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The Little Board Game Café #1
The Little Board Game Café
An irresistible story of love, friendship and the power of Games Night, perfect for fans of Holly Martin and Christie Barlow.
When Emily loses her job, house and boyfriend all within a matter of days, she's determined to turn a negative into a positive and follow her dream of running a small cafe in the gorgeous Yorkshire village of Rosegarth.
But she quickly finds she's bitten off more than she can chew when the 'popular' cafe she takes over turns out to secretly be a failing business. Emily desperately needs a way to turn things around, and help comes from the unlikeliest of places when she meets local board game-obsessed GP Ludek. But when a major chain coffee shop opens on the high street, Emily is forced to question if she'll ever be able to compete.
Has she risked everything on something destined to fail? Or can a playful twist, a homely welcome, and a sprinkle of love make Emily's cafe the destination she's always dreamed of?
When Emily loses her job, house and boyfriend all within a matter of days, she's determined to turn a negative into a positive and follow her dream of running a small cafe in the gorgeous Yorkshire village of Rosegarth.
But she quickly finds she's bitten off more than she can chew when the 'popular' cafe she takes over turns out to secretly be a failing business. Emily desperately needs a way to turn things around, and help comes from the unlikeliest of places when she meets local board game-obsessed GP Ludek. But when a major chain coffee shop opens on the high street, Emily is forced to question if she'll ever be able to compete.
Has she risked everything on something destined to fail? Or can a playful twist, a homely welcome, and a sprinkle of love make Emily's cafe the destination she's always dreamed of?
400 pages, Paperback
First published April 13, 2023
129 people are currently reading
1553 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Page
6 books71 followersJennifer Page lives near Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire with her husband Hermi and his very – no, make that extremely – large collection of board games. Her debut novel, The Little Board Game Cafe will be published on 13th April 2022. Jennifer writes light-hearted, cosy romantic fiction which was initially inspired by her own dating adventures. Before she met Hermi, she was single for 13 years and had pretty much given up on meeting The One.
When she isn’t writing, Jennifer can usually be found playing board games; since she met Hermi, she’s become even more obsessed with them than he is! She also loves cooking (though she’d never claim to be any good at it!), caravan holidays and walking in the beautiful Yorkshire countryside.
When she isn’t writing, Jennifer can usually be found playing board games; since she met Hermi, she’s become even more obsessed with them than he is! She also loves cooking (though she’d never claim to be any good at it!), caravan holidays and walking in the beautiful Yorkshire countryside.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 283 reviews
March 24, 2023
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This story is about Emily and her desire to own a cafe. I loved getting to know the people of this town and I wish the cafe was real as I would visit it often and play games and chat there. This was such a fun, cozy little read and very uplifting. Now I want to open a cafe, make great food and play board games all the live long day. The recipes in the book made my mouth water and the games sounded like such fun and the romance aspect was sweet.
I loved Emily and how she went after her dream and persisted even though it wasn't always easy. It says a lot about her that she could do that after losing her job, her love and her home all in one go. I felt invested in these characters' lives and was rooting for them to do well, I especially wanted Emily to prosper. There was such a sense of community. Hudel was another character that I adored, and his house secret was such a surprise to this reader.
All in all, a very charming read that flowed nicely and kept my attention throughout. What a wonderful fiction debut. I can't wait to see what the author comes up with next.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
This story is about Emily and her desire to own a cafe. I loved getting to know the people of this town and I wish the cafe was real as I would visit it often and play games and chat there. This was such a fun, cozy little read and very uplifting. Now I want to open a cafe, make great food and play board games all the live long day. The recipes in the book made my mouth water and the games sounded like such fun and the romance aspect was sweet.
I loved Emily and how she went after her dream and persisted even though it wasn't always easy. It says a lot about her that she could do that after losing her job, her love and her home all in one go. I felt invested in these characters' lives and was rooting for them to do well, I especially wanted Emily to prosper. There was such a sense of community. Hudel was another character that I adored, and his house secret was such a surprise to this reader.
All in all, a very charming read that flowed nicely and kept my attention throughout. What a wonderful fiction debut. I can't wait to see what the author comes up with next.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
March 30, 2023
Calling all board game lovers! 🎲
My husband and I love playing all sorts of board games so I knew I had to request this one especially given how cute the cover is.
I really liked the references to a bunch of games I know and love like Ticket to Ride, Wingspan and Patchwork. And I even got to learn a little bit about board games I had never ever heard of before!
That was all really fun and cute but I feel the meh parts of this book had to do with the fact the MC is probably the ditziest girl alive. I could see certain things being cute or goofy that a MC does or says but I sometimes felt she was just downright dumb. Doing zero research on buying a closed down establishment is only the start of this. She was a little too aloof for me and didn’t have it in the common sense department.
There were times that I felt this read a little too YA for me and that might also be why I wasn’t too keen.
Although this was cute enough, I don’t think it hit the right spot I was looking for in this book. I do encourage my feel-good bookies out there to give this one a try! And you truly don’t need to know much about board games to understand this one.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Aria for a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This book will be published on April 13th, 2023!
My husband and I love playing all sorts of board games so I knew I had to request this one especially given how cute the cover is.
I really liked the references to a bunch of games I know and love like Ticket to Ride, Wingspan and Patchwork. And I even got to learn a little bit about board games I had never ever heard of before!
That was all really fun and cute but I feel the meh parts of this book had to do with the fact the MC is probably the ditziest girl alive. I could see certain things being cute or goofy that a MC does or says but I sometimes felt she was just downright dumb. Doing zero research on buying a closed down establishment is only the start of this. She was a little too aloof for me and didn’t have it in the common sense department.
There were times that I felt this read a little too YA for me and that might also be why I wasn’t too keen.
Although this was cute enough, I don’t think it hit the right spot I was looking for in this book. I do encourage my feel-good bookies out there to give this one a try! And you truly don’t need to know much about board games to understand this one.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Aria for a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This book will be published on April 13th, 2023!
April 7, 2025
The first forty percent chugged along at a pleasant pace. Just when I began to relax and anticipate reading the next three books in the series the cKUrse struck yet again! The heroine, bless her heart, proved time and time again she was TSTL. Like, she was her own worst enemy. Listing her numerous blunders would give away the plot, so… 🤐
☕️What Worked☕️
🧩The plot was interesting (with the aid of intermittent skimming).
🎲 Learned about the new crop of board games, the great grandchildren of Monopoly and Scrabble: Agricola, Power Grid, Dinner in Paris, etc.
👥 Oodles of likable characters.
☕️What Worked☕️
🧩The plot was interesting (with the aid of intermittent skimming).
🎲 Learned about the new crop of board games, the great grandchildren of Monopoly and Scrabble: Agricola, Power Grid, Dinner in Paris, etc.
👥 Oodles of likable characters.
April 12, 2023
EXCERPT: Emily thumbed her way through Oxfam's self-help section. What she really needed was How to Stand Up to Your Mother-in-Law, but if such a title existed, the charity shop was out of stock. Instead she looked for books on job-hunting, selecting one title about re-writing your CV and a second entitled Surviving Unemployment. She was wondering if there might be a section on how to cope if it was your own fiancé who'd made you unemployed, when a bright red book with bold white writing caught her eye: A Beginner's Guide to Starting Your Own Business. Perhaps it was a sign.
ABOUT 'THE LITTLE BOARD GAME CAFÉ': When Emily loses her job, house and boyfriend all within a matter of days, she's determined to turn a negative into a positive and follow her dream of running a small cafe in the gorgeous Yorkshire village of Rosegarth.
But she quickly finds she's bitten off more than she can chew when the 'popular' cafe she takes over turns out to secretly be a failing business. Emily desperately needs a way to turn things around, and help comes from the unlikeliest of places when she meets local board game-obsessed GP Ludek. But when a major chain coffee shop opens on the high street, Emily is forced to question if she'll ever be able to compete.
Has she risked everything on something destined to fail? Or can a playful twist, a homely welcome, and a sprinkle of love make Emily's cafe the destination she's always dreamed of?
MY THOUGHTS: A sweet read that attracted me because I love playing board games and doing jigsaws. My Uncle Aubrey used to own a butcher's shop and had a butcher's block set up with a jigsaw on it for customers to do while they were waiting to be served. I loved going in there on my way home from school to put a few pieces in place. So the idea of a board game café really appealed. And I still think it's a brilliant idea.
