Hilarious interactions and terrific narration!

“Confessions From a Coffee Shop (Confessions #1)” is actually a sequel, despite being number 1 in this series. We met the MCs in Book 0, “Confessions From The Heart”. This book picks up three years after Book 0, and presents a few challenges to Cori Tisdale and her artist girlfriend Kat Finn.

I confess (hey hey) to being just a little apprehensive about starting this book. I really really enjoyed book 0, and the blurb and several reviews made “Coffee Shop” sound darker, with Cori and Kat’s relationship in trouble. Yes, I know a little angst keeps books from being boring, but relationship troubles abound IRL, and I frequently enjoy lesfic as an escape most when it presents a “life as we wish it could be” romance. But Lori Prince is the narrator. How could I NOT want to listen to this??? Ohhh….that voice.

Errr, I digress.

Income-earning challenged Kat is addicted to shopping, to the point that Cori has taken on a second job to try to stem the bills. Cori made the mistake of telling Cori she could shop to her heart’s content after Cori scored her first book deal, but then Cori hit writer’s block and has been stuck for a year unable to finish the book…and receive money.

Kat seems equally stuck in an artistic abeyance, and isn’t selling any paintings.

Enter Cori’s high-school cheerleader crush Samantha, fresh off a break-up with her girlfriend Lucy. Yep….Cori learns that her once-crush likes girls! BTW…the opening scene of the book, with Cori on the phone with Nell, her mother, as Samantha walks into the coffee shop was absolutely hilarious!

Much of the book is like a Seinfeld sitcom episode: a story about nothing. Just lots of wonderful interactions of interesting people without any over the top angst or drama.

Dinner with Cori’s family is hilarious, with Kat’s family interesting (“rattlesnakes have more charm”, thinks Cori. Lunch with Kat, Cori and Nell at the restaurant as Nell loudly announces she’s begun enjoying “cowboy porn” and laments a lack of recent sex with Cori’s father is hilarious as Cori tries sticking her fingers in her ears and uninhibited Kat suggests they start a porn reading book club!! Coffee shop colleague Harold decides he wants to go to a lesbian bar to meet women wanting a threesome, and while Cori tries dissuading him, Kat decides they should all go together!!

The only trope on display was non-communication. Cori is very stressed over bills and her second job, but never discusses things with Kat. To her credit though, she recognizes how much in love with Kat she is despite this financial flaw. Samantha is a great new character, and it was interesting that the normally assured Kat was threatened by Cori’s former crush. I hope to see more of Samantha and her love-interest in the next book.

“Confessions From a Coffee Shop” is very enjoyable, with 5* narration, and great characters. The story is fun and while I was relieved there was no teary crazy drama, I recommend the story with 4*, not quite 5*. Once again I wish goodreads offered something between 4* and 5*, because my 4* rating is definitely a strong recommendation!

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

My rating and my review was not in anyway affected by my having been provided a review copy.

2 people found this helpful

Best audiobook of the year!

Best audiobook of the year!
I’m an audiobook addict so that’s saying something.
With charming snark and endearing vulnerability Cori Tisdale makes you want to slap the back of her head and then squish her in a hug. Listen to it, read it or both! It’s a win either way.

1 person found this helpful

So so nice!!!

This was such a nice story. I loved the narrator, her interpretation was spot on.
I could really identify with the main character, she had real life problems that we all go through. It was like listening to a story that happened to a friend of mine. So good.
I would totally recommend the book. Two thumbs up 😀

1 person found this helpful

Funny, Emotional, and Very Enjoyable!

This is the first work from T. B. Markinson that I have experienced and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. I loved the first person narration from Cori's point of view. The sass of that character was fantastic and I fell in love with her instantly. She was snarky, no-nonsense, sometimes very blunt and direct. Her girlfriend, Kat, was so sweet and supportive. While in my mind the couple seemed like they would not be compatible, I came around to seeing the opposites complement each other. I thought a different type of story was going to be coming early on between Cori and Sam, and I am sure that was the intent. But as the story and characters developed, I could see the real romance between Cori and Kat and that true love between them was not going to be broken.

I have listened to several Lori Prince narrated novels before, but this to me was her finest work. The voices and personas she added to each character brought them to life in my head. She did an amazing job throughout, with Kat being my favorite character that she did.

There are lots of quick wit throughout, making the book very entertaining. I cannot recommend this book high enough for anyone looking for a well-done story with some twists and turns along with some well written deep love between two characters.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the author in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

1 person found this helpful

Another solid story perfectly narrated

I really like Cori. I didn’t think that would happen with one of T.B. Markinson’s characters since, as I wrote before, they’re usually too real and flawed for me to like them. I enjoy reading about them but I wouldn’t want them as friends. Yet there’s something different about Cori. She’s awkward and self-deprecating in just the right way to make her endearing. She’s also quite annoying, privileged and not always aware of how much. But I don’t know, I like her anyway. At least, she tries. Lori Prince’s narration is definitely responsible for a big part of it. Her voice and tone are perfect for Cori.

Another huge part of Cori’s appeal is her family and their interactions. Her mother loves embarrassing her with talk of sex, prompting this kind of reaction: « The woman across the table gave birth to me, and I’m still traumatized by being that close to her vagina ». I had to stop the audiobook and write that sentence down, that’s how much I laughed.

In book 0, Confessions from the Heart, Cori fell in love with Kat. Three years later, life is not as beautiful as it was. Cori is struggling to finish her first novel and juggling jobs to support Kat’s art… and her shopping addiction. Then a former classmate of Cori’s enters the picture. Samantha was a cheerleader in high school and Cori’s biggest crush at the time. So of course it creates friction between Cori and Kat. Neither dares really question the other about what bothers them. It doesn’t help that Cori’s parents act even weirder than usual and that Kat’s father, the nefarious Phineas Finn, keeps interfering.

There’s not much happening in this book, which might sound negative but isn’t. There’s no big revelation, no plot twist. It’s mostly day to day in the life of Cori and Kat, their families and friends and, strangely enough, it’s not boring at all. Once again, this book stresses the importance of communication. Secrets usually cause trouble. But they make for good stories…

And I already praised Lori Prince’s narration but it has to be said again: her voice for Kat is the sexiest.

1 person found this helpful

Great Read

Confessions from a Coffee Shop (Confessions #1) was a good read by T.B. Markinson. Cori Tisdale was a basketball star at Harvard and an author with a lucrative book deal. But just a few years later, her life is falling apart. Cori must take a part-time job at a coffee shop due to her girlfriend, Kat Finn’s, shopping addiction. Things get worse when an old crush appears out of the blue. I really enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait to read more by the author.

Totally Worth It!!!

I really, really loved this book... TB Markinson has a quirky sense of humor in her books. This one did not disappoint!
Lori Prince, the narrator, as usual, did a great job on this audiobook.

Sexy

Cori and Kat are incredible together, they are sweet and caring, hot and spicy. The characters are different but mixed very well together. I love listening to the story, felt like sharing with friends, and family. A sweet and sexy relationship between Cory and Kat that made you fall in love with them. I definitely recommend it.

Another romance

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review."

I like romance, but not if I don’t enjoy the characters. With that said, I wish there were more about Samantha. The ending? Far too easy to guess. The author refered to Ani Difranco. Huge bonus point!

I loved it!

I’d actually already read this book, so I wasn’t expecting much more from it. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I loved the audio version. It was a lot of fun.