BLOG TOUR: New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Cafe - Julie Haworth

New Beginnings at The Cosy Cat Café tells the story of Tori who, after being dumped and left stranded by her long-term boyfriend Ryan on a trip of a lifetime to Asia, returns home to the sleepy Sussex village of Blossom Heath with her tail between her legs and her dreams shattered. Donning her frilly apron to help her Mum, Joyce, behind the counter at The Cosy Cup Café, Tori starts to believe – with the help of a hunky fireman and a clowder of rescue cats - that perhaps the secret to her future happiness might lie closer to home than she ever thought possible.

 

If you love your romance with a side order of cake, cats and cosy community dynamics, this is the purrfect uplifting, feel-good read from the winner of the RNA Katie Fforde Debut Novel of the Year 2023.

 

What did I think?

This gorgeous novel is the purrfect pick-me-up that warmed my heart and uplifted my spirits.  It's a fabulous book in its own right and can be read and enjoyed as a standalone but it's even better if you've visited Blossom Heath before in Julie Haworth's delightful debut novel, Always By Your Side.  It was so lovely to see some of the characters I'd met before and it felt like catching up with old friends.

New Beginnings at The Cosy Cat Café is Tori's story and it's not going quite how she planned.  I was so upset (and mad) for her when her boyfriend Ryan decided he 'wasn't a relationship guy'...perhaps he should have mentioned that a tiny bit earlier during the four years of their relationship.  What a snake!

Tori returns home to Blossom Heath to help her mum in her cafe and her visit to Asia inspires her to change the cafe into a cat cafe.  With the help of the wonderful community, Tori's dreams are sure to become a reality and maybe the man she's really supposed to spend her life with is just around the corner.

There's a lot going on in the book to keep the reader interested and entertained from start to finish.  I think I read it far too fast, devouring every word as if it was the last book I'd ever read, so I do plan to read it again when I next fancy a trip to Blossom Heath.

Uplifting, heartwarming and simply delightful, New Beginnings at The Cosy Cat Café is a real gem of a book and it is one I will treasure.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: The Cornish Hideaway - Jennifer Bibby

A beautiful village. An artist who’s lost her spark. And a community who help her find it again.

All Freya has ever wanted to do is paint. So when she fails her Master’s Degree in Art, on the same day that her boyfriend decides he needs a ‘more serious’ partner, to Freya it feels like the end of the world.

 

Luckily, she has a saviour in the shape of best friend Lola, who invites her to the sleepy Cornish village of Polcarrow, to work in her café. With nothing keeping her in London, Freya jumps at the chance of a summer by the sea.

 

Freya needs time to focus on herself. But then dark and mysterious biker Angelo blows into town on a stormy afternoon, with his own artistic dreams and a secretive past, and Freya’s plans of a romance-free summer fly straight out of the window…

Heart-warming, heartfelt and romantic, The Cornish Hideaway is a novel of community, friendship and learning to love again, for fans of Jenny Colgan, Cathy Bramley and Heidi Swain.

 

What did I think?

Now and again you can judge a book by its cover and Jennifer Bibby's debut, The Cornish Hideaway, is as sweet and charming as the beautiful cover suggests.  I enjoyed my virtual visit to the sleepy town of Polcarrow; the only downside of a virtual visit is that I didn't get the chance to try any of Lola's mouthwatering culinary creations.

Freya is such a lovely character and she is dealt such a bad hand at the start of the novel when she fails her degree and gets dumped.  So, Freya heads off to Cornwall to lick her wounds and to help her friend Lola in her café.  The last things on Freya's mind are art and romance but Lola's tarot cards tell a different story...and then a mysterious, handsome stranger turns up at the door.

The book has quite a gentle pace, like waves lapping the Cornish shore, but the characters' storylines keep the reader interested as we see them develop and unfurl like flowers facing the sun.  There's maybe more than one budding romance on the cards too.

The Cornish Hideaway is a lovely debut novel and it would be a perfect holiday read while you warm your toes by the pool and enjoy a virtual visit to Cornwall.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Nobody Puts Romcoms in the Corner - Kathryn Freeman

Not an expert, not even close, not in any of this. But nobody will try harder than me to make you happy.

Sally is a classic romantic and Harry is a classic cynic, but when a drunken bet leads the new flatmates to (badly) recreate ‘the lift’ from Dirty Dancing, and the video goes viral (#EpicRomcomReenactmentFailure), they both realise there’s potential financial benefit in blundering their way through the romcom lexicon for their suddenly vast social media following.

Now, as Harry and Sally bring major romcom moments to new life – including recreating that classic diner scene – their faking it turns to making…out and suddenly they’re living a real life romcom of their own! But like all the greatest love stories, the road to happily ever after is paved with unexpected challenges for this hero and heroine…

 

What did I think?

