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The Ex-Boyfriends Favourite Recipe Funeral Committee.
Based on the author’s true heartbreak story that went viral, and was discovered in Japan by the editor of the four-million-copy bestseller Before the Coffee Gets Cold, a charming novel about a woman who gets over a breakup by cooking her ex’s favorite recipe, and encourages others to do the same.
Twenty-nine-year-old Momoko has been tragically dumped. She thought she and her boyfriend were soulmates. He even took her to a love hotel, where she believed he was going to propose. Instead, he left her after four years.
So Momoko does what many broken-hearted people do—she gets incredibly drunk. So drunk that she passes out in an empty cafe. When she awakens, she’s eager to tell her story to anyone who will listen, and pours her heart out to a curious manager and the sole other customer in the cafe, a monk who trains at a temple nearby. When she starts to describe how she doted on her boyfriend, how he loved her cooking, the manager decides to indulge her, and allows her to slip into the kitchen, and cook up her ex’s favorite a warm, delightful butter chicken curry. As Momoko finishes telling her story, she realizes this combination of cooking and sharing has healed her heart in a way nothing else can.
The cafe is failing—subpar curry and a remote location has led to months of financial troubles. But as he devours Momoko’s dish, the manager gets an idea about how to save the what if they started doing this regularly, inviting in patrons to share stories about breakups, heartbreaks, and tragic endings, cooking dishes that meant something to the relationship? Like an unconventional therapy group, the “Ex-Boyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee” is born, with Momoko leading the Friday night sessions, and the monk-in-training offering blessings.
Inspired by the author’s actual experience working at a café where she posted a recipe called “My Ex’s Favorite Butter Chicken Curry,” The Ex-Boyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee is a magical, soul-nourishing comfort read for anyone who has loved and lost and loved again. With eight recipes included!
Twenty-nine-year-old Momoko has been tragically dumped. She thought she and her boyfriend were soulmates. He even took her to a love hotel, where she believed he was going to propose. Instead, he left her after four years.
So Momoko does what many broken-hearted people do—she gets incredibly drunk. So drunk that she passes out in an empty cafe. When she awakens, she’s eager to tell her story to anyone who will listen, and pours her heart out to a curious manager and the sole other customer in the cafe, a monk who trains at a temple nearby. When she starts to describe how she doted on her boyfriend, how he loved her cooking, the manager decides to indulge her, and allows her to slip into the kitchen, and cook up her ex’s favorite a warm, delightful butter chicken curry. As Momoko finishes telling her story, she realizes this combination of cooking and sharing has healed her heart in a way nothing else can.
The cafe is failing—subpar curry and a remote location has led to months of financial troubles. But as he devours Momoko’s dish, the manager gets an idea about how to save the what if they started doing this regularly, inviting in patrons to share stories about breakups, heartbreaks, and tragic endings, cooking dishes that meant something to the relationship? Like an unconventional therapy group, the “Ex-Boyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee” is born, with Momoko leading the Friday night sessions, and the monk-in-training offering blessings.
Inspired by the author’s actual experience working at a café where she posted a recipe called “My Ex’s Favorite Butter Chicken Curry,” The Ex-Boyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee is a magical, soul-nourishing comfort read for anyone who has loved and lost and loved again. With eight recipes included!
304 pages, Paperback
First published December 7, 2023
133 people are currently reading
12758 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
November 16, 2025
The pacing of the first chapter is a bit erratic as Kawashiro establishes the premise, but then The Ex-Boyfrind’s Favourite Recipe Funeral Committee settles into a cute episodic rhythm. For me, the best part is that each chapter includes the actual recipes, so you can make your own Ex-Boyfriend’s Favourite Butter Chicken Curry, So What If I’m High Maintenance Potato Salad, and so on. I personally am itching to try my hand at making the Red Flags Megastore Hamburger Steak 🤤
My full review of The Ex-Boyfriend's Favourite Recipe Funeral Committee is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
My full review of The Ex-Boyfriend's Favourite Recipe Funeral Committee is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
November 30, 2025
The premise was interesting, but the stories didn’t resonate with me. I didn’t relate to the characters and didn’t care what happened to them. I thought about DNF’ing this one, but it was short, so I persevered, hoping to be drawn in at some point. It didn’t happen for me with this book.
Read
September 29, 2025DNF. Thanks to Crown for a free copy of this book won through a Goodreads giveaway, but I could not finish this book and stopped reading on page 78.
July 20, 2025
While I was intrigued by the concept of this book (women gathering for meetings at a cafe with their tales of and recipes for ex-boyfriends), ultimately, it was not for me. Unfortunately, I found the translation stilted and the recipes unappealing. I hope others have a different experience. Thank you to Crown Publishing for an advance uncorrected proof.
October 28, 2025
There are no actual funerals in this book, only metaphorical ones. Considering the state of most of the clients of the Ex-Boyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee, if there actually WERE funerals, there would be a LOT of them, the recently deceased would probably have died in some gruesome way, and this would be an entirely different kind of book.
Instead, it’s rather a lot like Before the Coffee Gets Cold, which shouldn’t be a surprise as the author of THIS book was discovered by the author of THAT book.
Although the seed for this story is true. Or at least true-ish. Also really, really relatable, because the only people who have not been dumped from a romantic relationship in their whole, entire lives are either under the age of 10 (crushes count!) or have never in those lives put themselves out there in any way at all.
Momoko has just been dumped by her boyfriend of FOUR years – at a love hotel which adds a whole lot of insult to the injury. She’s invested four years of her life to doing her damndest to be the woman she thinks he wants, instead of the person she actually is. And she’s been so damn patient with him, so busy trying to play the part she thinks she’s supposed to, that she’s made excuses for all the terrible, and terribly rude and neglectful, signals he’s been sending that he wants to break up with her because he wants her to take care of that for him.
Which is kind of how he’s been operating for years by that point.
So yes, he’s been an asshole, she’s been complicit in his assholery, and there’s plenty of blame to go around. Which doesn’t help her deal with the fact that he’s been the focus of her life for four years and now everything in her life reminds her of him – because she’s made her life be that way.
And now she has to deal with the fallout of her romantic relationship. And she has to reckon with the fact that her job is toxic and now that’s all she’s got.
Which is where the Funeral Committee comes in – but only after Momoko finds herself in a rundown cafe on a quiet Tokyo sidestreet, drunk and sobbing her heart out.
She knows she needs to make some changes. She needs to make a LOT of changes. And she needs time to process her grief and move on. More importantly, Momoko needs to remember who SHE is and what SHE wants, and be herself in the world instead of who anyone thinks she’s supposed to be – even herself.
The recipe, the truly excellent Butter Chicken Curry recipe she invented and made for her ex, is the start of her healing process. First she makes it for the cafe’s manager and one of the regulars – and they both literally eat it up because it’s WAY better than anything the cafe’s ever served.
But as she’s cooking, processing her grief and reclaiming her love for the recipe she invented, the three of them have a revelation. She can help others just like they are helping her. All she has to do is quit her toxic job, take over the kitchen at the cafe, and once a week meet with someone who needs the same kind of healing she did to cook the recipe that meant the most in the relationship that they are grieving and lay those emotions to rest. Just as Momoko is trying to do – even if her success at that endeavor can only be measured in nanometers – if that.
Escape Rating A-: Books like this one have become their own kind of thing, and The Ex-Broyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee is a terrific example of it. The format is fairly simple, a series of loosely connected short stories connected by a place or a theme or a circumstance or all of the above, with an overarching story or theme about that connection.
In this particular case, the place is the Amayadori Cafe, the obvious theme is healing after a loss or a break-up, but mostly break-ups, and the connecting tissue is the “Funeral Committee”. In the case of this particular story, there’s also a less obvious theme about the masks that people wear, and just how difficult it is to set those masks aside and be authentic. For Momoko, and for the other women who tell their stories to the “committee” there’s an even deeper element about just how pervasive and restrictive the masks that women feel compelled to wear can be, and the way those masks are formed both by external pressure and internal adoption of that pressure.
Unlike many of the other books similar to this one, Momoko, the cafe manager Iori and the monk-in-training/regular customer Hozumi who becomes part of their inner circle, become a big part of each person’s story – and each other’s – instead of being confined to the background and/or small parts in smaller interconnecting bits between the stories. So this one feels more like a novel than many of the other books of this type.
Because these stories are all wrapped around loss, this definitely qualifies as “sad fluff”. Most of the stories are not about finding happiness. Either they are about finding closure – or they are focused on learning to live with the pain. And each of the three has their own tale and RECIPE to add to the committee’s archives. Their own stories don’t and in fact can’t lead to happy ever afters, at least not in the near term, but they can, and do, help each other deal with their respective losses. As all the best families do. Because that’s what they are, a found family.
Of all of the books of this type I’ve read, from Before the Coffee Gets Cold to Monday’s The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park, the book that this reminds me of the most is The Kamogawa Food Detectives, which is also one of my favorites in the genre. It’s not just that both are based around food, and it’s not even that neither includes so much as a whiff of magic. Instead it’s that the through story in both does a terrific job of keeping the linking team as an integral part of all the stories and that Momoko does specifically recreate a recipe for one of their clients, just as the ‘food detectives’ do.
I did like this one better than I did Hinode Park, because ALL of the stories in this novel, by the nature of the Funeral Committee, are centered on adult problems and adult relationships. It’s not that Hinode Park wasn’t good and wasn’t a good book for the mood I was in, but this one just had characters whose shoes I could slip into better. (Everyone’s reading mileage probably varies from each other’s on this particular point.)
All of that being said, The Ex-Boyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee isn’t just a cute title. It’s a charming book that plucks at the reader’s emotions even as it soothes the characters within who really need to lay at least a bit of their pasts to rest. It might even give the reader the opportunity to do the same.
If that doesn’t work, the reader certainly has the chance to eat their feelings along with the Committee. All the recipes are included and they look like YUM!
Originally published at Reading Reality
Instead, it’s rather a lot like Before the Coffee Gets Cold, which shouldn’t be a surprise as the author of THIS book was discovered by the author of THAT book.
Although the seed for this story is true. Or at least true-ish. Also really, really relatable, because the only people who have not been dumped from a romantic relationship in their whole, entire lives are either under the age of 10 (crushes count!) or have never in those lives put themselves out there in any way at all.
Momoko has just been dumped by her boyfriend of FOUR years – at a love hotel which adds a whole lot of insult to the injury. She’s invested four years of her life to doing her damndest to be the woman she thinks he wants, instead of the person she actually is. And she’s been so damn patient with him, so busy trying to play the part she thinks she’s supposed to, that she’s made excuses for all the terrible, and terribly rude and neglectful, signals he’s been sending that he wants to break up with her because he wants her to take care of that for him.
Which is kind of how he’s been operating for years by that point.
So yes, he’s been an asshole, she’s been complicit in his assholery, and there’s plenty of blame to go around. Which doesn’t help her deal with the fact that he’s been the focus of her life for four years and now everything in her life reminds her of him – because she’s made her life be that way.
And now she has to deal with the fallout of her romantic relationship. And she has to reckon with the fact that her job is toxic and now that’s all she’s got.
Which is where the Funeral Committee comes in – but only after Momoko finds herself in a rundown cafe on a quiet Tokyo sidestreet, drunk and sobbing her heart out.
She knows she needs to make some changes. She needs to make a LOT of changes. And she needs time to process her grief and move on. More importantly, Momoko needs to remember who SHE is and what SHE wants, and be herself in the world instead of who anyone thinks she’s supposed to be – even herself.
The recipe, the truly excellent Butter Chicken Curry recipe she invented and made for her ex, is the start of her healing process. First she makes it for the cafe’s manager and one of the regulars – and they both literally eat it up because it’s WAY better than anything the cafe’s ever served.
But as she’s cooking, processing her grief and reclaiming her love for the recipe she invented, the three of them have a revelation. She can help others just like they are helping her. All she has to do is quit her toxic job, take over the kitchen at the cafe, and once a week meet with someone who needs the same kind of healing she did to cook the recipe that meant the most in the relationship that they are grieving and lay those emotions to rest. Just as Momoko is trying to do – even if her success at that endeavor can only be measured in nanometers – if that.
Escape Rating A-: Books like this one have become their own kind of thing, and The Ex-Broyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee is a terrific example of it. The format is fairly simple, a series of loosely connected short stories connected by a place or a theme or a circumstance or all of the above, with an overarching story or theme about that connection.
