Mix together: One billionaire with an agenda One quirky, single mom, coffee shop owner A healthy splash of enemies-to-lovers and You've Got Mail vibes Shake well And you've made a delicious cup of Caffeine Kisses & Winter Wishes!
But is it a recipe for disaster, or happily ever after??
Kayla's a single mom coffee shop owner struggling to keep her business afloat and a roof over her daughter's head.
Enemy Number One? A greedy billionaire who's about to buy her building and raise everyone's rents.
Her luck seems about to change when she meets Drew, a handsome newcomer, and offers to show him the town. What starts as a friendship with sparks quickly turns to romance as Drew gains Kayla's trust by helping her stand up to her ex and improve her business.
Only Drew's not who he seems. Was everything a lie? Find out in Caffeine Kisses and Winter Wishes!
Welcome to The Coffee Loft, a place where romance is always brewing.
Grab your favorite table over in the corner and be prepared to be swept off your feet. This multi-author collection features some of your favorite sweet romance authors that you already know and love as well as a few new names you'll be rushing to check out.
From cold brews to cappuccinos and frothy frappes, there's something on the menu for every romantic comedy reader. Fake dates, meddling matchmakers, friends-to-lovers and so much more, each stand-alone story is the right blend of sweet, guaranteed to warm your heart.
Hi! I'm an Ohio girl (go Bucks!) transplanted to the Pacific Northwest. I love small town America, food-based festivals, and happily-ever-afters. I write each book to give you a big helping of both love and laughter.
I most frequently can be found on Facebook, where I share funny tidbits from my life and free/sale sweet romance. I also have a newsletter that I send two or three times a month - you can join at subscribepage.io/applecreetsweet
Thanks for reading my stories and I look forward to hearing from you!
Loved this sweet secret identity enemies to lovers❤️ I loved Drew & Kayla together! Especially how she soften him and helped him to see another side of himself. Loved how he fell for her🥰 another fun addition to the Coffee Loft series!
Told in dual points of view, this sweet and swoon romance has a lot packed in between its pages. Audrey Carnes has done a sublime job of creating a realistic , engaging ,romantic story. Cinderella trope :- Kayla is a 35 year old single mum to Rose , though her deadbeat ex husband is still around in the background. Her other baby is her Coffee Loft shop, she has owned for 3 years . Her specialty drinks see an endless steady stream of customers , yet her financial liquidity is running short . She refuses to give in however especially when John A. Hayworth III threatens to buy and take over the corporate building that her Loft is in. She’s instrumental in rallying the other businesses to not take it lying down…. Prince Charming trope:- Drew is a self made billionaire, brought up by a single mom after the CEO she had a relationship with turned his back on her and her unborn child. That child is now out for ultimate retribution, bring the man he despises to his knees by taking away the only baby he recognises …his wealth and business. When Drew enters the Coffee Loft one day he’s mesmerised by Kayla, he almost forgot his reason for being there. She makes delicious coffee and stirs his very soul. Kayla is instantly attracted to this enigmatic stranger and hopes he’ll be staying around. When they plan to meet up, his assistant warns him he’s playing with fire. But Drew is drawn to Kayla like a moth to a flame. Kayla and Drew grow close he even introduces her and her young daughter to Tinkerbell his teacup Yorkie , and he helps her out with the rallying and tips for her business even acting as her protector. Her bold knight. When it turns out he’s the wolf in sheep’s clothing , it doesn’t bode well for the billionaire. Does he ship out or weigh anchor on these shores? This one’s a weepy , so tissues at the ready . Do they don’t they find happiness together or is it a definite never!? A rollercoaster wave of emotions abound in this awesome, real world problems romance. Very well written with the right balance of whirlwind romance and realistic angst mixed with a dash of cuteness overload. I was hooked from beginning to end and invested in their story. Inspired! The characters are realistic with good background depth. Rose is sooo cute and adorable . The narratives and descriptions perfect. A truly immersive, compelling reading experience.
Caffeine Kisses & Winter Wishes is Audrey Carnes' latest sweet romance. It was also my introduction her writing, and I'll be trying to read her entire backlist ASAP. I haven't read the rest of the Coffee Loft series, but this one can easily be read as a standalone (although I'll also be looking for the rest of the series!).
