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R J Gould
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Dream Café: A witty, warm tale of love, life and fresh starts (at the Dream Café series) Kindle Edition

by R J Gould (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 248 ratings
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“Why on earth am I here?” David wonders as he observes the juvenile antics of ex-classmates at the twenty-five year school reunion. Then he sees Bridget.

David draws up a list of all that he hopes to achieve to kick-start a new life now that his wife has moved in with his best friend – his ex-best friend. A relationship with Bridget is top of the list, opening an arts café is a close second.

Formidable women – an unfaithful wife, a reckless teenage daughter, a boss from hell, a disapproving policewoman – seem like insurmountable obstacles.

But it’s still OK to dream, isn’t it?

” I really felt for David. His relationships and interactions with his children, his daughter especially, his ex-wife, ex-friend, and his mother were so well drawn, and each and every word dragged me in deep and deeper until I was fully immersed in the story. I can't recommend this highly enough.” Lilac Mills, author of the Tanglewood Village series

” R J Gould has the most delightful skill of writing his books in a way in which you feel very quickly that you are reading about a friend. I couldn’t put it down and found myself missing Dream Cafe long after I read the last page.” Book Addiction UK

” The characters are instantly recognisable and relatable. They remind you of people you could know in real life. The author has brought serious issues – divorce, lone parenting, a man’s role within the family home – and dealt with them using emotion and humour.” Sharon’s Beyond the Books

” I absolutely love R J Gould’s easy style. Without writing reams of detail, he manages to effortlessly create characters that jump off the page. This is done through witty and well-placed interactions and narrations from the main character. I was rooting for David’s happiness throughout this wonderful book.” Iheartbooks1991

“I love this book! Tender, witty, funny, with characters you can totally relate to. A story about trust, resilience, forgiveness and fresh starts, narrated with humour and insight. It kept my interest hooked and made me smile all the way through. A great read!”
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  1. Part of series
    at the Dream Café series
  2. Print length
    269 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    August 24, 2021
  5. File size
    1.1 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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There are 4 books in this series.
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Bundle price: Kindle price
$11.97
Bundle price: Kindle price
$16.96
By placing your order, you're purchasing a license to the content and you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use.

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From the Publisher

1

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09DLDPMK3
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (August 24, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 24, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.1 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 269 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 248 ratings

About the author

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R J Gould

R J Gould

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R J Gould is a rare male member of the UK Romantic Novelists’ Association, writing contemporary fiction about relationships using a mix of wry humour and pathos to describe the tragi-comic life journeys of his protagonists. He has been published by Headline Accent and Lume Books and also self-publishes.

Before becoming a full-time author he worked in the educational and charity sectors. In addition to his addiction to telling stories, he has somewhat milder addictions to playing tennis, watching film noir cinema, completing Wordle and eating dried mango slices.

R J Gould lives in Cambridge, England.

You can connect with him at www.rjgould.info, on twitter and Instagram @rjgould_author, and on Facebook at RJGouldauthor

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
248 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Barbara W
    5.0 out of 5 stars You can't force someone to love you
    Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed Dream Cafe. R J Gould spun a story that sometimes made me laugh, and at other times I felt sorry for David and the children. This story definitely held my attention!
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  • CM
    4.0 out of 5 stars Dream Cafe
    Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2021
    A first read for me of a story by this author. What can I say, I'm an Aussie and the characters are very English. lol This story made me smile and laugh out loud. I was shaking my head often and I felt sorry for David as people tended to take advantage of him and treat him badly, plus, if something was going to go wrong for someone, David always seemed to be in the firing line.
    Well told and my time well spent reading it.
    I received an ARC for an honest review
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Lily Mack
    3.0 out of 5 stars What's a Guy to Do?
    Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    When David Willoughby's wife suddenly leaves him for his best friend, the accountant is left reeling at the thought of being a single dad to two kids. However, reconnecting with a former classmate at his high school class reunion a short time later, puts him on the path in search of his new life.

