Darby's Cafe

by Cori Cooper

It's all Jackson Wilcox's fault!

Darby works in a small town cafe and takes business classes in her free time.

Not because she wants to.

Because she has to.

Over a year ago, her dreams, and her confidence, were crushed to meringue powder by a well-known food critic who wrote a scathing review about her restaurant. Because of him, everything fell apart and Darby had to return to her hometown to pick up all the crumbs and try to make something edible.

It just feels so dang hard to start over.

In the meantime, she'd love it if she could catch the eye of the hottie at the cafe who comes in every day at the same time for breakfast. If she can work up the courage to talk to him, that just might mean she can work up the courage to try again with her restaurant.

Because more than anything she wants to show that stupid Jackson Wilcox that he was wrong about her.

Genres: Young Adult

Unknown Binding

Published January 7, 2025

About the author

Story-obsessed author with more books than bookshelves.

Most days you'll find me in my favorite fluffy chair with a computer on my lap, a dog at my feet, a ridiculous number of crazy cats reeking havoc, and my favoritest family milling around.

I love stories that suck me in, make me laugh and leave me wondering!

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darby has been doing a covert operation, stalking a customer in the cafe she works at. She knows luck is not on her side, she feels plain unlucky. Something about Jackson Willcox though has her crushing hard. Her confidence though is at a low especially when her dream restaurant went up in flames thanks to a food critic. What happens when that crush turns into something more though is it smooth sailing or rough waters ahead?

This was an endearing read. I think Darby epitomizes how we feel at different times in our life, it is not always roses unfortunately. I loved the way the emotions were written in this one and was cheering one page at a time as Darby begins finding herself again. Wonderful treat of a read.

[Finn Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darby's Cafe by Cori Cooper is such a fun read. It's very uplifting, and I definitely enjoyed it! Darby's story is very refreshing as, while it does have romantic aspects, it really just seems to be about Darby's self discovery! The cast of characters in this are all lovely, I have such a hard time picking a favorite! I really related to Darby the most though, and couldn't help seeing myself in her. Honestly a great read, I definitely recommend!

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darby’s cafe was such a cute book. Darby wanted to have a successful restaurant but they quickly was derailed by a harsh food critic. She blamed the downfall on Jackson. This book draws you in from the start. How we can’t blame our own downfalls on others around us.

[Brenda Waddington · Rating 5 out of 5]

A novel that is loaded with sweetness and as tasty as a warm apple pie with ice cream. Luck seemed to elude Darby so she would have to find that perfect recipe for success.

[Chad Barrus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the author in return for an
early review.

I loved this book! It was funny, heartbreaking, warm
and made my day! Darby epitomizes the angst and self doubts we all have and when things go wrong most of us want to lay the blame on someone else instead of looking deeper for the cause.

Darby started a restaurant but after what she thought was a bad review her confidence was shattered and her restaurant closed. She moved backed to her hometown where she had lived with her grandmother and started working in a cafe as a waitress.

With a best friend who always gives her positive
thoughts and her urge to try and meet a guy who always came into the cafe for breakfast, they devise a plan which they think might produce the right results by placing a personal classified ad. It works but it not on the one she originally intended it for!
She gets a response and thinks it’s from the guy in the cafe and they originally start just texting and later
talking on the phone. She tells him how her confidence was shattered by a bad review and he helps her get her confidence back by getting back to
cooking again and enjoying it once again letting go of her fear of failure of not being any good.

Then she finds out the food critic she blamed for her
restaurant closing is in town and is her boss’s brother!

She finally agrees to help her best friend out with planning the food and catering a wedding and when they need extra help she asks her mystery man to help her and when he shows up it’s the last person she ever wanted to see again-her food critic!

This book is about forgiving oneself and then forgiving others as well! There are so many things to
love about this book they are too numerous to mention! All I can say is you will LOVE IT from the moment you start it to the final page and wish there was more to continue the story!

Darby, Jackson, (Cole), Kenya, are the main characters in the story with sage wisdom from
Darby’s Grammie and supporting help from Sampson and Gretta.

