3 Stars This was a very cute Christmas romcom and you will especially love it as a cat lover. I adored seeing Ben--who swore that he didn't like any animals, especially cats--become smitten with his adopted kitten, Chaos. I love seeing those stories online of guys falling in love with the cat that they originally didn't want and Ben fit that story to a t. I still kind of wish we got more scenes of him and Chaos, because they were adorable.

Overall, this was a story about learning to love and trust again after betrayal and heartbreak. Both Kara, a veterinarian who runs the titular cat café, and Ben, a marketing guru, have been hurt by their exes. Kara's ex-fiancé, Worthy, is a con-man and about to get out of prison after two years for a crime that severely damaged Kara's reputation online. Worried how his release will affect her budding cat café business, she decides to try Ben's 25 Day of Catmas promotion to bring in more money to open a clinic in addition to the café. Ben is still nursing a broken heart after his fiancée left him for his brother, but he can't deny his attraction to Kara.

This was a really cute story and as a cat lover, the setting was adorable! Definitely would recommend.

I loved the concept of this centering around a cat cafe, and the intro to each chapter being a profile of a cat was adorable.
For some reason I wasn’t drawn into the dialogue enough to get really excited to keep reading.

"A Cat Cafe Christmas" is a really sweet romance novel with cats, 3-dimensional side characters, and again — cats! I loved the unique challenges that each character had a compelling story all on its own. Usually in romance novels, the plot can feel like a secondary element to the romance, but in this novel it could have honestly stood on its own — both leads, Ben and Kara, each had backstories that they overcame with each other's support.

The only things that prevented this from being a five-star review for me were:

I *really* did not like Ben's family and his relationship with them — his mother was over-involved in family conflicts, and seemed to only care about Ben's feelings in the context of her desire to have a "happy family." It made Ben's forgiveness and rekindling harmony with his family feel hollow. His mother's ambivalence (and seemingly everyone else in his life) towards his brother marrying his ex-fiance was honestly disgusting, so I wish it would have been acknowledged by them that they were unfair to Ben. This would have made the "happy reunion" feel genuine.

The other issue is admittedly nitpicky, but I am a professional marketer who works in an agency and the way that marketing is portrayed in this book is all over the place. The first bad sign was "Ben and Schwartz created an entire marketing plan in 2 hours," which included a new logo design. What? And it seems like Ben is an expert in...events marketing, public relations, social media, website UX, AND he is pitching clients on commercials? The "bonus" from that pitch also doesn't really make sense — it sounds like he got commission for closing a sale (which is again, strange, because he is not described as a salesperson). Again, this is minor and if I didn't work in his industry I don't think the ridiculousness would have broken my immersion...but it did. I almost wish that his boss signed on the cafe as a pro-bono client and that they brought in a "team" to help rescue the cafe. Would have connected the work scenes a lot better, built on the "community comes together to save the cafe" theme, and ultimately would have been a lot more realistic.

Overall, this was a cute and cozy read that I really enjoyed! Despite my minor issues, I would still recommend it to someone who is looking to cozy up for the holidays with ample descriptions of many (very many) cute cats!

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

A Cat Café Christmas by Codi Gary
4.25 ⭐

I want a peppermint mocha and to finally adopt that dog we’ve been talking about for years.

Quick Summary: Kara (certified cat lover) and Ben (self-proclaimed pet pessimist) have nothing in common…except a lack of trust in romantic relationships due to past heartbreak. Oh and that attraction they feel when they’re in the same room. And maybe their first impressions were wrong. Can they overcome their personal baggage to make this work or were they always meant to be temporary?

Thoughts: This is a delightful, contemporary, romcom with conservative intimate scenes and almost no swearing. I like that the two main characters each have a story arc where they learn and grow through the story. I laughed out loud at multiple points while reading. If you like sweet, fun, character stories you will like this book. But be warned, you might end up with a new pet by the end!

