在忘卻溫柔之前

コーヒーが冷めないうちに #5

by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, 川口俊和, 丁世佳 (Translator)

習以為常的幸福日常，
或許並非真的理所當然──

聽說在不知名的小徑上，有間不可思議咖啡店﹝纜車之行﹞，
只要坐上那個座位，就能移動到任何你想去的時間點。
不過，囉唆的是……有著非常麻煩的規矩。
　
今天也有客人，為了想讓凍結的「現在」繼續朝未來轉動，
而鼓起勇氣選擇回到過去與去到未來。

希望離婚的父母能幸福、
讓摯愛的丈夫看看剛出生的孩子、
渴望得到父親的諒解與認可、
送不出情人節巧克力的遺憾……

他們是否都能找到自己的溫柔歸屬呢？

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Japanese Literature, Japan, Audiobook, Time Travel

336 pages, Paperback

First published March 13, 2023

About the author

Toshikazu Kawaguchi (in Japanese: 川口 俊 和) was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1971. He formerly produced, directed and wrote for the theatrical group Sonic Snail. As a playwright, his works include COUPLE, Sunset Song, and Family Time. The novel Before the Coffee Gets Cold is adapted from a 1110 Productions play by Kawaguchi, which won the 10th Suginami Drama Festival grand prize.

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly, I am the lady in white in the book. So yes, that’s my level of interest while reading the book.
.
.
.

Of course, it’s supposed to be emotional and sad and wholesome. Of course, I felt like a robot which couldn’t feel emotions while reading the book. Yes, this has been my issue ever since the first book.

What almost always kills my interest while reading a book in this series:

1. Over explanation of the characters’ feelings and emotions and what they are supposedly feeling. Let the reader feel what we are supposed to feel. Just tell the damn story.
For a short book this short, it felt too long for nothing.

But I read the short book in one sitting. Cos it’s quite readable! That’s my favourite part.

Here’s my main stages of thoughts while reading the book (as happened with the first four books):

1. (Just starting the book stage) Wow this book is really good and I am ready to cry!
2. Well, the good part ended too soon
3. Over explanation starts from the second story (yes, this is a formula for each book in the series by now if you haven’t noticed it yet!)
4. Emotions on the characters seem so forced most of the time
5. The sense of superiority in the writing trying to repeatedly explain the secret of the cafe over and over again like everyone else in the galaxy is dumb af that it gets preachy pretty fast
6. Most adult characters when they “meet” their loved ones seem to dramatically change out of their character (yes, they are going to the past for similar reasons but it tends to be a bit unbelievable in most situations)
7. Maybe it’s the translation I have a problem with but nah, most unlikely as I have no issues with the flow
8. Why am I still reading the books in a series which I didn’t even like the first book?!
Well, blame it on the irresistible cover.

Just start a new book already and I am going to read it for sure.

The plot of the book is getting old and it’s past its prime. It’s time for the next book or series.

Somehow we are reading this one because of the cover, how short it is and how readable it is.

Who will like this book better:

The reader who loves reading supposedly emotionally packed books but really does not want to cry in public while holding a very pretty book to cause envy from the onlookers.

Well…. Most unlikely.

But seriously pick up this book only if you loved one of the previous books in the series. Not for the FOMO. It won’t do much but waste your time.

[Lilyya ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

”as humans, we are wired to fear the unknown.”

at the enigmatic Funiculi Funicula café, a singular rule governs the temporal topography: from the precise moment the coffee is poured until it reaches its final, lukewarm destination, patrons are free to traverse the fabric of time, choosing any moment, second, or date that tantalizes their curiosity. yet, beware, for the café's mystical energies may exact a terrible toll: those who tamper with the past risk being cursed by a sorrowful fate, and the consequences of altering the timeline can be catastrophic.

