Tea Party book review

I have been waiting months for this book to be available for purchase. Not because I need another book on tea, but because of the curiosity factor. Tea Party by Tracy Stern appeared to be something more up my alley, because I had checked out the author's website and was intrigued.

Yesterday the book arrived and I was planning on waiting to look it over and have myself a little tea time, and peruse the book with a cuppa. Yah right.

I couldn't wait and went ahead and looked through it.

This is a quote straight from a customer review off of the Amazon listing of this book:

"I was very disappointed in this book. I was hoping for beautiful pictures of the recipes and party settings. Content was OK, but minus the pictures, it was a total waste of money. "

My review of this book is what she said.

There are some very helpful ideas, and the recipes do look good enough to try, and not too complicated (but then how hard is it to make a tea sandwich?) to make. But I was just expecting more photos and detail shots. But there is only a couple of photos -if that- for each of the "20 Themed Tea Parties" as the cover states. And the images that were there, show exquisite china and not something that most people have or have access to.

So it left me underwhelmed and wanting more.

My book (if I ever could have one) would be real tea parties for real people and not something that is unattainable and obviously planned by a New York City socialite.