Of Literature and Lattes

GIVEAWAY

REAY, KATHERINE
OF LITERATURE AND LATTES

Return 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 exhasuted every option, she comes home to Winsome, Illinois, to regroup and 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.

My Review:

Absolutely love that cover! I am such a shallow reader because I instinctively judge a book by its cover and this one promises so much. Did it deliver? Absolutely! 

As usual, Reay scraped my emotions raw and then poured salt over my wounds and I loved every agonizing minute of it! Be prepared for a angst and drama and the tumultuous relationships of broken people trying to find their way to a better future. There's a strong message about forgiveness that plays to varying degrees in the lives of multiple characters.

In fact, this novel is told from many points of view. I don't think I've read a book with so many viewpoints! Some are fleeting -- only a scene or two --  while others, like Jeremy and Alyssa, have more page time. So, if you're not a fan of multiple POV, this might not be the book for you. I found it really drew on the sense of community and I was quite captivated by all the voices clamoring in my head. :-)

Readers were introduced to Winsome in The Printed Letter Bookshop and you'll definitely get more out of this novel if you've read that one first. Especially when it comes to Alyssa's relationship with her mother.

Linda was one of the main characters in the first book so readers of TPLB have the benefit of experiencing her miraculous transformation. Because of that, I understood how difficult growing up as Linda's daughter would have been so I was more sympathetic to Alyssa's volatile reactions to her mother. But other readers were turned off by her. The author does a great job of bringing insight into this challenging mother/daughter relationship throughout the course of the story so if this is your first visit to Winsome, give  Alyssa the benefit of the doubt and I guarantee you'll find compassion and understanding by the end.

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Laura Kirman. She did an excellent job but I have to admit that it took me about an hour of listening before I became accustomed to hearing her British accent in an American setting. Only the dialogue was spoken with a mid-western twang while the rest of the narration was all Brit.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Of Literature and Lattes, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday May 30 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck