Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first time reading a novel by Katherine Reay. It was a cozy read about second chances. .

I can picture the little square in Winsome, ILL where shopkeepers keep an eye on things and townsfolk can rely on being the same. Same routine. Same people. Nothing ever changing.
Except in this novel.
Katherine Reay takes us a second time to the town of Winsome, Illinois revisiting the places presented in her previous novel, The Printed Letter Bookshop. If you haven’t read the first one, you’ll likely find this second one confusing, full of characters that you can’t understand and don’t really know all that well. I’d only read a portion of the first book (my library time ran out), so I was familiar with a few characters but didn’t know their respective endings. It would have helped a lot reading this new story.
I found it difficult to connect with the main characters. Alyssa has a bizarre relationship with her mother and is an angry young woman. Of course she had a tough go of it in California and is under investigation by the FBI, but I just didn’t “feel” for her. She tended to be more on the immature side, which would explain why I didn’t connect with her all that well.
Jeremy is trying to start over and establish a relationship with his six year old daughter. He tries hard – maybe too hard, and it makes it a challenge moving from Seattle to Winsome. He buys a business and changes it so drastically, his investments bleed dry. Don’t change something in a town like Winsome. But his little girl makes it all worthwhile.
There are a lot of characters to keep track of and some long drawn out scenes (which is not necessarily bad in themselves). I quite liked the description of the morning routine that the shopkeepers went through – every one checking on everyone else, waving and shooting the breeze.
There are some nice moments throughout the book, but it just didn’t grab my attention as I expected it to.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Though The Printed Letter Bookshop has been on my TBR list for as long as it's been out, I had not had a chance to read it yet...and to be entirely honest, until I was about three quarters of the way through this one, it somehow escaped my notice that Of Literature and Lattes was a followup to that book. Realizing that actually allowed me to appreciate this book a lot more and had me wishing that I'd started there. While it certainly CAN be read as a standalone, I found that for me the first part of the book was only eh... it took me a bit to get into the story, and frankly I felt a bit disconnected with some of the characters... as though I should have known their story better and been better able to keep up with the vast number of characters I was being introduced to. Upon realizing it was the second book, that made a lot more sense. Though I would still give it a solid 3.5 stars, I do believe it could have been higher had I already had some familiarity with Winsome and the people there.

That being said, despite my slow start into it... by the end I was really drawn into this place with it's small town charm and the people residing there. I particularly found myself enjoying Jeremy and his daughter. I got the impression that this wasn't quite the end of their story or the last we'd see of Winsome, Illinois so I do hope to have the chance to visit them again--- perhaps after going back to reread the first book first!

I didn't always care for Alyssa's character, particularly toward the beginning but she did grow on me as the story went on. I enjoyed the romance between her and Jeremy, though I didn't find it to be a major focus of the story. More than anything I enjoyed the stories of redemption and second chances--- and the unique love story between mothers and daughters.

Overall, this was a good book, but one that I would personally say should be read AFTER first reading The Printed Letter Bookshop to better appreciate the story.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own.

Welcome back to the town on Winsome, a place that seems like it would be nice to visit. I enjoyed the setting, characters, and story line in this book. There’s a fair amount of conflict and life learning lessons with the thread of good literature references used throughout. There’s definite growth for main characters Alyssa and Jeremy, plus a dose of romance. Recommended.

I feel bad about this, but I absolutely hated this book. I had heard good things about Katherine Reay and this was the first book of hers I’ve read, so I was very excited, but it was a huge let-down. My biggest issue was that the characters were completely wooden. We’re told tons of stuff about their backgrounds and their problems and their motivations, but we don’t understand THEM. I never connected to them, never understood their personalities or their relationships or their connections to each other. The perspective also kept hopping at random from one character to another, which was very jarring, and I still don’t understand why we spent time on half these characters in the first place - like why are we randomly hearing so much about Zach, Margery/George, and Chris/Madeline? I couldn’t even keep them all straight and I also couldn’t bring myself to care. The romantic relationships all felt forced, the chemistry was completely lacking, and the emotional tension points were totally contrived. On top of that, the plot line was weak and full of tons of extremely convenient, unlikely scenarios that neatly solved everything. And some of them were so far-fetched, like what was even happening with the bizarre FBI plot line? And to top it all off, I found the writing trite and cliched, and some of the similes are unbearable - like comparing a tense conversation to the foam on an espresso? Really? Ultimately this book bored me and I had zero interest in any of the characters or in finding out what happened to them. I’m super disappointed but I don’t think I’ll be seeking out anything else from Reay.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this sequel to The Printed Letter Bookshop, and while I encourage you to read that first to learn more about some of the secondary characters, it isn't essential to read it before picking up Of Literature and Lattes. Bookstores and coffee shops are two of my favorite places, so a book that takes place in both is right up my alley. There were times when I became frustrated over Alyssa's immaturity, especially when it came to her relationship with her mother, but overall, this was a quick and enjoyable read.