”regret comes in two f lavors: actions taken and opportunities missed. the regret from doing something stems from either not being able to undo it, or the awful outcome, such as hurting someone with an insensitive comment, or feeling wretched after declaring one’s love.”

the novel is comprised of four distinct narratives: 'The Son', 'The Nameless Child', 'The Father', and 'The Valentine'. however, despite their disparate storylines, they ultimately converge to convey a powerful theme: the profound sentiment of grief. the novel mourns the loss of the illusion of a family, where one's child will never experience the solidity of a father's presence, where a father will never get to witness a child's first moments of life, where one will never reconnect with their own estranged father, and where one will never have the chance to live their true love story.

”In this world, there are countless situations where sound reasoning doesn’t necessarily lead to the right answer.”

overall, I found the novel to be a deeply moving and emotional experience, as it retraced different storylines to evoke a single, powerful essence. while the multitude of characters presented did occasionally lead to moments of confusion, I was able to keep track of most of them after a few pages. however, there were one or two instances where I had to double back to refresh my memory on certain character identities.

“but to die without ever conveying my feelings is an even greater torment.”

many thanks to publisher and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review

————-
i somehow got the ARC.. 🤷🏽‍♀️

[Cam (Lana Belova) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yay! I've been waiting for a new book in the series since I finished the fourth one. I missed being immersed in this café's atmosphere and the characters' interactions with the visitors going to the past or the future.



There's something liberating about reading these heartwarming tales. A warm atmosphere in here I was happy to be back to reminded me of being on a summer vacation, sittting in the sunshine, nothing to do but read my book and enjoy the day and yet another tale I couldn't bring myself to put aside and brought along with me. It's chilly outside today but this book made me forget about grey clouds and cold but whispering wind I actually love listening to. The wind somehow represented an element of uncertainty, at the same time urgency of the different paths the characters were facing and had to choose. Whooshing and swaying, staying still for a moment then going whispering again.



This installment was yet another gentle touch to the already fascinating series of the books, adding yet more charm and heart to them. 🩷


Dreamworlds by Lily (Sugarmints Artwork)

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Is this book a clear cash grab? Yes. Is the plot repetitive and the exact same as the first four books? Yes. Will I buy the inevitable sequel? Probably. Is this Stockholm Syndrome?

[Aanz ★.ᐟ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ── .✦

⟢ ❝𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝. ❞

⋮ 🧺┆ 𐔌 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜 ౨ৎ
Please ignore how this took me four fucking days to write this review This was a good book, good enough to be read in one sitting! I was worried about my reading slump coming at the WORST TIMING ever because I literally have no work BUT STILL I don’t want to read a book, and I think I’m out of it (?) I really think this series is very helpful for anyone who is in a terrible slump ( like me) or to read during your exams. Anyways , the writing style and the pace of the story was great as usual.The characters were mid , really didn’t connect with any of them. Also didn’t like the fact that it didn’t focus on Kazu and Nagare unlike the other book in the series.

⟢ The first story “The Son” was focused on a seven year old kid called Yumi whose parents went through a divorce and he regretted crying on the day they announced it because he wanted to be “supportive”. If it didn’t make any sense , it’s because it doesn’t. Like WHY THE HELL would a seven year old kid worry about it? If I take this story seriously thenYuki was so much mature than his parents.

⟢ Then was “The Nameless Child” which is about a lady going back in time to ask her husband who died in an accident to ask what to name the child. Honestly I have no opinion on this story , I was just reading it to complete the book😭🙏🏻.

⟢ Then came “The Father” . I didn’t like any story as in but The Father was quite emotional. It is about a daughter going back in time to see her father who said no to her marriage and she basically ran away and eloped with that guy.

⟢ Then was “The Valentine” which is about a girl called Tsumugi and her friend Ayame. Tsumugi liked a boy named Hayato who liked Ayame, so Tsumugi was always jealous of Ayame but when she realise Ayame actually likes her , it was too late… This one was good but predictable.

𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠

⟢ Before the coffee gets cold - 5 ⭐️
⟢ Tales from the Cafe - 3.25 ⭐️
⟢ Before Your Memory Fades Away - 5 ⭐️
⟢ Before We Say Goodbye - 3.5 ⭐️
⟢ Before We forget kindness - 4 ⭐️

[Ally · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is by far the most emotional book in the series. I sobbed while reading these.

