Meet Me at the Convenience Store by the Sea

コンビニ兄弟 #2

by Sonoko Machida, Bruno Navasky (Translator)

After a broken heart, Nagata Shino skips high school and meets her grandmother in an unexpected place.

Part-time store clerk Hirose Taro thinks of himself as a boring guy... until a beautiful girl begins to disrupt his daily life.

Why did his best friend leave? Murai Mizuki faces reality and takes a courageous step.

A heartwarming story about a small 24/7 convenience store in Mojiko, Kitakyushu, where everyone's story matters.

Genres: Fiction, Slice Of Life, Japanese Literature, Contemporary, Cozy, Asian Literature

176 pages, Paperback

First published December 23, 2021

About the author

Sonoko Machida (町田 そのこ) is a Japanese writer. Her story Cameroon no Aoi Sakana received the R-18 Literary Award in 2016. Her novel 52 Hertz no Kujiratachi won the 2021 Japan Booksellers' Award Grand Prize and sold over 400,000 copies in Japan.

Associated Names:
* Sonoko Machida (English)
* 町田 そのこ (Japanese)
* มาจิดะ โซโนะโกะ (Thai)

Reviews

[traceyxon · Rating 3 out of 5]

좋긴한데 1권 만큼은 아니다.
역시나 청량감 넘치는 프롤로그부터 스토리까지 재밌다.

[Lyn Tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here we are again at our favourite convenience store by the sea, Tenderness.

At Tenderness, small acts of kindness go a long way, as we read from these three stories.

Just like how I enjoyed reading the first book, this sequel is a cosy read, with stories to learn from. I loved how Chapter 1 tells us the meaning of loving someone, and most of all, how loving someone teaches us to love ourselves.

I resonated the most with Chapter 2. Taro’s self-doubt and lack of self-esteem blinded him of his own charm. As he soon finds the courage to face his doubts, he also learns the meaning to shine. I loved the way Taro closes his chapter with Tsubaki; very mature, and he did not only heal himself, he also heals Tsubaki who has always felt insecure with her boyfriends.

What caught my attention in chapter 3 was “paying it forward.” I liked that kindness is shared, and paying it forward does not only heal you, but also other people who may be suffering because of you.

Now, the ending is giving me hope for its third book. The epilogue shares the encounter between a mysterious woman and Jewel, who is very upset to see her, indicating a dark past between the woman and Tsugi. As Tsugi is my favouritest character in this series, I’m definitely looking forward to reading how his story unfolds.

Comparatively, Meet Me At The Convenience By The Sea has significantly fewer mention of the recurring characters, such as Shiba, Tsugi and Old Red. I hope we can read more of their appearances in the next book. It would also be nice to have all the Shiba siblings (including the two other brothers) appear. I can’t imagine the chaos they will bring to the convenience store.

Author: Sonoko Machida
Translator: Bruno Navasky
Publication Date: 30 April 2026

[Bookworm Denz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meet Me at the Convenience Store by the Sea
Author : Sonoko Machida
Translator : Bruno Navasky

This is the second novel to the deliberately put up 24-hour convenience store, famously known as Tenderness, located at the Golden Villa apartments. This Mojikō Koganemura branch is a premier location of an outpost of a chain of local convenience stores operating in North Kyushu, an island in Japan, with its motto "Caring for People, Caring for you = Tenderness" & is continuously managed by the beloved & strangely attractive manager of the shop, Mr. Mitsuhiko Shiba (Mitsu).

First of all, what was up with that comedy skit at the Prologue?! I literally felt like I was in some anime-like buffoonish scene between Oishi Waka, Makio & the openly-confused store manager Shiba. Hilarious! 🤣🤣

Like the first book, this novel is also composed of interconnected stories of different individuals w/ their respective sundry background stories, all revolving around the convenience store named Tenderness.

From a high school student whose first love since primary school & late boyfriend dumped her to a student whose parents were on the verge of divorce. Also got a glimpse of Hirose Tarō's backstory & it was pretty interesting! The Epilogue was a total cliffhanger though, UGH! Now I want to know Tsugi's backstory too!

All in all, I can definitely say, I enjoyed this book!

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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[Amy Capewell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meet me at the Convenience Store by the Sea is the third book in the Tenderness Convenience Store series, but I don’t feel that you need to have read the other books in the series before diving into this instalment and it works well as a stand alone novel.

