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The Cafe of Inescapable Human Destiny

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When Liv Lysander drops out of college, she finds herself working at a coffee shop run by the Fates. Yeah, those Fates. But when she crosses paths with the ridiculously handsome Nick, accidentally tangling their life threads, she must figure out a way to put his life back on track or else risk losing him to the Fates and their terrifying, life-thread cutting scissors.

A bite-sized rom-com of mythical proportions—this is a story where all it takes to mess with fate is a cup of coffee.

Audible Audio

Published November 4, 2025

3 people are currently reading
44 people want to read

About the author

Elizabeth Hrib

19 books99 followers
Elizabeth Hrib was born and raised in London, Ontario where she studied nursing at Western University. When she’s not working or writing, she can be found at the piano, planning her next Netflix binge, or attempting to keep her small, windowsill garden alive.

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5 stars
20 (16%)
4 stars
48 (39%)
3 stars
42 (34%)
2 stars
11 (9%)
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1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
Profile Image for Vrinda's Book Nook.
129 reviews7 followers
November 13, 2025
☕🥐💫🥰 A magical travelling cafe of destiny, Greek goddesses of fate, cozy baked goods, a trip to the underworld, a cute romance, existential crises, and matters of life & death? YES, please. This is a short audiobook exclusive, and I found it to be a delightful combination of things that I enjoy. It's a great bite-sized paranormal/fantasy rom-com (which has quickly become my new favorite sub-genre).

🎧 Audiobook by: Spotify Audiobook Selects
🎙 Narrated by: Ferdelle Capistrano
Length: 2 hrs 16 mins

Audiobook Review: I absolutely loved the narration! Ferdelle had such a sweet and beautiful voice. It was warm, inviting and totally pulled me in. She had a great range in her tone and delivery for the voices of each character, and I loved how expressive she was in various scenes. It was a joy to listen to this story on audiobook. Paired with the story itself, this was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. I'm probably going to listen to it again, and I will definitely be looking up more narrations by her!

Story Review:

💫I'm genuinely surprised by the range of events that take place in this story, and I thought the pacing was great. It ended up being more adventurous than I would have expected.
💫I loved the premise and setting - this little magical cafe that shows up in different cities around the world and fulfills orders that help with the destinies of their customers.
💫I loved the cast of character's working at the cafe, they all had their own fun personalities, and their dynamic together played off very well through the story.
💫The shifting threads of fate were intriguing. They relayed a theme of not knowing where our paths may lead us, and how different choices can alter the course of our lives.
💫The romance was pretty darn cute - very sweet and charming.

Overall this was such a delightful, short and fun audiobook. I would love more stories with these character's. Petitioning for the author to make this a series, or write more of these cozy paranormal stories! 🥰😋

A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complementary audiobook arc of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Catherine Victor Simpson.
294 reviews19 followers
November 13, 2025
An enjoyable simple novella.
Imagine the Freek gods used modern businesses to meddle in human lives. Imagine humans being employed at a cafe where The Greek Fates deliver their fated orders on the form of coffee and pastries. Now meet Liv who works there and disobey an order. Goes out partying and meets her fated love. When he turns up at the cafe the next day the whole system is thrown in a disaray.
Its short, its fun and it ticks the boxes. Nothing too deep but a great quirky modern spin on ancient mythology. My criticism is that it could have been longer haha!

Many thanks to Spotify Audiobook Selects who provided me with a copy of the audiobook via NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Martina.
373 reviews24 followers
November 10, 2025
3+⭐

❁ Thank you to Netgalley, Elizabeth Hrib and Spotify Audiobook Selects for the opportunity to listen to this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion ❁

A cute and refreshing story of fates. It was not overly romantic, and it is a clean romance.
The spotlight is definitely on the cafè and the fates with their cutting personalities. They were briefly in the scene, but certainly the most vivid element of the story.
All characters were likeable and the narrating voice did a wonderful job with the audio rendition of the story.