My problem was with Emily. Her character is an air-head. She has no idea about business. She doesn't do her research on anything. She signed up for a one day cookery course without checking the course content and found herself 'learning' to make basic dishes she already knew how to make. She gets herself into some silly situations and is constantly being bailed out of trouble by various other characters.
I'd like to know when she did her baking for the café - there's no mention of that. She's rolling up to the café at 7.30 am - or even later! - which is opening time. When she does hire someone to help her out with the baking, the employee doesn't start until midday.
I hope that no one decides to go into the café business based on reading this book. More cafés fail than succeed and Emily wouldn't last five minutes in the real world of business.
I would have enjoyed this more had Emily had some backbone, some spunk, some vestige of common sense.
A cute quick read about following your dreams.
⭐⭐⭐.3
#TheLittleBoardGameCafé #NetGalley
I: @jenniferpagewrites @ariesfiction
T: @jenpagewrites @AriesFiction
#contemporaryfiction #chic-lit #romance
THE AUTHOR: Jennifer Page lives near Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire with her husband Hermi and his very – no, make that extremely – large collection of board games. Jennifer writes light-hearted, cosy romantic fiction which was initially inspired by her own dating adventures. Before she met Hermi, she was single for 13 years and had pretty much given up on meeting The One.
When she isn’t writing, Jennifer can usually be found playing board games; since she met Hermi, she’s become even more obsessed with them than he is! She also loves cooking (though she’d never claim to be any good at it!), caravan holidays and walking in the beautiful Yorkshire countryside.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Aria & Aries for providing a digital ARC of The Little Board Game Café by Jennifer Page for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
ABOUT 'THE LITTLE BOARD GAME CAFÉ': When Emily loses her job, house and boyfriend all within a matter of days, she's determined to turn a negative into a positive and follow her dream of running a small cafe in the gorgeous Yorkshire village of Rosegarth.
But she quickly finds she's bitten off more than she can chew when the 'popular' cafe she takes over turns out to secretly be a failing business. Emily desperately needs a way to turn things around, and help comes from the unlikeliest of places when she meets local board game-obsessed GP Ludek. But when a major chain coffee shop opens on the high street, Emily is forced to question if she'll ever be able to compete.
Has she risked everything on something destined to fail? Or can a playful twist, a homely welcome, and a sprinkle of love make Emily's cafe the destination she's always dreamed of?
MY THOUGHTS: A sweet read that attracted me because I love playing board games and doing jigsaws. My Uncle Aubrey used to own a butcher's shop and had a butcher's block set up with a jigsaw on it for customers to do while they were waiting to be served. I loved going in there on my way home from school to put a few pieces in place. So the idea of a board game café really appealed. And I still think it's a brilliant idea.
My problem was with Emily. Her character is an air-head. She has no idea about business. She doesn't do her research on anything. She signed up for a one day cookery course without checking the course content and found herself 'learning' to make basic dishes she already knew how to make. She gets herself into some silly situations and is constantly being bailed out of trouble by various other characters.
I'd like to know when she did her baking for the café - there's no mention of that. She's rolling up to the café at 7.30 am - or even later! - which is opening time. When she does hire someone to help her out with the baking, the employee doesn't start until midday.
I hope that no one decides to go into the café business based on reading this book. More cafés fail than succeed and Emily wouldn't last five minutes in the real world of business.
I would have enjoyed this more had Emily had some backbone, some spunk, some vestige of common sense.
A cute quick read about following your dreams.
⭐⭐⭐.3
#TheLittleBoardGameCafé #NetGalley
I: @jenniferpagewrites @ariesfiction
T: @jenpagewrites @AriesFiction
#contemporaryfiction #chic-lit #romance
THE AUTHOR: Jennifer Page lives near Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire with her husband Hermi and his very – no, make that extremely – large collection of board games. Jennifer writes light-hearted, cosy romantic fiction which was initially inspired by her own dating adventures. Before she met Hermi, she was single for 13 years and had pretty much given up on meeting The One.
When she isn’t writing, Jennifer can usually be found playing board games; since she met Hermi, she’s become even more obsessed with them than he is! She also loves cooking (though she’d never claim to be any good at it!), caravan holidays and walking in the beautiful Yorkshire countryside.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Aria & Aries for providing a digital ARC of The Little Board Game Café by Jennifer Page for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
April 7, 2023
The Little Board Game Café is the first novel by British author, Jennifer Page. On Thursday, Emily is living with her fiancé, James, working at his engineering business, and having her wedding organised by his bossy, snobby mother. By Saturday, she’s been made redundant, realised that James is not the right man, and is living in her best friend, Kate’s spare room.
Is this the right time to throw her life savings and her mother’s bequest into their long-held dream of owning a café? Perhaps not, but soon she has signed a lease on a tatty-looking, dismal, out-of-the-way café in Essendale, painting walls, scrubbing the kitchen and devising menus. Down the street, Sweet Treats is always busy: surely she can have a share of that? Nico’s Café becomes The Lancashire Hotpot, serving All Day Breakfasts, lunches, coffee and tea, cakes and pies.
But, apart from a few regulars, there are no customers, and Emily’s savings are dwindling fast. “Had she been tricked into buying what basically amounted to a failing business? Perhaps so, but it wasn’t going to be a failing business anymore. She was even more determined to turn things around.”
Then local GP and board-game geek, Ludek, whom she met while acting as wingman on one of Kate’s quests to find “The One”, asks a favour: could his board game club hold their Friday night get together at her café, as their regular venue was unavailable? Indeed they could! And seeing the delectable Ludek would be a bonus.
Even though custom picks up a little, her ex suggest that her café needs a Unique Selling Point to succeed and, after a false start, she lands upon the idea: The Little Board Game Café. With lots of help, the place is transformed, and invitations are sent out for a launch event. Emily gets so busy, she begins to think she needs a helper.
News of a chain café soon to open nearby is a worry, but turns out it’s not worst thing that can happen. And when it does, will Emily have to say goodbye to her dream?
Page gives the reader interesting and appealing characters who often share insightful observations and offer sound advice: “you shouldn’t marry someone you can live with. You should marry someone you can’t live without.” In a cute touch, some chapters are prefaced with Emily’s bedside reads, reflecting her mood and interests. This light-hearted cosy romance is an outstanding debut novel, and more from this author is most welcome.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Aria & Aries
Is this the right time to throw her life savings and her mother’s bequest into their long-held dream of owning a café? Perhaps not, but soon she has signed a lease on a tatty-looking, dismal, out-of-the-way café in Essendale, painting walls, scrubbing the kitchen and devising menus. Down the street, Sweet Treats is always busy: surely she can have a share of that? Nico’s Café becomes The Lancashire Hotpot, serving All Day Breakfasts, lunches, coffee and tea, cakes and pies.
But, apart from a few regulars, there are no customers, and Emily’s savings are dwindling fast. “Had she been tricked into buying what basically amounted to a failing business? Perhaps so, but it wasn’t going to be a failing business anymore. She was even more determined to turn things around.”
Then local GP and board-game geek, Ludek, whom she met while acting as wingman on one of Kate’s quests to find “The One”, asks a favour: could his board game club hold their Friday night get together at her café, as their regular venue was unavailable? Indeed they could! And seeing the delectable Ludek would be a bonus.
Even though custom picks up a little, her ex suggest that her café needs a Unique Selling Point to succeed and, after a false start, she lands upon the idea: The Little Board Game Café. With lots of help, the place is transformed, and invitations are sent out for a launch event. Emily gets so busy, she begins to think she needs a helper.
News of a chain café soon to open nearby is a worry, but turns out it’s not worst thing that can happen. And when it does, will Emily have to say goodbye to her dream?
Page gives the reader interesting and appealing characters who often share insightful observations and offer sound advice: “you shouldn’t marry someone you can live with. You should marry someone you can’t live without.” In a cute touch, some chapters are prefaced with Emily’s bedside reads, reflecting her mood and interests. This light-hearted cosy romance is an outstanding debut novel, and more from this author is most welcome.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Aria & Aries
March 23, 2023
4☆ A Heart-warming Story
I have been in a reading slump since covid and was wanting a light hearted, Fun Romance and I found that in The Little Board Game Café
I absolutely love board games so the title drew me in straight away. I was so excited that I recognised some of the games and some I might have to look into.
