Member Reviews
First of all: Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for providing this advance reading copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.
I was initially attracted to this book due to the original name, A Cat Called Cupid. As a lover of cute romance novels and a self-professed "crazy cat lady," this sounded like a surefire winner! I've always wondered where the neighborhood cats went when they weren't hanging out around my house. Now I know they likely have double (triple, even!) lives like Fluffy/Satchmo! Lara and Theo's story was a little slow but I enjoyed it immensely.
Sweet contemporary romance - perfect for a summer read. The story involves a rather unusual way for two people to meet, and it certainly isn't love at first sight for Lara and Theo. The book features an ex-boyfriend, an ex-friend, a cat, jazz music, wedding planning and more!
I always adore books that feature animals so when I saw a book with the #acatcalledcupid, I had to check it out. I guess somewhere along the line of when netgalley granted me an arc until now, the title changed to The Break Up which is a disservice to the book and reeks of blandness.
In actuality, the book is very cute and far more fulfilling from a romance standpoint than many women's fiction books. Laura and Theo meet after realizing they share the same rouge cat. Since they're both rather attached to the furball, there are some great moments of fun tension as well as sexual tension.
I really don't have anything negative to say. Laura has a lot to deal with but she has a wonderful attitude and is easily likeable. Theo, although a bit aimless, is also a genuinely good man. Their banter is wonderful, the pacing of their romance flows well and the author brought the right about of heat to satisfy me. The book was clever and had a lovely breath of fresh air.
A lovely little story, especially great if you love cats. The two lead characters in the story, don't realise they are sharing ownership of the same cat. Read this book to find out how this "fluffy" feline causes mischief and brings people together.
What a charming romance story.
In these difficult times a light read was called upon and this really filled that void.
Lara having her heartbroken by arrogant Lucien by dating her best friend Siobhan behind her back so in one evening she looses her boyfriend and best friend.
Lara opens her own business has a wedding planner a success.
Then, a cat comes in to her life during a hard period but this cat roams the neighbourhood he also goes to Theo’s house..
Fluffy the cat in the end brings Lara and Theo together.
Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Tilly Tennant for this advance arc in exchange of an honest review.
In the middle of reading other genres, I usually slip in one of the more romantic ones periodically just to keep it different. I started with that thought in mind. This was not as light-hearted as the cover indicates but maintains an upbeat steady pace throughout the narrative, sometimes amping up the situation with breakneck speed instances which had my mind spinning a little keeping track of all the goings-on.
Lara is thrown into a sudden nosedive and having to shake things up, she starts a whole new life. There are two one year jumps in the narrative, one in the beginning and the other like an epilogue to tie things up neatly. Lara is a very driven character, she feels all the emotions very strongly, and that throws her into a tizzy, and she has to struggle to regain control. Her life does seem to have all the ingredients to cause her trouble. She has a fledgeling business, her cat keeps disappearing on her, her mother relies on her and finally, her past break up is still casting long shadows. I would recommend this to readers of this genre since it has all the leading formulas written well and will keep one entertained. This was a first for me from this author and the next time I see something written by her I wouldn’t hesitate to pick it up!
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my reading experience.
Can one hungry cat bring two people together? Lara thought Fluffy was her cat- the only happy thing in her life after Lucien and her best friend cheated on her. Yes, she has her business as a wedding coordinator but that's stressful. Theo is a jazz musician and his cat Satchmo is a grounding for him. When they discover that they are sharing this greedy (and not always so nice) cat, Lara and Theo go from rivals for the cat's attention to lovers. Although the first title (The Break Up) didn't really fit, the new title is - meh. Nonetheless, this might be just what you're looking for when you want a relaxing light read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
The real MC in #TheBreakUp is a cat, a blue-gray tabby, who is clever enough to "own" two humans. Named Fluffy by Lara and Satchmo by Theo, the two single people have no idea that the cat who turns up on their separate doorsteps and who they feed is really just using them for meals. And, cuddles. But, mostly, food.
So I loved the idea of this book in which the cat is responsible for the romance of said couple, though their first meeting doesn't go so smoothly and they initially hate each other in a "you're kinda cute, but obnoxious" kind of way. Plus, "why are you claiming my cat is yours?" and all that.
As fate would have it, Lara is in the wedding planning business while Theo is in a band that plays at weddings, so irregardless of Fluffy/Satchmo, the two may eventually have met. And, if that weren't enough, Theo knows Lucien, Lara's ex who she found was having an affair with her best friend. Oh, what a tangled web.