I wholeheartedly and enthusiastically recommend this wonderful book as one everyone should read! The humor is one to make you smile and the pain that Darby feels is one we can all relate to easily!

This book really is a slice of everyday life in a ordinary person’s life! It’s the struggle to succeed, to
rise above and overcome what self doubts one has led one to make you believe you can’t succeed and in the end to rise triumph from the ashes like a phoenix
new and full of confidence because you have conquered your fears and proven you can succeed and are good at what you do regardless of what others may think!

I highly recommend this book!!

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 – 4 stars
In this delightful enemy-to-lovers clean romance, readers are transported to a picturesque small-town brimming with quirky, endearing characters that feel like old friends. At the centre of the story is Darby, a young woman who once believed she had everything figured out. However, a single, piercing opinion from someone shatters her confidence, plunging her into a deep well of self-doubt, angst, and uncertainty about her place in the world.
Determined to reclaim her happiness, Darby embarks on a journey. Along the way, she delves into the complexities of her life, examining her relationships with her family, friends, and herself. As she faces her fears and confronts past rejections, Darby learns to embrace her vulnerabilities and begin the healing process.
On the other side is Jackson, a sharp-witted food critic whose job often leaves him at odds with those he writes about. Known for his unflinching honesty, his words have unintended consequences.
As their paths intertwine, Darby and Jackson discover that the initial animosity may be hiding a deeper connection that neither of them expected. The lively cast of characters surrounding them adds humour and warmth to the narrative, creating moments that will make readers laugh out loud while tugging at their heartstrings. With a perfect blend of light-heartedness and poignant moments, this story invites readers to root for the characters as they navigate the ups and downs of love, friendship, and self-discovery, leaving them yearning for more and wishing they could offer hugs to their Favorite characters.

[Beverly Finnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was good. It’s the sucks you in, good. There are so many coincidences that you believe one thing, when it could be something else entirely. I’ve read this author before which is the main reason I gave Darby’s Cafe a chance, and I’m glad I did. It was one of the rare times I chose the book due to author vs reading the synopsis of it. Sometimes taking that route could go rather wrong, so this time I got lucky. Unlike the lack of luck for our main character.
Darby is a hard worker. Not that her boss agrees. Constantly on her as if she’s slacking off. Well she may not be doing that, but she’s definitely day dreaming about a guy with blue eyes, who comes into the diner she works at every day. Enough that a friend convinces her to put a personal ad in the paper. At the same time this guy also started to engage her as well.
Darby lacks confidence. She used to be happy and have a successful business, till one Jackson Wilcox review killed it. It stopped her from doing what she loves. It sent her back to school, hoping next time she won’t fail.
When she receives a response from her personal ad she starts talking to a man who helps her find herself again. A man that listens to her, gives advice, and genuinely wants what's best for her. He also wants to know her and date her. She feels like she knows exactly who it is, but is she right?
Will Darby get up the courage to move on from her failure and rise up?
The author writes a wonderful story of empowerment. This book has a romance but really seems to be about Darby discovering who she really and truly is!

[Roxsanne Lesieur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darby is a young woman with a dream, or at least she had one, one that came true, a dream to run her own restaurant, a dream that was shattered to pieces thanks to one critic, one review and one Jackson Wilcox. All this happened a year ago and she is still in bits, she can't even bring herself to cook, so she came back to her small home town and got a job at a little local café.

Life hasn't exactly treated Darby well since losing her restaurant and bad luck seems to have followed her, especially at the most inconvenient times, but her friend is always there to cheer her up and try to dispel the idea of bad luck. It is that luck that sees Darby moving in with her friend when her apartment is temporarily out of action and it just so happens that the pantry is something out of her dreams and temptation reigns to maybe, possibly cook something, but Darby resists and believes her bad luck would tarnish whatever she tried.

One thing Darby does look forward to is every morning when a certain hottie of a man comes in for his breakfast and Darby can't help but become a mute mess around him, but she decides to take a chance and talk to him, while hoping her luck holds out. Will Darby be able to pluck up the courage to talk to Mr hot stuff and maybe think about making something else as well? This is a sweet romance with delicious elements which will draw you in as you deliberate along with Darby and follow along the rollercoaster of emotions within.