Great book. The plot was interesting throughout. The story was well crafted and so was the writing. Overall a great light read.

I have not read any of Katherine Reay's previous works. Perhaps having done so, this book could have made more sense. I gather from other reviews that She has written at least one other book about Winsome, Illinois. That being said, this book was not marketed as part of a series, and could/ should work as a standalone novel.

I would give this book 2.5 stars. I was not very impressed overall. There were just too many characters to keep track of, and too many POVs given. The bigger issue, though, is that none of the characters were all that great. I really did not care what happened to Alyssa, who was set up as the MC. I will admit, I liked Jeremy/ Becca and their story line, but even he was kind of a mess with treating his supposed business partner like garbage and starting a coffee shop that only serves shitty box-mix muffins.

I feel like there were a lot of plot points that were not wrapped up in the end. And since there were so many characters, I'm not even sure if I have them connected right in my mind. So, did whats his name propose to that one girl? I don't know. I can't remember. I think one name started with M. Do I really care anyways? Nope, not so much.

It's not the worst book I've ever read, but it isn't one I will recommend to friends. I think a series on the people of Winsome, IL could be interesting if the books were more focused on one or two characters at a time (and the character need to be likeable!).

Thank you to the publisher and author for providing me with a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I did not recognize the author or the title when I first came across this on Netgalley, but I was attracted to the colorful cover and the summary of the book. I am so glad I did judge a book by it's cover and took a chance on this new read. Of Literature and Lattes was a sweet story of coming home, forgiving, and trusting in new possibilities. I found the characters to be relatable with likable qualities but also flaws that made them human and gave depth to the story. I would love to read more by Katherine Reay.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this. I will be posting a full review to Goodreads, Amazon, and Instagram.

The story was a cozy feel about second chances.

There were way too many characters...but still worth the read!

#OfLiteratureAndLattes #NetGalley

I have read all of Katherine Reay's novels, this one was a hard one. This book is a sequel to The Printed Letter Bookshop, but can be read as a stand alone.
There are a lot of characters to keep track of. Alyssa comes home dejected and wanting a place to collect herself, after being investigated because of a prior job. Alyssa has a hard time forgiving her mom and their relationship is strained, because of her mom's affair.
Jeremy, moves to be closer to his daughter and opens a coffee shop. He remodels the coffee shop that was successful and the small town has a hard time accepting the changes he has made.
Alyssa and Jeremy's worlds connect when, Alyssa offers to do some accounting work, for Jeremy and a couple of other close friends. I have to confess that I've never even drank coffee before, and had a hard timeme connecting with some of the characters. This book was very different compared to the authors other novels.

This was a comforting and challenging romp through the lovely new characters Katherine introduces us to invariably in all her novels. They are complex, deal with intricate and unexpected problems, and we feel their losses and triumphs keenly. The imagery creates a cozy world we are happy to inhabit for as long as Reay allows us to, and we begin to feel like part of the "cast". Love how she explores difficult and generational parent/child relationships and redemption/forgiveness as well. You won't regret picking up any of her books, this latest is no exception!

Although this book wasn’t like any of the other Katherine Reay books, I still enjoyed it. There were a few more characters in this book to keep up with, but they blended well. Several references to The Printed Letter Bookshop has encouraged me to read that one soon.

Review URL: https://www.thepagewalker.com/2020/03/book-review-of-literature-and-lattes-by.html
Review live on 3/16/20, 7:30 AM; Central Standard Time

Winsome Illinois is home to The Printed Letter Bookshop characters and it is lovely coming back to this community for OF LITERATURE AND LATTES’.

I think Katherine Reay is starting to be a favorite. I am captivated by her deep understanding of the community. For an immigrant like me, the need for kinship and inclusion is very acute. Everyone deserves a place to call home and a family to lean on, especially when things go sideways. Reay did her best to bring in real-life issues and avenues to address them, enveloped with acts of kindness and a good amount of grace, without being theatrical or desperately pious.