The first story didn’t grip as much, but the other three… I am still a mess just thinking about them.

I absolutely love this series, the stories are so heartfelt and often heartbreaking, but wouldn’t you do anything for a chance to go back in time to be with someone you loved?

Friends, pleaseeeee read this series. Each one gets better, and this was beautiful.

Thank you to Pan MacMillan and the team at BookBreak for my advanced reader copy. Also, thank you for including the tissues.

[claire (franchaela pilled) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 / 5 🌟

I CAN’T STOP CRYING I HATE THIS BOOK

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

*read in Mandarin
Basically the same as books 1-4 but I still cried a bunch 😆🙈

[Ellery Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the other books in this series, this installment about the Japanese café that allows for time travel if one follows certain rules is as soothing and warm-hearted as ever.

These simple stories of people longing to undo a major regret are filled with grace and forgiveness.

For some reason, I felt less connected with the characters in this book. I felt like I needed to hear more about the regular characters instead of having them just hang around in the background. They help ground the other stories, so I missed getting to know them better in this installment.

As always, thanks so much to Libro FM for the gifted audiobook. The narrator had a very soothing voice, which perfectly accompanies the book’s overall tone.

[Kristen's Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

As always, thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!
I have been looking forward to this book since I read the other 4 books in the series in May. I devoured those books in 4 days, which meant crying my eyes out for 4 days.
...I don't know what happened but I feel like a different person wrote this book compared to the other 4 books in the series. The way the different stories were told in this book was completely different than the previous books. The stories were so matter of fact and perhaps 3 or 4 pages of each short story was really engaging and as emotional as the previous books, but this one fell flat. I caught myself skimming half the book. I am so disappointed. Luckily, you can read each book as a stand alone so this one isn't needed to fill in anything from previous books.

[Judit A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book follows the clear pattern of the whole series. Even though I loved the first books, it starts feeling too repetitive now. In every chapter, all the rules and all the characters are introduced again, and that is also too reptitive. However, two of the stories were nice and heartwarming. But yeah, I would rate it as 3.5 stars.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/3 stars

Overall the book was sad much more than I expected. It creates an illusion of how we portray family and how we can’t change little things from the past that we think will sway the direction of our future life path. There was four different stories and as heartbreaking as this was I couldn’t connect to the story or the characters. We still have the same premise of going to the cafe and coming back before the coffee gets cold but maybe being the fifth book the plot of the cafe could change like a switch up of rules.

I got the arc of this how exciting thank you so much NetGalley

[sophie ⚘ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i just adore these books so much and can't wait for number 6

[Sotiria Lazaridou · Rating 5 out of 5]

the first book I finished this year, my first 5⭐ book, my most anticipated book and probably my number 1 book of the year........

this pretty much sums up my feelings towards this book

[Oscar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good installment in this series.

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is largely set in a café called Funiculi Funicula in Jimbocho, in the Kanda area in Chiyoda City, Tokyo, with a sign on the corner of an alley. The name seems to have no particular reason. But what makes this café stand apart from others is that it seems, as word gets around, that the coffee one could order could also take you back in time. Not permanently, there is a set amount of time, but enough time to connect and ask their questions or share their regrets, all within a limited period of time - the time it takes from the beginning to end is from the time the coffee is poured, and ends just before the coffee gets cold.

In order to begin the journey to the past, there is a special chair in the café, which one needs to wait for a particular chair in the café, which a certain customer will be occupying, and you must wait until that person to leave the chair, and visit the restroom. Then you may sit in the chair which will take you back in time, but you must stay on the chair while you are in the past. And there is another stipulation, who you can go back to meet is limited to those who have visited the cafe previously.

This is the fifth book in the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series, but not having read the ones that preceded this one, I enjoyed it as a stand alone read.

At 240 pages, this is a relatively short read, but it explores so many regrets that people have had over the years, and the sorrows that follow. The questions never asked, the questions never answered.