[Maisie Camille · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cori Cooper’s Darby’s Cafe follows Darby Reynolds, ex-restaurant owner and waitress at the Corner Cafe. With the help of her friend Kenya, she places an ad in the paper in hopes of getting in touch with a customer from the cafe who she has a crush on, but it doesn’t quite go as planned. There’s the occasional plot-hole or slight mistake that alters how the story is read, and I guessed the twist which meant it wasn’t as impactful. I had an issue with the ending as I didn’t find the relationship convincing enough to overcome obstacles, particularly the aspect of betrayal, but the ending was sweet. It’s hard to choose a favourite character. I did like Darby as she was relatable in a lot of ways but a bit too dramatic. I liked Kenya too, although she had flaws, too (as characters should). Gretta was perhaps the most layered character, and Samson was probably the most likeable. 90% of the book I would’ve said Jackson was my least favourite character, but by 95% I wasn’t so sure. I recommend this book, more so for the relatable and inspiring side of it than the romantic side. It’s also a cute love story, not just romantically but between friends and family, too. Self-love, as well. “It clicked for me then, this is what life is about, you know? These little moments, all together, with people connecting. It is so worth it.”

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darby's Café by Cori Cooper is what I would consider a young adult romantic comedy. We are introduced to Darby who is on a good run of bad luck and is trying to get out of her slump. Darby is a waitress that has recently lost her restaurant due to the bad review that Jackson gave her. Darby has been working on getting herself out of the slump that she hasn't focused on her love life, so her friend takes it upon herself to put a personal ad out for her. Darby has no idea what is in store for her, all she knows is that she is dealing with heartbreak from the loss of her restaurant, she is angry at Jackson and is just going through all of the feels. As a former waitress, I think that Cori did a great job setting the scene for the small-town waitress lifestyle! I could feel what Darby was feeling at different times, and the emotions were detailed greatly. I really appreciate the detail that Cori put into this book, and I love books that have a bunch of detail that pull you into the book. I thought that this was a great book through and through and that Darby's Café is a sweet, funny, clean romance full of food, drama, and especially laughs! I really want to know what happens next in Darby's story and I hope that Cori gives us the next part of Darby's life!

[Kerry carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun read. I have loved every book by this author and this was just another great one to add. I loved Darby's character, she is very relatable and likeable and I was captivated and drawn into her story.

It was always been Darby's dream to own her own restaurant. However a harsh critic has stopped that dream in its tracks. Now she is working in a cafe and drooling over a customer who comes in every morning. So her friend comes up with a plan to place a classified ad in the paper to attract his attention.
And it works well kind of. It definitely attracts someone's attention and as Darby and this mystery man starts to communicate she finds herself opening up and slowing rebuilding her confidence. When Darby and her friend cater a wedding she asks mystery man if he could give them a hand.
The person that turns up is not who Darby expects at all. How will Darby react when the mans identity is revealed? After building a connection with the man will it be over once she realises who he is?

This is a heartwarming story about finding the courage to start again and forgiveness, not just for ourselves but for other people as well. It's one woman's journey through fear and self doubt to find the strength to pursue her dreams.

[Heather Bass · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read from this author and she now has a new fan. I love small town books and I’m so happy I picked this one. I fell in love with the main character right away. She had sas that made me laugh. This book made me feel like I was watching a Hallmark movie by the writing style. I could not put this book down until I finished it. It only took me a little over a day to devour this cute rom com. I can’t wait to read more of this author’s books.

Darby owned her very own restaurant and she was loving it. She had her dream until a food critic came and ruined it all for her. Darcy is forced to close her doors to her restaurant and she moves back home. She finds a waitress job in Hurricane. Darby is taking business classes online to try to get her dream back. She sees a very handsome stranger every morning for breakfast. Darby gets the courage to talk to Myles but can it be more than friends? Will Darby have her dreams come true or will her past come back to ruin them?

