I LOVE Christmas so I was thrilled to get this arc - big thanks to NetGalley for it in exchange for an honest review!

This book delivers if you're looking for an easy read that feels like a Hallmark movie. I did not fall in love with the characters, and the story felt all over the place at times. However, I did enjoy Sylvie as our female main character, but I wish we saw her love story evolve more especially since it's friends to lovers which is one of my favorite tropes. Them falling in love and the romance felt very behind the scenes since they don't have that many scenes together. In case you are wondering, there is zero spice and again not much romance. Though the setting and baked goods will get you in the Christmas spirit even if you read it in April.

If you love Hallmark Christmas Movies this book is for you, Small town setting where the main character is trying to save the beloved Christmas Café when she finds out the owner plans to sell and retire. Will she end up with the movie star who just happens to be in town filming a movie or with the man she’s known her entire life? This would have been a 5 star read for me if there was just a bit more romance, the book left me wanting more.

Sylvie is a baker at The Christmas Café in Silver Bells , Wyoming. It's the same café where her deceased grandmother used to work, the same Gram that taught Sylvie to cook, bake and embrace the Christmas spirit. In fact, the townsfolk think Sylvie is Christmas all year long.

A movie crew has taken residence in town and Sylvie thinks the crew could bring much needed publicity to the struggling town. She even agrees to go on a few dates with the movie's leading man who Sylvie later learns sees her as a way to garner publicity for himself. At the same time ,her longtime and a bit shy friend, Abe, is always ready to lend Sylvie and her family a helping hand, especially when her grandfather takes a fall and the business really stumbles .

I loved this book! Sylvie is such a sweet character and full of spirit and goodness. All she's lacking is self confidence. Abe is a dream and Sylvie's brother and sister and Gramps all add great content to the story. If you like rom-coms set in small towns with a lead character surrounded by friends and family, and Christmas/holiday themes, then this book is for you . I really hope the author will write more holiday themed books.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC copy

Also reviewed on Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5485275159

Ok um oh my gosh, this was such a warm Hallmark kind of Christmas read, I literally enjoyed every single sentence in this book. It's a story of a woman who spreads holiday cheer and tries to save the cafe she works at, all the while trying to balance the various issues her family and friends are going through, and it was absolutely amazing. And I loved the hea 😭 and I loved the dog and the goat 😭 this book was literally equivalent to warm hot chocolate with marshmallows during the holiday season.

--- ty to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

This is such a great Christmas romance book, about more than JUST romance. It's about believing in yourself, the importance of family and community....this book and the town stole my heart. SUCH a great holiday read!

5/5 stars in my opinion. I loved this book, enjoyed every minute. If the audience could choose what book to choose to turn into a Hallmark movie. this book would be my choice. I was so giddy and honestly I even flew through it. I mean how could I not it was an easy read. I did however know right off the bat where the story was going and I’m so glad it did because it was the perfect way to go. I don’t think I can truly explain how much I loved this book.But it really was soooo good.

The Christmas Cafe by Eliza Evans is a heartwarming holiday romance that follows Sylvie West, a baker who has worked at the Christmas Cafe in Silver Bells, Wyoming for fifteen years. Her life is well-ordered, and her only companions are her yappy chihuahua-pug, Crumpet, and her recently widowed roommate, Gramps. However, when Sylvie learns that the cafe might be sold, she decides to save it by getting the film team from the Holiday Channel to set a scene at the cafe.

The novel is set in a small town, and the author does an excellent job of creating a cozy and festive atmosphere. The Christmas Cafe is the heart of the town, and the characters are all connected in various ways. Sylvie is a lovable protagonist who is clumsy, earnest, and passionate about baking. Her interactions with Gramps, Crumpet, and the other residents of Silver Bells are heartwarming and humorous.

The romance between Sylvie and Royce, the charming lead actor, is sweet and enjoyable to follow. However, Sylvie's old friend Abe, who has returned to manage his parents' goat farm, also catches her attention. The love triangle between Sylvie, Royce, and Abe adds an interesting dynamic to the story, and the author handles it well.

The supporting characters in the novel are also well-developed and add depth to the story. From Sylvie's best friend, who is struggling with infertility, to the goat farmer down the way, everyone has their own story and adds to the sense of community in the town.

Overall, The Christmas Cafe is a delightful holiday romance that will leave readers feeling warm and fuzzy inside. The author has created a charming small town setting, lovable characters, and a sweet romance that will appeal to fans of the genre. The novel is a perfect read for the holiday season, and readers will find themselves wanting to visit Silver Bells and the Christmas Cafe themselves.

The Christmas Cafe is another hallmark movie holiday book. I don't mind a bit of fluff, but when there is zero effort in the writing and editing, I can't keep reading. A horse led sleigh pulls up in front of her house? On the road? She hears the clip clop of the the horses hooves at the same time as the shushing of the sleigh runners....which is it, are they on on the snow or on the pavement?

