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A Gritty Little Tourist Town: Bar Tales from Costa Rica
Not yet published
Expected 7 Apr 26Fans of Bill Bryson will love this intimate and humorous memoir surrounding a group of expats as they entertain each other with their stories at a bar in a Costa Rican village.
Willa and her wife travel to Costa Rica to visit family—but what they discover is far more than they expected . In a sleepy fishing village on the Pacific coast, they meet a vibrant, curious group of expats who have come looking for paradise—or at least cheap beer.
At the Pato Loco, a local bar where stories flow as freely as the drinks, they meet Mama, the blind seventy-two-year-old co-owner of the place; her partner Mary, Willa’s sister, a bartender and installation artist; Richie, the aging hippie whose words are few but weighty; and a whole cast of unforgettable characters who will answer questions like:
- What is it really like to live in another country?
- How important is it to learn the local language?
- How does a tight-knit community face the pressure of development?
- Can you survive dengue—and would you want to?
- Oh, and how do you perform CPR on a fish?
A collection of stories full of humor, heart, and wisdom from unexpected places, A Gritty Little Tourist Town follows Willa as she discovers connection within this community of strangers—one bar tale at a time.
Willa and her wife travel to Costa Rica to visit family—but what they discover is far more than they expected . In a sleepy fishing village on the Pacific coast, they meet a vibrant, curious group of expats who have come looking for paradise—or at least cheap beer.
At the Pato Loco, a local bar where stories flow as freely as the drinks, they meet Mama, the blind seventy-two-year-old co-owner of the place; her partner Mary, Willa’s sister, a bartender and installation artist; Richie, the aging hippie whose words are few but weighty; and a whole cast of unforgettable characters who will answer questions like:
- What is it really like to live in another country?
- How important is it to learn the local language?
- How does a tight-knit community face the pressure of development?
- Can you survive dengue—and would you want to?
- Oh, and how do you perform CPR on a fish?
A collection of stories full of humor, heart, and wisdom from unexpected places, A Gritty Little Tourist Town follows Willa as she discovers connection within this community of strangers—one bar tale at a time.
244 pages, Paperback
Expected publication April 7, 2026
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19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Many thanks to @Booksparks and @WillaGoodfellow for the gifted physical copy of this memoir/short story collection about life in Costa Rica.
Read this book and you might just feel like you’ve pulled up a chair on a beach somewhere, a cold beer in hand, ideally a Pilsen or an Imperial.
Willa structures the book in five clear sections, each filled with short stories, which makes it perfect for beach reading. The kind of book you can dip in and out of between dips or sips.
The stories are drawn from the people Willa has met during her time living in Costa Rica with her wife, Mary. Characters like Lenny, the reluctant hot dog vendor who dreams of becoming a property developer but while he waits for that business to take off he discovers there’s surprisingly good money to be made selling hot dogs as the bars empty out for the night.
Willa turns her attention to the expat circle, the collection of foreign nationals who’ve drifted into this quiet corner of the world for all sorts of reasons. Maybe it was the lure of cheap beer. Maybe the slower pace of life, where the rhythm of the day feels guided as much by the weather as by the clock. Conversations among the expats wander easily from tarantulas to taxes, from baking tips to how to do CPR on a fish.
Petty crime gets a passing mention, things have a habit of disappearing and there are places people quietly learn to avoid But the stories are told with such warmth and humor that the tone never feels heavy. By the end, you’re left with the sense of an easy, sun-washed life and the gentle pull of that laid-back island mindset. One line in particular really stayed with me.
“A lot of people reinvent themselves in Costa Rica. Some pull if off better than others”
Read this book and you might just feel like you’ve pulled up a chair on a beach somewhere, a cold beer in hand, ideally a Pilsen or an Imperial.
Willa structures the book in five clear sections, each filled with short stories, which makes it perfect for beach reading. The kind of book you can dip in and out of between dips or sips.
The stories are drawn from the people Willa has met during her time living in Costa Rica with her wife, Mary. Characters like Lenny, the reluctant hot dog vendor who dreams of becoming a property developer but while he waits for that business to take off he discovers there’s surprisingly good money to be made selling hot dogs as the bars empty out for the night.
Willa turns her attention to the expat circle, the collection of foreign nationals who’ve drifted into this quiet corner of the world for all sorts of reasons. Maybe it was the lure of cheap beer. Maybe the slower pace of life, where the rhythm of the day feels guided as much by the weather as by the clock. Conversations among the expats wander easily from tarantulas to taxes, from baking tips to how to do CPR on a fish.
