Before the Coffee Gets Cold

Sometimes when I go on holiday I convince myself I will need a book for the more relaxing days in the itinerary, and no matter how many times I needlessly carry a book all the way there and all the way back without so much as glancing at it, this time I found myself wholeheartedly believing that I needed to buy this book in the airport as I hadn't packed one! I was of course mistaken, carried it to and from Faro, squishing it in my limited suitcase allowance, only for it to be added to the ever growing reading list once I got home. All these months later and I have finally decided to start making a dent in the pile of books and why not start with one that I bought recently over those that have been sitting patiently waiting for months.....

I didn't know what to expect from this book, it seemed a short read with a mysterious plot set in a quaint coffee shop, nothing too onerous or stressful, just a relaxing read. Precisely the sort of book one should be taking to the beach on holiday, rather than sleeping the entire day away under an umbrella with a mocktail, alas sometimes holidays call for these things. What I didn't realise was that this book is a collection of short stories each revolving around a different customer and their experience travelling back in time. Originally I was a bit disappointed when the first story was over as I had become quite invested in the outcome, and wanted to know whether everything had worked out for the characters involved, but I suppose that is part of the charm of the book that the future is uncertain.

The first story is a little slower to start as it has the important job of setting the scene for the remainder of the book, this chapter introduces the rules of travelling in time and the recurring characters who own and work in the cafe. However, once the plot is in motion it is impossible not to be gripped. I found myself desperately wishing for each of the four protagonists to be successful in their travels, willing for their issues to be resolved by the journey, because wouldn't that be magical if one short trip into the past could fix any problem. Of course there is a little twist, that with each interaction they learn something about themselves or those they have gone to visit that doesn't change where they are today but allows them to confidently move forwards in the present day, because eventhough the past cannot be changed and nobody knows what the future holds. 

I am a bit conflicted with some aspects of the book, for one of the characters the resolution while endearing feels a little bitter to me. If the stories aim to show how far someone will go for one they love, it seems peculiar to me that those who care about us would want us to change our entire lives and aspirations to make them happy rather than follow our own dreams. Then with the final chapter, perhaps it is just not the decision I would make in that situation, so I found it tricky to relate to the overarching story here. This chapter does however, round the whole book off nicely and reiterates the moral of the story that no matter what hardships may occur with strength and courage they can be overcome, the time travelling cafe just helps people realise that determination comes from within.

What would I do if I could travel back in time? Say something confidently that I hadn't before, stand up for myself in a situation I was unhappy in, whatever I choose I don't think I've had a single cup of coffee in my life that I haven't let get cold, so I best steer clear of time travel!