A review by diannastarr
Before the Coffee Gets Cold, by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I would like to preface this review by stating, first and foremost: I don't typically read lighthearted novels.  Ever since I was a little, I always tended to gravitate towards the darker works, the mysteries and the nitty gritty psychological thrillers.  I've never really taken too kindly to Hallmark movies, romantic comedies, or anything similar.  That being said: I absolutely loved Before the Coffee Gets Cold.  The novel takes place at a mystical coffee shop where customers can go back in time but they only have until their cup of coffee gets cold.  Each of the four chapters follows a different pair of characters: a woman who wants to persuade her boyfriend not to move overseas, a man with Alzheimer's who can't remember his wife, two estranged sisters, and a mother and her daughter.  When I describe it like this, the premise sounds silly and ridiculous (and at first, I thought the same), but the novel truly has a lot of heart and tugged at my heartstrings in a way that I can't explain.  It's a warm book, a cozy book, a story about the bonds between people that transcends time and I can't wait to add the rest of the series by Toshikazu Kawaguchi to my collection. Before the Coffee Gets Cold is a novel that makes you wonder: if I could go back in time, who would I talk to and why?  I will say, the writing style is a bit stilted as the narrator is, more or less from the outside looking in, describing events that are going to happen with an absolute certainty that takes away the narrow, character driven perspective; but in a weird way, I liked it.  I feel like Before the Coffee Gets Cold would've been a lot stronger in it's native Japanese, but I am grateful to have been able to read this story in its translation regardless.  As someone who doesn't like books that are too "fluffy," this novel was just the right amount.