Petty crime gets a passing mention, things have a habit of disappearing and there are places people quietly learn to avoid But the stories are told with such warmth and humor that the tone never feels heavy. By the end, you’re left with the sense of an easy, sun-washed life and the gentle pull of that laid-back island mindset. One line in particular really stayed with me.
“A lot of people reinvent themselves in Costa Rica. Some pull if off better than others”
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Book Review
Title: A Gritty Little Tourist Town
Author: @willagoodfellow
PUB: 04/07/26
Tropes
Memoir
Food/ Travel
Bar Tales
Thank you so much partner @booksparks and @willagoodfellow for this gifted physical copy
The Book:
Willa and her wife travel to Costa Rica to visit family-but what they discover is far more than they expected. In a sleepy fishing village on the Pacific coast, they find a vibrant, curious group of expats who have come looking for paradise-or at least cheap beer.
At the Pato Loco, a local bar where stories flow as freely as the drinks, they meet Mama, the blind seventy-two-year-old co-owner of the place; her partner Mary, Willa’s sister, a bartender and installation artist; Richie, the aging hippie whose words are few but weighty; and a whole cast of unforgettable characters who answer questions like:
• What is it really like to live in another country?
•How important is it to learn the local language?
• How does a tight-knit community face the pressure of development?
• Can you survive dengue -and would you want to?
• Oh, and how do you perform CPR on a fish?
My Thoughts 💭:
A Gritty Little Tourist Town, a collection of stories where Willa Goodfellow gives us a glimpse into her life at Pato Loco, her families local bar in Playas Del Coco. This collection of stories will take you through a vivid and beachy expat community, all while giving us her personal reflections on life and ministry.
This was a cute beachy and family oriented quick read. I absolutely loved the Spanglish and the way it transported me to a vivid Playas Del Coco and reminded me that I really need a beachy vacation AASAP! Totally recommend this great read!
Title: A Gritty Little Tourist Town
Author: @willagoodfellow
PUB: 04/07/26
Tropes
Memoir
Food/ Travel
Bar Tales
Thank you so much partner @booksparks and @willagoodfellow for this gifted physical copy
The Book:
Willa and her wife travel to Costa Rica to visit family-but what they discover is far more than they expected. In a sleepy fishing village on the Pacific coast, they find a vibrant, curious group of expats who have come looking for paradise-or at least cheap beer.
At the Pato Loco, a local bar where stories flow as freely as the drinks, they meet Mama, the blind seventy-two-year-old co-owner of the place; her partner Mary, Willa’s sister, a bartender and installation artist; Richie, the aging hippie whose words are few but weighty; and a whole cast of unforgettable characters who answer questions like:
• What is it really like to live in another country?
•How important is it to learn the local language?
• How does a tight-knit community face the pressure of development?
• Can you survive dengue -and would you want to?
• Oh, and how do you perform CPR on a fish?
My Thoughts 💭:
A Gritty Little Tourist Town, a collection of stories where Willa Goodfellow gives us a glimpse into her life at Pato Loco, her families local bar in Playas Del Coco. This collection of stories will take you through a vivid and beachy expat community, all while giving us her personal reflections on life and ministry.
This was a cute beachy and family oriented quick read. I absolutely loved the Spanglish and the way it transported me to a vivid Playas Del Coco and reminded me that I really need a beachy vacation AASAP! Totally recommend this great read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
With fond memories of my own short visit to Costa Rica, fifteen years ago, this book immediately drew my attention with its colourful cover and catchy title. A Gritty Little Tourist Town is a travel memoir full of heart and flavour.
Comprised of a collection of stories, this book slowly weaves its way through the unique and lively experiences of vacationers, expats, and Costa Ricans. The short chapters make it easy to pick up, and the writing captures the sand-beneath-your-toes, ocean waves in the distance, feel of life in a tourist town by the beach. This book wanders -- but in the most positive definition of that term. You catch glimpses of the everyday beauty that the author uncovers in these parcels of humanity, these snippets of stories told around the bar, and life lived in community.
Goodfellow is a priest, and I also really appreciated her final thoughts and incorporation of genuine, livable faith into the conclusion of the story.