This book is all about Second Chances, whether it be love, life, or starting over. It was a story of self discovery, finding inner strength and courage and taking a few leaps of faith...and boy did Emily do a fair bit of that.
Each character was so well written and I have to say Mr B stole my heart, what a sweetheart and everyone needs a Mr B in their lives! Then there's Ludek the swoon worthy Dr that gives Emily more than a few Butterflies.
There isn't a character I didn't like. Even the ex M.I.L grew on me.
The only thing for me that stopped my 5 stars was the ending. It was a nice ending but I wanted sooo much more. I'm really hoping that the Author continues the story as I NEED to know what happened next 😳
This story will tug on your heart strings.
It's a Heart-warming Story, with a dash of Romance, plenty of community spirit, firm Friendships and some mouth-watering delights. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!
Pretty please bring on Emily's next Adventure!!
I have been in a reading slump since covid and was wanting a light hearted, Fun Romance and I found that in The Little Board Game Café
I absolutely love board games so the title drew me in straight away. I was so excited that I recognised some of the games and some I might have to look into.
This book is all about Second Chances, whether it be love, life, or starting over. It was a story of self discovery, finding inner strength and courage and taking a few leaps of faith...and boy did Emily do a fair bit of that.
Each character was so well written and I have to say Mr B stole my heart, what a sweetheart and everyone needs a Mr B in their lives! Then there's Ludek the swoon worthy Dr that gives Emily more than a few Butterflies.
There isn't a character I didn't like. Even the ex M.I.L grew on me.
The only thing for me that stopped my 5 stars was the ending. It was a nice ending but I wanted sooo much more. I'm really hoping that the Author continues the story as I NEED to know what happened next 😳
This story will tug on your heart strings.
It's a Heart-warming Story, with a dash of Romance, plenty of community spirit, firm Friendships and some mouth-watering delights. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!
Pretty please bring on Emily's next Adventure!!
May 3, 2023
I couldn’t resist this title when it appeared in my social media feed. As a fan of board games and food, I’d be an eager patron of a business that combined the two.
It’s not exactly what Emily had in mind though when, after losing her job and her fiancé, she takes a chance on fulfilling the lifelong dream she had once shared, and hoped to accomplish, with her late mother. In The Little Board Game Cafe Emily uses all her savings to purchases the lease on a cafe just outside of the village centre. It’s a little run down, having been closed for a few months, but the accounts suggest it was recently a thriving concern. After a small facelift, a new menu, and with a new name, Emily confidently launches The Lancashire Hotpot, offering all day breakfasts, lunches, cakes and pies (I had to google Chorley Cakes because I had never heard of them).
I love that Emily finds the courage to take such a big leap. It’s not the most sensible of decisions given she has no formal training or experience either in cooking for a cafe, or running a small business, but she is motivated and enthusiastic. I felt for her as, able to attract barely a handful of customers a day, she realises that failure is a real possibility, but refuses to give up. Emily’s idea to turn things around is inspired, though she only achieves it with a lot of help.
The Little Board Game Cafe has some appealing supporting characters including Emily’s best friend, Kate; regular customers Mr B and Marjory; and later Annie; who offer Emily much needed encouragement and support. The romance that develops between Emily and local GP and board game enthusiast, Ludek, has some really sweet moments, though I wish they had spent a little more time together.
A feel good story about following your dreams, friendship, community and love, The Little Board Game Cafe is an engaging read.
It’s not exactly what Emily had in mind though when, after losing her job and her fiancé, she takes a chance on fulfilling the lifelong dream she had once shared, and hoped to accomplish, with her late mother. In The Little Board Game Cafe Emily uses all her savings to purchases the lease on a cafe just outside of the village centre. It’s a little run down, having been closed for a few months, but the accounts suggest it was recently a thriving concern. After a small facelift, a new menu, and with a new name, Emily confidently launches The Lancashire Hotpot, offering all day breakfasts, lunches, cakes and pies (I had to google Chorley Cakes because I had never heard of them).
I love that Emily finds the courage to take such a big leap. It’s not the most sensible of decisions given she has no formal training or experience either in cooking for a cafe, or running a small business, but she is motivated and enthusiastic. I felt for her as, able to attract barely a handful of customers a day, she realises that failure is a real possibility, but refuses to give up. Emily’s idea to turn things around is inspired, though she only achieves it with a lot of help.
The Little Board Game Cafe has some appealing supporting characters including Emily’s best friend, Kate; regular customers Mr B and Marjory; and later Annie; who offer Emily much needed encouragement and support. The romance that develops between Emily and local GP and board game enthusiast, Ludek, has some really sweet moments, though I wish they had spent a little more time together.
A feel good story about following your dreams, friendship, community and love, The Little Board Game Cafe is an engaging read.
August 24, 2023
There were no surprises in this book but as a lover of romance, board games and Polish food I really enjoyed it. I read it with my partner who I also met through a shared love of board games so it was an extra special experience! I couldn't put this down and read it in 24 hours. Such a cosy read!
January 13, 2023
My first book by this author, and what a delightful read! We meet Emily who pursues her lifelong dream of owning a café! The cafe she chooses though turns out a bit of a nightmare with no passing trade and not many customers, but can it all change when she comes across the idea of introducing board games?
This was a lovely story. I liked Emily’s character and felt quite sorry for her right from the beginning when she loses her job, her house and her fiancé all in one go. I’ve always loved the idea of running a café, so could totally relate to Emily’s enthusiasm for running her own! I loved the idea of having a theme café, and when board games were mentioned and tables were decorated, I could totally see me sitting down for lunch whilst playing a game of draughts or snakes and ladders! Some of the games however I’d never heard of, and to be honest I never realised there were so many different types of board games! I loved Ludek’s character and the surprise of what he was hiding in his house was…well surprising!! He was such a lovely character though and would have loved him as my GP!
The story flowed along at a lovely pace. There was the required romance, lots of café related talk (the Polish food sounded so tasty!) and some heart-warming friendships amongst the regulars to the café. I loved the relationship that Emily had with her dad, and whilst I didn’t really like James initially (or strangely her best friend Kate for that matter!), I did warm to them all as the story moved on. The location was perfectly chosen and the storyline was light-hearted, emotional at times and very easy to read! Grab yourself a latte and sausage and bacon sandwich and settle down to enjoy!
This was a lovely story. I liked Emily’s character and felt quite sorry for her right from the beginning when she loses her job, her house and her fiancé all in one go. I’ve always loved the idea of running a café, so could totally relate to Emily’s enthusiasm for running her own! I loved the idea of having a theme café, and when board games were mentioned and tables were decorated, I could totally see me sitting down for lunch whilst playing a game of draughts or snakes and ladders! Some of the games however I’d never heard of, and to be honest I never realised there were so many different types of board games! I loved Ludek’s character and the surprise of what he was hiding in his house was…well surprising!! He was such a lovely character though and would have loved him as my GP!
The story flowed along at a lovely pace. There was the required romance, lots of café related talk (the Polish food sounded so tasty!) and some heart-warming friendships amongst the regulars to the café. I loved the relationship that Emily had with her dad, and whilst I didn’t really like James initially (or strangely her best friend Kate for that matter!), I did warm to them all as the story moved on. The location was perfectly chosen and the storyline was light-hearted, emotional at times and very easy to read! Grab yourself a latte and sausage and bacon sandwich and settle down to enjoy!
April 10, 2023
From the outside, Emily has it all; a good job, a loving fiancè and a nice home. But this illusion is shattered when she's unexpectedly made redundant... by the man she's about to marry. Cue their break up and a major life crisis!
Realising this may be her only shot to pursue her dream, she takes a risk and buys a small cafè in her town of Essendale, Yorkshire. But the cafe business can be brutal and she struggles to bring in new customers.
Thank goodness for her new friend and GP Ludek who introduces her to the board game community. Changing course, she rebrands her cafe to become 'The Little Board Game Cafè' and is amazed to see the community grow almost instantly.
But when a chain Coffee shop opens on main street, will Emily's cafè survive? Or will she need to walk away from this dream forever?