    He has an instant attraction to Bridget and finds that they have many things in common. Can they overcome the crazy events and distractions in life that threaten their happiness? We may never know.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Louise
    5.0 out of 5 stars Dream Cafe
    Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    The novel holds your attention to the end. It is witty with unexpected turns in the plot and an easy and enjoyable read, connecting you to all the characters and their failings, hopes and dreams and thorough humaneness.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Jennifer Mahouchick
    3.0 out of 5 stars Dream Cafe
    Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2021
    Dream Cafe was the first book I've read by this author. I liked the idea of the storyline... David's wife drops a bomb that she is in love with his friend and is moving out. His kids are appropriately upset and he is able to find new love. He has a to-do list to get back on track with his life. The problem was that the book was a bit boring to me. I didn't really connect with the characters all that well and I felt like David was getting himself into strange situations that were supposed to be funny, but really weren't to me. I also didn't like the ending all that well. “I was sent a free book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.”
    3 people found this helpful
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  • EarleyOne
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good all-around read that surprises with the quality.
    Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2021
    “I was sent a free book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.” I personally would have paid for this book. I am looking forward to searching out this author and reading. I followed along and couldn't stop reading. What was going to happen next? It was true life and I could see myself in some of the situations. Thanks for the enjoyable time spent reading this one!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Lucy
    1.0 out of 5 stars This was awful!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I am not entertained by the main character being verbally and emotionally abused by his unfaithful wife and all the people he comes in contact with. His children were not very endearing either. That it comes all right in the end is beside the point to a horror of a story.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Briget
    3.0 out of 5 stars A bit boring
    Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2021
    I was not thrilled with this novel. I found it a little bit boring. The story line seemed like it wasn’t thought out well enough. I finished it but it took me longer than normal simply because I was not that interested in it. It finished with a cliffhanger which is unusual for this type of book.
    I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a complimentary copy
    5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Lindsay Fursland
    5.0 out of 5 stars Totally believable characters.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 31, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Dream Cafe has all the ingredients of an un-put-down-able novel. The main characters are totally believable and drawn with wit and insight, and they are real in the sense that they change and develop throughout the book. The author makes us care about the characters. There is wry comedy and also poignancy, and the domestic setting is completely involving. People speak to each other like actual people do, and overall this is one of the most readable books I've enjoyed in a long time. I would definitely recommend it.
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  • Ahsokasanity
    3.0 out of 5 stars Non fantasy dream
    Reviewed in Australia on November 28, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Gotta say, my biggest draw to read this was that the author is male. Romance is all well and good until you cross over into fantasy and lose track of real humans. I think RJ Gould found them.
    I was not pulled along by the heart but easily fell into each next chapter. I liked that David is a realistic thoughtful man. His life was turning every which way (& the drama did not come across contrived). At each point, he considered his actions and reactions. Bridget is brilliant and I want to be her!
    I got used to the laid back pace of the chapters and found it easy to move on to the next book.
    Not one I'd read again, but an easy holiday read. Interesting to have a male perspective
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  • Jules
    4.0 out of 5 stars So enjoyable
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 3, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This is the first book I have read by this author, it certainly won't be the last. I can't earth read the next book in this series.
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  • Crazy Cat Lady
    3.0 out of 5 stars Engaging read despite a doormat main character
    Reviewed in Australia on April 25, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This novel starts out as a well-written, depressing tale about a mid life crisis. The main character is bland and uninteresting. He has almost no personality and isn't even angry when his wife leaves him for his best friend. He's too nice and is basically a doormat that everyone wipes their feet on.

    Despite these flaws, the story moves at a good pace and I read until the end. There are a few interesting moments and the doormat turns into a slightly more interesting character.
    Report
  • Angie Hackett
    3.0 out of 5 stars Mostly interesting read.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 21, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    This was mostly interesting. The characters were relatable in the fact that they were real in a way. This was largely well written as well. I did find the pacing a bit slow, I felt David seemed to find himself in situations that seemed completely weird.
    Report

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