The Coffee Girl (Archer Cove #1) by Natalie Charles

The Coffee Girl (Archer Cove #1) Reviews

• 
  ★ Belle The Bibliophile ★

  A very cute, decent read. Like the cover and the characters. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either.
• 
  Faye Ridpath

  I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads.
  
  I loved this book. Even though the plot was a bit cliche, it was extremely well done and kept me engaged.
  
  It was very cinematic.
  
  I look forward to more.
• 
  Rachel

  I picked up this book from the library on a whim and I had zero expectations, which is about what I got. Sappy love story with uninteresting characters and ridiculous plot. Still, I have to give the author props for having a solid and entertaining writing style, which is probably what compelled me to finish the book.
• 
  Jenny Crossman

  I just finished this book. I loved the chemistry between Wren and Jax and loved the subplot of the family-coffee-shop-in-need! While some reviews thought there was too much going on, I found there to be layers of details and excellent exposition with characters that are not one dimensional (something found a lot in chick lit). I find, after reading some "chick lit" that I feel dumber for having done so. Not so much with this one. No sweaty, full of description sex scene but absolutely a lot of build up with chemistry of the main characters. In keeping with the kind of lite Hollywood backdrop of the book, I can see this being a movie someday or even a series! I liked is change of pace for the author, whose harlequin novels I've read in the past. Great beach reading!
  The Coffee Girl
  Natalie Charles
• 
  MM

  I got toothaches just by reading this. It was a light, cute, and sweet story. If you have read the manga entitled "Skip Beat!" you will notice some significant overlaps. This is a good book if you want to just pass time and feel good but if you're looking for a thickly layered plot, this is not for you.
• 
  Mare

  There are a lot of novels with this same story. Plain Jane girl gets a contract with famous A list star actor and then falls in love. I relish it anyway. I enjoyed the turn in events and the characters.
• 
  Tamar

  3.5 stars. Cute story, but it did have quite a lot going on.
• 
  Kelly Yeck

  I received this book through the Goodreads First Reads program. This was a short and enjoyable read. Nothing really new or special, but definitely a cute love story to make you feel good!
• 
  Genna

  Quick and funny read.
• 
  Kara

  Hey I randomly picked you through a site, I know I wouldn't like you, but guess what, you got me kinda ugly sobbing. :')
• 
  Amanda

  3.5ish stars, rounding up to 4
  
  I've been reading a lot of really heavy romances lately. Serious topics, angst, all the good stuff. But sometimes I just need a fluffier romance. That's what I've found in Natalie Charles's books. This is the second book of hers I've read, and it has one of my favorite tropes, a pretend relationship. This creates a lot of opportunities for Charles to show her sense of humor, especially during exchanges between Wren and Jax, who are both a little snarky.
  
  When we first meet Wren, she has just moved back to her hometown after a very brief career as a struggling actress in LA after breaking up with her boyfriend. Her ex, Griff, was a struggling actor alongside her until he hit it big. He cheated on her with a reality TV star, which she only found out about through tabloids. Back home now, she's broke and working as a barista in her family's bakery while she writes a screenplay. Her ambition was never to act, but to be behind the scenes.
  
  Jax is a stranger who buys her a drink in the bar where she hangs out to write. It turns out her hometown hosts a film festival every year, so celebrities are all around. She goes over to thank Jax for the drink, and he proceeds to talk about himself for two hours before passing out from being too drunk. This is definitely not the best first impression for the reader or for Wren, but I thought it was interesting. There's no super dark backstory for Jax--he's just an actor trying to clean up his playboy image so that he can get more serious roles.
  
  A gossip site gets photos of Wren leaving his hotel the morning after they meet (she helped him back to the inn and fell asleep on his couch). He convinces Wren to pretend to date him while he's in town for a few weeks. This benefits Jax because it makes him look like he's committed to one woman and serious about his future. He thinks this will help him win a role with a director who has been hesitant about casting him. In return, Jax promises to use his connections to help Wren sell her screenplay.
  
  I really liked both protagonists, and there is a lot of great dialogue between the two of them. This scene when Jax is dropping off Wren after a fake "date" is a pretty good example of how they interact:
  
  

  “You can joke all you want, Wren," he replied, downshifting at a sharp curve in the road. "This fake relationship has done wonders for my very real career."
  
  "I'm so glad to hear that, Jax. I've found it rewarding to be your fake girlfriend this week. I can only hope our relationship destructs in a publicly monumental manner.”
  
  A bit later, same scene:
  
  “My agent says it's any day now. Once the ink on that deal is dry, we can break up." He slowed as we approached the area where I'd left my bike, and pulled to the side of the road.
  
  "Thanks for the ride. I had a thoroughly acceptable time this afternoon." I unfastened my seatbelt.
  
