Autumn at the Cat Cafe

by Kathleen Fuller

In an attempt to save the bookstore next door from being sold to the highest bidder, the owner of a cat café enlists the bookstore owner to help with her annual Autumn Bucket List in this cozy, kisses-only, small-town romance. From USA TODAY bestselling author Kathleen Fuller, Autumn at the Cat Café is perfect for fans of Gilmore Girls and Sarah Adams.

Via Dalton owns Pawsitive Vibes, a successful cat café in small-town Pecan Corner, Ohio. The store next door, Second Chapter Books, is an iconic business in need of TLC, especially after its owner and Via's upstairs neighbor, the crusty septuagenarian Earl Brewster, unexpectedly passes away. Via's devastated by his death but is determined to make sure his legacy lives on by purchasing the bookstore, something she and Earl had discussed before his death. But his estate has to go through probate, and at the last minute Leo Brewster, Earl's long-lost nephew, shows up.

Leo's life is in a shambles. He lost his lucrative hedge fund analyst job and is convinced he's being framed by someone but can't prove it. Financially leveraged to the hilt and blacklisted in his industry, he ends up losing everything but one suitcase of clothing and his expensive sports car. He finally gets a break when out of the blue he hears that he's the heir to a bookstore left to him by an uncle he didn't even know he had. He leaves LA and heads to Pecan Corner to claim his inheritance.

Via and Leo immediately clash, despite the romantic sparks firing between them. When Leo refuses to sell the bookstore to her because she can't pay market value, she formulates a new plan--she must show Leo how important Second Chapter Books is to the community. Refusing to take no for an answer, she enlists Leo to help her fulfill her yearly Autumn Bucket List. Despite having her heart broken three years ago and swearing off men, she finds herself fighting her deep attraction to Leo . . . and losing.

As he looks for a serious buyer, Leo finds his uncle's journals and learns about his estranged family. Although he's desperate to sell to the highest bidder and go back to LA to figure out who framed him, he's falling for his Uncle Earl's community--and the spunky ray of sunshine that is Via Dalton.

Genres: Romance, Autumn, Audiobook, Fiction, Contemporary, Books About Books, Contemporary Romance

302 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2026

About the author

Best-selling author of Amish fiction. Also a wife, mother, crafter, coffee addict, football fan, and chocolate aficionado.

Reviews

[cat]

“I love her with my life. She doesn’t know that yet, and I don’t want to scare her. But I’ll tell her someday.”


on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ‎♪ˎˊ˗
“ᴄᴀᴛ ᴄᴀғᴇ” x sʜᴏғғʏ
0:01 ─♥───────── 2:29


I’m not gonna lie, I initially requested this for of the title because I LOVE cats. 🤣 and i'm so glad i did. Starting with Via walking her cat on a leash had my little heart so happy immediately. I could practically picture the cozy café, cats sunbathing in the windows, coffee everywhere, and fall leaves outside. GIVE ME ALL OF ITTTT

Sir Meow??? I was DYING over how obsessed he was with Leo and how he somehow always knew when Leo was around. It is genuinely so true that cats are drawn to the people who like them the least 😂

I really loved watching Leo slowly realize that there was so much more to life than constantly working and being alone. Seeing him experience Via’s family and this little town made his loneliness feel so much lighter, and I loved watching him become part of something. Via’s kindness really stood out to me, too. Even when things weren’t going the way she wanted, she still genuinely wanted to help him. She just had such a warm, good heart.

Their relationship was probably my favorite part. I loved watching them become attracted to each other through all the ordinary little moments, and the bucket list was such a cute way to bring them closer. 🥹 I also really appreciated how much communication there was between them. Even when they messed up or reacted poorly because of past hurt, they talked about it, apologized, and actually explained themselves instead of letting misunderstandings drag on forever (minus the very end).
AND Leo refusing to give someone the silent treatment when he was upset??? YES. Also when given the chance to compliment Via, he chose her intelligence over her looks and I absolutely loved that 😏 🤌🏼

There was also something really sweet about Leo trying to repair his relationship with his mom. I appreciated that the book allowed that healing to be complicated and imperfect while still showing that sometimes people can choose to try again.