For years, Kayla's life has revolved around her coffee shop. It's kept her going and given her purpose while raising her daughter alone. Her experience with her deadbeat ex-husband has left her struggling to trust and unable to ask others for help when she needs it. And now her shop is in danger: a billionaire is buying the building and google searches have shown her just how ruthless this man can be. Enter Drew, a handsome newcomer who walks into her shop to order a cup of coffee one morning. Kayla is instantly drawn to the mysterious man and the two quickly form a friendship, despite Drew's insistence that his stay will be short-lived. Drew finds himself torn between his goals and the woman he is beginning to fall for. And his biggest secret has the potential to tear their budding relationship apart...forever.
Kayla and Drew's story is told in dual POV. Despite being a fast-paced novella, the story didn't feel rushed or unrealistic. I was drawn into the story from the very first line and thoroughly enjoyed every page. Kayla's coffee shop sounded like the perfect place to relax with a hot cup of coffee and a good book, and it was easy to see why she loved it so much. Her daughter, Rose, was a fun little side character and such a great addition to the storyline. Both Drew and Kayla experienced so much character growth throughout the book and I especially enjoyed seeing Drew realize what truly mattered in life.
I would rate this one 4.5/5 stars. It was such a fun, easy read; exactly what I needed during a busy week.
*As a member of the launch team, I received a complimentary copy of Caffeine Kisses & Winter Wishes. All thoughts and opinions are my own. My positive review is not required.
I am having such a wonderful time with the sweet little RomCom reads in this series. If you haven’t checked any of them out yet, I highly recommend that you do. On average it seems each is only around 200 pages or less, so they’re the perfect bingeable size.
“From the bright lights and low thrum of conversation to the smell of roasting coffee beans and the blast of the espresso machine, there’s nothing I love more than a coffee shop. Luckily for me, I get to call this one mine.”
Tell me you don’t want to just jump right in from the “aroma” of that opening sentence? She goes on to describe the retro and eclectic feel of her shop. Sounds like one I’d want to be hanging out at. Unfortunately for Kayla, her little coffee spot is on the brink of bankruptcy and threatening to be bought out by some billionaire is about to buy the entire complex out from under them and raise everyone’s rent. Kayla is a single mom – recently divorced. She’s stuck in an ugly custody battle with her ex so the future of her business hanging in the balance is not the added stress she needs right now.
Enter Drew – the new guy in town who comes in for coffee one day. He’s impressed with the coffee…and with Kayla, who offers to show him around town. Their friendship quickly develops into something deeper, but the secret that Drew is hiding is bound to blow up in his face sooner or later.
This was a sweet and fun page turner! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
For more reviews and bookish content, be sure to follow me on Instagram at: aliciasbooksanctuary
I loved this story. When a billionaire tries to buy a building where single mom, Kayla lives and works, she decides she needs to do something about it. Her coffee shop is her baby. It is what pays her bills and supports her young daughter. She’s struggling as it is to keep her shop opened. When she meets Drew, a handsome newcomer Kayla is attracted to him. She hasn’t felt like that in a long time. Never with her ex husband. Drew fails to tell her who he is. It is revenge for his mother who struggled as a single parent. The man who owns it is Drew’s biological father. Not that he’s met him. Drew was denied by that man. Slowly Drew has been buying everything owned by his father from underneath him. This is the last one his father owns. Can he make a deal with the devil? Can he keep his secret? What will happen when Kayla she finds out who he is? They have been hanging out together and he’s starting to have feelings for her and her daughter. What will happen? Drew offers to help Kayla with her books? Drew seems to think something isn’t quite right? She’s always full of customers. Surely she can turn it around? Thanks to Drew he was able to show her that problem. Someone was stealing from her. She thinks she knows who it it. At least Drew really does care. He’s kind and loving. Will she forgive him when she finds out the truth? A lie is a lie. The story had me rooting for all of the characters. Awesome read. I received this book for my honest review. I give it voluntarily.
Caffeine Kisses and Winter Wishes is part of the Coffee Loft series. This is a multi-author series, with each book being able to be enjoyed in any order or as standalones.
I've got to be honest... I wasn't sure how I felt about Drew at first! I don't want to give too much away... but well, it just seemed like he might turn out to be the bad guy in this story and I really wasn't sure how he'd manage to redeem himself! But as the story goes on, we see that there is definitely more going on and as we get to know him better... well, he managed to win me over in the end! Despite that initial hesitation, I found that I really enjoyed the chemistry between these two and I rooted for them to be able to work things out. It felt very much like a Hallmark story on the pages--- in absolutely the best way possible.
Though it was overall a fairly lighthearted story, there were some brief mentions of tougher topics like verbal abuse, but I felt like it was handled very gracefully.