This was a lovely, sweet read and I enjoyed getting to know the character of Emily. I felt for her over the early loss of her mother and how this affected both she and her father in very different ways. Emily's best friend Kate was the breath of fresh air the story needed, whilst Ludek was a great love interest.
This book was both light and sunny at times, then serious and focused at others. It's a closed door romance and it was definitely a slow burn with a lot of miscommunication. I'll admit that miscommunication isn't my favourite trope, but it made sense for the story.
Thank you to Author @jenniferpagewrites @headofzeus and @netgalley for providing me with this ARC. All opinions are my own and have been provided voluntarily.
Realising this may be her only shot to pursue her dream, she takes a risk and buys a small cafè in her town of Essendale, Yorkshire. But the cafe business can be brutal and she struggles to bring in new customers.
Thank goodness for her new friend and GP Ludek who introduces her to the board game community. Changing course, she rebrands her cafe to become 'The Little Board Game Cafè' and is amazed to see the community grow almost instantly.
But when a chain Coffee shop opens on main street, will Emily's cafè survive? Or will she need to walk away from this dream forever?
This was a lovely, sweet read and I enjoyed getting to know the character of Emily. I felt for her over the early loss of her mother and how this affected both she and her father in very different ways. Emily's best friend Kate was the breath of fresh air the story needed, whilst Ludek was a great love interest.
This book was both light and sunny at times, then serious and focused at others. It's a closed door romance and it was definitely a slow burn with a lot of miscommunication. I'll admit that miscommunication isn't my favourite trope, but it made sense for the story.
Thank you to Author @jenniferpagewrites @headofzeus and @netgalley for providing me with this ARC. All opinions are my own and have been provided voluntarily.
May 29, 2023
She was so incredibly incompetent it wasn’t even funny 😭
February 28, 2023
This book was very sweet! It tells the story of Emily and her dream of opening a cafe. I really enjoyed getting to know Emily’s small town and see the progress of her business. This was a slower read than I typically read, but the pacing fit the storyline and the setting well. I do like how everything tied up very nicely for our characters and side characters’ storylines finished up just as well as main characters.
March 14, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Emily being made redundant at her job and fired by her fiancé start a series of negative events. With encouragement from her friend, she decides to go all in on her dream of owning a café.
Struggling to make the successful café the business of her dreams, she finds inspiration when she meets Ludek, local GP and leader of the local board game group which leads her to revamp her failing business into a board game themed café.
I absolutely adored this book and would recommend. The writing style pulled me in, and the story didn’t let me go. I loved both Emily and Ludek as well as all of the wonderful side characters we meet. (Mr. B. is the cutest!).
The premise of the board games is what initially grabbed my attention and it didn’t disappoint. I loved to see some favorites mentioned and explained within the pages as well as inspiration to try something new.
This is my first book by Jennifer Page and I can’t wait to get my hands on more.
Emily being made redundant at her job and fired by her fiancé start a series of negative events. With encouragement from her friend, she decides to go all in on her dream of owning a café.
Struggling to make the successful café the business of her dreams, she finds inspiration when she meets Ludek, local GP and leader of the local board game group which leads her to revamp her failing business into a board game themed café.
I absolutely adored this book and would recommend. The writing style pulled me in, and the story didn’t let me go. I loved both Emily and Ludek as well as all of the wonderful side characters we meet. (Mr. B. is the cutest!).
The premise of the board games is what initially grabbed my attention and it didn’t disappoint. I loved to see some favorites mentioned and explained within the pages as well as inspiration to try something new.
This is my first book by Jennifer Page and I can’t wait to get my hands on more.
January 16, 2023
A very sweet and enjoyable read! This novel follows the story of Emily - a young woman with a lifelong dream of opening a cafe, but who faces a lot of self-doubt, trauma and challenges along the way. Although the premise of the novel seems very simple, the author does a fantastic job of creating complex, realistic and likeable characters. I was cheering on Emily throughout the story and the plot decisions were very satisfying.
This novel also provides a great commentary on the importance of relationships - family, friends, acquaintances and work colleagues. Although there is an element of romance throughout the novel, Emily's relationships with her dad, clients and other supporting characters throughout the novel were so well written. The author did a commendable job in illustrating how these connections all contribute to our successes and challenges, no matter how small a connection seems to be.
I also love the unique premise of writing about a board game cafe. I love board games and that contributed to my enjoyment of the book. I even picked up a few ideas about new games to buy! However, even readers who are not fans of board games or only know the classic games (Scrabble, snakes and ladders etc) will be able to follow along. Readers who enjoy games, small town stories, stories about friendship, or who are looking for a heartwarming read will surely enjoy this book.
This novel also provides a great commentary on the importance of relationships - family, friends, acquaintances and work colleagues. Although there is an element of romance throughout the novel, Emily's relationships with her dad, clients and other supporting characters throughout the novel were so well written. The author did a commendable job in illustrating how these connections all contribute to our successes and challenges, no matter how small a connection seems to be.
I also love the unique premise of writing about a board game cafe. I love board games and that contributed to my enjoyment of the book. I even picked up a few ideas about new games to buy! However, even readers who are not fans of board games or only know the classic games (Scrabble, snakes and ladders etc) will be able to follow along. Readers who enjoy games, small town stories, stories about friendship, or who are looking for a heartwarming read will surely enjoy this book.
December 3, 2024
There is just so much I want to say, but nothing good I fear. I’ve finished this book AFTER 18 DAYS, IT NEVER TAKES ME THIS LONG.
From the very first page I knew I disliked it. Within the first 20 pages she already described how she shouldn’t be with her fiancé. And then there was more stuff that I found VERY questionable. At the end we get to read that it was just her trauma response, but come on this was on another level of stupid. It made the FMC very annoying. First 100 pages or so was terrible. I couldn’t get past it.
Another thing: I dislike every character, except the mmc and some background characters. The fmc was awful, the bff was awful and so was the dad, the MIL (at some point in the beginning), even Annie (ex- employee from the ex fiancé’s workplace).
Every chapter (and even every few pages) has something that makes the book HORRIBLE. It’s unbelievable how awful this really was. I was excited to read this, because it sounded so cute and the concept of a board game cafe was amazing. THE GOODREADS REVIEWS LIED TO ME. Unbelievable that this was 10x worse than ‘The Spanish Love Deception’. And that was my number one most disliked book…
There’s honestly so much I want to say about this ass book, but I have my updates on here to show HOW bad this all was and that I disliked it for a reason. (If you need to see what I wrote in my updates… well ask and I’ll show you😂).
I hated every SECOND that I was reading this book… I’m convinced that’s not a feeling you should be feeling, but here I was: a stubborn bitch. I had to finish this book. Never touching anything from this author again.
1⭐️
From the very first page I knew I disliked it. Within the first 20 pages she already described how she shouldn’t be with her fiancé. And then there was more stuff that I found VERY questionable. At the end we get to read that it was just her trauma response, but come on this was on another level of stupid. It made the FMC very annoying. First 100 pages or so was terrible. I couldn’t get past it.
Another thing: I dislike every character, except the mmc and some background characters. The fmc was awful, the bff was awful and so was the dad, the MIL (at some point in the beginning), even Annie (ex- employee from the ex fiancé’s workplace).
Every chapter (and even every few pages) has something that makes the book HORRIBLE. It’s unbelievable how awful this really was. I was excited to read this, because it sounded so cute and the concept of a board game cafe was amazing. THE GOODREADS REVIEWS LIED TO ME. Unbelievable that this was 10x worse than ‘The Spanish Love Deception’. And that was my number one most disliked book…
There’s honestly so much I want to say about this ass book, but I have my updates on here to show HOW bad this all was and that I disliked it for a reason. (If you need to see what I wrote in my updates… well ask and I’ll show you😂).
I hated every SECOND that I was reading this book… I’m convinced that’s not a feeling you should be feeling, but here I was: a stubborn bitch. I had to finish this book. Never touching anything from this author again.
1⭐️
July 22, 2025
This was so cute & fun 🥳🍓🩷
November 2, 2024
Lite mys, lite brädspel, inte mycket djup.
