Where Hope Begins (Cafe on Hope and Main)

Review copy received from BOOK LOVERS ARC CLUB

Wow! What a tough, faith-based small town romance! A tough read that will humble you down and still show glimpses of new hope along the way.

The story features the life of a duo, Joel Dawson and Lauren Graham. With his MBA degree, Joel’s plan is simply to get a successful corporate job, far away from his parents and the family-owned diner business. But what can he do when life does not go easy on him?

While waiting for the job he wants, Joel comes back to town to help run his parents’ business. From there, problems just keep piling up endlessly.

And in such a hard time figuring out her passion, Lauren finds herself feeling so content when it comes to taking care of orders, serving good food, and chatting with customers. While skipping college classes, she spends her time working at the diner. Which also means seeing Joel every day, dealing with his superior attitude, and all the problems that slowly cause the business to collapse. Will she actually make it, while also fighting her own battle?

This book is such a fast-paced story, with dining scenes and business talks dominating most of the chapters. Problems with the business management fall one after another, escalating without a pause. There are always more obstacles coming right after one gets solved. These ongoing business issues might feel overwhelming for some readers, as they are presented with very little space to breathe. Not a bad thing at all, but if you expect to cool down after a row of big conflict before moving to the next, this continuous escalation is something to be aware of.

Aside from her strong dedication to customer service, I think Lauren’s brain is the best. I love her marketing ideas to make bigger profit. Despite her giggles and slightly immature personality, she honestly delivers a creative marketing master class!

Joel and Lauren’s romantic relationship unfolds so gently and naturally. It never feels awkward, even with all the business tension around them. Other things that amaze me are the family bond and teamwork in the diner, the sincere community service, and the religious quotable lines that appear here and there in the dialogues. This book earns my 🌟🌟🌟🌟