Autumn at the Cat Cafe: A Novel

In an attempt to save the bookstore next door from being sold to the highest bidder, the owner of a cat café enlists the bookstore owner to help with her annual Autumn Bucket List in this cozy, kisses-only, small-town romance. From USA TODAY bestselling author Kathleen Fuller, Autumn at the Cat Café is perfect for fans of Gilmore Girls and Sarah Adams.

Via Dalton owns Pawsitive Vibes, a successful cat café in small-town Pecan Corner, Ohio. The store next door, Second Chapter Books, is an iconic business in need of TLC, especially after its owner and Via's upstairs neighbor, the crusty septuagenarian Earl Brewster, unexpectedly passes away. Via's devastated by his death but is determined to make sure his legacy lives on by purchasing the bookstore, something she and Earl had discussed before his death. But his estate has to go through probate, and at the last minute Leo Brewster, Earl's long-lost nephew, shows up.

Leo's life is in a shambles. He lost his lucrative hedge fund analyst job and is convinced he's being framed by someone but can't prove it. Financially leveraged to the hilt and blacklisted in his industry, he ends up losing everything but one suitcase of clothing and his expensive sports car. He finally gets a break when out of the blue he hears that he's the heir to a bookstore left to him by an uncle he didn't even know he had. He leaves LA and heads to Pecan Corner to claim his inheritance.

Via and Leo immediately clash, despite the romantic sparks firing between them. When Leo refuses to sell the bookstore to her because she can't pay market value, she formulates a new plan--she must show Leo how important Second Chapter Books is to the community. Refusing to take no for an answer, she enlists Leo to help her fulfill her yearly Autumn Bucket List. Despite having her heart broken three years ago and swearing off men, she finds herself fighting her deep attraction to Leo . . . and losing.

As he looks for a serious buyer, Leo finds his uncle's journals and learns about his estranged family. Although he's desperate to sell to the highest bidder and go back to LA to figure out who framed him, he's falling for his Uncle Earl's community--and the spunky ray of sunshine that is Via Dalton.

© 2026 Thomas Nelson (Audiobook): 9781400355129

Release date

Audiobook: 4 August 2026