Overall, this book was basically everything I want from a cozy fall romance: pumpkin patches, corn mazes, fall festivals, sweaters, coffee, cats, small-town charm, kisses, and two people slowly realizing they might have found something they weren’t looking for. It made me feel like I was actually there with them, and I just wanted to curl up somewhere warm and stay in Pecan Corner forever 🙂‍↕️😌

And I’m just gonna end this by saying… I REALLY WISH WE WOULD’VE FOUND OUT WHERE HER BIRTHMARK WAS 🤣

favorite quotes ↓

“I didn’t know how cold and stark my existence was until I met you. How starved I was for love … for you …” His voice cracked with emotion. “Until I almost lost you.” His arms tightened around her. “You’ve brought so much color, light, and warmth to my life. I love you so much. I don’t want to lose you again.”

things to know about the book ↓

🐈‍⬛ opposites attract
🐈‍⬛ unexpected love
🐈‍⬛ forced proximity
🐈‍⬛ bucket list
🐈‍⬛ lots of kitties 😻😻
🐈‍⬛ small town girl x city boy
🐈‍⬛ third-act breakup
🐈‍⬛ written in 3rd person

swearing: none
spice rating: mild kisses

Thank you NetGalley, publisher & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

─────────
・❥・⁀➷ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕

if you know me you know half my personality is loving cats so you best believe i'm ready for a cat cafe book 😌🙂‍↕️ pleaseeee be good

[BookishKB]

🍂🐈 Autumn at the Cat Cafe 📚☕

This was the perfect cozy fall read! 🍂☕ Very Hallmark-esque, and now I am fully ready for fall to come around! Give me the sweaters, pumpkin patches, and fall festivals immediately. 🍁🎃

Via came on very strong in the beginning, and it took me a little while to warm up to her. But she really grew on me as the story went on, and by the end, I loved her and Leo together! 🥹💕

And naturally, the cats were the best part of the story. 🐈 Obviously.

I also really, really loved the 🎧audiobook narration! It was perfect for this kind of cozy romance.

⭐️ 5 Star Read!

What to Expect
🐈 Cat Cafe Owner FMC
😏 Harvard Boy MMC
📚 Bookstore Setting
😤 Grumpy x Sunshine
🏘️ Small Town
🍂 Autumn Bucket List
🎃 Pumpkin Patches
☕ Cozy Fall Festivals
_ _ _ _

📅 Pub Date: August 4, 2026
Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction, Thomas Nelson Fiction Audio, and NetGalley for the advanced copy and advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Dee (in the desert)]

3 stars - just okay - loved the cats😻, didn't care much for the two MC's - felt their relationship was inauthentic & also kinda cringe. I really liked that it was "closed door" too, but unlike the FMC, I was NOT a "smitten kitten" 🤮

[Alicia]

Gifted by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Right from the start I was uncomfortable with the overwhelming focus on physical attraction between the two characters. I kept reading because aside from that, the story was quite cute, but still...the physical attraction continued to not sit well with me.

At 51% in I came to this passage and that's when I decided I'd had enough.

"Everything about her was gorgeous. Her curves, her mile-long legs, a derriere that didn't quit -- He almost groaned out loud. What was he going to do about his fascination with her?"

I really have no interest in reading about derrieres that don't quit. And this is yet another Thomas Nelson published book that has left me scratching my head.

These characters seemed to have no genuine chemistry or connection, just lust for each other.

*For more reviews and bookish content, be sure to follow me on Instagram @aliciasbooksanctuary

[Melissa (christianbooksandcoffee)]

DNF at 38%. This book mentions attraction WAY too much. They think about how attractive the other is constantly and it’s annoying! Check each other out constantly. Imagine how things look under the clothes like his chest and her birthmark on her butt ….um no! This book has potential to be cute with all the Autumn and cat stuff but it’s constant attention to how attractive the characters are distracts from that.

[Beth]

I really wanted to love this one as I’m ready for fall and all the cozy comforts of the season. The fall vibes and the cozy small town setting are really the highlights of the book for me. However, that’s about all I really enjoyed. The romance in this is technically clean, but there’s quite a bit of body part description that I could have done without. Also, the nicknames were super cringe. DNF at 50%.

