Pumpkin Spice and All Things Nice

Cauldron Coffee Shop #1

by Laura Greenwood

When coffee shop owner, Willow, receives a mysterious teapot from her best friend, her charmed life is turned upside down.

Between the cursed warlock who thinks he's still in Ancient times, the cat who insists on coming through her window and making herself at home, and a new employee, Willow has her hands full.

Can she unravel the mess she's found herself in? And can she do it without losing her heart?

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Pumpkin Spice and All Things Nice is book one of the Cauldron Coffee Shop Series, a witchy modern fantasy series with a romantic sub-plot, a mysterious teapot, and a cat who might be up to no good.

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Witches, Fiction

153 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 10, 2022

About the author

Laura is a USA Today Bestselling Author of fantasy romance and urban fantasy. She lives in the UK, where most of her books are set, with her partner. When she's not writing, Laura can be found exploring worldwide cusine with her partner, drinking tea, and reading fantasy books. Laura specialises in quick reads, featuring healthy relationships and consent-positive moments, regardless of whether she's writing light-hearted romance, mythology-inspired modern fantasy, cozy fantasy or anything in between.

Discover one of Laura Greenwood's most popular series:
- The Apprentice of Anubis (mythology inspired modern/urban fantasy)
- Forgotten Gods (mythology inspired fantasy romance)
- Jinx Paranormal Dating Agency (mythology inspired paranormal rom-com)
- House of Blood and Roses (vampire romantasy)
- Amethyst's Wand Shop Mysteries (urban fantasy murder mystery)
- Scales of Justice (mythology inspired modern/urban fantasy)
- Purple Oak Oasis (cozy fantasy romance)
- Falhaven Castle (cozy fantasy romance)

You can find a full book list and more information on her website, or in her Facebook Reader Group.

Happy Reading!

Reviews

[Alisha Carderella · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is nothing I hate more than a book that ends right at the middle of the story. It feels like a gross ruse to get you to purchase the next books. Pass.

[Laura Greenwood]

Cauldron Coffee Shop Series:
1. Pumpkin Spice And All Things Nice: books2read.com/pumpkinspiceandallthin...
2. Hazelnut Latte And Something To Say: books2read.com/hazelnutlatteandsometh...
3. Peppermint Tea And Nothing Is Free: books2read.com/peppermintteaandnothin...
4. Cinnamon Cocoa And Far To Go: books2read.com/cinnamoncocoaandfartogo
5. Mulled Cider And No One Is Wiser: books2read.com/mulledciderandnooneisw...
6. Vanilla Frappe And Reasons To Stay: books2read.com/vanillafrappeandreason...
7. Festive Drinks And Season's Hijinks: books2read.com/festivedrinksandseason...
8. Earl Grey And New Rules In Play: books2read.com/earlgreyandnewrulesinplay
9. Berry Infusion And Lots Of Confusion: books2read.com/berryinfusionandlotsof...
10. Strawberry Milkshake And What's At Stake: books2read.com/strawberrymilkshakeand...
11. Herbal Concoctions And Out Of Options: books2read.com/herbalconcoctionsandou...
12. Ancient Nightcap And That's A Wrap: books2read.com/ancientnightcapandthat...



Side Story: Unfortunate Decrees and Iced Coffees: https://books.authorlauragreenwood.co...

[Eden · Rating 2 out of 5]

2022 bk 329. This is another of those very short stories (but longer than a chapter) designed to suck the reader into buying more and more to find out what happens next. It is a good marketing ploy - but the reader has to come to care about the characters and I didn't. See the length of time it took me to read 84 pages when I routinely crank out 300-500 a day. The main character seemed clueless about her new shop assistant, her best friend sent her the teapot that 'spoke' to her and didn't investigate herself? The premise would have been okay, but I wasn't able to suspend my disbelief to really get into the story - and just when I thought something interesting might be happening - boom - the story ended 'stay tune for #2'. I was more disappointed than anything.

[bookswithanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 Sterne.
Eher mood als wirklich starke Handlung aber es war magisch und herbstlich und so cozy!

