Lovely romance by Marci Boudreaux. Highly recommend to others looking for a light and easy read. Must read!!

Although this book is the final book in the series, it can be read as a standalone book. The author gives enough back story that I did not feel like I was missing any info even though I haven't read any of these stories. This is a heartwarming story of second chances for two damaged people. Jenna has scars from an emotionally abusive ex-marriage and Daniel is suffering from emotional wounds after having been in the military. The characters are older, and therefore more mature, than you usually see in romance novels. The characters, as well as the story, are well written, and once started, the book is hard to put down.

I have to say this is one of the sweetest stories I’ve read in a while.  The best thing is that it is just as much about believing in yourself and finding your way as it is about the romance.  Both Jenna and Daniel have issues that they need to address before they can truly move forward.  Jenna has lost her confidence after a bad relationship and Daniel has some trouble controlling his reactions thanks to his childhood.  Both things are keeping them from embracing their potential, but together they just might be able to get up enough courage to face their pasts. 

While this is part of a series, this is the first one that I’ve read and I had no trouble keeping up.  Boudreaux does a wonderful job of keeping readers in the loop and for the most part it seemed like this story was pretty well centralized.  And definite points in her favor for me, she manages to keep it so wonderfully realistic and quite unique – it isn’t often you have a homeless vet living in an alleyway as your hero!  But it so works here and she makes sure that both Jenna & Daniel face their demons themselves.  There isn’t a love conquers all thing, instead it is the support and care that they show each other that helps them fix things for themselves.  Which helps deliver a fabulous HEA!

What looks on the surface to be a sweet, lighthearted romance is actually a novel dealing with a number of fairly deep issues including abuse, both physical and mental, PTSD, homelessness, and trust. Solutions are hard-fought and not lightly brushed aside and you may even learn a little something about plumbing. Until I started my review and looked again at the title, I hadn't realized that this was book 5 in a series although I can see how certain other relationships mentioned in this story have occurred in prior stories; this clearly stands alone quite well. Altogether a heartwarming and beautifully-told tale.

NOTE: The premise of this book intrigued me when I saw it on Netgalley; the book far exceeds the blurb!

Jenna Reid has purchased an old café and as much as she wants to make it work she knows it also needs repairs that she cannot afford. Trying to fix a leaky faucet that has been driving her crazy she now has made the leak into a flood. Enter Daniel Maguire who rushes in and shuts off the water and also fixes the leak. Taken back by his appearance, she finds out that he has been sleeping behind her dumpster at night. Daniel is actually a former Lt. Col. and was forced to leave the Army because of his temper. His issues are described in more detail in the story. Jenna realizes that he is willing to help her with the repairs and finds out that he has the experience to do them from working with his uncle who owns a construction company. The more time he spends fixing up the café he is also fixing himself, at least you are hoping that is the case. Jenna and Daniel spend more and more time together and you find out about her past and the man who destroyed her dream and really stole her inheritance as well. Her and Daniel begin to trust one another and the café begins a new life when he is attacked and the dinner is also has its windows broken. Here is where the story takes a turn is that after he is released from the hospital and the promises that they made to one another a few days later Daniel leaves saying he needs to fix himself. This deals with his anger. For once a month for the next five months she receives a box with a t-shirt inside and when all hope is lost he shows up and explains why and what he did to fix him and hopefully gain her back. Now will she take him back into her life? There are a few twists at the end and I must say I was surprised when Daniel left, but read this book and see if Jenna will take him back. There are some good characters in this book as well.

This Old Café is a well written book. I enjoyed the plot and the author's writing.

Absolutely brilliant read, and so "up my street" I love a good old chick lit to read after a stressful day at work. I have just realised that this book is part of a series, and this is actually book 5 - so I think i'll be ordering the other 4 asap. Thanks!

I had not read any book by Marci Boudreaux before reading This Old Café (Stonehill Romance). Even though this is book five of the series, it read well as a stand-alone. Supporting characters were introduced with background information so that everything was clear. It did serve to encourage me to look up the other books so see whose stories went with which book. I now have four more books on my TBP the read list.