  "Good," he said. "I'll send my driver by your place to pick you up tomorrow afternoon, before the party. I won't make you bike to the woods again."
  
  "And they say chivalry is dead."

  
  
  This is told entirely from Wren's POV, so we do not ever get inside Jax's head. That's the downside of writing in the first person. It also means we're privy to her thoughts, which are sometimes all over the place. There's a bit of seemingly needless drama about halfway through the book regarding the woman her ex-boyfriend cheated on her with (and then became engaged to). But the events that happen after they all attend a party turn out to be pretty integral to the plot of the second half of the book, so looking back, it all makes more sense.
  
  This book does have a lot of descriptions of working on film sets and working in Wren's family's bakery. Both play a large role in this book. They were interesting, but I could've done with more scenes with just Wren and Jax together. She develops serious feelings for him after being really resistant to even trying a fake relationship and even though we're in her head the whole time, I couldn't quite figure out when this happened for her.
  
  I should also say that this book leaves you at the bedroom door. I personally strongly dislike this in contemporary romances. Unless you're writing an inspirational romance or something like a traditional Regency with no sex at all, I don't see the point in not having at least one sex scene that gives us a glimpse into the intimacy that develops between two characters. Sex changes things in relationships--including in this one--yet we leave them going into her apartment. Suddenly it's the next morning and they're clearly smitten with each other, yet we've only a vague idea with some innuendo to let us know what happened. I don't expect books to be super raunchy, but I find this odd. It always throws me off. I'm not sure if this is because of how this book is marketed (I get the impression this is sort of "chick lit," as much as that term kind of annoys me) or if that's the author's personal choice. Her most recent book that I just read did have a couple of sex scenes, so I don't know. This certainly won't bother all of her readers.
  
  There was also a point near the end where I became frustrated with how Poppy reacts to her relationship with Jax. She becomes super paranoid that she's just another notch on his bedpost and has this entire internal monologue about how hurt she is. This is despite Jax being really caring, funny, and nice to her--even going so far as to take the blame when it comes out that their relationship isn't real. When she sees Jax, he asks why he's getting the cold shoulder; they have sex (off the page); voilà, things seem good again, at least for a while.
  
  By the time I finished the book, I was feeling more charitable towards it again, hence the 4-star rating. This is mostly due to my enjoyment of the author's writing style with witty dialogue, likable characters, and an ending that doesn't drag on unnecessarily. These aren't the most...hmm, romantic? books in the world. But not every romance has to have the angst or the passion. This book isn't one I'll remember forever, but it's one I'd keep in mind to read again if I wanted something on the light side.
• 
  Elizabeth Edwards

  i am trying to figure out what to do with this "audio book" read, i have listened to it ...but for some reason on my audible app or whatever u do call it ... i listen to it on my kindle or from my kindle ...and i did chat, as in the chat form online from their website ...and i was on there for over an hour .. and please don't get me wrong ...they were totally kind ...not helpful but totally kind. i had to go through 2 different folks, in to different depts. but i never got an ending to my issue ... so i had a crackling ... when listening to this audio book ...no i was not listening through a head set or head phone ...which sometimes happens ...but this was out loud ... and it was only doing it on this book??! any who ... i don't get it ... but i didn't have any more time to spend on it with them ... so i just will have to call back another day. any who ... i have added this to my library in the audio section like 3 or 4 times ... i have listened to it completely, but it is not showing that i have listened to it and that means for silly reason i can not review there on Audible ...but i have listened to it ... SAD FACE, frustrated face as well ...but i don't know what to do to make it okay or whatever??! i enjoyed it .. and yes i did get it due to the narrator ...instead of the author ... i am so glad to know the author now that it all happened ...but Hollis McCarthy i got like 3 audio books that she had read, she has such an amazing voice. so appealing. i loved the book. great characters and i wanna read the other 2 i see that are available. so fun!! great book cover.
• 
  Rrshively

  Wren has returned home from Hollywood after a breakup with her boyfriend and is working on her screenplay while making and serving coffee at her family's bakery. Through a fluke she is asked by Hollywood playboy Jax to pretend she is his girlfriend. She agrees if he will help her get her movie script to the right person. A fake relationship can become real for her, and complications involving her old boyfriend, his new squeeze, and journalists can add to her problems. This is a typical romance novel with some different slants. It is a pleasant summer read without too many PG13 details. I would warn any woman, however, that going to the room of a Hollywood playboy in real life would be pretty likely to end in rape where here Jax uses suggestive talk but remains a gentleman.
• 
  Rida Nayani

  An average read, there are parts where it gets interesting and you expect some great twists and turns but the story goes flat.
  The climax wasn't dramatic as I'd expected.
  It's a light read, if someone is up for sweet romance and happy ending kind of stuff.
• 
  Cheryl Steckling

