A great, fun read.
Kara and Ben don't get off to the best of starts and to make things worse he is not a cat person! Can she change his mind?
I liked how it is told from both points of view. Would love to see their friends story next.

If you're looking for a quick, cute read, then A Cat Cafe Christmas is for you. I enjoyed the quirky characters and, of course, the adorable cats! Combine Christmas, cats, and a cute rom-com, and you have a success for a Christmas novel. I'll be looking for more from this author.

I have been so busy with schools for reviews but YES YES YES THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING !!!

Perfect holiday read that I will probably read again when December comes around. Add this to your holiday reading tbr

Thank you @netgalley and @readforeverpub for approving me for this ARC!! Released October 4th 2022!

I know Halloween is around the corner but hear meowt… I love cats and I love Christmas so… I had to!

Kara and Ben have only two things in common. They have sworn off relationships and they are definitely attracted to each other. When dislike turns into banter, these two team up to save Kara’s co owned cat cafe…

I did not expect my first Christmas read of the year to be a grumpy x grumpy romance! Or should I say grinch x grinch? But alas, this book was really cute.

It’s a very quick read. I loved that every chapter starts with a doodle of a cat and the description of them. It was an adorable touch. NO SMUT! So if you’re looking for something explicit, this is not it!

The story was a lot more complex that I expected, Kara and Ben’s reasons to be against dating are actually pretty solid and I would have done the same if I found myself in their shoes tbh.

The best friend/side characters were very lovable too. I hope there is another book coming out about Charity and Schwartz, I love me a sunshine x sunshine in denial!

Why not five stars? Sometimes the main characters were a bit too judgmental. I think it was done on purpose to show how hurt they were but it was too much at times. Ben finds a kitten and takes it to the café because he does not want a pet. Kara is literally so rude to him and makes him feel TERRIBLE for not wanting a pet. Ben also has his moments. He comes through a bit against women at the beginning. I understand he is butt hurt because of his ex, but the rest of the female population is not at fault! Apart from that, this book was a very cute and clean holiday read.

Cats, Christmas, and Romance - what's not to love?

Kara is a veterinarian that owns Meow and Furrever Cat Café with her best friend. Ben is a graphic designer that works in marketing and he's not an animal person.

Their worlds collide when Ben is part of a marketing campaign to spotlight local businesses. Kara has no idea until she comes into work and there is a line wrapped around the building. Ben does not understand why Kara isn't thrilled about extra business.

As the story unfolds, Ben ends up fostering a cat. We also learn that Kara is trying to live a life where she can go unnoticed. As Ben tries to help Meow and Furrever raise money for a vet clinic in the back, Kara tells him about her former relationship where she was accused of a crime along with her weasel of an ex. Although she was cleared, she worries that any attention will blow back on the Cat Café.

This is a cute feel-good story that I would recommend to any animal lover!

Thank you to Forever Publishers and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of Codi Gary's latest book in exchange for my honest review.

This story was ADORABLE and just what I needed at the time. I loved the couple, loved the romance, and especially loved the kitty matchmaking. The best part was the kitty bios at the start of each chapter! I really enjoyed reading about how Kara matched each person/family to each cat.

Audio Review: Unfortunately, the narrator's fake Boston accent for the male lead really didn't do it for me. I found it incredible grating for the first few chapters. I must have gotten used to it because it didn't bug me as much later in the book, but that's what jumps out at me about the audio. I did think she was a good fit for the FMC, however.

A funny aside...the chapters all started with cute little bios for the cats up for adoption. I know this one cat was called Pawsomesauce, but on audio that sounds exactly the same as Possum Sauce. I chuckled for a solid five minutes about Possum Sauce, as well as commenting on it to multiple friends.

a cute, soft, and heartwarming read

Kara wants a fresh start, and she decides to open a cat cafe with her best friend, but since there are aspects where they are hesitant, in comes Ben, who lends a helping hand to their business. When Kara and Ben meet and start working together, it's obvious that there is a spark between them.
This is a wonderful story to read during the holiday season with a cat and some hot chocolate.

thanks netgalley for the e-arc!! :)

Our two main characters, Kara and Ben, start off on the wrong foot with each other when they meet outside of the cat cafe that Kara owns with her best friend. He is the marketing genius who works for the company hired by the little town to boost tourism, she is the veterinarian that works diligently on caring for the cats in the cafe until they are adopted. Her cafe is barely staying afloat and Ben is full of delightfully festive ideas to help bring in the money and the adoptions.