I found this an engrossing story so that went it was too late to finish the book I hurried through activities that I must do to finish the book the next morning. I liked Daniel and Jenna understanding how the complexities of their lives came to be. The plight of the returning veteran is in the spotlight here. Instead of pitying them I was cheering them on every time a positive step was taken by either one of them. The saying, “Every time you help someone else, you are helping yourself too” worked for this story. Both Jenna and Daniel became stronger as they worked to help each other. Two strangers who became friends, helped each other which led to love. Beautiful story.

I must say I don’t think a non-character has every seemed so real to me as Jenna’s ex did. The author did an excellent portrayal of how we take the past with us even as we are moving on in our lives. Until Jenna replaced the past with living fully in the present, her ex still had some control over her. So true that we need to forget those things that are behind us.

My only complaint is with Daniel near the end of the story. Not with the story itself, just Daniel’s actions, since I could totally see a loner doing this but I sided with Jenna. Now I hope that we get to have updates on Jenna and Daniel in future books. I want to see Daniel live up to his promises.

Sometimes we have no choice but to start life all over again. Circumstances change, love dies, war takes a toll on the spirit and nothing works anymore. That’s when we either give up or dig in and rebuild. Jenna and Daniel are both facing rebuilding for different reasons. But in the end, friendship can build into something neither was expecting… and dreams can come true, when you work at them.

This Old Cafe is a realistic look at two mature people who have faced life, been dealt blows and now are starting over. It’s not easy, there are challenges and issues to be dealt with but the possibility for more exist.

While this was the only book in this series I’ve read I had no trouble following along as any characters from earlier stories were easily explained without fanfare. I will go back to the beginning at some point for I enjoyed this author’s style and the story she gave me. Life isn’t what we thought it would be when we start out as a young adult. I wish it could be the fairy tale but the reality is that it’s far from that. Crap happens, lives change, priorities shift and people disappoint us. It’s life and we change over time and adapt. Daniel has anger issues from his time in a war zone, he has to face that issue before he can move on. Jenna was devastated by the man she once loved but she is moving forward on her own. Together they are two wounded souls that fit. And if time is kind they will deal with their issues and make a good future together. While I love a good fantasy, it’s the stories with threads of real life woven throughout that will always capture my attention. This Old Cafe is such a book.

I enjoyed my time in this world and would recommend this story for any Romance reader who likes those touches of real life mixed with hopefulness and the chance at new beginnings.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

I enjoyed this feel good book. The characters were engaging and I felt I could connect with them. Highly recommended to anyone wanting an easy to read, hard to put down book.

This is my first book by Marci Boudreaux.

What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
Part of a series: Stonehill Romance
Standalone
HEA

I look forward to reading more from this author.

Jenna Reid moved back to be close to her brother and start over after self-esteem sucking marriage dissolved. She buys a diner in desperate need of renovating which turns into a money pit that she can’t fund.

Daniel Maguire grew up with an abusive father and left for the military the minute he turned 18. After 25 years, he is dishonorably discharged for fighting. He seeks out his uncle, goes to work for him at his construction business, gets into a fight and is asked to leave. (What he gets angry at is appropriate; the extremeness of it is not). Because of his anger issues, he ends up living in the alley behind Jenna’s diner. He’s been watching her for several weeks and eating out of her dumpster.

Daniel rushes into the diner one evening when he hears Jenna screaming to discover water gushing out from under the sink. He turns off the main water valve and a slow growing relationship begins. He starts helping her fix up the diner, she feeds him, gives him a place to stay.

Their’s is not an easy relationship. Both have issues from their past to overcome and family members to convince it will work. I liked that the characters were older and not the mid to late twenty somethings seen a lot in this genre.

Predictable plot, predictable twist at the end. A good choice for when you need something light and easy that flows well.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

This nook was wonderful. It's about a dishonorable discharged vet that has a history of anger due to his childhood. While homeless he goes and helps a lady that owns a diner And from that point on something huge was there between the two.

