Cute as a kitten modern RomCom filled with cats in a cat café setting. I love that Paige named most of the cats in the café after Jane Austen characters. It couldn’t get any cuter. This is a very light-hearted romance novel that’s pretty enjoyable.

I thought the chemistry between Paige & Josh were natural and sweet. Paige’s character was really invested in her friends, so I enjoyed their interactions together but towards the 2nd half I was over the drama that wasn’t really drama? I’m not sure how to explain it, but I was still rooting for them. I felt like the issues between the two main characters were mostly Paige’s internal angst that wasn’t as big as she thought they were.

If you’re looking for something without too much drama, sweet to read, AND you like cats, this is a good one for you. I didn’t read the first book in this series, and don’t think that you need to. Unless you get consumed and really want to get to know the other characters more. 😊

What the Cat Dragged In by Kate McMurray
I found this book to be mildly annoying. It seemed to be trying to be Sex in the City for a new generation with a bit of Friends thrown in. I did not really like any of the main characters but Josh was slightly better than Paige and Lauren. Lauren was the worst as a bossy older sister. Even her mother said so. I did like the cats and the gay friend was entertaining but a bit of a stereotype. The sex was fairly explicit but also kind of cringingly not sexy.
My pet peeve, sorry could not resist, was the use of the word pet instead of petted as the past tense. I had to look this up and it is coming into common usage but I found it sounded wrong and because there are cats in the story, they say it a lot.
The narrator of thiis audiobook was good.
Thanks to Netgalley for this early listen.

What the Cat Dragged In is the second book in the Whitman Street Cat Café series by Kate McMurray. I also read the first book in the series, Like Cats and Dogs. I listened to the audiobook version of What the Cat Dragged In, which was narrated by Suehyla El-Attar Young. The book is about 320 pages long, and the audiobook clocks in at a little under eight hours.

Our heroine, Paige, is the marketing manager for the Whitman Street Cat Café. Her boss/best friend Lauren suggests that she should volunteer with a cat rescue organization in order to distract herself from her bad luck using dating apps. Our hero, Josh, just had a messy breakup and has been distracting himself from that by putting in tons of hours at the Manhattan law firm he works for. His boss requires him to do some volunteer work, and his sister also suggests the same cat rescue organization. They meet-cute while capturing strays as part of a spay/neuter program and sparks fly, but then Paige finds out that Josh is Lauren's brother. Oops.

I found the relationship progression in this book more believable than the previous book in the series. The covers for this series are still charming to me, but I do have one nitpick: the book mentions that our main character is blonde several times, but on this cover she's a brunette.

Tropes in this book include: strangers to lovers, best friend's brother romance, secret romance, millennial angst, evil corporate law firm, and cats.

A romance novel set in Brooklyn, at a cafe, with lots of cats--how trendy and trite is that? A great thing about this story is that it focuses not just on the development of the relationship between the love interests, but it really provides a great view of the emotional lives of the characters and the community it takes to support a relationship. Relationships are complicated, and this story showcases that nicely. And the details about cats will surely please any friend of felines! The reader for the audio version does a fantastic job of disambiguating the characters, creating a fuller world for the listener's enjoyment.

What’s not to love about this book! Forbidden romance and cats!! Paige and Josh’s relationship is great to read about. How they meet at a rescue cat event they both decide to volunteer at to how they learn that Josh is Paige’s best friend’s (Lauren) brother. Super cute and hoping for another story about Lauren.

Kate McMurray's What the Cat Dragged In is the second book in their Whitman Street Cat Cafe series. I listened to this one first, and had no trouble following along. You can definitely enjoy these as standalones, though, full disclosure, now I've got to get the details of Caleb and Lauren's story!

This is a pretty low-angst romance, filled with wonderful scenes of these 'late 20 somethings' finding their way in the borough of Brooklyn. It's been over twenty years since I lived there, but some things sure haven't changed a bit. Kate McMurry truly captures the essence of what makes this such a unique, charming, and often frustrating place to live... and date.

Poor Paige! The early scenes of dates with completely incompatible guys will crack you up! There's a good deal of lighthearted humor throughout the whole story, but there are serious moments too. Sibling drama, best friend spats, work and ethics debates - everything with which this socioeconomic group has to deal.

Very enjoyable, and nicely performed by Suehyla El-Attar Young, who does a great job with all the different characters' voices. Well done.

What drew me in initially was the cat on the cover and the title. Since I don’t often see enough romances have cats in them; it was nice to have another romance read involve cats. If you couldn’t already tell, I’m a huge cat person.

Anyways as for the book, I actually quite enjoyed this. It was such a fun and entertaining read; perfect to read/listen in one sitting. The audiobook was also great.

I loved both Paige and Josh together, but also as individual characters.Their chemistry was realistic and their individual motivations were understandable and relatable. Though I’m not a fan of the ‘one night stand’ trope—I like more development before the first kiss/time— it was nice to see their relationship develop throughout the book.

