A nice, gentle romance. Clem is a wonderful baker making the feline based treats at the Cat Cafe- Catpurrcino. Lucas and his friend own Muddy Paws, a nearby dog themed cafe. Both are chosen to take part in Whisked Away, a Bake off competition. Clem is painfully shy having been publicly embarrassed as a student- she still hides away because of it. There is an immediate attraction between the two which occupies the social media surrounding the competition. Adventures ensue, the romance is on and off, and the competition heats up. A lovely supporting cast. I really enjoyed this story. #netgalley #cakeoffatthecatcafe

Really good book that i will recommend to others.

Thanks for the opportunity to read & review it.

I wasn't aware that this was the second book in a series when I requested it from NetGalley, but it made not a jot of difference to my reading experience. The story read completely independently of anything that came before it.

Both Clem and Lucas were adorable characters that I fell in love with quite quickly. Their stories were incredibly real and relatable - I particularly connected with Clem's anxiety battle and Lucas's personal responsibility struggle as he cared for his aging, ailing parents. As invididual characters they were wonderful, but I really bought in to their chemistry together.

It was a very easy and cosy read, absolutely helped by the Bake Off-type feel to the competition element of the story. There was enough tension to keep the pace feeling fresh, but the story never felt heavy or stressful.

I'm now curious to read the other book in the series, so I may have to go pick it up.

Liked it . Due to health issues cannot not but will write a proper review at a later time
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was such a fun and gorgeous second instalment to the Cat Cafe series - I really loved Clem and saw a lot of myself in her, she was a very relatable character and you only wanted the best for her. Lucas was also a really lovely character who put everyone before himself, which can definitely be a pro and con. I enjoyed the great british bake-off aspect of the plot, it was fun going through all the different stages of the competition and how Lucas and Clem's chemistry blossomed because of it. The drama aspect of the plot was also very intriguing and made for a satisfying ending.

What's not to like about a cat cafe combined with the Great British Bake Off.

Clem works as a baker at Catpurrcino, creating all sorts of cat themed deliciousness for the customers to eat. Clem has worked hard to where she is now, albeit dealing with anxiety and a sudden change of direction in her past.
When she and her boss Sylvie are contestants in the Whisk Away baking competetion, Clem is pushed out of her comfort zone.
Lucas is another contestant in the Wisk Away baking competetion with his good friend Dwayne, thogether they run Muddy Paws Cafe.

The Whisk Away competition is a chance for both Clem and Lucas to shine. Will Clem find her inner strength and confidence and will Lucas find a way to help his parents?

I absolutlely adored this second book in the Catpurrcino cat cafe series, but this could easily be read as a stand alone. Clem is such a wonderful person, thoughtful and kind. And I was rooting for her throughout the competetion, such a clever baker! A purrfect cosy cat themed read, very enjoyable and heartwearming!

Good overall. Enjoyed the cats and dogs theme. Also, liked the baking element. I found myself getting a bit irritated by the female lead though. At times I wanted her to just pull herself together. I have anxiety, so I'm not being unsympathetic. Perhaps anxiety is not all that easy to write about. Perhaps the author needed to spend a bit more time writing about the past trauma. Luke was a great character. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was the second of the series set in Catpurrcino - and what’s not to love in a cat cafe. It’s purrfectly possible to read this as a stand-alone but I recommend reading the whole series.

I shall leave the kitty puns now - this is a cosy read but also in a way, reflective

It provides an ideal opportunity to shown that actions - whenever they happen can have repercussions many years later. This centres around Clem, badly treated by a so-called friend at University - such that her actions have affected Clem into adulthood and left crippling anxiety.
Add to this unrequited love and an unexpected coincidence and this turns into a love story and ultimately redemption.
So it’s Clem for team cat and Lucas for team dog.

Add in a Bake Off style cookery competition and cat-versus-dog - and this makes for a fun read

It’s well written with just enough intrigue to make page turning essential - it’s been a just one more chapter/page book.

Another comfy read that just gave all the feels. I really related to clem's anxiety as well and felt for her. I just love the cat cafe and the descriptions of all the cats. I'm also jealous of Emmie's mint chocolate cake

With thanks to Netgalley and the author and publisher.

Cake off at the cat cafe is a lovely comfy read that I enjoyed, fun, full of cats and dogs and of course romance.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I enjoyed reading this book.

Clem works at the Cat Cafe as a baker, and isn’t happy when observed and has anxiety when she’s in some situations.

She’s receives an email to inform her that she’s chosen to take part in a baking competition which she herself didn’t enter. When she arrives for the auditions, she meets Lucas, who owns a dog cafe and is also taking part.

Lucas has entered in the hope that the prize will help with what is going on in his own life.

I loved the characters, the descriptions of both cafes and the food which made my mouth water.

I highly recommend this book.

Lighthearted, easy reading. What more is there to like baking and cats, a purrfect combination! Recommended.

thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the e-arc!!

baking contests are always a treat. (get it??) i live myself a cooking competition and the drama that is always guaranteed to come with it. am i disappointed that there wasn't too much drama with the competition itself? maybe. (definitely) but i like the anxiety rep in this book with Clem, and although i don't have it that bad i do get how she feels, especially about being in the spotlight.

the romance is pretty cute, and i like the attempt to dramatise it more with Lucas' family and his father having health issues, though somehow it wasn't a standout for me. i wanted more to do with the cat cafe (since it is still in the title!!) but alas. it is a good follow up for the first book.

Sylvie book next??

If you’re looking for a gorgeous, clean romance that will give you those ‘feel good’ vibes, this book is the one for you!

