When Marnie Appleton inherited a sweet shop from her grandfather she was determined to do his legacy proud. The shop has been a much-loved feature of the little seaside town of Shipley for years, but now Marnie needs to bring it up to date, and she’s recruited gorgeous new assistant Josh to help.

Marnie gets busy redecorating the shop and choosing delicious new sweets to stock, but things are never that simple: new neighbour Isobel, a fame-hungry blogger, is on a crusade against sugar, and she’ll go to any lengths to secure bad publicity for Marnie’s shop.

Marnie fights back with homemade sugar-free treats, but with her best friend Beth heavily pregnant, her grandmother Celia recovering from an operation, and her very recently ex-boyfriend Alex returning to Shipley with a new love, Marnie has a lot on her plate.

And then there’s Josh, with whom Marnie is struggling to keep her relationship strictly professional... Will both the sweet shop and love flourish?

A deliciously heartwarming read about family, friends and handmade coconut ice. Perfect for fans of Cressida McLaughlin, Emily Henry, and Tilly Tennant.

What people are saying about The Beachside Sweet Shop:

‘I do love a book that can make me giggle after just a few pages. As well as being funny, the storyline had a homely feel to it, reading it made me feel comfortable, relaxed and welcome...It’s amazing how much drama one little sweet shop can create! I was captivated, and sometimes surprised, by the goings on in the little village shop...a bright read that left a smile on my face and my taste buds in need of some sweet treats.’ 5* V Family Fun

‘I smiled all of the way through this gorgeous heart-warming read. A lot of the sweets reminded me of my childhood. The fictional Seaside town of Shipley sounds gorgeous, I almost packed my bags and started looking on TripAdvisor for a place to stay. The characters and storyline are just everything I adore in a book. I can honestly say that I felt quite sad to be saying farewell to everyone at the end.’ 5* The Reading Shed

‘Brilliant! Such a beautiful, heart warming story! Loved every word! So well written. A magical, feel good tale. Loved, loved, loved. Highly recommend it to everyone.’ Renita D’Silva

‘Had me chortling away...really funny...A fabulous candy cane of a read. I absolutely loved it.’ 5* Short Book and Scribe

‘Light-hearted and witty...Kept me glued to the pages.’ 4* On My Bookshelf

‘I feared I would short circuit my Kindle with tears from laughing.’ 5* Books from Dusk til Dawn

‘Fantastically funny...an entertaining read.’ Jo’s Book Journey

‘A sweet and charming read.’ 4* Pretty Little Book Reviews

‘This book was a great read, so easy to dive into and get lost...Highly recommend it...dive in and forget the world around you.’ 4* Trish B’s Blog

‘Such a sweet book (sorry, couldn’t resist)... A really cute, sweet (sorry, I did it again) read. Thoroughly enjoyed it.’ 5* Lilac Mills

‘A delightful British love story.’ For the Love of Books

‘I do love a book that can make me giggle after just a few pages. As well as being funny, the storyline had a homely feel to it, reading it made me feel comfortable, relaxed and welcome...It’s amazing how much drama one little sweet shop can create! I was captivated, and sometimes surprised, by the goings on in the little village shop...a bright read that left a smile on my face and my taste buds in need of some sweet treats.’ 5* V Family Fun

‘I smiled all of the way through this gorgeous heart-warming read. A lot of the sweets reminded me of my childhood. The fictional Seaside town of Shipley sounds gorgeous, I almost packed my bags and started looking on TripAdvisor for a place to stay. The characters and storyline are just everything I adore in a book. I can honestly say that I felt quite sad to be saying farewell to everyone at the end.’ 5* The Reading Shed

‘Light-hearted and witty...Kept me glued to the pages.’ 4* On My Bookshelf

‘Funny, heart-warming and entertaining.’ 4* Where the Reader Grows

‘Light, quick moving and engaging.’ 4* I am Indeed

‘Very enjoyable... a lovely read infused with warmth, humour and romance.’ Shaz’s Book Blog

‘This book was a great read, so easy to dive into and get lost...Highly recommend it...dive in and forget the world around you.’ 4* Trish B’s Blog

The Beachside Series

Karen Clarke is a multi-published author, currently writing psychological thrillers that explore the darker side of life and relationships.

Karen has previously written twelve romantic comedies and also co-writes thrillers with fellow author Amanda Brittany. Her short stories have been published in women's magazines in the UK and abroad.

Originally from Yorkshire, Karen has lived in Buckinghamshire in the UK for many years with her husband and three grown-up children. When she's not writing, she reads a lot, loves photography, walking, baking and eating cake.