"Ice Creams at Carrington's" by Alexandra Brown

Ever since a reality television show put Carrington’s Department Store in Mulberry-on-Sea on the map, life has been incredible for Georgie Hart.  She is in her element working in the personal shopping department of the store, in addition to writing her own magazine column.  And oh yeah, she’s happily coupled up with Tom, aka Mr. Carrington, owner of the store.

But when Tom’s mother Isabella comes to town for a visit, everything goes crazy.  Georgie is convinced isabella hates her and in her bid to impress her, she finds herself roped into planning Mulberry-on-Sea’s Regatta.  And just when she finds herself deep in the planning, she is sent to New York on a whirlwind trip that may derail all of her hard work.  Add to that an aging father driving around Europe in an old van, a best friend who is stressed as a new mother, and a boyfriend who is growing increasingly distant, and Georgie isn’t sure if she’ll be able to pull anything off.

Ice Creams at Carrington’s is the third novel (though fourth instalment) in the Carrington’s series and is just as much as fun as the first two books.  Georgie Hart is a gorgeous character who is growing and maturing through each novel and her loveable friends and family are always enjoyable.  

This is such a lovely series.  I really enjoyed the first two books and I like how much material there is in all of the books.  There is never a lull in the fun, romance, or drama.  This novel is no different.  All of the beloved characters are back and there are some fresh new faces as well.  I really enjoy how all of the characters are developed as people, how characters like Eddie still get full stories even if they don't play out firsthand on the page.  

There is so much going on in this book and Brown doesn’t shy away from difficult topics.  I really appreciate how she touched on motherhood and postpartum depression with the character of Sam.  This, and other topics, make it so much more than a fun escape novel.

My only criticism of this book is the relationship between Georgie and Tom.  I feel as though we never really got to see how the relationship developed or why their relationship works so well because it was just all about the sex they were having.  Sure, that can drive the relationship but for the relationship to be as serious as it is now, there had to be more to it and I feel like that was missing from the book.  But other than that, I really can’t complain about this book!

I really hope that this isn’t the end of the Carrington’s series.  Georgie and all of her friends are characters that I want to visit again and again and again.  If you haven’t read any of this series, get started now.  And when you begin this one, make sure you have lots of ice cream stocked in the freezer!