February 25, 2024
4.5 out of 5
June 16, 2025
4.5 rounded down.
it was 5 stars until the end, it felt a little bit rushed? but everything else was so good. I got feel good butterflies whilst I was reading and it got me proper in my feels.
deffo recommend for a cosy romance!!
it was 5 stars until the end, it felt a little bit rushed? but everything else was so good. I got feel good butterflies whilst I was reading and it got me proper in my feels.
deffo recommend for a cosy romance!!
December 23, 2022
3.5 ⭐️ After Emily loses her job, fiancé, and home in quick succession, she decides to pursue her life-long dream of owing a cafe. After little foot traffic and customers, she decides to revamp the cafe into a board game cafe in order to attract more customers.
As a board game enthusiast the title and synopsis immediately drew me in. I loved the mention of Azul- my favorite board game! I feel that you can still enjoy this book even if you are not interested in board games. I liked that there was enough detail about board games for those who enjoy them, but not so much detail that it would be overwhelming for those who know nothing about board games.
I enjoyed this book- it was different from a typical romance novel. This book focuses more on Emily’s journey to happiness and turning her dream into a reality, and the romance aspect is secondary. Overall this is an adorable story and had good character development. I also thought the romance was really sweet. Overall, I would recommend this book.
💕“It’s a risk I’m willing to take Em. For you.”💕
Thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for this ARC.
As a board game enthusiast the title and synopsis immediately drew me in. I loved the mention of Azul- my favorite board game! I feel that you can still enjoy this book even if you are not interested in board games. I liked that there was enough detail about board games for those who enjoy them, but not so much detail that it would be overwhelming for those who know nothing about board games.
I enjoyed this book- it was different from a typical romance novel. This book focuses more on Emily’s journey to happiness and turning her dream into a reality, and the romance aspect is secondary. Overall this is an adorable story and had good character development. I also thought the romance was really sweet. Overall, I would recommend this book.
💕“It’s a risk I’m willing to take Em. For you.”💕
Thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for this ARC.
January 5, 2023
A charming book, especially for fans of board games. A sweet romance novel that brought tears to my eyes at times. The FMC was relatable and the character development in all characters was good.
January 19, 2023
This was a cute read!
Emily loses her job, fiancé, and house all within a few days. Hitting rock bottom, she decides to pursue her life long dream of opening a café. The café she opens has low foot traffic, so in an attempt to bring in more customer, she rebrands her café to The Little Board Game Café.
My husband and I LOVE playing board games together, so I was immediately interested in this based on the title and cover. One of my favorite things about this book was all of the different board games mentioned, and the interactions between her customers playing the games. It was fun reading about some of our favorite games to play together, like Wingspan, but I also picked up some board game recommendations just from reading this! (My husband was very excited about this).
I gave this book 3 stars for a few reasons. While I loved some of the characters like Mr. B, Marjory, and Rob, I really disliked other characters, mainly Kate and Emily's dad. Kate was really not a very great friend, and I kept getting annoyed that Emily would apologize to Kate over Kate's wrongdoings and write it off as fine since Kate was allowing her to temporarily stay at her apartment. I also understand Emily's dad's grief, but until the end, it didn't feel like he was very supportive of her. He was all words and no action.
Another reason I decided on 3 stars was the writing style. Some parts of this story were very well written and other parts were just not. I found some of the books climaxes to be very anti-climatic. I also found some parts of this story to be drawn out and other portions that we should have received more detail on felt rushed.
Finally, I did not feel invested in Emily and Ludek's romance. At first, I was swooning. I thought they were absolutely adorable. However, I am not a fan of miscommunication tropes, and their relationship "problems" felt very immature to me.
Overall, I though this was a very heartwarming, cute, and quick read. If you enjoy board games, I think you will enjoy this book!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the eArc of this sweet book!
Emily loses her job, fiancé, and house all within a few days. Hitting rock bottom, she decides to pursue her life long dream of opening a café. The café she opens has low foot traffic, so in an attempt to bring in more customer, she rebrands her café to The Little Board Game Café.
My husband and I LOVE playing board games together, so I was immediately interested in this based on the title and cover. One of my favorite things about this book was all of the different board games mentioned, and the interactions between her customers playing the games. It was fun reading about some of our favorite games to play together, like Wingspan, but I also picked up some board game recommendations just from reading this! (My husband was very excited about this).
I gave this book 3 stars for a few reasons. While I loved some of the characters like Mr. B, Marjory, and Rob, I really disliked other characters, mainly Kate and Emily's dad. Kate was really not a very great friend, and I kept getting annoyed that Emily would apologize to Kate over Kate's wrongdoings and write it off as fine since Kate was allowing her to temporarily stay at her apartment. I also understand Emily's dad's grief, but until the end, it didn't feel like he was very supportive of her. He was all words and no action.
Another reason I decided on 3 stars was the writing style. Some parts of this story were very well written and other parts were just not. I found some of the books climaxes to be very anti-climatic. I also found some parts of this story to be drawn out and other portions that we should have received more detail on felt rushed.
Finally, I did not feel invested in Emily and Ludek's romance. At first, I was swooning. I thought they were absolutely adorable. However, I am not a fan of miscommunication tropes, and their relationship "problems" felt very immature to me.
Overall, I though this was a very heartwarming, cute, and quick read. If you enjoy board games, I think you will enjoy this book!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the eArc of this sweet book!
January 6, 2023
I was immediately attracted by the title of The Little Board Game Cafe and the cute book cover. Some of my favorite social outings in real life have centered around games and I have to add an extra star for the mentions of Carcassonne and pierogi.
The story starts out pretty typically with a heroine on the skids - lost her job, living in a lackluster relationship and no clear future ahead. Emily does have a dream and decides to take a chance. With the support of best friend Kate, hot doctor Ludek and sweet Mr Baranski, Emily survives the pitfalls and challenges of starting a new business. She even maintains a good relationship with her ex James and he supports her efforts too. That was a nice touch.
I did find the romance between Emily and Ludek a bit strange with the push/pull between them. The attraction is there but not the emotion behind it. I wasn't even sure that maybe she was going back to James, but wasn't feeling that either. Actually not a bad plot point if it had been clearer. After all, Emily discovers a love of board games, Ludek even makes a handmade game for her and she tries to master Polish cooking with the help of Mr Baranski.
Overall, I did enjoy reading about the cafe; I wish such a place existed near me because I would definitely become a regular. The story moved along at a good pace and I wanted to see Emily's venture succeed - perhaps even more than her romance. I recommend The Little Board Game Cafe for readers who like a plot with their romance.
Thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer Page and Head of Zeus for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The story starts out pretty typically with a heroine on the skids - lost her job, living in a lackluster relationship and no clear future ahead. Emily does have a dream and decides to take a chance. With the support of best friend Kate, hot doctor Ludek and sweet Mr Baranski, Emily survives the pitfalls and challenges of starting a new business. She even maintains a good relationship with her ex James and he supports her efforts too. That was a nice touch.
I did find the romance between Emily and Ludek a bit strange with the push/pull between them. The attraction is there but not the emotion behind it. I wasn't even sure that maybe she was going back to James, but wasn't feeling that either. Actually not a bad plot point if it had been clearer. After all, Emily discovers a love of board games, Ludek even makes a handmade game for her and she tries to master Polish cooking with the help of Mr Baranski.
Overall, I did enjoy reading about the cafe; I wish such a place existed near me because I would definitely become a regular. The story moved along at a good pace and I wanted to see Emily's venture succeed - perhaps even more than her romance. I recommend The Little Board Game Cafe for readers who like a plot with their romance.
Thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer Page and Head of Zeus for the opportunity to read and review this book.
January 14, 2023
What an enjoyable book this was, my first one by Jennifer Page.
It had been Emily's dream for years to run her own cafe, one where people could come to enjoy themselves, and get wholesome, home-cooked food. When she got fired by her fiance, split up with said fiance, and came across a run down cafe for sale all in a few days, it seemed like the perfect time to take the leap. However, it doesn't turn out exactly as it had in Emily's dreams, and she has to overcome many obstacles if she wants her new cafe to be a success.
I was drawn into this book by the sense of community - Mr B especially was a lovely character. It was great to follow Emily's journey and to watch her grow in confidence with the help of her friends and family, new and old.
The romance was lovely too, but this one was Emily's story, and I was rooting for her the whole way through.