In this particular case, the place is the Amayadori Cafe, the obvious theme is healing after a loss or a break-up, but mostly break-ups, and the connecting tissue is the “Funeral Committee”. In the case of this particular story, there’s also a less obvious theme about the masks that people wear, and just how difficult it is to set those masks aside and be authentic. For Momoko, and for the other women who tell their stories to the “committee” there’s an even deeper element about just how pervasive and restrictive the masks that women feel compelled to wear can be, and the way those masks are formed both by external pressure and internal adoption of that pressure.
Unlike many of the other books similar to this one, Momoko, the cafe manager Iori and the monk-in-training/regular customer Hozumi who becomes part of their inner circle, become a big part of each person’s story – and each other’s – instead of being confined to the background and/or small parts in smaller interconnecting bits between the stories. So this one feels more like a novel than many of the other books of this type.
Because these stories are all wrapped around loss, this definitely qualifies as “sad fluff”. Most of the stories are not about finding happiness. Either they are about finding closure – or they are focused on learning to live with the pain. And each of the three has their own tale and RECIPE to add to the committee’s archives. Their own stories don’t and in fact can’t lead to happy ever afters, at least not in the near term, but they can, and do, help each other deal with their respective losses. As all the best families do. Because that’s what they are, a found family.
Of all of the books of this type I’ve read, from Before the Coffee Gets Cold to Monday’s The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park, the book that this reminds me of the most is The Kamogawa Food Detectives, which is also one of my favorites in the genre. It’s not just that both are based around food, and it’s not even that neither includes so much as a whiff of magic. Instead it’s that the through story in both does a terrific job of keeping the linking team as an integral part of all the stories and that Momoko does specifically recreate a recipe for one of their clients, just as the ‘food detectives’ do.
I did like this one better than I did Hinode Park, because ALL of the stories in this novel, by the nature of the Funeral Committee, are centered on adult problems and adult relationships. It’s not that Hinode Park wasn’t good and wasn’t a good book for the mood I was in, but this one just had characters whose shoes I could slip into better. (Everyone’s reading mileage probably varies from each other’s on this particular point.)
All of that being said, The Ex-Boyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee isn’t just a cute title. It’s a charming book that plucks at the reader’s emotions even as it soothes the characters within who really need to lay at least a bit of their pasts to rest. It might even give the reader the opportunity to do the same.
If that doesn’t work, the reader certainly has the chance to eat their feelings along with the Committee. All the recipes are included and they look like YUM!
Originally published at Reading Reality
August 4, 2025
As soon as I read the title, I knew I was in for something different and refreshing: The Ex-Boyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee did not disappoint. From the very first page, this book had me picturing a soft-focus Japanese romantic drama playing out in my head. I’m a huge K-Drama girl, so the emotional beats, the quiet intimacy, and the unexpected humor felt like curling up in my favorite warm blanket.
What made this book stand out most for me were the recipes sprinkled throughout the chapters. It’s such a charming, unexpected element. It was like flipping through someone’s grief journal and finding not only their pain but also their comfort food. I found myself bookmarking pages, not just for the story, but because I wanted to try the dishes myself. There’s something so healing about food tied to memory, and this book captures that beautifully.
As a Mortician, I found the concept of a “funeral committee” for an ex to be surprisingly profound and deeply human. Grief isn’t reserved just for death. We grieve breakups, estranged friendships, aging pets, and versions of ourselves we’ve had to let go. This story treats all of that with a light touch but doesn’t diminish the reality of those feelings. It’s the kind of book I’d recommend to someone who’s not ready for something heavy, but still wants to feel seen in their sadness.
It’s heartfelt without being overly sentimental, quirky without being forced, and comforting in a way that makes you want to hug the book when it’s over. If you’re looking for something refreshingly different with a dash of nostalgia, a pinch of romance, and a generous helping of healing. I can’t recommend this one enough.
What made this book stand out most for me were the recipes sprinkled throughout the chapters. It’s such a charming, unexpected element. It was like flipping through someone’s grief journal and finding not only their pain but also their comfort food. I found myself bookmarking pages, not just for the story, but because I wanted to try the dishes myself. There’s something so healing about food tied to memory, and this book captures that beautifully.
As a Mortician, I found the concept of a “funeral committee” for an ex to be surprisingly profound and deeply human. Grief isn’t reserved just for death. We grieve breakups, estranged friendships, aging pets, and versions of ourselves we’ve had to let go. This story treats all of that with a light touch but doesn’t diminish the reality of those feelings. It’s the kind of book I’d recommend to someone who’s not ready for something heavy, but still wants to feel seen in their sadness.
It’s heartfelt without being overly sentimental, quirky without being forced, and comforting in a way that makes you want to hug the book when it’s over. If you’re looking for something refreshingly different with a dash of nostalgia, a pinch of romance, and a generous helping of healing. I can’t recommend this one enough.
August 17, 2025
A sudden heartbreak brings a distraught Momoko to a failing cafe. After pouring out her heart to the cafe manager and making the curry that used to be her exe's favorite, he asks her to come work as the chef. Moloko, the cafe manager and the only regular customer( a Buddhist monk in training) form a committee to take in people and their recipes to soothe their broken hearts and bury the relationship. By helping others the three begin to help themselves which in turn makes the cafe popular and makes the reader feel good too. A warm and cozy story translated from the original Japanese that warms the heart and the included recipes are a bonus. The main theme is the power of sharing food and community that brings people together. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
August 21, 2025
I was so excited to get this book free from a Goodreads lottery. But I guess you get what you pay for. I tried so hard to like this book but after giving a few chapters, I just could not go on any longer. I would rather sit quietly and stare out the window of this train than read the book. Sorry, not sorry. Unreadable.
November 27, 2025
Sweet book, occasionally sparkling, only wish I could read Japanese. The translation really got in the way!
August 1, 2025
"Yet we try to comfort ourselves by giving a name to everything. We tend to think that labeling our emotions is better than having to carry undecipherable, unclear feelings. When our emotions are in a mess, instead of leaving them that way, we try to process them and kick them out of our hearts, because it feels like that is the "correct" thing to do."
This story begins in heartbreak. That results in a new job and with that the start of THE EX-BOYFRIEND'S FAVORITE RECIPE FUNERAL COMMITTEE. Each chapter contains a story of heartbreak and the tastes and smells that bring up the memories.