  The Coffee Girl (The Archer Cove Series Book 1) by Natalie Charles
  Wren meets Jax when she goes into Sam’s After Dark to do her usual of snacking on peanuts, drinking water and working on her Screenplay. She thought she could hide quietly at the bar, however Jax Cosgrove bought her a drink and she moved down to spend time thanking him. Later that evening Jax who had too much to drink and could hardly make the walk a few blocks to where he was staying. Jax didn’t want her to leave, so she sat nearby and ended up falling asleep there and walk out of there the next morning. Spotted and the story begins of her being Jax’s latest girlfriend starts.
  Jax really wanted a part in Hodges Brennan is producing The Rose Garden. He had to clean up his act and got Wren to agree to help him and he would sell her screenplay to Hodges.
  Wren discovered that the family coffee shop, Hedda’s was in danger of being sold and she also realized that her name was on the deed and she had 49% interest. Her father and her cousin worked the coffee shop and the shop was not doing well at all.
  Wren used to dabble in acting but when the blow up with her and Griff Dannel happened she moved back to an apartment and to be the coffee girl at the shop. Jax was taking her to a party and she needed just the right dress and Jax supplied that and other new clothes and nights on the town. Griff was there with his latest girlfriend Poppy.
  Poppy broke off with Griff at the party, jumped into the pool and Wren jumped in after her to try to save her as she was not coming up very fast. That led to Poppy leaving and Wren going with and Wren being party to knowing where Poppy really went. Wren became a suspect in Poppy’s disappearance.
  You keep turning pages to find out what happened next and how the coffee shop survived, how the relationship was with Jax and Wren and much more.
  Reading the book you felt like you could see the whole story play out. Loved the book and it held my interest totally.
  
• 
  Helen

  This is a great story set in the small seaside town of Archer Cove and Hollywood has moved in for a short while to shoot a movie and this starts a journey to happiness for local Wren Mallory.
  
  Wren has moved back to her home town after breaking up with her movie star boyfriend she is working in the family bakery making coffee but her true dream is to be a screen play writer so each night she sits in a bar and yes writes she has a strong friendship with one of the barman but a chance meeting with a new guy in town changes her life.
  
  Jax Cosgrove is determined to be the next big actor in LA but first he has to change his playboy image if he is serious about it, he has had a rough childhood but has changed his life and is now wealthy and determined so when he meets Wren things start to look up for him.
  
  So when Jax offers Wren something she can't refuse to have a fake affair with him and there are movie star dramas and a very sensual pull between them this all adds up to a great story that will have you smiling and laughing the banter between Wren and Jax is fabulous, I loved the other characters that really added to the story that all made this story heart-warming sensual and a fun read, I do recommend this one and look forward to more from this author.
• 
  Nas Dean

  THE COFFEE GIRL by author Natalie Charles is a May 2015 release.
  
  Wren Mallory was hiding her broken heart and trying to get on after a very public break up. She came across as a real character with her inability to master the art of making coffees at first. But could she take what Hollywood star Jax Cosgrove proposed? Could she do a ‘pretend to be his girlfriend’ and be happy with the situation?
  
  Because a fake romance with a star would still bring notoriety to her life. Was she ready for it?
  
  Read THE COFFEE GIRL by author Natalie Charles and see how this two such opposite people fall in love and reach their happy ever after. The story is set in realistic surroundings and the bakery and its goodies would make you sigh with pleasure. As a reader I wanted Wren to find her happiness and Jax to get to the ‘I love you’ part faster yet I still enjoyed the ride. Author Natalie Charles brought this two amazing yet realistic characters to life and you would love to get on the ride with them on their journey.
  
  Highly recommended for all readers of romance as well as women’s fiction.
  
• 
  Kristin Reads

  I give this book 4.5 stars.
  
  This book was so fun and cute. I enjoyed every second of this novel. It was just a great, clean, fun - romantic book. This was the perfect "I just read a gut wrenching, heartbreaking, ugly cry book" after book. Loved the easiness of this book and I love the author's writing.
  
  Wren, she is this cute down to earth small town girl. She is smart funny and I adore her. She went to Hollywood full of dreams, when her heart was broken she left her dream to move home. I love love Wren. She is a breath of fresh air, such a great female lead. When she meets Jax, her life will never be the same and neither will his. OMG... Jax is perfect book boyfriend gold. I love him... I love watching these two story unfold. I love discovering the different layers of both of them as individuals and together.
  
  Did I forget to mention how AMAZING the ending is.. HEA!!!!
  