The story is ‘Great British Bake Off’ inspired, and I loved the underlying theme of building confidence, and overcoming mental health issues.

This is marketed as being an ‘enemies to lovers’ romance, but I didn’t feel that these two were enemies at all, there was no animosity, and it felt more like they would be ‘acquaintances.’
I loved the characters, I did find they had no chemistry at all for the first 50%, but everything seemed to ‘gel’ after this point as the story progressed. I’d have liked more cat-content on top of this as well, seeing as the cat cafe is mentioned in the title (but I’m nit-picking).

I felt so cozy reading this low-stakes love story, and I loved the happily ever after ending.

This is my first Rowlands read, and I absolutely loved it from start to finish. I'll be going back to read the first book because I actually didn't realise this was the second in the series! (you literally could not tell)

One thing that struck me with this book was the mental health representation AND the carers representation of what it's like to have a disabled parent and feel like you aren't doing enough for them because of how rigged the system is. Having a well rounded POV from both Clem and Lucas and both their stories were really central to WHY they were doing the competition which I absolutely loved.

After the traumatic event at uni, Clem struggles with an overwhelming sense of anxiety which has a big impact on her mental health. Her job at Catpurrcino as the star baker seems to be the only thing keeping her afloat. We also meet Lucas, who bakes for the local dog cafe, Muddy Paws, working in partnership with his best friend. When a TV baking competition announcement goes up in their local town, both Lucas and Clem enter to try their luck at winning the cash prize which will help their businesses and personal lives flourish. When they meet at the competition, sparks begin to fly immediately. They are magnetically drawn to each other, and this wasn't insta-lovey at all. It was a slow burn that developed into this meaningful relationship between the two of them and I enjoyed that they had their own hurdles to face individually, and together. They developed as characters along the way and the story, plot twists, and the cats had me falling in love!

This was a wonderful little slice-of-life romance for me, and I'd recommend it to anyone wanting a cozy romance (with cats, AND dogs!)

A big thank you to Netgalley for access to this arc, looking forward to future reads by this author!

I absolutely adored Rachel Rowlands’ debut (Snowed In at the Cat Café), so feel extremely lucky to have been able to read this second instalment early!

Clem is a wonderful baker creating delicious cat-themed treats for the Catpurrcino cat café. But outside of the café she struggles with feelings of anxiety and where she fits in. When the popular online baking show, Whisked Away, is announced as coming to the Lake District, Catpurrcino’s owner Sylvie believes this would be the perfect opportunity for Clem to shine and find her inner confidence. Also seeking to enter the competition is Lucas, co-owner of Muddy Paws café. Could the stage be set for a cake-off between cats and dogs?

From the moment I started reading, just like with Rachel’s debut, I felt such a deep sense of happiness, warmth and comfort and that feeling never stopped! I already loved the setting of Catpurrcino (what an amazing name) so it was wonderful being back in this world again, but this time with a focus on a different member of the Catpurrcino team. I still wish that I could go and visit to try some of Clem’s super cute cat-themed bakes and to meet all of the cats!

Clem was such a wonderful character and my heart went out to her on so many occasions. I really enjoyed getting to see Clem grow and develop over the course of the story and it was lovely being able to learn about fellow café owner Lucas and his family as the story developed too. I particularly love how Rachel manages to sensitively deal with different topics in her stories and I think it makes me feel even more connected to the characters and their experiences! The beautiful descriptions made both cafés come to life too and I could so easily picture all of the tasty treats that were made during the Whisked Away competition. There was a great twist that I didn’t see coming and lots of drama as well!

I honestly cannot recommend this beautiful book enough. It’s the perfect cosy read for any time of the year!

Heartwarming, light, and adorable! This book feels the way a hallmark movie does!
From the get-go the duo are wildly different, yet match each other in ways they need the most. They both bake, but Clem is a cat lover, baker, and works at Catpurrcino Cafe. Lucas co-owns Muddy Paws cafe, and the two enter into a baking competition,
Clem details with anxiety, being shy, and I loved reading her journey into coming out of her shell.
For those in the mood for a hallmarkesque, cozy romance!

I enjoyed this book so much that I read it in a night! It’s such a wholesome, cosy book. Despite this, it tackles how debilitating anxiety disorders can be and portrayed it remarkably well as I saw myself reflected in the protagonist’s thoughts.

The plot was well-paced and I enjoyed it thoroughly! Some parts were easy to guess, but I didn’t really care. I realised that this was a sequel but there were lots of context clues and explanation, so it didn’t really matter. It was a nice, captivating read and I had a lovely time reading it and I will definitely buy and read the first book!

I’d describe this book as realistic fiction. The author has done a fantastic job of creating imaginary characters and situations that depict the world and society. The characters focus on themes of growing, self-discovery and confronting personal and social problems. The language is clear, concise, and evocative, with descriptions that bring the setting and characters to life. Dialogue is natural and authentic, and the pacing is well-balanced, with enough tension and release to keep the reader engaged.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed, and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if it were in a bookshop.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

You know what, this is exactly what I want and expect from a book called Cake Off at the Cat Cafe! Much like the food in it, it's light and sweet and fluffy and looks very cute.

After a traumatic event in uni, Clem struggles with her mental health while working as a baker in Catpurrcino. Lucas, on the other hand, is baking for the local dog cafe, Muddy Paws. When a televised baking competition comes to town, they end up meeting and competing, and sparks fly (iykyk). It's adorable (if wildly unrealistic) and exactly the relaxing read I needed today. My strongest criticism is I wanted to see more of the cats.

Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an eARC of this one - all opinions are of course my own.