I always get excited when a new Kathryn Freeman book drops on my kindle as I've been a huge fan of hers since 2016.  With the recent furore over The Sunday Times bestseller list omitting the romance category, the title of Kathryn Freeman's latest novel couldn't be more relevant: Nobody Puts Romcoms in the Corner...not even The Sunday Times!

This is the story of when Harry met Sally and yes, that famous movie scene does get mentioned in the book.  The Sally in this case being Harry's landlady who he meets when his relationship ends and he needs somewhere to live.  Hunky builder Harry couldn't be more different to romcom loving café owner Sally but there's definitely a spark there and it's only going to get hotter.

I loved both Harry and Sally's backstories and it's Sally who sees a money-making opportunity in recreating famous scenes from her favourite films and getting sponsorship on TikTok.  Harry is surprisingly amenable, possibly something to do with Sally's alluring big blue eyes and I loved seeing which scene they would come up with next.

It was great fun to relive some iconic movies through Sally and Harry's hilarious re-enactments.  To name but a few, there's scenes from Dirty Dancing, Never Been Kissed, An Officer and a Gentleman, Pretty Woman, When Harry Met Sally, and of course the abomination that is Love Actually.  

Entertaining, funny and completely heartwarming, Nobody Puts Romcoms in the Corner is classic Kathryn Freeman and it's sure to put a smile on the face of everyone who reads it.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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About the author:

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to write a book. It may have had something to do with my obsession with reading romance. Real life interfered and I headed off in a different direction – into the world of science, becoming a pharmacist before joining the pharmaceutical industry. I did end up writing, but it was about disease and medicines. Decades later, I’m finally doing what I always wanted to do. 

With a husband who asks every Valentine's Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), all the romance in my life is in my head. Then again, his unstinting support of my career change proves love isn't always about hearts and flowers - and heroes come in many disguises.

Social Media Links – 

Website:  http://kathrynfreeman.co.uk

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/kathrynfreeman

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KathrynFreeman1

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BLOG TOUR: The 24 Hour Café - Libby Page

Day and night Stella’s Café opens its doors for the lonely and the lost, the morning people and the night owls. It is many things to many people but most of all it is a place where life can wait at the door. A place of small kindnesses. A place where anyone can be whoever they want, where everyone is always welcome.

Meet Hannah and Mona: best friends, waitresses, dreamers. They work at Stella’s but they dream of more, of leaving the café behind and making their own way in life.

Come inside and spend twenty-four hours at Stella’s Café; a day when Hannah and Mona’s friendship will be tested, when the community will come together and when lives will be changed . . .

What did I think?

I picked up The 24 Hour Café based on all the excitement around Libby Page's debut, The Lido, which I haven't read.  It took me a little while to get into the book as I felt that we had only just started to scratch the surface of a story before the clock chimed the next hour and new customers entered the shop, but the long-running thread of Hannah and Mona's friendship kept me interested.  

Hannah and Mona are flatmates who work in Stella's Café which is situated opposite Liverpool Street Station in London.  It is open 24 hours so attracts a myriad clientele throughout the day and night.  The main story is around Hannah and Mona's friendship which is put to the test during the 24 hours we observe the cafe, but there are lots of little stories based on the lives of customers in the café.

Hannah has recently broken up with her boyfriend and I could tell he was a bad 'un from the start; preferring Star Trek to Star Wars is not a good sign!  I enjoyed this part of the story though, showing how Hannah's relationship with Jaheim not only changed her but consumed her and left Mona well outside Hannah and Jaheim's bubble.  I wondered how much of this was Hannah's own doing, but I suspected Jaheim liked that level of control over her.  Mona is a very good best friend to Hannah; she keeps quiet and bides her time knowing that boyfriends come and go but friends remain.

If you've ever people-watched and wondered what their story was, this book is for you!  Libby Page has put people watching into print and it did feel like I was there in the corner of the café, sipping my cuppa and observing the goings on myself.  Maybe I'm just nosy but I would have liked to delve a bit more into the lives of the customers, however, for Libby Page to have done so she would have ended up with several volumes of The 24 Hour Café.  

Libby Page's writes in such vivid colour that The 24 Hour Café brings London to life in front of your very eyes; the hustle and bustle is evident but also a more humane side.  Whereas a visitor to London might find it impersonal and inhospitable at first, Libby Page shows that there's more to Londoners than might first meet the eye.  I think you could call The 24 Hour Café a love letter to London, as Libby Page paints our capital city in such glorious light.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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About the author:

LIBBY PAGE is the author of the SUNDAY TIMES bestseller and runaway success of 2018, THE LIDO. THE LIDO has sold in over twenty territories around the world and film rights have been sold to Catalyst Global Media.

