Not in the Plan

‘Not in the Plan’ is Dana Hawkins's debut novel and the first in the ‘Single in Seattle’ series that focuses on opposites-attract, sapphic romance stories. This book centres around Charlie and Mack. Charlie is a 27-year-old whimsical and kind-hearted coffee shop owner in Seattle whose dreams of running her business are slowly crumbling under the pressure of mounting debt and poor customer turnover. Mack, a 26-year-old author from New York suffering from writer's block, hopes that through visiting her parents in Seattle, she will find the inspiration she needs to complete her second novel before her publishers demand the return of an advance she has already spent. Charlie has sunk every cent to her name into opening her coffee shop, ‘Sugar Mugs’ six months ago. Her passion and dream have been to create a safe space where everyone is welcome to hang out and enjoy the elixir of life, otherwise known as coffee. However, she is overwhelmed by the growing pile of debt the renovations have accrued, and although she has a steady clientele of regulars, they are not enough to keep the lights on and doors open for much longer. Apart from her snarky but fabulous best friend and barista, Ben, Charlie doesn’t have a comprehensive support system. “Her mom, whom she hadn’t seen in twenty years. Her dad, who looked her up every few months and asked her to spot him a fifty. Jess, who fell into another woman’s bed the moment Charlie suggested they think about a family.” Mack, on the other…

OK, I'll be honest....I only read this book because it's based in my home state of WA. Turns out, it was a very good story! Charlie and Mack are so cute together. I loved their banter and their chemistry. It was nice to see them step out of their comfort zones to get to know each other, in spite of their struggles with their own personal issues and insecurities. It was pretty romantic as well. And of course, added ingredients to a nice romcom - a supportive BFF and lame/doting parents. So worth the read!

Queer coffee shop owner + a queer writer fighting writer's block in Seattle?! UMMM YES PLEASE!! I loved this book. I'm honestly so impressed that this is this author's debut novel. This is a wonderful opposites attract, slow burn, sapphic rom-com. Charlie is building a life and business serving delicious beverages at her cute coffee shop after a divorce from her ex-wife. When Mack stumbles into Charlie's coffee shop trying to find her way out of writer's block to meet a deadline for her next book, she's is immediately drawn to the cute, quirky, red-headed owner. Charlie and Mack have such great chemistry. Right off the bat, I was rooting for these two. While both of these women are navigating their past secrets, they offer each other a spark of light in their journey. There's so much about this book that kept me turning the pages- I loved the chapter headings - the fun coffee drinks kept me smiling throughout the book. The cast of lovable family (both blood and found) characters were just so endearing. I adored Mack's dad - his banter had me laughing out loud. Ben was just the most wonderful bestie a girl could ask for. I loved that these two characters had such great community and love surrounding them. I really loved how these two characters complimented each other's personalities. They just fit like two perfect puzzle pieces. I really enjoyed how Hawkins illustrated these characters healing themselves through their connection with each other and their loved ones around…

There’s something to be said about how an author writes that can make the characters and story being told feel not only relatable but yearning for more even after the story is finished being told. The insight into the depths of the characters without over explaining felt rewarding and didn’t leave me wondering about aspects of who they are compared to other books I read. I personally like a little more detail when expressing romantic gestures but this isn’t about my personal preference but rather about the book itself. The story shared between the two characters was beautifully written, each character was shown their vulnerabilities while facing their past on separate levels allowing them to grow individually, which I felt contributed to their growth together. While it was written in 3rd person with moments of 1st person, I didn’t feel like there was an overuse of the characters names or a roughness to the story telling that could have made it bland as I experienced in another book. I was immediately drawn in, wanting to know more about each person, the off chance of meeting someone outside of the original location of meeting was believable and wasn’t forced. I am trying so hard not to spoil this book because it is not only worth the read but one line specifically in the book has earned a top spot of one of my all time favorite lines in a book. Highly recommend and if I could read it for the first time again I absolutely would!!

I typically don't read romance, but Not in the Plan caught my attention as Dana Hawkins is a Minnesota author (I love to support our MN authors). I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! It's fluffy and cute, but also shows insecurities and how those are dealt with. I enjoyed the characters very much. A fun, easy read that left me feeling good!