Cat’s People was absolutely charming and I loved ever minute of it. The writing was engaging and the characters kept my interest even when I wasn’t reading. This was the perfect antidote to a book hangover.

Thank you Random House Ballantine for my copy. I absolutely loved this book!! It had so many of my favorite elements- found family, multiple POVs, endearing characters, overlapping storylines, humor and heart, AND a cat narrator! I truly don't think I could have asked for a more purr-fect book- it will be one of my favorite of 2025, no doubt.

A unique slice-of-life cozy read about the adventures of Cat in the city. And why is the inner dialogue of Cat so cute and true to life of the sassiness you would expect from a cat? At the same time, Cat cares for the individuals that interact with him, showing the reciprocal friendship and empathy between humans and animals.

Cat’s People is told from the third-person perspective of multiple characters whose lives intersect with Cat in NY. With regards to presenting stories in alternating perspectives it is very challenging to make all the characters’ plots and voices compelling. There were some characters whose chapters I would rather skip.

Other than their personal conflicts, I thought that a lot of the characters have a very similar voice - they all ruminate, they are all dealing with some type of personal challenge (parental expectations, broken families, and grief), and there’s a lot of negative inner dialogue from the characters. One of the characters is described as pathetic and loser by multiple characters including himself and his love interest, which was just sad…I also felt the characters’ perspectives were very surface-level. This book would’ve benefited from being told solely from Cat’s perspective as it would have lent a more different take on things.

As far as cozy reads go, I do think this is one of the better ones and feline friends or cat people will find Cat’s antics endearing and familiar.

Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are independently my own.

Unfortunately, it felt very surface level and predictable . I did, however, really enjoy the chapters from Cat’s perspective. It’s written in the vein of books like the Kamogawa Food Detectives and Before the Coffee Gets Cold, in that a group of different people are brought together by a specific place/person/object (in this case, the cat)

Charming story about a black street cat named Cat. Life on the streets makes has made Cat wary of people,
even the ones that feed or give him treats on a daily basis. As Cat observes rhese select lonely humans,
his actions will change their lives for the better.
#CatsPeople # DelacortePress #RandomHouse #NetGalley

Cat's People by Tanya Guerrero is a super heartwarming story that pulled me in right from the cover and description. It’s all about a stray cat that ends up bringing together the folks who care for it, creating a sweet tale of found family, connections, and a dash of romance over the summer.

Nuria, a barista and proud "crazy cat lady," looks after stray cats in her Brooklyn neighborhood. One day, she stumbles upon a note from a secret admirer at the spot where she feeds Cat, adding a fun element of mystery to the story. The characters in this book are all super sweet and endearing, and it's really nice to see their connections grow as you get to know each one. Guerrero does an amazing job at developing the characters, making each one feel so real and relatable. Plus, getting Cat's perspective is a really cute touch.

Cat's People is the perfect cozy, feel-good read, and I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a heartwarming and uplifting story.

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte press for the advanced review copy. This is my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️My review: I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. The story of a stray cat and the humans around him seemed a little niche. But it really came together nicely. Alternating chapters from the point of view of each person and Cat were fun, especially when it picked up with a different character right where another left. Each human had some influence on another and some, like Lily, had multiple connections from the start. I wanted her to get what she needed, I wanted Collin to find his voice, and I hoped Bong would find happiness.

The book and the characters came together like a puzzle and I laughed, smiled and got teary at times. Heartwarming and uplifting and well done.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Cat is a black cat who is living on the streets of NY, dependent upon the kindness of strangers to feed him and make sure he is comfortable. He loves the people he encounters on a daily basis. Nuria (the Rainbow Lady as he calls her) is the person who most regularly feeds him. When Cat sees someone take an interest in Nuria by leaving notes by his food dish, he immediately feels invested and wants to help bring the two people together. Little does he know that his actions will bring the whole neighborhood together and create a one of a kind bond that will form a found family.

I loved this book and all of the characters in it! It was heartwarming and I loved getting to know everyone and their relationships. I'm definitely a cat person and would recommend this to anyone who want a touching story that will make you laugh and cry happy tears!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC, in exchange for an unbiased review.

