Snowed In at the Cat Café

Cat Café Romance #1

by Rachel Rowlands

Welcome to Catpurrcino, the cosy cat café where you'll fall in love with every cat you meet - and maybe even one special human...

When Emmie's aunt offers her a job at Catpurrcino, it is the fresh start she needs after a rough year. Now, in the lead-up to Christmas, Emmie can't imagine anything more purr-fect than pouring hot chocolate for customers and taking care of the café's many feline residents.

Needing an extra pair of hands for the holidays, Emmie's aunt hires Jared as a driver. Emmie is immediately struck by how tall and handsome he is, but there is something guarded about Jared, not to mention his allergy to cats. Emmie could never fall for someone who can't be around her furry friends ­- and she doesn't have much time to spare, anyway.

❄️Until an unexpected blizzard arrives on Christmas Eve. ❄️

Trapped in the café with Jared and the cats, Emmie discovers Jared has been holding on to more than one secret - and is in desperate need of someone to help him lay his past to rest.

What seems like the most disastrous Christmas might not be such a cat-astrophe after all. Will being snowed in finally open Jared up and let Emmie into his heart?

Genres: Romance, Christmas, Fiction, Cozy, Animals, Cats, Contemporary

400 pages, Paperback

First published September 12, 2024

About the author

Rachel Rowlands lives in Manchester, England, with her husband and two cats. She grew up devouring any book she could get her hands on, and after earning her degree in English and Creative Writing, she built a career as a freelance editor while working on her own stories in her spare time. When she’s not writing or editing, she enjoys playing video games and crying over romance Kdramas. Follow Rachel on Instagram or join her newsletter for for book news, reading recommendations, and plenty of cat pictures!

Reviews

[Kelly (Little.shropshire.reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cats and Christmas, what more could I possibly want?!

If I read this in December, I would have been sat all cosy by my Christmas tree, drinking hot chocolate and eating festive snacks. This is such a feel-good romance. Is it slightly clichéd, predictable and cheesey in places? Yes, but that is what I expect and want out of this type of story. It's that magical time of the year where I want a real heartwarming story where everything turns out OK. Full of likeable wholesome characters and cats, too. A sense of family and community support. I loved Emmie's character she is full of life and positivity.

It's a cute and enjoyable festive story!

Set in Catpurrcino cafe, Emmie finds herself snowed in with the new delivery driver, Jared, and all the cats, after a terrible blizzard hits. Will some light come out of the storm for the both of them?

Thank you, Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton, for my ARC.
My opinions are my own

[Libby Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet, frosty little treat of a book.

And cats. ❤️

[Sabina_bere · Rating 3 out of 5]

Luštno branje, ki se prilega podobno kot skodelica kakava ali vroče čokolade na zimski večer.

[Romie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A super cute and cosy story taking place at a snowed-in Cat Café during Christmas? Yes, please! (3.79)

[Matteja LV · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Vsi imamo težave, s katerimi se spopadamo."

📖 Beli božič v mačji kavarni, Rachel Rowlands

Pozor, robčke ob branju! Še posebej, če ste tudi sami izgubili mačjo prijateljico... Sama eno leto nazaj verjetno knjige ne bi bila sposobna prebrati, zaradi vseh čustev ob izgubi... Danes že malce lažje, čeprav me je kar stiskalo, solze so tekle...
Glavni junak Jared nujno potrebuje službo, ki jo nepričakovano dobi kot dostavljavec v mačji kavarni. Zlaže se, da ima alergijo na mačke, saj se noče približati mačkam zaradi nedavne izgube svoje muce. Mu bo laž škodila? Zgodi se namreč tudi snežna nevihta, v kateri ostane ujet v kavarni s prijetno sodelavko, a tudi gostjo, s katero ima skupno preteklost... Bo nastala zmeda? Ali je vse za nekaj dobro?

