I loved the first book in this series, Hooked On You by Kathleen Fuller. I couldn't wait to read more about Tanner Castillo and co-worker Anita Bedford. Ms. Fuller has such a special way she crafts her characters. They are very believable and you cant help put fall in love with them. I was so glad to see the BBs are back, as well as Riley's grandmother. There is something about these small town stories that just speaks to me. I want to thank Thomas Nelson through NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this sweet romance. The opinions in this review are my own.

When I saw this book I knew I had to read it because I had read book one a while back.

I loved the pace of the story. The characters were just sweet. I like how light the story was, not to heavy or cheesy.

Very relaxing and enjoyable read if you are looking for something light but worthy.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

This is book 2 in the Maple Falls Romance series and it was just as sweet and romantic as the first one (can be read separate.

I was really excited to revisit Maple Falls, having immensely enjoyed Book 1 in the series.

It was great to see familiar faces and places, and catch up on characters from Book 1 (I defo recommend reading in order!). Books about food (and coffee!) always make me happy, and this is no exception.

I do wish we could have discovered the identity of the owner of space #3; it remained a mystery (and was referenced) multiple times during the book, yet was never disclosed. I also thought the treatment of Heather was a bit unfairly one-sided--it could/should have equally been placed at Tanner's feet (much as I do enjoy him, he wasn't all innocence in that regard). And, finally, I felt Anita's learning disabilities could have either been further expounded on or simply not mentioned; I lean toward more clarification, as they did get mentioned--just not enough. Like, what were her issues, and why did she struggle so? I felt no connection to her in that regard, that it wasn't explained enough to really be relevant.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Anita has had a crush on Tanner since he tutored her in high school, and she believes that she is alone in her attraction to Tanner and tries to “get over” her crush, but years later as an adult and working with him at The Sunshine Diner, she realizes she is still very much attracted to him.

Tanner wears a lot of different hats, so to speak, in life and he doesn’t think he has the time for a relationship in his life. He can think of all kinds of reasons to not act on how he feels for Anita. One is he has just purchased The Sunshine Diner, where he is currently the assistant manager. He hasn’t told anyone yet, and he doesn’t know she has plans of her own that include the property across from The Sunshine.

Much Ado About a Latte is about Tanner and Anita finding their own footing aside from even their own doubts about their failings, and still going forward to succeed. And in the midst of that admitting to how they feel about one another.

I liked Tanner and Anita but I didn’t love them, and I found that I wasn’t really rooting for them. The tension wasn’t what I would have hoped for, especially if you REALLY like someone and I didn’t feel “it” and I wanted to. It took until more than halfway through for the pace and tension to pick up. And when it finally did finally pick up, it finished well.

This can be read as a standalone even though it is part of a series.

My gratitude to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a story that had such promise, but disappointed me.

Anita's story interested me because I know several people with learning disabilities - including a close family member. I was hoping to get more of that background but seeing as this is a fluffier romance, I suppose it makes sense that part wasn't talked about much. It was nice to see she had such a great support group, though.

However, much of the story focused on the romance - or lack thereof - between Tanner and Anita. They had zero communication skills and this caused much of the drama surrounding their love story. I still don't understand how they went from enemies to in-a-relationship by the end of the book.

And when I came across a swear word (p*ssed) I was done. I will deal with that kind of language in secular books but not books published from Christian publishers. Speaking of which, other than a few 'Thank the Lord' comments and the fact that Anita was quite conservative, I couldn't tell this book was marketed as christian fiction at all. Maybe it's not and I missed that somehow?

I was so hopeful for this book after reading book 1, Hooked On You, and really wanted to like it, but in the end I do not recommend it.

Thanks to the publisher for a complimentary arc of the book via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Maple Falls, Arkansas, is a small town where everyone knows not only your name, but also your business. It seems like a nice place to grow up and to raise a family, because even if everyone's nose is in your business, they care about you.

Anita is a waitress at the Sunshine Diner, but the building next door is vacant and she wants to open a coffee shop in it. Tanner Castillo is her high school crush/tutor, and he's also the chef at the Diner. George, the owner, has decided to sell the diner and Tanner thinks it would make a good investment. What's really aggravating about the situation with the empty building and the diner is that Anita and Tanner keep their plans a secret and both of them become angry when their plans are revealed. It takes a bit for them to overcome their anger and to work together for the benefit of both of them.