Caffeine Kisses and Winter Wishes is a closed-door romance with kisses only.
**ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.
loved Kayla and Drew's story, this is another great Coffee Loft book. Kayla is a single mom trying to raise her daughter and run her coffee shop business. The men in her life are trying to take her down. Drew is a hard working businessman that wants to be the next billionaire and wants to buy the historical building where the coffee shop is located. Kayla is not going down without a fight. I love how Drew falls for her and wants to protect her. I would love to see this historical building. This is the first time I have read a book by this author and I really enjoyed this this clean, romance.
Caffeine Kisses and Winter Wishes is the eleventh release in the totally hot, multi-author The Coffee Loft Series. Each is standalone which are connected by their being set in a Coffee Loft franchise. Some are related to one or more of the authors' books/series.
My first experience with this author, I was truly impressed by the writing and editing of Audrey Carnes. This sweet rom-com has awesome characters including a precocious eight-year-old and a tiny Yorkie.
This is a sweet and wholesome quick read which will have you laughing and wishing for a latte! Definitely recommend!
I enjoyed this story as Kayla and Drew grew into love. I like that Drew was present and helpful and that he showed his feelings. I liked the Kayla was honest and upfront about her problems and her feelings. I liked that even when she felt hurt and betrayed, Kayla was finally able to open her eyes and her heart, and accept that people make mistakes, even big ones, and it’s OK, and that hopefully they can be forgiven and truly accepted again. I hope you read this book.
This might be my top favorite out of the series. The story was entertaining, witty, and down to earth. Lies and betrayal are part of every day problems, and although Drew made some majors mistakes, I think it humbled him and made him a better man. You could hopefully say the same thing about a couple other characters in the story. Kayla had learned to fight for herself and her daughter and I applauded her strength. I really appreciate the clean romance. It is also free from foul language. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Caffeine Kisses and Winter Wishes is a clean, charming, You’ve Got Mail inspired, romantic comedy. I immediately fell in love with both Drew and Kayla. Granted Drew should have told Kayla what his company really did sooner, but Ms. Carnes redeems him in before the end! This delightful tale kept me from my housework as I just kept reading “one more page”! I love the growth of both the main characters. Do not miss this great addition to The Coffee Loft series!
What can I say, yet another brilliant addition to the absolutely unmissable series. Kayla is a single mom who is at risk of losing her wonderful coffee loft shop. After her useless ex left her and their daughter, then her parents told her she was silly to even consider opening her own shop, nobody actually believed in her abilities to succeed. Now she risks losing as a new possible owner to the building is trying to take over all the businesses. But she wouldn't go down without a fight. Drew was desperate for this deal to go through he would finally make it into the Billionaire's world. After growing up with a mum who worked two jobs to support them both he's done everything he can to repay her hard work. I loved everything about this story Drew was constantly trying to prove his worth and carefully keeping himself behind the scenes, keeping secrets he didn't want to admit. Until Kayla asks him out and then everything changes. Make yourself one of your favourite coffees and sit back and enjoy a story you really don't want to miss. Can't wait for the next book in this wonderful series
I absolutely loved this book! Drew is definitely a keeper! Both he and Kayla have secrets that are tough! The the relationship development was wonderful! The make up after turmoil was so worth reading the heart wrenching tough parts! Such a great book!
Cute quick read! I went in not knowing much about it and was sooo glad it was more of a small town billionaire (but not quite) feel (without only being small town storyline). This author is new to me and I can't wait to read more.
Kayla is the owner of The Coffee Loft, a popular eclectic coffee shop that is struggling to make ends meet. Her building is going to be bought out by a billionaire, and Kayla just knows that will be the end of her business. While she plans a way to stop the sale, in walks Drew to turn her life upside down and sweep her off her feet. It turns out that they are perfect for each other, but Drew is hiding a very big secret that could destroy everything.
Read this if you like: ✔️Fun meet cute ✔️"Not-a-Date" dates ✔️Sweet "sidekicks" ✔️Dashing main male character ✔️Witty banter
I loved the depth and layers that Kayla and Drew were written with in a relatively short story. They both have some history of trauma and you get to ride the wave of them figuring out how to move past it. A lot of their strength is found in their unexpected partnership. It's really well done and I couldn't put it down.
Another wonderful Coffee Loft story! Kayla and Drew are so much fun together, right from the start! I laughed at all of the fun activities Kayla dragged Drew to, and seeing him go with the flow. Coming from two different worlds makes it so interesting, and seeing Drew come to her rescue more than once was so swoony! Throw in a little 3rd quarter drama and this book is a 5 star winner for me!
