ladyalireadsalot's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
rcarey18's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
iamkallia's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Maybe I'm biased because the book I read before this was a non-fiction about children dying from gun violence, but this book was pretty damn adorable. Also, can I get an Abe of my own?
lololovesthings's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
3 stars.
"The Christmas Café" by Eliza Evans melds nostalgia, Christmas cheer, obsessive baking, small-town life, and cute, cuddly farm animals together to create a saccharine-sweet Hallmark-esque holiday romance that's equal parts predictable and unremarkable. The main character, Sylvie, is the perfect Christmas-loving bakeaholic who never does anything wrong. She brings meals to those in need, she is always pawning her baked goods on others, she is the most clumsy person you'll ever meet and is constantly falling down, and never stops smiling. Will she shirk off the advances of Royce, a Hollywood heartthrob who is in her town of Silver Bells, WY shooting a movie, in favor of Abe, the goat farmer next door who has been harboring a crush on her for years despite her obliviousness?
Trust me when I say, you know exactly what's going to happen at every turn in this book. There are no surprises, there are no alterations to the formula, there is no newness. It's sweet to the point of being childish. This basically could have been a young adult novel if the characters were youths. All of the characters feel like caricatures, overly simplified to fit said formula to the tee. They have no uniqueness about them, nothing that makes them stand out amongst the hoards of other novels just like this one. Plus, what's supposed to be an endearing plot device, Sylvie's dog Crumpet, annoyed the heck out of me because how bad is your dog if it is running away every darn chance it gets?! Train the thing, Sylvie, c'mon! Dog ownership 101! I did quite like Abe, a soulful grump who is misunderstood and pining for Sylvie from afar. Unfortunately, their relationship is caught up in an unnecessary love triangle that made me dislike Sylvie for putting him in that position. Luckily, "The Christmas Café" is a short, quick read that will likely lift the majority of readers' holiday spirits. I just wanted and hoped for a little more from this book than something that is a dime a dozen in a heavily saturated market.
Thank you to NetGalley, Eliza Evans, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for my review.
"The Christmas Café" by Eliza Evans melds nostalgia, Christmas cheer, obsessive baking, small-town life, and cute, cuddly farm animals together to create a saccharine-sweet Hallmark-esque holiday romance that's equal parts predictable and unremarkable. The main character, Sylvie, is the perfect Christmas-loving bakeaholic who never does anything wrong. She brings meals to those in need, she is always pawning her baked goods on others, she is the most clumsy person you'll ever meet and is constantly falling down, and never stops smiling. Will she shirk off the advances of Royce, a Hollywood heartthrob who is in her town of Silver Bells, WY shooting a movie, in favor of Abe, the goat farmer next door who has been harboring a crush on her for years despite her obliviousness?
Trust me when I say, you know exactly what's going to happen at every turn in this book. There are no surprises, there are no alterations to the formula, there is no newness. It's sweet to the point of being childish. This basically could have been a young adult novel if the characters were youths. All of the characters feel like caricatures, overly simplified to fit said formula to the tee. They have no uniqueness about them, nothing that makes them stand out amongst the hoards of other novels just like this one. Plus, what's supposed to be an endearing plot device, Sylvie's dog Crumpet, annoyed the heck out of me because how bad is your dog if it is running away every darn chance it gets?! Train the thing, Sylvie, c'mon! Dog ownership 101! I did quite like Abe, a soulful grump who is misunderstood and pining for Sylvie from afar. Unfortunately, their relationship is caught up in an unnecessary love triangle that made me dislike Sylvie for putting him in that position. Luckily, "The Christmas Café" is a short, quick read that will likely lift the majority of readers' holiday spirits. I just wanted and hoped for a little more from this book than something that is a dime a dozen in a heavily saturated market.
Thank you to NetGalley, Eliza Evans, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for my review.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death
amyreads1224's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
thisgayreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
4 / 5 ⭐️'ˢ
“The Christmas Cafe” By Eliza Evans
📕 Edition: Audiobook & eBook
This book was like stepping into a warm, fuzzy Hallmark movie, complete with all the heartwarming Christmas vibes. From the quaint Silver Bells setting to the charming characters, I felt like I was right there in the Christmas Cafe, savoring the festive spirit. 🎅📽️
Sylvie, the clumsy but lovable baker, tugged at my heartstrings as she embarked on her mission to save the cafe and put it on the map. Her interactions with Royce, the film's charming lead actor, added a sprinkle of romance to the story, and I couldn't help but root for them. 💑🎬
The pact Sylvie made with her Gramps to be brave this Christmas gave the story an extra layer of warmth and courage. And let's not forget Crumpet, the yappy chihuahua-pug, whose antics added a dash of humor to the tale. 🐶😂
If you're looking for a heartwarming Christmas read, give this one a try. It's the perfect recipe for a cozy holiday season. 📚❤️🎁
Thank you @NetGalley, Eliza Evans for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
anne_all_along's review
3.0
This was cute but underwhelming.
It has all the trappings of a perfect holiday romcom. She’s a baker in a Christmas obsessed small town who has only weeks to save the cafe she works at! A hot movie star comes to town to film his movie! The hot goat farmer who’s been in love with her since elementary school is back in town! But ultimately, this is a romance, and our main character spends almost no time with the guy she falls in love with. It’s literally hours worth of time. I just wanted more.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my opinion!
It has all the trappings of a perfect holiday romcom. She’s a baker in a Christmas obsessed small town who has only weeks to save the cafe she works at! A hot movie star comes to town to film his movie! The hot goat farmer who’s been in love with her since elementary school is back in town! But ultimately, this is a romance, and our main character spends almost no time with the guy she falls in love with. It’s literally hours worth of time. I just wanted more.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my opinion!
birdabouttown's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.0
So silly. Chaste rom-com. Some slapstick moments, reads like a cheesy made for TV Xmas movie
graciouslyrooted's review
4.0
Attention all my holiday hallmark movie lovers, this one is for you!
The book is cozy, sugary sweet, and a holiday romance standard! You’ve got a grieving granddaughter, a love triangle between a café worker that’s desperate to save the towns Christmas café, a movie star here to shoot a holiday movie, and the gruff local who is basically Luke Danes! There are goats, and sleigh rides, and small towns, delightful characters, and scones, and snow, and a dog named crumpet.
All I’m asking for from my holiday books is to leave me feeling happy and full of Christmas cheer! These book definitely delivered!
The only thing really keeping it from being a full 5 stars is I wish we had gotten a bit *more* between the FMC and her love interest.
All in all though this is an easy one to recommend!
The book is cozy, sugary sweet, and a holiday romance standard! You’ve got a grieving granddaughter, a love triangle between a café worker that’s desperate to save the towns Christmas café, a movie star here to shoot a holiday movie, and the gruff local who is basically Luke Danes! There are goats, and sleigh rides, and small towns, delightful characters, and scones, and snow, and a dog named crumpet.
All I’m asking for from my holiday books is to leave me feeling happy and full of Christmas cheer! These book definitely delivered!
The only thing really keeping it from being a full 5 stars is I wish we had gotten a bit *more* between the FMC and her love interest.
All in all though this is an easy one to recommend!