I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.
Autumn at the Cat Cafe by Kathleen Fuller Published by Thomas Nelson Incorporated on July 23, 2026
Genres: Fiction / Christian / Romance / General, Fiction / Holidays, Fiction / Romance / Clean & Wholesome, Fiction / Small Town & Rural
Pages: 304
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley
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From USA TODAY bestselling author Kathleen Fuller comes a cozy, kisses-only romance about fresh starts, fall leaves, and finding love right next door, perfect for fans of Gilmore Girls and Sarah Adams.
Via Dalton has sworn off men to focus on the two things she loves most: her quirky cat café, Pawsitive Vibes, and the charming town of Pecan Corner, Ohio. But her peaceful world is shaken when Earl Brewster, the owner of the beloved Second Chapter Books next door, passes away. Via is determined to buy the shop and preserve Earl's legacy, but her plans hit a snag in the form of a tall, handsome, and completely unexpected heir.
Leo Brewster's life is thriving in LA, and the last thing he needs is an inheritance in the middle-of-nowhere, Ohio. But the alternative--letting his estranged mother inherit--has him packing his bags to receive the inheritance, quickly sell it off to the highest bidder, and hightail it back to LA. What he didn't count on was the list of stipulations in the will that has him staying in the small town for a month. Oh, and the determined, sunny café owner next door who refuses to let him destroy the town's heart without a fight.
Desperate to convince Leo the bookstore is vital to her community, Via challenges Leo to complete her Autumn Bucket List. As they navigate corn mazes, pumpkin patches, and fall festivals, Leo begins to see the magic in Pecan Corner--and in Via. Despite her vow to stay single and his plan to leave, the attraction between them simmers like hot cider.
Can a season of small-town charm convince a city boy to stay, or will Via lose both the bookstore and her heart?
Grab a warm drink and curl up with this delightful grumpy/sunshine, opposites-attract story of unexpected love and small-town charm.
My first Kathleen Fuller since the before time. It was like curling up with an old friend on the sofa, in bed when I should have been sleeping, sitting in the chair waiting for Daddy at physical therapy. It was reminiscent of another romance I read earlier this year while also being completely different. It makes sense, I promise. This book, though, has a couple of things going against it. First, it’s romance . . . why do I keep choosing romance books? Oh yeah, because I love the author. Second, I’m allergic to cats. Like allergic allergic, and since I do like breathing and seeing, I’ll most likely never (ever) visit a Cat Cafe. Now, keep in mind I also have a herd of formerly feral, somewhat tamed to the wild side, kittens. So while allergic allergic I also really love cats. Figure that one out.
This book has all the things I complain about all the time. Instalove. Lack of communication. Ridiculous secrets – wait, that’s communication related. Anyway, I’m sure there’s more, but they are just off the tip of my fingers. All that aside, I found this book so cozy and fun. Via and Leo were so believable, fun, infuriating, and real. All the things that make a great book, and even a good romance. However, the main thread that pulled the romance together was emotionally tugging, for me. The death of Earl, the cantankerous older man who owned the book shop next door and lived in the apartment that accompanied it, again next door. The completely wild stipulations that his nephew, Leo, who didn’t even know he existed, had to complete to earn his inheritance. I mean, there’s no way that Earl knew that it would bring Via and Leo together, as he’d never met Leo, but honestly, that’s the bigger story. The romance just the side quest of it. There’s a lot of redemption in the story that is heartwarming and kept me completely engaged.
Now hear me out for a second, all you romance lovers. What if, what if there wasn’t the perfect happy ending you always expect from this genre? What if, like real life, sometimes the boy and girl don’t end up together? What if Smitten Kitten and Harvard Boy have their time and then move on without each other? I know the gasp is already been outed, as romance is always about the happy ending. But, as I was reading, I was like, you know, I would love this book even if that last chapter wasn’t written. What if their time together was just an opportunity, for both of them, to live and love and heal. What if there’s not the perfect rosy ending? I would have loved that book too. But I’ll see myself out since I know that is the antithesis of why folks read romance.
About Kathleen Fuller
Kathleen Fuller is the best-selling author of over thirty books, including the Hearts of Middlefield series.
1. I started writing January 1, 2000. New year, new millenium, new career.
2. I’m a former special education teacher, specializing in teaching the blind and visually impaired.
3. I was born in New Orleans, LA, raised in Little Rock, AR, and call Geneva, OH my home.
4. On June 12, 2013, my husband and I will celebrate twenty years of marriage.
5. We have three awesome kids.
6. I love chocolate. ‘Nuff said.
7. I’ve written and published over twenty-five novels and novellas.
8. I also write nonfiction–interviews, devotionals, Bible studies, essays, blog posts…
9. We have three dogs–Biscuit, Mollie, and Chief. And one cat, creatively named Kitty.
10. If I could go anywhere in the world I would go to Ireland.
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