-----
Vsekakor je sama ne bi dala za romanco, saj ni v ospredje. Spopadanje z izgubo mačke, preživetje v družbi, iskanje svoje poti, zaupanje v svoje sposobnosti. Zapakirano skupaj s kopico mačk. Nisem pričakovala tako čustvenega branja.

[Solly_Livrons_nous_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un café avec des chats, des personnages touchants en reconstruction, une relation saine, et aussi une relation sans rivalité entre deux femmes (c’est franchement assez rare et appréciable pour que je le note !)
Le tout saupoudré de la douceur de noël, entre tempête de neige et chocolat chaud près du feu, un chaton sur les genoux.

Franchement, j’ai passé un super moment ! Je ne suis pas forcément fan des romances de noël, mais le cadre de celle ci et les thématiques assez fortes (il y a quelques TW) m’ont vraiment émue. ❤️‍🩹

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I totally read this book for the adorable cover! But the story was cute and charming too. I loved getting to read about all the cats. The actual story was quite slow though and talk about SLOW burn. Probably would have made a really good novella around 150 pages. Did find it dragged on and Iost some interest near the end.

All in all a cute cosy read for any cat lover if you're just looking for something easy.

[Ladysa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,25⭐️

C’était vraiment mignon tout plein 🫶🏻 parfait pour la saison. J’ai adoré l’ambiance du roman, on avait l’impression d’être dans une bulle douillette, toute cozy et réconfortante. Le rythme était lent mais hyper agréable comme une pause dans le temps 💫 j’ai adoré suivre nos personnages pendant cette petite coupure dans leur vie, on a une romance assez légère, toute douce et pas mal d’introspection, ils se tirent mutuellement vers le haut et j’ai adoré ça ❤️‍🩹 ils m’ont chacun touché par leur passé et leurs problèmes du présent, ils se complètent merveilleusement bien et toutes ces petites boules de poils qui les entourent m’ont juste fait fondre, le cadre était beaucoup trop mignon 🥹✨🫶🏻
Vraiment une très bonne lecture, parfaite pour la saison au coin du feu, sous un plaid avec une tasse de chocolat, si vous avez besoin de souffler un peu et de vous mettre dans une petite bulle parfois un peu douce amère mais vraiment réconfortante ❤️‍🩹

[Juliette Maréchal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super mignon
Une vraie romance de Noël

[Vicky Sp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un fiocco di serenità è una storia dolce e deliziosa che parla di gatti e del Natale, quindi perfetta per il periodo che sta arrivando e per chi ama i felini.

Un libro che parla d’amore, due protagonisti che scoprono di amarsi in una maniera singolare e quasi tragica.

Interessanti le regole la caffetteria, belli il Cat Lounge e il Gattile, insomma ho adorato tutto ciò che circonda il mondo dei mici ben rappresentato e descritto dall’autrice.

Dolce e romantica la storia tra Emmie e Jared, due cuori e una caffetteria, si percepisce il loro animo sensibile e generoso.

E che dire dei gatti presenti nel romanzo? Tutti adorabili ma mi sono affezionata in particolar modo a Nova.

 

[Laura Jan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Trop triste pour mon mood actuel...

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh I loved this so much.

What a heartwarming and cosy read. The characters were loveable and the scene setting was perfect. I am obsessed with cats and this just hit the spot.

And there’s a little bit of conflict which I wasn’t expecting but added nicely to the story.

I just wish this was released nearer to Christmas so I could have read it all cosy with Christmas decs up.

Thank you to Netgalley for the copy.