Thank you, Thomas Nelson for the e-ARC! All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[nyakhakhu_]

3.5 stars

The book has all the elements you’d want in a romance: a man inherits a bookstore, but there are conditions attached to it. He enlists the help of the one person he can’t get off his mind. Bonus: she has a bucket list that he’s helping her tick off.

It sacrifices authenticity for coziness. There’s an opportunity to explore the themes more deeply, but that gets lost because the book keeps reminding you (almost every page) that this is about cats and autumn.

I did enjoy it more than I expected. It’s the kind of book I’d revisit now and then for something light and comforting. It’s cute, very cute, and that’s clearly what it’s going for.

The writing didn’t quite work for me. Some lines seem like lazy writing. The characters are cute, but I didn’t connect with them on a deeper level.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eArc.

[Heidi Robbins (Heidi Reads...)]

Kathleen Fuller is one of my favorite authors of Amish fiction, but sadly that did not translate to contemporary romance for me with this book. It's definitely a cozy story, but I was bogged down with too much mundane detail and lost interest in story. I struggled to connect with Via or Leo, and wasn't feeling the chemistry between them. Maybe I've read too many of this type of story, but the plot of fulfilling bucket list items felt cliche. I gave it until 60% before moving on. I'm sure many will love the book but it just wasn't for me at this time.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

[Katelyn Jane]

🤬Language Rating: 0/5
🌶️Spicy Rating: 0.75/5
📖Plot Rating: 4.25/5
⚔️Violence Rating: 0/5
😎Christian Worldview: 2/5
⭐️Final Rating: 4.25/5

✨this is a spoiler-free review✨

🎧Now Playing: This Is Love by for KING & COUNTRY

🎶richer or poorer🎶

This was such a cute fall romance! I didn’t know if this would be my jam, but by page one I already knew I was going to love the story! I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a clean, cute autumn romance with light Christian themes!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Kathleen Fuller and Thomas Nelson for a copy of this book!

🎶better or worse🎶

This story follows Octavia (Via), our incredible FMC who owns the Pawsitive Vibes cat café in the small, quirky town of Pecan Corner, Ohio. When her close friend, Earl Brewster, passes away from a sudden heart attack, things get stirred up in the usually quiet town. Earl’s nephew, Leonardo, comes to inherit his uncle’s home, and with it the town’s charming Second Chapter bookshop. Via is determined to put this arrogant intruder in his place, and save Earl’s legacy…before he puts it all on the market and goes back to the shiny life in California he left.

If only they weren’t so attracted to each other right off the bat. That would make things a lot easier.

🎶could we be together?🎶

I loved the premise of this book! I am not a huge cat person, and so I was worried this book would fall flat, but it did not at all! I loved Sir (Via’s moody kitten), I loved the banter between Leo and Via, I loved the dual POVs, and I loved how realistic the hesitation and miscommunication felt! This is exactly what I pictured when I say I am looking for a fall romcom. Pecan Corner sounds like the coziest town, and I have an urge to go pick out pumpkins after reading this!

🎶could we make it work?🎶

I think Via was a great FMC! Her struggles felt realistic, and I loved how much personality she had! She never felt like a pick-me to me, or like she was acting childish! I wish there were more FMCs like her, who were strong on their own, but also exhibited femininity and grace! I loved the Cat Café concept, and it’s a good thing there isn’t one of those here in PA, otherwise I would have probably ended up adopting a cat! 😂

🎶if love is patient🎶

Leonardo (Leo) had the most character growth in the novel. His character was snarky, and funny, and surprisingly emotional! I loved how his backstory was revealed a bit at a time, and I love how much he cares for Via, right off the bat. I think it was really noble of him not to pursue a relationship in the beginning, and I was cracking up at the camping scene with Fergus (iykyk).

🎶and if love is kind🎶

I think my only true complaint about this book is I wish Christianity was a bit more blunt throughout. The author mentions church multiple times, but it was almost like she didn’t want to commit all the way, because we never hear more about Leo wanting to check out church with Via or Via’s personal faith, despite going to church every Sunday. There were themes of reconciliation and forgiveness and how lying never leads anywhere good, which were well-done, and I appreciated, but I wish Kathleen would have taken the next step. It would have made this book a five star for me.