The side characters were also really great. Like to be honest, I would love to be friends with them. Also side note: can we see Evan’s story in a future book? And I should probably read Lauren and Caleb’s story as well (I wanna see how they got together).

Overall, I enjoyed my time listening to the audiobook and I definitely plan on reading more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute book. I enjoyed the characters and the story was good. My only complaint is that it was almost exactly the same story as book one. However, you really can’t go wrong with a romance set in a cat cafe! 😻 I love this narrator! I’ve listened to a couple of her audiobooks and she’s fast becoming one of my favorites!

DISCLAIMER: I received this book free from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

What the cat dragged in by Kate McMurray
4 stars

Paige is very unlucky in love after trying online dating and having none go past the first date. At a volunteer event for cats. Paige meets a handsome guy named josh who she finds out is a first-year lawyer that works all the time, Also he's her best friend's brother. Unfortunately, Paige realizes this could be something more than a one-night stand, which makes everything more complicated.

My thoughts:
Such a cute light-hearted romance, definitely has its frustrating moments. I know dating your best friend's sibling can be the difficult cause of some drama but Paige was overthinking way too much. If I was Paige's friend I would have smacked her for just not getting over it. Yall are adults talk it out. Josh is such a sweetheart and tries to help Paige any way he can and even gives her time while she's trying to figure it out. It does end good there is a lot of banter and just that adorable feeling that makes you just want to say awww over and over cause the chemistry is strong between Paige and josh. This book is the second book in the Whitman Street Cat Cafe series. I didnt know that and im going to have to go and read the first one now

Rating 3.5/5
In what the cat dragged in we follow Paige Danvers, an event manager with zero luck in the romance department, and Josh Harlow, a newly graduated lawyer who is trying to take off in his new career.
The first half of the book I absolutely adored. I must admit, though, I am a fan of a good insta-love story. And that is definitely what this was. From the time Paige and Josh looked at each other, they were lost. However, with most stories where the main characters get together so quickly, it can fall short with keeping tension. That is where Lauren steps in. She is Josh’s older sister. Lauren and Paige are very good friends and even work together, and Paige would do anything to keep this friendship. When she and Josh begin to grow closer, she worries it will affect this friendship. This had a good setup. Paige decided they should keep their relationship to themselves, even after they continue seeing each other for a slew of concerns. My main issue with this book was how easy and willing Paige always seemed to drop Josh, despite what we are told she is thinking/feeling. Later in the book, you learn why it is this way, but I think it makes their relationship feel less serious, even after everything. I also feel that some of the other side characters could have been fleshed out some more. Overall, it was a cute book. I loved the cat cafe and the friendships that were shown. They felt like people you could actually know, and I really liked that. I listened to the audiobook and I think it also helped bring the book to life. I would definitely be interested in reading more about this group.

Meh

The writing is decent. The characters are fine, I guess. The narrator for the audio was very good.

The story was boring. The conflict was so forcibly manufactured that it was unbelievable. The so-called "best friend" was a horrible, selfish person and I definitely have no desire to read book one of this series since she's the main character. The female lead was so wishy washy that i didn't feel like she deserved the happiness of a HEA. If there was a third book about the gay co-worker, I might read that since he and the male lead of this story were the only likeable characters in the book.

Conceptually cute, would not recommend

Summary:
In this book (second in the series), Paige is a young millennial who has found her career passion in working at a shop with cats. She meets Josh, an up-and-coming lawyer who is trying to find the best career path for himself, the brother of one of her best friends, and they immediately connect. However, as they connect, they grapple with the difficulty of dating a relative of one of your best friends as well as the difficulty of overcoming past relationships.

Pros:
-Cute love story with some fun tropes
-Sweet friendships interlaced into love story

Cons:
-Story was not all that attention-grabbing
-Shallow characters without much development

3/5, cute, but didn’t grab my interest all that much!

I received this ARC (audiobook) from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This was a cute, easy read with Hallmark vibes. It’s exactly what I expected and I listened to it in one day. I loved how they used Friends references in their everyday life throughout the book and enjoyed the tour of Brooklyn. The main characters were frustrating at times. There were a lot of references to Paige constantly attracting man children yet she was immature herself at times like how she just assumed her friend wouldn’t approve of the relationship but didn’t tell her about it. Overall, I liked the book, enjoyed the cat cafe and Brooklyn references, and it had a good ending.

This book is incredibly easy to read and feels like a warm hug. I think some could consider this book boring because there is no huge drama or big issues. It is two average, everyday people meeting at random and figuring out life as they go. Nothing is over-the-top or unrelatable. I could picture all of this happening in the real world. The characters feel real and easy to understand. They each have their own internal battles, but the battles are those of an average human with a good life. This book isn't going to leave you feeling emotionally drained. It is an adorable little palate cleanser with a teeny amount of spice.