This is such a gentle and comforting book that feels like it wraps you in a warm hug as you work your way through. The translation is very good and the story flows beautifully from scene to scene, character to character.

Machida is an expert at linking together people’s stories in a beautifully intricate, interlocking jigsaw - each character’s story working in harmony with others. Mitsue, Shino, Tarō Hirose, Kurihara - each of their stories cross, brought together by the Tenderness Convenience Store at the Golden Villas apartment complex and the Shiba family.

There is no rush to a dramatic climax so if you are looking for something fast-paced with swerving plot twists then this is not the book for you, but if you are looking for a quirky, cosy, uplifting and comforting read, that is short and engaging enough to devour in one sitting, then this may be exactly what you’re looking for.

Having investigated the other books in this series it seems that the other convenience store books have more focus on the beautiful food description, which I love, so I’m looking forward to returning to Mojikō and the Tenderness convenience store very soon.

[Emilie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the charming coastal town of Mojiko, Kitakyushu, this heartwarming story centres around a 24/7 convenience store where every customer’s journey matters. The narrative unfolds through interconnected chapters, exploring the lives of Hirose Taro, a man who feels he lacks a "spark"; Nagata Shino, who is navigating a broken heart and Murai Mizuki, who finds the courage to move forward after losing her friends. It is a tale of how a simple, everyday location can become a sanctuary for those at a crossroads.


This was my very first Japanese translated novel! Even though I haven’t read the first book yet (it’s currently waiting on my TBR!), I really loved the "feel-good" atmosphere of this story. It swept me away and made me want to jump on a plane to explore Japan and find a "Tenderness Convenience Store" of my own.

​I really enjoyed the structure of the short stories and how they are all linked by the shop and its lovely employees. The themes of kindness, love and building self-esteem are handled so gently, making the whole experience feel very "healing." My only small gripe was the ending; I was hoping for a slightly more satisfying conclusion that tied the three individual stories together in a different way.

​In Short:
A charming and tender exploration of human connection found in the most ordinary of places.
​
​Note: You can read this as a standalone, but I suspect it might feel even more meaningful if you pick up the first book first.

[Lowardy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from NetGalley


If you like slice of lice, translated japanese fiction, where we are following a couple of characters with loosely interconnecting life, I'm sure you will enjoy Meet Me at the Convenience Story be the Sea as well.

I started reading the book just the night before the publication day and I was swept away by work and the contrast between by days (working) and nights (reading) were pretty jarring. The last 50% I've read in one sitting and I feel I connected a little more with the characters as I got to know them. (It was also at this point where I realized that this is actually a series, so I'll look up the first one to hopefully meet familiar characters.)

In my experience so far, with fiction of any type, I'm enjoying the experience more when I'm able to be curious about a character or a mystery, if I get to wonder and ponder about their days or their past, to live life with them for the couple hundred pages I have with them.

I have found in Meet Me at the Convenience Store by the Sea many characters that seem to grow up in front of our eyes, from teens to adults of all ages and I wanted to shake a lot of shoulders to wake them up sooner and see themselves as they really are and not the way they think they are.

[Bloss ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series had such an opportunity to stand out: the first one had a fantastic sense of place, interesting characters, and no one was communing with the dead. But, instead of playing to its strengths, the book leaned into the creepy manager sex-appeal thing and juvenile plots.

As I was reading this I felt increasingly like it was geared toward teenagers. Not just because all of the protagonists are young, but because of the hamfisted object lessons and morality overtones that I just don't think work for an adult novel. Sadly, this lacked the charm of the first book and there wasn't enough substance to the stories to hold the book together for me. The stories lacked depth, the translation felt rushed, and it swung between melodrama and saccharine, not a combo I enjoy.

Perhaps worst of all... the food-writing, part of what made the first one strong, was entirely missing in this one.

Teens and YA readers might enjoy this -- there's nothing inherently wrong with it -- but I wouldn't necessarily recommend this for healing or cozy adult fiction readers. Beautiful cover tho. 2.5/5

My request to review this was approved by Orion on NetGalley.

[Linnea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Orbit for giving me access to this book through NetGalley!

When I read the first book in the Convenience Store by the Sea series I fell in love. And I think I also cried a little bit, it just put me right in the feels. It had a beautiful way of putting different people together and just making it feel so right and the connections they each had with each other felt so heartwarming.