The chapters have fun names like THE RED FLAGS MEGASTORE HAMBURGER STEAK and at the end of each chapter the author shares the recipe that the chapter is about. (YES, it's a story and cookbook in one).
This isn't a tale that starts in heartbreak and ends in a new relationship. This tale is about learning how to love yourself, be yourself and moving on.
This story begins in heartbreak. That results in a new job and with that the start of THE EX-BOYFRIEND'S FAVORITE RECIPE FUNERAL COMMITTEE. Each chapter contains a story of heartbreak and the tastes and smells that bring up the memories.
The chapters have fun names like THE RED FLAGS MEGASTORE HAMBURGER STEAK and at the end of each chapter the author shares the recipe that the chapter is about. (YES, it's a story and cookbook in one).
This isn't a tale that starts in heartbreak and ends in a new relationship. This tale is about learning how to love yourself, be yourself and moving on.
December 30, 2025
This was such a sweet read, and from the cover exactly what I was expecting. A whimsical low stakes translated fiction with a whole lot of heart driving it forward. It was such a nice read, and very reminiscent of books like Before the Coffee Gets Cold and Dallergut Dream Department Store. If you’ve enjoyed either of those titles, you’ll definitely enjoy cosying up with this one.
I found some of the translation (or it may have been an original writing error) to be a bit clunky and choppy. It was fairly basic, but it worked for the purpose of telling the story. Likewise the plot and characters were very simplistic. The whole thing is rather surface level, but it does mean that it remains fairly lighthearted and sweet throughout which I liked. It’s quite an easy book to fall into and dip in and out of without having to remember too much. I absolutely adored the idea and the inclusion of real recipes at the end of every chapter - I couldn’t help but take pictures of them for future reference!
It did start getting a little repetitive and formulaic around chapter four for me and lost its initial sparkle. I feel like there needed to be more plot in between each client and more bridging between the chapters. It could have done more with the core three characters, instead of trying to cram it all in at the end. I liked them regardless though and it finishes on such a wholesome and heartwarming note. A smile inducing quick little read.
I found some of the translation (or it may have been an original writing error) to be a bit clunky and choppy. It was fairly basic, but it worked for the purpose of telling the story. Likewise the plot and characters were very simplistic. The whole thing is rather surface level, but it does mean that it remains fairly lighthearted and sweet throughout which I liked. It’s quite an easy book to fall into and dip in and out of without having to remember too much. I absolutely adored the idea and the inclusion of real recipes at the end of every chapter - I couldn’t help but take pictures of them for future reference!
It did start getting a little repetitive and formulaic around chapter four for me and lost its initial sparkle. I feel like there needed to be more plot in between each client and more bridging between the chapters. It could have done more with the core three characters, instead of trying to cram it all in at the end. I liked them regardless though and it finishes on such a wholesome and heartwarming note. A smile inducing quick little read.
October 19, 2025
I want to thank Crown Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Ex-Boyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee. All opinions presented here are solely mine.
4.5 Rounded to 5
The Ex-Boyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee is based on Saki Kawashiro’s actual experiences. While working in a cafe, her story came to the attention of Toshikazu Kawaguchi, the author of Before the Coffee Gets Cold.
The book is around 300 pages long and contains only eight chapters. As there are so few chapters, each one is over 30 pages in length. While that may feel long, the chapters are all quick and easy reads. Even better, each chapter concludes with a recipe.
Each chapter focuses on a different character trying to find closure or healing with a particular relationship. Not all of the relationships are romance-based. In the end, each chapter discusses the focal character and untying their emotional knots.
Overall, if you’ve enjoyed reading other cozy Japanese fiction, including The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki, you will enjoy reading The Ex-Boyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee.
4.5 Rounded to 5
The Ex-Boyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee is based on Saki Kawashiro’s actual experiences. While working in a cafe, her story came to the attention of Toshikazu Kawaguchi, the author of Before the Coffee Gets Cold.
The book is around 300 pages long and contains only eight chapters. As there are so few chapters, each one is over 30 pages in length. While that may feel long, the chapters are all quick and easy reads. Even better, each chapter concludes with a recipe.
Each chapter focuses on a different character trying to find closure or healing with a particular relationship. Not all of the relationships are romance-based. In the end, each chapter discusses the focal character and untying their emotional knots.
Overall, if you’ve enjoyed reading other cozy Japanese fiction, including The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki, you will enjoy reading The Ex-Boyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee.
November 30, 2025
The Ex-Boyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee by Yuka Maeno is such a whole mood funny, sad, and super cozy all at once. Momoko’s way of dealing with a breakup by cooking her ex’s fave butter chicken curry? So unique and relatable! Food here isn’t just food It’s such a fresh and unique way of showing how food can be tied to memories and emotions.
The whole recipe funeral committee thing where people share breakup stories and recipes, That hit different like, breakup therapy but yummier.
The mix of chill and emotional moments kept me hooked. Plus, the squad like café boss Iori and monk-in-training Hozumi gave the story those good vibes and warmth you just wanna soak in.
Yuka Maeno’s writing style is gentle and unpretentious, which makes the emotional moments feel very real without being heavy or overwrought. The food descriptions made me lowkey drool, and the little secrets sprinkled in kept me curious till the end. What really got me? It’s not just about sad breakups but finding yourself and glowing up after.
However the pacing is bit slow at some places, so if you are a fast reader try to read one or two stories at a time to get the Essence of the book.
If you love cozy, food-filled, and lowkey deep stories, grab this one ASAP!
The whole recipe funeral committee thing where people share breakup stories and recipes, That hit different like, breakup therapy but yummier.
The mix of chill and emotional moments kept me hooked. Plus, the squad like café boss Iori and monk-in-training Hozumi gave the story those good vibes and warmth you just wanna soak in.
Yuka Maeno’s writing style is gentle and unpretentious, which makes the emotional moments feel very real without being heavy or overwrought. The food descriptions made me lowkey drool, and the little secrets sprinkled in kept me curious till the end. What really got me? It’s not just about sad breakups but finding yourself and glowing up after.
However the pacing is bit slow at some places, so if you are a fast reader try to read one or two stories at a time to get the Essence of the book.
If you love cozy, food-filled, and lowkey deep stories, grab this one ASAP!
