Before the Coffee Gets Cold

Before the Coffee Gets Cold is a Japanese fantasy novel that takes place almost entirely within a single Tokyo café. The establishment has a peculiar rule: customers who sit in a particular corner seat can travel back in time, but only for as long as their coffee remains hot. The protagonist, a woman on the brink of quitting her job, visits the café hoping to revisit a moment from her past and reconsider a choice she made years earlier.

The novel weaves together four interconnected stories of customers who use the café's strange power to confront regrets, reconnect with lost relationships, and gain perspective on their present lives. Rather than dwelling on magical mechanics, the narrative focuses on the emotional and psychological dimensions of time travel - what it means to revisit the past and whether changing it would truly change anything. Translated from the original Japanese, the book explores themes of acceptance, forgiveness, and the weight of everyday choices.

Since its publication, the novel has become a quiet phenomenon in literary circles, appealing to readers who prefer intimate, character-driven stories over action-heavy plots. The café itself functions as both setting and character, creating a meditative atmosphere that contrasts with the emotional turbulence happening within its walls.

• Originally published in Japanese in 2019
• Genre: Contemporary fantasy with literary fiction sensibilities
• Setting: A mysterious café in Tokyo
• Themes: Time, regret, acceptance, human connection
• Best for readers of character-focused fantasy and quiet, introspective stories

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