[Deena H · Rating 1 out of 5]

A TBC. Next book not out yet. Nothing actually happened or resolved. I like the Characters and the plot seems interesting, But This should be the beginning of a book. NOT the entire book. Disappointed I wasted the money on it.

[Stephanies.books_ · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was cute.

But was lacking any real structure, even for a Novella.

I'm also not a fan of books being spread out into novellas.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the prequel to this story quite some time ago already and ever since then I was really looking forward to this book and story. I was not entirely sure what to expect, but I loved the characters and the setting and I was quite certain that Greenwood would come up with a nice plot. So, when BookSirens announced that the arc was ready I grabbed it right away.

I think this might be one of Greenwood's best books to date. It wasn't a very emotional read yet, but she's quite clearly building everything up in this book. We reconnect with the characters, we grow more familiar with the place and with the people, we get a glimpse of the town and we're introduced to the captivating storyline.

The book starts with a little bit of a mystery and I like how Greenwood made sure to build up the suspense. Although I was longing for some answers, she only gave them when the time was right and even then we didn't get all the answers yet. We got the why, but we didn't get the how or the how to solve the issue.

And just like the mystery is built up slowly, the romance is progressing slowly too. Although I still think the characters have much to learn and discover about each other, we saw how they were connecting for quite a long time already before they acted on their feelings. I'm really excited to see where the story goes in the next book!

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, now that’s frustratingly tantalizing. This book gives us a good introduction to all the things that are going on at the Cauldron Coffee Shop, but that ending leaves me wanting to know so very much more. I’m charmed by Willow and the mystery of the teapot and now I can’t wait to find out what happens next.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout.

[Ayşe · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5*

Willow & Azil's story

[Annelise · Rating 1 out of 5]

A coffee shop-owning witch is gifted a teapot with unknown magical properties by her necromancer archeologist friend. About halfway through the book, she discovers there is a warlock tied genie-style to said teapot. Apparently the ancestors of the original group who trapped him there keep the tradition alive by renewing the curse that keeps him trapped every 100 years or so. A brief encounter with her recently hired barista assistant shows that the “bad guys” are aware of the warlock and hot on his trail. Somehow in the midst of this, our MC witch starts to develop a crush on not-a-genie boy over a plate of baklava and ends the book with a kiss.

Not very well written and very short. Too many random exposition paragraphs & not enough action. Very little characterization. Would not recommend 🤷🏼‍♀️

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Content Considerations—**mild spoilers**
Spice: 🌶️.5/5
Violence/Gore: 0.5/5
Language: 🧼
Difficult topics: none

One kiss and a few innuendos including a mention of spending most of the time dating a previous boyfriend in bed, one slightly cut finger & use of blood magic, no language I can recall. There is mention of necromancers needing to recharge their magic via dead things, but didn’t really think that warranted a “difficult topic.”

[Lola · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun read! Pumpkin Spice And All Things Nice follow coffee shop owner Willow in a world where the supernatural are out and about. Willow received a mysterious teapot from her friend Sabine and she soon finds out there is a wizard who lives in the teapot, kinda like a genie, but he's not a genie.

Willow was a likeable character and I liked seeing her meet Azil who is trapped in the teapot. I liked slowly uncovering what had happened to him and why he was in the teapot. I liked how Willow wants to help him and her determination to do so. It was also nice to see the bond Azil and Willow form and how comfortable they are around one another. This was a quick and fun read and I look forward to seeing what happens next.

I liked what we saw of the world building. It is known that the paranormal exist and they mix with ordinary humans. I liked how Willow runs a coffee shop, but also adds some magic to her coffees and uses while she works. I liked this mix of the magical and mundane. Besides that we mostly get an idea of what exists and what's possible, but not a lot of details beyond those relevant to the plot, which worked fine here.

To summarize: This was a fun read in this new series. I liked Willow who runs a coffee shop with the help of some magic. I liked the mix of the mundane and the paranormal and how humans know of the paranormal in this world. Willow was a likable character and I enjoyed seeing her meet Azil, finding out what happened to him and forming a bond with him. I look forward to the next book in the series!