Through the course of the story they work through their pasts, work together for the good of the cafe and spread Christmas cheer as well.

If you love cats, Christmas and cafes this book is right up your alley! If you love Hallmark type cheesy romance, then add to cart! This wasn't my favorite read of the Christmas genre but it was cute and festive!

Over All Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5

This was a very adorable holiday romcom that will 100% get you in the mood for scarves and peppermint mocha drinks.

Kara is part-owner of a cat cafe and Ben works for a marketing firm. Kara is running away from an undeserved reputation and Ben is running from the biggest heartbreak of his life. Their first meeting is rough, but I’m trying to save the cat cafe, they work it out.

This was really sweet and simple. Perfect for a cozy afternoon at home.

A Cat Café Christmas

A Cat Café Christmas (eARC) — 4.5 ⭐️

𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: October 4th

𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Meow and Furrever Cat Café needs a Christmas miracle to stay afloat until the new year, and part-owner and vet, Kara Ingalls, is out of ideas. Soon after Ben Reese writes a marketing piece for the non-profit, business starts picking up. With the help of Ben, Kara starts believing in her dreams for the cat café again. After awhile, their relationship starts blurring the lines between professional friends and romantic interest, but can they set aside their differences and trauma to make it work?

𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: A Cat Café Christmas is the perfect romantic Christmas book for lovers of cats and Hallmark movies! I couldn’t stop reading it and ended up finishing it in two days! It took a lot of convincing for me not to jump into my car, visit a cat café, and adopt all the homeless cats after finishing the story.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 —
😻 Book about Cats
🖤 Diverse Characters
🥰 Feel-Good Story
🔐 Closed Door Romance (Mostly)
🎄Christmas Related

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐟 —
🐈 Your perfect date involves visiting a cat café
📱 You’re not on social media
🩺 You want to be a veterinarian
👗 You’d rather wear a Christmas sweater than a party dress
🥧 Your mom’s apple pie is your favorite dessert

𝐓𝐖: infidelity, strained family relationships

Thank you, NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), for providing me an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Kara and Ben meet and it’s a case of dislike at first sight. Each has previous traumas in relationships that make them very hesitant about romance. I think if this book was about half the length it is, with some severe editing, it may flow better. As it is, it’s just a slug to get through. The little kitten Chaos was a cutie pie.

It’s a clean holiday romance.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

So I’m not a cat person but I loved this book and could see the attraction to cats after! The story was totally awesome. I love the attraction between the two main characters but more importantly I enjoyed watching each of them heal through the trauma of their life. I loved the headers of each chapter with the cats. This was an absolute treat of a book!

This was certainly a cute holiday romance! I really enjoyed all of the cat bios to start of each chapter. I also liked that both characters had interesting backstories that played a role in their budding relationship.

There was nothing that I particularly disliked about this book but there was also nothing that made this one stand out against others that I have recently read which is why I rated it 3 stars.

I would still recommend this for anyone looking for a lighthearted and cute holiday romance, especially if that person is a cat lover!

OMG this book hits you in all the feels! I so looked forward to returning to it at the end of the day. I may have even cried a little.

Kara Ingalls' life had recently taken a dark turn and she went off the grid from social media, burying herself in she and her BFF's new business, Meow and Furever Cat Cafe, serving up delicious coffee and pastries and playtime with adoptable kittles. Kara has sworn off the male species and is content to live her life with her kitties. Until she runs into Ben. nearly literally. Ben, too, has left the dating pool due to his own set of unfortunate circumstances. Hoping to start over far from Boston in California, he and Kara take the usual rom-com route of fighting and disliking each other. However, fate continues to intervene and the two come together on multiple occasions and realize they really like each other.

