Isn't It Romantic?

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The Christmas Cafe by Eliza Evans
Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons on October 3, 2023
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

Jingle all the way to Silver Bells, Wyoming, for the coziest holiday read of the season!

Clumsy, earnest baker Sylvie West has worked at the Christmas Café in Silver Bells, Wyoming, ever since her boozy eggnog fruitcake won the town’s annual holiday bakeoff fifteen years ago. Her forever happy place, the café compliments her sweet, well-ordered life with her roommates: recently-widowed Gramps and her yappy chihuahua-pug Crumpet.

When Sylvie learns the café might be sold, she’s determined to put the Christmas Café on the map in a big way. Good thing the Holiday Channel* is filming in Silver Bells. And how perfect of bra-snatching Crumpet to have forced an awkward encounter with the film’s charming lead actor, Royce. When Gramps and Sylvie make a pact to be brave this Christmas, Sylvie knows just how to stretch her wings and save the Christmas Café in the process: get the film team to set a scene at the café!

Between her newfound acting gig, a booth at the Christmas Festival, an appearance at the Christmas Parade, and a budding romance with Royce, Sylvie has a lot on her plate. Good thing her old friend, gruff yet reliable Abe has just come back home to manage his parents’ goat farm. That is, until she catches herself feeling all too merry and bright in his presence. With a little help from family, friends, Crumpet, and the goat farmer down the way, Sylvie just might make this Christmas the sweetest she’s ever had…

Sylvie West always felt a little awkward and less-than, but after catching the eye of The Christmas Channel's leading man, this may be her season to shine.

After finishing this book, I just wanted to ho-ho-ho and merry-merry my way to Silver Bells. I had such a delightful time getting to know this town, its residents, and its traditions, and I enjoyed being swept up in all the festivities. The parade, Miss Christmas, and all the other celebrations filled me with holiday cheer while visits to the Christmas Cafe had me yearning for holiday inspired baked goods.

The Christmas Cafe was one of the stars of this story. This magical little space held a special place in Sylvie's heart. She had many fond memories of discovering her love of baking there with her late grandmother, and it had been her happy place for many years. When rumors of the cafe being in financial trouble trickled down to her, Sylvie was determined to save the cafe. I loved her drive and determination, but also that she drew a line in the sand regarding the cafe.

I guess saving the cafe was a big part of the plot, but for me, this was really a story about Sylvie coming into her own. She didn't see herself the way others did, and I think that through this experience, she found her strengths and belief in herself. I feel that part of the story may be subtle, but it's a part I really appreciated.

This was another wonderful holiday book that made my Hallmarkie heart pitter-pat. It was fun and feel-good featuring a sweet romance, lots of delicious treats, family, friendship, a sweet romance, an ill-behaved little dog, and even a baby goat. All of these things made this a heartwarming and satisfying read for me. If you enjoy adorable holiday tales that will make you say "awwww", look no further, as that was my reaction to The Christmas Cafe.

*ARC PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER

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The Love Plot by Samantha Young
Published by Berkley on August 29, 2023
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

There's a magnetic attraction when a happy-go-lucky gig worker agrees to a fake relationship with a rich, uptight New Yorker in this steamy romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young.

Star Shine Meadows is all about freedom, thanks to the hippie parents who raised her. Juggling her jobs as a professional costume character actor and a line sitter, she believes in no expectations, no stressful ambitions, and no-strings-attached relationships. So when she meets a birthday girl's grumpy uncle while working a princess party, she can't help but needle him. She'll never see him again, and honestly, he's pretty hot.

Rafe Whitman may be a veterinarian with a great bedside manner, but that doesn't mean his patience extends to anyone with opposable thumbs. His family will not stop nagging him about finding "the one," so when he runs into obnoxiously cheery Star again, he makes her an offer: He'll pay her more than she would make doing her odd jobs if she'll pretend to be his girlfriend at family gatherings. She can stop sitting in line waiting for someone else's new phone, and he'll get his family off his back.

When the tension between them heats to a breaking point, Star's desire for "no strings" is tested against Rafe's staunch stability. They say opposites attract, after all....

Fed up with his mother and sister-in-law's endless matchmaking, Rafe hatches a plan to put a stop to their meddling. He enlists Star to be his fake girlfriend, but when sparks fly and his heart follows, this fauxmance turns into a full-on romance. But will Star, the free-spirited daughter of hippies, be able to fit into his world?

Star captured my heart early on. She was bright and vibrant, kind and full of spunk. I adored her and all her sunshine ways. When I learned more about her parents and upbringing, I admired her even more as she was able to become this incredible person despite the lack of support from her family. She may not have had a conventional life, but she was happy. She had three fantastic friends who were her family, and she found an interesting way to pay the bills.

Rafe represented so many things she never had- money and stability being two biggies. Though he was so different from Star, he appreciated the light and goodness she brought to his world. Those early chapters where they were first getting to know each other were some of my favorites. Their banter was sparkling, and it was so much fun to observe their verbal sparring. The drama set in later in the book which saw these fun exchanges diminish, but the fun and playful side of this relationship was not gone for good.

Though I grew a bit frustrated with some of Rafe's family, rooting for Star kept me fully invested in this story. Overall, I thought Young did a great job combining the tropes of fake dating and grumpy-sunshine to deliver a story that had a lot of humor and emotional depth. I laughed, smiled, and swooned, and absolutely thought the ending was perfection.

Favorite holiday baked good?
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