I liked the story mostly when the cat was involved in the scene, and I seriously wished the author could let us read his thoughts. Lara is a bit too whiny for my liking, and she's quick to jump to conclusions. Theo seems nice enough. The other support characters, while adding tension to the storyline, are bothersome and unlikeable especially Lara's supposed best friend. And, maybe that was the point.
Still, I did struggle to read through the end, and in the midst of reading, the title of the book changed to #TheBreakUp, So while I loved the initial title, A Cat Called Cupid, a decision was made to focus on Lara and Lucien's big breakup and some of the consequences for Lara and Theo. I hope the cat gets a bigger picture on the cover!
Thank you to the publisher and #NetGalley for the ARC of #TheBreakUp.
I loved the idea behind this story. The characters, especially Lara, were easy to love. I had a lot of fun watching her reinvent herself after loosing her boyfriend and best friend- finding herself as a business owner and wedding planner. I adored how she met “Fluffy” the night her life changed and how much he grew to mean to her.
The interaction between Theo and Lara as they were squaring off over cat-ownership (face it, no one “owns” a cat… mine own me) were hilarious and kept me turning pages. At the same time, every once in a while there were really raw moments of pain that gave me feels. It was a well written romance, relying more on plot than sex scenes (let’s face it, often in contemporary fiction this ratio becomes heavily skewed). Find it fast paced and terribly charming, I sped through this one. My favorite character? The cat, as always.
I only have two real concerns with this book- one, Fluffy is a grey cat not tuxedo and thus the cover does not match; and secondly, the new title doesn’t fit, in my opinion. A Cat Called Cupid made sense to me because when introduced to the cat there were two names and two owners. As the two squared off, romance bloomed and the cat basically brought them together. Thus, they renamed him when they started their life together- Cupid. For me, this is a four star book.
On the adult content scale, there’s some language and sexual content- nothing over the top. I would give it a three.
I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. My thanks!
The Break Up was heartwarming chick lit, cozy romance and women’s fiction that revolved around Lara and life after heart break. It was about betrayal, working on your dream, coming out of heart break and finding closure of hurtful chapter in life, friendship, love, and pet love.
Writing was cozy, lovely and uplifting. Book was written in third person narrative from Lara perspective. It started with the Break Up (so this new title make sense), but it was not just that. After ego-centric, narcissist, Lucien dumped Lara, she found out he left her for her best friend which left Lara heart broken and alone.
Good thing, she didn’t wallow in misery because she found love and companion once again. Not in man, in cat called Fluffy that arrived to her on the very same fateful day to lift her spirit. She started her own business and year had been great with no time to think about heartbreak and man-less life.
But cats are like men. They love to roam around especially at night and go where they get food and cuddle. Fluffy was no different. When Lara was out in her Pajama to find Fluffy, she came across Theo looking for his cat, Satchmo. Turned out both were looking for same cat and that followed by arguments, disagreements, and finding middle solution to work together. Lara found him handsome and attraction was undeniable. But was she really over her heartbreak, ready for another relationship? Can she trust Theo not breaking her heart? As soon as life was going on right track for Lara, Lucien came back in her path to destroy her life and confidence.
It was interesting to find out who will keep the cat in question, if second chance at love would be lucky and what she will do about Lucien.
Lara was, without a second thought, my favorite character. She was sensible, developed, kind, compassionate, and lovely person. The way she treated her cat, her mother, her one and only employee- Betsy, and clients spoke the volume. She loved with full heart and that’s why it was just so sad to read her heartbreak and I could see why it was so hard for her to come out of it. She needed closer, to come out of it fully and when that moment came I admired her even more.
Her friendship with Betsy was wonderful. I so wish I could work under such employer. Working hours, amiable tone and treatment, crying shoulder and helping person when in need… Who gets such employer! Honestly, I’m jealous even though I don’t have job.
I even loved her love for her cat. My mom’s cat (partially mine, whenever I’m there) is so like Fluffy. Only thing different is he doesn’t sleep at anybody’s house. But like Fluffy he loves to roam, his freedom, treats and yes he loves variety in his food. I could understand Lara’s worry, what it’s like when cat is lost more than a day, how it feels when it gets hurt.
When it comes to Theo. I liked him but I guess he was bit idiot too! How can he believe in rumors and then question Lara even when she needed understanding and support. I sided with Lara when she gave him hard time. He deserved what he got. His cocky and arrogant exterior made it hard for Lara and me to warm to him, initially. But I’m also glad he wasn’t like Lucien or any men. He was caring, kind and decent guy. At the end he made it hard not to like him.
