Reviews with content warning for Chronic illness - Christmas at the Cat Café

"Christmas at the Cat Café" by Jessica Redland is a heartwarming tale that brings together the magic of late autumn and the warmth of early winter. I extend my gratitude to Jessica Redland, NetGalley, and Boldwood Books for granting me an early look at this charming ARC.

At its core, this book is a friends-to-lovers romance, a timeless theme that always warms the heart. But what truly sets this book apart is the careful and insightful inclusion of chronic pain representation and the meticulous research about the world of opening a cat café. The depth and detail in these themes are praiseworthy and add a unique layer to the story.

The narrative gracefully tackles the challenges of fibromyalgia from various angles, shedding light on the physical and emotional struggles that individuals with this condition face. Tabby, the central character, is portrayed with authenticity as she grapples with moments of intense pain while juggling the responsibilities of her business. Her fears of becoming a burden are relatable, making her a character readers can genuinely empathize with. The way other characters learn about and respond to her condition provides a well-rounded perspective on living with fibromyalgia.

"Christmas at the Cat Café" is a delightful read for those who dream of opening their own café, have a soft spot for our feline friends, or simply seek a heartwarming romance infused with hope and the enduring bonds of friendship.

Content Warnings

srivalli's review against another edition

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informative slow-paced

3.0

3 Stars

One Liner: Nice, but that’s it

Tabby is an ailurophile (cat lover). She has always wanted to own a cat café to combine her love for cats and baking. The inheritance from her Nanna makes her dream come true. However, days before the opening, Tabby’s boyfriend Leon decides he’s not up for it and breaks off. Tabby is heartbroken but knows she can’t let him shatter her dreams.

However, with her medical condition (still a secret from her family) and business hurdles, it will take a Christmas miracle to save her business from loss even before it has opened. Also, someone out there could be sabotaging her café.

The story comes in Tabby’s first-person POV.

What I Like:

The setting is beautiful, be it the small town with friendly business owners or the interiors of the cat café with murals. It’s easy to visualize most of it.

The book has fifteen cats! Each has a name and is described (color, breed, etc.). I didn’t note it all, but I’m sure it would have been a fun exercise. They have distinct personalities, too. I have a friend with around 18+ cats (adopted strays), so I thought of her immediately.

Tabby’s family is wonderful (even if her brother annoyed me at one point). They are supportive, caring, and ready to step in and help whenever necessary. Tom is a sweetheart, of course. I wouldn’t have minded if he had more depth. It would have helped his arc more.

Tabby has fibromyalgia, a chronic medical condition that causes varying degrees of body pains, fatigue, and brain fog. I love how this aspect is seamlessly incorporated into the plot. While it may seem a little excessive, it is not. This condition is life-altering and can affect a person (and their family) any day. So, every day they wake up pain-free is a win. It makes sense to include this (especially since the book is in the first person). I learned a lot about fibromyalgia and how to handle it positively, which is a definite plus.

The traffic lights and spoon theory used to measure her pain/ fatigue levels is a great addition. I really liked this concept.

There’s HEA and an epilogue, so another yay!

What Could Have Been Better for Me:

With Christmas in the title, I expected it to have a bigger role in the book. However, the story starts in November. We get to the first week of December in the last quarter. Not much of Christmas in this one, except for the Spirit part, which, TBH, can be used any time of the year. People helping others isn’t seasonal.

The cover makes the book appear to be a warm and cozy romance. However, romance is secondary and not so well done. While it does have warm moments, the love/ romance angle doesn’t hit the mark.

Despite the first-person narration, I couldn’t see Tabby in love with the guy. But I could see his love for her almost from the beginning. It works to an extent as the FMC is in another relationship at the beginning, gets dumped, and has to recover. Even then, when the shift happens, it doesn’t seem convincing from her side but is spot on from his side. Go figure!

The narration is long-winded and slow. It drones on in some places, and there’s quite a bit of repetition. Moreover, I’m not that into dubbing for cats (or animals) and having a two-way conversation with myself. I do talk to animals and non-living objects, but I don’t put words into their mouth and make them talk back to me in different voices. This is a little weird.

I could spot the culprit for sabotage right away. Not an issue since this is not a mystery. It was supposed to be obvious. However, that track didn’t have to be so long. No need to give so much importance to a fourth-party character, even if there’s a sort of lesson in there.

Reading the author’s note was enlightening and informative. I didn’t like a certain plot development and wondered about the reason behind it. The note throws light on it.

To summarize, Christmas at the Cat Café is nice enough but didn’t charm me as I hoped it would. It’s a one-time read and might be better suited for the series/ author’s fans.

Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

#NetGalley #ChristmasattheCatCafé

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