Crossroads Café

It's hard to believe that an author as talented as Smith has to self-publish her books but that's the state of the world these days. What is wrong with publishers anyway? This book was recommended by Wendy and completely blew me away. Are you in the mood for a good cry? Well, get out a box of tissues because you're going to need them. Cathy Deen is a beautiful, rich, Hollywood actress who is injured in a horrific car accident and suffers disfiguring burns that end her career. Thomas Mitternich is still grieving the death of his wife and son in the devastating attack on 9/11. He is wandering aimlessly, sleeping in the bed of his truck and slowing drinking himself to death when he finds his way to Crossroads, North Carolina. Cathy has show more become a recluse is Hollywood and is eventually convinced to come home to Crossroads where her Granny's house waits for her. This story is about the healing power of love and what a story it is. But it's not sad and depressing. This book is darn funny with wonderful characters and great dialogue! It's a beautiful, heartwarming, humorous tale of two damaged people who overcome their internal terrors. It's told in first person alternating between Cathy's and Thomas' POV. I highly recommend. (Grade: A) show less

I am a Southern novel fan. I need this genre to offset the darkness that comes along with other genres I read. Therefore, Deborah Smith's The Crossroad's Cafe was quite emjoyable.

I don't read romance but if it's thrown in a good story ok, then you must have me hooked because most romances will turn me off. The Crossroads Cafe had me marking paragraphs to think on. "There are people nobody notices, but the world revolves around them. They're the quiet ones, the strong, peaceful ones who form the unbreakable hub for a bunch of fragile spokes. True families aren't bred, they're spun together. And at their center, at the center of the infinite wheel of every family of every kind, blood, or otherwise, there is a hub, that person, those show more people, who hold the wheel together and keep it turning."

Then there were quotes at the start of each chapter that made the reader think. One I have borrowed for my FaceBook now, "The really happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery when on a detour"

Take the above ingredients then add one Cathy from Georgia with a Hollywood story, mix in a big portion of Thomas living in North Carolina and haunted from the recent past of New York City, gently fold in the quirks of a small town and a biscuit making relative named Delta and you have yourself a different sort of story.

I did think the author covered a bit too much but some of our lives just do the same thing. So if any of the above rings a bell with you give this book a real try. Get past where it looks like it's just a sappy read and take it for what it is.

I think Deborah writes a bit like a Pat Conroy and her quirky characters become quite vivid to me. I could even hear a little Paula Dean that so many Southern families are lucky enough to have in their own family! My daughter-in-law (24) whisked this book away from me as soon as I closed it! show less

it all starts with horrible grief, unlivable pain, and a ruined future. Yes, this phenix story has to start from a very hot smoldering fire. It is painful to read, many parts will rip at your soul, but there is a chance for something more. If you give it a shot you'll find a heartbreakingly lovely story, filled with pain and hope, and maybe even some happiness. Stop by the Crossroads Cafe and enjoy your biscuits and gravy while you're there.
The author brings two lost souls together in an unusual place. A place of solitude, comforts, and small town charms. A man suffering from grief after his wife and son are killed jumping from a tower on 9-11. A woman, a supermodel known for her beauty is burned and scared and alone in her floundering show more recovery. Everything they knew of who they are is gone, they must let go of the pain. That is always easier said then done. Suicide, drinking, overdoses, anger, solitude, these are many ways to hide from the truth of their lives.
Ms. Smith brought a lot of reality into her story. There are numerous scenes from the burn treatments which are nerve racking for me a burn surviver. But, they do relate the horrible pain that goes along with it. I imagine the pain suffered from the survivors of 9-11 is fairly accurate too. She handled the trauma very well without going to deep. show less

Well, I can't be nice all the time. This is going to be one of those times I can't endorse something with everything I've got. I'm the type of person that can go through 3-4 books in a week easily, but when I picked up The CrossRoads Cafe by Deborah Smith , I labored over reading it for a solid 3 weeks. I'd take it a little bit at a time and get exhausted by the need to try to care about the characters so much that I'd put it down and walk away from it. I literally couldn't wait to finish it. And then the dread about the review came to me and I got sad because I really wanted to like this book.

The premise is good: Take two heavily flawed characters, a 9/11 dad who lost his wife and son and a movie star who lost her looks, and put them show more in a situation where they need each other to emotionally survive. Throw in a cartoonish cast of characters as a supporting cast, along with a villainous ex-sister in law and you have a recipe for...exhaustion.

Here is why it didn't work for me: I have my own problems. I didn't care about Thomas or Cathy in any way that meant anything to me. This is a flaw in the writing that caught me over and over and over again. Thomas could have been a heart-wrenching character but he was written in such a stereotypical way that I predicted his behavior repeatedly and was bored enough to want him to go away. Cathy is just shallow enough to make you want to hit her with her good arm. Their situations are tragic. There is no doubt about that. The writing didn't support the situations and their characters were not developed to the point where I wanted to see them succeed nor did I care that they did.

As one of the characters noted, in paraphrase here, we all carry our own scars. Right now, mine are pretty heavy. I just wanted Thomas and Cathy to get over it and move on. It took too long to move them forward and the jumping back and forth felt inauthentic to me. The book itself felt about 100 pages too long. show less

I liked some things about this book--the characters were generally believable and engaging, it often made me laugh or smile, and the plot was not totally beyond the bounds of reality, mostly. However, there were problems with it as well. No one I know (and I converse daily with incredibly intelligent and educated people) talks like Cathy and Thomas often did. The conversations were well written, but too cerebral and psychological. On the plus side, I loved the descriptions of the area and now long to visit North Carolina and the Appalachians.

I was slightly disappointed with this book. I think I had Deborah Smith's previous book in mind when I read it. I loved that one (A Place To Call Home) and consequently, The Crossroads Cafe didn't live up to my expectations.

Despite that, this book is a sweet love story - and not just between a couple. It includes a classic craftsman house and the land and the people that inhabit it. The characters were likeable enough (though - and only those who've read the book will understand this I think - the physical description of one of the main characters includes substantial facial hair, something I cannot stand and so unfortunately I wasn't crazy about that person) and they manage to give the impression of a welcoming presence - sort of a show more like a Fannie Flagg novel does. And that is who I would recommend this book to - fans of southern fiction who enjoy Fannie Flagg books. show less

My first review here, yippee!! I'm choosing to review this book first not because it's my favorite book of all time, but because it could have been one of my least favorites if it weren't so well-written. It's been several months since I read it but I still heartily recommend it to any lovers of contemporary dramatic fiction. The two main characters are deeply damaged and of course end up being perfect for each other but the fun is how they get there. This could have all gone sooooo wrong and been all maudlin, drippy and gooey but there is a remarkable lack of sentimentality given the subject matter. I don't like to give away plots, you can find a synopsis anywhere, but seriously, read this book!