Of Literature and Lattes by Katherine Reay

Of Literature and Lattes

by Katherine Reay 

Paperback, 336 pages

Expected publication: May 12th 2020 by Thomas Nelson (first published May 2020)

Goodreads synopsis: 

Katherine Reay returns to the cozy and delightful town of Winsome where two people discover the grace of letting go and the joy found in unexpected change.

After fleeing her hometown three years earlier, Alyssa Harrison never planned to return. Then the Silicon Valley start-up she worked for collapsed and turned her world upside down. She is broke, under FBI investigation, and without a place to go. Having exhausted every option, she comes home to Winsome, Illinois, to regroup then move on as quickly as possible. Yet, as friends and family welcome her back, Alyssa begins to see a place for herself in this small Midwestern community.

Jeremy Mitchell moved from Seattle to Winsome to be near his daughter and to open the coffee shop he’s been dreaming of for years. Problem is, the business is bleeding money—and he’s not quite sure why. When he meets Alyssa, he senses an immediate connection, but what he needs most is someone to help him save his floundering business. After asking for her help, he wonders if something might grow between them—but forces beyond their control soon complicate their already complex lives, and the future they both hoped for is not at all what they anticipated.

With the help of Winsome’s small-town charm and quirky residents, Alyssa and Jeremy discover the beauty and romance of second chances.

***

4.25 Stars 

The premise:  Two people destined to meet come together in a small town each with their own baggage they need to work through before finding their happily ever after.

Alyssa is broke and has no job or job prospects after her employer was fingered for doing inappropriate things with the medical information of their clients. Alyssa is good with numbers and making them talk and make sense. When she moves back home to Northern Illinois, she gets to work helping her friends and their businesses. But she has a little issue with her Mom and having a real conversation that doesn’t end up in an argument.

Jeremy, however, moves to Winsome to be with his young daughter after a breakup with his wife which came before the book began. He wants to set up roots here for them both but his ex isn’t making it easy for him. He just wants a great family life and a business that can keep him in enough money to make it month to month.

This book is tough at times. It speaks of the difficulty of friendships and family and how it isn’t always a piece of cake. Alyssa and her mother don’t see eye to eye. Jeremy and his friend Ryan are at odds with his new coffee shop business. Trust is hard to come by in this book and communication  is even harder. 

This book is about how the family you choose may not only be bound by blood but by heart. This isn’t really a romance or a mystery. It is more like life lived out with all its messy parts and unhappiness and successes. It speaks of family, community and how that is what can really heal your soul.

Not sure if this is a standalone since it was left on a bit of a cliffhanger at the end. Great read. Definitely want to know more.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.