in 2009 - 3
1001 Challenge Books read in 2008 - 8
1001 Challenge Books read in 2007 - 13

Tigerlily · Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 12:00 am Post subject:

Wow it sounds great. Thanks Anne. Will add this to my wish list!
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Reading: Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow by Peter Hoeg
Reading Challenge 2009: 8
2008: 4
2007: 10

heathera · Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:24 am Post subject:

Great review Anne! Sounds like a fab book, I'll be adding it to my ever expanding wish list!
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Currently Reading:

The Moonlit Cage - Linda Holeman

1001 Book Challenge:
2009 - 4
2008 - 14
Books Available for Swapping on RISI

jobar · Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 6:09 pm Post subject:

Great review Anne, thanks ...it sounds a goodie

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