What a lovely read! 💕
Thank you so much to Aria & Aries, Jennifer Page and Netgalley for the ARC.
It had been Emily's dream for years to run her own cafe, one where people could come to enjoy themselves, and get wholesome, home-cooked food. When she got fired by her fiance, split up with said fiance, and came across a run down cafe for sale all in a few days, it seemed like the perfect time to take the leap. However, it doesn't turn out exactly as it had in Emily's dreams, and she has to overcome many obstacles if she wants her new cafe to be a success.
I was drawn into this book by the sense of community - Mr B especially was a lovely character. It was great to follow Emily's journey and to watch her grow in confidence with the help of her friends and family, new and old.
The romance was lovely too, but this one was Emily's story, and I was rooting for her the whole way through.
What a lovely read! 💕
Thank you so much to Aria & Aries, Jennifer Page and Netgalley for the ARC.
August 20, 2023
“The Little Board Game Café” by Jennifer Page. What can I say other than I loved it and read in one day. Who doesn’t want to escape to a small town in the Yorkshire countryside...
The setting of a tiny village called Essendale sounded like just my cup of tea, I could picture it especially as I have visited small villages in England. It had everything you could want in a story friendship, community and love. I adored Mr. B and how he seemed to adopt Em and her cafe. We actually have a board game cafe here in Calgary, Canada, now I must go check it out!
I found the characters to be well developed, and multi-dimensional. It’s a great start to a new series, and I can’t wait to pick up the authors next book!
I will definitely read other books by this author.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Aria and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The setting of a tiny village called Essendale sounded like just my cup of tea, I could picture it especially as I have visited small villages in England. It had everything you could want in a story friendship, community and love. I adored Mr. B and how he seemed to adopt Em and her cafe. We actually have a board game cafe here in Calgary, Canada, now I must go check it out!
I found the characters to be well developed, and multi-dimensional. It’s a great start to a new series, and I can’t wait to pick up the authors next book!
I will definitely read other books by this author.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Aria and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 13, 2023
Is there any better way to start a review than to say that I thought this book was a total delight from beginning to end? The friendships old and new, everyone pulling together when the chips were down, a heroine I adored, its lovely Yorkshire flavour, the gentle humour… and no, I don’t have any particular love for board games (although this book certainly made me want to explore them rather more…), but is there anyone who doesn’t like a cafe? And the loveliest story about turning your life around, finding love and friendship and everything that makes you happy, so beautifully told… my goodness, it was wonderful. And when I find a book I love this much, I immediately want to share the entire story – but I do promise to rein myself in and try not to spoil it for anyone.
Emily and her mum always had a dream of running a cafe together but… well, that wasn’t to be. Instead, she finds herself working at James Ridley Engineering, engaged to the boss and planning their wedding (when her horrendous mother-in-law allows her to) – until she’s very unexpectedly and embarrassingly made redundant, leaves her fiancé after seeing him through different eyes, and finds herself sleeping in her best friend Kate’s spare room, wondering what to do with her life. Until she spots a “for sale” sign on a run down cafe in an Essendale back street – and decides it’s her big chance to follow her dream. At first things are difficult – although the books looked good, the customers (other than Mr B, for his daily cuppa and a Chorley cake) just don’t come in, and she doesn’t know how she can carry on.
Meanwhile, friend Kate is over the moon to have Emily as her wingman again while she searches in vain for the man of her dreams – and that’s how they find themselves at the local running club, where Emily meets local GP (and board game enthusiast) Ludek. When his board game club has nowhere to hold their meetings, she offers them the use of the cafe – and that leads to the idea of giving it a USP (Kate works in marketing…) and turning it into a board game cafe, with a launch event that hits the papers and the customers start to come through the door. But there are clouds on the horizon – as well as another very popular cafe on the main street, there’s news of a Costa about to open nearby – before Emily finds herself having to face up to the likely end of her dream.
There’s SO much more to the story than that – and one of the things I really loved about it was its wonderfully drawn characters and the friendship and support they provided. Emily’s relationship with the wonderful Mr B was just so lovely – and, rather surprisingly, her ex and his mother came good too. And her friendship with Ludek, slowly building (perhaps…) into something rather more, was just gorgeous, absolutely everything I wanted it to be – but, as you’d expect, with a few obstacles and misunderstandings along the way.
There’s a tremendous warmth about the story’s telling – every single character, no matter how minor, is entirely real and comes to life on the page. Everything is beautifully paced, with the perfect emotional touch – the friendship and romance, but also a really lovely focus on family – and along with the occasional tears and frustration, there’s plenty of gentle humour too, the one-liners that made me laugh out loud, the set pieces that sometimes have you reading through your fingers when things go badly wrong. The Yorkshire setting is just wonderful – we learn early on that Esssendale is the kind of place where you greet people with an “Eyup” even if you don’t know them, and I felt right at home there.
And then there are the board games – as a central theme, that’s quite inspired. You can really feel the passion the different individuals have for their game-playing – and the way Ludek gently cares for his own games speaks volumes about the man himself. And it’s all rather infectious – even I, who’ve only ever played Monopoly and the occasional Trivial Pursuit at Christmas, found myself on Google looking at a few games I’d never heard of before, and really enjoying what I found. And, of course, where there’s a cafe, there’s plenty of delicious food too – some of it less familiar, with a little more googling around pierogi and pączki, but also to find out what Annie’s cakes based on meeples would have looked like!
I really loved this book – but I’m sure you can tell, can’t you? And the fact that it’s the author’s debut takes my breath away – it’s a book she must be immensely proud of, and I can’t wait to see what she does next. One of my books of the year – and I couldn’t recommend it more highly.
Emily and her mum always had a dream of running a cafe together but… well, that wasn’t to be. Instead, she finds herself working at James Ridley Engineering, engaged to the boss and planning their wedding (when her horrendous mother-in-law allows her to) – until she’s very unexpectedly and embarrassingly made redundant, leaves her fiancé after seeing him through different eyes, and finds herself sleeping in her best friend Kate’s spare room, wondering what to do with her life. Until she spots a “for sale” sign on a run down cafe in an Essendale back street – and decides it’s her big chance to follow her dream. At first things are difficult – although the books looked good, the customers (other than Mr B, for his daily cuppa and a Chorley cake) just don’t come in, and she doesn’t know how she can carry on.
Meanwhile, friend Kate is over the moon to have Emily as her wingman again while she searches in vain for the man of her dreams – and that’s how they find themselves at the local running club, where Emily meets local GP (and board game enthusiast) Ludek. When his board game club has nowhere to hold their meetings, she offers them the use of the cafe – and that leads to the idea of giving it a USP (Kate works in marketing…) and turning it into a board game cafe, with a launch event that hits the papers and the customers start to come through the door. But there are clouds on the horizon – as well as another very popular cafe on the main street, there’s news of a Costa about to open nearby – before Emily finds herself having to face up to the likely end of her dream.
There’s SO much more to the story than that – and one of the things I really loved about it was its wonderfully drawn characters and the friendship and support they provided. Emily’s relationship with the wonderful Mr B was just so lovely – and, rather surprisingly, her ex and his mother came good too. And her friendship with Ludek, slowly building (perhaps…) into something rather more, was just gorgeous, absolutely everything I wanted it to be – but, as you’d expect, with a few obstacles and misunderstandings along the way.
There’s a tremendous warmth about the story’s telling – every single character, no matter how minor, is entirely real and comes to life on the page. Everything is beautifully paced, with the perfect emotional touch – the friendship and romance, but also a really lovely focus on family – and along with the occasional tears and frustration, there’s plenty of gentle humour too, the one-liners that made me laugh out loud, the set pieces that sometimes have you reading through your fingers when things go badly wrong. The Yorkshire setting is just wonderful – we learn early on that Esssendale is the kind of place where you greet people with an “Eyup” even if you don’t know them, and I felt right at home there.
And then there are the board games – as a central theme, that’s quite inspired. You can really feel the passion the different individuals have for their game-playing – and the way Ludek gently cares for his own games speaks volumes about the man himself. And it’s all rather infectious – even I, who’ve only ever played Monopoly and the occasional Trivial Pursuit at Christmas, found myself on Google looking at a few games I’d never heard of before, and really enjoying what I found. And, of course, where there’s a cafe, there’s plenty of delicious food too – some of it less familiar, with a little more googling around pierogi and pączki, but also to find out what Annie’s cakes based on meeples would have looked like!
