A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham

A Brewed Awakening
By Pepper Basham
Published by Thomas Nelson Fiction
Publication Date: May 5, 2026

Description from the Publisher:
Daphne dreams of Mr. Darcy. Finn serves up pints and rock music. Can opposites attract when a tea shop princess meets her pub-owning rival?

In the charming mountain town of Wisteria, North Carolina, Daphne Austen clings to tradition like cream to a scone. She's built her life--and her late grandmother's tearoom, Tea Thyme--around all things delicate china, Jane Austen novels, and the comforting predictability of routine. The only thing threatening her perfectly ordered world? The loud, aggravatingly handsome Brit opening a pub next door.
After his ex-wife broke his heart and his business partner nearly destroyed his career, Finn Dashwood packed up his six-year-old daughter and left England behind. He's looking for a fresh start, and the last thing he needs is a fussy, tea-obsessed neighbor criticizing his every pint and playlist. It doesn't matter that she's ridiculously kind (to everyone else) and that his daughter is utterly fascinated by her. Finn's heart is not open to being broken again.
But disagreements turn into prank wars and then a competition when a high-profile wedding needs a last-minute caterer. The townsfolk are thrilled--Wisteria hasn't seen this much excitement since the county fair lost a goat.When the wedding demands both sweet and savory fare, Daphne and Finn are forced to put down their swords and pick up their serving trays. Between burnt pastries, brewing tempers, trending hashtags (#SipsAndSpats, anyone?), and one very adorable little girl, rivalry soon gives way to reluctant friendship--and maybe something that feels suspiciously like chemistry.
Can a tea shop princess and a pub owner with a past mix their lives as seamlessly as clotted cream and jam . . . or will their differences keep them steeped in rivalry forever?

My Review:
Daphne and Finn were both realistic characters. While I liked Daphne, I struggled initially with Finn—he was just a bit too mean and even if I could understand why he was the way that he was, it was still frustrating; I actually had to stop reading for a bit because I was disliking him so much. Luckily, when I dove back in, it was right when he starts to soften a bit and I didn’t have to hope he got a pot of hot tea dumped over his head. Once he realized that he needed to do some changing, I liked him quite a bit. I especially like that he recognized he hadn’t been the nicest to Daphne and needed to do some work to build trust.
I have mixed feelings on the social media comments at the beginning of most chapters. Some of it was really funny, but sometimes it was a bit too much and could have been pared down. Overall, a fun book and definitely one I’ll be rereading.
4 stars.
I read a DRC provided by the publisher via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.