Cover Image: The Christmas Café

The Christmas Café

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Member Reviews

What a delightful book! I loved the story of the little cafe. It was so homey and I wished I could live in this town and visit this cafe. Perfect addition to my holiday reads!

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This story will leave you with the most wonderful, happy, full feelings ever. It would leave you with the knowledge and deep certainty that everyone in them has the beautiful happy ending they deserve!

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Cute, seasonal, ultimately not that impressionable holiday read with lots (and lots) of holiday baking... read with a cookie in hand!

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Sylvie, is a baker who works at the same cafe her grandmother did, the Christmas Cafe. A small town called Silver Bells, Wyoming. It holds all of memories of her and her grandmother baking there as she grew up. She misses her grandmother but she can feel her there. She hears a rumor about the cafe being up for sale. Sylvie refuses to let that happen. She’ll show the owner that she can run it while they retire. Can she make that happen? What will help her bring more business there? There is a movie taking over the town, so Sylvie thinks that they may can help with advertising it. Can they? They love her cooking. She meets the star of the show. He’s handsome and is paying attention to her. They go on a few dates. She enjoys them but isn’t sure he’s genuine. She still can’t believe he’s into her. She is clumsy, shy and she doesn’t think she’s pretty. Why would he? There’s also a school friend, Abe who delivers products to her at the cafe. She is noticing him more and more. She’s seeing the real man. She doesn’t know he’s always had a crush on her. He’s a good man who came home after the military to take care of the farm when his father was diagnosed with an illness. He has no regrets. Will Sylvie safe the Christmas Cafe? Will she fall for the movie star? Is he genuine or fake? Will she fall for Abe, the one she’s more comfortable with and enjoys spending time with? The characters are wonderful. If you love a Christmas story with romance, this book is for you. It puts you in the Christmas spirit. Worth the read. Eliza Evans made you feel like you were in the story. I received this book from NetGalley for my honest review. I give it voluntarily.

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This book wasn’t anything spectacular but was a perfect, cozy, Hallmark-esque read! I didn’t love Sylvie and felt like her character was a bit on the cheesy side but LOVED Gramps.

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This was a good adult contemporary Christmas romance! And I really like the cover of it!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher

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I am a huge fan of cheesy Christmas Hallmark movie-esque books and this did not disappoint. I highly recommend it if you're also a fan.

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This book was okay. I know going into a "holiday" book that I am expecting it to be cheesy. However, I wish it was WAY less cheesy and gave less "hallmark" vibes. If I devote my time to a holiday book I want a strong plot and character development and I do not think this book executed.

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When Sylvie learns the Christmas Cafe might sold, she’s determined to save it by getting the Holiday Channel to film at the café. Between an unexpected acting gig, a booth at the Christmas festival, an appearance at the Christmas parade, and a budding romance with movie star Royce, Sylvie has a lot on her plate. Good thing her old friend, gruff yet reliable Abe, has just come home to manage his parents’ goat farm—until she catches herself feeling a little too merry and bright in his presence.

This was fine - I wasn’t crazy about it. It was super predictable, and I didn’t really click with Sylvie.

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I loved The Christmas Cafe! It was a pure delight to read. From the setting of the Cafe and the family history behind it and the fact the story had an actually Hallmark movie being filmed in the town, this book really had it all. Perfect holiday read.

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I thought I was going to love this, I really did. I am a sucker for a Hallmark Christmas movie and The Christmas Cafe sounded like it would be that in a book form. It might be exactly that for some readers, but unfortunately for me it had all the cringe of a Hallmark movie, but did not get to the "it's so bad that it's good" gooey heart that brings me so much joy during this wonderful season.

All I kept thinking was "she's not like other girls." Maybe this was a desirable troupe 5, 10, 15 years ago - but those days are over. And this is coming from someone who LOVES film from the 40s and 50s, give me White Christmas or Meet Me in St. Louis all day long, but that does not make a personality. So if I cannot connect one bit with the female lead we're pretty much done. But honestly she was not the worst part - that is reserved for her dog, Crumpet. Cute name, but that's where the cuteness stops. He's horribly misbehaved, but omg he's just too adorable. I know someone in real life with a horribly behaved dog, and there aren't many dogs I dislike, but that is one of them. So Crumpet reminded me of that read dog, but 50x worse. She feeds it horrible food and in turn it will not listen to a single thing Sylvie says. OK, enough of the rant, I think you get it - didn't like Sylvie and didn't like the dog.

Anyways, the long and short of this novel is it is a small town romance of this clumsy baker trying to save the Christmas Cafe, a staple of the town. While this is going on a hallmark style movie is being filmed in said small town. A romance begins with the male lead, but is he her prince charming, or is the farmer who's been in the background all along?

