Love in Lowercase; Francesc Miralles

Love in Lowercase; Francesc Miralles

Penguin - 2016

Samuel de Juan is a 37 year-old linguistics professor who lives what many would consider to be a very lonely life in Barcelona.  He's quirky, socially awkward and definitely a man set in his routines.  He loves his books and foreign films and tends to eat the same foods day after day.

On New Years Day he hears scratching at his door and opens it to find a tabby cat.  He intends to find the cat his home but, allows it in for a saucer of milk. Little does he know this cat has no intention of leaving and before long it becomes a sleeping companion and member of the household.

The cat, who he calls Mishima, moves Samuel out of his comfort zone, and gets him to meet new people and even sparking a little romance, even though that seems to come about a bit too conveniently. He reconnects with Gabriela, a childhood interest he hadn't seen since he was very young.

Love in Lowercase reminds readers that if we are looking for different results in our lives, sometimes we need to move out of our comfort zones and try different things.  This book is a very quick read and has a nice blend of literary references, classical music and of course, the magical power of a cat to transform one's life.  This is a perfect Valentine's Day story. This is a translated work from Spanish which was well done.

4/5 stars

(sent by publishers)