Is this a darling romance that has some strong elements of fiction? Yes? Would it be right at home on the Hallmark Channel? Also yes (and also I would DEFINITELY WATCH). Did that stop my enjoyment of it? Absolutely not. You will laugh, you will cry and you will feel joy for the kitties whose lives are saved. This is one I would read again.

If you prefer a smuttier romance, this ain't it, y'all.

If you can make do with a few clichés and many many cute cats, this is the story for you.

I personally prefer reverse grumpy sunshine, e.g. A ​Court of Silver Flames, Take a Hint, Dani Brown and Well Matched, but I suppose I can make do with what's given.

Kara and Ben are both sad souls for very different reasons.

Kara's last boyfriend stole her customer information from work and profited on their donations. She is implicated. Running away from that life, she now runs a cat café with her best friend Charity.

Ben's fiancée left him for his brother. Does this actually happen to people? I could never imagine dating anyone that had previously dated one of my siblings.

The best part of this book are the snippets about adoptable cats at the beginning of each chapter.

I'm a romance reader who is also a cat lover and I have 20 years experience working in the veterinary field and feline rescue, so I had high hopes for this book.

It delivers on the cat/veterinary front. The depictions of the rescue world and veterinary medicine are accurate, the author doesn't gloss over the difficult parts or sugar coat it. I also loved the opposites attract romance between Kara and Ben. They're both interesting characters with complex lives. I also liked the side characters.

The place where the book lost me though is the writing. It's weak and repetitive. The dialogue often feels forced. The author isn't trusting the reader to remember things so they're brought up over and over.

If you love cats and Christmas and aren't a stickler for great writing, you'll probably enjoy this one.

It always seems weird to me to when I'm reading Christmas stories in October. But that's the game reviewers have to play. Happily, I love all things Christmas so I've gotten over it.

Since I do love all things Christmas I couldn't wait to read A Cat Cafe Christmas. It also didn't hurt that I'm a cat lover. The funny thing is that my cat is all black. She's more of a Halloween kitty than Christmas.

I enjoy Codi Gary and haven't read her in a while so I grabbed this up when I saw the arc become available and I'm so happy I did. It turned out to be a sweet holiday read. Perfect to warm your heart for the holidays. I loved the friendships that both the main characters shared with their friends. They each really needed someone to be in their corners when life knocked them down.

And believe me when I say they have both been knocked down.

You'll love Ben. He is the sweetest, nicest guy you'll ever meet. He is still so sad about what happened to him and is having trouble dealing with it. I don't blame him at all. I will say that I wouldn't be as forgiving as him.

Kara's past will also make you want to hurt someone. She's gone through a lot for most of her life and thankfully had some key people in her life that have made it possible for her to become the person she has. She's so nice even when others aren't to her. I love how much she cares for the kitties in her charge and the way she moves from one story to the next without finishing the prior one.

There is so much more I'd love to talk to you all about but I don't want to ruin the story for you. You really need to experience it for yourself. I will say that if I was Ben I would have made people pay a little bit more before forgiveness. But that's just me. What can I say, I can be mean.

A Cat Cafe Christmas is the perfect story to read and you are sitting by your tree and relaxing after a busy day. There are a few characters that I really liked and I can't wait for them to have their stories told.

This is a fun holiday book! I loved Kara and Charity's business with coffee and cats! Ben also was a character I liked and seeing their evolution of challenges and successes with the Cat Cafe was great! This is a 5 star read for me for a holiday romance! It also hits just the right time for me as I celebrate the gotcha day of our 2 family cats that we were lucky to get from a local rescue 1 year ago!

I actually found this one quite difficult to get into for some reason, but it is undoubtedly a cute, cosy, Christmassy romance. If you like cats, this is definitely the book for you! My favourite scenes were with Ben and little Chaos the kitten. I also really enjoyed watching the two characters overcome the traumas in their past and learn to believe in love again.

This book was such a let-down. It had so many things I usually love in romance: cats, Christmas, angst. And some parts of it were great -- I loved the kitten Chaos, I liked how Ben started as not a cat guy until Chaos won him over, I liked that Kara was a vet at a cat cafe that tried to find furever homes for lots of kitties. Like I said: it had so many of the elements that usually make me fall heads over heels in love with a romance novel.

