Relationships | Book Chatter

Before the Coffee Gets Cold
By Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Hanover Square Press, 9781335430991, November 2020, 272 pp.

The Short of It:

Grab a coffee and enjoy.

The Rest of It:

Everyone has heard of this book and the books that follow it. I was SO late to the party with this one even though I’ve owned a copy for a very long time. I finally got to it late one night.

In a small, basement cafe, there is one seat that can transport you to the past or future, but only once and only if the strictest rules are followed.

This story consists of a very small cast of characters all in one setting, the cafe itself. The owners of the cafe do what they can to guide each person as they seek time travel, but they can’t really explain how it came about, only that it works from one specific seat and has to happen before their coffee gets cold.

That’s right. The entire process has to happen before their coffee gets cold. It’s just a brief moment to visit a specific time period and no matter what they do, it can never change the present. So why bother?

Each person who chooses to sit in that seat has their own reasons for doing so. Mostly for closure but even with the rules, they still hope to correct something in the present. Like saving someone from certain death.

It’s a bittersweet story. These characters long for their loved ones and feel the full weight of their decision to go back or forward.

I really enjoyed this simply told tale. I’ve already added the next book to my shelf. We could all use some feel good books right about now.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Bookshop.org affiliate links.

Pete and Alice in Maine
By Caitlin Shetterly
Harper, 9780063242661, July 2023, 256 pp.

The Short of It:

Trouble ahead.

The Rest of It:

Pete and Alice are married with two daughters. The COVID shutdowns have just happened. To avoid the crowds and the possibility of illness, they leave NYC and head to their summer home in Maine.

What they don’t expect is to find themselves unwelcome there. The residents quickly notice their city plates, and take action against them. Action in the form of a chainsaw, as they cut down trees to keep them hostage in their own driveway.

Pete and Alice are working through some issues. The idea of being held hostage in a small house, with their two moody kids is not to either of their liking but with the virus and Pete transitioning to remote work and Alice feeling the full weight of parenting in this difficult situation, they reluctantly try to make the best of it.

I’ve recently read a few books that feature COVID as a backdrop and Shetterly does an admirable job of setting the tension. I instantly remembered all the worry in those early days of the pandemic and Pete and Alice are forced to deal with all of it, plus issues of distrust and resentment.

Their marriage is not well. As they try to navigate whether or not to continue like this, Pete gets it in his head to head back to the city. This infuriates Alice. Why doesn’t he feel the need to protect them? Not only from the virus but from their hostile neighbors!

There’s a lot of internal dialogue. We meet Pete and Alice when they first cross paths, we see them become parents, we learn about their likes and dislikes, dreams and disappointments. Marriage is accurately depicted here. Not perfect by a long shot. Hard. The family dynamic is also quite genuine. Two opinionated girls, one who can read the writing on the wall. It’s hard to live and walk upright when your kids can read between the lines.

As difficult as the relationship is, there is time on the beach, picnics, and long afternoons spent reading.

I found the writing to be quite good. I would absolutely read this author again.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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