Tag Archives: Carpe Diem Cafe

Just For Tonight (Carpe Diem Cafe 3) by Deborah Cooke-review

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Just For Tonight (Carpe Diem Cafe 3) by Deborah Cooke-review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 24, 2026

I barely knew Jake Cavendish in high school. He was two years ahead of me—the golden boy everyone knew was destined to leave our small town of Empire behind. And he did.

So when we cross paths years later at a glamorous black-tie gala in Toronto, I’m not surprised he doesn’t recognize me. What does catch me off guard is the undeniable spark between us. One unforgettable night feels like the perfect escape. After all, our families have been feuding for generations, and there’s no future for us. Better to leave it as one perfect memory than risk getting hurt.

Then Jake returns to Empire to settle his father’s estate.

Suddenly, staying away from each other is impossible. Every stolen moment makes the attraction harder to resist, and our secret affair only raises the stakes. I’m committed to preserving my family’s vineyard, while Jake is chasing a partnership at one of Toronto’s top firms. Our lives are pulling us in opposite directions, and neither of us is looking for forever.

But somewhere between the laughter, the late-night conversations, and the stolen kisses, this stopped being just a fling.

Falling for the enemy was never part of the plan. Yet the more I get to know Jake, the more I wonder if everything I believed about our families—and about him—has been wrong. The only question is whether we’re willing to risk everything for a love neither of us saw coming.

••••••

REVIEW:JUST FOR TONIGHT is the third instalment in Deborah Cooke’s contemporary, adult THE CARPE DIEM CAFE romance series focusing on the Cavendish siblings. This is eldest brother and financial advisor Jake Cavendish, and Mackenzie Rhodes, heir to Rhodes Winery story line. JUST FOR TONIGHT can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order for backstory.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Mackenzie and Jake) JUST FOR TONIGHT follows in the aftermath of the death of the Cavendish family patriarch, a man whose progeny struggle with a father who was demanding and secretive. Jake Cavendish, having left his home town of Empire years before, returns as the executor of his father’s estate but his one night stand weeks earlier reveals a familiar name and an ongoing feud between winery families. To his surprise, Jake will discover that the Cavendish empire is crumbling, and the extended family is hovering like flies, and without his help, the spiral continues to focus downward. Meanwhile, Jake’s attraction to Mackenzie is tempered when he discovers Mackenzie has one rule about dating, and that rule begins to resonate with our story line hero. Jake doesn’t do relationships or happily ever afters, and Mackenzie’s proclamation threatens any chance for a future.

The world building focuses on work and family. Jake lives in Toronto, and rarely comes home to Empire, Ontario, working long hours for a financial company. Having left home, and his siblings behind, Jake’s return is unwelcome but necessary, and retaliation is met with accusations and hateful words. Mackenzie has always lived and worked for the family wine business in Empire, frequenting the local shops and cafes but her attraction to Jake may be threatened by the families’ feud, her mother’s need to match make and a past that Jake refuses to let go.The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is another large ensemble cast of colorful and often questionable secondary and supporting characters including Jake’s’ siblings and half siblings, each struggling differently with the death of their father, a man whose actions and attitude left much to be desired. We are reintroduced to Sylvia and Mike Cavendish, and their daughter Sierra (Just LIke Starting Over 2) ,half brother and musician Luke Jones, and his girlfriend Daphne Bradshaw (JUST TROUBLE 1) , their sister Abbie, brother Ethan, and Step-mother Candace, and half sister Madison Cavendish; Sylvia’s business partner Merrie, and the introduction of Mackenzie’s uncles and grandfather.

JUST FOR TONIGHT is a story of secrets and lies, family and relationships, forgiveness and love. The character driven premise engaging, entertaining and edgy; the romance is impassioned; the characters are desperate, determined and charismatic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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JUST LIKE STARTING OVER (the Carpe Diem Café 2) by Deborah Cooke

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JUST LIKE STARTING OVER (the Carpe Diem Café 2) by Deborah Cooke-review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date  August 21, 2025

Once burned, twice shy. That’s how it’s supposed to work. I thought I’d learned my lesson after falling for Mike Cavendish in high school. Sixteen years ago, all my dreams were coming true, then everything went wrong in one disastrous night. It’s so much more than a broken heart and a loss of trust. It’s raising a daughter alone, abandoning your old life to make a new one, and being defined by your roles rather than your dreams. The only bright light is Sierra herself, a wise child who has taught me so much in her fifteen years. She is everything to me.

It’s because of Sierra that we’ve come back to my hometown of Empire to help my bestie Merrie launch her dream, The Carpe Diem Café. I’m sick of avoiding the past and I miss my grandmother. Why have I let Mike take that away from me and from Sierra? I’m sure I’m over him by now. I don’t expect him to turn up, looking better than ever – much less acting as if he still cares, pretending he doesn’t know that Sierra is his, wanting to start all over again.

It’s a proposition that I know I should refuse, but…it’s Mike. And he’s not the same guy I knew. Oh, he’s still quiet and thoughtful, but tougher, more direct – and a whole lot hotter. He can make all of Sierra’s dreams come true without even trying and when he decides to make me believe in forever again, I don’t think I can resist just one night. Can I trust Mike’s promises again? More importantly, can I take a chance and let myself fall head over heels again with the man who has always been my one and only?

•••••

REVIEW; JUST LIKE STARTING OVER is the second instalment in Deborah Cooke’s contemporary, adult THE CARPE DIEM CAFÉ romance series. This is produce farmer and businessman Mike Cavendish,and single mother/ bistro owner Sylvia Kincaid’s story line. JUST LIKE STARTING OVER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. The events of the current time line cross over with and run parallel to the events of book one JUST TROUBLE.