[Mojca Rudolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Od psiholoških trilerjev k nadvse romantični zgodbi. Nekako sem vedno mislila, da je Bel božič, tule pa je Beli božič, a le na naslovnici, v notranjosti zgodbe je bel božič, hm. A k sami zgodbi, ki se simpatično začne, ko Jared dobi službo dostavljalca v mačji kavarni. Zaplete pa se, ko se zlaže, da je alergičen na mačke. V mačji kavarni pa dela tudi Emmie. In tako je koncept zelo romantične zgodbice narejen, saj imata seveda vsak svojo preteklost, med njima pa že brbota prihodnost, ki jo slutimo in ki se seveda zgodi. Še prej je nekaj zapletov, celo snežni metež, ki Jareda, Emmie in Megan prisili, da skupaj preživijo nekaj dni. Luštno zapakirano v drugačno okolje. Ljubko, v mačji kavarni, z mnogimi mucki, ki so za ljubitelje seveda dodaten bonus. A nekje do polovice je kar simpatično branje, nato pa klasična pravljica.

[Emma Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute and cosy festive read. I loved that the story was set in a cat cafe, which sounded adorable. The story was cute and easy to follow and had a great cast of characters. I highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more by the author.

[Silke · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was, okay.. it reads easy but god, didn’t like the characters at all, they were so dramatic
And how much can go wrong in a cozy romance read?? Apparently a lot according to this book.
Only giving it 3 stars for the cats!!!!!

[Noémie Horth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ une belle petite romance du temps des fêtes ❄️

[Datha Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm 100% a cat person. This book really hit home for me on the aspect of losing a cat. I enjoyed the way it was written and can't wait for the next book to come out next year.

[Cassandra Veber · Rating 2 out of 5]

(2.5 ⭐️) Bon c’était une petite déception. J’avais adoré le tome 2 que j’avais lu cet été et je m’étais dit qu’il était temps de lire le 1 vu que Noël approche.

Bah c’était pas fameux du tout… j’ai trouvé que c’était plat puis bon faire un drame pour une fausse allergie aux poils de chats… (donnez moi vos pb en fait).

🐈🐈🐈

[Gawelleb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ce fut une lecture sympathique vraiment mais pas aussi cosy que je l’imaginais. Bien sûr, nous avons un happy end mais certains sujet étaient peu plombants

[Elisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro speciale per questo periodo delle feste.
Atmosfera natalizia, gatti e ex. What’s else?
Lettura veloce e ricca di colpi di scena, personaggi non banali ma che hanno una crescita.
Finale un pochino banale, ma ci sta il lieto fine.

[loulou · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐️

[Andrea Maino · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jared, dopo molte difficoltà, incomincia a lavorare come corriere per un Cat-cafe’. Lì conosce Emmie, nipote della proprietaria, con la quale stringe un forte legame di amicizia. Quando l’isolamento a causa di una tempesta di neve li costringerà a conoscersi meglio, il loro rapporto subita un drastico cambiamento.
Jared è un ragazzo fragile e sensibile, deluso e amareggiato, mentre Emmie sta ancora cercando il suo posto nel mondo, ma è solare e gentile.
La trama di questo romanzo l’ho trovata piuttosto scontata, lo stile lineare e elementare, il bar è stato creato giusto come ambientazione di sfondo ma non vi sono particolari caratterizzazioni dei gatti, che invece avrei voluto. Una storia dolce con la classica storia d’amore e il lieto fine, senza particolari colpi di scena, trattata un po’ con superficialità.
Un romanzo natalizio da cui mi aspettavo qualcosa di più, c’è decisamente di meglio da leggere.

[Frenchorchidea · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's the first time for me to read a book by Rachel Rowlands and I am so happy to have given this author a try! I absolutely adored this book! If you like cozy and snowy atmosphere this book is for you, if you like cats, this book is for you, if you enjoy a good latte or a yummy hot chocolate, this book is for you. If you like a good romance that is building up slowly, this book is for you! Super lovely book, a real page turner!!!! 4 starts out of 5 for this book!!!

[Gem ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Visiting the cat café in this wintery romance was the perfect escapism this week. Packed with feline cuteness, loveable characters, tense drama and more than a sprinkling of chemistry, this is a great read.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Falling in love with cats is mandatory. Falling in love with a human is optional...”