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was soooo short, so many cliffhangers, and it didn't seem like the book really went far. Pumpkin Spice and All Things Nice is the first book in the Coffee Shop series. It follows Willow who is a witch and owns a coffee shop. One day she receives a package from her best friend Sabine. This package ends up holding a mystery teapot inside and now Willow is stuck trying to figure out what to do about said mystery. She hires a new barista who she doesn't know anything about.

It was hard to give a quick synopsis without giving anything substantial away from the book. I thought it was way too short and would have liked a little resolution to one of the things that had happened in the book. I do like the characters so far though, and think they are off to a good start. I just really wanted more though for this book. I like the mystery aspect and think it would be good for the story but again just way too short.

[Ash J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable beginning to this series. Willow owns a coffee shop and one day receives mysterious gift from her friend,......a teapots? We eventually find out that there is a warlock trapped in the teapot named Azil. This was a great beginnng to this series and I can't wait to see what happens next!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rebeka R · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐
I'm not sure about this book. It felt like the story was only the beginning of a story? I was curious to know where the story was going but felt like there wasn't really a middle or ending to it? The writing was good and I was somewhat intrigued.

[Annie June · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute! Definitely comes off as a serial- so the book is only 60-some pages and ends when the plot begins moving.

[Shelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute short story

Very cute paranormal romance short story. Witchy with a "genie in a bottle" feel. Ends in a bit of a cliff hanger, though.

[Phi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read! I love how cozy it felt. It was a unique concept without being too over the top, IMO. The ending felt a bit abrupt, but considering how short it is, that's not surprising. Thankfully there are many more books already out in this series, so I'll be finishing the story for sure!

[Daniel Deitch · Rating 1 out of 5]

A good opening

This story starts well with good characters and some mystery but stops in the middle of a thought. I wouldn’t consider this a book it’s much more of a first chapter. I won’t bother reading any more unless the series is turned into one book.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this fun and sweet series opener! our main character is a Witch who own the most perfect magical coffee shop! Her name is Willow and her best friend Sabine lives with her. Sabine is off doing her job as an archeologist when she comes across a teapot! Seeing as her bestie owns a coffee shop, what could be a better gift?! Willow feels automatically drawn to this teapot; so much so she starts chatting with it throughout the day. Sharing her thoughts with the teapot and just feeling drawn to it in general. One day her mischievous cat Spooky knocks the teapot over, and her is where our story blossoms. Inside the teapot is a…MAN! A cursed trapped warlock named Azìl. Him and Willow are automatically drawn to eachother and it’s really all magic from here. What gets exciting is we think the newly hired barista Willow hired might be involved in this cursed teapot. Not in a good way. This book was absolutely enjoyable and endearing. I’m super excited to see where all of this action and romance goes, so I’ve already purchased a few of the books in the series. If you want something truly delightful and filled with joy this is such a great Fall season series to start. I picked it up because of the time of year, and I can’t wait to dive deeper into these characters and this series.

[DianaRaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

PUMPKIN SPICE AND ALL THINGS NICE is the first installment in the Cauldron Coffee Shop series by Laura Greenwood. As usual, the characters are great, and the entertaining plot makes this story easy to read and perfect for when you want something that's not too heavy but has substance and an entertaining quick read. This story  appears to be just the beginning of a fun and entertaining series.

Willow owns the Cauldron Coffee Shop and has a gift of knowing what each customer needs. She's surprised when her BFF Sabine sends her a teapot from her current archeological site. It's mot all that old, but things turn strange when Willow is sure she keeps sensing emotions coming from the teapot. Stranger yet, a few new  customers seem to take special interest in the pot. Then things go really strange when a man appeas and states he is a warlock and has been trapped for 3000 years.The teapot is only his most current container. There is also a group of people tracking him to return him to oblivion once again. Willow is determined to find a way to break his curse before he is taken and hidden once again.