This year, I took Christmas in July to a whole new level! I was lucky enough to be given the chance to read an ARC for A Cat Cafè Christmas, and as I cat lover, I was absolutely ecstatic to dive into this book!

A Cat Cafè Christmas was such a heartwarming story. We follow our two main characters, Kara and Ben, as they both navigate life after experiencing heartbreak and betrayal. There were so many relatable moments and certain chapters that had me feeling all warm and fuzzy (I’m looking at you, chapter 3!)

This is the perfect Holiday read! If you are a cat lover who is looking for a feel good rom com, this book is definitely for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for giving me the chance to read and review this book!

"They continued dancing...This reminded her of those moments in romantic movies when the couple does something she couldn't imagine ever happening in real life, but being in his arms, surrounded by the scent of Ben's spicy cologne and his body, Kara thought she could stay in this moment, blocking out the world, the worry, the stress."

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ME. This was too cute. It was a hallmark movie wrapped in a book and I was 100% here for it. AND IT HAD CUTE CATS!! I was highly invested in the success of this cat cafe that was on the brink of closure. A super quick holiday read that I had a great time reading!

Not only were all the cats adorable, but Ben and Kara were also giving the cats a run for their money. They were a cute, flirty, banter-filled pair and I loved reading them go from their awkward first encounter to becoming a comfortable staple in each other's lives as their relationship became stronger.

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and Codi Gary for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!! ♥️🎄

RATING: 4.5 out of 5

I adored this read from Codi Gary! My first of hers and won’t be my last. Happy Christmas in July!! 🎅🏼

Everything you could ask for in a Christmas rom com and then some. I enjoyed getting to know Kara and Charity, both their present friendship and glimpses into their past. Ben and Swartz were such great characters… we ALL know a Swartz. None of their stories (or the characters themselves) felt out of reach, they were relatable and I really felt like I could feel what they were feeling.

Gary was inclusive in considering her MCs, and had a diversity across many aspects, which I appreciated and it felt intentional but not forced.

I loved getting to know the cats and their personalities throughought, but felt the intros at the beginning of each chapter were a little distracting and didn’t add much value. The cats personalities shined through while Kara or other characters described them.

Overall such a great read! I really loved every second of it and can’t wait to read another from Gary!

The holiday romcom of a cat-lover’s dreams A CAT CAFE CHRISTMAS is the purrfect holiday read. With all the best Hallmark-esque tropes, we get an opposites attract, meddling besties, small-town love where Ben, the marketing guru works with the community to save the cat cafe and win over the owner and girl he’s fallen for, Kara.

I adored Kara and the personality traits and quirks that were so well-written to give her such a great past and present. Each piece of her character added to her relatability and the progression of the book, as well as her growth in the story as she got past being upset about how her ex had wronged her and instead truly found comfort in exactly who she is.

I loved reading about each and every kitty, the dating profiles got to me every time, and I loved how it all tied together with their employee, store regulars and the 25 Days of Catmas plan Ben created for them to reach their goal to keep the shop open, and add on the services they hope to bring.

While the two main characters meet and get to know each other there is plenty of drama and excitement within the pages to make this story one to devour, not just for the holidays but as someone who had been wronged in a past relationship, or has fought with their family, or just needed to feel not so alone.

I loved binging this one for one of my Christmas in July titles thanks to NetGalley + Forever Publishing for the eARC to read and review, I gave this one 4.5 stars and consider it a must for holiday reading.

This was a cute book, it was something I could see myself reading in an afternoon near Christmastime. And cats are always welcome in books. I did feel like the dialogue was not entirely natural at times, and the relationship seemed rushed, especially at the end.

Personally, I am not a cat person but I did not hold that against this book. It was a very cute read! Perfect read for the holidays. I will likely pick up again around Christmas time. I love a good Christmas romcom. Hoping for a sequel!

(3.5 stars)
This was really really cute!! I gotta say I'm kind of surprised this is the first and only cat cafe based romance book on my radar? Feels like there should be way more because the setting is absolutely adorable.