I am a grown adult, but I have read (and loved) Guerrero's previous kid-lit books. So I was excited to read her first adult book. I would classify this as "cozy pet lover fiction." It's a sweet, cute, retro read- my only issue is that Guerrero retains her kid-lit prose and sentence style (short, simplistic), which would be fine, except for the random f-bombs that are frankly jarring with the otherwise childlike tone. But I loved the characters- she avoids the brainless 20-something white girl rom-com trope, and populates her books with interesting characters.

this book is such a cute & cozy found-family story set in Brooklyn, it centered on a stray cat and the humans it brings together. Nuria, a single barista in her 30s with three cats, feeds the neighborhood strays, including Cat—who’s also a narrator, he is really the star of the book! the rest of the characters includes Omar, a gay postal worker who deserved more spotlight; Bong, a bodega owner mourning his wife; Collin, a writer who catches glimpses of the alley where Cat hangs out; and Lily, on a mission of her own.

being from NY, the Brooklyn vibe and diverse cast are great, and the notes exchanged between Collin and Nuria are super sweet. but the plot feels low-stakes, with conflicts wrapping up too neatly and quickly, and it’s a stretch to believe everyone’s so connected through one stray cat but they're really not? still, the character work is solid. and the unique perspective of Cat adds charm because he is funny.

it's a gentle, feel-good read, even if it could’ve used a little more edge. i still liked it tho!

thank you @randomhouse ❤️🐱

3.5 stars
CAT’S PEOPLE by Tanya Guerrero is a found family novel set in Brooklyn involving a stray cat and the people that care about it.

Nuria is a single barista in her 30s with three cats that feeds Brooklyn’s stray cats, including Cat, one of the novel’s narrators. It’s becoming more common to have animal narrators in novels and I went with it easily enough. Omar is a gay postal worker and wasn’t given as much to do as I wanted to see. Bong is a grieving widower and bodega owner who recently lost his wife. Collin is a successful writer who looks out of his window at the alley where Cat resides, and he also gets coffee where Nuria works. And Lily is working on a mission of her own. The notes between Collin and Nuria were very endearing. I thought more emotion could have been created between Nuria and Lily.

I did have to suspend some disbelief at all of these characters crossing paths due to one stray cat. Also, there wasn’t much tension in this novel. Even the big plot point involving Cat seemed resolved extremely quickly and without any debate.

I thought this novel had excellent representation. I liked the Brooklyn setting. I thought the novel could have had a bit more forward propulsion, but I did enjoy some of the author’s touches on the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

It publishes April 1, 2025.

Thank you Net galley for the early arc! This book was the most heartwarming, and heartfelt book l've read in awhile! As a huge cat lover I felt a part of this book in my soul. This story follows the perspective of 5 different people + the cat's perspective which is so incredibly cute. We follow all 5 during trials and tribulations in their life and how they all come together through this cat. Also this story had such a sweet little romance included as well as just completely heartwarming relationships. I just love how this book shows how loving and sweet cats are even if they show it in different ways than dogs. Cats deserve love as much as dogs do and I just fell in love with this story.

The Cat People, Tanya Guerro’s adult debut novel is a story full of quirky characters who become a wonderful found family in this lovely story that reminded me of Clare Pooleys found family novels. Chapters alternate between Núria, a 30 something single barista who spends all her free time volunteering with the Meow-Yorkers cat rescue group, Bong a widower who owns the neighborhood bodega, Collin, a shy, awkward introverted but successful author, Omar the mailman, Lily the young cashier from the supermarket, and Cat himself.

I found this to be a heartwarming, feel good novel and would encourage anyone looking for something lighter to pick it up.

Thank you to net galley and Random house for the e galley in return for an honest review.

Cat's People isn't the most well-written book in the world, but what it lacks in eloquence it more than makes up for in heart. The story is told from six perspectives, Cat himself, and five people that are brought together by Cat, Nuria, the barista and cat lover; Collin, a reclusive author who develops a crush on Nuria; Bong, the bodega owner grieving the loss of his wife; Omar, the local mailman; and Lily, who's come to New York to find Nuria, her half sister. While Cat helps serve as a go-between for Nuria and Collin, Cat inadvertently provides Omar some direction on what he wants to do with his life. Omar helps Bong find his way out of grieving, and Bong provides Lily with a fatherly influence when she's alone and desperately missing her own father, who has passed away. As a cat lover, the story was enjoyable to see people all connected by a stray, who sees that there are good people in the world that don't regard him as a menace. It's also an enjoyable for the good the people in the book are willing to do for each other, something that Omar is often at the center of. When the world is full of people that may not be deliberately rude, but are so wrapped up in themselves and their own problems, reading a book where people are willing to do something kind for someone who's a stranger, or for a stray cat on the street gives me the warm fuzzies. So if you're looking for a story that will give you the warm fuzzies, this is a great book to pick up and read. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A sweet, engaging rom-com guaranteed to give you the warm and fuzzies! I was captivated by the character of Cat, a remarkable feline who deeply cared for his human companions. Additionally, I found it intriguing how the other characters were connected, albeit unknowingly, through their shared bond with Cat.

