Thank you to Aegir Haven for the eARC of this book.

I fell in love with the concept of fika while traveling in Sweden and was so excited to read a book centered around the idea. Such a heartwarming story!

DNF @ 10%. The writing didn't jive with me, and I think there was a little too much exposition in the parts I did read. Sad because I love Fika! I think this would be a good fit for folks looking for a plot-driven novel or need a fast paced book to get their mind off of things

A fun read. A fab setting, and some great quirky characters, such as Mormor. Looking forward to more books from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and of course the author for gifting me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Was really excited to receive a copy of this book as the blurb sounded really funny and right up my street.
This book was primarily focused around family and how they always like to meddle in your own affairs - even after they are dead! Really loved what the author did to this story with paranormal, love, family, loss and just a general cosy warm read.

Thank you NetGalley and Aegir Haven for providing me with this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review. The cover is what piqued my interest originally, seeing the hot beverage and the biscuit gave me all the cosy vibes. And while it does kind of give off a cosy vibe it also gave off a spooky vibe. Which I absolutely loved, because of the the ghosties, family ghosties are the best ghosties.

We follow our main character who moves to Aegir Haven to prepare her old family house for sale. But whilst uncovering information about the home and family and unlikely ghost appears. Her grandmother, who wants to set her up with a suitor, and only she can see her grandmother. This plotline alone was so interesting it had me hooked from the start. I also loved the used of the idea of Fika, a practice that people in Sweden use, a coffee break whenever you need it. I could definitely use a Fika quite a lot in my line of work.

I also loved the Norse lore being brough into it, including my favourite God, one I work with in my Pagan practice, Loki. We also see mentions of Jord, Njord and other Gods which was really fun and cool to read.

Overall, this was a fun book to read and I'll be definitely treating myself to a copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

It was cute and I enjoyed the rom com nature of it all. But I just couldnt get absorbed into the book or story. It didn’t really engage me. I found it very predictable and I couldn’t get behind the MC at all.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

This book had an interesting premise and parts I really enjoyed. Swedish ancestry, ghostly family who meddle/matchmake, small town living, quirky characters. However, some parts were confusing and disjointed and the love triangle (with brothers!) just wasn't a plus for me even though it ended with who I was routing for. Overall, an okay book...

3 stars

I thought Just a Fika sounded good, because of the Swedish setting and culture, which I don’t know anything about. I love ghost stories, small-town settings and discovering things about families.

Ingrid Ekstrom finds herself in Aegir Haven, a town where not much happens. There’s a historic house in the family….and Mormor, her grandmother.

It’s true that the setting was good and detailed, but the writing was overly wordy and hard to follow.

I didn’t find the characters easy to like. Mormor was unfriendly and Ingrid did not show character growth and had a ay of expressing herself I didn’t like, that was self-centered and critical of everything, nitpicky.
Sadly, the book didn’t live up to the expectations of the premise, and was a DNF for me.

Thanks to Beck Erixson, Rachel’s Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

3 stars

I was very excited for book focused on Fika and Swedish heritage. I thought a matchmaking ghost Mormor (grandmother) would be fun. Add in the Norse mythology angle and I was all in.

I was left with more and more questions as I read the book. What happened to the mom? Was this the third book in a trilogy? It feels like there was similar matchmaking in the family house to two cousins earlier. Also, are Beata and Mormor sisters? Because sometimes Beata is referred to as a sister, but then Mormor has 4 sisters and Beata isn't one of them. Are Montana and Yale siblings?

And then my big question is, are Loki and Thor in present day? And if so, which one is Thor because there are lots of mentions of hammers.

I would love to see illustrations of the coffee shop because it sounds amazing.

Thank you to Aegir Haven and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. I am required by federal law to disclose this.

This was the perfect fall read, a book that was heartwarming with a sprinkle of magic. I really like the dynamic between the characters and the Swedish heritage coming into play in the book. Would highly recommend to anyone who wants a quirkly book with a contemporary romance that has a mischevious grandma that can pop up when you least want it.

This book was just what I needed after a busy family-filled weekend. It picked me up and gave me a brilliant lift. I really loved the writing style and the pace, I think it's just what the story needed. Ingrid is a little standoffish and I guess some people might find her character hard to connect to but I really loved her from the off. I get her need to connect to family she knows little of and wanting to deep dive into that history and soak it all in. Having said that I think my favourite character might be Mormor... I just loved her attitude to the Medium, I've not laughed out loud like that for a while and it feels like she's making me laugh at almost every turn.
There are so many interesting characters in this book, and aside from one or two I've loved getting to know them all. I feel like we could have more books set in Aegir, and I'd love to read them if we did because I've enjoyed visiting this little coastal town.
If you love a little cosy romance with a few ghosts thrown in this will definitely be your cup of tea. And I recommend reading it with a spot of Fika too.

