Autumn at the Cat Cafe

Author: Kathleen Fuller Title: Autumn at the Cat Cafe Publisher: Thomas Nelson Date Published: 08/04/2026

Read Dates: 07/05/2026- 07/06/2026
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

 📖 I received a gifted e-book ARC. The following is my honest review✍🏻

Autumn at the Cat Cafe is a dual POV small town romance. Via runs a cat cafe in her hometown, next door to a used bookstore that was run by her friend and neighbor Earl. They had tentative plans to combine their businesses, but he passed away before anything was formalized, and left everything to a nephew no one knew existed. Leo wants nothing to do with any of it; he blows into town to wrap things up as quickly as possible, only to find out Earl’s will had stipulations, including living in town for 30 days. Now Leo is stuck, and Via sees an opportunity to convince him of the town's charms so he won’t sell off the business to the highest bidder. It’s a complicated situation and friendship, and Leo finds himself falling for more than just the town's charms!

This was a cute, kissing-only, opposites-attract romance. I loved the idea of an Autumn bucket list and a charming small town. The story was vaguely religious without being overly preachy. I found both main characters likable, but they were both dishonest with each other, which made their anger at the other’s dishonesty a bit hypocritical. Some issues got wrapped up too neatly and quickly, in a way that to me didn’t feel like it made sense for the story, but instead felt forced so that everyone gets to be happy. Still, it was a mostly fun read, and there were cats, so I had a good time!

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.