Baylee’s Brief Thoughts: Before the Coffee Gets Cold
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
5 Stars — The past is just a cup of coffee away.
Brief Synopsis
If a trip to the past was just a cup of coffee away, would you travel? Where would you go?
But here’s the catch — there are rules. (Of course there are rules to time travel — cue the eye roll).
You have to sit in a specific seat.
You cannot leave your seat.
The results of your trip will not alter the present.
Before to finish your visit before the coffee gets cold.
In a secluded cafe in Tokyo, a hidden place for time travel has existed for centuries. While few know the story, it is indeed real. In "Before the Coffee Gets Cold," follow the journeys of four customers seeking healing through time travel: a heartbroken girl, a weary nurse longing for her husband, a waitress needing closure from her sister's death, and a mother wanting to see her child before it's too late.
Baylee’s Brief Thoughts
In a world where time travel exists not through scientific gadgets — no fantastical machines or old scientists with jerry-rigged cars here — but through the profound connections we share, this novel invites readers to embark on a journey of self-discovery and reflection. Each character unveils their past, revealing layers of emotion and experience that shape their present and their lives are beautifully intertwined in unexpected ways.
We are challenged with the suspicion, is going to the past really worth it if the present won’t change? Why reopen old wounds struggling to heal? But this novel is a sweet reminder to live in the moment. Through their experiences, we learn that reopening old wounds can lead to healing, not for the sake of changing the past but for embracing the present. Readers are encouraged to ponder the mindfulness of a moment. The charm of everyday moments often fades amid responsibilities and distractions. It reminds us that the simplest of connections—like over a cup of coffee—can be the most profound.
In the end, as characters reflect and reconnect, they each learn the true value of presence. Their piping hot cups of “do-overs” become less about changing what’s gone and more about appreciating what is. Live passionately, love deeply, and recognize the priceless gift of today.
“No matter what difficulties people face, they will always have the strength to overcome them. It just takes heart.”