While Goodfellow kept the colloquialism and language used unaltered in her retelling of these bar tales, there was one term mentioned that I think should have been edited out. It only made one appearance, but I did find it quite jarring to see. Overall though, I appreciated this raw yet clearly cultivated style of storytelling.
Relaxingly slow, beachy, full of fascinating characters and everyday stories of life, this was a lovely little read. Grab a fruity drink, and soak up some sun with this one. Thanks to Booksparks for my gifted copy!
Comprised of a collection of stories, this book slowly weaves its way through the unique and lively experiences of vacationers, expats, and Costa Ricans. The short chapters make it easy to pick up, and the writing captures the sand-beneath-your-toes, ocean waves in the distance, feel of life in a tourist town by the beach. This book wanders -- but in the most positive definition of that term. You catch glimpses of the everyday beauty that the author uncovers in these parcels of humanity, these snippets of stories told around the bar, and life lived in community.
Goodfellow is a priest, and I also really appreciated her final thoughts and incorporation of genuine, livable faith into the conclusion of the story.
While Goodfellow kept the colloquialism and language used unaltered in her retelling of these bar tales, there was one term mentioned that I think should have been edited out. It only made one appearance, but I did find it quite jarring to see. Overall though, I appreciated this raw yet clearly cultivated style of storytelling.
Relaxingly slow, beachy, full of fascinating characters and everyday stories of life, this was a lovely little read. Grab a fruity drink, and soak up some sun with this one. Thanks to Booksparks for my gifted copy!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you Book Sparks and Willa Goodfellow for the gifted copy of this beautiful book and for accepting my request to join the book tour. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A Gritty Little Tourist Town is the perfect poolside or beach read. The memoir is told through five sections of short stories the author has collected throughout the years.
While I don’t have much experience with barside conversations in other countries, as a former bartender in the U.S., I do know that one can hear some incredible tales sitting at — or working behind — a bar.
My favorites that Willa told were from the “Any Story Worth Telling” section. The one where she does not stand a chance against La Cucaracha had me rolling!🪳
The way this memoir is written, the reader can pop in and out of the chapters easily, which is what makes it so perfect for an outdoor read that might require a few interruptions. The setting matches the vibe perfectly!
Willa gave Lonely Planet, well-known for its detailed travel guides, a shoutout for bringing attention to Pato Loco, making it famous. After hearing Willa’s stories — and those that have been shared with her — I want to visit this little corner of Costa Rica to exchange more bar stories of my own.
A Gritty Little Tourist Town publishes April 7. Be sure to grab a copy for your beach bag! If you’re still experiencing colder weather, don’t fret — the Costa Rica setting will warm you right up!
A Gritty Little Tourist Town is the perfect poolside or beach read. The memoir is told through five sections of short stories the author has collected throughout the years.
While I don’t have much experience with barside conversations in other countries, as a former bartender in the U.S., I do know that one can hear some incredible tales sitting at — or working behind — a bar.
My favorites that Willa told were from the “Any Story Worth Telling” section. The one where she does not stand a chance against La Cucaracha had me rolling!🪳
The way this memoir is written, the reader can pop in and out of the chapters easily, which is what makes it so perfect for an outdoor read that might require a few interruptions. The setting matches the vibe perfectly!
Willa gave Lonely Planet, well-known for its detailed travel guides, a shoutout for bringing attention to Pato Loco, making it famous. After hearing Willa’s stories — and those that have been shared with her — I want to visit this little corner of Costa Rica to exchange more bar stories of my own.
A Gritty Little Tourist Town publishes April 7. Be sure to grab a copy for your beach bag! If you’re still experiencing colder weather, don’t fret — the Costa Rica setting will warm you right up!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Willa Goodfellow's A Gritty Little Tourist Town is a quick and enjoyable read about her time spent in Playas del Coco, Costa Rica. Taking place mostly at Pato Loco, her sister and mother's restaurant and lodging in tourist community full of expats and snowbirds who sit around with beers and share stories, exactly the laid back lifestyle in the sun that I dream of. In this town of ~2,000 residents, there is always something going on and a story to tell. Goodfellow reflects on her own life, familial relationships, and work as an Episcopal Priest.
It's an interesting and engaging book that makes me want to find a Playas del Coco of my own to drink beer and chat with others. Thank you NetGalley and She Writes Press for the ARC for my honest review.
It's an interesting and engaging book that makes me want to find a Playas del Coco of my own to drink beer and chat with others. Thank you NetGalley and She Writes Press for the ARC for my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews