Before the Coffee Gets Cold: A Toshikazu Kawaguchi Book Set

By: Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Narrated by: Arina Ii, Kevin Shen

The first three books in the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series packaged together.

What would you do if you could travel back in time? Discover the internationally bestselling novels of Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s Before the Coffee Gets Cold series, now a worldwide phenomenon and BookTok sensation, in this special new book set. Step inside Tokyo’s whimsical Café Funiculi Funicula and travel back in time with a cast of unforgettable characters, including:

• Before the Coffee Gets Cold: estranged sisters, a newly pregnant customer, and the wife of a man with early onset Alzheimer’s
• Tales from the Café: a detective with a gift, a son with regrets, and a man chasing “the one who got away”
• Before Your Memory Fades: a comedian with big dreams, a grieving sister, and childhood lovers

For new and longtime fans alike, this set is the perfect collection of heartwarming, uplifting tales that remind us we “don’t have to live burdened by regret” (New York Times). Translated from Japanese in the signature prose of Geoffrey Trousselot, each installment of this series brings new adventure that has captivated millions of readers around the world.

Meet more wonderful characters in the rest of the captivating Before the Coffee Gets Cold series:

• Before the Coffee Gets Cold (Book 1)
• Tales from the Cafe (Book 2)
• Before Your Memory Fades (Book 3)
• Before We Say Goodbye (Book 4)
• Before We Forget Kindness (Book 5)
• Before the Coffee Gets Cold - Boxed Set (Books 1-3)

©2023 Toshikazu Kawaguchi (P)2023 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited

The characters

Each of the characters has a life and story to tell. Each finds there way through past, present and future. Fascinating storytelling with a message for all.

formulaic, but cozy

Book One was my favorite. Book Two dragged a bit, but I loved learning more about the backstories of each character. The lore stretches.

The narration for Book One was quite somber. While Book Two's narration was more upbeat, it was a bit off-putting when recreating female voices. Both performances were good.

I must disclose that this author has discovered a formula for storywriting. If you seek fireworks, do not look here. The repetition is comforting to me, but may appear cliché to others.

Good

I definitely suggest reading these in order as they do build on one another. Once again, I believe the translation is spot on because I didn’t feel as if I was missing anything and no awkwardness. I like this series because of its calmness and simplicity. The first two are so good and almost spiritual. However, the third one didn’t resonate with me like the other two did.

interesting concept

I enjoyed these heartwarming stories and felt like I knew the characters by the end.

Hope.

beautifully written slice of life brought together with magical realism to delve into the bonds we have with each other, to remind us to speak up when we have the chance as the future is uncertain and unwritten and to honor those whom we've lost by making them happy via a happy life. love love love.

uplifting without being overly sentimental

I am a big fan of Japanese authors and of Murakami in particular. There is a slower pace, and the magic part of the magical realism is fairly understated. The restraint gives force to the deep optimism present in this work.

Very deep

Very good and sad book. Makes you think. Makes you feel. Feels like poetry sometimes.

It came together in the end

The author repeats themselves quite often and the male narrator’s female voices are pretty grating. It also demands a lot of attention to make sure you’re catching the subtleties of the plot.

very profound, lost in translation?

i wish this book were better translated/adapted. I'm half Japanese & when I was reading it, it was very Japanese-y... like everything about it... the characters' mannerisms, the way they speak & idk the more i think about it, maybe it was translated like that on purpose... idk. it was good, but I wish I could read & understand japanese writing & language... felt like I was missing something. anyway, worth the read especially if you're one to get "stuck" in the past & what ifs. also I think they could've chose better narrators.

Exceptional Storytelling

All three books are incredible. Great stories unfold one after the other and the author weaves them together seamlessly. Truly inspiring and unique stories that captivate the reader. I couldn’t put this down. Simply amazing.