The concept of this story really drew me in. The Swedish tradition of Fika, with its cozy coffee aesthetic, plus a meddling ghost, woven into a romance?! Yes, please! Sadly, I think I misunderstood the intent.

The storyline is presented in a rushed manor, then lingers and never really goes anywhere. Is it a romcom? Not really? Is it women’s lit? I guess? Is it enjoyable? It’s pleasant. I suppose much like Fika, the point may have been more slow, relaxing, pleasant storytelling and less of what I tend to want in a book.

I feel like this is perhaps coming off harsher than I intended, but, the idea was so good here that I can’t help feeling let down by the execution. Mormor isn’t sweet and cozy, she’s annoying. Our MC has zero agency. The romance is meh, even with a love triangle. It took me months to push through this for the sake of finishing and reviewing. I really wish it was longer and more developed. 2 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC, in exchange for my unbiased review.

Not sure what I expected, but this wasn't it. As a new girl in town, and with multiple men to choose from, she is unsure what to do, maybe her ghostly grandmother can give some insight. So silly. I gave up at the 15% mark.

This was a charming premise of a book, but one that could have perhaps had a bit more critical eye in the writing & editing process (and perhaps it will before it goes to print, as I read an e-Arc). It is a solid 2.75 - 3.00 stars for me.

I thought the setting, town, and people in the town were great. The exposition made me feel like I was part of the town, and I could picture it in my mind. The insights into Swedish culture, particularly around Fika, was something I would love to incorporate into my own life. I liked brothers, Kurt and Yale, and enjoyed that triangle dynamic (although there could have been a bit more tension between the brothers).

Some critiques:

I liked her, but I never felt, even by the end of the book, that Ingrid ever really had any personal agency, or why she was like the way she was (because there wasn't anything in particular about her, or indications about the way she was raised, to suggest why she would be like that).

The grandmother ghost (a.k.a. Mormor) was a bit irritating and not as warm for someone who is a grandmother; if she was just a random ghost, then it might have been okay, but I would expect someone less...demanding/irritating/warmer than one would for a grandmother. Her cousin Svea was great, but, again, I didn't really gain any insight as to why the family was the way they were beyond "that's just the way the family is." Maybe it's a Swedish family dynamic that I am just not getting, and I am willing to entertain that as my problem.

This might be because I am a fast reader, but there were times when I had to go back and read dialogue exchanges and/or paragraphs again (or even three times) because I wasn't exactly comprehending what was going on or being said. I generally don't experience that as a reader though.

In the end, it all came together in a way I was satisfied, but it was a bit of a meandering journey to get there. I do want to disclaim that sometimes I also have to be in the mood for certain stories, and that if it isn't hitting that mood, I can be more critical. So other's higher-rated opinions might be a better gauge than my own.

Thank you to Beck Erixson, Aegir Haven, and NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

4.5 upped to 5
I wanted to read this book as I found the plot interesting, there were paranormal elements and I love ghost stories. I also wanted to read it because I know what Fika means in Italian, don’t aks, but not what it is in Sweden.
It’s a cute and compelling story that made me smile and reading. There’s a couple of strong female characters, Ingrid and Mormor, there’s an intriguing setting, and two well rounded love interest. I’m not a fan of love triangle but this played an important role in the plot.
The author did a good job in describing the sedate life in Aegir Haven, the ancient house. I laughed, rooted for the characters, and had a good time.
It’s the first story I read by this author and won’t surely be the last.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Rachel’s Random Resources for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I didn't know quite what to expect, but it was wonderfully weird, eccentric, and charming. As someone who adores her family but can also be sometimes frustrated by them, it was also very recognizable. But without the ghosts. 😉 A lovely entertaining read.

I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the historical and familial aspects of the book. However, I felt as though nothing really happened in the book and didn’t care really care about who Indie ended up with. I really loved Montana as a character and her enthusiastic personality.

I wish I had loved this book, as I was pulled in by the description initially. However for me, this unfortunately fell flat. I think the premise is lovely, the uncovering of family history, in a really special location, with a hint of the magical at play. Perhaps because the book is on the short side, none of the characters seem fully completed, and there are a lot of characters on the periphery as well. The plot is not strong and does not drive the story forward. The narrative and dialogue both felt more "tell" rather than "show." I think there was a lot of potential but unfortunately this did not work for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

Just a Fika had a great plot, lovable characters, a bit of magic, and a touching family premise, but the choppy writing made it difficult to get through. There was no real flow through the book and nothing that had me wanting to keep reading. There is such potential here with the concept but execution was lacking.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
Sadly this was just not for me. The premise sounded so interesting but the writing was choppy and the dialogues felt weird. I was really struggling with this one even if it was very short. It just wasn't keeping my attention