This book is set in 1749 Georgian London. The book follows Hannah Cole, whose husband Jones was brutally murdered, leaving her to struggle and save her confectionery shop. When magistrate Henry Fielding (the real-life novelist and Chief Magistrate of Westminster) freezes her late husband’s mysterious, newfound fortune under suspicion of illicit gains, Hannah must untangle a deadly labyrinth of deceit to clear her name.
A charming gentleman called William Devereux, who claims to be a friend of Jonas, comes to Hannah’s aid. He gives her a recipe for iced cream, an Italian delicacy, which becomes a massive hit and draws wealthy people to Hannah’s shop. William also helps Hannah to uncover the truth about Jonas’ death.
I’ve loved Laura Shepherd-Robinson’s previous books, however, this one didn’t really draw me in and I struggled to finish it. I guess this wasn’t my cup of tea.
Read for the PopSugar Reading Challenge 2026
Prompt 38: A book with any type of fruit on the cover or in the title
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
