Fall is coming up fast! With vacations, enjoying the beach and more, I’ve had the chance to read through a few books this month. However, there was one that is worth giving some attention to: Lulu’s Café by T.I. Lowe.
Another book whose cover and plot catch my attention as I’m sure it did for you if you’ve had the chance to check it out. I felt drawn to the book three different times before I ran to the nearest bookstore and walked out with it (also one of the few times I leave a bookstore with one book). Lowe also has a selection of other books including Any Given Moment, Orange Blossom Cafe, the Resolutions series, the Bleu Streak series, and the Coming Home Again series. Lulu’s Café is her latest novel. Her next novel, Beach Haven, is forthcoming in 2020 and is available for pre-order on Amazon. You can follow Ms. Lowe for the latest information on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and check out her official website here.
Before I delve into the synopsis, I should mention that this novel may take a little time to get into because of the heavy subject matter. I know for me it took a few days because the plot begins quite intensely. However, the content discusses a serious issue that affects many in our world today and is important to the main character’s story.
Lulu’s Café centers on Leah Allen–or Gabriella Sadler as she’s also called–fleeing for her life and ending up in a small town in South Carolina, She’s taken in by the owner of a café, Lulu, and begins a new life and job while trying to heal from her scars. Soon, she meets lawyer Crowley Mason, an eligible bachelor who might be the one to give her the love she truly deserves.
This book was not what I expected. Tense, heartfelt, funny at times and poignant. Here is a story of a woman coping with so much that a sudden change in circumstances leads her to right where she needs to be. Add in characters along the way who help her on that journey and you’re amazed at the slow, but incredible, transformation. Everyone needs a Lulu in their life. I know I do! Also, Crowley is quite the leading man who learns a thing or two himself.
The character, Jessup, was also surprising. A true eye of the beholder moment when the reader learns more about him and his character arc definitely makes the theme of judgment and criticizing others all the more relevant and eye-opening. There are other parts where we learn this lesson, but Jessup’s story resonates the best. I just wish we had more time with him!
However, I wish more development was given to some of the minor characters who live in town. They just get brief scenes or a mere mention and that, unfortunately, is sometimes the last we hear from them. Sometimes, having scenes for too many characters can take away from the plot. But, having too little could also make a plot stall out and feel stale. Ana was developed well, in my opinion, but I felt like she took up too many scenes. She certainly helped in the development of Leah’s character, but I felt other characters could have been used to show other facets of her personality.
Dialogue is also a tricky thing. Some readers love book with tons of dialogue and less setting. Others prefer more dialogue and less description and telling. I fall into the latter category: more dialogue. However, having a lot of description and setting can help a reader stay focused on the scene and know exactly what’s going on. So in a way, it’s a double-edge sword and, to me, one of the harder aspects of writing: balancing dialogue and setting without doing too much of one or the other.
However, everyone has a different writing style and some probably enjoy a story with less dialogue. That’s okay! I still enjoyed the message and themes of this story: grief, misjudging others, healing, and how we cope with tragedy. Also the characters who help Leah along remind me of God using people to help one along, a lesson I learned from The Reason by William Sirls. I would definitely read this book again and would also recommend the “A Note from the Author” at the end. You’ll gain a deeper appreciation for how this story came together.
I’ll see you in the fall for more reads!
The Writer's Soul 