A fiercely private TV runner keeps her past locked away until a stranger in her favourite café seat starts to crack the routine she hides behind. Heartfelt British women’s fiction about anxiety, friendship and choosing to begin again.
She’s built a life on control. He’s about to upend everything she’s tried to forget.
Rosie Nash makes sure everyone else’s chaos stays off-screen. As a runner for live TV, she counts seconds like other people breathe―staying calm, quiet, and invisible. That’s how she likes it. Because behind her composure is a secret she’s never shared, and a past she refuses to revisit.
Her one refuge? The Pink Coffee Shop. A sanctuary of cake, kindness, and two friends who offer warmth without pressure. But when a stranger is suddenly in her seat, Rosie’s quiet routine―and the protective shell she’s built―starts to crack.
He’s not going away. Her secret is unraveling. And the identity she’s clung to for years is slipping through her grasp.
As pressure builds and old wounds resurface, Rosie finds herself in the spotlight for the first time in years―with everything to lose, and maybe more to gain than she ever imagined.
The Pink Coffee Shop is a moving, emotionally layered novel about trauma, friendship, and the quiet power of choosing to begin again. It’s perfect for readers who love relatable heroines, heartfelt storytelling, and books that make you both laugh and cry.
Praise for The Pink Coffee Shop:
★★★★★ “Gripping and inspiring and the ending is perfect.”
★★★★★ “Couldn’t put this book down, the more you read about Rosie, the more you’ll love her.”
★★★★★ “A hilarious and hugely enjoyable look behind the scenes of the television world.”
★★★★★ “Really thoughtful exploration of love, loss, friendship and acceptance, all with a light touch and well-rounded characterization.”
★★★★★ “Perfect thoughtful escapism… beautifully captured and relatable.”
★★★★★ “Deals with anxiety and worry and how it affects people in different ways.”
★★★★★ “I so wanted to know what was driving her and blighting her life. I cared about her.”
★★★★★ “Highly recommended from a great new author.”
★★★★★ “What a wonderful and heartwarming tale… If you’ve ever suffered from anxiety or imposter syndrome there will be plenty to empathise with.”
★★★★★ “Loved this book – gripped me from the start.”
Ellie Barker is a television journalist, author and host of The Next Chapter podcast. Ellie started as a runner in TV just like Rosie in The Pink Coffee Shop. Does the camera really lie? With more than 25 years in the industry, Ellie knows. When she's not being dazzled by those TV lights, Ellie writes contemporary romance novels or Fiction Therapy as she calls it.The Pink Coffee Shop, The Juggle and The Secrets of the Coffee Club are all set in the fictitious Cherry Blossom Park in Bristol―the city where Ellie lives with her journalist husband, sons and dog, Cookie. Her latest novel Do We Really Have to Do This? is the first in a new series set in the fictitious Strawberry Village, also in Bristol, with the next one due in 2024. When Ellie's not holding a microphone or collecting socks, she loves to write warm, uplifting fiction with lots of love and hope. All her books feature a therapist (hence the Fiction Therapy) based on her lifelong fascination with mental health. And be warned: after years of reporting on some of the not-so-fair parts of life, only happy endings are allowed.
Ellie would love to hear from you on her website―where you can read the real-life story behind her books.