The characters are all relatable -you can be a father, a mother, a daughter, or a good friend- there’s a good chance you’ve been there too. I am drawn to their struggles and how they overcame them, to their mistakes and how they amenably acknowledged each. I am drawn to their transitions from a very rocky start to optimistic individuals.

I highly recommend this book that celebrates second chances and the birthing of a book club.

I loved traveling back to Winsome! For the record, you do NOT need to have read another Katherine Reay book before reading this one (though, if you haven't yet become a fan, you'll hunt down all of the copies of her books you can find after this one).

Things I appreciate about this book:
1. The major theme is deep philosophical Christianity rather than just "Jesus Loves YOU!", which sets this author apart from other Christian fiction authors. I have read that Mrs. Reay bases her thesis on a question of philosophy that arises from different C.S. Lewis books she's read. I need to read more C.S. Lewis books so that I can figure out exactly which provided her the beginnings of this novel.
2. The romantic relationships in this book weave into the overall plot rather than being the primary focus of the characters (although it's made clear that true sacrifice and true love are synonymous).
3. I want to live in Winsome, but only in the summer months, as this book is set.
4. Examples of ecumenicism. Holler.

Read this book if you're a romantic, but you want a clean, not-syrup-y-focused relationship on the page. Read this book if you have someone you need to forgive. Read this book if you want to see Love play out in many different ways, through actions of mistake and actions of valor.

Just read it.

DNF

I did not expect Christian Fiction when I started to read this book. I don't have anything against it, but it's not for me and I don't want to read a genre that I inherently don't care about.

I did not finish this book. I found there to be too many characters to keep track of, the coffee shop sounded hideous, the FBI scene was not realistic or believable in any way. Perhaps if I read this author’s first book I’d have caught on and piqued my interest! so I’m off to read her first book.

Thanks #netgalley for the ARC.
#ofliteratureandlattes

I’m such a city girl, but after reading this, I want to go find my own small town and open a bookstore or coffee shop in it. It was very cute and amusing. I wish it focused on the two main characters more so we could see the relationship blossom, but also being able to see the insights of all the people was enjoyable. It made you really feel like you were a part of the town. Overall, a good and happy read.

If you have books and coffee right in title, isn't it already tempting to pick up the book and escalate direct into a really comfy zone nearby a fireplace and sit with a cozy cuppa and a cozy book about that cozy cuppa.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and I am utterly delighted after reading this book. The book has strong but imperfect characters which one can related with easily. The story revolves around several important characters which makes it a bit difficult to know which one is the main character.

But I found Alyssa to be the main character and also its her character with which I was able to relate with tremendously. Alyssa has always lived that perfect life where her mom likes to be in control of everything and is counted among good ones. She has parents who are in love, who love her. Siblings as well as a best friend. Some would really cherish this background; but not her.

Alyssa felt trapped and in a consistent need to pretend to be the perfect person her parents wanted her to be. She always felt the need to flee from her family and live an independent life and so she did at the first chance she got. Her mother made a mistake which broke the family and that was the best chance to flee away.
She lived an independent life, worked in the analysing logistics department but soon she found that the company was fraud.

Left with no money, no job, no probability of getting any job, no friends or family, and a possible police case against her, she is forced to return back to her parents. She though still hates her mother and cannot be bothered to even hold a decent conversation, returns to her home after her dad forces her out from his place. She finds various small jobs to survive.

Meanwhile there are the already introduced characters Janet, and Seth, Alyssa's parents who are going through a broken marriage but are still very much in love and trying to get back. Janet has her own monsters to deal with. She always pretended to be someone else, a good mother, a good wife but lost herself and so it happens, nobody even liked the pretentious body anyway. She finds she is at the end of the day, a chaotic, vulnerable person. But a real person.

Other main character is Jeremy who came to the small town after his ex wife and his child. He wants to be a dad to his daughter. His daughter is the best thing to have happened to him in a long time. He buys a cafe but is unable to run a well functioning business, he is like a foreigner, unwelcome and has to become better at his business, better at parenthood. Since his business is really slow, Alyssa decides to help him with logistics for free and well, a lot more happens between them from there.

Lexi, Madeline, George, Chris, Jill, etc are various other characters in the story who are portrayed in a really superb supporting role and they make the idea of the town more lively than ever. These characters really aid and elevate your imagination to a higher level and makes the story more real. As a reader one can even see themselves caring for them apart from the main characters.

In totality the book is a really delightful read and I had a good time. I would recommend the book to teenage and above age groups. It falls in genre of romance, family, drama, etc.