Kathleen Fuller is widely known for her Amish fiction, and this is the second in her Maple Falls series. It's a lot of fun to read about a fictional town in Arkansas close to where I grew up. Even the small town politics is familiar to places where I've lived. Recognizing various places named within the story make it all the more compelling for me. It is so easy for me to imagine the settings and the surroundings. All of that added to my joy in reading the story. I did get a bit put out with the knot-headedness of Tanner and Anita about keeping their business private and not telling the other what they were doing since their actions affected both of their businesses. But that just added realism to the novel. I could also understand Anita's feelings of inadequacy after being raised with over achieving brother and sister by over achieving parents. Anita's mother set my teeth on edge with her somewhat narcissistic ways. Even though she is a psychologist, she never stopped to listen. My biggest pet peeve in all the world is not being listened to. Just ask my husband. 😆 All of this makes the tale more believable. I hope another novel in Maple Falls will be coming out soon!

Four Strong Stars

Thomas Nelson and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

MUCH ADO ABOUT A LATTE by KATHLEEN FULLER is a most enjoyable romance novel with a sweet story and delightful characters.
Anita Bedford is happy working at the Sunshine diner with Tanner Costello, a boy she has had a crush on since he tutored her at school, until she decides to branch out and buy the shop next door and open a cafe. Meanwhile Tanner has not told her he has bought the Sunshine diner.
The story twists and turns with secrets being kept, feelings being hidden and wrong impressions being given.
It is a great read for anyone who enjoys this genre.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Thomas Nelson. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Super cute friends to lovers romance.
The heroine was super relatable. I think her journey throughout the book was done really well and felt true to life.
The hero was fun too (when he wasn’t being a bonehead!)
The writing flowed nicely and kept me engaged.
Would definitely recommend!

New author for me and loved reading this book and series. If you haven't read it yet I highly recommend doing so.

This book was one of the worst things I've ever read. It was so boring and the main characters hardly had enough interaction to warrant being in love with each other. Also he had no reason to be so angry at her. The romance was also barely there, they talked about each other but it did not seem real to me.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Much Ado About a Latte is a delightful rivals to lovers romance set in a quaint small town full of fascinating characters and romantic potential. While I wanted a little more chemistry between our mains, I really enjoyed this read!

I’ve been eagerly looking forward to another visit to Maple Falls and this book did not disappoint! It seems that while many young people have left Maple Falls for greener pastures, some have remained and are revitalizing the small town by buying property and developing businesses that are appealing and charmingly up to date. Tanner and Anita have known each other since they were kids and now they work together at the diner. Both characters have bigger plans for their lives and they unwittingly work at cross purposes, causing a breach in their close friendship. I loved seeing how the author brought them together from friendship to true love. All of the supporting characters added warmth and color to the story and even the town itself is a story of hope and renewal. Highly recommend! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I'm not entirely sure what to say about this. The synopsis reads like Anita's dad starts a cafe and Tanner runs the diner and they clash, but her parents don't buy it (she does, to impress them) and the two barely own their businesses during the course of the story.

Their romance is also a little odd, going from ice cold (Tanner even thinking to himself over and over how he isn't into her) to "I love you," with no real romance in between. The whole thing feels a bit forced, and there isn't much that bonds them despite one of the slowest burns ever.

I also had no idea that when this was referred to as "sweet" it meant uber-conservative, basically Christian young adult, but with people in their late twenties. It is a big deal for Anita to be wearing a dress with a modest sweetheart neckline, awkwardness about Tanner being shirtless (for him, too), "What will people think?" when he nuzzles her neck once, and a girl wearing a lower-cut top is constantly slut-shamed and called a "hussy" (nevermind that it seems Tanner slept with her a few times and then ditched her). Drinking alcohol is apparently not something "good girls" do either, and no, this isn't a book where the good girl lightens up. She gets drunk once and almost nobody sees, and then refuses to touch a glass of champagne at a wedding months later....

So, all in all, this just wasn't for me. It felt more appropriate for young teens, and the drama over the businesses was a bit over the top when it finally happened.