November 22, 2025
This type of book is always so comforting…they’re like an adult, Japanese-version of Mrs. Piggle-wiggle. Everyone learns an important thing about themselves and how they should move forward in the world, and I really love how direct they are in their “you are good enough as you are and you’ll be fine” messaging.
October 21, 2025
3.75 ⭐️
December 13, 2025
I think I needed this.
December 27, 2025
Not interesting - didn’t end up finishing it
January 5, 2026
it was cute. nothing too special and some of the bits were cheesy, but i loved the friendship in this book
May 6, 2025
Very intriguing concept for a story that somehow works and pulled me right in. A failing restaurant, is turned around by the recipes that the customers share that somehow tie-in to the break-up that they just endured. A debut that remains is that a food can heal!
August 18, 2025
This is a fun book to read...inspiring, soul-searching inspirational...it's a 'different' kind of read...one of those kind of books that's heartwarming and soulful...if I may...
Saki Kawashiro is a talented writer...throwing herself into this story as if it's her own...(it kinda is...)...
If you want a great read...one that'll have you rooting for all the characters...here you are!
Highly Recommended!
September 10, 2025
I really enjoyed the concept of this book. Full of interesting characters that i couldn't wait for story. It is an interesting take on healing of past relationships, but showing new connections and a new community being formed was really nice. There were a few areas where the translation felt a bit off, but nothing too distracting. Book read as an ARC (won in a giveaway) so those issue might be resolved already.
November 14, 2025
The Ex-Boyfriend's Favourite Recipe Funeral Committee
Author : Saki Kawashiro
Translator : Yuka Maeno
It all started in a humble shabby (more like thoroughly worn out) café stationed in the Sangenjaya area named Amayadori (means "taking shelter from rain"). Managed by Iori Amamiya, this shop with its serene and tranquil atmosphere was small, with four seats at the counter and only a few tables with their own sofas. One other regular customer (whose daily fix is a dose of ice cream soda), named Hozumi Kuroda, who's always sitting at the end of the counter, was a Buddhist trainee monk at a nearby temple called Seizanji.
The whole bizarre encounter began when a woman named Momoko Yuuki from Kagoshima visited the café. Ironically though, she was fully unaware that she walked all the way from Shibuya (well she was under the influence of alcohol) to this rundown shop which nobody ever even visits. Thanks to the "handsome" manager who managed to convince her to stay and tell him her background story, she then managed to successfully resign from her company, and has decided to work in this same café.
But then, here comes the twist - the manager came up with an absurd (although fascinating) idea that they start this "Ex-Boyfriend's Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee", in order to (according to Iori) exact Momo-chan's revenge.
In other words, the committee was established : oddball Momoko became the chef in the kitchen and the committee President, Iori in charge of handling the customers through his laser-sharp intuition, and Hozumi in charge of the "burial" service.
This eight-chapter tale consists of sundry stories involving people who have had bad breakups and difficult or complicated relationships. Diverse people who are in search of individuals who share the same crestfallen pain or lingering guilt, similar experiences or heartbreak in love, those who suffer the same emotional anguish and regret - all seeking "healing" and the motivation to end their existing twisted relationships or get over painful breakups by finally "laying their resentment to rest", or to move forward in life like after the loss of a loved one - all through the committee's assistance.
No doubt this was a soul-nourishing and hilariously entertaining read at the same time. In addition, the likeable characters (with hysterically amusing humor that I kept giggling and chuckling) made me enjoy the experience of reading the whole plot. Not to mention the bonus recipes that come with it, made it even more gratifying especially for a foodie like me!
Just to be clear though, this is not your usual cozy and heartwarming type of novel since it includes sensitive themes and topics.
All things considered, this is a definite easy-to-read and a slice-of-life relatable book! Greatly shows how kindness and a loving and supportive community can make a big difference!
If you are a fan of Kamogawa Food Detectives (re-creating flavors from the past) or The Convenience Store by the Sea (supportive community), then this book is for you. 😉
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
P.S. If anyone wants to follow my book reviews I am on Instagram & Goodreads (bookwormdenz), as well as Threads (denz.kaye). Let me know so we can connect! 📚 💫
Author : Saki Kawashiro
Translator : Yuka Maeno
It all started in a humble shabby (more like thoroughly worn out) café stationed in the Sangenjaya area named Amayadori (means "taking shelter from rain"). Managed by Iori Amamiya, this shop with its serene and tranquil atmosphere was small, with four seats at the counter and only a few tables with their own sofas. One other regular customer (whose daily fix is a dose of ice cream soda), named Hozumi Kuroda, who's always sitting at the end of the counter, was a Buddhist trainee monk at a nearby temple called Seizanji.
The whole bizarre encounter began when a woman named Momoko Yuuki from Kagoshima visited the café. Ironically though, she was fully unaware that she walked all the way from Shibuya (well she was under the influence of alcohol) to this rundown shop which nobody ever even visits. Thanks to the "handsome" manager who managed to convince her to stay and tell him her background story, she then managed to successfully resign from her company, and has decided to work in this same café.
But then, here comes the twist - the manager came up with an absurd (although fascinating) idea that they start this "Ex-Boyfriend's Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee", in order to (according to Iori) exact Momo-chan's revenge.
In other words, the committee was established : oddball Momoko became the chef in the kitchen and the committee President, Iori in charge of handling the customers through his laser-sharp intuition, and Hozumi in charge of the "burial" service.
This eight-chapter tale consists of sundry stories involving people who have had bad breakups and difficult or complicated relationships. Diverse people who are in search of individuals who share the same crestfallen pain or lingering guilt, similar experiences or heartbreak in love, those who suffer the same emotional anguish and regret - all seeking "healing" and the motivation to end their existing twisted relationships or get over painful breakups by finally "laying their resentment to rest", or to move forward in life like after the loss of a loved one - all through the committee's assistance.
No doubt this was a soul-nourishing and hilariously entertaining read at the same time. In addition, the likeable characters (with hysterically amusing humor that I kept giggling and chuckling) made me enjoy the experience of reading the whole plot. Not to mention the bonus recipes that come with it, made it even more gratifying especially for a foodie like me!
Just to be clear though, this is not your usual cozy and heartwarming type of novel since it includes sensitive themes and topics.
All things considered, this is a definite easy-to-read and a slice-of-life relatable book! Greatly shows how kindness and a loving and supportive community can make a big difference!
