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The cosy, heartwarming first book in the multi-million copy bestselling series. What would you do if you could travel back in time? More importantly, who would you want to meet, maybe for one last time? Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s Before the Coffee Gets Cold, translated from Japanese, explores this age-old question . . . In a cosy back alley in Tokyo, there is a cafe which has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time. Prepare to meet four visitors, each of whom is hoping to make use of the cafe’s time-travelling offer in order to: ‐ confront the man who left them ‐ receive a letter from their husband whose memory has been taken by Alzheimer's ‐ see their sister one last time ‐ meet the daughter they never got the chance to know. But the journey into the past does not come without risks: customers must sit in a particular seat. They cannot leave the cafe. And finally, they must return to the present before the coffee gets cold . . . ‘This book broke my heart, took the pieces, and put them back together in a messy and beautiful way. . . ' - well.read.woman on Instagram Continue the beautifully moving storytelling with Tales from the Cafe, Before Your Memory Fades, Before We Say Goodbye, Before We Forget Kindness and Before I knew I loved you. Review: The ultimate birthday treat! 🎂 My favorite series just got even more beautiful... ☕✨ - I am officially OBSESSED! 😍 This book was a birthday gift to myself, and I can honestly say it’s the best present I’ve received. Before the Coffee Gets Cold has been my favorite series for a long time, but seeing it in this Sprayed Edge Edition? It’s a total game-changer. My first ever sprayed edge book and I am never going back! 😭🙌 If you haven’t read this series yet, you are missing out on a warm hug in book form. ☕ It’s set in a tiny, underground cafe in Tokyo where you can travel back in time—but only for as long as it takes for your coffee to get cold. 🕰️ It sounds simple, but the stories are so deeply moving, quiet, and filled with a gentle kind of wisdom that stays with you long after you close the cover. Why this edition is a MUST-HAVE: The Visuals: The sprayed edges are chef’s kiss! 🤌 It makes the book look like a piece of art on my shelf. I can’t stop staring at it! 📖✨ The Vibes: There is something so magical about reading these cozy, bittersweet stories from such a gorgeous physical book. It elevates the whole experience. 🕯️🌿 The Stories: Every time I revisit this cafe, I cry, I smile, and I feel a little more at peace. It’s the perfect "soul-healing" read. 🩹❤️ Whether you’re a long-time fan of the series like me or a newcomer, treat yourself to this edition! It’s whimsical, melancholic, and breathtakingly beautiful. ☕🍂 I’ll be treasuring this one forever. My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (I’d give it 10 stars if I could!) Review: A delightful read - Reading this novel was like holding a warm cup of coffee and slowly sipping it while you enjoy it's rich aroma and taste.





| Best Sellers Rank | #97 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #1 in Military Fantasy (Books) #1 in Action & Adventure Fantasy (Books) #1 in Dragons & Mythical Creatures Fantasy |
| Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 35,577 Reviews |
A**I
The ultimate birthday treat! 🎂 My favorite series just got even more beautiful... ☕✨
I am officially OBSESSED! 😍 This book was a birthday gift to myself, and I can honestly say it’s the best present I’ve received. Before the Coffee Gets Cold has been my favorite series for a long time, but seeing it in this Sprayed Edge Edition? It’s a total game-changer. My first ever sprayed edge book and I am never going back! 😭🙌 If you haven’t read this series yet, you are missing out on a warm hug in book form. ☕ It’s set in a tiny, underground cafe in Tokyo where you can travel back in time—but only for as long as it takes for your coffee to get cold. 🕰️ It sounds simple, but the stories are so deeply moving, quiet, and filled with a gentle kind of wisdom that stays with you long after you close the cover. Why this edition is a MUST-HAVE: The Visuals: The sprayed edges are chef’s kiss! 🤌 It makes the book look like a piece of art on my shelf. I can’t stop staring at it! 📖✨ The Vibes: There is something so magical about reading these cozy, bittersweet stories from such a gorgeous physical book. It elevates the whole experience. 🕯️🌿 The Stories: Every time I revisit this cafe, I cry, I smile, and I feel a little more at peace. It’s the perfect "soul-healing" read. 🩹❤️ Whether you’re a long-time fan of the series like me or a newcomer, treat yourself to this edition! It’s whimsical, melancholic, and breathtakingly beautiful. ☕🍂 I’ll be treasuring this one forever. My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (I’d give it 10 stars if I could!)
H**H
A delightful read
Reading this novel was like holding a warm cup of coffee and slowly sipping it while you enjoy it's rich aroma and taste.