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

The Christmas Cafe by Elizabeth Evans is truly a treat! I loved everything about this debut novel! It is simply a heart warming Christmas story. I am so excited for the publication of this book in October and plan to gift it to friends for Christmas! I would love for Ms Evans to write another novel featuring Sylvia and the Christmas Cafe!

The cute cover and title had me desiring to read this book by Evans. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for the purpose of this review. I enjoyed the story and it felt very Hallmark Christmas movie to me. Predictable but a good read for getting excited about holiday time. Three stars.

I thought this book was a cute and easy read. One of my favorite things about romance books is how predictable they are. You know what you’re gonna get, a happy ending. Now because you know the basic ending the story has to be compelling for the book to be enjoyable. The predictable nature of this story and characters made it more frustrating than fun. Overall I had an okay time.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC Review! This was a really cute book! I think it had the perfect blend of humor, romance, and angst all wrapped up in the beautiful setting of Silver Bells. I liked the main characters a lot so read this book quickly and enjoyed all of it. I also resonated with losing someone close to you and having those bittersweet memories float to the surface more intensely during the holidays (and during other events they are no longer there for to experience with you). It was super heartfelt and I teared up several times. The beginning was a bit slow, but if you give it a chance it is a great Christmas read for December! I would definitely read more from this author in the future. Rating: 3/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review in progress and to come.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

Very cute and Christmasy. The baking made me hungry. The animals were adorable. The romance was sweet. I enjoyed it like a tasty Christmas cookie.

I love a Christmas story any time of the year! The Christmas Cafe is a perfect little spot to stop in for a sweet treat. Sylvie is clumsy and a little immature with a hangup over being adopted. She lives with her widowed grandfather and her annoying dog. A holiday movie is being shot in town and she ends up dating the star . But wait! An old school friend has returned to take over his parents goat farm. Can she save the cafe? Will she end up with a star or a goat? Crazy enough plot to land up on Hallmark. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley!

I love a good holiday/Christmas novel with the usual holiday tropes and predictability, but this one was annoying, like a meh hallmark movie. More young adult than an adult fiction. There were so many cliches I was getting more annoyed with Sylvie, the main character, with all her encounters.

Sylvie is immature. Immature in love and life. She wants to save the cafe but has no clue, and that’s safe the cafe is not really formulated well. Royce, the bad guy, and actor, helps her but her immaturity and inability to communicate prevent her from any actual action. Giving the dress back to Royce was totally okay, but keeping the shoes made Sylvie look immature again. How she stormed out of the Christmas Ball was another immature move.

Her self-doubt about being adopted became annoying instead of endearing.

And the author's words when referencing the parents made me believe there was not a great relationship. Really, what was the point of the parents, they could have died and the grandparents raised them—more believable plot.

And her little dog Crumpet, another cliche, a not trained yappy little dog, that Sylvie brings to a commercial kitchen. WTF! She also feeds it eggs with salt and pepper, which is horrible for dogs. Something easy for the author to Google, take out the salt/pepper and feed it eggs. Also, the meet/cute at the beginning with the Crumpet, the dog, was hard to want to keep reading for me.

Another cliche is the overbearing older sister and an unsettled, immature younger brother, who, by the end, grow to be friendly people because of Sylvie too much.

I felt like the author was trying to do too much about adoption, cancer, parents in Florida, self-doubt, your perfect being you. But she slams women for taking care of themselves. When she wrote, “She spent all of two minutes looking in the mirror each day. She had more important things to do with her time.” what an infuriating line and exasperating character Sylvia was.

Thank @NetGalley and @putnam for my eARC.
#netgalley #putnam

Such a cute book and plot! If you are looking for a Hallmark Christmas movie in a book - this is it. I am a sucker for a cute small town romance. This is set in small town Wyoming. We follow a woman on a journey to save the cafe that means so much to her. You get all the Friends, family, romance, Christmas vibes and cute animals to make a fun holiday read. The Christmas Cafe was so easy to read and escape into the their world. This will be a perfect holiday read once it is released.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC copy. This is my honest review.

Absolutely fantastic plot! Could not put the book down once I began reading it. Cannot wait for it to be released. Will recommend it to everyone I know!

What a sweet and sentimental story! You can see how the entire plot would play out on the Hallmark Channel, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need.

I found the FMC to be very relatable at times, even when cringeworthy, because honestly I probably would have reacted similarly. I do wish there had been more background in her friendship with the MMC, a more solid plot line that I think would have helped to create more investment into him as a character. Though predictable, their interactions left me wanting more.

Overall this was a well-written, sweet palette cleanser from me. I can’t promise I’ll remember the details a week from now, but I would pick it up around the holidays again to help get me in the spirit!

I love a cheese hallmark movie and I love a cheesy romance book. So cute combo for sure. It was a bit dragged on and difficult to get into this book till about half way but then it was the predictable cute warm your heart silly.