If you are a fan of Kamogawa Food Detectives (re-creating flavors from the past) or The Convenience Store by the Sea (supportive community), then this book is for you. 😉
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
P.S. If anyone wants to follow my book reviews I am on Instagram & Goodreads (bookwormdenz), as well as Threads (denz.kaye). Let me know so we can connect! 📚 💫
October 24, 2025
Quirky and cosy Japanese fiction is a genre I return to regularly because it’s just such a treat. These stories teach gentle lessons about self and not sweating the small stuff, all wrapped up in a delightful story. The Ex-Boyfriend’s Favourite Recipe Funeral Committee is no exception, commenting on the need to be yourself in a relationship. In addition, it’s got a great title!
The story is based on the author’s experience of her breakup with her boyfriend. At the bookstore café where she worked, she made a new recipe called ‘my ex-boyfriend’s favourite butter chicken curry’ that went viral. This was seen by the editor of the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series, who inspired her to write about it. (This is a very bold Carrie Bradshaw thing to do!) The story opens with a drunk Momoko, freshly post-breakup, in a deserted café telling all to the manager and single customer. She then makes a curry that outshines the manager’s and eventually ends up with a job. She’ll be the chair of the favourite recipe funeral committee and they will hold regular meetings for those who want to lay their particular recipe to rest. It doesn’t quite take off as quickly as they had hoped, but gradually women come and make their dishes and bare their souls. Iori, the far too handsome manager, also tells the story of his lost love and Hozumi, a trainee Buddhist monk explains his sad story around food. The trio also help out a fellow businessman to recreate a favourite dish.
The story has a bit of everything. I found the stories about the women and their relationships to be the most powerful, but there was also a sense of sadness and eventually redemption in the stories of Iori and Hozumi. The hunt for the bookshop owner’s wife’s umeboshi recipe was fun, with more of a detective slant to it (as well the finicky process for making the umeboshi). The recipes vary from Japanese style to well known favourites in the west, from pizza to potato salad to carrot cake. Recipes are included at the end of each chapter should the reader want to attempt them. The potato salad has a nice twist to it (certainly something to think about for my next version) and the carrot cake uses sesame oil, which I think would give a really nice flavour compared to my usual sunflower oil. With the focus shifting from the dumped to family issues, I think the reader needs to be flexible in what to expect. This isn’t a story of failed relationships, it’s a story about love, loss and not getting what you thought you wanted. For the most part, it’s fairly light but does get more serious in some chapters. Perhaps that’s because it relates to characters we know well, Iori and Hozumi. Occasionally the translation feels a bit too formal for the light tone of the novel, but it’s an easy thing to overlook as you get into the spirit of cooking away loss for a fresh new start.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster for the ARC. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
The story is based on the author’s experience of her breakup with her boyfriend. At the bookstore café where she worked, she made a new recipe called ‘my ex-boyfriend’s favourite butter chicken curry’ that went viral. This was seen by the editor of the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series, who inspired her to write about it. (This is a very bold Carrie Bradshaw thing to do!) The story opens with a drunk Momoko, freshly post-breakup, in a deserted café telling all to the manager and single customer. She then makes a curry that outshines the manager’s and eventually ends up with a job. She’ll be the chair of the favourite recipe funeral committee and they will hold regular meetings for those who want to lay their particular recipe to rest. It doesn’t quite take off as quickly as they had hoped, but gradually women come and make their dishes and bare their souls. Iori, the far too handsome manager, also tells the story of his lost love and Hozumi, a trainee Buddhist monk explains his sad story around food. The trio also help out a fellow businessman to recreate a favourite dish.
The story has a bit of everything. I found the stories about the women and their relationships to be the most powerful, but there was also a sense of sadness and eventually redemption in the stories of Iori and Hozumi. The hunt for the bookshop owner’s wife’s umeboshi recipe was fun, with more of a detective slant to it (as well the finicky process for making the umeboshi). The recipes vary from Japanese style to well known favourites in the west, from pizza to potato salad to carrot cake. Recipes are included at the end of each chapter should the reader want to attempt them. The potato salad has a nice twist to it (certainly something to think about for my next version) and the carrot cake uses sesame oil, which I think would give a really nice flavour compared to my usual sunflower oil. With the focus shifting from the dumped to family issues, I think the reader needs to be flexible in what to expect. This isn’t a story of failed relationships, it’s a story about love, loss and not getting what you thought you wanted. For the most part, it’s fairly light but does get more serious in some chapters. Perhaps that’s because it relates to characters we know well, Iori and Hozumi. Occasionally the translation feels a bit too formal for the light tone of the novel, but it’s an easy thing to overlook as you get into the spirit of cooking away loss for a fresh new start.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster for the ARC. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
October 28, 2025
reviewed by Nan van Dissel for Bluewolf Reviews and Simon and Schuster
Some people find it difficult to talk about what it is that is troubling them; some have difficulty realizing what it is, that is actually upsetting them. Author, Saki Kawashiro in her debut, contemporary novel “the ex-boyfriend’s favourite recipe funeral committee”, which is inspired by her own experiences, has created a delightful read, where characters are faced with these very problems. It’s not until someone like, Momoko, the narrator of their stories asks them the right questions, that there is light at the end of the tunnel!
An unexpected, sudden break up with her long-term boyfriend, brings the distraught and drunk Momoko to a deserted café, owned by the persuasive, entrepreneurial Lori. Before she knows it, Monoko has poured out her heart to the owner and the one and only customer, Hozumi, a monk in training. Taking pity on Monoko, Lori allows her to make the curry dish, which was her ex-boyfriend’s favourite and after tasting it he hires her as his chef.
Savvy Lori formulates a unique business plan; by allowing customers to discuss their breakup and share a recipe, his business is bound to revive. The Funeral Committee, is formed. Clients come to pour out their emotions to Monoko, Lori and Hozumi, who untangle their feelings, little by little and each of these distraught customers gives the committee a recipe of a memory-filled dish, which is put on the café’s menu.
Each chapter contains a short story of heartbreak and focuses on a different character, who is trying to find closure or healing with a specific relationship, which is not always romantic. Not only will readers particularly enjoy the stories of the clients, who finally let go of their ex-lover via the creation of his favourite food, but they can also indulge in all eight recipes, which are given in full at the end of each chapter.
