There was too much coffee in this book, even for a story about a coffee shop. I even had a bitter taste in my mouth while I was reading, and it was supposed to be a sweet story! I felt that the book had some appealing qualities, such as the concept, the cosy feel, and no horrible characters. Yet the execution of the story was a let-down and it was bloated in the middle when nothing much happened. Every page or so, someone downs a coffee, or to vary the terms, a brew, or brown liquid. The story was supposed to be set in England, somewhere in the north apparently, but it could have been anywhere. It had rather an American tone (why does everyone say ‘commercials’ instead of adverts?) and the fantasy town, Mapleville, had a better sense of place than the real town did. I got Stepford Wives and Truman Show vibes from Mapleville, although it was supposed to be lovely in a 1950s traditional way. I think in a different author’s hands it could have been very interesting.

The story follows an actress, Greta, whose career is on a downward slope. She was famous, with her husband and daughter, for a series of adverts for the Maple Gold brand of coffee. Her family is now falling apart and she wishes it could be like the old days. When she gets an invitation to a magical coffee shop where the concoctions send her mind to an alternative reality, she has to choose between a too-perfect life or accepting her own life, patching things up with her family and sorting out her career. The grass is always greener, literally. I wasn’t convinced about Greta’s character and she came across as too timid to be an actress. Also I’m not sure why it was mentioned several times that she had to wear a bra in bed. Just once is enough? I liked her daughter Lottie, though, who seemed very credible.

In summary, this book will appeal to coffee addicts who like gentle reads and are not particular about the writing style. I preferred The Book Share, which is the other novel I’ve read by this author.

Published in 2025 by Aria.