When Emmie's aunt offers her a job at Catpurrcino, it is the fresh start she needs after a rough year. Now, in the lead-up to Christmas, Emmie can't imagine anything more purr-fect than pouring hot chocolate for customers and taking care of the café's many feline residents. Needing an extra pair of hands for the holidays, Emmie's aunt hires Jared as a driver. Emmie is immediately struck by how tall and handsome he is, but there is something guarded about Jared, not to mention his allergy to cats. Emmie could never fall for someone who can't be around her furry friends ­- and she doesn't have much time to spare, anyway. Until an unexpected blizzard arrives on Christmas Eve. Trapped in the café with Jared and the cats, Emmie discovers Jared has been holding on to more than one secret - and is in desperate need of someone to help him lay his past to rest. What seems like the most disastrous Christmas might not be such a cat-astrophe after all. Will being snowed in finally open Jared up and let Emmie into his heart?

Emmie is a sweetheart but almost feels a little out of her depth with the cafe. She’s an artist at heart which I love but it feels as though she is merely playing things safe. I get it, when you’ve been burned before you are reluctant to put yourself out there. But she has shoved herself into this box and refuses to come out. She is a lovely character but that doesn’t connect with me as much as I would like. I really enjoy substance and layers to characters I read but Emmie just seemed a little too one note for me.
Jared is an interesting one in how he navigates his grief and frustration. He had a bit more to him than Emmie, but like her I couldn’t find myself making this connection beyond one thing. The grief of losing someone you loved dearly is all encompassing and I could totally relate to that feeling of “but they were a pet, surely it’s stupid for me to feel this bad” - ultimately, pets are family too and it is entirely natural to grieve them as you would a human family member. I do wish we could have seen more from him though. He seemed to hold back on expressing himself, even when he was being open with Emmie about things. I just found myself needing more from him.

So, I have read this series out of order, previously getting the ARC of the sequel and devouring that with joy. But with how they’re written, it didn’t matter which was a bonus. Because I adored the sequel so much, I had high hopes for the first book, excited to see where it all began. And yet I finished it feeling a bit deflated. It felt a little like I was having to push myself through the book and I am trying to work out if it’s because of the writing, the flow, or the content - or a mix of them. It hit me hard because there were many recurring mentions of grief after a character loses their cat and whilst it has been over a year, my own grief is still palpable after losing my little shadow just before my birthday last year. I wonder if that is perhaps a major contributing factor as to why I really struggled getting through the story. The characters were pretty good but we see so many supporting faces and know practically nothing about them! I want to know why they are friends, or why they are relied upon - what impact they have to the story! Likewise, the romance felt almost like an afterthought despite characters mentioning blossoming feelings a lot. It didn’t feel like it entirely flowed with the overall tone of the story which is a shame. I think if approached in a different way, it would have made the story all that sweeter. The ending was okay but that also felt like it was missing something. Perhaps it was because I was ready for it to be over having struggled through the rest of the book.

Overall, Snowed In at the Cat Cafe is a sweet book, just not my cup of tea.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

[Paulski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vielen Dank an den Harper Collins Verlag und Netgalley für das kostenlose Rezensionsexemplar. Meine Meinung wurde dadurch nicht beeinflusst.

Katzen, Schnee und eine Prise Romantik – was will man mehr?
Schon das Cover hat mich direkt in cozy Winterstimmung versetzt, und die Geschichte hat dieses Gefühl perfekt eingefangen.
Als Emmie in der Vorweihnachtszeit den Job im „Catpurrcino“ annimmt, sucht sie eigentlich nur einen Neuanfang – heiße Schokolade servieren, Katzen streicheln, ein bisschen Ruhe finden. Doch dann taucht Jared auf, der neue Fahrer für die Kuchenauslieferungen, und bringt alles ganz schön durcheinander. Zwischen ihm und Emmie knistert es sofort, auch wenn Jared seine Vergangenheit wie eine schwere Schneedecke mit sich herumträgt.
Und dann kommt der Heiligabend … ein Schneesturm, eine Überraschung, ein Café voller Katzen, zwei Menschen mit offenen Herzen – und ganz viel Gefühl. 🐾❄️