I can totally see this concept being used to expand on a series with multiple books giving spotlight to each waiter's story, expanding on the mythology.

Ⓟⓡⓔ—Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ

I just got the audiobook for this novella!
It seems really fun, romantic and with a sprinkle of mythology in the mix 💕

Profile Image for Kaysha.
101 reviews2 followers
December 19, 2025
proof that i really will read any trash if it has some kind of greek mythology plot
Profile Image for Angelina.
6 reviews1 follower
November 12, 2025
It was so cute!! I wish it was longer but the length is perfect for the plot without dragging it! I’ve been recommending this as an easy read to everyone
Profile Image for Camille.
12 reviews1 follower
November 13, 2025
Cute & refreshing short story to devour in between reads!
Profile Image for Laura R.
1,096 reviews18 followers
November 5, 2025
I would like to thank the publisher for sending me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.

Liv dropped out of college and got a job at a coffee shop as their pastry chef… a coffee shop run by the Fates. Her and her coworkers have one job – to fulfil any orders that the fates tell them to in order to help people on their paths. When a night out ends with Liv meeting someone and their thread becomes tangled, it’ll be up to Liv to try and put him back on the right track or risk having his life cut short.

THIS WAS ABSOLUTELY ADORABLY AMAZING. This was a legitimate rom-com from their meeting at the club (which I was laughing at) to the constant mishaps at the shop, all the way to that ending which had me smiling and cheering for them. I loved their banter and how quick they were with their lines. I loved the slow burn between them – I mean, as slow as you can get for a two and a half hour audiobook. I thought that Nick was such a fun character because while he was just flirting, he doesn’t even realize just how clueless he really is to the world around him. But what I really loved about this was the coffee shop and the fates themselves. There was just something about a coffee shop that jumps locations every day that had me so intrigued, and especially the meeting of the owners – who are a bit intimidating. Okay, maybe super intimidating. I also loved the concept of orders coming in that have to be fulfilled and then when the machine “breaks” the absolute pandemonium that ensues was fantastic. For something so short, I was completely hooked and loved every second of it. I would definitely recommend this little novella.
Profile Image for Cait.
212 reviews
January 12, 2026
This short novella has a lot going for it on paper. A cozy rom com set in a coffee shop with some tasty descriptions of bevvies and pastries? A sprinkling of Greek mythology on top of all that? Sounds like a nice light read. The problem is truly in execution. This thing is really short so it doesn’t have a ton of momentum to get itself off the ground in earnest and certainly not enough wiggle room for the characters to have life breathed into their dull cardboard cutout selves. I almost wish the author had been given more time to flesh out everything because it all just feels rushed. I also rarely comment on audiobook quality, but that’s the only format this story exists in on Spotify. That probably should have been my first clue to stay clear of this one - any story created by Audible or Spotify is usually a grab at establishing their own material and buffing out their library than actively attempting to further storytelling. In any case, the audiobook is very poorly edited with a lot of the narrator’s breaths and lip smacks kept in the final cut so sometimes you get jump scared by ASMR. I also think the narrator is an amateur as her performance and voices were not especially strong. All in all, I will likely forget I read this book by the end of the year, though I will remember it taught me to fear insanely short books and anything made by Spotify and Audible.
78 reviews
December 15, 2025
Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5)
Format : 🎧
⏰ 1 hour, 2 minutes

Okay okay before you see that totally reading time and judge me, it’s a novella with a 2 and a half hour audiobook time which I listened to at like 2.75x speed okay. It counts. And not just because it’s mid December and I’m rushing to get these last few books in.

This was a short and sweet novella about a cafe shop ran by the fates from Greek mythology. It centered around the young adults who worked there (mainly Liv) as they help the eccentric gods meddle in the fates of humans through coffees, matchas, and pastries. When Liv accidentally tangles up the life thread of a handsome young man, she must figure out how to save him without angering the gods that she works for.

