Fun #RomCom: The Second Chance Cafe in Carlton Square by Lilly Bartlett

by Donna Huber

Welcome back to the East End! Emma and the whole crowd is back. The wedding is past, the babies have been born and Emma is trying to fulfill the dream she labored so hard through school for. You know Emma, she couldn't open a youth center. No, she is opening a cafe.

Amazon affiliate links are used in this post. A free ebook was provided for this review.

June 2017; HarperImpulse; ebook (243 pages)
romantic comedy

When I read The Big Little Wedding in Carlton Square by Lilly Bartlett I had a fleeting thought that the closed down pub they used for bathrooms would be featured in another book in the series. And what a shock it was when I was notified of The Second Chance Cafe in Carlton Square and it featured the closed down pub. Seriously I did a little ha ha dance because I was right about it making a great setting.

One thing you know when you pick up a Lilly Bartlett books is that it is going to be fun (in case you didn't know Bartlett is the pen name for Michele Gorman). Second Chance Cafe is a bit different than The Big Little Wedding as it is much more focused on Emma and how she balances working and being a mom. The other characters from the first book make appearances or are mentioned but they do not have a big role.

As you can imagine (or have experienced) as a new mom of twins her time is consumed with the kids. And on top of that, she renovated and opened a new cafe that employees at risk teens. If you have run your own business you know that the first year is all-consuming. So it felt real that the other characters were more in the background. But there are a few new characters to add spice to things - the two teens who work for Emma, the cafe owner down the street, Emma's Moms Group, and there is plenty of East End color.

There are some predictable moments as is par for the course for a romantic comedy, but it is still a cute story and well-worth the read.

Buy The Second Chance Cafe in Carlton Square at Amazon US and in the UK

Which cover do you like best? I usually favor the UK version (the large cover) over the US version (the cover in the quote graphics), but for this book, I like them both. Does on appeal more to you than the other?

Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour.

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2 African American Coming-of-Age Stories from Nadine C. Keels

by MK French

Nadine. A French name, meaning, “hope.” With her lifelong passion for life-enriching fiction, Nadine C. Keels enjoys reading and writing everything from short stories to novels. Her fiction works include Love Unfeigned and The Movement of Crowns Series, and select pieces of her lyrical poetry can be found on her spoken word album, Hope. Lyricized. As the founder of Prismatic Prospects, her communication company, Nadine has served as editor for a number of titles, and through her writing, from her books to her blog posts, she aims to help spark hope, inspiration, and genius in as many as she is privileged to reach.

I've had the opportunity to review two of Nadine's stories. One is a full-length novel and the other is a novella. If you are looking to add some diversity to your reading pile, then check out these books.

Hello Darkness, my old friend

by Ross Kitson

Having just watched the official trailer for the impending season of Game of Thrones I joined the masses with an almighty squeeee. Plenty of soundbites, plenty of slow character shots, then fast cuts of incredible looking battle scenes and, of course, dragons.

Review: The Cafe by the Sea by Jenny Colgan #TLCBookTours #TheCafeByTheSea

by Susan Roberts

The Cafe by the Sea is another delightful book by Jenny Colgan.  If you enjoy light-hearted stories with easy to like characters, give her books a read.

June Books Read #MondayBlogs

by Donna Huber

A prize pack I won at Armchair Book Expo arrived in the mail.

Without as much television on to watch and a week of vacation, I have definitely had a good month of reading. I've gotten through some of the backlog of ebooks that I have promised myself to read this year. I've also been able to read a book from my in print review shelf and even two books that I purchased. Even though I'm still working on the classes for my Digital Marketer Certification and taking a Coursera class on historical fiction, I've listened to a few audiobooks. How was your month of reading?

Two New Coming-of-Age Novels Hit Shelves This Week

by MK French

Are you looking for something a bit different than your typical 'beach read'? Then these two coming-of-age novels may be just the thing for you. One is a fantasy novel and the other is women's fiction. Both books hit shelves on Tuesday.