Morningstar Café : Devilishly Good Coffee

by Patrick Fillinger

A cozy café. A shy barista with secrets. A spark neither of them can ignore. Luke isn’t just a barista—he’s something far older, far stranger, and trying very hard to blend in. Morningstar Café is his sanctuary, a place where he can pretend to be normal for a few hours each day.

Then Sara walks through the door, and his carefully controlled world tilts. She’s warm, charming, and unintentionally chaotic in a way he can’t resist. Their connection grows with every shared laugh over steaming cups of coffee… but so does the risk of Luke’s magic slipping through in front of her. And Grimble—the invisible imp perched on Luke’s shoulder—is absolutely not helping. As winter deepens and their feelings intensify, Luke must decide whether to reveal the truth or keep his distance. But love was never meant to be simple… especially when the supernatural world wants a say in it.

A tender, humorous, slow-burn romance with a magical twist.

217 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 1, 2026

Reviews

[Jessica Mather · Rating 4 out of 5]

So The Devil got sick of Hell. What else would he do other than take a vacation and open a Cafe. Honestly, this book had me sold on Coffee haha. Adding the slow-burn romance and hilarious impish companion, this was such an enjoyable read!

The cozy comfort that begins in this book sucks the reader in and kind of makes you fall in love with Luke. Some of the advice he gives Sara is so poignant, but also spoken so kindly. I needed him about a week before I read this. The book really focuses a lot on Sara and her applying for a grant to help underprivileged kids. Her character was very quiet, even through the chaos and I think she got lost amongst it all even though she was a major player in the plot.

The action packed and tense ending is a huge contrast to the beginning. I found this to be a bit jarring, especially with how the book actually ended. Good on the author for taking that path, but it just didn’t land quite right given how much time we spent in the shop.
One of the best parts of the book was Grimble, the literal imp on Luke’s shoulder. He was hilarious in the way that he didn’t hold back. He gave me Danny Devito in Hercules vibes and I was all for it!

The cover art gives Lucifer the tv show, and his charm was very similar. But turn tv Lucifer into a cozy fantasy that you don’t think has any stakes, and you have Luke. You wouldn’t think Cozy and Lucifer would go together, but it absolutely does in its own unique way.

I would absolutely recommend anyone pick this up. It was a great read. Very cozy (until it wasn’t) and I think anyone could enjoy it. It does end on a bit of a cliffhanger so I do want to see where the author takes this story.

Thank you to Patrick Fillinger for the Advanced Reader’s Copy (ARC) of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morningstar Cafe where the coffee is Devilishly Good and made by some kind of caffeine wizard.

If you love Lucifer with his Devilish whitty comments and on point humour then this is the Cafe for you!

Morningstars is a place cut out of the world where you can breathe.
A place where you can forget the worst parts of being alive for the length of a cup.

Then there is Grimble with short charcoal fur that always looks singed oversized orange ember eyes, bat like wings closed tight to his body with a thin tail.
The last time you helped I had to exorcise a toaster, and yet the toasts never been the same you're welcome Grimble smiled with a wide toothy grin 😁

[Tofunmi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended for fans of witty, heartfelt supernatural fiction!

I had the pleasure of beta reading this book and was completely captivated by its unique charm and emotional depth. The voice is confident and cozy, and following the retired devil Luke as he navigates the thin places between love, grief, and celestial politics was an absolute delight. The story masterfully balances humor, tension, and deep feeling, creating a world that's both magical and deeply human. A truly promising and engrossing read!

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun cozy read! Luke is so sarcastic and quick-witted. The cafe itself was its own full blown character that was so wonderfully described, I felt like I was sitting there watching everything take place with my own cup of coffee...Also, I need a little sugar fiend gremlin like Grimble in my every day life!

Would have loved more world building and explanation as to the character's history, but I'm sure that will get tied in later with future books. overall this was a lovely read and I'm anxiously looking forward to future stories about these characters.

[Brianna Engelhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sold on the book description alone. This story has characters that will live in your head rent free, and a plot line that will have you reading past your bedtime. Every chapter got better. I was still trying to swipe to the next page when I realized I reached the end. I NEED MORE!! Cute. Funny. And a sprinkle of magic.

Also- there are some character cross overs which now has me reading this author’s other stories because I can’t get enough!

[Paula Dawes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the coziness of the cafe. I felt like I was sitting there with Sara enjoying a coffee. You definitely get the feel that Luke loves his cafe and that he is interested in Sara. While Luke and Grimble also have an interesting relationship there are times I wonder if Grimble is a trouble maker or a helper.

[Andrea Hartline · Rating 5 out of 5]

What did I just read?! A cozy romance that totally took a 180 turn, and I loved it. Luke is dreamy and Sara is such a relatable character. I swear if there isn’t another book after this I am going to be upset. I want more!! Thank you to the author for an advanced copy for a voluntary, honest review.

[Betsy Fulmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The way it was formatted, especially toward the end line by line instead of as chapters was different. At some point I thought it was because it was reading like poetry, but then it just kept this format. The storyline was great. With a really cute, non spicy love story. I am looking forward to a sequel. I hope there is one in the works.

[Chantelle Kelly-Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

As soon as I heard, there’s a good looking man serving coffee I was in! This was definitely a slow burn. Just like waiting for that delicious drip coffee. He really sets the stage and then all hell breaks loose, unintended 😉

I absolutely adored his little unwanted companion and his hilarious commentary. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is pure poetry. It is comfort in a warm cup. Made by Mr. Tall, dark, and celestial. This book was perfection and left me wanting more- I really hope the author decides to pursue a second book of these characters. And Grimble, everyone needs an imp named Grimble in their lives!

[Ameenekosan · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** ARC READER **
This is truly a bit of fresh air. The first half of the story is light, funny and honestly amazing. the second half is a little bit darker but I loved it all !! my favorite character is most definitely Grimble ❤️

[Raminta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy but devastating.
Fun, easy read... until the couple final chapters. Then it's feels galore. The cafe setting makes it feel real. The jokes will make you laugh out loud. And who doesn't like a handsome, charming devil.
thank you to the author for providing this arc.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️’s rounding up. This was a quick fun read. The description really made it easy to picture, and I loved grimble’s random commentary. I do wish I had more insight to Moros & Ravael, but I’m sure that will come with more in the series which seems like there will be!

[Fatima Salih · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cozy and fast read, and I really enjoyed it. Grimble was also super fun to follow throughout the story. I also loved how the story played out since it's not something that I read every day.

Thanks to @fillingerpatrick for the chance to be one of the first readers.

[Liranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is unlike anything I have ever read. I highly recommend! The characters are well developed and relatable. This story is like slice of life meets the darker side.

[Toni Shortsleeve]

I loved this! Sara is great. Luke is trying... Gimble is just himself.
The banter was fun and the almost tongue-in-cheek humor was spot on.
I can't wait to see what this author creates next!

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, cozy, and full of surprises.. Hope to see more from this fascinating world soon..