As another striking collection of characters walk through the door of the cafe, I could not help but be drawn into each of the situations explored. Themes of loss, love and yearning; not necessarily in the romantic sense but if you have ever lost someone dear you will recognise the emotions and feelings Kawaguchi brings to the fore. I look forward to the next installment...in fact I dread the day this series ends.

Another great book in this series
I loved the stories in this book and it was so nice to return to a familiar place
This is truly sunshine in a book

Equal parts heart-warming and heart-wrenching, this series is a great insight into humanity and it's varied lives.

These books are so soothing, quiet tales of joy and loss. Light, and insightful, with moments of quiet revelation.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

This series has a really unique premise. It sounds intriguing. It's written in an interesting way. However, the main plot went in a direction that unfortunately I didn't like. I know some people love this series though!

Would you feel better if you could go back in time and tell someone what you have always felt guilty about not saying, even though you know it won’t change what happened?

Probably.

Welcome back to the Cafe Funiculi Funicula, where if you time it right, you can sit at the table that allows you return to a previous visit, but you only have until the coffee gets cold to say what has sat uneasy with you for years.

This sequel to Before the Coffee Gets Cold is just as poignant as the first.
I find it fascinating that both books have been adapted from a play. They read well and leave you with hope and determination.

I love these quirky, yet heartfelt Japanese tales. Maybe something gets lost in the translation, but I think that adds to the beauty of the stories and I enjoyed revisiting the cafe. This book brings four more short stories centred around four customers desperate to relive a period in their life. We meet new customers as well as old favourites and each one takes us on a journey.

This series was my first introduction to Japanese translations and I can’t wait to read more.

Thank you to @netgalley & @picadorbooks for this ARC.

Another sweet little read from Kawaguchi. I loved the first Before the coffee goes cold- such an interesting concept and you could picture the little coffee shop. In book 2, I enjoyed finding out a bit more personal history of the cafe owners and (believe or not) there are even more rules to time travel. Another great set of characters travelling to the past and one to the future, it's breaks your heart and mends the pieces all at the same time. A lovely read.

An excellent addition or companion piece to 'Before the Coffee Gets Cold'. This just about stands on its own merit as being a worthy read but as an addition to the original book, it's worth its weight in gold.

There always seems to be a busy Japanese novel around and Before the Coffee Gets Cold was The One a couple of years back. The follow up came out last year and of course I’m super behind with things as always and then read them both back to back. You need to read them in order though as they tell a series of stories about a cafe where you can travel back in time, if you are sat in the right seat and only for the duration of time a cup of coffee is warm for. Across the two novels you meet a range of people who wish to make the journey, but also learn about the people who work at the cafe. I had to stop reading it on the train because it made me cry, but they were both absolutely wonderful. I recommend.

Not quite the book I was expecting and so took me a few attempts to get through. Not really my style and I found it difficult to connect with.

Thank you for providing access to this book. I'll be reviewing/featuring this book separately from NetGalley as I have purchased a copy.

I really liked the first one in the series of this book and this one didn’t disappoint. It really grabs at the emotional heart strings!

Not sure what I was expecting when I started this one. The stories are very convoluted, with what looks like a lot of extraneous details and too many ramblings perspectives (everyone in the café seems to have a word to say at some point or more!) So much so that the actual 'going back' parts felt a bit anti-climactic in the whole scheme of it.
Maybe it's the Japanese way of storytelling, with which I am not familiar, and which seems so different from Western ways of fiction-writing. It's definitely different, reads a lot like a movie playing out, and if you're not put off by a super omniscient tone, then you might enjoy this one

This is a quirky series of vignettes, set within the walls of a single café which has a singularly unique attribute… customers can travel back (or forward) in time for the length of time it takes their coffee to cool.

It isn’t as simple as that however, as there is a whole series of rules about what they must and cannot do, not all of which make full logical sense when given some thought. For instance, they cannot change the past, but can give gifts, reassurances and good or bad news, but surely those things MUST change the past! If a man is told his crush becomes his wife, wouldn’t that give him the courage to pursue her and wouldn’t the memory of being told then be part of their courtship story? It is a little bit confusing.

That said, I really don’t think it matters. The ins and outs of the time travel are pretty much irrelevant to the real purpose of the story, which is an emotional exploration of regret, loss, love and forgiveness. Each customer has an emotional wound that they need to cleanse in the past or, in one case, the future. Each encounter provides a measure of peace and sense of closure to the participants.

The individual stories were all very touching, but I did find that with the repetition in themes, they also became a little bit monotonous and the sentimentality began to feel a little bit cloying as a result. The linking story of the café staff (Nagare, Miki and Kuzu) helps to add a different layer to the storyline, but then also slides into a circular pattern as we find out more about Kuzu’s past and the mysterious customer in the special chair.

I did enjoy the insight into Japanese culture and relationships that we got snippets of, and perhaps would have engaged more with the stories if I had read the previous book first? It is an interesting concept and very well-written but the emotional tone was just not quite right for me.



'The fifth rule: your stay in the past begins when the coffee is poured and must end before the coffee gets cold. Moreover, the coffee cannot be poured by just anybody; it must be poured by Kazu Tokita.'

– Toshikazu Kawaguchi, Before the Coffee Gets Cold: Tales from the Café


Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog

This was so different to how I thought it would be, however, I still enjoyed it.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

“Seasons flow in a cycle.
Life too, passes through difficult winters.
But after any winter, spring will follow.”

I have absolutely adored being back in the Funiculi Funicula's time travelling café. It was again another easy but no less beautiful read and I felt like I was there being a part of it.
I loved seeing some new faces and new stories amongst some familiar faces. I loved seeing their stories grow and I really felt for Kazu. The newcomers again had such beautiful stories that mingled nicely with the small touches and reminders from the previous book that brought them together.
I loved that the book managed to capture the same magic of the café and I utterly adore the characters and scenery, I wish that I could spend more time there and I’d love to read more tales.
I would say that it is better to read the first book so that you can understand the magic of the café and the stories that happen there.
4/5

More tales from the urban Tokyo cafe with its magical twist engaging and thought-provoking the originality shines through. This is an enjoyable read full of engaging and poignant thoughts. The motivational theme continues in this second book, where the cafe time-travellers can revisit the past to achieve a better future.

The characters are quirky but relatable, the cafe's ethos is positive, and the magical element makes this resonate.

I received a copy of this book from Pan Macmillan - Picador via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I loved this book. It was so different from my expectations. Loved the individual stories contained within. It's a must read.

I struggled with this book! I wonder if may I should have read the first book before this one then I might have enjoyed it more so sadly this was a did not finish.