I enjoyed reading Lara’s dedication towards her business, Places she visited for her wedding services, all sort of clients she dealt with and moreover perks of working from home office set in her own garden. I so wish I could carry my laptop and kindle over there while reading this book. It is different thing blogging is not job but girl can dream, right?
Lara and Theo’s hate-to-Love relationship was entertaining. They both disliked and somewhat hated each other. Every time they met there was arguments and disagreements over the cat, each wanting to take their cat back for good. Attraction was there from the beginning, but both were too pride to admit it until one had to swallow it and other had to be good and kind. I liked how it progressed. It was not usual, like they went on date or something but chemistry was there until that douchebag Lucien stuck his nose in. My goodness, he was do obnoxious. I just couldn’t fathom how Lara could have dated him in the first place!
Climax was sad. It broke my heart seeing Lara heartbroken once again and felt new found admiration for all she did for Betsy and the way move ahead in life. I thought she would lose everything but that wasn’t the case. I’m still shocked and thinking how can her ex-best friend could be so blind and naïve.
The tension near end was palpable and I feared the worst but happy ending was inevitable like all chick lits. I loved how things turned out and I could see why it was title ‘Cat Called Cupid’ first. I still think that title was better.
Overall it was lovely, refreshing and cozy chick lit, part romance and women’s fiction. I highly recommend this book to cat lovers and fans of this genre and those who loves pretty covers. Isn’t it absolutely eye-catching?
The Break Up (A Cat Called Cupid)
Lara Nightingale is a wedding planner, who adopted Fluffy when he sought shelter with her on the worst night of her life. Theo, the jazz musician from down the road, is owner to Satchmo, and meets Lara while out late one night when they were both searching for their cats. Or is it the same cat? Sparks of the wrong sort start flying between them.When Lara needs to hire Theo's jazz band for a client, she discovers they know her ex-boyfriend, leading to a comedy of misheard halftruths and hearsay. Winding throughout the story is Fluffy/Satchmo, whose job as Cupid has never been more challenging.
This is a cosy romance of the best kind, with sliding door moments, overlapping circles of acquaintances, misunderstandings, and of course, cats. It was a light, easy read to zoom through, full of vibrant, interesting characters. Not a lot of depth to the story, and some areas I would have liked to see expanded on further, but overall it was a fun read.
I would have preferred they kept the original working title of "A Cat Called Cupid", as I don't necessarily think the new title does the book justice.
**I received an advance copy of the book from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review**
3.5
Title caught my attention, I'd read anything when cats are involved. Beginning was slow paced, I struggled with continuing it, had to skim most of the part, since I feel Laura's thoughts were repetitive. I love Theo and Fluffy's role in the book. The ending had me gushing over these two and I loved it!
I loved this story, We all know we don't own cats they own us! This is the story of a cat called fluffy/satchmo who chooses two owners and brings them together.
I must say my only gripe here is that the original title for the book A cat called Cupid is far nicer than the boring name The break up. With the new name I doubt I would even bother choosing the book to read.
I am always very very excited about a book by Tilly Tennant as she is one of my top favorite author! "the break up" is a wonderful book that I read in no time! It's very well written, it's very entertaining, I absolutely loved how the story starts and how it ends and i also love everything in between! And the "cat" factor in this book is very important in the story and definitely a big plus!!!! Very well done Tilly! Can't wait to read your next book! I am sure it will be brilliant!
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for providing this advance reading copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.
<i>The Break Up</i> by Tilly Tennant is a dreamy contemporary romance set in the UK that channels strong The Wedding Planner vibes. Hallmark Channel fans and those new to the romance genre will enjoy this book.
<b>Quick Summary</b>: A year after Laura’s boyfriend left dumped her for her best friend, Lara’s life is finally better: she has a handsome cat named Fluffy and started her dream business as a wedding coordinator. But, one night when Fluffy goes missing Lara encounters Theo and learns where Fluffy has been spending all his time because Theo thinks Fluffy HIS cat. After this choice encounter, Theo is suddenly everywhere and Lara struggles to keep her emotions in check.
