#TheSeasudeCafe#Bet Galley
This book is set in a grandchildren off the coast of North Carolina., As you read the story you can picture the place and the characters in your mind.
Katana Johnson has moved home to help her brother run the cafe. Although she usually keeps to her salvage finds herself talking to two women who become friends. As the story progresses kindred spirit makes many things feel possible for Kayanna.
This book shows how when the right people meet. lives can be changed and enriched.

Thank you, Net Galley for providing me with an e-copy of this book. All opinions mentioned below are my own and not influenced by anyone.

Very rarely do I review books without finishing them but this really left me no choice.

The Seaside Cafe is a story about Kayana who moves back to her hometown after her divorce. She helps her brother out at the Seaside Cafe, a cafe running through generations in their family.

She comes across two other women (whose names I've already forgotten) and multiple other customers, whose lives we were likely to be glimpsing into.

I always opt for these kind of stories where you peak into lives of different people who would briefly come across each other. I also adore books surrounding bookshops and cafes, female friendship, and a bit of romance.

This book had every ingredient to make me love it, but it just didn't seem to do it for me.

I wasn't able to finish this book for multiple reasons. For one, the sentences were annoyingly long, enough for me to keel losing track and having to go back. It slowed down and interrupted the readability of the story.

There's also some pointless descriptions. Though I understand this being okay in some books, it really doesn't add any value to the story. The author is neither building a picture nor getting to a point.

The dialogues are pretty off-putting too. It's just way too formal and unnatural. They seem forced and flat, not doing anything to build character.

Another weird thing about this book is how abruptly the chapters and sections seem to be ending. It's like the author was too lazy to prepare a proper ending and opted to just leave it at that, hoping we wouldn't notice.

Overall, I didn't get past chapter 5, though I had held high hopes for it. Utterly disappointed.

I wanted to read the Seaside Cafe because the premise is one I love in books-- women reinventing their lives, food, coastal living and North Carolina. Unfortunately the book left me underwhelmed and I attribute it to one reason: the story felt fragmented. I was not able to connect with it and considered it not finishing it, but I decided to keep going. The more I read, the more I kept thinking that the characters interactions felt forced. The story had all the elements of a phenomenal first book in this series (I am assuming it will be a series), but it just did not deliver for me.

First, there is the main character, Kayana (Kay), who is running the cafe in Coates Island, NC with her brother. After the divorce from a wealthy surgeon. Kayana is focused on cooking and her books. That is it. Until seasonal customers start arriving. First there are the two women who share a mutual love of books, and they start a book club. However, their interactions were rude and contentious most of the time. I kept thinking "Why is Kay still talking to them?". Then there is her interaction with her own brother, which was so odd because it did not feel genuine. Their dialogue was ridiculous. It felt like they were two strangers talking.

But the oddest relationship is that of Kay and her main romantic interest. This man has been in love with her for a few years but she has "never noticed" although everyone else has. At first she isn't really interested, but because they love books and movies, they start dating. At times, Kay comes across as bitchy when talking to him, as a way to exert she's an independent woman. He's is bitchy with her at times too, especially about his dog. The most annoying aspect is that it went from no chemistry to sexual in 2.2 seconds and the author expects us to find that believable. It was not. They had no chemistry whatsoever and the sex scenes just read so clinical. I was disappointed that I could not get into it.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this book, NetGalley and the publisher.

I totally enjoyed this book. Kayana, Derrick and Graham were very strong characters as well as Leah and Cherie. The story of Kayana and Derrick was a story in itself with everyone woven in. I have read this author before and enjoyed all that I read but I feel this series is going to be especially good. A GOOD READ.

I normally love books that centre around book groups and/or cafes so the fact that this book contained both was what attracted me to this novel. Kayana returns to Coates Island after the end of her marriage to run the family cafe with her brother. Whilst working she meets Cherie and Leah and the three set up a book group as they have similar literary tastes. At the same time Graeme and Kayana negotiate a new romance. This split focus was a little problematic - neither storyline felt fully developed. The book group angle was uncomfortable, especially in the first half of the novel, as there were very prickly relationships between the women. It often felt hostile and angry but never truly got sorted whereas the romance seemed a side issue. However, this still remained a somewhat enjoyable book but one I liked rather than loved.