I really loved this book – but I’m sure you can tell, can’t you? And the fact that it’s the author’s debut takes my breath away – it’s a book she must be immensely proud of, and I can’t wait to see what she does next. One of my books of the year – and I couldn’t recommend it more highly.
March 30, 2024
The Little Board Game Café is the debut novel by Jennifer Page and yes it has taken me some time to get around to reading as it was published around this time last year but better late than never as they say. It also means that I have book two to catch up on and book three will be published in June. So perhaps waiting to read this wonderful and engaging read has paid off as I read can read the books more or less one after the other instead of patiently waiting for each book to be published. I loved the cover for The Little Board Game Café as it was so bright and colourful and it reminded me of the Love Heart Lane series by Christie Barlow and yes having now read this books I do thinks fans of Christie will love Jennifer’s writing. I’ve read lots of books set in cafes or shops etc that need renovating or something drastic must be done to make them survive and to be honest I am a sucker for this genre. But this book was different, original and inventive as it focused on a board game café. Such a unique idea and if you weren’t a fan of board games prior to reading this then you definitely will be by the time you reach the end.
The prologue introduces us to Emily who as a teenager works in the same café as her mum Trixie during her summer holidays. Emily would wait tables and Trixie would run the kitchen. Their dream was to one day open up their own café together but one fateful summer a fortnight after she returned to school her life totally changed and that aspiration was no longer a possibility. Fast forward many years later and Emily is having a very bad day. She has just been let go from her job. Admittedly she had never wanted to work there or really fitted in but the fact that it was her fiancée, James who did the firing makes it a bit of a bitter pill to swallow.
Following the bad morning Emily wanders through the village of Essendale where she has lived for three years. She ventures down a street she has never gone to before. Here she spots a building with a sign saying Nico’s café is for sale and as we know from the prologue her dream has always been to have a café of her own but can she do it without her mum who was meant to be by her side? It’s clear from the outset that Emily is not someone who likes taking risks and let’s be honest you have to have a certain strength and inner confidence about you in order to do that. Having a boyfriend in James who is so uptight and wants to mould her into someone else doesn’t help her really either. So I was glad when they split up within the first few chapters as it meant the focus really could be on Emily and her next moves. I was delighted when Emily bit the bullet and used her inheritance to buy the lease on the café.
Emily really stepped out of her comfort zone when she took on the café and it takes great courage and grit to do this especially has she had no formal food qualifications but what she lacks in this area she makes up for in enthusiasm, eagerness, energy and passion. But will that be enough? As when she opens up the café under the new name of The Lancashire Hotpot, the costumers fail to materialise. Only for one regular named Stan who I felt was coming through a sense of routine for him rather than any real loyalty to Emily. Although that does change over time and the friendship that developed between the two was lovely. I don’t think without Stan and some of the others that Emily comes to know would she have continued on the way she did. Despite tasty and delectable cakes and savouries the costumers just don’t come through the door. The Café is off the beaten track and as the days pass by Emily becomes more and more despondent as she can see her dreams dissipating before her very eyes.
When best friend Kate makes Emily join a running group with her it’s not Emily’s idea of fun, but she does meet GP Ludek and instantly I could see she her interest was aroused. Ludek is part of a board games group that takes place at the local pub and he invites her to attend. This is when the book really began to take off and the title starts to come into play. To some people the topic of board games might seem a bit nerdy and boring but it wasn’t at all. What made it different from the norm and that little bit more exciting is that a whole new world was opened up for Emily as traditional games like Monopoly and Buckaroo etc although fun and mentioned here, were not exactly what Ludek and his fellow board gamers played. Such inventive games were mentioned and the seriousness with which they took everything astounded Emily and she was drawn into a world she knew nothing about.
In doing so she started to really connect with Ludek although for a lot of the story I felt he held himself back a bit and yes he was slightly obsessive when it came to his own personal board games that filled his house but at the same time that was a sweet side to him as well. One evening when the pub is double booked for the board game club Emily steps in and volunteers to hold it at the café. Soon she realises she needs a unique selling point to try and attract customers to the café or otherwise she will have to shut up shop but she is not about to go down without a fight. Having the board game cub at the café sparks an idea and she decides to rebrand the café as The Little Board Game café and with the help of Stan and some others she sets about transforming her little café.
I really enjoyed reading these scenes as the author let her creative mind let rip with all the quirky details included in the café. I was desperately hoping that things would be a success for Emily and was rooting for her all the way. She comes up against many obstacles and setbacks many of which were very interesting and added some drama to the story, but she kept plodding on and this made me admire her more and more. The Ludek strand of the story developed nicely even if it was a little bit predictable at times with crossed wires, misunderstandings and times when you wanted to give the pair a good shake. Will they realise that they both actually like each other? Will the board game café succeed, or will it become another statistic in the ever growing list of shop closures? You’ll have to read this delightful book yourself in order to discover the answers?
The Little Board Game Café, was just such a lovely book to read. It had the right balance of angst and needing to work hard to achieve something combined with lots of moments of laughter, comradery and or course romance. Emily, takes brave steps and learns to not let what’s happened in your past hold you back in your present and it’s advice we can all take on board. Jennifer Page has demonstrated through this heartfelt, appealing and warm story that she is a talented author that will go far in the future. This was a great debut read and I am delighted now that I can get stuck into book two, Love Letters on Hazel Lane and Second Chances at the Board Game Café will be another one to look forward to as well.
The prologue introduces us to Emily who as a teenager works in the same café as her mum Trixie during her summer holidays. Emily would wait tables and Trixie would run the kitchen. Their dream was to one day open up their own café together but one fateful summer a fortnight after she returned to school her life totally changed and that aspiration was no longer a possibility. Fast forward many years later and Emily is having a very bad day. She has just been let go from her job. Admittedly she had never wanted to work there or really fitted in but the fact that it was her fiancée, James who did the firing makes it a bit of a bitter pill to swallow.
Following the bad morning Emily wanders through the village of Essendale where she has lived for three years. She ventures down a street she has never gone to before. Here she spots a building with a sign saying Nico’s café is for sale and as we know from the prologue her dream has always been to have a café of her own but can she do it without her mum who was meant to be by her side? It’s clear from the outset that Emily is not someone who likes taking risks and let’s be honest you have to have a certain strength and inner confidence about you in order to do that. Having a boyfriend in James who is so uptight and wants to mould her into someone else doesn’t help her really either. So I was glad when they split up within the first few chapters as it meant the focus really could be on Emily and her next moves. I was delighted when Emily bit the bullet and used her inheritance to buy the lease on the café.
Emily really stepped out of her comfort zone when she took on the café and it takes great courage and grit to do this especially has she had no formal food qualifications but what she lacks in this area she makes up for in enthusiasm, eagerness, energy and passion. But will that be enough? As when she opens up the café under the new name of The Lancashire Hotpot, the costumers fail to materialise. Only for one regular named Stan who I felt was coming through a sense of routine for him rather than any real loyalty to Emily. Although that does change over time and the friendship that developed between the two was lovely. I don’t think without Stan and some of the others that Emily comes to know would she have continued on the way she did. Despite tasty and delectable cakes and savouries the costumers just don’t come through the door. The Café is off the beaten track and as the days pass by Emily becomes more and more despondent as she can see her dreams dissipating before her very eyes.
When best friend Kate makes Emily join a running group with her it’s not Emily’s idea of fun, but she does meet GP Ludek and instantly I could see she her interest was aroused. Ludek is part of a board games group that takes place at the local pub and he invites her to attend. This is when the book really began to take off and the title starts to come into play. To some people the topic of board games might seem a bit nerdy and boring but it wasn’t at all. What made it different from the norm and that little bit more exciting is that a whole new world was opened up for Emily as traditional games like Monopoly and Buckaroo etc although fun and mentioned here, were not exactly what Ludek and his fellow board gamers played. Such inventive games were mentioned and the seriousness with which they took everything astounded Emily and she was drawn into a world she knew nothing about.
