Love me, love my cat… or rather, love my cat, love me?

Synopsis

Can she save the Happy Endings Bookstore and have the happy ending she deserves?

Olivia is back in her hometown to reopen the bookstore her grandmother left her. She has a whole plan mapped out for the Happy Endings Bookstore. Just one problem – she finds out the bank is ready to foreclose on the bookstore’s mortgage.
Gabriel, the bank manager, is as drop dead gorgeous as he is grouchy. Olivia hates the guy, but her cat Chili seems to love him. Now Olivia has three months to save the bookstore and rub it in Gabriel’s face.

Olivia tries everything to save the bookstore, but with a quest to find out the identity of an anonymous romance writer, her mother wanting to find her a husband, and her grandmother’s grouchy neighbor making her life hell, Olivia has a lot on her plate.

The tension between Olivia and Gabriel escalates as the deadline to save the bookstore approaches, but as the two slowly begin to let their guard down, they might learn that sometimes stepping outside one’s comfort zone can lead to the greatest reward.

Single with Cat is a feel-good romantic comedy perfect for readers who love cats, books, and happy endings.

My review

Olivia has returned to her hometown and is determined to reopen her grandmother’s bookstore. She wants to have only books with a happy ending, thus she names the store Happy Endings Bookstore. However, her dream can fall apart, as the bank is ready to foreclose on the mortgage. And even if the bank manager is hot, his reluctance to be flexible, makes Olivia hate the guy. Although those feelings aren’t shared, as her cat Chili seems to love him…
With only three months left, can Olivia manage to save the bookstore, and to prove Gabriel’s wrong? But the bookstore aren’t her only worries, as Olivia is determined to discover the identity of a famous romance writer, but also with her mother wanting to see Olivia married, and a neighbour that is being annoying.
And Olivia may also realize that Gabriel isn’t the evil man she thought he was…

I love books (obviously) and I love cats. So is there just one reason in the world why I wouldn’t want to read this book? I don’t think so!
This is the first book I have read of this author and what a great discovery this has been!

I found Olivia very recognizable, and I saw a lot of my own personal situation in her in some ways. I am single too (but don’t have a cat unfortunately), and while not to that extend, my parents want me to see me settled too.
I admired her determination to open the bookstore, as in current times it’s not easy to be an independent bookstore.

But I also liked her curiosity. She wanted to know who the writer is, she wanted to know why her neighbour was being so unfriendly.
And that discovery made me realize that a feeling can run deep and for a long time, and how holding a grudge can just hold you back. But once you let go of those negative feelings, amazing and wonderful things can and will happen to you

While sharing Olivia’s feelings for Gabriel was rather easy, as it was frustrating to read how he was not ‘cooperating’, I could also understand his point of view. Being a bank manager doesn’t mean that you can quickly disregard the rules.
Initially Gabriel seemed a too strict man, not only following the rules but also being rigid, not open and rather unforgiving.
However, when his story was revealed, I for sure changed my opinion of him, and for the better. And what he did at the end, made my heart completely melt.

Reading the encounters between Olivia and Gabriel for sure put a smile on my face. Seeing them clashing was hilarious, but seeing them somehow being pulled together was wonderful. It shows that somehow the heart knows better who is a right match before our mind knows.

Being not an extreme long story, makes that perhaps feelings develop rather quickly. But that made it also easier to just devour this lovely book. I had several laughs, a few gasps, the desire to cuddle with Chili and felt myself surrounded with lovely people who learned about the beauty of love, forgiveness and openness.
I enjoyed reading this book, discovering this author and I am curious to read more from her!