It was an adorable concept and I think it was executed so well. I would’ve even loved a full length novel (or series) following these characters because it was so cute.

The romance was cute and the relationships between characters were well fleshed out for such a short little story.

The audiobook narrator did a wonderful job and kept it engaging and entertaining. The author’s writing style also was perfect for this story.

Overall just a fun, cute, short little story with a unique theme and fun characters!
Profile Image for Mari.
41 reviews
November 8, 2025
The Café of Inescapable Human Destiny by Elizabeth Hrib is like stumbling into a little pocket of magic tucked between everyday moments. It’s a delightfully tale where coffee orders, love and destiny collide in the most charming way – and what else can one expect when the Fates (yes, the Greek goddesses in charge of everyone’s life threads!) run a café that blurs the line between myth and modern-day whimsy.

Liv and Nick story manages to feel both cozy and cosmic. The dialogue between all of the characters sparkles. It is full of quick humor and lively rhythm that turns even the smallest exchanges into something memorable. I found myself laughing a lot.

Adding to the charm is Ferdelle Capistrano’s narration, which is nothing short of fantastic. She brings an effortless vibrancy to every character, giving both the male and female voices their own memorable tone and personality.

It’s a compact tale, but every scene adds a different shade to this whimsical little universe and together they make something that’s part fairytale, part rom-com and entirely engaging.
Thank you to Spotify Audio Select, NetGalley and Elizabeth Hrib for an advance listening copy of this book.
Profile Image for Adriana.
3,539 reviews42 followers
November 7, 2025
Liv Lysander works at a cafe run by the Fates. It's a good life as long as you're fine with waking up in a different place every morning. Liv is happy baking something new for each location and learning the ropes of the cafe until a meet-cute with handsome Nick ties their threads of fate together. It's a race against time and the Fates themselves to save Nick and figure out what the pull Liv feels towards him means.

It's a fun little rom-com that I would have loved to see explored in full format instead of a short story, but I enjoyed that it gets to the point with no filler. We know just enough about Liv and Nick to see that they would indeed make a good pair.

I would like to know more about the other employees at the cafe and the Fates. I'd love a series of short stories like this one, linked together by the location. That would be fun.

The narration by Ferdelle Capistrano is good. Each character gets a very distinctive tone, with emotions coming through clearly.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Spotify Audiobook Selects for the listen!
Profile Image for Flirting with Fiction&#x1f495;.
136 reviews14 followers
November 18, 2025
This was so much fun! I absolutely loved this short audio novella from Spotify audio. Thank you to Spotify and NetGalley for this ALC. And to Elizabeth Hrib for creating such a wonderful story. This is my personal review.

I requested this ALC after reading Hrib's The Best Christmas Choir Ever and really enjoying it. I'm so glad that I did! This novella incorporates Greek mythology in a modern setting (a cafe that serves up coffee and pastries with a side of destiny!) with magical realism that's juuuust enough to seem believable without being over the top fantasy.

This story is lighthearted but packs a punch theme wise. It asks us to question our notions of fate, free-will, and how we stand in our own way to reach our destinies.

My only wish is that this could have been a full-length story. The world building and characters were so much fun. I pictured this almost like a Tom Stoppard play in my head with a single setting and characters moving in and out. I hope that Hrib can come back to this in the future!
Profile Image for Laura.
2,508 reviews83 followers
November 5, 2025
My oh my! What starts as an innocent night of fun and dancing quickly turns into something more when Liv meets a cutie she nicknames “Dimples.” He isn’t supposed to remember her the next day, but when he shows up at the café, all hell literally breaks loose.

The café is in chaos, the Fates are showing up unannounced. Liv’s boss is in a tailspin. What else could go wrong? This was such a fun rom-com listen that kept me engaged till the very end.

I couldn’t stop listening. The narrator, Ferdelle Capistrano, was wonderful. The tones and inflections used were spot on. I was hooked till the very end!