I started this book over a nice cup of coffee, and couldn’t put it down. Loved the story, and the characters were easy to relate to. Such a cute and cozy book that hit me right in the feels.
Another wonderful story in The Coffee Loft series! I loved the addition of a stay at home mom meeting just the most wholesome and sweet guy. The overbearing secret of who he really is upped the drama in this one which was perfect, and while I knew things were going to eventually come out whether he wanted to or not, I love the follow up of her not forgiving him so easily. Trust is hard to get back and I really wanted him to get it back! A sweet feel good love story all around!
That book was such a good read! It is a novella (very short book), it's fast paced and it's a standalone. It's perfect to get out of a reading slump, if you want a fast read or even as a palet cleanser if you read a lot of "heavier" books.
The story is about Kayla, a coffee shop owner who is fighting against the almost-billionaire who wants to buy the building her buisness is in.
The story is funny and you really get to feel all the emotions the author infused in it. The characters have really great banter, chemistry and there's a little bit of grovel that we all like!
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good fluffy romance book🤍
I loved Kayla’s and Drew journey together! This is a sweet and enduring read if you are looking for something clean and wholesome to read. I love that Kayla was the first to ask Drew out which is something not as common and how unapologetic she was when she did so. Audrey is now a author that I will auto buy from and I can’t wait to read more from this series!
This one drew me in quickly with places that are so familiar to me in my beloved Buckeye state, I just wish I could visit the Coffee Loft on my next trip downtown. Kayla & Drew's story with all it's twists and turns made me like the book even more. As most of the books in the Coffee Loft series this is a quick read, but it was definitely a good one with some very swoony kisses.
Such a wonderful cute short story about Kayla owning a coffee shop and drew wanting to take over the building. Love the relationships building in this and characters were well developed. Highly recommended
We have another winner in The Coffee Loft series. This one has two characters that you will fall in love with as you get to know them better.
Kayla is a single mother just trying to keep a roof over her and her daughter's head. She gets no assistance from her ex-husband. She bought into The Coffee Loft franchise so she could control her destiny. Business is good, but it could be better. She recently learned that the owner of the building is about to sell the building to an evil billionaire (as she refers to John A. Hayworth, III). She is certain that he will ruin everything, and she will lose her business. She is not about to let that happen.
Drew strolls into The Coffee Loft one morning. His good looks and high dollar suit catch the eye of Kayla. She learns he is a businessman in town for a little while. After she makes some recommendations about her best drinks, she offers to show him the town that evening. (She is actually shocked that she offered, but she couldn't resist.) Little does she know that Drew is short for Andrew a/k/a John A. Hayworth, III.
As Drew and Kayla get to know one another better, the chemistry between these two is off the charts. Drew knows he needs to confess his real identity to Kayla, but he knows how she feels about the new owner, so he keeps putting it off.
I was not sure about Drew at first, but as you learn more about the man behind the money, you will realize he is not just a greedy businessman. He has a good heart. You have to love a man who has a teacup Yorkie named Tinkerbell. You can see the handwriting on the wall as to where this train is going to end up if he doesn't fess up. One character really tickled me. Phoebe was Drew's assistant. She loved making him squirm.
This was a delightful book to read. I really loved her mocktail lattes - hot-buttered rum latte and Moscow mule whip (all non-alcoholic, of course). If you want to stay jittery all day, her most famous drink is the Caffeine Kiss, which is made with blonde roast, triple espresso and boasts 800 mg of caffeine. The coffee lover in me swoons as much about the description of the drinks as I do the romance. With adoring characters that you will want to cheer for, this short and sweet romance will leave a smile on your face.
Thank you to the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Kayla, owner of The Coffee Loft franchise, who has an incredible work ethic as a single mother. She has been determined to save the building her coffee shop is located in from an “evil” business tycoon and she does a very good job at preventing the transaction going through. You see the love and devotion she has for her daughter, Rose, with how hard to works to provide for her as well as surrounding her with love as her ex husband has not been a really good father. Life’s experiences from her marriage have caused her to not give out trust as easily and it is very evident in her interactions especially with Drew.