I really look forward to seeing what Willow and her warlock get up to in the future. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, and the above is my voluntary and honest review.

[Dahrose · Rating 1 out of 5]

The words and grammar are all in the right spots - and that is the only thing I can say in favour of this read. Now to the list, the long, long, list of what is wrong with it.

- Soulless
-The words plod across the page like prisoners pushing boulders up hills for no particular reason
-The characters are flat. And their interactions make cardboard look interesting in comparison. You speak. I speak. You speak. We all do so in a brief, stilted manner. We talk but say nothing. Everyone was awkward. Every interaction felt awkward, false and like robots were talking.
- The plot, using the actual word plot might be stretching things. This sad little tale unfolded so clunkily, in little stupid spurts of info (but info you saw coming from a mile away). And there is a set up of bad guys, which is addressed in like half a paragraph in the end, and then there is a set up for the next book, hanging off some stupid inane mystery revolving the H.

Which boggles my mind... the author is doubling down and sticking with these characters, this world and this approach. Wow... and not the good kind of wow.

This felt like it was written in half a day by a person low on vitamin-d. Get outside, author, get some sunshine and find some love & adventure - then write.

[Jae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Willow is a witch who owns and operates the Cauldron Coffee Shop. She enjoys her job, but it's becoming too much for one person to handle. Willow is also stymied by the calico cat, which she calls Spooky, that keeps appearing in her shop. Her life is further complicated when her best friend, Sabine, sends her an odd teapot from an archeological dig. Willow soon learns that a wizard has been bound to the teapot, but he can materialize in the real world. Now she has a new employee to train, a random cat to sort out, and an ancient wizard hanging around. At least life is never dull at the coffee shop.

I was enjoying this story, rocking through it, and then it just ended. I can't even say it ended on a cliffhanger. It simply ended. What the...? I am not pleased by this. Things were making sense, I was learning more as the story went on, and I was eager to see how it played out. Instead it petered out. In addition, the author seems to have forgotten all about the cat, as no mention was made of her in the second half of the book.

I would have given this a rating of four stars, but it loses one point for that aggravating ending. Three stars.

[Starfire · Rating 3 out of 5]

This reads like a prequel novella, which I wouldn't normally mind, except that there's apparently a prequel TO this prequel, implying that this is meant to be a story in and of itself... which it isn't really. Instead, it feels like a setup for a main, self-contained story in the next book, which apparently isn't happening, if the fact that it's only 88 pages is anything to go by.

Look, running a magical tea/coffee shop is a cute idea, and the execution was intriguing, but I'm also conscious that, at 153 pages, this is the longest instalment in the series - everything else seems to be between 80-150 pages (and mostly skewing towards the 80 end), so I'm assuming that series as a whole is a single story, split over multiple short books. I'd be fine with this as a publishing choice if the series were available in KU, but given that it contains 13 books, each of which is $7-$9 (ie $90 to read the entire story), it just doesn't feel worth the outlay to find out out what happens from here.

Maybe if Ms Greenwood decides to release it in KU, I'll keep reading, but otherwise, I'm happy to focus my reading attention on other books.

[Douglas Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is trouble brewing for our heroine and it is going to cause some disruption in her otherwise quiet routine. Perhaps that is what she needs, though.

This is book one of the series, so a fine place to start. It is part of the author's paranormal world in which most of her stories are set, but again, that is not important to the uninitiated. You can enjoy this either way.

The story is a paranormal romance of the slow burn variety. Like the other stories from this author, this one is well written and easy to read with well developed characters and a setting that has been detailed in many books. So we start from a very solid base and build from there. And build we do as the plot involves a bit of action, a bit of mystery and a bit of romance all mixed together to make a fast paced and fun story. Overall, another fun story from our author and I look forward to seeing what happens next.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.

[Starr Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Willow and her best friend Sabine have Charm galore! Willow gets a gift from her bestie - a lovely teapot from her gal pal. She admires it but doesn’t really think about it much, but a day or two after its rival notices that Spooky, the store cat seems to like the teapot.