This is a light, fun romcom with hints of mythology that I didn’t know that I needed! It was a refreshing read and I’ll be looking forward to reading more from this author.

A very special thanks to @elizabethhrib + @spotify + @spotifyforauthors + @tlcbooktours for the gifted ALC.
Profile Image for Patty.
359 reviews
November 22, 2025
This is a pretty fun book, esp for a Greek Classic nerd, this is a new take on what we know about the mythology embedded with a RomCom.

Liv is lost and a college dropout but an awesome baker and pastry chef. She helps a crew to run a mystical cafe own by the Fate Sisters. Their job: to help guide souls to their fates. Pretty up-to-date concept.

Except one night, the staff were letting loose and Liv met Nick. He kept coming into the cafe and they were all trying to figure out what to do in order to set his path right.

The whole story is unique and wish it's longer. It's cute but what I really liked, is the banter. Quick, witty, and smart. Even the pick-up lines are cute and adorbs while being very smart.

I have the audiobook, and must say narrator, Ferdelle Capistrano did a great job with all the voices and emotions. Made the book even more enjoyable!

Thank you NetGalley & Spotify Audiobook Selects for the audio ARC
Profile Image for Gladys.
155 reviews
November 18, 2025
I got a copy through Net Galley. This books was a short one but packed with the cutest story! The protagonist works for the Fates, she is a baker at their cafe. Every day Fate takes the cafe at a new location, where the workers job is handling coffee and guide the costumers to their destiny. Every ticket that their machine produces is a fate for a costumer. One day the workers decide to go and have some fun before the coffee shop moves to a new location, here Liv meets Nick the handsome guy who offers to buy her a drink. The following day he appears at the coffee shop and the fate machine goes crazy and offers a ticket without fate. Here is where everything starts going nuts and the coffee shop begins having trouble and is not able to move on to the next city, it keeps coming back to Nick’s city until fate is restored by Liv and Nick is given a new fate.
Profile Image for Sofia.
81 reviews1 follower
October 30, 2025
This was such a cute story! Especially for something that was only 2 hours audio. It felt like whole very well rounded book. We got cozy café, which for some reason I felt like I am in for the duration of the book, we got lovely characters- even side characters, we got a plot twist and a little bit of romance, we got laughs.
Do I need more? I don't thinks so.
Maybe another story with these characters.
It's a perfect little cozy story. I highly reccomend to people who don't like fantasy elements, because it contained just the right amount of it.
The narrator did amazing job, and audio quality was perfectly clear.
Thank you to net gallery shelf for audiobook ARC.
I will definitelly read more from this author.
Profile Image for Veronica Cruz.
569 reviews1 follower
November 2, 2025
I have yet to come across a Spotify short that I didn't like! Whether you like magical realism or greek mythology/fates you'll love this short story! The dynamic between all those working at the cafe is so fun to listen to. Our FMC and MMC interactions are equally cute and wholesome. My only complaint is I was dying for an epilogue but you still get a great HEA and everything comes full circle. Even in such a short story, everything is very well flushed out and well rounded.

Thank you Spotify Audiobooks for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Chichi.
36 reviews
November 3, 2025
3.5 Stars.
Liv works as a baker in a magical cafe, operating on behalf of the Fates to ensure people's destinies stay on the right path. When Liv and Nick meet, their life threads intertwine in an unexpected way. This is a very quick short romance novella. Good storyline.
The audiobook narration by Ferdelle Carpistrano was amazing. She has such a nice voice and has a great range in her character voicing, including the male characters. 5 Stars!

Thanx to Spotify Audiobooks and NetGalley for the ARC. My thoughts are entirely my own.
Profile Image for Sofia.
91 reviews2 followers
November 7, 2025
5✨️
🏺Travelling café
🏺Greek deities
🏺Bite-sized novella

I loved this book! The narration was really really good, the audio actress has incredible range. Normally I don't like when the narrator does the voice of the other sex, but I didn't mind this one, I actually enjoyed it!

