[Blog Tour Review] You're the Cream in My Coffee by Jennifer Lamont Leo

Summary:

In 1928, Chicago rocks to the rhythm of the Jazz Age, and Prohibition is in full swing. Small-town girl Marjorie Corrigan, visiting the city for the first time, has sworn that coffee's the strongest drink that will pass her lips. But her quiet, orderly life turns topsy-turvy when she spots her high school sweetheart--presumed killed in the Great War--alive and well in a train station. Suddenly everything is up for grabs.

Although the stranger insists he's not who she thinks he is, Marjorie becomes obsessed with finding out the truth. To the dismay of her fiancé and family, she moves to the city and takes a job at a department store so she can spy on him. Meanwhile, the glittering world of her roommate, Dot, begins to look awfully enticing--especially when the object of her obsession seems to be part of that world. Is it really so terrible to bob her hair and shorten her skirt? To visit a speakeasy? Just for a cup of coffee, of course.

But what about her scruples? What about the successful young doctor to whom she's engaged, who keeps begging her to come back home where she belongs? And what, exactly, is going on at the store's loading dock so late at night?

Amid a whirlwind of trials and temptations, Marjorie must make a choice. Will the mystery man prove to be the cream in her coffee--the missing ingredient to the life she yearns for? Or will he leave only bitterness in her heart?

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 292 pages (Paperback)

Source: Review Copy

Available Formats: Print/E-book

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Publication Date: September 15th 2016 by Smitten Historical Romance/Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas

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There's something about the holiday season that makes me want to read feel good stories. They don't have to be really cheerful a but they do have to have a good story with a character I really like and a good ending. 

You're the Cream in My Coffee was just what I needed to read this past weekend. I enjoyed reading this historical fiction novel set in the roaring 20s during the height of prohibition in Chicago. I'm not sure whether I've read anything set in this time period before so I was quite excited to give it a try and Jennifer Lamont Leo did a lovely job imparting the feel of the era into her book in terms of how people talked and in her descriptions of the characters, and surroundings and she definitely has me interested in reading more books set in the time period so thanks to the author for getting me hooked on a new era. 

I really enjoyed Marjorie's story. It was an interesting one about a small town Idahoan girl who left home for the big city and ended up getting a lot more than she bargained for in her quest for answers about her long lost love and what she is and isn't willing to do to get those answers. Her story was told in a fun way and flowed very well, and I found myself really liking Marjorie. She seems like a character that while a bit naive for my tastes sometimes, was someone I could see being friends with. She may have been a bit lost in the big city but I did enjoy her slips and stumbles along the way, she seemed like a real person to me and I really enjoyed seeing her change not just outwardly but mentally as she grew throughout the book. 

I found the rest of the cast of characters to be well rounded as well. They played their roles in Marjorie's tale in finding love and her true self very well. There were lots of laughs in this book and I found myself really getting invested in how everything was going to turn out in the end and the ending (which you'll have tot read about on your own) was just what I wanted. 

I found this to be just what the doctor ordered and I'm glad to have given this book a try. The inside of the book more than matches the delightful cover of this book and I can't wait to read more of Jennifer Lamont Leo's books in the future. If you're interested in a good clean read that will leave you feeling uplifted and like you've just gotten back from a trip 90 years in the past than I highly suggest you giving this romantic read a try.

Really Liked It

★★★★

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

Buy The Book:

AMAZON 

BARNES & NOBLE 

 BOOKS-A-MILLION 

 INDIEBOUND

About the Author:

With a passion for all things historical, Jennifer Lamont Leo captures readers’ hearts through stories set in times gone by. She is also a copywriter, editor, and journalist. An Illinois native, she holds a deep affection for Chicago and its rich history. Today she writes from the mountains of northern Idaho, where she shares her home with her husband, two cats, and abundant wildlife.

For more information, please visit Jennifer’s website and blog. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.