In doing so she started to really connect with Ludek although for a lot of the story I felt he held himself back a bit and yes he was slightly obsessive when it came to his own personal board games that filled his house but at the same time that was a sweet side to him as well. One evening when the pub is double booked for the board game club Emily steps in and volunteers to hold it at the café. Soon she realises she needs a unique selling point to try and attract customers to the café or otherwise she will have to shut up shop but she is not about to go down without a fight. Having the board game cub at the café sparks an idea and she decides to rebrand the café as The Little Board Game café and with the help of Stan and some others she sets about transforming her little café.
I really enjoyed reading these scenes as the author let her creative mind let rip with all the quirky details included in the café. I was desperately hoping that things would be a success for Emily and was rooting for her all the way. She comes up against many obstacles and setbacks many of which were very interesting and added some drama to the story, but she kept plodding on and this made me admire her more and more. The Ludek strand of the story developed nicely even if it was a little bit predictable at times with crossed wires, misunderstandings and times when you wanted to give the pair a good shake. Will they realise that they both actually like each other? Will the board game café succeed, or will it become another statistic in the ever growing list of shop closures? You’ll have to read this delightful book yourself in order to discover the answers?
The Little Board Game Café, was just such a lovely book to read. It had the right balance of angst and needing to work hard to achieve something combined with lots of moments of laughter, comradery and or course romance. Emily, takes brave steps and learns to not let what’s happened in your past hold you back in your present and it’s advice we can all take on board. Jennifer Page has demonstrated through this heartfelt, appealing and warm story that she is a talented author that will go far in the future. This was a great debut read and I am delighted now that I can get stuck into book two, Love Letters on Hazel Lane and Second Chances at the Board Game Café will be another one to look forward to as well.
April 15, 2023
Wow! I am so lucky to have stumbled upon this book that combined some of my favorite things (coffee, board games, England, and romance) into one cozy, heart-warming book. I adore table-top board games and many of my weekend hours are spent playing games like Ticket to Ride and others. I am also part of a Dungeons and Dragon campaign that has been going on for five years. So yes, board games are my thing and I really enjoyed this debut novel by Jennifer Page.
This book follows Emily, a young woman, as she navigates through unemployment, launching a cafe business, and budding romance. Though Emily was a bit naive at some points in the book, overall I liked her. She remains passionate about her dreams and has flaws that are relatable. This is not a how-to start a cafe business book and shouldn’t be read as such. It’s a fun, light hearted read that requires you dispel a bit of disbelief and cynicism. Page included tidbits throughout the book that enriched the story. For example, readers get a glimpse of the books on Emily’s night stand table as a way to gauge what’s really on her mind. Also, included are short descriptions of the board games played and from what I can tell, except for the game that Ludek gifted Emily, the games are all real! I loved this component and appreciated that the author researched board games. Many of these games like Dinner at Paris, Wasabi, and A La Carte I’ve added to my TBP (to be played) list. Overall, this is a charming book that I highly recommend for purchasing by public libraries serving adults.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria for the complimentary digital copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions shared are my own. This ebook is available on April 13, 2023 and the paperback version is set to be released on June 23, 2023.
This book follows Emily, a young woman, as she navigates through unemployment, launching a cafe business, and budding romance. Though Emily was a bit naive at some points in the book, overall I liked her. She remains passionate about her dreams and has flaws that are relatable. This is not a how-to start a cafe business book and shouldn’t be read as such. It’s a fun, light hearted read that requires you dispel a bit of disbelief and cynicism. Page included tidbits throughout the book that enriched the story. For example, readers get a glimpse of the books on Emily’s night stand table as a way to gauge what’s really on her mind. Also, included are short descriptions of the board games played and from what I can tell, except for the game that Ludek gifted Emily, the games are all real! I loved this component and appreciated that the author researched board games. Many of these games like Dinner at Paris, Wasabi, and A La Carte I’ve added to my TBP (to be played) list. Overall, this is a charming book that I highly recommend for purchasing by public libraries serving adults.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria for the complimentary digital copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions shared are my own. This ebook is available on April 13, 2023 and the paperback version is set to be released on June 23, 2023.
March 26, 2023
This was a really lovely story to read. Having lost her job, her house and her fiance she decides that it is finally time to follow her dream. When her mum was alive it was a dream they both shared, to own and run their own cafe. Taking the plunge, she spots a small cafe, it has potential.
Following Emily, as she negotiates a new business and the tables in her new cafe was wonderful. She soon has her rose-tinted glasses removed as she discovers that the business isn't all the books made it out to be. She does have customers, well some days she may have as many as 2! Gradually with the help of the local GP, she manages to find her niche, something that makes her cafe memorable. As you have probably guessed from the title, that niche is board games. I never realised there were so many different games until I read this book.
With the help of a handful of people, the cafe starts to blossom, but just as she starts to feel a little more confident, once again the rug is pulled from under her feet.
With mentions of sumptuous food and delightful sounding colour and decor schemes for the cafe, the author has created a cafe that sounds wonderful. Adding in a colourful array of characters and various troubling scenarios to bring a woman's dream to reality was an interesting one to follow.
There is a really lovely will they/ won't they romance thread in this book, it was a nice one to follow and I was never sure how this was going to pan out.
A lovely story and one that if you are a fan of contemporary fiction and romance stories, I do think that you will enjoy this one. I would happily recommend this story.
Following Emily, as she negotiates a new business and the tables in her new cafe was wonderful. She soon has her rose-tinted glasses removed as she discovers that the business isn't all the books made it out to be. She does have customers, well some days she may have as many as 2! Gradually with the help of the local GP, she manages to find her niche, something that makes her cafe memorable. As you have probably guessed from the title, that niche is board games. I never realised there were so many different games until I read this book.
With the help of a handful of people, the cafe starts to blossom, but just as she starts to feel a little more confident, once again the rug is pulled from under her feet.
With mentions of sumptuous food and delightful sounding colour and decor schemes for the cafe, the author has created a cafe that sounds wonderful. Adding in a colourful array of characters and various troubling scenarios to bring a woman's dream to reality was an interesting one to follow.
There is a really lovely will they/ won't they romance thread in this book, it was a nice one to follow and I was never sure how this was going to pan out.
A lovely story and one that if you are a fan of contemporary fiction and romance stories, I do think that you will enjoy this one. I would happily recommend this story.
February 17, 2023
A sweet little rom-com about taking risks and pursuing your dreams.
Emily, after unexpectedly finding herself in a new stage of life, decides to take a leap and finally open the cafe that she and her mother always dreamed about.
My favourite things about this book were as such:
1. Mr. B
2. The food (I saved quite a few recipes - determined to make chorley cakes now)
3. Board games (my list of to play/buy is getting rather long, and I'm not mad about it)
I loved the detail that went into the food and the board games. It really helped to set the stage! And Mr. B was a charming, lovely way to give Emily the pushes she needed to continue.
My main gripe is with Emily herself - I found her to be oddly judgmental and, to be quite frank, confusing. Her problems, or at least the way she described them, felt surface level, and at times her outlook was so bleak that it was hard to feel much sympathy. It's hard to fully enjoy a story when you stop rooting for the protagonist halfway through.
That being said, I definitely enjoyed my experience reading this, and I'd recommend if you're looking for something cozy! The setting, side characters, and (again) the board games were a lot of fun.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria and Aries for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Emily, after unexpectedly finding herself in a new stage of life, decides to take a leap and finally open the cafe that she and her mother always dreamed about.
My favourite things about this book were as such:
1. Mr. B
2. The food (I saved quite a few recipes - determined to make chorley cakes now)
3. Board games (my list of to play/buy is getting rather long, and I'm not mad about it)
I loved the detail that went into the food and the board games. It really helped to set the stage! And Mr. B was a charming, lovely way to give Emily the pushes she needed to continue.
My main gripe is with Emily herself - I found her to be oddly judgmental and, to be quite frank, confusing. Her problems, or at least the way she described them, felt surface level, and at times her outlook was so bleak that it was hard to feel much sympathy. It's hard to fully enjoy a story when you stop rooting for the protagonist halfway through.
That being said, I definitely enjoyed my experience reading this, and I'd recommend if you're looking for something cozy! The setting, side characters, and (again) the board games were a lot of fun.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria and Aries for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
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