THE BIRCH TREE CAFE series
by Maija Kajanto
“A tasty warm and delicious novel to curl up with” — Jenny Colgan on Summer at the Birch Tree Cafe by Maija Kajanto
Perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan, Lucy Diamond, and Kajsa Ingemarsson!
Over 200,000 copies of the first four books sold domestically!
Estonian rights sold for books 1-3!
#1 SUMMER AT THE BIRCH TREE CAFE
Korvapuustikesä, WSOY 2022, 320pp
Estonian rights sold!
Domestic sales 60 000 copies
Recipe developer Kristiina ‘Krisse’ Kivimaa quits her stressful job in busy metropolitan Helsinki and moves to a small lakeside village to help her grandmother, Helmi, run The Birch Tree Cafe.
As Krisse revives the cafe, she comes across an old flame as well as a new possible love interest. But heading towards a new chapter in her life she is constantly haunted by memories she would rather forget. Can she escape her past or do some things – like a good cinnamon bun – heal all the wounds?
The perfect read for fans of Jenny Colgan, Lucy Diamond, and Kajsa Ingemarsson.
#2 HOLIDAY SEASON AT THE LAKESIDE INN
Taatelitalvi, WSOY 2022, 231pp
Estonian rights sold!
Domestic sales 45 000 copies
Krisse is running The Birch Tree Café on behalf of her grandmother. At the same time, she jumps at the chance to treat tourists at her new lakeside inn to a slice of her famous date cake. However, managing both the café and the inn becomes overwhelming for Krisse when a snowstorm strands Dutch snowboarders and the power cut interferes with carefully made plans.
Meanwhile, Krisse’s love interest, Mayor Tommi, grows distant; past events begin to haunt her; and her grandmother, Helmi, seems to be hiding a secret.
#3 APPLECAKE AUTUMN
Sahramisyksy, WSOY 2023, 223pp
Estonian rights sold!
Domestic sales 40 000 copies
Krisse has now settled into her new life in Pyhävirta, a far cry from her former existence in hectic Helsinki. The Birch Tree Café is thriving again and everything at the lakeside inn is running smoothly, too. But life isn’t calm just yet: the new mayor brings development plans that rouse all sorts of emotions in the locals.
Meanwhile, a suspicious series of fires disturb the peace and quiet of the village and, before long, accusatory looks are being cast in all directions. And former mayor Tommi seems to hope for a joint future with Krisse that she doesn’t want.
#4 CITRUS SPRING
Sitruunakevät, WSOY 2024, 256pp
Domestic sales 33 000 copies
Krisse and Tommi have spent a year living by the sunny Adriatic Sea. As spring approaches, the couple return to Pyhävirta in Finland, and Krisse experiences a shocking loss that makes it hard for them to settle back into their old lives.
But things in Pyhävirta have changed: the café is under new ownership, old friends have become absent, and Krisse’s energy is at an all-time low. A strange inheritance issue prompts Krisse to roll up her sleeves and push on. On the shores of the lake, Tommi and Krisse’s shared home begins to take shape, and they start to furnish it with their shared hopes and dreams as well as furniture.
#5 CARDAMOM CHRISTMAS
Kardemummajoulu, WSOY 2024, 265pp
Domestic sales 24 000 copies
In the midst of snowy weather and severe frost, Krisse and Tommi glue paper elves onto their windows and make plans for the spring and a new phase of their lives.
For Krisse, the changes feel joyous, but it seems as though not everyone in her family shares her happiness.
With the rice porridge simmering on the stove on Christmas Eve morning and the smell of cardamom wafting in from the kitchen, it's time to find out whether there’s really such a thing as Christmas Magic.
Cardamom Christmas is a spruce-scented feel-good Christmas book. It concludes the popular five-book Birch Tree Café series.
RIGHTS SOLD FOR THE SERIES: Finland WSOY (orig.), Estonia: Hea Lugu (book 1-3)
Materials available: English sample (book 1), English synopsis (books 1-3), Full Finnish pdf (books 1-5)
PRAISE FOR THE SERIES:
“Maija Kajanto has succeeded in creating a shared granny’s house feeling for all of Finland. Many of us have enjoyed the care of a grandmother – you are accepted, there is a warm hug, a meal, a made bed and, above all, that loving look. That’s what life looks like in [the Birch Tree Café series].”
“Entertaining summer reading with a well-paced story and recipes as a bonus”
“There are also people in Estonia who do not see big-city struggle as the pinnacle of happiness. In a smaller place, especially one familiar from childhood, it can be easier to follow one’s own nature, find a pleasant place to live, a job close to one’s heart, new friends and maybe even love… So it’s easy to root for Kristiine Kivimaa.’”
Maija Kajanto is a Helsinki-based writer, journalist, and communications professional. She debuted in 2019 with a women’s fiction trilogy and garnered critical acclaim for her realistic portrayal of working life.
Author portrait © Veikko Somerpuro
