At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities is Magical Realism at it’s Finest
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I didn’t stop smiling the entire time I listened to this book. No exaggeration…just non-stop smiling from cover to beautiful cover. At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities is Magical Realism at it’s finest and I loved every single page. If you are a fan of magical realism, small town stories, and found family…keep on reading. Let’s chat!
At The Coffee Shop of Curiosities
Sending a huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of the audio book for review. As always, all opinions are my own!
Welcome to the small seaside town of Driftwood, Alabama. This is the story of Ava Harrison. A young woman who has lived her life full of fear. One day she receives a mysterious letter containing a job listing…someone is looking for a caretaker for a peculiar old man and his grumpy cat. Ava doesn’t know what to make of this mysterious listing or how she came to have it in her hands…but she thinks, perhaps, that she is being haunted. Her ex-boyfriend passed away a month prior and she wonders if he somehow has a hand in this. Throwing caution to the wind, Ava decides to make the trek to Driftwood and inquire about the job.
The town of Driftwood is the home of Maggie Mae Brightwell. Maggie runs Magpie’s which is the local coffee and curiosity shop. Maggie is haunted by her past and the loss of her mother…who she still believes will one day return back home to Driftwood. Maggie is the queen of doing everything for others…even if it means burning her candle at both ends.
Maggie is quite surprised to see someone coming in to apply for the job of caretaker to her father. You see, Maggie never posted the job listing…yet it somehow found it’s way to Ava. The two women make an instant connection and are kindred spirits of sorts.
My Thoughts on At The Coffee Shop of Curiosities
I don’t even know where to start. It had absolutely everything I love in a book. Magical realism, small beach town, found family, a fantastic cast of characters…center it all around a quirky coffee shop and I’m all in. The book positively oozed small town charm. It was a warm hug of a book and I am going to be thinking about it for quite some time.
Some books just have a way of making you feel happy. This was most certainly the case with At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities. I was so invested with the characters from the very beginning because they are so real and so quirky and so lovable. Speaking of quirky…oh my goodness did I immediately fall in love with Estrelle. What a live-wire of a character she is. Author Heather Webber did such an incredible job with her character development with ALL of the characters…but especially Estrelle. I could picture her as if she was in the room with me!
I absolutely adored the town of Driftwood. There is something about a small coastal beach town that just makes my heart happy. It is funny, but in real life I would not want to live in a town where everyone knew everyone and was involved in everyone’s business…way too much of an introvert for that. But in books? Oh give me ALL of the small town goodness! Driftwood was just perfect. The ocean breeze with a hint of magic dancing on the periphery. Just perfect.
The pacing was wonderful…I stayed interested the entire book. I loved that we bounced back and forth between Maggie and Ava…I loved reading both of their stories and seeing how their lives intertwined. I also really enjoyed the narrator…I thought she did a wonderful job! I am thinking I am going to need to buy a physical copy of this one as well because I need to see it on my shelf! #booknerdproblems
Check it Out
If you are someone who enjoys magical realism, small towns, and found families…definitely give At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities a try. It is definitely going to remain one of my favorite reads of 2023! Looking forward to digging through some of the author’s other books to see if I can find another gem!
2 Comments
Serene
I loved this book sooo much as well – and you will definitely love all of Heather’s other books too! I’m kind of jealous that you still have them to read! She’s such a beautiful writer, and I adore all of her characters xx
home-admin
Oh my goodness thank you so much for this comment! I am so excited to read her books!! I just ordered another one. Magical realism is my very favorite!! Do you have any other fave authors?? -Kelly