As this novel has been translated from Japanese, readers with little background in this language would benefit from a glossary of the Japanese culinary terms used.
Some people find it difficult to talk about what it is that is troubling them; some have difficulty realizing what it is, that is actually upsetting them. Author, Saki Kawashiro in her debut, contemporary novel “the ex-boyfriend’s favourite recipe funeral committee”, which is inspired by her own experiences, has created a delightful read, where characters are faced with these very problems. It’s not until someone like, Momoko, the narrator of their stories asks them the right questions, that there is light at the end of the tunnel!
An unexpected, sudden break up with her long-term boyfriend, brings the distraught and drunk Momoko to a deserted café, owned by the persuasive, entrepreneurial Lori. Before she knows it, Monoko has poured out her heart to the owner and the one and only customer, Hozumi, a monk in training. Taking pity on Monoko, Lori allows her to make the curry dish, which was her ex-boyfriend’s favourite and after tasting it he hires her as his chef.
Savvy Lori formulates a unique business plan; by allowing customers to discuss their breakup and share a recipe, his business is bound to revive. The Funeral Committee, is formed. Clients come to pour out their emotions to Monoko, Lori and Hozumi, who untangle their feelings, little by little and each of these distraught customers gives the committee a recipe of a memory-filled dish, which is put on the café’s menu.
Each chapter contains a short story of heartbreak and focuses on a different character, who is trying to find closure or healing with a specific relationship, which is not always romantic. Not only will readers particularly enjoy the stories of the clients, who finally let go of their ex-lover via the creation of his favourite food, but they can also indulge in all eight recipes, which are given in full at the end of each chapter.
As this novel has been translated from Japanese, readers with little background in this language would benefit from a glossary of the Japanese culinary terms used.
October 24, 2025
I loved the concept of this book, but unfortunately it fell pretty flat for me.
I was fairly annoyed by Momoko quickly after starting, but figured she'd grow throughout the book. While she did learn a few lessons through the committee, they felt so surface level and Self Help 101-ish. And the things that annoyed me most, didn't really get addressed.
Her focus first and foremost always went to appearance and romance over the actual substance of relationships. The focus on how she and others looked was especially uncomfortable regarding the many comments she made to her very attractive *boss*.
The way Momoko navigated the conversations with the clients felt dismissive of the very reason they were there. Off the bat, she seemed astounded every time she met someone who was having a hard time because they looked confident and beautiful and should be successful in dating. I'm sorry, but by the time you're 29 years old, have you not already realized that everyone has something going on that they struggle with? Then the client would start telling their story and she would interject statements and questions that had me (and side characters) telling her to read the room or to just listen to the person. One of her colleagues tells her that she has this ability to dig into people and get them to be vulnerable and share their stories, but the way she acts and talks felt discrepant to that claim.
There's also a section at the end where a woman without any indication that a man is interested in her beyond friendship takes it upon herself to and it's seen as just fine??
When I wasn't rolling my eyes at one statement or another, the book was fine. I wish it had been written with more depth and with a more likeable main character considering what her job becomes...
CWs:
I was fairly annoyed by Momoko quickly after starting, but figured she'd grow throughout the book. While she did learn a few lessons through the committee, they felt so surface level and Self Help 101-ish. And the things that annoyed me most, didn't really get addressed.
Her focus first and foremost always went to appearance and romance over the actual substance of relationships. The focus on how she and others looked was especially uncomfortable regarding the many comments she made to her very attractive *boss*.
The way Momoko navigated the conversations with the clients felt dismissive of the very reason they were there. Off the bat, she seemed astounded every time she met someone who was having a hard time because they looked confident and beautiful and should be successful in dating. I'm sorry, but by the time you're 29 years old, have you not already realized that everyone has something going on that they struggle with? Then the client would start telling their story and she would interject statements and questions that had me (and side characters) telling her to read the room or to just listen to the person. One of her colleagues tells her that she has this ability to dig into people and get them to be vulnerable and share their stories, but the way she acts and talks felt discrepant to that claim.
There's also a section at the end where a woman without any indication that a man is interested in her beyond friendship takes it upon herself to and it's seen as just fine??
When I wasn't rolling my eyes at one statement or another, the book was fine. I wish it had been written with more depth and with a more likeable main character considering what her job becomes...
CWs:
December 14, 2025
Oggi sono qui per parlarvi di un'altra bellissima opera arrivata nelle nostre librerie e online.
Come sapete sono una grande amante del genere, quindi potevo mai farmela scappare? Assolutamente no.
A Tokyo, nascosto tra le strade della città, esiste un piccolo caffè speciale: un luogo che accoglie chiunque stia soffrendo per la fine di una relazione o per un dolore personale. Qui, tra profumo di caffè e piatti caldi, le persone trovano uno spazio sicuro per esprimere le proprie emozioni e iniziare un percorso di guarigione.
La protagonista, Momoko, dopo essere stata lasciata dal suo grande amore, si ritrova affranta e senza direzione. È proprio in questo caffè che incontra altre anime ferite e scopre che la felicità non è un bene perduto, ma qualcosa che può essere ritrovato e condiviso. Ogni cliente porta con sé una storia diversa, e il locale diventa un crocevia di vite, un luogo dove il dolore si trasforma in speranza.
Saki Kawashiro scrive con una prosa semplice, poetica e intima, capace di toccare corde universali. Il tono è dolce ma mai banale: ogni pagina trasmette calore e invita il lettore a riflettere sulla propria vita. L’autrice riesce a trasformare un piccolo spazio quotidiano in un luogo magico, dove il tempo sembra sospendersi e le emozioni trovano voce.
Il piccolo caffè della felicità ritrovata è un romanzo ideale per chi cerca una lettura che scaldi il cuore e che parli di rinascita, amore e resilienza. È perfetto per chi ama le storie ambientate in luoghi intimi e simbolici, dove il quotidiano diventa straordinario. Una lettura che lascia un sorriso e la sensazione che, anche dopo il dolore, la felicità possa tornare a bussare alla porta
Come sapete sono una grande amante del genere, quindi potevo mai farmela scappare? Assolutamente no.
A Tokyo, nascosto tra le strade della città, esiste un piccolo caffè speciale: un luogo che accoglie chiunque stia soffrendo per la fine di una relazione o per un dolore personale. Qui, tra profumo di caffè e piatti caldi, le persone trovano uno spazio sicuro per esprimere le proprie emozioni e iniziare un percorso di guarigione.