The plot itself was really engaging, especially because we are waiting for certain things to be revealed about our characters, and for them to discover things about each other. Second Chapter’s ownership and “fate” is also up in the air the entire book. I was invested in this story, and I only put it down when I had to!

🎶oh God, give me a sign🎶

Content wise, there is no spice, only kissing that is kept clean. Mentions of a birthmark, and Via accidentally walks in on Leo shirtless two times. Dora, Via’s sister, teases her about sharing a bed with Leo but quickly apologizes for going too far. No language, and no LGBTQ content.

Definitely would recommend to 13+! Excited to read more by Kathleen Fuller!!

[Angie Miale]

Look at this cover. I mean, come on. It looks so dang cute.

Autumn at the Cat Café is basically the animated version of Gilmore Girls—if Stars Hollow had a cat café, even more autumn leaves, and approximately 700% more cats.

Via Dalton owns Pawsitive Vibes, a cat café in the tiny fictional town of Pecan Corner, Ohio. And honestly, does Kathleen Fuller even need to describe Pecan Corner? No. You already know exactly what this town looks like. There’s a charming bookstore next door called Second Chapter Books, owned by Via’s good friend Earl. When Earl dies, he leaves the bookstore to his nephew, Leo Brewster, a Los Angeles businessman who has absolutely no intention of settling down in a quaint little Ohio town.

Except, of course, Earl’s will comes with stipulations, including one that requires Leo to stay in Pecan Corner for a month.

Friends, we know where this is going.

And that is absolutely part of the appeal. Leo is the city boy. Via is the small-town girl. We’ve got grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract, forced proximity to adorable small-town life, sweet kisses, cozy fall vibes, and enough cats to populate a small nation.

Did I mention the cats?

Because there are A LOT of cats.

Via’s own cat is named Sir Meow. I cannot even type that with a straight face.

This book is exactly what it promises to be. There are no surprises here, but I don’t think anyone picking up a book called Autumn at the Cat Café with this cover is looking for shocking plot twists. You’re here for warm drinks, bookstores, autumn leaves, a charming little town, a sweet romance, and cats. So many cats.

If you love closed-door romance and that comforting feeling of knowing exactly where a story is headed—and you like cats a whole lot, like a lot a lot—then do I have a book for you.

For me, it was perfectly pleasant, but I think I may simply not have been in the mood for this much cozy. I landed at three stars, but I can absolutely see the right reader curling up under a blanket with this one in October and loving every single Pawsitive Vibes minute of it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

[Lindsey]

If you are looking for a cozy fall themed non-spicy romance this is your book! Was it predictable - yes, were the characters loveable - yes, was the story engaging and enjoyable - also yes. Pick this up to get you all set for the season.

[Madisyn Carlin]

This book had a cute premise, but it is not clean. It's touted as a "cozy, kisses-only romance", but it contains so much lust, innuendo, and untoward content that I must disagree with that description. And while this is considered closed door, just because something is closed door doesn't mean it's clean.


My sister and I enjoyed this author's middle grade Amish mysteries series when we were kids, so when I saw this book available as an audiobook arc, I wanted to try it. It is regrettable that I cannot recommend it due to the staggering amount of sexual content.

Just some of the content includes:
him needing to take several cold showers because he got too excited while checking her out; something about her "brought his body to life in more ways than one" (that's practically verbatim); many other mentions of how both MCs' bodies react due to attraction to each other; it literally is said she is "turned on" by seeing him wear glasses; she has a dream that is "delicious and hot"; a sultry whisper is mentioned; they both very much take their time checking each out out when he answers the door in only a towel; "sexy" is used several, several times over; he likes the feeling of her chest brushing against him; a hot and heavy makeout session that very nearly leads to bedroom activities; and someone asks is the MCs are sleeping with each other and panics when no one responds (they aren't, but a big deal is made out of it). And there's more, but I don't have the time to list everything.

The premise was cute, I love most things autumn-themed, and the cover is adorable. I've liked other books released by this publisher, so I had hoped to find a clean contemporary romance that I could recommend to others. Regrettably, that's not the case here.

