"[A]n examination of love and regret in four acts, written in fluid, dreamlike prose. Simple, sentimental, and profound, this is sure to scratch the itch for series fans."—Publishers Weekly
"[H]eart-balming."—Booklist
Praise for Before the Coffee Gets Cold series
"Characters come to the crisp realization that joy is allowed, that they don’t have to live burdened by regret; they are set free by a shift in perspective. The effect on the characters is like what the best talk therapy claims is possible: to reprocess past events to see them differently…. It’s easy to be cynical, though, and far rarer to encounter narratives that end with earnest tears of joy.” —New York Times Book Review on Tales from the Cafe
“The book’s resonating charm provides lasting emotional balm.” -Booklist on Tales from the Cafe
“Fans of Matt Haig's The Midnight Library will enjoy this quick read with touches of magical realism and soul-searching. Kawaguchi has found a unique way to manipulate such a commonly used trope as time travel and has captured the power of joy as a legacy.” —Library Journal on Tales from the Café
"Before the Coffee Gets Cold... may explore similar ground to its predecessors in the genre, but it inventively limits the mechanics of its time travel to the confines of a small cafe, and is all the more resonant for it... the narrative is deeply moving." -Chicago Review of Books on Before the Coffee Gets Cold
"The story is gold. Before the Coffee Gets Cold is perfect for anyone who wants to feel connected right now." -BookReporter on Before the Coffee Gets Cold
"An affecting, deeply immersive journey into the desire to hold onto the past. This wondrous tale will move readers." -Publishers Weekly on Before the Coffee Gets Cold
"Kawaguchi... has a surprising, unerring ability to find lasting emotional resonance. Interwoven into what initially feels like a whimsical escape are existential conundrums of love and loss, family and freedom, life and death." -The Christian Science Monitor on Before the Coffee Gets Cold
“Kawaguchi… understands how the small stories of people's lives can motivate a wish to jump into another time... This quiet, powerful book encourages readers to overcome difficulties in the present and say what needs to be said before it's too late.” -Shelf Awareness, starred review on Before the Coffee Gets Cold
"Heartwarming, quirky, and wistful." -Huffpost on Before the Coffee Gets Cold
Before the Coffee Gets Cold is able to create pathos for the characters who yearn in earnest to change the past... Check out Kawaguchi’s work if you fancy a break from the inescapable reality of the pandemic." -The Mancunion on Before the Coffee Gets Cold
"A charming novel about a mysterious Japanese coffee shop in which customers who sit in a certain chair can go back in time - but just while their coffee is cooling." -Minneapolis StarTribune on Before the Coffee Gets Cold
"By cleverly weaving fantastic strands into what turns out to be an entertaining tale... Kawaguchi builds suspense from scene to scene, carefully selecting his narrative clues." -The Arts Fuse on Before the Coffee Gets Cold
"This is a sweet, fable-like tale about a magical seat in a cafe where you can, if you wish, go back in time…
A purring cat curled in your lap, a good cup of coffee, sitting in a café with a good book — these are just a few of our favorite things. With whimsy, tenderness and adventure, these novels, translated from the Japanese, have our whole hearts, and we know they’ll capture yours too. Hiro Arikawa first […]