Told from several first person perspectives including Mike and Sylvia, JUST LIKE STARTING OVER follows the rekindling romance between Mike Cavendish and Sylvia Kincaid. Approximately sixteen years ago, Sylvia Kincaid left her hometown of Empire, Ontario, headed to Toronto, leaving a heartbroken Mike Cavendish behind. Fast forward to present day, Sylvia has returned to Empire, with her now fifteen year old daughter in tow, never expecting to come face to face with the man who broke her heart. Sixteen years of desperate attempts to contact resulted in no help and no response, forcing our heroine to raise their daughter alone. With Sylvia’s arrival comes the usual misunderstandings, miscommunication, a lack of trust and a perceived betrayal but when the truth is revealed, the outcome for everyone is not what was expected.

The world building follows in the wake of Sylvia and Mike’s diverging paths. Sylvia’s daughter Sierra begins to suspect that Mike Cavendish is her father, but Mike is struggling with sixteen years of possible lies, lies he can only attribute to our story line heroine.

The relationship between Sylvia and Mike is one of second chances in the wake of secrets and lies, and issues of trust. Mike continues to work with issues of trust, now facing the possibility of betrayal from the people he once thought were dependable and reliable. Sylvia must face the idea that the man with whom she had fallen in love is no longer the man she once thought him to be but someone else is pushing another agenda, and Sylvia and Sierra may find themselves on the outside looking in. the $ex scenes are passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, dynamic and sometimes questionable secondary and supporting characters. We are reintroduced to Mike’s half brother and musician Luke Jones, and his girlfriend Daphne Bradshaw (JUST TROUBLE 1) , their sister Abbie, and brothers Ethan and Jake, and their father Patrick Cavendish; Sylvia’s business partner Merrie, as well as the introduction of Sylvia and Mike’s daughter Sierra,and grandmother Una.

JUST LIKE STARTING OVER is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and retribution, power and control, family and relationships, acceptance and love. The character driven premise is emotional and tragic; the romance is seductive; the characters are charismatic but struggling to trust-the dysfunctional family dynamics of the Cavendish clan is melodramatic and sensational.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one JUST TROUBLE

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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JUST TROUBLE (Carpe Diem Cafe 1) by Deborah Cooke -review

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JUST TROUBLE (Carpe Diem Cafe 1) by Deborah Cooke -review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Google Play / Chapters Indigo /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 18, 2025

If I recognize trouble when I see it, it’s because I grew up with a huge crush on my best friend’s older brother, Luke Jones. Born with sinful good looks and enough charm to talk himself out of almost any situation, he’s always been a rebel with attitude to spare—as well as gorgeous, reckless and dangerous for good girls like me to know. Though he’s found fame, fortune and all the fan-girls with his band, Luke remains the star of all my secret fantasies.

But now, he’s back—one sizzling look is enough to set my world on fire— and he wants a favor. (From me!) Time to make the world a better place, Luke says, but I recognize half a story when I hear one. Does it really matter? I need to ditch this crush before it’s too late for me to fall in love for real and find my own happy ending. Luke doesn’t need to know that it’ll be more than a favour for me. He also won’t linger in the sleepy little town of Empire, and when Luke leaves this time, he’ll be gone forever.

The problem is that the other half of the story is the kind of revelation that hooks me hard. Luke’s on a quest to right old wrongs, and making the world a better place is pretty much my theme song. Am I crazy to hope for more from the man who has only ever committed to his music? By the time I learn the whole truth, will my heart be lost forever? For once, though, I’m not going to play it safe. Win or lose, my time to seize the moment is now.

•••••

REVIEW: JUST TROUBLE is the first instalment in Deborah Cooke’s contemporary, adult CARPE DIEM CAFE romance series. This is rock star Luke Jones and attorney Daphne Bradshaw’s story line.

Told from three first person perspectives (Luke, Daphne, Sylvia) JUST TROUBLE focuses on the return of rock star Luke Jones to his home town of Empire, Ontario. After the death of his band mate Taylor Tate, Luke lost his way, lost his muse and struggled going forward with the grief and guilt of his best friend’s demise but his return to Empire comes with a series of requests, and acts of contrition, in an effort to help the people he wronged along the way. Luke’s first stop is to attorney Daphne Bradshaw, with the hope of setting into motion the purchase of several properties and pieces of land, properties and land owned by someone who is refusing to sell. With the help of our story line heroine, Luke begins a slow revival of a town destroyed by one man’s greed, and in doing so, Luke is hoping to prove he is a changed man, a man worthy of his own happily ever after.

The world building follows several paths including Luke’s need to make amends for sins of the past; his need to prove he is much more then the blood that flows through his veins; and his growing love for a woman who has been burned in the past.

The relationship between Luke and Daphne is a friends to frenemies to lovers relationship in which Daphne struggles with Luke’s rock star reputation, and the fact that he is only in Empire for a limited time. Battling between head and heart, Daphne refuses to lose her heart to a man whose lifestyle is unlike her own but a man who is slowly breaking down her walls. The $ex scenes are passionate but often fades to black or are mostly implied.

The secondary and supporting characters are energetic and dynamic. We are introduced to Daphne’s father and fellow attorney Richard Bradshaw; Luke’s brother Mike, and their father Patrick Cavendish; Chef Sylvia Kincaid and her daughter Sierra; and new restaurateur Merrie.

JUST TROUBLE is a story of grief and loss, power and control, secrets and lies, acceptance and love. The premise is captivating and engaging; the romance seductive and impassioned; the characters are charismatic and charming.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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