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you believe you can be cursed with bad luck? Can positive thinking and adventurous actions overcome that bad luck? Darby has the worst luck. Her beloved restaurant closed after a food critic wrote a review of it. She tried to find the courage to approach her dream guy at a dance, but ended up crashing the entire party, instead. Would a personal ad in the newspaper bring her any closer to finding happiness and changing her luck?
I really enjoyed this book! At first, I thought it started off a little slow, and I was a bit confused about Darby’s past. Quickly, it became a read I couldn’t put down. I appreciate the personal ads at the start of each chapter. They are a unique way to name each chapter. How mysterious and exciting it was to follow Darby’s conversations with “Cole,” the man who answered her personal ad. Throughout the story, we learn more of Darby’s history a little at a time, like peeling back the layers of an onion. I really like how this story was formed. This book is another one of the author’s works for readers to love. I definitely recommend it!

[Jennifer P Ramos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve enjoyed books from this author in the past and decided to try this one as well! This new book did not disappoint. A very cute love story, a very determined young lady working hard in her humble beginnings and great character development. This story focuses on Darby who went back to her grandmother’s hometown to start fresh after receiving horrible feedback at her restaurant. She is determined to prove everyone wrong and beyond capable of making her dreams a reality. What she makes up for in determination, she lacks in confidence. She doubts her own self worth professionally and most especially at finding love. Miles is a man that frequents the cafe she works in every morning but does not dare talk to him. With the help of a friend, she gives in and starts talking to him, which really starts to discover herself once again. Someone who listens and understands is what Darby truly needs. Coming to see how the story comes together to see whether Darby flourishes with these new developments or will she succumb to her past failures?

[Bobbi Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this romance story. This book is by an author that I have enjoyed reading from the first book I picked up. I enjoyed this author’s writing style that makes her characters pop off the pages. They are written with alot of romance and even some humor. This book is about Darby and how her life fell apart after a bad food review. She goes back to her hometown and tries to pick up the pieces. Will she be able to find the courage to try again with her restaurant? What does the cutie that comes in every morning for breakfast have to do with anything? I enjoyed her character and what she brought to the story. She is a strong, relatable character that is my favorite of the story. I enjoyed watching the growth of the characters which made the story easy and entertaining to read. This is an engaging, fast paced story that is hard to put down. This is a great story that you don’t want to miss. I highly recommend this book.

[Audrie Harrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read! Darby is a waitress in a small cafe as she goes to business school in the evenings. She had her own restaurant but after a bad review from a critic it closed down, so she went back to school hoping to open a new restaurant after she graduates. Her best friend is a party planner and needs her help but Darby hasn’t cooked anything in the 16 months since she closed the doors of The Purple Penguin and is unsure about catering. Darby has a crush on a regular and decides to put a personal ad in the paper hoping he will answer it so they can get to know each other. Someone does answer the ad and they start talking. They don’t give names and Darby is falling for Cole as they message and call each other. She thinks it is the regular, but is it? Will she be able to start cooking again to help Kendra? This was an easy read and I kept turning the pages because I had to find out who Cole really was. I would 100% recommend it!

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will suck you in, and make you not want to put it down until you finish...and wish the end hadn't come so quickly.

Darby Reynolds is a waitress in a cafe', avoiding the kitchen as much as she can, while daydreaming about talking to a regular customer who she has a crush on. In a past life, a couple of years before, Darby had owned her own restaurant until she was forced to close it, after a review done by a food critic, Jackson Wilcox. When Darby's friend, Kenya, convinces her to put an ad in the personals section of the newspaper to try and get the customer's attention because of his daily reading of the personals, she starts messaging Cole. Darby believes that Cole is the customer, Myles, because so much of their conversations line up with their daily interactions in the cafe'. When she discovers that Cole is really Jackson, Darby doesn't know how to move past the feelings of betrayal she feels. This book is a guaranteed HEA and well worth the read.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darby's Café is another Young Adult Romance by Cori Cooper. This book centers around Darby, a waitress at a small-town café. Her friend puts in a personal ad for her in hopes of catching the eye of her crush, a regular at the cafe. Hilarity, uncertainty, and difficult life lessons ensue. The world building is pretty great; I could feel Darby's heartbreak regarding the closing of her restaurant, her confusion and anger, and I could see the confines of the cozy Corner Café in my mind. The characters are all realistically flawed, believable, and lovable. Although I was a little bothered by Darby's overwhelming pessimism, her behavior and thoughts did change towards the end of the book. Overall, Darby's Café is a sweet, humorous, clean romance full of food, drama, and laughs. I really want to know what happens next in Darby's story!

