Book Review: Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe

Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe
by Carla Laureano
Tyndale House Publishers, 2019
432 pages

Less than content with her bakery job cranking out other people’s recipes, talented baker and pastry chef Melody Johansson is ready for a change. Little does she know that her life is about to be turned upside down in both good ways and bad by loss, love, and new opportunities.

Pilot Justin Keller is not the type to settle down after he saw what his father’s career did to his parents marriage. Despite the immediate attraction he feels towards lovely, spirited Melody, he tries to keep his distance. She’s not the type to date casually, and he’s planning a career shift that will take him far from Denver soon anyway. But when he agrees to repay her a favor, the time they spend together soon makes him question what it is he really wants.

An unexpected chance to open a café with one of her best friends is a dream come true for Melody. But even as she throws herself into this new endeavor, she feels uneasy about the relationship that is quickly growing between her and Justin. How can they make things work when she has no plans to abandon the new restaurant and Justin has commitments in Florida?

This post contains affiliate links, which means I might make some fancy coffee money at no extra expense to you if you buy something through one of my links. Read more about that here. 

Thanks to TLC Book Tours for sending me a copy to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

So here’s the thing about this book: I’m jealous that I didn’t write it. Brunch at Bittersweet Café checks ALL my boxes for a good story. You’ve got a handsome stranger, amazing descriptions of food and cooking, plus a literature-loving heroine – how could this book be any more perfect for me?

I didn’t realize when I requested this book, but it’s actually the second in a series. It totally stands on it’s own, but I think once you meet all the characters you’ll want to go back and read the other one like I plan to do. Since Brunch at Bittersweet Café doesn’t officially release until February 5th, 2019 (two weeks from the date of this post), the first book, The Saturday Night Supper Club, might be the perfect way to spend your time as you wait.

Seriously though, I could not get enough of reading about professional baking and cooking by people who have really studied their craft. Food in this book features so prominently it is practically a character. I left feeling inspired to bake, bake, and bake some more! I’m sure my family will thank me. Except my husband, when he finds out I really want to open a café now.

The other thing I really loved is the dialogue. I really notice and appreciate when conversations between characters flow smoothly and naturally, and these did. All the characters are witty, and their interactions feel very real. Only a few pages in I was taking notes on quotes to share, like this one from the main character Melody about the difference between artisanal bread and grocery store loaves:

“Haven’t you ever wondered why the Bible says Jesus is the bread of life? Bread was once worthy of that metaphor. Somehow I don’t think He would like to be compared to Wonder Bread.”

Brunch at Bittersweet Café, by Carla Laureano

Another big theme in this book is friendship. Melody and her friends really stick together through down times, and I really enjoyed that. One cannot put a value on friends who will tell you the truth but also love you no matter what. The friends in this story are really more like sisters. Between the food, friendship, romance, and wit, this Brunch at Bittersweet Café was a big hit for me, and I can’t wait to dig into the other books in this series.

Do you enjoy reading books where food is big player?