This is definitely your typical romance book. There's nothing very new or exciting in it but it's still a good read. I don't quite know if I cared much for Ben's whole family drama. I thought it was kind of ridiculous that his parents (mostly his mom) was trying to make him feel so much guilt for cutting off his brother after his brother married his ex?? But okay, I get it, I just don't know how he came around so quickly. I would have held onto that grudge a little bit longer, but that's just me. I don't know if I really cared for Kara's friend, Charity. She was the classic best-friend-just-trying-to-help trope but she meddled a lot....a lot more than I would have appreciated as her friend. But Kara just goes right along with it so I don't know! I don't think I'd be able to be as chill about all that as Kara is but that's why I'm not a character in the book!

All in all, this is really cute and I'd recommend picking this up to read over the winter season and maybe snuggling up with a nice hot chocolate in front of a fire with your feline bestie.

<i>Thanks to NetGalley and Forever/Grand Central Publishing for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. </i>

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As soon as I saw the title and cover, I wanted to read this book. Cat cafes AND Christmas?! It's like it was made for me. I used to go to the cat cafes in my city before they closed down. Reading this book let me live out the fantasy of owning a cat cafe and, as someone who works in marketing, it was also super fun to read all about Ben's social media and fundraising plans. 25 Days of Catmas!! Adorable.

While A Cat Cafe Christmas was not the best romance I've read this year, I think fellow cat lovers would find it enjoyable. It has the tropes we all know and love (enemies to lovers and a mission to save a small business) and the cats were the major standout. I loved the little descriptions/sales pitches for the cats at the start of each chapter and reading about them finding their furever homes warmed my heart. It was also nice to read about two people learning to trust again. And while the book is set around American Thanksgiving and Christmas, it doesn't need to be read during the holidays!

This book was quite sweet and had so much cat cuteness!

There was:
*a cat-hating hero...or was he??
*so much competency goodness for both the heroine (veterinarian) and hero (marketing)
*dislike to friends to oh so much more

Ben and Kara's first meeting made me grin and set the tone for an overall good time. I really enjoyed watching them go from mostly dislike to oh we could be friends to now we want more. I also loved seeing Ben become a cat person - it was honestly so cute. Speaking of cats, the cat descriptions at the beginning of each chapter were really fun and I thought added an extra little something. I could picture just how it would be on social media and thought it was so appropriate given the theme of this book.

I will say that Ben's family drama felt a little too drawn out but I was happy when he finally realized he could move on. As for Kara's situation, I couldn't get a handle on it. On the one hand I thought her reaction was appropriate. But then when she got so upset with both Ben and Charity I found myself feeling frustrated with her. As a character it seemed she had made some growth in that regard but that seemed to set her back.

In the end I think this book is a great holiday romance and is especially fun for animal lovers.

4/5 Stars

CW/TW : Cheating (Past/Emotional), Manipulation, Hurt Animals, Ableism

I received a Free E-Arc in exchange for an honest review through Netgalley. Thank you to Forever and Netgalley.

Kara is a Veterinarian and has to perform a procedure on an animal that is in pain, this isn’t described super in depth, it is present. When Ben and Kara are discussing reading Kara makes a "joke" that audiobooks are real reading towards Ben after he says he only really reads audiobooks, this "joke" is massively ableist towards those who can only handle audiobooks and just is incorrect.

I saw this book on Netgalley and had to pick it up as what more could I want from a holiday book than the opposite attraction romance and a cat cafe. This book was adorable and was so much more than just a cute book about a cat cafe struggling to stay open during the holidays.

Kara opened the Meow and Furever Cat Café with her best friend, Charity, after her life was ruined by her ex-fiance. Kara has been struggling to keep the Café open and get all the cats adopted when a local marketing company starts working with small businesses in the area to promote and with this she mets Ben. Ben moved out to this small town in California to start new after his brother betrayed him, when he walks past the first company that his marketing firm was helping he runs into Kara who gives him hell after not being prepared for the amount of business that her Café would be getting that day. The two eventually work together to try and save the Café and adopt out all the cats, and eventually they might become a little more than friends.