Even though I really did not like this novel, if you like hallmark movies and Christmas romcoms (there is no spice) give it a try. You might find the female lead endearing and her dog just the cutest. But if you start reading and are not vibing with them, but it down and move onto the next.

Thank you to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

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I love Christmas. Everything about it. So of course I love it when NetGalley unveils the year's new Christmas books. This book did not disappoint. It was the book equivalent to a romantic Hallmark Christmas movie. I had not read a book by Eliza Evans before but this certainly will not be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was perfect to read cuddled up by a fire under a blanket with a cup of delicious hot cocoa,

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my review!

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The Christmas Cafe was a sweet holiday read for my favorite time of year. It felt like reading a Hallmark movie, which is exactly what I want for a cozy Christmas read. The characters in Silver Bells, Wyoming felt like my friends, and Sylvie's bakes inspired a few bakes of my own. If you like cozy Christmas vibes, a classic love-triangle, and families and towns coming together in the most heartwarming way - you will love The Christmas Cafe!

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This was really cute! I loved the grandpa and loved the cute small town aspect. I thought her dog Crumpet was so cute and the memories and elements of her grandma were really sweet.

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I just loved how easy this was to read, and just how much of an escape this was. It has a good blend of romance and comfort and romance. Perfect for the holidays

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Cover drew me into this one! Love a small town Christmas romance! Hallmark Christmas movie in a book - perfect for a lazy holiday afternoon.

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This cover is just so cute. I need all the Christmas romances. I love the small town feel. Sylvie was so sweet and determined. I was happily surprised by the romance. It was so perfect. I cannot wait to read more by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

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The Christmas Cafe by Eliza Evan’s

A baker, Sylvia West, has worked at the Christmas Cafe in Silver Bells, Wyoming, ever since her eggnog fruitcake won the town’s annual holiday bake-off. She was recently widowed. She lived with Gramps and her pup, Crumpet.

Sylvia is carried away by the attention of Royce, a movie star filming in town. Meanwhile, Abe is adoring her from a distance. A romantic, holiday novel. Sylvia realizes Royce is only using her. A light, enjoyable book. I recommend this book..

Thanks to Net Galley for sending me an advanced copy for my review.

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I received an advanced copy of The Christmas Cafe by Eliza Evans from the publisher Penguin Group Putnam via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: Sylvie West has worked on the Christmas Café in Silver Bells, Wyoming and is an expert baker who has spent years working along her beloved Grandma. Sylvie likes her routine and her life quietly updating the café menu and living with her recently widowed Gramps and her yappy chihuahua-pug Crumpet. But when she learns that the owner wants to sell the café, she desperately decides to save the café. Luckily for her, the holiday channel is filming and town and after an encounter with the lead, she is able to get the film team to set a scene at the café! However, Sylvie starts wondering if she is being true to herself and is suddenly in seeming love triangle with the actor and her longtime friend Abe.

What I Loved: This book has a cute little plot set up and is kind of a very Hallmark film type book and so it was a nice holiday read. I loved how this book explored grief and adoption despite being set up to be so light. I really liked this path of self-discovery and finding what you need in unexpected places. I also really loved the relationship between Sylvie and her Gramps relationship. I also liked Abe

What I Didn’t Like: I found a lot of the characters poorly developed. The brother and sister just seem so one-dimensional and didn’t really care about them or for them. I really also hate the ridiculously villainy love interest in a triangle, it makes it seem unreal and exaggerated.

Who Should Read It: People who love holiday books that overlap with movie sets. People who like some Hallmark in their holiday reads.

Summary: A woman sets out to save the local café with the help of a movie star.

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Sylvie West is the baker at The Christmas Cafe in Silver Bells Wyoming. She has settled into a happy life with her roommates and her gramps. She doesn’t really think of the future m, because how could things get better? Well there is going to be a change, the owner of the bakery wants to sell the cafe. She needs to find a way to save it or make it hers. She gets the Holiday Channel to film a scene in the cafe. She figures the film crew and the influx of visitors will help the numbers at the cafe. She can handle the baked goods. She just needs a push in profits. Once the scene is planned, she meets the lead actor, handsome Royce and gets ready to learn her lines. Her dog Crumpet can’t help but gain attention. It starts to become too much and she finds herself relying on Abe her old friend. He is just back and taking care of his family’s goat farm. Sylvie can’t help but feel all the feels of the holiday season. With the help of her friends and family she just might make the cafe profitable. She just might be able to make the cafe hers. This was a quick, cute holiday read. The setting was perfect. The story was good. I will always take the opportunity to read a holiday book. I want to thank Netgalley and Eliza Evans for my copy for an honest review. It was my pleasure reading and reviewing this book.

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