[Tausha Treadway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darby's Cafe by Cori Cooper. I have really started to love this author and this book was no different. Its geared toward maybe young adult readers but I loved it as an older reader. It's the story of Darby who had her own restaurant but due to a food critic giving her a harsh review she lost her restaurant so with her tail between her legs she went back home to her small town of Hurricane. She begins to waitress at the local restaurant and slowly gets her mojo back. She doesn't have a lot of confidence at the beginning and when Myles a customer of the restaurant comes in daily, Darby develops a huge crush on him. She finally lets her friend talk her into posting a online personal ad. Hoping to connect with Myles because she sees he reads the personals all the time, will it work? While a guy does engage with her, how can she be sure its Myles. Such a cute, clean romance!

[Shadel ayerbe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darby’s cafe by Cori Cooper is a great young adult romantic book

Jackson Wilcox is solely to blame! In her spare time, Darby attends business lessons and works at a cafe in a small town. She doesn't want to. since she must. A famous food critic who wrote a critical review of her restaurant more than a year ago shattered her hopes and confidence to meringue powder. He caused everything to fall apart, forcing Darby to go back to her village to try to salvage what was left and make it edible. Starting afresh just seems so damn difficult. She would adore it if she could attract the attention of the attractive woman who regularly arrives at the cafe for breakfast at the same time every day.

Every page was exciting and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen. The story really brings comedy into my life. I couldn’t put the book down

[Anantha Rusum · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You’ve got Mail” in Restaurant business. This clean romance was a very delightful read.
Darby was very happy running her own restaurant until a bad review by a food critic forced her to shut it down. With few setbacks on the personal front as well, Darby is in a retrospection phase of her life where she confronts her fears and her rejections and attempts to embark on a new journey. Beginning her new life again as a waitress, she falls for a handsome guy who comes to her diner every day. He seems to be genuinely interested in her and gives her good advice.
Will a new romance bloom for Darby or is there a twist where she has to face a harsh reality before “happiness forever”? I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me of Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks in the movie You’ve got mail. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a light romance read.

[Gila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darby works as a waitress in cafe in a small Utah town. Little do most people know, she was a budding chef and restauranteur until a restaurant critic panned her establishment which ultimately closed. She is moving through a somewhat lonely life until she writes a personal ad, thinking her regular customer in whom she was interested would answer. The ad was answered and what ensues is a sweet flirtation leading to a trusted relationship, even though they haven't met. Darby and this man engage in a long correspondence which takes Darby on a journey of self-discovery which causes Darby to consider whether her life is partly her doing or just the bad luck she thinks has been with her throughout her life.

Smart language, great dialogue and funny moments alternate with moments of poignant sweetness. A fun read.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Darby’s Café by Cori Cooper was such a fun book to read. It has a bit of an enemies-to-lovers element with a small-town setting, mystery, emotion, secrets, friendship, humour, overcoming challenges, self-discovery, dealing with fear + doubts, overcoming challenges, a little drama + angst, a slow-burn clean romance, self-acceptance, and forgiveness- all wrapped up in a heartwarming story.
Ms. Cooper has again crafted such wonderfully quirky and endearing characters- who were so easy to connect with- I was quickly invested in them and the outcome of the story.
As always, I am looking forward to seeing what Ms. Cooper has in store for us next.
Happy Reading…

Thank you, Cori Cooper!