I received an ARC of the audiobook from the publisher and NetGalley for promotional purposes. A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.

[ryliekate_reads]

Review of Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Overall, 3.5-3.75 stars :) This truly is such an adorably cozy, autumnal, cat-filled book! It feels very much like a feel-good movie that begs to be experienced while curled up under a comfy blanket.
As the title suggests, it is Autumn at the Cat Cafe. Every page brimming with fall and cats. Is it cheesy? Yes, very much. But it’s cheesy in the best way— and who doesn’t need a little cheesiness in their life?! Via and Leo’s relationship is so sweet, and they do have some growth as the story progresses.
Sometimes the characters fell a little and it very much followed a Hallmark-esq. storyline, and there is nothing wrong with that! Now, it is marketed as Christian fiction, however they never really discuss their faith beyond mentioning going to church and I wish that it could have been a little more integrated. But the book has NO swearing and is sweet kisses only— thank you Kathleen Fuller!!!
I highly recommend if you enjoy clean, sweet, and cozy reads… and if you wish to read a breezy book that feels like a nice cup of spiced tea. Also, cats (just reiterating that it’s in the title, and yes it’s extremely cheesy, but also adorable). Overall, this was so cute and such an enjoyable read. A definite revisit for cozy season 🍂
Happy reading :)

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for providing this e-copy of Autumn at the Cat Cafe in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[eve]

𝒩𝑜𝓌 𝓅𝓁𝒶𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔…
-ᴏʜ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ- jvke
00:51 ━━━━●───── 03:46

As soon as I got this arc…I knew it was gonna be a good read 😏 it had all of my favorite things in it. Small-town, cats, forced proximity, etc. May I just say…it was way better than I imagined 🤭

Well, you know what they say…make a good first impression. Hehe, which Leo and Via BOTH failed. Gosh, the first impression was terrible and they didn’t even redeem themselves with the second encounter. In fact, it was most definitely WORSE then the first one😭
(let’s face it though….that second encounter had me laughing)

Also, side note. I was recently talking to a friend and we were discussing how we think it’s weird when within the second encounter of the main characters, they are already thinking in their minds of how the other’s lips look and describing them IN DETAIL. It’s just so weird in my opinion😂 I would be highly disturbed if a guy intently looked at my lips for that long 🙈 like dude…stop👀

𝒱𝒾𝒶—> She deserved the world and what did she get? A good for nothing scumbag.
She’s just a girl broken from a past relationship and has put up a wall so no one can get to her. That is….until Leo shows up. Well, it takes a few times for her to warm up to him, but after that, things start to unravel.
(Guys, let’s be honest. I think she only started warming up to Leo when she saw him in glasses. She really was a Smitten Kitten after that😏🤭)


ℒℯℴ—> No. We do not like rich, snobby guys who walk into our lives. It’s out of the question. But wait, the cat likes him? Ok maybe we can make an exception just this once. HOLD UP. He’s going to do the whole bucket list with me this fall?!? Ok, maybe we do like him a little bit. Or quite possibly a lot a bit. By the end of the book….Via fell HARD for him🥹🥹🥹 I think the sweetest thing was that she felt safe and protected whenever she was with him. That’s exactly what she needed from a man.

BRO LIED ABOUT BEING ALLERGIC TO CATS 😂😂 and then realized he was going to eventually have to confess to Via that it wasn’t true😏😏 I had a lot of fun with that.

Can we please acknowledge the fact that this book had AMAZING COMMUNICATION between the two of them?!? I think that’s one thing that made it so good. It was a HEALTHY relationship. Would they get upset? Yes. Would they go off and be offended for the rest of the day? No. They talked it out right then and there. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
*for the first time in forever*

𝒮𝒾𝓇 ℳℯℴ𝓌—> We cannot forget about Sir Meow 🐈 he was by far my favorite character out of the whole entire book🙂‍↕️ he stole my heart from the first time he was mentioned. Please. I need a cat who loves me that much🤭 AND HE ALSO GOT WALKED ON A LEASH😱 hehehe, that’s goals right there.

