Monday, December 17, 2018

Review: Christmas at the Cat Cafe by Melissa Daley




Genre:
Fiction

Format:
E-ARC

Publisher:
St. Martin’s Press

Release Date:
October 23, 2018




Synopsis from Goodreads:

Christmas at the Cat Cafe is the wonderfully festive sequel to Melissa Daley's uplifting tale, Molly and the Cat Cafe. The Costwolds' town of Stourton-on-the-Hill has its very own cat cafe. Resident cat Molly, and her kittens, live here in feline paradise, while owner Debbie serves the locals home-made goodies. But even in the most idyllic surroundings, things don't always go to plan... When Debbie's heartbroken sister Linda arrives at the cafe, Debbie insists she move in. But Linda is not alone, and the cats are devastated with the arrival of Linda's dog, Beau. Sadly, Beau's arrival is not the only bombshell - now Molly's home is also under threat when a rival cat moves in on her turf. With Christmas approaching, Molly is unsettled, barely roused by the promise of tinsel to play with. Fearing for her feline family she hopelessly stares out of the cafe window searching for an answer. Only a Christmas miracle could bring everyone together...

My Review

A cat cafe? A family of cats? I’m there. Being the cat lover that I am, I couldn’t refuse the opportunity to read and review this one. This is the second book in the Cat Cafe series. Even though I haven’t read the first one, I totally enjoyed this book. The author gives readers all the background information needed throughout this book, but I do intend to read the first one.

The book is told from the cat’s point of view. I will just get this out there from the start - it is not a paranormal or magical book. The cats do not speak to humans and they do not have magical powers. The readers get an insight into what the cats are thinking and how they interpret the human’s actions.

The cafe is called Molly’s Cat Cafe. Molly is the main cat and she lives in the cafe with her kittens. Her boyfriend, Jaspar, shows up at meal times. Oh there are humans involved, too. Debbie owns the cafe and lives above it with her college-aged daughter. Everything is perfect, until the arrival of Debbie’s sister Linda.

Linda’s marriage has fallen apart and she moves in with Debbie. Did I mention that Linda has a dog named Beau?  The cats are not pleased with this turn of events. For that matter, neither is Debbie. Not only is there a dog in their midst, but Linda has decided to use her marketing skills to change things around the cat cafe. Molly is particularly fearful for the future of her family.

This is a full-length, delightful story of family, greed, companionship and love. It’s all rolled into one beautifully told tale. It’s perfect for the holiday season. It’s very touching and had me in tears by the end - the good kind of tears. It’s an uplifting book that left me feeling happy and satisfied. 

Melissa Daley is a new-to-me author, but I will definitely be looking for more books by her. I truly loved her writing style. If I could, I would give this one more than five stars.




For reading challenges:
What An Animal Reading Challenge 2018

FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.



5 comments:

  1. I've seen this book around, but I wasn't sure what it was about! I love it when you can read sequels on their own, but it's nice when they relate to the first book. It's a delicate balance for the author to give enough information for us to understand the story, but not too much to make us feel overwhelmed with details.

    I'm glad this one worked for you!
    Check out my 2018 End of the Year Giveaway! Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? 💬

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  2. I've seen this book too and am glad to know you liked it so much. I like that it's uplifting and told from the cat's point of view.

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  3. This sounds like a good book. My only complaint is cats and tinsel do not go together- very dangerous.

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  4. I love this. A cat cafe. I'm surprised we don't have one in my town. Such a cute cover too.

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  5. The various themes in the story in themselves are interesting. Add the cover very nice!

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