“Drew” - aka John A. (Andrew) Hayworth III - is a self made wealthy business man. He is extremely handsome and charming but also cut throat in achieving his business dealings and in particular the building in which houses Kayla’s coffee shop. He is a momma’s boy which you find endearing. He did not have a great home life, with an absent father and that has somewhat shaped him into the man he has become. It’s also adorable that he has and loves his very sweet but “unmanly” Yorkie pup. 😉
Kayla and Drew really do have great chemistry. Even though he hid his true identity, I love the evolvement of their relationship and the friendship that initially started. And Drew was so accepting of Rose that how could you not be rooting for them?? You, also, do really realize that they are the perfect match. Their love story does happen in my opinion rather quickly BUT both characters are in their mid-30s so there’s a different level of maturity that has grown from those much younger. I also admire the lengths Drew would go for Kayla…while they were dating and then especially when his true identity was discovered and needed to work on proving his love is real.
The story is clean and has plenty of sweet kisses. The side characters were fun too - Kayla’s friend Tiffany as well as Drew’s assistant Phoebe. Phoebe was a hoot! You won’t be disappointed in this enemies to lovers trope!! ❤️ I received an advanced copy of this book and my thoughts & opinions are all my own.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. This is book 11 in The Coffee Loft Series, which is a multi-author collab series, but can be read as a complete standalone. The book's blurb is straightforward, though be aware the story touches on toxic relationships. Caffeine Kisses and Winter Wishes is told through Kayla and Drew's pov and is a sweet single mom romance.
Though she hasn't closed herself off to love after her past relationship, Kayla's time and energy has solely gone to raising her daughter and trying to keep her coffee shop business running. With the threat of the building of her coffee shop being sold to a billionaire, who she deems as greedy, Kayla is even more focused on her business. Yet, when she meets Drew, a mysterious newcomer to town, she can't help but to want to get to know him. Unknown to her, Drew is the man trying to acquire the building. For the past years, he's had a personal goal for himself and buying that building is the last step for him to achieve what he wants so he isn't going to let anyone get in his way. Though he simply wanted to meet Kayla to meet his opposition, he feels the same pull she does. As they spend more time together, Drew has to come to a decision about his goals and how they will include Kayla.
Because it's a novella, the pacing of the story is fast and the romance is insta attraction. However, the story isn't rushed. Though they were attracted to each other, they got to know each other. Even when Drew was keeping his identity a secret, he still revealed things that weren't easy for him to reveal to Kayla and he took her words into consideration. As the story goes on, his reasoning makes more sense and his growth is one that will leave readers satisfied. Kayla fell quick and it's easy to root for her happy ending. She's worked hard to stand where she does and is a good mom. It was nice to see her have someone else on her side. The romance is a clean one consisting of only kissing and no cursing was used. As someone who loves You've Got Mail, I enjoyed that this story had those same feelings. Overall, this is a great romcom that is cozy and I'm sure readers will like it.
Kayla in Caffeine Kisses & Winter Wishes by Audrey Carnes is the proud owner of a Coffee Shop, but the building in which she rents the space for her shop is being sold to a greedy billionaire. As she does everything to stop this, she gets help from Drew, who is visiting her town.
As usual, this book too is a great and lovely story in an already great series. It is a multi author series and each book is a standalone. In this book you get pulled into the life of Kayla, who is a wonderful character. She is friendly, bubbly, loves her daughter and is determined to put the new would be owner in his place. This makes for some really humorous situations. The names for the coffees to buy are a find, I would really love to taste this Caffeine Kiss coffee.
Drew is an enigma, he does not want Kayla to know who he really is. We, the readers, know who he is, because there is a dual POV. He wanted to see who he was up against, but had no idea he would come to care about her. I loved how Kayla made him more available, more nice. The interactions he has with his PA a just great to read, as she does not understand what he is doing. At the same time she sees him changing in a better man. He even helps Kayla uncover something fishy going on. And the building relationship and chemistry between Kayla and Drew is just lovely.
The writing style of Caffeine Kisses & Winter Wishes is lovely, flowing and the book is so easy to read. It is a swoony relaxing love story, with great characters, with some misunderstandings, and a nice plot (along the line of You’ve Got Mail).
If you do not know the Coffee Loft series you are missing out. It is a cozy and relaxing series I can totally recommend.
I got caught up in the romance and deceit in this fun Coffee Shop story. Drew was an interesting character who was a workaholic with only one goal. He wanted to be a billionaire. I found it interesting what he had gone through to achieve that goal until he had met Kayla, the owner of the Coffee Loft coffee shop. She was a single mom barely making ends meet at her shop and he was about to take that away from her by buying her building. He was very compelled to own that building and the reason behind that was interesting. The story was funny at times, heartwarming at other times, and occasionally there was some angst. The book made me want to try a Caffeine Kiss and some of the other lattes Kayla created. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.