𝒪𝓋ℯ𝓇𝒶𝓁𝓁—> This was probably the best read I’ve had this month! It was so cute and cozy. I LOVED all of the cat themes throughout the book from the Cat Cafe all the way down to the cat push pins. 🐈🐈‍⬛🍁🍂


╰┈➤ 𝐅𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐐𝐔𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐒

𝑺𝒉𝒆'𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒖𝒑 𝒊𝒏 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒊𝒕, 𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒏 𝑬𝒂𝒓𝒍'𝒔 𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒗𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒕. 𝑯𝒆'𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒈𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒂𝒃𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒅𝒚, 𝒕𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒅-𝒐𝒖𝒕-𝒐𝒇-𝒃𝒆𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌.

and that’s all for the quotes because for some reason…I forgot to highlight the other quotes that I liked😭🤦🏼‍♀️


𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞—> kissing
𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠—> none



☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ ♡ ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙣 𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝘾𝙤𝙥𝙮:) 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣!

[anzhelika ୨ৎ]

pre-read:
time for an autumn read (it's raining outside).

˗ˋˏ ୨୧ thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction + Audio, and Kathleen Fuller for the digital arc and alc in exchange for an honest review! ୨୧ ˎˊ˗

[Hannah Beth (Hannah's Book Cafe)]

I wanted to love this book more, but in the end it was just fine for me. I did not like the miscommunication and the lying that the main characters did to each other. It took away from my enjoyment of the story as a whole.

Another thing I did not like, there is so much focus on physical attraction in here. So much that it takes away from any kind of real connection between the 2 main characters. Also, I hated the ending!

The book did scratch an itch I had to read a cozy fall book though, which is why I still gave it 3 stars. 😊

[ryliekate_reads]

Review of Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Overall, 3.5-3.75 stars :) This truly is such an adorably cozy, autumnal, cat-filled book! It feels very much like a feel-good movie that begs to be experienced while curled up under a comfy blanket.
As the title suggests, it is Autumn at the Cat Cafe. Every page brimming with fall and cats. Is it cheesy? Yes, very much. But it’s cheesy in the best way— and who doesn’t need a little cheesiness in their life?! Via and Leo’s relationship is so sweet, and they do have some growth as the story progresses.
Sometimes the characters fell a little and it very much followed a Hallmark-esq. storyline, and there is nothing wrong with that! Now, it is marketed as Christian fiction, however they never really discuss their faith beyond mentioning going to church and I wish that it could have been a little more integrated. But the book has NO swearing and is sweet kisses only— thank you Kathleen Fuller!!!
I highly recommend if you enjoy clean, sweet, and cozy reads… and if you wish to read a breezy book that feels like a nice cup of spiced tea. Also, cats (just reiterating that it’s in the title, and yes it’s extremely cheesy, but also adorable). Overall, this was so cute and such an enjoyable read. A definite revisit for cozy season 🍂
Happy reading :)

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for providing this e-copy of Autumn at the Cat Cafe in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Carla]

Via Dalton has sworn off men since her three year relationship ended and is focused on running her quirky cat café, Pawsitive Vibes, in the charming town of Pecan Corner, Ohio. When Earl Brewster, the owner of the beloved Second Chapter Books next door, passes away she is shaken She would love to buy the shop and apartment to preserve Earl's legacy, but he left it all to his nephew, handsome Leonardo, aka Leo. Leo lives in California and is a investment banker, so is eager to sell the building and head home. Earl left conditions in the will and Leo has to stay in Pecan Corner for 30 days, living in his home and working in the store cataloguing the contents. Via works with him and they become friends, but there is a lot of chemistry there. Will Leo sell the store, or will he end up staying in Pecan Corner?

This was a sweet story that I can see be made into a Hallmark movie. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and their back stories. Both Leo and Via had been hurt badly, but can they move on? I liked Via's family and how they were there for her, they were lovely and a real contrast to Leo. He didn't even know he had an uncle and he and his mother were estranged. The cat cafe was wonderful and I loved how the cats picked their people. Leo was not a cat person, but the cats had something else in mind. There are a couple of secrets they keep from one another that almost derails their budding relationship, but this is a romance, so I knew it would work out, but I enjoyed seeing the story play out. If you enjoy a small community romance, then I recommend you pick up Autumn at the Cat Café. The audiobook is narrated by Melissa Moran, a narrator that I am very familiar with. She does a nice job with this audiobook and I enjoyed listening to this one.