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darby's Cafe is a book good for young teen readers and adults. Darby lost her restaurant and blames the scathing review by food critic, Jackson Wilcox. The story follows Darby as she comes to terms with her restaurant failure, moving on, and building self-confidence. As she moves forward with her life, Jackson reappears. Is he the horrible person she has made him to be?
I enjoyed the story and how relatable Darby is in the story. Many of us have been through similar types of ups and downs and have to learn to have self-confidence. There was a nice mix of different characters that represent the different parts of growing Darby is going through. I've enjoyed other books by this author and this was also enjoyed. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

[Kerry Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picking up a book by this author always feels so familiar and comforting. Her books always offer a sweet and heartwarming story with some truly lovable characters. And this book was exactly the same. Failure, judgement, criticism – these are things everyone has felt at one time or another. Seeing the main character try to pick up the pieces of her life following a harsh review was really relatable. For me, it meant that I connected with her that much quicker and was rooting for her from the start.
I thought the story was lovely. It was paced just right, offering a clean romance story that focuses on character and plot development. This is probably my favourite book from this author so far, although I am sure I will be saying that about many of her future books.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darby's Cafe is a fun YA romantic comedy that teens can relate to, as well as older readers. It is a clean read that made me laugh several times. Darby is a waitress in a cafe, and has been crushing on a regular forever. She keeps trying to muster the courage to talk to him, but chickens out every time. Her friend convinces her to write a personal ad, to catch his interest. She soon begins an online anonymous relationship with her mystery man that goes on for weeks. It was a lot of fun to see her get to know someone, without really "knowing" him. Along the way, she becomes closer to her friend and her boss. Overall, a really great light reading. I wouldn't mind reading a follow-up, if the author were to continue the story.

[Yvonne Derrig · Rating 4 out of 5]

So Many Warm and Cozy Feels

Cori Cooper has written on of the most relatable romance novels I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Reading this book was like watching a Hallmark movie! I felt all of Darby’s fear and anxiety as if it were my own. The dynamic between Darby and Kenya is so comedic and heartwarming, classic BFFs. There is so much story and plot packed into this small book, and I simply couldn’t put it down… Even forgoing sleep just to finish it. The twist towards the end left my flabbers gasted, I just couldn’t believe the words I was reading. I just had to know if it all worked out, that there was a HEA at the end of Darby and Cole’s tale. If you’re looking for a cozy romance to whittle away a few hours that gives you all of the feel goods, look no further because this is it.

[Juls · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darby’s Café by Cori Cooper is a really enjoyable wholesome romance that I loved from start to finish. Waitress Darby is spending her days working at a local café, recovering after the loss of her grandmother and the demise of her business. When she notices a gorgeous newcomer to the Café each morning, Darby and her friend Kenya decide to place an ad in the local papers personal section to catch his attention and she is surprised when she gets a response. What follows is a story of friendship, understanding and growth. I felt this was an easy read but I really liked it. I would recommend to readers who are just looking for a good clean love story, with descriptions of food that will make you hungry.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable and engaging story which kept me happily turning the pages. A year ago Darby had her own restaurant until a scathing review ruined her life, and resulted in her returning to her hometown. Having lost confidence Darby works at a small cafe in the town whilst taking business classes in her free time. She would like nothing more than to start again with her restaurant and show critic Jackson Wilcox that he was wrong about her. First though Darby needs to work up the confidence to talk to the hot guy who has breakfast at the cafe every morning. This heartwarming story kept me hooked throughout. I fell in love with the likeable and relatable Darby and really felt for her loosing her confidence, and finding the strength to start again.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cute and fun read, with lots of sweet moments and some humor. Darby's life was basically ruined by Jackson Wilcox when he wrote a bad review about her restaurant, and she ended up closing it. She returned home to her small Utah town and started taking business classes, in her spare time she daydreams about the cute customer who frequents the cafe she works at. She decided to place an ad in the personal section to try to get his attention, as he is always reading the personals in the newspaper. To her delight, her ad is answered, and a fun relationship ensues (in writing!!). There are, of course, some twists along the way that will keep you entertained. This was my first book by this author, and I'll be definitely looking for more. Highly recommend.