This romantic comedy was really adorable, and had me smiling and laughing frequently. The use of the best friend's brother trope was so well done, and I loved the forbidden aspect that came along with it from Paige and Josh trying to keep it away from Lauren.

Paige has hit the disaster zone in the dating world, and can't seem to catch a break. When her best friend and boss urges her to drop dating apps and find a distraction for a bit she volunteers for a cat rescue organization. She hadn't expected it but while there she actually meets a guy with real relationship potential.

Josh is a recent law school graduate who is putting in a ton long hours at a Manhattan law firm as he gets over a messy breakup. He finds himself at the same volunteer event as Paige when his boss requires him to do some volunteer work. It doesn't take long before sparks fly between them and they are drawn to each other.

The only problem in their relationship is after a steamy night together, Paige discovers Josh is Lauren’s brother and dating him would be a spectacularly awful idea especially with her track record in dating. But they both feel too much to just walk away from each other. They have to be careful or one small misstep could have chaos erupting amongst friends, family and their jobs.

I absolutely loved this story so much, also made me what to read Lauren and Caleb's book even more now too. It was a sweet and light rom com that had a good dose of drama amongst the sweet parts. Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this novel.

When event planner Paige hooked up with lawyer Josh, she didn't know he was her best friend's brother. Now, they can't seem to stop running into each other. As a first-year associate, Josh doesn't have time for a commitment. And Paige's long string of failed relationships have kept her wary. But when they're together, it just feels right. Can they find a future together?

This book is delightful, full of witty banter and swoony romantic scenes. It's smart and funny, and I enjoyed the audiobook performances. I look forward to more in the series.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the audio ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I would like to thank Dreamscape Media for an opportunity to read and review What The Cat Dragged in by Kate McMurray.

Romcoms always seem to be my go to reads during the holiday season and I can never say no to a book with cats. The chemistry between. Josh and Paige is well thought out and their witty banter made for a few good laughs. The group of friends that work and hang out at the Whitman Street Cat Cafe are great and I adore all of the cat content. (If these kinds of events aren't happening IRL someone needs to implement them quick)

I did have some issues because while Paige and Josh gave perfectly good reasons to why they shouldn't pursue a relationship it didn't stop them from seeing each other. And it also didn't stop them from constantly bringing it up. Another problem I had is I couldn't understand why they felt they needed to hide that they were seeing each other. The story works great without that added conflict.

Whitman Street Cat Cafe is made for love so if your looking for an enjoyable and easy read I suggest giving this series a chance. I for one can't wait to see which character at the Cat Cafe Kate McMurray writes about next.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What the Cat Dragged In is the second installment in the Whitman Street Cat Cafe series. In it, you will meet Paige and Josh. Unlike the previous book, I actually enjoyed getting to know these two. Their chemistry and romance bloomed into something sweet and delicate. Plus, any book with animals definitely makes the book a bit better in my eyes.

Besides adoring these two from start to finish, I'll admit that I was bit over the drama. It wasn't completely overplayed but I didn't really care for it either. Which, yes, is probably weird to say since this is a romcom kind of book. As for everything else? Well, it was very enjoyable and hard to put down.

In the end, I'm very happy that I gave this author a second chance. Things definitely got better in my eyes, and I hope she writes a third book for this series. Heck, I'd be okay with some movies too.

Super cute romance. Love it! It’s a feel good book for sure. I had not read her first book but I throughly enjoyed this one. I would read move of her books as well.

What the Cat Dragged In by Kate McMurray and is a great contemporary romance that is the second book in the Whitman Street Cat Cafe series. I liked this one.

I listened to the audiobook version narrated by Suehyla El-Attar Young.

I really enjoyed this contemporary romcom involving an adorable cat cafe (cafe / cat adoption business), beyond adorable cats, and a couple - Paige and Josh - destined to be together.

I enjoyed the Brooklyn and NYC location backdrop. The sights, businesses, sounds, and way of life was a great addition.

I also loved the concept of the cafe basically disguised as a cat fostering/adoption agency. Lauren and Paige are childhood friends that work there while Josh is Lauren’s brother…however Paige and Josh do not realize this connection until after a crazy evening together after volunteering for a feral kitty program.

Both characters are at pivotal stages in their lives. Paige has already made the huge occupational jump, but longs for romance and marriage. Josh is up to his eyeballs in unhappiness at a corporate law firm working 70 hour weeks for dubious clients. Both are afraid of rejection and also upsetting Lauren. What ensues is a push/pull plot while both work out their feelings and desires out of life.

I enjoyed the character cast, the progression of both Paige and Josh, and I really enjoyed the ending. There was wit and humor and of course, precious felines.

The audiobook was also very enjoyable and the narrator did a great job with differentiating all of the characters through different tones and accents.

Looking forward to the next book.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Dreamscape Media for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication on 12/7/21.