Pub Date: 05 Nov 2024


Many thanks to for the ARC provided by Harlequin Trade Publishing / Hanover Square Press

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fifth book in the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series was such a touching read! We’re back at the mysterious café where visitors can go back in time, but only if they follow the rule of returning before their coffee gets cold. This time, we meet four new characters, each with their own emotional journey. There’s the father who couldn’t accept his daughter’s marriage, the woman who never gave her Valentine’s chocolates to her love, a boy who wants to show his smile to his divorced parents, and a mother holding a nameless child.

I loved how each story was so different, yet all connected by the theme of regret and longing for closure. The book is relatively short but manages to dive deep into these characters’ sorrows and hopes. What always gets me about this series is how quietly powerful it is. The café setting is cozy and almost magical. Each visit feels like a comforting return, even though every story hits me right in the emotions.

This one, just like the previous books, had me feeling so much by the end. It’s not flashy or full of plot twists, but that’s part of its charm. It’s all about human connection, forgiveness, and finding peace with the past. I’d recommend this to anyone who has read the earlier books because it definitely continues to deliver that same quiet, bittersweet beauty. If you’ve followed the series this far, you won’t want to miss this next chapter.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Kari · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

I have truly loved most of the books in this series, but I think I might be done with it after this installment. With the other installments, I was hoping that each character (even though some of them had made terrible mistakes in their lives) would get the reconciliation or closure they were seeking. Many of the characters in this one, though, were so unlikable that I didn’t even care to see those moments of forgiveness or reuniting.

We’ve got manipulative parents making their young child choose between them, abusive relationships that were kind of blamed on a character not honoring her parents’ wishes, a selfish woman who let her envy destroy what could have been a lifelong friendship, and a queer trope that should be long behind us by now even in a country that generally has more conservative views on the topic.

I did enjoy a few aspects of the book that are making me consider whether to round up to 3 or down to 2. I loved that we learned some of the mechanics behind the time travel and had some different scenarios we’ve not seen before with how the traveling is done. I also related quite a bit to one of the stories because of the character’s complicated relationship with her father and her feelings because of that.

Overall though, this book felt disappointing to me as compared to the rest of the series.

[Liora Grünwald · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5

Unfortunately, I think after this one I won't be continuing with the "Before The Coffee Gets Cold" series. Don't get me wrong, some of the stories are excellent (like the last one of this book, the Alzheimer's story of the first one, and the dog one of book four) but the rest were just so repetitive or were baffling to me with how the characters could be so unlikable that reading these at this point feels like a chore rather than a good time. I also genuinely feel like Toshikazu Kawaguchi is trying so hard to capture the magic of the first book in this series that he is beating a dead horse at this point. I know Ive mentioned that in previous reviews but it's very apparent that's what's happening now. Between repeating the time travel rules every other page, unnecessary oversaturated dialogue, and the mentioning of the characters being shocked about the female ghost over and over again I just can't deal with it anymore. I swear I'll be eighty years old and still remember the coffee time travel rules because it was drilled into my head so many times. So, at this point, I don't think it would be fair of me to continue the series. I'll let his die hard fans who actually enjoy these books be spared from my constant nagging and nit-picking. Now for what I thought about each of the stories individually...

*The Son:

Well, this is off to a bad start already. As I said in reviews of Kawaguchis previous books I can't tell if the situations he puts us in is baffling to me due to a cultural difference or the fact that he hasn't ever had a real interaction with actual humans in his life. I'm sorry, who the f*** tells their child they are getting a divorce on Christmas? After giving him an awesome day as a family at Disneyland? That is just cruelty at its finest. Then to actually tell your seven year old child that the reason you got divorced is because you both had other people you were interested in? Ughhhhh.....that's just weird. This story is weird. Yuki's reason for wanting to go back in the past is super sweet but his parents absolutely don't deserve it. Yikes. Those conversations should have been put on hold until he was much older and the divorce conversation could have at least waited until after the Christmas holidays so he doesn't think about it every year. Absolutely selfish.