Watching both Kara and Ben work through their past trauma felt real and added a lot to what could have just been a cute hallmark story about saving a Cat Café during Christmas time. Their relationship progression did feel a little bit all over the place but it also didn’t feel particularly rushed which I always enjoy.

All of the cats had massive personalities and were always fun to read about, especially one small tabby kitten that reminded me of my own kitten that is sometimes a tiny terror.

This book was a constant joy to read even with some of the more real world elements, that I feel made this book so much more than it could have been. The only part I didn’t love was the last bit that felt a little rushed in the relationship aspect.

I recommend this to people who are looking for a book that is set during the holidays with cats, romance, and a fun time.

This was such a cute book and perfect for anyone who is a true cat lover and has dreamed of having a cat cafe in their town!

Cat loving Kara meets animal averse Ben while doing business together. Ultimately, Ben ends up fostering a kitten he found in his home and agreeing to help Kara keep her cat cafe from going under. In the process, they fall for one another and Ben becomes a cat lover!

At first, I didn't really enjoy the backstory of Kara and Worthy. I know that Worthy is a douchebag, but it seemed like Kara was really letting this situation control her life when she just needed to get over it. However, as time went on, I really began to empathize with Kara and the pain that she felt during that relationship. Ben however, needed to forgive his brother, LOL. I think that both of their heartaches allowed them to become closer partners in the end.

One thing that I am left wondering about is Charity and Schwartz. Even though they certainly aren't the main part of the story, I would have appreciated an epilogue that touched on their time in Cancun. (Or maybe we'll get a second novel that's all about them!)

This was certainly a wonderful feel-good novel that will be perfect for the holiday cat lovers. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Are you an animal-lover looking for a romance to cuddle up with this holiday season? Than look no further than Cody Gary’s A Cat Cafe Christmas!

In this “Opposites Attract” romance, veterinarian and non-profit organizer, Dr. Kara Ingalls, must do everything she can to save her feline friendly cafe while keeping her controversy laced past hidden from her small town. When she bumps in Ben, a self proclaimed “animal-hater”, she never expects the two of them to work together to save Meow and Furever and quite possibly each other just in time for Christmas.

This book contains many of the qualities I look for in contemporary romance such as a diverse cast of side characters, a unique and lovable setting, and a budding romance. The cats for each chapter definitely add a extra bit of excitement to progressing through the story.

However, it did fall flat for me in some areas as well. This story line began to feel very drawn out by the end and this was exasperated by the lack of depth in our main characters. I found some of the writing, particularly the dialogue, lacked flow and sometimes felt unedited. For example, a main character making a very ableist remark about audiobooks that was never addressed felt incredibly inconsiderate to the audience.

I would recommend this book to anyone that would enjoy a lighthearted RomCom with a mug of hot chocolate in one hand and a cat curled up by their feet.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing an arc for review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. I will be posting this review to my GoodReads immediately and to Amazon upon the release on 10/4/22.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Vibrant imagery, opposites attract, laugh until your stomach hurts.

mmm, a perfect holiday romance! This was absolute sweetness. I loved it. Ben was an absolute dream, I loved their relationship from the minute they met. I loved the whole cat cafe and each of their back stories. The writing was perfection and I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future!

Thank you to netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book is holiday magic perfection. It features two grumpy leads and tons of adorable cats, need I say more?

While the cats were the stars of the show, the healing journey both Kara and Ben go through over the duration of the book was beautiful to see. Kara and Ben have experienced recent heartbreaks prior to meeting each other and we witness their romance grow along with their own personal healing.

This is the perfect holiday rom com to read curled up under a blanket with a steaming cup of hot chocolate.

4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Codi does it again! Codi Gary has quickly became my go to author for romance and all things steamy. With just the mix of cute and steamy this one is no different. Don’t waste time debating, get this asap!