This book didn’t have the same emotional impact for me.
We have a lot of heavy topics running through the book and most of the stories felt a bit unsolved. Like we needed to get some sort of closure but we never got it.
It might be due to how short this book is but it just felt like something was missing. Maybe I just needed MORE of the convenience store employees instead of characters around them.

This was a really fast read and I was happy that I got to come back into the story with these characters and I’m hoping for more books that expands and explores more about them.

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Return to the convenience store by the sea, where small acts of kindness happen.

I was happy to return to Tenderness and see the familiar characters from the first book. However, I do feel that something was missing this time, as it felt a bit flat. We follow three different characters as they go through difficult moments in their lives, witnessing their revelations and changes of heart. None of the stories really stood out to me as especially memorable or particularly heartwarming. Don’t get me wrong, they were all perfectly fine, just nothing beyond the standard cosy story.

Nevertheless, I would still recommend this to fans of translated cosy fiction, who may take more away from it than I did.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Winona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this! It's definitely a shorter read but just enough time is spent on each of the three stories to get a nice good look at each of the main characters and their backgrounds. The translator did a really nice job-- I'm often a little picky with translated works but the flow here was great. I haven't actually read the first one yet (oops) but you can totally read this as a standalone. I think this would be a great light summer read when you want a little bit of hope, and a reminder that forgiveness and understanding can help your relationships with others.

[Hannah Symonds · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Sonoko and they are an author I would definitely read more of. I found it such a calming and pleasant read. It is set in Japan in a little convenience store where everything is full of kindness and hope. We meet customers and also the employees that make this store completely different to anywhere else. It made me want to visit this place and feel the warmth and comfort that people feel when they go there. A heart warming and soothing escape from the world we live in today. I liked reading about each person and their reasons to visit the store. I look forward to reading the other books from Sonoko. A comfort read with a hug.

[Tarnavska Oleksandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A literal hug of a book. 🌊🍦
Meet Me at the Convenience Store by the Sea is exactly what I needed. It’s a quiet, "healing" story set in a convenience store where the manager seems to know exactly what your soul is craving.
It’s episodic and gentle, focusing on the small ways we heal and the tiny connections that keep us going. If you loved Before the Coffee Gets Cold or What You Are Looking For Is in the Library, you’ll adore the atmosphere of this one. It’s salty air, warm snacks, and second chances.
Perfect for a rainy afternoon with a big cup of tea. ✨

[Miruna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gentle, character-driven story with a calm and reflective atmosphere. The setting is charming, and there’s something comforting about the everyday moments and quiet interactions between characters.

That said, the plot feels quite minimal, and it didn’t fully hold my attention throughout. While I appreciated the themes and the soft, introspective tone, I found myself wanting a bit more depth or momentum. Overall, it’s a nice, easy read — just a bit too understated for me to fully love.

[Chella K · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book had three stories —the first was especially moving and really stood out, while the other two were also enjoyable and added nicely to the overall narrative. I especially loved the continuity between the first and second parts; it felt seamless and helped the story flow really well.
I was happy to receive an eARC of this book, and as the second installment in the Convenience Store by the Sea series, it continues the story in a satisfying way.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't have the same cosy/feel-good translated fiction with this novel as I have had with others. It felt very YA, so I'm not sure if it was geared towards that age group? The stories were okay, but nothing that stuck in my head or felt as much of a warm hug. Maybe a good introduction into the genre, but I can think of others I'd recommend before this one.

[Georgie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The messages were very sweet and cosy but it was just a little too short to be fully enjoyable. I also miss how the first book revolved around the food of the convenience store whereas the store played more of a minor role here

[ireadyouread · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure if it’s because I just love a story in different parts but this was a really beautiful book. I loved the old lady story the most just because of how iconic she sounds.

[Lily Golding · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books it would be nice to sink inside, go to a little seaside town in Japan and hang out at a convenience store with a beautiful community where everyone helps with your problems.

I really liked that in this book we saw some development of the stories from the first book. Often with these books, they’re all independent stories but in this one we not only got to catch up with some of the characters from the first book as backing characters in this book, but we saw a character who was the antagonist in the first book be helped by Tenderness as well.

There’s a real sense of community in these stories which I feel isn’t always conveyed in the other healing fiction books. Rather than an established cast and then a revolving door of people who need help, we have a real community that’s being built by all the different characters.

I’ve seen that there’s a third book on it’s way, so I hope it’s translated soon! I can’t wait to read it.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Cross-posted to thewhisperingofthepages.co.uk