*The Nameless Child:

Thank goodness this one wasn't as weird and devoid of sense as the first story. Just a heartwarming story of a woman going back in time to have her deceased husband name their child. A heartfelt story with a good gut punch and familiar characters from the first book in the series. The only negative so far that I'm seeing (this was also in the first story) is that Kawaguchi seems to be writing like he has to turn in a school essay with a word count. He keeps going on these random tangents and repeating the same phrases or ideas over and over again. He did this in his other novels too I'm starting to notice. Especially the cafe rules...I swear I'll be able to remember the cafe rules for time travel until the day I die because he has said it so many times.

*The Father:

This one was decent. A story of regret and not understanding how precious your family relationships are until it's too late. A daughter eloped against her father's wishes and everything resumes from there. This one could have been much shorter than what is was because, once again, Kawaguchi feels the need to retell the rules of the cafe...again. Also again to repeat how creepy the ghost woman is or to give a long winded backstory that's not necessary.

*The Valentine:

Well...that one definitely got me. I'm absolutely sobbing like a baby right now. Why on earth did this whole book irritate me and then finally at the very end gut punch me and make my heart feel like it's going to explode. Ughhhhhh....as a woman who also loves women and is in a relationship with one this hurts. This was great and it sucked at the same time. That ending was devastating. I am making absolutely no sense right now and my review is definitely going to be no longer eloquent due to just this paragraph but I don't care. Thanks Kawaguchi for reminding me of all my young angst at all the times I would fall for a girl and never be able to say anything. Haha! At least, I have had a happy ending enough. Even though, I don't plan on reading anymore of this series because I just can't be bothered and I don't like it enough this was an excellent way to end my time with it on. I couldn't be happier.

[meggy (readsinbloom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Before We Forget Kindness” by Toshikazu Kawaguchi is a continuation of his series, Before the Coffee Gets Cold. This is actually the first book in this series that I have read. I love the concept of being able to time travel, but only in a coffee shop, with certain rules that you must follow. I loved the plot lines developed in this book, particularly the last that revolves around a missed chance for love between two girl best friends. I think I will probably pick up the first book, but I don’t know if I will feel inclined to pick up every book in the series. The writing was lovely, thanks to both the original author and the translator.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[vanessa ⋆.☕︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

just to complete the series, you know.
It was good but not as good as the first book..

[bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually love the casual lesbian representation???

[Lin Dautzenberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last story 🥹

[penta · Rating 1 out of 5]

Przepis na książkę z cyklu "Zanim wystygnie kawa":
- dziesięć kopiastych łyżeczek zasad i powtarzanych informacji;
- szczypta oczywistych faktów opisywanych jakby czytelnik był robotem, któremu zapomniano wgrać podstawowe informacje nt. ludzkich uczuć;
- dwie miarki tanich wzruszeń. Najlepiej smakują martwe żony i małe dzieci, ale mogą być też pieski;
- trzy litry seksizmu. Jeśli pojawia się Fumiko, można dodać jeszcze kapkę. Jeśli bohaterka sprzeciwia się woli rodziców, można też dodać jej za karę lekcję życia.

W tym tomie możemy też dodać prawdopodobnie najgorszy wątek wlw, jaki czytałam przez ostatni rok.

Smacznego!

[mikeyandherbooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

E-arc provided by Netgalley

The issue I have with this book is the same one I have for every book in this series and that's that not only in the beginning of the book but in each story they explain the rules of the cafe and by the end of the book you've heard they same damn thing like 4 or 5 times, overall this was a fine addition and basically a carbon copy of every other book in the series

[Bella Azam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before we forget kindness, 5th book in a massively popular series by Toshikazu Kawaguchi & translated by Geoffrey Trousselot is a heartwarming stories on kindness. Of how we sometimes forget that being kind is the key in healthy relationship. The charm of the series lies on the emotional strings of these characters brought with their personal background stories. I get why people love the series a lot and how it gained popularity because at its heart, I think we all craves for the compassion & humane potrayal of the stories in here

