This is a new series for the author and introduces cat cafe owner Ellie Warren and a cast of feline residents in her cafe which also facilitates adoptions of the kitties to patrons and friends. The premise is cute and indeed the whole is quirky and whimsical. The cats wear costumes sewn by Ellie supposedly to enhance their adoptability but mostly to pad out the narrative somewhat.
It *is* a cute and very very fluffy cozy, clean in all senses of the word, and safe and with language that probably wouldn't elicit a blush from anyone's maiden aunt (which is a good thing in a cozy). The problem is partly that it's a new series and the characters don't feel fleshed out, they're somewhat two-dimensional, the plotting is completely linear (most of the red herrings are resolved in less than a page), the human protagonist is a passive doormat, and some of the dialogue is, honestly, a bit cringe-worthy. Some of the humor fell flat for me, since much of it is at the expensive of main character Ellie's grandmother (Nana) whose romantic exploits drive much of the humor. The miscommunications and ridiculous misunderstandings on which the plot turns are unbelievable and broke my suspension of disbelief on several occasions during my reading.
Ellie's not so much an amateur sleuth as she is a plot vehicle for handing over clues to the de rigeur handsome police detective with whom she has a slow-burn schoolgirl crush. There is a strong romance subplot element and readers who enjoy chaste romance mysteries will find a lot to love here. The whole is a perfectly acceptable, engaging, readable cozy debut and it'll be interesting to see what the future holds for Templeton (Ellie's cat) and his human companions. Incidentally, there is no anthropomorphism in the books (no cat narration) apart from the costumes Ellie puts on the adoptee cats in the cafe.
Three and a half stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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