[Danielle B]

Just as I expected -cheesy, fall themed, & full of cats…I know, not my go to animal here. It was perfect for those middle of the night wake ups with a newborn baby -can’t go wrong with a happily ever after for your postpartum journey!

[Samantha]

Thank you to Net Galley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars rounded to 3.

This was a easy read/palate cleanser type of book (not in a bad way), and I finished it in one day. I wish I read it closer to fall because the fall vibes were perfect. All the descriptions of fall décor, changing tree colors, and fall activities would definitely scratch my itch that time of year.

The first third of this book was rough. Everything was happening so fast that I was very confused. The first few chapters take place in the span of seemingly 30 minutes. That might not be that bad, but then contrasting that timeline with the rest of the book that skips days at a time, I wish it would have been a bit less jumbled at the start. The vibes are cute with the cats and fall time, but some of the descriptions in the book were really giving me the ick. The two main characters think some weird things sometimes, and they were overly descriptive in their desire for the other character (which I felt a bit odd since this was a no spice book).

I will say I hate a insta love story because they feel so fake, but this one wasn't too bad. The main characters have a deadline on their time together, which makes the timeline go faster than it probably should have. The main characters do have some good conversations and go into their past traumas, so it was nice that it wasn't just a lust story.

Once I hit about 2/3 of the way through the book I was hooked, I really liked the main characters and learning about Earl. Most of the supporting characters were fun, especially the cats. One character that was kind of getting on my nerves was Via's sister Dora. Also, Leo's moms was a good contrast to all the other characters. You always need a good villain, but the ending felt very out of left field for her and I didn't expect it at all. I'm not sure I like how her ending was written, but it does make for a happy ending.

Overall this was a cutesy book and I would recommend it if you like a cheesy romance, particularly with cats, fall vibes, and the state of Ohio.

[Di]

🎧 Narrator: Melissa Moran
⏱️ Audio: 8 hrs 17 mins
🍂 Kisses-only / closed-door romance

Tropes:
🍂 Cozy Fall Romance
☀️😤 Grumpy x Sunshine
🏘️ Small-Town Romance
↔️ Opposites Attract
🌆 City Boy x Small-Town Girl
☕ Cat Café Owner FMC
📚 Bookstore Setting
🎃 Autumn Bucket List
🏠 Forced Proximity-ish / Stuck in Town
🐈 Lots of Cats
💛 Fresh Starts

Such an easy, cozy fall-vibes read. 🍂☕🐈 This was the perfect palate cleanser between some of my heavier reads. Give me a small town, a cat café, a bookstore, pumpkin patches and an autumn bucket list and I'm happy. 😂
Via and Leo were cute together, and I loved watching Mr. LA slowly get pulled into Pecan Corner and everything Via loves about it. It has that light, comforting, almost Hallmark fall movie feeling without needing a ton of drama to keep the story moving.

🎧 Melissa Moran did a great job with the narration and really fit the warm, cozy feel of the story. This is one of those audiobooks you can throw on while driving, cleaning or working and just enjoy.

Not a story that's going to emotionally destroy you or completely consume your life, but that's exactly why I liked it. Sometimes you just need something sweet, easy and cozy between the chaos. 😂🍁

🐈 Favorite nicknames:
“Harvard Boy”
“Smitten Kitten” 🥹

If you're looking for a clean/closed-door fall romance with cats, books, small-town charm and cozy vibes, add this one to your autumn TBR. 🍂📚☕

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction Audio and NetGalley for providing this ALC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Dyanna]

ɪ ʀᴇᴄᴇɪᴠᴇᴅ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʀʏ ᴄᴏᴘʏ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ. ᴏᴘɪɴɪᴏɴꜱ ᴇxᴘʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ ᴀʀᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇʟʏ ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ.


○ "Autumn at the Cat Cafe" by Kathleen Fuller is everything a reader could possibly want from a cozy fall read! The atmosphere is delightfully charming: a cat cafe filled with mischievous felines (there's even a "naughtiest cat of the week" award, which was so sweet!), an old, dusty library waiting to be explored, and a fantastic romance. He’s the "Harvard boy," and she’s the "smitten kitten"—their nicknames for each other completely melted my heart!