La protagonista, Momoko, dopo essere stata lasciata dal suo grande amore, si ritrova affranta e senza direzione. È proprio in questo caffè che incontra altre anime ferite e scopre che la felicità non è un bene perduto, ma qualcosa che può essere ritrovato e condiviso. Ogni cliente porta con sé una storia diversa, e il locale diventa un crocevia di vite, un luogo dove il dolore si trasforma in speranza.
Saki Kawashiro scrive con una prosa semplice, poetica e intima, capace di toccare corde universali. Il tono è dolce ma mai banale: ogni pagina trasmette calore e invita il lettore a riflettere sulla propria vita. L’autrice riesce a trasformare un piccolo spazio quotidiano in un luogo magico, dove il tempo sembra sospendersi e le emozioni trovano voce.
Il piccolo caffè della felicità ritrovata è un romanzo ideale per chi cerca una lettura che scaldi il cuore e che parli di rinascita, amore e resilienza. È perfetto per chi ama le storie ambientate in luoghi intimi e simbolici, dove il quotidiano diventa straordinario. Una lettura che lascia un sorriso e la sensazione che, anche dopo il dolore, la felicità possa tornare a bussare alla porta
November 28, 2025
This book honestly surprised me in the best way. I expected something lighter, maybe similar to other cozy Japanese novels told in vignettes, where you meet different customers and explore different dishes. And while we do meet those customers and get their stories (plus actual recipes in the chapters!), the novel goes beyond that. We also get to know the main trio: Momoko; Iori, the handsome café manager; and Hozumi, the monk who presides over the “funerals” of old feelings.
And their backstories? So much more touching than I expected. I ended up loving the unlikely friendship that forms between them. There’s something comforting about the idea of having people who listen without judgment, people who help you process the things you tried to bury.
We also see Momoko’s reflections and the things she learns about life just by listening to other people’s stories, and it feels like you’re seeing the same things she does.
At first glance, this might look like The Kamogawa Food Detectives or The Chibineko Kitchen, but the experience is completely different. I felt more attached to the core characters here, and the found-family thread gave it a warmth that stayed with me. It balances quirkiness, melancholia, and healing so well.
A charming, comforting, reflective read that feels like someone placing a warm bowl of food in front of you right when you need it most. 🍲
Im surprised to learn this was inspired by real life events. Did you know Toshikazu Kawaguchi (Before the Coffee Gets Cold) inspired the author to write this book? That's so cool~
And their backstories? So much more touching than I expected. I ended up loving the unlikely friendship that forms between them. There’s something comforting about the idea of having people who listen without judgment, people who help you process the things you tried to bury.
We also see Momoko’s reflections and the things she learns about life just by listening to other people’s stories, and it feels like you’re seeing the same things she does.
At first glance, this might look like The Kamogawa Food Detectives or The Chibineko Kitchen, but the experience is completely different. I felt more attached to the core characters here, and the found-family thread gave it a warmth that stayed with me. It balances quirkiness, melancholia, and healing so well.
A charming, comforting, reflective read that feels like someone placing a warm bowl of food in front of you right when you need it most. 🍲
Im surprised to learn this was inspired by real life events. Did you know Toshikazu Kawaguchi (Before the Coffee Gets Cold) inspired the author to write this book? That's so cool~
December 29, 2025
Without a doubt the Japanese novels I’ve read come with a healthy dose of quirkiness and uniqueness and this book is no different. Just like the “Before the Coffee Gets Cold” series, this book is also one of short stories set in a cafe albeit this time there is no time travel that needs to be completed before the coffee gets cold but instead we are introduced to an unconventional therapy group revolving around heart broken people sharing their stories whilst cooking and eating the food that played a part in their relationships. This also has other parallels with another Japanese story I read called “Butter” that also intertwined food and relationships. The short stories all feature 3 characters - the handsome owner of the cafe Iori, the Buddhist monk & regular customer Hozumi and Momoko who visits the cafe heartbroken one night, tells her story and cooks up her ex boyfriends favorite curry to console herself before becoming the regular chef. The stories throughout the book are all lovely, quirky, interesting and do a darn good job at showing the breadth and depth of relationship woes ( in families, in work settings, in friendships and in traditional lover relationships) and how food is intrinsically linked with how we feel and how we remember times in our lives. Each story beautifully finishes with the recipe that was significant in the relationship. I gave “Butter” 2 stars and the “Before the Coffee Gets Cold” series either a 4 or 5 star rating and this short sweet book sits in the middle - probably a 3.5-4 star rating from me. Easy and light to read.
November 9, 2025
Wise, witty and oh so delicious, this slim novel tells the story of an unlikely trio of people who come up with a way to heal a broken heart and enjoy delicious food together. Based on the author's real life experience, the character Mokomo stumbles into a small cafe, drunk and broken-hearted after her years-long romance has ended. What had made the breakup so painful was her love for making her boyfriend's favorite recipe, curry, was now taken from her. How could she make it without feeling bereft?
Iori, the owner of the cafe and his regular customer, Hozumi, encourage the sad young woman to tell them her story, create the recipe for them, and hold a funeral for the relationship. Thus begins the Recipe Funeral Committee. A series of painful and heartbreaking stories follow. And mouth-watering meals are eaten!
Hearts are broken in so many ways, sometimes through the ending of a romantic relationship and sometimes from the aching that comes from the yearning for a parent's love and approval. What the author has given us in this wonderful novel is the assurance that through sharing your tears and your favorite recipes with others, you will survive.
I highly recommend this thoroughly delighful book. Now I need to try some of the recipes!
Iori, the owner of the cafe and his regular customer, Hozumi, encourage the sad young woman to tell them her story, create the recipe for them, and hold a funeral for the relationship. Thus begins the Recipe Funeral Committee. A series of painful and heartbreaking stories follow. And mouth-watering meals are eaten!
Hearts are broken in so many ways, sometimes through the ending of a romantic relationship and sometimes from the aching that comes from the yearning for a parent's love and approval. What the author has given us in this wonderful novel is the assurance that through sharing your tears and your favorite recipes with others, you will survive.
I highly recommend this thoroughly delighful book. Now I need to try some of the recipes!
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