Patrick “Dilly” Dillon has been lifeless ever since he lost his wife in a tragic car accident. He’s desperate to reconnect with her and hopes one day she’ll come back to him as he sits in their favorite café day after day. He still orders two cups of coffee, hoping he’ll look up from his sketch book and see his Margaux’s face across from him with her hands wrapped around a mug.
The world is different now that she’s gone. Food is tasteless, the sun dim, and Dilly can’t remember the last time he felt the touch of another human being, even though he remains close to the baristas at Café Conquistador. Life will never be the same…
That is until a stunning young woman enters the café one day.
Jocelyn sees Dilly unlike anyone else and he can’t help but feel guilty for feeling drawn to another woman… There is just something about Jocelyn that feels familiar to him and he’s not sure why.
Legend has it that the Café Conquistador is haunted. Maybe it’s just tall tales or maybe it’s wishful thinking by the Conquistador baristas who miss seeing the most in love couple they’ve ever known sipping coffee together every morning.
Sandy Lo's personal story is inspiring. She started, StarShine Magazine, an online publication in 2001, at the age of 18. She wrote her first novel in 2009, "Lost In You," followed by the "Dream Catchers" Series. She was the first person ever to professionally interview Taylor Swift and has received personal endorsements for her books from members of boy bands Backstreet Boys and 98 Degrees.
In 2012, gained tremendous momentum in book sales on Kindle. She has been included on the "50 Writers You Should Be Reading" list by The Authors Show, and both "Dream Catchers" (2010) and "Breaking The Moon" (2011) reached the Top 100 Best Selling Coming of Age novels in Amazon's Kindle Store. What makes this even more unique, is that Sandy relocated from NY to Nashville in order to write "The Watch Dog," (2012) which is set in a fictional town outside of Music City. She has true dedication to her craft! Sandy again relocated to Florida to pen "Indigo Waters" (2014) before traveling the country while blogging and getting inspiration for future projects.
Currently, Sandy is in the process of adapting "Dream Catchers" into a screenplay. Her latest novella, "Decaf For The Dead" will be releasing September 2019.
Novellas are such a great way to spend my mornings with a hot cup of coffee. I flew through this one and really enjoyed it, even with the somber undertones.
Decaf for the Dead is an emotional journey, not only for Patrick, but also for his wife and those around him. It may be a short and quick read, but it's full of heart and had the tears flowing at the end. I'm such a sap so it wasn't hard to get the waterworks going. Plus, I enjoy this author's writing and how quickly I fall into her stories.
Even though this is on the sadder side, the ending was beautiful. Such a great way to finish a book and start my day. I sincerely appreciate the publisher and By the Book VBP for the review copy. All opinions expressed herein are my own.
Synopsis: Patrick “Dilly” Dillon has been lifeless ever since he lost his wife in a tragic car accident. He’s desperate to reconnect with her and hopes one day she’ll come back to him as he sits in their favorite café day after day. He still orders two cups of coffee, hoping he’ll look up from his sketch book and see his Margaux’s face across from him with her hands wrapped around a mug.
The world is different now that she’s gone. Food is tasteless, the sun dim, and Dilly can’t remember the last time he felt the touch of another human being, even though he remains close to the baristas at Café Conquistador. Life will never be the same…
That is until a stunning young woman enters the café one day.
Jocelyn sees Dilly unlike anyone else and he can’t help but feel guilty for feeling drawn to another woman… There is just something about Jocelyn that feels familiar to him and he’s not sure why.
Legend has it that the Café Conquistador is haunted. Maybe it’s just tall tales or maybe it’s wishful thinking by the Conquistador baristas who miss seeing the most in love couple they’ve ever known sipping coffee together every morning.
Review: This is the perfect book for fall! It gave me the cozy vibes and it felt like a warm hug! When I first started reading this and figured out what was really going on I had the light bulb moment! I think for anyone who reads this to go in blind! It’s much more immersive and it was a little different than how I thought this book would go! I mean this in the best way possible! I loved Dilly as the main character and he was very sweet and sincere! His relationship with Margaux was beautiful! If there is anyone who loves the movie ghost with Patrick Swayze will love this book! I implore to pick it up you will be happy you did!
Thank you so much bythebook for giving me the opportunity to read this book!
Decaf for the Dead is a sweet but fun easy to read in one sitting Novella. Add in some paranormal goodness and it’s the perfect book to snuggle up with and get sucked into for an hour or two.
Dilly enjoys hanging out at his favorite coffee shop daily, it’s his comfort zone. More so since he lost his beloved wife five years ago. It’s where he still feels close to her.
In his heart he knows he needs to move on. He starts to notice some strange things happening and when a pretty young new barista shows up, things get really weird. 🤐
That’s all I can really say without spoilers but I truly enjoyed this one! It’s an emotional yet uplifting read. Think: Ghost 👀
I adore all of Sandy’s books and this is one of my faves of hers. Check this one out friends, I’m pretty sure Dilly will steal your heart. ♥️ It really is such a lovely story.
This was a quick, emotional novella. This was a somber and at times sad read, but it was also beautiful in a way. I really like the author’s writing and it’s easy to get lost in it. This book was perfect for fall and it gave off a cozy vibe. I really enjoyed how this novella explored grief, loss, and a second chance at love.
Patrick Dillon's life has lost its purpose since he lost his wife in a tragic accident. He goes through the motions, but he feels like he's not really living. That is, until a woman walks into his wife's cafe and helps him to see things in a different light.
What a sweet read on love, life, and the afterlife. I don't want to say too much and ruin anything, but I really enjoyed this novella and its exploration on grief and loss. Sandy Lo has a real talent for creating dynamic characters, and that shined through the pages here.
Sandy Lo has done it again! Her ability to capture each characters emotions has the reader feeling connected to the story, making me forget I was reading fiction, lol. This is a great read for teens and adults. I can't wait for the next book in the series!