Even odder, the teapot seems to…emanate feelings! Willow can feel when teapot is happy or sad…so when there is an accident and a bit of a mess and she cleans it up around the tea pot one day and a cloud of smoke appears, becoming an adorable young man, Willow is shocked - because it is Azil, a cursed warlock, trapped there for 3000 years!

More oddities occur when the new barista Willow hired to help her around the store, Aisha, asks questions about the teapot. Even more strange is the dropped cup incident,when Aisha attempts to force Willow to give her answers about the teapot and absconds with her belongings rapidly before Willow can ask her too many questions about the strange incident.

This is a short story with charm galore! Delightful and entertaining characters and an absolutely worthwhile read

[Laure · Rating 4 out of 5]

Willow is a witch, and she owns a coffee shop so she's not sure why her best friend has sent her an old teapot as a gift, but she puts it on a shelf for all to see. But there's just something about that teapot... When Spooky, the cat who comes and goes as he pleases, makes a mess she pulls out her wand to clean up the spill, which is how she discovers the warlock cursed to spend an eternity inside the teapot. After getting to know the charming warlock, she decides she has to break the curse, unfortunately some else is determined to see that the curse is not broken.
Fun and interesting characters that are well written and I think they are believable, and I liked them all. I particularly enjoyed Spooky, and if you have ever had a cat, you know why. Magic, coffee, curses and an interesting twist kept me reading from the first page to the last.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Cheryl Drake johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Willow is the owner of the Cauldron Coffee House and it is doing well she is happy when she receives a call from her best friend Sabine who is on the other side of the world and informs Willow she was offered another job and she will be home soon. Sabine sent Willow a gift but the gift was more than it seemed because Willow could feel emotions from it that was strange in a way but comforting in others. Willow has hired a barista to help during busy hours but the first thing she asks about is a teapot. Then she meets Azil who informs her that he is a warlock and that he had a curse put on him over 3,000 years ago. A very charming, interesting storyline and characters. Entertaining romance, unpredictable, kindness, betrayal, scary, and intriguing. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

free coI received a py of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cliffhanger alert. Willow is a witch who owns the Cauldron Coffee shop. She gets a mysterious package in the mail and finds that her best friend and roommate has sent her a tea pot for no apparent reason. She sets it on a shelf and goes about her business but she keeps getting the impression of - well, feelings, coming from the pot. When Sabine calls her and asks if she got the gift she can't explain exacting why she sent it, just says she "had to." When a cat knocks over a mug of coffee and it hits the floor, Willow grabs her wand and uses a little witchcraft to tidy up the mess. When the magic hits the teapot, Willow almost chokes as a puff of colored smoke comes from the pot and reveals a man. A floating, slightly transparent man. It seems her teapot houses a three thousand-year-old cursed warlock. Huh.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Willow a witch and coffee shop owner receives a surprise gift from her bff Sabine. A teapot one evening during closing Willow discovers that the teapot is actually home to a 3000 year old warlock who’s been trapped inside. They become friendly. Willow is uneasy when her new and first employee gives a bit too much interest into the teapot. Azil the trapped warlock reveals he was cursed and the descendants of the original five who cast it continue to trap him over and over. Willow resolves to find a way to break the curse as she realizes she has feelings for him.
Cute premise and a fun quick story. I’ll be interested to see how they manage with a curse, rogue descendants after the teapot and the really really large age gap.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Andra Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pumpkin Spice And All Things Nice is the first book in the Cauldron Coffee Shop series. The character Willow attended the Grimalkin Academy, a series I read some time ago. These are fantastic series; the characters are engaging, and some are familiar as they were in another series by Laura Greenwood. In Pumpkin and Spice, Willow meets a warlock named Azil, who is locked in a teapot. The storyline in this book is fascinating and engaging, engrossing, fun, and entertaining. The storyline has a little suspense, a mystery, paranormal-supernatural action, a couple of twists, a budding romance, and a little drama. There is also a bit of a cliffhanger. I can see this series becoming a bit addictive.

I look forward to reading Hazelnut Latte And Something To Say, book two in the series.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.