I always feel bad not finishing a book but I couldn’t get into this one. I didn’t like the characters that much and there was so much detail that didn’t seem necessary.

I loved the idea. Kayana cooks in her family restaurant. She loves reading. Despite keeping a distance from people since her divorce, she makes a connection with three people over one summer. She meets two women and starts a book club with them and she starts spending time with a handsome widower who seems patient with Kayana.

I enjoyed the talk of food but the characters seemed so unkind to each other. The two women in the book club keep snapping at each other and Kayana reprimands them, but then she goes out with the man and keeps getting short with him.

I read half of it and I gave up.
This was an early edition from NetGalley. I always feel worse for not finishing a galley but I know my review of the book would not have been better if I had.

Kayana has divorced her philandering husband and moved back to help run the family café with her brother. She meets diners who share her interest in reading and they form a book club. This club addresses issues involved in their personal lives also, such as race, love and careers. Kayana finds interest in Graeme, a diner who has recently moved to the area. This is a story about adults who have lived, made decisions and suffered loss and came out of the storm to find friendship and love. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ARC of this book.
Kayana moves home to help her brother run the family café. She meets two women and they begin to bond. They decide to meet each week for a book club. The book club gives them a chance to get to know each other better. I just did not feel the friendship between them was deep. It felt a bit forced.
Leah, Cherie and Kayana have a lot going on in each of the lives and it all gets in the way of becoming true friends. I could not connect with these women.
The relationship with Kayana and Graeme just did not fit in with the story for me.

You know those movies and tv programs you put on but don’t really pay attention too, but are still nice to have on and distract you from time to time? That’s what this book is, sort of comfortable background noise.

The story revolves around Kayana and Graeme on the little Coates Island. Graeme has had a crush on Kayana and she is unaware and dealing with her divorce. She sets up a book club with two vacationers on the island. Graeme is a silent man who waits his turn to make a move on Kay. I don’t really know how it all happened but all of a sudden they are in love.
The book also starts with some background to Kay’s book club friends, Cherie and Leah, I figured it would be about the 3 women, but it was some twisted love story for Kay and Graeme.

I guess all is well that ends well. But the book was at its best when the book club came together to talk about books and life. The women are opinionated and funny. But you lack their entire backstory to comprehend where they are coming from, nor do their differences get worked out or addressed.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review.

I really looked forward to reading this book. However, it fell flat of my expectations. The dialogue between characters did not seem genuine, almost flat. And I found myself not clicking with anyone character. They always all seem to be angry with one another. This book's saving grace for are the food descriptions and the recipes at the end of the book. Honestly, that was my favorite part.

Set on an island off the coast of North Carolina, The Seaside Café has been the place to eat for more than 30 years. Kayana has returned there after a divorce, to run the restaurant with her brother. While working, Kayana meets two women who share he4 love of books and they become unlikely friends in their summer book club. Kayana also spends time with a teacher who has bought a home on the island.

I grew attached to Kayana’s character. I felt that she was thoughtful and well developed as a character. I did not understand her interactions with Cherie and Leah for the first half of the book. All three women seemed angry and offended by everything that others said. This changed as the book progressed.

Kayana’s relationship with Graeme was better developed, but seemed rushed. She spent too much time looking at him through her social worker lens.

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Liked: food descriptions (the recipes at the end were a nice touch), the love of reading bringing friends and lovers together
Disliked: Dialogue felt stiff/formal, I wasn't particularly taken with any of the characters (and it seemed like one character was always mad/being short with another character)

I was expecting something a little different with this book. I did not follow Kayana's relationship with Graeme - it seemed forced. I guess I did not understand all the nuances the author was trying to get across.