S**A
Must read if you're looking for happiness and loving your loved ones
A friend suggested me this book when I was reading another feel good novel that too set in Japan The Morisaki Bookshop, so Iaccepted that recommendation because she too read a book i suggested to her so it was my turn although I was in no mood for this. But I m glad I listened to her recommendation and god what a great writing this has been. After completing i needed someone to discuss this with , so I m just leaving my review here. The entire book is set in this very old cafe which has been serving coffee to its customers for many years and it is such a cosy cafe i could feel myself in there. It has 4 parts and 4 stories of different characters all are present in the cafe and all 4 stories characters and their stories would teach us something about our loved ones and the power of love in our lives. The story made me feel a lot of emotions somewhere it made me happy and in other it made me sad with tears in my eyes. It was such a good ride I didn't want this book to end so soon , wish the author had written more. Perfect 10/10 novel My take aways little (no)spoilers ahead for those who have read this book already. 1. From fumiko's side Don't wait for the right time , you might lose your chance forever, speak your love before the coffee gets cold 2. From Hirai's side Guilt and misunderstanding can outlive people. Forgiveness and understanding should never be delayed. 3. From Kohtake's and Fusagi's side True love isn't about pity or pretending, it's about staying genuine even when the world forgets. 4. From Kei's side Love is eternal even death can not end it. Special mentions the ghost lady, kazu and nagare, and i love Kei's character.
A**A
wholesome ♥️😭
The book made me cry but also made me content and understand the importance of living in the moment and love loudly as much as you can because you never know
A**I
A feel good story
I loved the detailing of the emotions the characters felt. It was inspiring, teaching us to go on even when life isn't going as intended. But the supernatural angle could have been used better into the story telling - could have made it more exciting and engaging.
A**A
Wholesome Tales of Time travel
Like a few other Japanese authors I have read, Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s writing style is simple and straightforward. In a narrative style which is slice-of-life and relatable, the author tells multiple stories set in a cafe which offers its customers a chance to travel in time. Readers become an intimate part of the setup as the author takes time to describe the cafe, unravel each character, their backstories and their desire to time travel. The genre is magical realism and the author is able to make the magic of time travel something normal and real. The build up is such that while the initial part of the book is easy going, the last chapter is unputdownable. I recommend this wonderfully written book to every book lovers, esp those who have not experienced the simple, relatable, heartwarming style of Japanese authors.
M**A
Healing Fiction
Author Toshikazu Kawaguchi scripts four different stories revolving around ordinary moments of life wherein certain moments leaves a gigantic space of unanswered questions and somewhere deep down you want to time travel to past or future time for collecting the answers. The story of Husband and Wife and Mother and Child makes you believe the past can’t be changed and future remain uncertain as ever but it’s the heart and mind that encourages you see and revisit the memories from a different perspective and makes you a changed person. It’s a thin read with sulking moments and sometimes subconsciously you start associating with the characters. Well for me, if given a chance would love to engage into a conversation with my Nani and Dadi. ❣️#review
R**A
Highly recommended
Can't put it down....must read..
E**A
Envolvente
Leitura absolutamente envolvente. Através das histórias relatadas com inteligência e perspicácia o autor nos mostra que não podemos mudar o passado ( nem o futuro...) , mas sim podemos mudar nossa atitude, frente ao entendimento de algumas questões embaralhadas.
I**A
Before the Coffee Gets Cold
Such a moving and touching story! I really loved it. The characters are loveable and it was so beautiful to get to know each of them, have an insight into their lives. The idea of the story is so beautiful and the way everything is packed up is really nice as well. It's a poetic story that I can't help but recommend!
N**T
drink the coffee, an introspective read
be prepared to have patience, read between the lines, its so much more than the coffee. I'm glad I read it.
B**E
Incredible
This is the first book ove read in a good 5 years thanks to becoming a mum and just house wife. This book was an incredible emotional journey that I could not put down 10/10
I**E
A relaxing and comforting read
If you could travel back in time and speak with one person for a limited amount of time, who would it be? This question is at the heart of the cozy Japanese novel Before the Coffee Gets Cold.The story takes place in a charming vintage café that, honestly, made me nostalgic for a time when life felt simpler and less dominated by screens and technology. The only "technology" here is the ability to travel through time. However, it's not as simple as it sounds. There is a long list of strict rules that must be followed, the most important being that the present cannot be changed. This inevitably raises the question: is it still worth traveling to the past? Through four deeply moving interconnected stories, the novel shows us that even if the present cannot be altered, something else can change when we are given the chance to revisit the past and find closure with the people who left unfinished threads in our lives. I loved this novel. It made me feel comforted, peaceful, and cared for. For that reason—and for the beauty of its final message—I give it five stars. That said, if cozy or low-stakes stories are not your thing, you may want to think twice before picking it up, as it might not be what you're expecting.
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