Unfortunately, it just didn't work for me. I'm tapping out and DNF-ing at 71%. The story dragged, the characters lacked chemistry, and the jumble of subplots never quite gelled together for me. There was a lot going on, but the slow pace and lackluster romance bored me, and as cute as the cats were, I didn't really care enough to slog through the remainder of the book.

First, the characters. Kara and Ben were... okay. I liked the meet-cute where Kara was totally turned off by Ben not liking animals -- I totally related, as that would be a turnoff for me as well. But then I honestly didn't understand why she'd guilt him to keep caring for the kitten he found. Especially when Ben was doing renovations around his home, and there were lots of holes for the kitten to fall through, and dangerous tools for the kitten to hurt himself on. I'm glad that it worked out (because of course, plot), and that cat-fearing Ben eventually falls for the little guy he calls Chaos, but I still felt it was an irresponsible move on Kara's part to entrust the kitten's care to someone who'd stated he didn't want it. I wish there had been more of a reason why Ben had to take the kitten in, beyond just cute flirty banter.

Beyond that, I like that each character had a tragic backstory that explained why they were gun-shy about starting a new relationship. Kara's ex is in jail for embezzling from Kara's former workplace (thus implicating her), and is about to be released. Ben's ex dumped him for his brother, and he's all angsty about his mom's attempts to heal the rift by Christmas. The thing is, while both backstories made sense, they also dragged far longer than they should have. Part of it is that very little actually happens in both subplots. Ben's brother shows up at one point, and Ben's mom does a whole guilt trip thing, but Ben himself actually undergoes very little emotional change on the matter. As for Kara, I can understand why she'd be scared to open a letter from her ex, but that also meant that for most of the book, the ex remained a weird shadowy threat like some boogeyman rather than an actual character.

The subplot about saving the cat cafe from bankruptcy had promise. But again, both characters got in the way of me really investing in that storyline. I can understand Kara's reluctance to be on social media because of her ex, but her resistance to any marketing efforts is just counterproductive. And Ben's insistence on Kara's story as the perfect marketing hook makes sense only for plot purposes; there are plenty of ways to promote the cafe and increase revenue without putting one of the owners in the spotlight, and if Ben was as good at his job as he's supposed to be, he should have focused on those instead. Heck, even focus on the backstory of Kara's business partner Charity. Even though she wasn't the main character, she was a much more compelling one to me, and certainly didn't seem shy about being in the spotlight.

The other main snag for me was the romance itself. I didn't really feel the chemistry between Kara and Ben, and apart from the hate-at-first-sight meet-cute, their will they/won't they dynamic barely had any tension. There was a random hallway kiss that barely had any heat, lots of conversations that felt more like info dumps than actual story progression, and some arguments/break-ups that felt more perfunctory than actual obstacles.

The deal breaker for me, I think, was their whole "let's not date, but we can't call ourselves friends because friends don't kiss" thing. Yeah, sure. And the idea of being each other's "healbound" (like rebound but with healing -- gag me) is just... ugh. I'm totally up for cheese in romance, but this is just middle school levels of avoidance. Like, okay, we get it, you like each other but can't actually be adults about it yet, because plot.

As for what worked... the cats were cute. I liked the little profiles of adoptable cats that began each chapter. And I thought the Twelve Days of Catmas idea was adorable -- if this were ever turned into a Hallmark movie, I can imagine that part of the plot would take center stage. (It was very much in the background of this novel though, with random reminders of each Catmas day deal sprinkled in. Which was a shame.)

I also loved the MCs' best friends Charity and Schwartz. They're both hilarious, and I love their chemistry. I wish their romance had been a more prominent part of this novel, but perhaps Charity, at least, will get her own novel.

Overall, this novel was a disappointment. Though admittedly I came into it with super high hopes given it had so many of the elements I love in romances. 2 stars minus 1 for how much of a letdown it was, but plus 1 for the cat cafe and cute cats.

+

Thank you to Forever for an e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.