  This is a great contemporary romance.. I definitely can not wait to read more from this author.
• 
  Alishba Asif

  The story started with a lot of promise. An insecure broke girl finds herself tied to a rich guy and make him a celebrity which the author rubs it in, in every other page.
  The story starts with a super hot and rich and successful hero showing an interest in an average girl. But soon drama and mayhem causes them to fake a relationship. And the rest one knows. Although I am glad the author did not force sexual tension. Thay was smooth and came with natural course of time.
  What irritated and bugged me was the jumble of complex roles with not a proper intro and insight given and then so many problems pile up and they all get sorted out in last 15 pages. I get it it's a romantic comedy type book. Still some time should have been given to sort out the problems one by one.
  Overall it was a good read and would recommend for anyone who wants a lazy read on a free Sunday.
  
• 
  Kelley

  Novel received courtesy of Goodreads.com giveaway
  
  This is a sweet, heart-filling novel! The characters are well-written and "fleshed-out" nicely. I can see this being a great rom-com movie easily!
  
  Wren has walked away from the Hollywood life. After her boyfriend left her for another actress, Wren decides to pack it up and move home to work at her father's bakery while she concentrates on writing screenplays. Trouble starts when she meets Jax after he's spent the night drinking and she takes him back to his hotel. Unfortunately, the paparazzi get her picture as she's leaving his hotel and the story takes on a life of it's own.
  
  Definitely a feel-good quick read that we all need so badly once in awhile!
• 
  Hina Tabassum Khatri

  Originally published on
  Hina Loves To Read
  
  The first in the Archer Cove series, I read The Coffee Girl months after I read the second one, A Sweet Possibility.
  
  A sweet romance with one of my favourite tropes going for it, it was a bundle of smiles.
  
  Stories in the first person narrative that I like reading are autobiographies (which this tends to be as well) of real people but it had enough in it that I did not even know when I reached the last page.
  
  Like the one I had already read, even this one had a lot going for it apart from the romance part of it. The bond of family and love surviving the obstacle time throws at us. Importance of friendship and importance of good food!
• 
  Moon

  4.5 stars!
  
  I thought I'd read a chapter before going to sleep...at 2 am...not my brightest idea. I read the entire book and went to bed at 4:30.
  
  I loved the story. It's got the perfect balance of humor and seriousness. I also loved the chemistry between Jax and Wren. Jax was more of a mystery, but Wren was like an open book. I loved being in her head and the majority of her lines were amazing.
  
  I'm so happy this is the first book in a series. I would've loved more heat, but as it is, I think the book was pretty on point. I also would've loved to see a tighter ending to the bumbling detective, but if you want to know more, you've got to read the book!
  
  Full review to come!
• 
  Janie

  "The Coffee Girl" by Natalie Charles is a quick, very enjoyable read. The author does a great job defining the characters in the early on and even though their relationship is taken into the next level you don't feel like a voyeur while reading it. Wren Mallory comes home to mend a broken heart, and hide away from the public eye. Jax Cosgrove needs to improve his image in order to get a role that he's coveting. Their relationship gets more complicated as he asks her to become his pretend girlfriend. Much more to the story but saying more would give the story away.
• 
  Nanou

  c'était mignon, mais j'ai l'impression que la romance était pas assez développée. ça commence bien, mais on a pas beaucoup de scène de la "charade" (on a pas l'impression qu'ils font grand chose ensemble) et du coup on voit pas trop l'évolution des sentiments :/ sinon il y a pas mal de sous-intrigues, ça fait beaucoup de choses en même temps à suivre...
  
  j'ai bien aimé la famille de Wren, et leur petite "bakery" a l'air super cool ^^
• 
  Robyn Rychards

  This was a sweet romance told in the first person with a bit of Hollywood glamour. Wren was a very likable character and Jax was, of course, a to-die-for sexy Hollywood actor hero that I enjoyed getting to know. I liked the peek we get at the goings-on in Hollywood and what things are like on a movie set. And since the heroine works at her father's bakery/coffee shop, we get to read about all sorts of goodies as well. A great read for the summer!
• 
  Deborah

  The book was interesting enough and there were a few twists but nothing to get excited about. There was so much more that could have been done within the story line and the ending was a little abrupt. The narrator did and excellent job with the voices.
  
  "This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com."
  
• 
  Cookie6102

  The Coffee Girl is a short and sweet romance that I was instantly drawn into from the beginning. Wren and Jax are characters that the reader comes to care about as they embark on their unusual arrangement. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and I look forward to the next installment of the Archer Cove series!
• 
  Christine

  Meh. NOT exactly what I was looking for, could have been better but I used to be a Barista so I thought I would give it a chance. Alas, I tried it and it was just okay. The storyline was cute, but I felt as if it could have been better. I'm not at all a writer, but I guess I was just looking for this to be more... realistic? more believable? meh.