Chapters alternate between different POVs. We meet Nuria, a barista in her thirties. Then there’s Collin, a struggling author grappling with severe social anxiety. Omar, a cheerful mailman, is also on the journey of self-discovery, unsure of his future path. Bong, a widowed bodega owner, is deeply grieving the loss of his wife. Lastly, we have Lily, who has come to NYC in search of her long-lost half-sister. And of course, we get to experience the world from Cat’s unique point of view as well!

I thought that the characters in the book were very vibrant, and the story as a whole was interesting and well-executed.

I feel that the author was, herself, a cat person (from one cat person to another!). This was a lovely, charming book. It was written from various characters’ point of view, including the cat. The setting was New York City, Brooklyn. In the story, each person was dealing with a life challenge, but they all had the stray cat in common. The lovely twist here is that the cat felt the people needed him.

The writing style seems to be for a young person audience. Maybe teen or young adult.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House, Ballantine, for this advance copy. #NetGalley #CatsPeople

I loved this sweet novel so much. Núria is a single barista spends her free time feeding and neutering and looking out for stray cats. One of her favorites is a black cat she names Cat. Cat refers to her as Rainbow Lady. Omar refers to him as Gatito, who in turn knows him as Cheery Mailman. Sad Bodega Man is the widower of Smiley Lady who used to feed Cat. Bright-Pink Person (Lily) is searching for her long-lost half-sister. Then there is Awkward Neighbor Guy, also known as Collin, a successful writer who has writer’s block.

Núria begins getting notes where she leaves food for Cat. She writes notes in return. As they all look out for Cat, Cat looks out for them, and they look out for each other.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this novel, which RELEASES APRIL 1, 2025.

Cat's People is a delightful and heartwarming story about a black stray cat who lives on a specific street on which some certain people pass by and feed him, and even though these people don't know each other, it's through some events related to this cat (simply named Cat by the humans) that they all get connected to each other, some in more deep ways than others.
The story is told through several POVs - one from each character, including the cat's POV.
It's a nice, cozy, feel-good story about a bunch of people with some traumas, insecurities and other issues overcoming their struggles through kindness and friendship and the black cat as the reason as to why they all got together.

I'd say it's the perfect read for not only cat lovers (personally, I do not like cats - I'm 1000% a dog person, but I loooved this book - and my favourite chapters were the Cat's POV), but to anyone who is having a bad day or week and just want to read something light, easy, heartful and comfy.
I know I needed a book like this after having read so many heavy, dense, depressed, sad and some macabre books in the last few weeks. :)
Also, this is not a book for the highbrow readers. The writing is very simplistic and direct. The goal here is to be accessible and to touch other people's hearts.

So, I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who is in need of a lighter and cozy read, or who just enjoy heartwarming, uplifting reads. Oh, obviously, also to cat lovers.
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, for providing me with a free eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

"Cat's People" by Tanya Guerrero is a captivating story that masterfully blends elements reminiscent of "Remarkably Bright Creatures" and "The Lonely Hearts Book Club." At its heart is Cat, a cautious stray who roams the streets of Brooklyn, maintaining a careful distance even from those humans he knows to be kind.

Through Cat's observant eyes, we meet a colorful cast of neighborhood characters: Rainbow Lady, Sad Bodega Man, Cheery Mailman, and Awkward Neighbor Guy. Each character's story unfolds both through Cat's perspective and through their own interactions with this wary street dweller.

Guerrero demonstrates exceptional skill in weaving together multiple storylines, a task that often proves challenging in ensemble narratives. Each character maintains their own distinct subplot while remaining connected through their shared link to Cat. The result is a rich tapestry of interconnected lives, all transformed over the course of one sweltering Brooklyn summer.

What makes this novel particularly special is how each character emerges as both complex and endearing, their stories gradually intertwining as Cat becomes the unlikely catalyst for change in all their lives – including his own. The author crafts these relationships with sensitivity and insight, creating a story that resonates on multiple levels.

This universally appealing novel offers something for everyone, making it an easy book to recommend widely. Whether you're a cat lover, a fan of character-driven narratives, or simply enjoy stories about human connection, "Cat's People" delivers a heartwarming and satisfying read.

I received an advance copy through NetGalley from Random House Ballantine. All opinions expressed are my own.

I fully believe that this book will find its people, but that person is not me despite loving cats and animals in books. The writing is very simplistic and I cannot be drawn in by it because of the short sentences. Fully, I’m sure this book has good heart, but I cannot get past the shortness. DNF.