After writing, Libby’s second passion is outdoor swimming. Libby lives in London where she enjoys finding new swimming spots and pockets of community within the city. She and her sister run a blog and Instagram account @theswimmingsisters, documenting their swims and the benefits of outdoor exercise for mental health.

Follow Libby on Twitter @libbypagewrites

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Stirred With Love - Marcie Steele

Sometimes the best friends can be found where you least expect them … 

Still grieving after the loss of her beloved husband, Lily Mortimer is determined to do something with the time she has left. 

After the end of her fairytale marriage, thirty-something Kate is trying hard to mend her broken heart. 

Chloe, a young woman with the world at her feet, is struggling to know what to do with her life. 

When Lily embarks on a new venture in the picturesque town of Somerley, the three women come together to open The Coffee Stop, the most charming café for miles around. 

But opening a coffee shop is never as simple as it seems, especially when you add neighbouring competition, local heart throbs and heartbreak to the mix. 

When tragedy strikes, can the three women pull together to make the new business fly, or will Lily’s last chance disappear down the drain along with yesterday’s coffee grinds?

As comforting as a cappuccino and a better pick-me-up than a grande Americano, Stirred with Love will captivate readers of Milly Johnson, Carole Matthews and Jenny Colgan. 

Marcie Steele is the pseudonym of bestselling crime fiction author MEL SHERRATT. 

What did I think?

I've had my eye on Mel Sherratt's books for a while but haven't yet managed to read one, so it was no surprise that this one caught my eye, written under Mel's pseudonym of Marcie Steele.

The characters were all very likeable, even huffy Chloe, but I would have liked to read a bit more about them, perhaps Marcie Steele will revisit the town of Somerley for another instalment.  I loved the story of how their friendship grew, despite being of varying ages and backgrounds.  It was almost as if fate conspired to bring them all together.

Lily's story, although sad, was quite inspirational.  Lily is a filter coffee - strong, traditional and dependable.  She had a vision for her cafe which exceeded all expectations, enabled her to make lifelong friends and gave her permanent residence in the kitchen, according to Chloe.  It's worth reading for that little gem alone!

I enjoyed seeing the friendships develop among the three younger women.  They complemented each other and I likened them to different types of coffee.  Kate is a cappuccino - pretty and frothy on top but surprisingly strong underneath.  Chloe, the baby of the group, is a little espresso - dark, moody and bitter.  She does mellow throughout the book which was lovely to see.  Lucy is a character I would have liked to hear more about as to me she is a latte - all froth and pretty bland.

This was a nice pleasant bit of light reading; it was good fun but sad and left a lingering message never to give up on your dreams.

I received this e-book from the publisher, Bookouture, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

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The Cherry Tree Cafe - Heidi Swain

Synopsis:

Cupcakes, crafting and love at The Cherry Tree Cafe...

Lizzie Dixon's life feels as though it's fallen apart. Instead of the marriage proposal she was hoping for from her boyfriend, she is unceremoniously dumped, and her job is about to go the same way. So, there's only one option: to go back home to the village she grew up in and to try to start again.

Her best friend Jemma is delighted Lizzie has come back home. She has just bought a little cafe and needs help in getting it ready for the grand opening. And Lizzie's sewing skills are just what she needs.

With a new venture and a new home, things are looking much brighter for Lizzie. But can she get over her broken heart, and will an old flame reignite a love from long ago...?

What did I think?

This was a really lovely read.  After Lizzie's break-up with Giles she moves back home and I was immediately drawn into life in Wynbridge.  It really did feel like a perfect little village where everybody knows everybody's business but, apart from the odd exception, not in a malicious kind of way.

I really enjoyed reading about Lizzie's ideas for her crafting cafe and her interactions with Ben, her old high school crush!  It was really quite cute that they were almost still acting like teenagers around each other, each one frightened to speak about their feelings. There's a really clever twist involving Ben's own heartbreak and the reasons he keeps running away, that I won't spoil here - you'll just have to read it for yourself.

When Jay, a reporter, covers the story of the crafting cafe I could feel him trying to worm his way into Lizzie's affections.  I admit, I succumbed to stereotype and felt he was a bit of a snake but he was an interesting character nonetheless.

There's a nice bit of humour in the book, in the form of Lizzie's Mum.  I immediately thought she was a bit of a Mrs. Bucket, and it was hilarious when she got carried away thinking that she had something to brag about at the coffee mornings.  Lizzie's god-daughter, Jemma's daughter Ella, is also a really funny character.  She tells it like it is!  She's a little minx at overhearing things and repeating them later, which is very true to life!

This was a lovely summer read with the tears and laughter of real life and I'll certainly be looking out for more books by this author.

I received this e-book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

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