In the latest installment, there are 4 characters who want to travel back in time just to see the person they loved. From a son whom torn apart about his divorced parents as he truly want to make both of his parents happy while also being so selfishly kind of not caring about his own feeling. The Nameless child tells about a wife wanting to meet her husband who died before her childbirth so that he can name their child & when she did, realizing that her husband is not a childish man but a kind person that truly cared about other people. The Father showed a father strained relationship with his daughter after their fight caused the daughter to elope & lost contact for years after her marriage, the regret & guilt ridden father wanted to see his daughter again. Lastly, Valentine told on a broken friendship due to envy which by the end revealed of the heartbreaks & unfulfilled love between the two friends

As a premise, the concept of this book is interesting, its well written too with the focus on relationship, gleaning on topics of marriage, love & understanding, emotion, feelings, communication, and how we tend to take things for granted. Its a decently warm book with a lot of hearts & soul in it. Some of the anecdotes in here reminded me of the true key in relationships, of appreciating the time you have, to understand that kindness come from the heart & to fully embrace how being kind to others is a gift

All in all, I enjoyed this one more than expected so if u love heartwarming book, this one is for you

Review copy by @definitelybooks , thank u sm ❤️

[সালমান হক · Rating 4 out of 5]

সিরিজের পঞ্চম বই৷ কাহিনীতে খুব একটা ভিন্নতা আশা করিনি৷ সেই একই রকম বর্ণনা। ক্যাফে ফানিকুলি ফানিকুলা। চরিত্রদের কিছু বলতে না পারার আফসোস অথবা কিছু বলে ফেলার জন্যে অনুশোচনা আবারও হয়তো ছুঁয়ে যাবে পাঠকদের৷

[earth to vivie']

I can't find the English translated version anywhere, HELP

[Türkan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It didn’t give me much new, but will I read every one that comes out in this series? Yes

2.75 ⭐️

Maybe RTC

[✮ osanna aoki ✮ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"But for that to happen... for a customer to be able to return to the past in this café, there were other annoying— as in extremely annoying— rules."

Quite literally took the words right out of my mouth.

This time around, Kawaguchi expands on the rules— deciding to take up a whopping three pages of my damn time! We're up to book five, with a sixth due for release soon.

I promise that we understand the rules.

Yet here I am again, reading the most repetitive book in the world— again, and still enjoying these money-grab stories. I am currently being commercially exploited, and with this series of books, that's okay.

They're just so comforting.

"Regret comes in two flavors: actions taken and opportunities missed."

Turning regret into redemption seems to be an integral theme that expands across the majority of these novels. Before We Forget Kindness resonates every part of the aforementioned quote. This collection of four stories anchored together by the famous time-traveling café, tenderly discuss the challenges of dealing with guilt, shame, and overlooked opportunity.

The beauty of magical realism in Japanese literature is that there's a built-in space for second chances— the option of salvation. Though many would be deterred to travel back in time without the ability to change the outcome, Kawaguchi has created a set of characters who are focused on moving forward, continuing their lives with newfound perspective, and learning from their past mistakes.

No matter how similar the stories may seem from book to book— they act as a silent mantra and gentle reminder.

Life is full of strife, confusion, decision-making, love, joy, sadness, animosity, challenges, and the list goes on.

But— life is also fleeting.

Café Funiculi Funicula is a place where you can finally make amends, amends that are never considered to be too late.

Before We Forget Kindness is currently ranked as my second favorite in the series now. I enjoyed the various stories, with the final one bringing all the tears. There was a bit more connection between the café employees, regulars, and customers. This provided the sense of coziness and charm that were both missing from the previous two books.

While Before the Coffee Gets Cold remains a series that people either love or hate— I'm definitely a lover. I'm giving this novel ★ ★ ★ ★ stars for being a serious comfort book, giving me plenty to ponder over, its heartwarming appeal, and for that last story, The Valentine. I'm so excited for the next installment, nor can I put these books to rest.