The Time Hop Coffee Shop: A Novel – A Charming Magical Realism Story of Second Chances and New Beginnings

The Time Hop Coffee Shop was reminiscent of Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s Before the Coffee Gets Cold series which I loved. When coffee commercial star Greta has a difficult time getting cast in her forties, she feels like her life is over. She and her husband, Jim, who she loves dearly, are on a break and living apart, and her fifteen-year-old daughter, Lottie, wants nothing to do with her. She’s staying in a crappy flat and is miserable. One day, a flyer is given to her, and with an intriguing message, draws her to a tiny coffee shop that she didn’t know existed. She meets a woman named Iris, who gives her special rules about the coffee that is served at this special shop. From there, Greta can make three wishes.

The story is told in a way that made me want to keep reading. Greta is whisked away to Mapleville, a town where everything is perfect, including her husband and daughter. But what will happen if she stays in Mapleville? And does she really want everything to be so perfect? This book will make readers think about the decisions they have to make in life and their consequences. Wonderfully written and wildly entertaining.