The Woman America Loves a Latte by Holly Tierney-Bedord
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great read about reinvention. Veloura is a young woman from a troubled past and an angry ex fiancé. When her friend gtes her a chance at a job for a coffee shop, she umps at the chance. Claiming to be Vienna Merriweather, she gets the job without any clue to what the role is. Going for it, she finds herself on a wonderful adventure of new opportunities. But when the past rears its head, it threatens this new life. Can you ever escape your past?
A great read. Well developed plot with twists and turns. Well developed characters like Veloura ambitious but not believing in herself or Suzie as a fun friend but also kind and loving. Great acst of supporting characters like the supportive boss Dwight or the over helpful Tommy or the kind Caprice. A great villainous figure in Thunder as vindictive but his petty complaints and strange plans made him across a little melodramatic which could be toned down to make a great character,
I loved the visual detail throughout the novel like with the interview in the large room with the desk and Velouras black tap shoes and colourful clothes contrasting with the pale room perfectly and a realistic and funny depiction of an interview. Or the TV show later on with its bright lights full of life and people and excitement. Or the landscape around her with its rolling hills and wide roads with the little red coffee cup car for a sense of adventure wonderfully written.
I also liked the use of dates and times in chapter titles for the sense of a fast paced novel.
Veloura’s reminiscences about her mother were written well and emotive and didn’t dsitarct from the narrative of the present. The switch of perspectives worked well to display the different points of view and was easy to follow with names in chapter titles to make it clear who had the narrative. However, it felt like there were too many of these to keep track of. Perhaps if this was reduced to ust four like Thunder, Vee, Eugene and perhaps Suzie this would keep the reader engaged. Overall, a great read and I would give it four stars.

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