○ ​I was blown away by the plot. The author constructed it brilliantly, and I loved that the action kicks off right from the very first pages instead of dragging out until the middle of the book. The suspense kept me constantly wondering how things would play out and how they’d resolve their issues. Another highlight for me was the heartfelt reconciliation between mother and son at the end—such a beautiful moment.

○ ​The only thing that bugged me was the lack of honesty between the main characters. They kept secrets and lied to each other, which was a bit frustrating.

○ ​Overall, I whole-heartedly recommend joining Leo and Via on their journey through all the challenges they have to face!

[Eloïse van Deutekom]

This book was such a cute autumn book!! I have to admit that I didn't know that this would be a christian book, but this book wasn't heavy on the Christianity. They talked about going to church and there were no spicy scenes, because they wanted to wait until they got married. I really like a clean romance from time to time.

I really liked the chemistry that the main characters had and how they are polar opposites. Via lives in a really small town that is a tight community and Leo is a business man who inherited the bookstore from his uncle he never knew. Via is his neighbor, she has a cat cafe next to the bookstore Leo has inherited.

[Andrea]

Cute and cheesy, definitely a light cozy read. I had a little trouble sticking with it and for the most part the chemistry between the characters seemed disjointed and random until closer to the end. It just was a bit off for me overall.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Antheia]

Netgalley ARC review

It tells the story of Via, a girl who owns a cat café and has to stay really close to Leo, the nephew of her elderly friend who recently passed away. Leo is going to inherit the bookstore, which was supposedly meant for Via.

I really liked Via. She’s super cute, fun, and feels real. She has insecurities from her past and isn’t afraid to show them.

Leo is adorable, I liked him a lot. He had a tough childhood, and it’s really nice to see how that wound starts to heal a little.

It’s a very autumnal story, the perfect mix of sweet and emotional.

[Stacey Beane]

This was more like 3.5⭐️

This was a good, clean, closed door romance story that is basically a Hallmark movie in book form! We have cats, a mysterious new man in town, an ambitious FMC & a bookstore that’s up in the air! It’s cute, cozy & great for Fall!

[Cynthia]

My rating: 4,25

This book is such a cosy, hopeful read. The story has Gilmore Girls vibes, but with more cats. It is a ‘feel good’ romance, without it ever becoming too corny.
If you’re looking for the perfect book to read sitting under a blanket with a cup of tea and a cinnamon cookie while it rains outside (bonus points if you have a cat on your lap), this is the one for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions regarding this book are my own.

[Laura Smith]

AUTUMN AT THE CAT CAFE BY KATHLEEN FULLER
4 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s
This is my first book by this author and it didn't disappoint.
Cozy
Small town
Grumpy/sunshine
Loved it

[Chelsea Cat.]

3.5 ⭐️

[Sarah Hernandez]

Thank you Netgalley for the audio ARC of Autumn at the Cat Cafe in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 ⭐️’s

What I really liked about this was the small town of Pecan Corner, the autumn vibes, the cat cafe, the cats themselves, and the book store.

What I didn’t like. The bucket list didn’t really do it for me, Church on Sundays and lunch after with the family was meh, the weird over protective brother was out of place, the sister was annoying, the romance was shallow and very instalove, the dialogue gave me the absolute ick, the whole family dynamic with Leo was cringe, the characters names were lame, and why do most FMC’s have to be so DUMB? Oh and Via lied about something major then got so mad at Leo for simply not telling her there were stipulations to gain his inheritance was wild. She also felt very immature. I think the only characters I liked were the cats. But god, even the cats had dumb names. But not like cute dumb names, genuinely dumb names.

Once I looked into the author a bit more, it made total sense. This author primarily writes Amish romance. So certain things in this book started to make more sense after I realized that.

Overall, the bare bones of the plot was very cute and cozy but then add in all the details and it just turns cringy. I’m thinking maybe I am just not the audience for this book. I can see how others may enjoy this.

Again, thank you Netgalley for the audio ARC. All thoughts are my own.