An enjoyable light read.

In comparison with Nell's other books, I found this one a little less entertaining, and the plot less interesting. The character development was stronger as was the storytelling in my opinion. ( )

An entertaining read, and some very believable characters.

Hilary is the volunteer manager of the cafeteria, 76 years old, recently separated from her husband, and now living with her older sister. She runs the cafeteria on an exceedingly tight budget.

Her assistant is Joy, 74 years old, always a smile on her face. Her husband of 53 years, Len, has recently had cancer and is now at home on remission (?). Joy tries to feed new ideas to Hilary, trying to make her think the ideas are hers.

Chloe, 17 years old, is the third volunteer in the trio, still at school, and destined to follow her parents into medicine. Chloe has a few problems of her own, and is not really looking forward to working with the two "oldies".

This was a lovely read, and covered a number of issues including what happens when progress at the hospital challenges the very existence of the cafeteria.

Highly recommended. ( )

This is a lovely comfort read (perfect for conditions in Oz at the moment!
Meet the ladies who volunteer at the canteen of St Jude's Hospital. Hilary, who has just ended her marriage & moved in with her extremely entitled older sister, Nancy. Joy whose greiving for her lost husband Len & whose love of flamboyance makes it a cinch to find her in a crowd & Chloe, the 18 year old high school grad supposedly on her way to medical school, just like her parents. Each have her own issues but when they discover the canteen is under threat of closure they must come together to save it.
This is a lovely book as I said before. It plods along but is certainly not boring! One thing I love about Joanna Nell's books is the little snippets of information about the past she slips into the stories. I now know what 'spend a penny' means (can you imagine having to pay to go to the toilet?!) Joanne is a master of hilarious descriptions & one liners too eg, 'she (Chloe) backed away from the table with a solemn nod, as if she'd just laid a wreath'. Or, 'Middle aged fathers like Mark Foster put the 'men' in menopause' I have yet to discover the pitfalls of menopause but I'll take her word for it! I found it a little predictable at times but overall it's a very enjoyable story.
If you're having a hard time with the pandemic (& who isn't?) give this a go! ( )

The Tea Ladies of St Jude’s Hospital is an endearing and entertaining novel from bestselling Australian author Joanna Nell.

Though the decor is tired, the menu uninspiring, and the coffee bland, The Marjorie Marshall Memorial Cafeteria has served the visitors and employees of St Jude’s Hospital nobly for fifty years, its profits funding a variety of projects to benefit patients. Staffed by volunteers, septuagenarian Hilary Halliday has held the position of manager for a decade and runs a tight ship, but with her personal life recently upended, her role at the cafeteria has become a life raft, which is why she is rocked to discover that management is contemplating closing the cafeteria in favour of a popular ‘whole food’ cafe franchise.

The storyline of The Tea Ladies of St Jude’s Hospital is told through three characters - Hilary; probationary volunteer Joy, with a penchant for blue eyelash falsies and bright clothing, of similar age to Hilary; and seventeen year old student Chloe Foster-Pearson, reluctantly volunteering at the behest of her surgeon mother. Each slowly reveals their private struggles as they face uncertain futures. I enjoyed the process of getting to know these well drawn characters, very different from one another, who become united by their determination to save the cafeteria.

The themes of family, friendship, change, and identity are prevalent in The Tea Ladies of St Jude’s Hospital. Nell also sensitively explores issues related to ageing, particularly for women. There is a little dig at the commercialisation of hospital care, and the Millennial folly of style over substance.

Written with warmth and humour, The Tea Ladies of St Jude’s Hospital is a charming and cheerful read. ( )