The Christmas Café by Eliza Evans Published by Penguin on October 3, 2023
Genres: Fiction / Holidays, Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy
Pages: 320
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley
Jingle all the way to Silver Bells, Wyoming, where love is a treat!
Clumsy, earnest baker Sylvie West has worked at the Christmas Café in Silver Bells, Wyoming, ever since her boozy eggnog fruitcake won the town’s annual holiday bake-off. Her forever happy place, the café complements her sweet, well-ordered life with her roommates: recently widowed Gramps and her yappy chihuahua-pug, Crumpet.
So, when Sylvie learns the café might be sold, she’s determined to save it the only way she can: by getting the Holiday Channel crew to set a scene at the café. She’s even met the film’s charming lead actor, Royce, thanks to Crumpet’s meddling. Between an unexpected acting gig, a booth at the Christmas festival, an appearance at the Christmas parade, and a budding romance with 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. With some help from family, friends, Crumpet, and the goat farmer down the way, Sylvie’s plate might just be full of the sweetest treats she’s ever had . . .
My Review
Before I get started on my review of The Christmas Cafe by Eliza Evans I have to give my thanks to Netgalley, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, along with Eliza Evans herself for gifting me with this Digital Arc in exchange for my honest review. Everything I write here will be entirely my own thoughts and opinions. As always I will provide trigger warnings down below.
If you are a Hallmark Christmas Movie fan, this is definitely the book for you. The story takes place in a snowy small town with the cutest Christmas Cafe around. We follow the main character Sylvie West who is struggling with the loss of her grandmother a couple of years before. Walt her grandfather moved in after his wife passed so he wouldn’t be alone. Sylvie also has an adorable rescue pup named Crumpet who is so mischievous. In fact, the opening scene of the story is Crumpet stealing Sylvie’s bra and running outside the house with it in the wee hours of the morning. Readers this is the start of Sylvie’s Christmas adventure.
The Christmas season has come to Silver Bells Wyoming along with some pretty big excitement for the town folks. Their little town has been selected to be the next filming location for a new Christmas movie starring Royce Elliot. As expected all the ladies swoon for Royce because he is the lead man in the movie and has those typical movie star looks. In fact, Sylvie is one of the first people to meet Royce. It was the morning Crumpet ran out into the road lugging her bra behind him. It just so happened to be Royce who helped to catch him. This my friends is the start of their little romance.
The Christmas Cafe is Sylvie’s life she absolutely loves her job and feels most connected to her grandmother there when she is baking. Oh did I mention Sylvie is the baker at the cafe and it was where she spent a lot of her childhood. She loved just watching and learning from her grandmother who also happened to be the baker in the cafe. The cafe is full of memories for Sylvie so when she finds out that it may be closing she is devastated. She ends up making a deal with her boss to hopefully save the cafe. Will she be able to do it?
In this perfect Hallmark-type story, we watch Sylvie go about her days as a shy, awkward, clumsy introvert trying to go on without her Gram. She begins dating but is not sure the man she is dating is the right guy for her. I mean really is he sincere and genuine or is it all just for show? We also see Sylvie start a friendship with Abe the local goat farmer who also sells her ingredients for her baked goods. Not to mention we watch Sylvie interact with her sister, brother, grandfather, and the townspeople throughout the story. We see how she grows in these relationships and how she discovers who she is as a grownup.
I found this story to be super cozy and comforting. It had a way of transporting me into the Christmas Season with all the wonderful descriptions of the decorations, food, location, and festivities that took place throughout the book. If you are a Christmas lover like I am then I think you will love this book. Be warned this book comes out on October 3rd, 2023 and well it may have you wanting to put up that Christmas Tree sooner rather than later. Until next time Reader happy reading.
Trigger Warnings:
- Talk of the loss of a grandparent
- Talk of the loss of a spouse
- Talk of the death of a friend