Trying to rebuild your life, your hopes and your dreams can sometimes feel impossible when everything seems to be crumbling around you. Jenna Reid has that tenfold in her struggling love life and her cafe- anything and everything that could go wrong definitely is for her. In the midst of the latest crisis- a major water pipe break- Daniel McGuire wades in to help Jenna.

Daniel McGuire is a seemingly disgraced vet with anger issues that got him kicked out of the service, lost him construction job and got him kicked out of his uncle's home. Living quietly in the alley behind Jenna's cafe Daniel has watched her and felt that kindred spirit connection- down on your luck and barely holding your head above water.

Jenna and Daniel have a great story. Loved that Jenna is patient and kind to a man who is in need of understanding and compassion. Jenna soon discovers that the only anger issues Daniel have are those arising from his ingrained desire to protect others being wronged, taken advantage of or being physically harmed. Daniel's struggles are true to life of want many people- not only veterans- experience from PTSD. Daniel is actually soft, protective and gentle. Gosh, this story really has you sympathizes with him and wanting to take him under your wing and take care of him.

Jenna feels a connection to Daniel as they suffer parallel hurts. Giving him a chance to earn a respectable place again comes with lots of criticism from her family (and Daniel's) as well as lack of faith in her trust and instincts. Jenna only hopes and prays that Daniel doesn't prove all the nay sayers right.

I really loved this story and both Jenna and Daniel's road to recovery over the wrongs of their past. It's a rocky road and each bump along the way threatens to tear them both apart. In the end, healing can only be obtained when you can look back and see what you've overcome and realize you did it- alone or together- but you did it!

What a wonderful story about two older people who are down on their luck.

Jenna is trying to make a go of an old Cafe after her cheating ex husband takes everything from her.

Daniel is a homeless war veteran who has anger issues and is sleeper in the alley behind Jenna's cafe. He comes to her rescue when he hears her scream and offers to help fix up the cafe.

A truly lovely well written story that I ended up not being able to put down, reading into the small hours. My only regret is that I have now finished it.

Fantastic story, loved it.

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review.
This was my second book by Marci Boudreaux and will definitely not be the last. Two damaged souls who come together, sharing vulnerabilities and damaged pasts. Together through love and understanding they are able to heal and move forward. The strength of this book for me are the wonderful characters and the way they are written. An emotional read which I really enjoyed reading. 4 ****

I found this romance about two mature people who see themselves as flawed to be very charming, endearing and idealistic. I loved how the story blends the slow built intimacy and closeness between Daniel and Jenna with the sex.
Daniel is such a kind and good man, so eager to help and soothe! The fierce intensity he directs towards Jenna is combustible. But he has serious issues too, he’s “a lit fuse just waiting to go off”.
Jenna is a great character too, a strong hard-working woman who is vulnerable, insecure and a bit defeatist.
There’s also a cast of secondary characters that add richness to the story.
And I loved how this is also a story about an "old [and lovely] cafe".

Jenna and Daniel are both trying to rebuild their lives. I started the book when I went to bed. I finished the book before falling asleep several hours later. A little love, a little hate, lots of trust issues. Sometimes funny, sometimes sad.

A simple and sweet story !!!!
I loved Jenna's character.The way both Daniel and Jenna tried to overcome their demons was so touching.How strongly opinions of people we love about us can impact and shape our personality , how deep those scars can run and how difficult it can be to let someone else in again is portrayed so realistically it makes us fall in love with both Jenna and Daniel

Really enjoyed this book about two damaged souls, Jenna and Daniel, It is well written and very believable. It is great to see how Jenna and Daniel complement each other and what they see are weaknesses are actually seen as a strength by the other partner. The story starts with Daniel living in the alley as he has had been made homeless after leaving the Army he watches Jenna putting her rubbish from her cafe in the bin. After hearing her scream he runs to help her and the story goes form there. It is a really lovely story and I read it in 24 hours - I didn't want to put the book down.