This is the 2nd book in the Maple Falls series and it was so much fun to be back in Maple Falls. I enjoyed getting reacquainted with the characters and learning more about them. The main characters in this book are Anita and Tanner and they enjoy working in the service industry. I enjoyed cheering Anita on in the story as she has struggled with her self worth throughout her life.



Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is the second book in the author’s Maple Falls series. It is a sweet contemporary romance centered around a couple who have known each other while growing up in a small town. Teenage crush, continued friendship, co-workers turned entrepreneurs. to anger and disappointment with each other all take place between characters Anita and Tanner.

I enjoyed the progression of their lives as they developed through the book. I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy clean contemporary romances.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson – Fiction and NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Much Ado About Latte is a sweet, innocent romance about two people who have known each other since high school. Anita has had a crush on Tanner since she first kissed him during a game of Truth or Dare. They worked together at a diner until the both decided to become entrepreneurs. Although I liked the book, I didn’t love it. I felt that it was slow and then at the end, all the problems were resolved within a chapter. I think I would’ve liked it more it the solutions to the problems were more “real life”. Overall, it was a cute read.

It is my second book by Kathleen Fuller, another beautiful story to fall in love with Maple Falls and its inhabitants
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Anita has disability learning issues and that is why, unlike her brothers who have professionally determined paths, she prefers to continue living in the town of her childhood, with people she has known all her life, teaching classes in Sunday school, being part of a group knitting and waiting tables at sunshine dinner with the best view towards the love of his adolescence Tanner Castillo chef of the small restaurant
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She can't forget her teenage sweetheart who gave her her first kiss but after seeing her ex-girlfriend coming around and being put in the friend zone again Anita decides that enough is enough and it's time to move on and do something out of her comfort zone by opening the cafe she often dream of next to her work place and leave old habits behind. But Tanner and fate have their own plans
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In this friends to lovers romance with the voices of both protagonists, I can't help but be rooting for Anita and how she faced each situation and getting the best of herself
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Thanks to Kathleen Fuller and Thomas Nelson Fiction for this amazing book

This was a really cute romantic read set amongst the world of cafes.
Premise
A coffee war is brewing in Maple Falls, where Anita and Tanner are serving up plenty of steam to keep the town buzzing.

Anita Bedford needs to face reality. It’s time to decaffeinate the dream that she and Tanner will ever be more than friends. Growing up in small-town Maple Falls, she’s had a crush on Tanner for years. But he’ll only ever see her as good, old, dependable Anita. Now she’s finally ready to make her own goals a reality. In fact, that deserted building next door to Sunshine Diner looks like a promising location to open her own café.

Tanner Castillo may know how to operate a diner, but he doesn’t know beans about love. After pouring his life savings into buying the Sunshine Diner, he needs to keep his mind on making a success of it and supporting his widowed mother, not on kissing Anita Bedford. First order of business: improve his customers’ coffee experience. Next, he should probably find out who bought the building next door.

It’s a bitter cup to swallow when ambition turns longtime friends and coworkers Anita and Tanner into rivals. Now that they own competing businesses, how could they ever compete for each other’s hearts? Or will the two of them come to see what’s obvious to the whole, quirky town of Maple Falls: potential for a full-roast romance, with an extra splash
I always love these types of books. Sort of a love/hate unrequited love type thing. It was so cute watching the sparring go back and forth between Tanner & Anita and how it develops over the course of the novel into something my more satisfying. The perfect book to cozy up with and take your mind off of things.

Much Ado About a Latte by Kathleen Fuller is a wonderful contemporary romance that is the second book in the equally excellent series: A Maple Falls Romance.

I loved the first book, Hooked on You, so I knew I had to read this one. It is just as great as its predecessor.

I loved the sweet, uplifting, clean, and contemporary romance that takes place between Tanner and Anita. Finding love amongst friendship and business can be challenging. Miscommunications, confusion, and personal secrets might have been obstacles, but these two that have known one another for years were made for one another.

The progression of their relationship, the chemistry, and the sweet ending is just perfect. I loved visiting this adorable and quaint town again and look forward to the next book.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Thomas Nelson for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 1/4/22.