Rachel Rowlands schafft es, diese wunderschöne Mischung aus cozy Romance und leiser Nachdenklichkeit einzufangen. Ich hatte direkt am Anfang Tränen in den Augen, weil mich Jareds Geschichte persönlich berührt hat – besonders, da ich selbst schon einen ähnlichen Verlust erlebt habe.
Der Schreibstil ist angenehm leicht, flüssig und trotzdem voller kleiner Details, die die winterliche Atmosphäre lebendig machen. Ich konnte das Schneegestöber förmlich sehen und den Duft von Zimt und Kaffee riechen. In der Mitte hätte ich mir manchmal etwas mehr Kommunikation zwischen Emmie und Jared gewünscht, aber das hat meinen Lesegenuss kaum geschmälert.
Ein Buch, das sich anfühlt wie eine warme Decke an einem kalten Wintertag – perfekt für zwischendurch, mit ganz viel Herz, flauschigen Katzen und einem Happy End, das einen zufrieden seufzen lässt.
4,5/ 5⭐️

[Kaly-Ann Drapeau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emmie emménage dans un des appartements au dessus du Chatpuccino pour aider sa tante au café et pour se remettre de son année difficile. Le nouveau livreur, Jared, ne la laisse pas indifférente, mais il a un gros défaut: il est allergique aux chats. Lors d’une énorme tempête de neige quelques jours avant Noël, Emmie, Jared, l’autre locataire du haut et les nombreux chats se retrouvent coincés ensemble dans le bâtiment.

Étant maman de deux chats, je me suis tout de suite attachée à l’ambiance du livre. Qui ne rêve pas de côtoyer des chats durant ses heures de travail? 🤭

J’ai adorée la confiance qui s’installe tranquillement entre Jared et Emmie. Tous les deux ont des blessures profondes à guérir, et ensemble ils s’aideront mutuellement à aller mieux, à trouver des solutions. 🤍

J’ai eu beaucoup d’empathie pour Jared, qui a dû dire au revoir à son chat adoré. J’ai perdue ma meilleure amie canine il a quelques années après 14 ans de complicité, et j’ai encore du mal à m’y faire. La douleur ne disparaît pas, elle ne fait que s’estomper pour laisser la place aux souvenirs heureux. 🥺

Si vous adorer les animaux et que vous souhaitez une lecture douce dans une belle ambiance hivernale, cette romance est parfaite pour vous! ❄️

[French Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mieux vaut tard que jamais !
(Ou comment lire une romance de noël en avril... 😂)

J'ai bien aimé cette petite romance hivernale, où l'on suit Emmie : illustratrice talentueuse qui travaille au Cat Café en attendant que sa carrière décolle ; et Jared, qui accepte un travail de livreur chez Chatppuccino malgré le fait qu'il fasse le deuil de son chat Poppy.

Les personnages se rapprochent rapidement, comme on peut s'y attendre, mais ils vont se confronter à quelques péripéties (certaines que j'ai vu venir, d'autres non !)

Un roman très sympa et détente, 100% cocooning grâce à l'ambiance gourmande et féline du café !

[Manon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute read! Being in a cat cafe is something on my bucket list, and this book made it come close to making it a reality! For a little bit, I actually felt as if I might be in a cat cafe, and it was wonderful. I loved the story, and the characters were amazing as well. It makes for a very cosy christmas read!

[Emi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una coccola adatta per questo periodo, un posto bellissimo che vorrei anche nel mio paese.
Sarebbe bello sorseggiare una tazza di cioccolata calda mentre un micio è lì che reclama attenzioni.
La storia è molto carina (certe volte però si ripetono cose che dopo 150 pagine hanno iniziato a snervarmi 😂), non è proprio il mio genere, però certe volte c'è bisogno di questa leggerezza ❤️!

❄️❄️❄️,5/5