Fred and Breakfast by Phoebe MacLeod is a heartwarming story. The endearing characters and focus on the cafe restoration make it charming and enjoyable.
My Overview
Daisy and her sister unexpectedly inherited a rundown cafe from their uncle, along with a lot of money. Not only was it a big surprise, but likely exactly what they need to change their lives. For years, the sisters have been living with their grandparents, since their parents died. As kind and loving as their grandparents have been to them, moving forward from the loss of their parents has been difficult. Daisy, specifically, has had the hardest time. She suffers from anxiety, and doesn’t put too much thought into the future, since it’s never guaranteed. The inheritance will push her to step outside of her comfort zone. Especially since the cafe is rundown, and not all of the employees are willing to accept the changes. Fortunately, the chef Matt is open to the possibility of taking the cafe from a lackluster breakfast joint to the delightful diner it was meant to be.
Based on the cover and synopsis, I expected a cute love story set against a charming cafe. Unforfunately, that wasn’t the case. The romance wasn’t primary to the story, and the storyline was much heavier than I’d expected. Also, while it’s a charming story, it packs a lot and at times feels disconnected. Each character has problems they’re dealing with, so there’s a constant struggle between the issues at hand. Overall, though, it was hard not to root for each of the characters and the community at the cafe. While this story wasn’t what I’d expected, I still found it enjoyable and heartwarming.
My Recommendation
This is my second book by this author. I read Someone Else’s Honeymoon prior to this one, and enjoyed that story much more. Since I’m still new to this author’s books, I don’t quite know what to expect but look forward to trying more of her books. If you’re planning to give this book a try, I enjoyed the audiobook narration, so I recommend it.
Have you enjoyed any books by this author? Which would you recommend?
Lindsey @ Lindsey Reads
I’m glad to hear you still enjoyed this one overall, despite it not being what you had expected from the cover!
Lucy
Thank you! I’m glad it worked out overall too.
Rachel @Waves of Fiction
The cover would make you think it’d be a lighter read. Expecting one thing and getting another can be disappointing. Not sure this would be for me.
Lucy
Thanks 😊. It really is disappointing when that happens.
Deanna @ A Novel Glimpse
I hate when the cover and blurb are a trick like this! 🙁
Lucy
I know! In this case, I even went back to review the synopsis, thinking maybe I’d gotten it wrong but that wasn’t the case 😏.
Lark
I like the idea of inheriting a cafe…maybe one not quite so rundown. And I can relate to Daisy and her anxieties and being pushed out of her comfort zone. Glad you were able to enjoy this one even though it wasn’t quite what you expected it to be.
Lucy
The cafe is what drew me to the story. I guess I find it as charming as inheriting a bookstore 😄.
Tanya @ Girl Plus Books
Seems like the cover and synopsis were pretty deceiving. I definitely would not have expected any heavy issues. Even so, I’m glad you still enjoyed it!
Lucy
Thank you! I definitely thought both were deceiving. Fortunately, I soon became interested in the characters’ lives.