Score: 4/5 Bookmarks

Thank you to Thomas Nelson for gifting me a review copy of Katherine Reay's new book Of Literature and Lattes.

I'm a little bit obsessed with the town where this book (and The Printed Letter Bookshop) are set, as well as the people. It feels to me like if Gilmore Girls and The Most Fun We Ever Had, had a baby. There is something really special about small-town life. Yes everyone is all up in each other's business, but they also care a lot more about their neighbors and townsfolk. If you've never lived in a small town I definitely recommend it at some point in your life.

Anyway, back to the book. I love the family relationships that are portrayed. They are real and often less-than-perfect. And I love that there are second chances, in career, relationships, marriages, and figuring out who the heck you really are.

I definitely recommend grabbing yourself a copy of this one!

Synopsis:

Katherine Reay returns to the cozy and delightful town of Winsome where two people discover the grace of letting go and the joy found in unexpected change.

After fleeing her hometown three years earlier, Alyssa Harrison never planned to return. Then the Silicon Valley start-up she worked for collapsed and turned her world upside down. She is broke, under FBI investigation, and without a place to go. Having exhausted every option, she comes home to Winsome, Illinois, to regroup then move on as quickly as possible. Yet, as friends and family welcome her back, Alyssa begins to see a place for herself in this small Midwestern community.

Jeremy Mitchell moved from Seattle to Winsome to be near his daughter and to open the coffee shop he’s been dreaming of for years. Problem is, the business is bleeding money—and he’s not quite sure why. When he meets Alyssa, he senses an immediate connection, but what he needs most is someone to help him save his floundering business. After asking for her help, he wonders if something might grow between them—but forces beyond their control soon complicate their already complex lives, and the future they both hoped for is not at all what they anticipated.

With the help of Winsome’s small-town charm and quirky residents, Alyssa and Jeremy discover the beauty and romance of second chances.