AT THE COFFEE SHOP OF CURIOSITIES by Heather Webber is a beautifully written, magical realism novel about dealing with grief and loss, finding a way through, and embracing change. This novel is written from two viewpoints but in the same time frame. The reader sees the events from Ava’s and Maggie's perspectives, moving the story along with each chapter. Both characters are dealing with lots of loss and regret in different ways.
This novel isn't for the faint of heart. The two main characters have depth, and the reader sees both of their struggles to come to terms with their circumstances. There are underlying themes of forgiveness and acceptance. The magic is subtle and charming. Throughout the story, even the minor characters have substance, and the furry companions have some big personalities.
AT THE COFFEE SHOP OF CURIOSITIES is an exceptionally joyful read with funny, adorable townspeople and a satisfying ending that will continue to make you smile even after you’ve put the book back on your shelf.
From the USA Today bestselling author of In the Middle of Hickory Lane comes Heather Webber’s next enchanting novel, At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities!
A mysterious letter. An offer taken. And the chance to move forward.
When Ava Harrison receives a letter containing an unusual job listing one month after the sudden death of her ex-boyfriend, she thinks she’s being haunted. The listing—a job as a live-in caretaker for a peculiar old man and his cranky cat in Driftwood, Alabama—is the perfect chance to start a new life. A normal life. Ava has always been too fearful to even travel, so no one’s more surprised than she is when she throws caution to the wind and drives to the distant beachside town.
On the surface, Maggie Mae Brightwell is a bundle of energy as she runs Magpie’s, Driftwood’s coffee and curiosity shop, where there’s magic to be found in pairing the old with the new. But lurking under her cheerful exterior is a painful truth—keeping busy is the best way to distract herself from the lingering loss of her mama and her worries about her aging father. No one knows better than she does that you can’t pour from an empty cup, but holding on to the past is the only thing keeping the hope alive that her mama will return home one day.
Ava and Maggie soon find they’re kindred spirits, as they’re both haunted—not by spirits, but by regret. Both must learn to let go of the past to move on—because sometimes the waves of change bring you to the place where you most belong.