"LuLu’s Cafe" by T.I. Lowe Book Tour And Give Away

About the Book

Book: LuLu’s Cafe

Author: T.I. Lowe

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release date: June 4, 2019

When a damaged young woman is given a chance to reclaim her life in a small South Carolina town, she must reckon with the dark secrets she left behind in order to accept the love she deserves.

On the run from a violent past, Leah Allen arrived in tiny Rivertown, South Carolina, battered and broken, but ready to reinvent herself. By a stroke of fate, Leah is drawn to the Southern hospitality of a small café, looking for a warm meal but finding so much more. Lulu, the owner, offers her a job, a place to stay and a new lease on life. Through Lulu’s tenacious warmth and generosity, Leah quickly finds herself embraced by the quaint community as she tries to put herself back together. Given she’s accustomed to cruelty, the kindness is overwhelming.

Soon Leah meets Crowley Mason, the most eligible bachelor in town. A lawyer and friend of Lulu’s, Crowley is wary of Leah’s sudden, mysterious arrival. Despite his reserve, something sparks between them that can’t be denied. But after all she’s been through, can Leah allow herself to truly love and be loved, especially when her first urge is to run?

Exploring the resiliency of both the heart and the spirit, Lulu’s Café gorgeously illustrates how old scars can finally heal no matter how deep they seem.

Click here to purchase your copy.

"LuLu’s Cafe" by T.I. Lowe is a book that I truly didn't want to read after reading the first 6 pages. I knew it was going to be hard to finish because it was a story that dealt with physical abuse and I don't like reading about it. But knowing I needed to finished it for this review I did and I am so glad I did. Yes, the book was hard to read at first, but it does finished up so much happily.  I just caution readers to be aware that details are described so might be a trigger if you have experienced physical abuse. 

Both Leah and Crowley Mason have secrets and are afraid to trust each other with them. Leah's are more because of fear and Crowley's are because he is a private person and is worrying that females will like him for his riches rather than him.

I was disappointed that one of the characters, a minor character,  dies of lung cancer, before the story happens and yes, I know cancer has and does affect every one's life but I want to read something that doesn't mention cancer.

Lulu's cafe is a place where healing began for Leah in more ways than one.

This book has truths that are life changing. These truths cover things like thanking God for all the good even when experiencing a storm.  I love this quote from the book " You know our lives and the weather do have a lot in common. Change is constant. Just like spring, we are continuously renewed  in some form or the other. Summer can be an exciting season, full of fun and adventure. Fall can be a slow time for us to just reflect and take life in. Winter sometimes can bring things into very crisp focus. "

This book also touched me because the book deals mostly with healing from physical abuse from a spouse, I think the truths thats are brought out in the book could be used for healing from emotional abuse as well. I especially like the points that was brought out about using food as a pain killer for emotion pain and that it ends up just fueling our emotional pains more, ( that point was made for Leah, but I know exactly what the character meant because I have been doing that.) 

Even though this book is a tear jerker, I  strongly recommend, ( just know it can raise strong emotions if violence and abuse has been or is part of your life), reading it to remember that good can come the storms of life  if we just look for it. 

I was already crying both happy and sad tears when I finished reading the book but when I read the author's note at the end I was crying more, as I read her account of her mother's death due to cancer. 

I was given a complimentary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are my own.

About the Author

T. I. Lowe is a native of coastal South Carolina. She attended Coastal Carolina University and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she majored in psychology but excelled in creative writing. Go figure. Writing was always a dream, and she finally took a leap of faith in 2014 and independently published her first novel, Lulu’s Café, which quickly became a bestseller. Now the author of ten published novels with hundreds of thousands of copies sold, she knows she’s just getting started and has many more stories to tell. A wife and mother who’s active in her church community, she resides near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with her family.

Read an excerpt of LuLu’s Cafe

The building was a two-story redbrick structure with expansive windows along the first floor’s front and sides. Each set of massive windows was shaded with sprawling royal-blue awnings, which were decorated with vibrantly painted sunflowers and whimsical white letters spelling out Lulu’s Caféacross the remaining space. It looked inviting from the outside. Peering into the window, Leah could see that the café was bustling with customers. Outside the café, the sidewalk was lined with wrought-iron tables and chairs. Every table was occupied with customers chatting as they sipped steaming mugs of coffee.

The sign for the store hours indicated that, Monday through Saturday, the café opened at six each morning and closed at two each afternoon, and it was closed on Sundays. Leah found the hours a bit odd. Most restaurants served dinner and were open on Sundays too, or so she thought. She reminded herself that she was in a new environment and that the customs from the West Coast probably wouldn’t apply here.

The café had its fall decorations on display as well. Large planter boxes overflowed with giant yellow and orange mums. One had a wooden sign sticking out from the middle declaring, Happy Fall, Y’all.

Leah was beginning to think the place was too happy and, more importantly, too busy for her liking, when she spotted a vacant four-person table right inside the door. She made her way in and slipped into the chair closest to the window. She deliberately faced away from the entrance, hoping not to draw much attention. Once she was situated, she noticed that the back of the café was made up of a large butcher-block counter that housed a bakery case full of treats on the right. The remainder of the counter was lined with half a dozen stools, with customers perched on each one. Leah noted approvingly that the tables and chairs were a variety of mismatched shapes and sizes stained in the same mahogany tint. She liked the relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere.

Leah watched a petite lady behind the counter serving up coffee and laughs. Her stomach began to rumble at the fragrant smells whirling around her, so she turned her attention to the menu resting on the table. Turkey sausage, turkey bacon, egg-white omelets, whole grain breads and cereal, fresh fruit . . .

Leah blinked at the odd menu. She gazed around at the customers enjoying their healthy meals. Her heart had been set on a stack of pancakes and greasy bacon. She studied the bakery case but found no donuts hiding.

“Humph.” She went back to studying the menu.

“I didn’t keep you waiting too long, did I?” A Southern drawl interrupted Leah’s thoughts.

Leah looked up to find the petite lady with a perfectly coiffed silver bob smiling at her. She was so short that she was nearly eye level with a seated Leah. Her clear gray eyes seemed to bubble with hospitality. Leah instantly liked the woman and gave her a slight smile, being careful not to stretch her bottom lip.

“Well, you gonna keep giving me that sweet smile or are you gonna order something?” the lady asked in a teasing voice.

Leah pointed at the bright-orange cursive L embroidered thickly on one of the lady’s apron pockets. “Please tell me you’re Lulu.”

“Of course I’m Lulu. Why do you ask?” Lulu smoothed her ruffled apron, which swam in a variety of rich blue swirls.

“You match the happiness of the place perfectly,” Leah said.

“Well, that’s the nicest thing someone has said to me today. What can I get you?”

“Coffee and whatever you recommend.”

Lulu gave her a wink and strolled back to the kitchen.

Blog Stops

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Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, T.I. Lowe is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of LuLu’s Cafe!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/e4f3/lulu-s-cafe-celebration-tour-giveaway