This book is bite-sized, I listened to it on a train ride and it was so enjoyable that I didn't feel the time pass by, I almost missed my stop!

The story was really entertaining, I wish it was longer because the characters are really enjoyable and interesting, so fingers crossed for a sequel novel! I also really liked that the Fates weren't ugly as in Hercules (I always picture them like that!) but were actually really pretty and goddesses like. Hopefully we'll get to see more from this world!
Profile Image for Luna and Co.
134 reviews7 followers
November 11, 2025
4.5stars. I blame this book for making me go to bed ridiculously late. I wanted to read a bit... Finished it on the same evening. The idea was original and well-executed. The pace was fast but well-written, and while I could've taken more, I don't feel like this book was too short. It's cozy, comforting, but still exciting. I'm confused about how so much happened in such a little book? Listened to the audio version, and the narrator did a great job bringing it to life.

Thank you, Netgalley and Spotify Audiobook Selects, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Antigoni.
Author 3 books12 followers
November 4, 2025
Greek mythology and set in Canada? As a Greek Canadian SIGN ME UP!

This audiobook was short and sweet and honestly for the size really felt complete in a way novellas I find tend to leave me needing more.

So if you have a couple of hours today and want to listen to a story about Fate open up Spotify!

PSA I did receive this as an ARC from NetGalley but tbh I’d be singing praises even if I didn’t.
Profile Image for Critter.
991 reviews43 followers
December 3, 2025
I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an audio ARC.

This was a short read, but enjoyable to listen to. I thought this was an overall fun read. I thought the world building was interesting. I also enjoyed the characters and getting to know them. The narrator did a great job with narrating this book. The narrator has a great style that was interesting and engaging.
Profile Image for Allie.
217 reviews26 followers
November 3, 2025
Cute but so short audiobook production. I enjoyed the premise (always a sucker for Greek mythology) and really wished we could have more! I’d love to see more of this world and the characters and how they ended up in the cafe or what comes next. It was just a small window into a much bigger, potential world.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.
Profile Image for Katelyn Kongable.
240 reviews3 followers
November 12, 2025
This was a short and sweet novella about a coffee shop that only stays in one place e for a day and then travels through space in time to where its needed. The workers of the shop are supposed to stay anonymous but Liv evidently left more of a mark then she intended and things started going array. Her relationship with Nick was very sweet and lovely to hear.
Profile Image for Tea.
762 reviews9 followers
December 29, 2025
Cute. The concept of this travelling cafe of fate is really neat. I think this story would have been better served to be a little longer and fill in more details of how the staff live after closing time and where their families think they are.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the Audio ARC
Profile Image for Hanna Tuyls.
124 reviews9 followers
January 4, 2026
A short & sweet novella! Loved this audiobook - it almost felt like a radio program because it moved so quickly & had great narration. The idea of a modern day traveling cafe that helped The Fates was such a clever concept. I wish it was a full length book, or had additional follow ups! Good clean fun & entertaining.
Profile Image for Tabitha.
17 reviews1 follower
November 9, 2025
Cute little story; cozy and predictable. Would like to have had a bit more plot and character development. Otherwise listened on Spotify. Narrator was easy to listen to, but had a few mispronunciations and oddly paced or emphasized sentences that threw it a bit.
Profile Image for Sarah Johnson.
57 reviews1 follower
December 18, 2025
I stumbled across this audiobook on Spotify and am pleasantly surprised by how adorable it was!! Cute characters, unique plot, and doesn’t feel too short like some quick listens/reads do. I would love more books in this same world!
Profile Image for mehak ⋆ ˚。⋆౨ৎ˚.
17 reviews2 followers
November 6, 2025
This was such a cute little rom-com with a magical, cosy cafe, and a sprinkle of Greek mythology. Super fast-paced storyline, fun, likeable characters, and I really enjoyed listening to it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews

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