<b>What I didn’t like</b>: <i>The Break Up</i> has a wild and chaotic beginning. I wish the author took the story immediately from there and introduced us to Fluffy/Theo. However, the beginning is misleading – the story doesn’t begin until about a quarter into the book. Because of the pacing, I really struggled to continue reading. The dialogue was also not natural. <i>The Break Up</i> reminds me of a daydream that was put to paper. It’s cute but incorporates too many unrealistic elements to make it feel real (or as real as a romance can be…). I think this book would also benefit by adding notes before the start of the chapter to announce that we’re now “one month later” or “two years later” and so on. It was difficult at times to get an idea of where we were in Lara’s life/how the book progressed on a timeline. Also, personal preference, but I would have enjoyed more intimate moments. 😉
<b>What I liked</b>: I requested this book first based on the title at the time (<i>The Break Up</i> was originally titled <i>A Cat Called Cupid</i>) and also by its stylized cover. Love book covers like this.
The bare bones of this story are adorable. I also enjoyed reading a romance book that wasn’t set in the USA and incorporated a lot of British slang (had to Google a few words here or there, but it was extremely entertaining). I think Tilley writes her female relationships very well and loved that she found a way to incorporate important discussions into a romance book: manipulative and abusive relationships; pregnancy at a young age; feminism; and female empowerment.
<b>Last Thoughts</b>: Ultimately <i>The Break Up</i> wasn’t what I was looking for in a romance and because of the pacing I struggled with this book. However, there are some kernels of gold in here that others can definitely enjoy 😊
<b>My Rating</b>: 2/5
#NetGalley #Bookouture #ACatCalledCupid
Princess Fuzzypants here: Ironically this book was previously named A Cat Called Cupid with the cat in question going by the name of Fluffy and Satchmo. The concept could be ripped from some of the great feline stories on the Internet where a cat decides he or she likes having more than one human pay homage to him. Fluffy, as Laura names him, arrives at her door a bedraggled sopping ball of fur kitten. She has just endured the most humiliating night of her life where not only does her scudzy boyfriend break up with her but she discovers her best friend is the reason why. Boy does she need some kitty love. Fluffy is more than happy to comply.
But Fluffy likes to roam and a year later Laura discovers Fluffy is also Satchmo to Theo who thinks the cat is his. Pfft. Everyone knows you do not own a cat. They choose you and this cat likes having two homes. Needless to say this does not go well with either Laura or Theo and they have a decidedly bumpy introduction.
Things do not improve when the meet again but thanks to Fluffy, the two are attracted to each other. The road to true love is never smooth and Laura’s wedding planning business seems doomed to put the two together even when they would rather be an ocean apart. But in true romance style, they do find common ground and happiness with the once more named Moggy, Cupid...since he was sort of a Cupid in bringing them together.
I loved Fluffy/Satchmo/Cupid. He definitely has the humans wrapped around his paws, as it should be.
Five purrs and two paws up.
I had to read this one because a) Tilly Tennant is one of my fav romance authors and b) even though I'm more of a dog person (sorry Fluffy!) I love books where animals have an important role in the story.
Although it was a cute read it took me longer than usual to warm up to most of the characters and the story took some time to took off. Lara was a nice character, and anyone who has a pet can identify with her and her feelings towards her cat. There were some pretty horrible characters and I'm not sure I would have been as understanding as Lara was with Siobhan at the end.
The cover was so cute, the title change not so much. I don't understand why they changed a title so meaningful to the story like "A cat called Cupid" for the more generic "The break up" :(
Recommended to all those who love light romance stories and cat lovers.
3,5 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I’ll Admit. I wanted to like it but I couldn’t get into the characters. I found myself not loving them and therefore didn’t get invested in the storyline like I wanted to.
Lara is totally heartbroken when her long-term boyfriend breaks up with her, the only comfort she has is in the stray cat that decides to make his home with her. He has a habit of disappearing which makes Lara pace the streets at night looking for him whilst calling his name. Theo lives down the road and also spends a lot of time looking for his cat which makes their paths cross but not in a good way. Enjoyable story with a lot of miscommunication which I found a bit trying at times. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this story. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Break Up by Tilly Tennant
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 Stars
"What happens when Mr Right goes rogue?
Lara doesn’t have a back-up plan. So when her safe-bet boyfriend Lucien dumps her, Lara’s world implodes."
That is the start of a downward spiral of Lara's love life. It's just the kick she needs to set about a personal journey of self discovery, one that leads her to Theo. Sparks of some sort fly when these two have one of the strangest and funniest Meet-Cutes.
I loved how this story for you to fall and root for both main characters. It was worth, fast paced and had me laughing hard at some parts and clearing a year or two at others. You will not be disappointed when picking this adorable story!
Thank you #NetGalley & #bookoture for this book in exchange for my husband honest review.