Filled with wonderful characters that will remain in your memory. Some of the animals! I loved the storyline too. It has touches of magic and mystery and is resolved with a satisfying twist. I love all of Heather Webber's books!

If you’re into plot-driven books, then this book isn’t for you. You SHOULD however read it for the vibes and for a cast of characters, that will make you love every single one of them and their quirks.

I absolutely adore cosy fantasy and comfort books, and this book ended up being both. It took a few chapters to really get going - as mentioned, it is a very slow-paced book - but once I was hooked, I was HOOKED, and I devoured it in less than 24 hours and ended up absolutely loving it!

This one was a sweet and charming read! A unique and quirky small southern town, a hint of magic and mystery, and working through loss and regret to move forward. I really enjoyed all those elements, and all the characters. The only reason it didn’t get 5 stars was the timing of how things were resolved in the end - It was really too rushed for me and seemed improbable. But maybe I’m more of a happy-for-now person instead of needing to know the full HEA. Either way, a really fantastic book (and the narration was excellent)!

I feel like Heather Webber’s books are a comforting cup of hot tea or in this case a cup of coffee since it is set in a coffee shop. Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for granting my wish!

Magdalena Brightwell, or as most people know her Maggie, has spent most of her life in her hometown of Driftwood, Alabama only going away briefly for college. Her mother was lost at sea when she was a teenager. She has really never recovered from the loss. Now her father is acting strangely and has indicated that he is going to sell the coffee shop that her mother started. Maggie has a gift of finding lost objects and delivering them to the person who needs the object.

Ava Harrison has never had a normal life. As a child, Ava suffered from epilepsy. Her family protected her by never allowing her to do the normal things children do growing up. Now she follows a letter she received in Ohio to a sleepy beach town in Alabama. She isn’t sure what she can learn by working in a coffee shop, but the universe seems to be telling her to stay.

Heather Webber tells the story of these two women through fun banter, sad stories, and touches of magical realism. This is a perfect book for fall or winter or even spring when you want to curl up on the couch and just get away from things. I gave this novel four and a half stars. I highly recommend all of Heather Webber’s books and this is no exception!

This was a quirky and really enjoyable read!

Ava Harrison receives a letter with a job listing one month after the death of her ex-boyfriend. She thinks she is being haunted, but it just so happens to be the perfect chance for her to begin a new life. The job will require her to be a caretaker for a peculiar old man and his cat in Driftwood, Alabama, but after being interviewed by the man’s daughter, she is also asked to work part-time at Maggie’s coffee and curiosity shop.

Ava and Maggie become fast friends and realize they have more in common than they think. Both have regrets they are struggling to deal with and in order to overcome them, they must let go of the past and move on. Easier said than done, right? But sometimes change is a good thing and the people you meet along the way help lead you on a path to where you were meant to be.

I loved this book and the wonderful characters that made it so entertaining! They each brought their own little piece to the puzzle, and while at times I thought some of their personalities might clash, they were able to relate to one another more than I thought they would. I think it in turn made their friendships and community even stronger. Highly recommend!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Forge Books for providing a copy of this book to review.*

"At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities" boasts delightful characters—both human and fantastical—in a picturesque Southeast coastal backdrop. The charm of a quirky small-town life is vividly portrayed through exquisite writing and imaginative storytelling, complete with elements of Magical Realism—a personal favourite. The narrative delves into themes of friendship, loss, grief, forgiveness, acceptance, moving on, and a hint of romance. Maggie's unique talent of matching curiosities to their destined owners, inherited from her mother, is a heartwarming detail. The distinct personalities attributed to the animals enrich the tale. While "Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe" remains my top pick from Heather Webber, this book is also a delightful read. If you're drawn to magical realism, quaint Southern coastal settings, and captivating characters, this book is a must-read.

Ugh...I love this book! It's like a giant hug from a friend. You sit, talk, and listen to a lovely story! I love Driftwood! I love Ava and Sam and Rose and Titus and all the people who live in Driftwood! I can totally see At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities being a comfort read for me. Look no further for your next fall read! Grab some coffee, tea or hot chocolate, your coziest blanket, and settle in for a magical, heartwarming story!

Book Description:
At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities by Heather Webber is a wonderful story told through the eyes of Maggie and Ava.

"Everything you've ever wanted is only one job interview away," says the mysterious letter. Before she loses her nerve, Ava Harrison quickly packs and starts a thirteen hour drive to her new future. When she arrives, Ava finds that Driftwood, Alabama is a beautiful small beach town off the Gulf coast. Her interview is at Magpie's Coffee Shop, operated by Maggie.

Staying too busy to grieve her mama and miss her son, who's away at college, Maggie Brightwell is always there to lend a helping hand for anyone in Driftwood. Is guarding her heart causing her to miss out on life?

Read this if you like:
• Magical realism
• Cozy beach towns
• Heartwarming reads
• Hart of Dixie

I don't normally read many cozy mysteries but I really enjoyed this story. The writing flowed with an interesting sensory of lavender and honey. The characters were well drawn with a magical vibe.

this book immediately captured my attention from its synopsis and I was excited to pick up another magical realism story since it's a bit outside of my usual comfort zone!

the story follows ava harrison who receives a random letter in the mail one day containing an unusual job listing to work all the way in driftwood, alabama. wanting to start new and finally make a change, she decides to take a chance and make the move, interviewing for the position and sealing a job working for maggie brightwell as her father's caretaker. maggie owns a quaint little coffee shop, the center of the small little town, and has her own troubles from her past. throughout the story, we follow the two ladies as they take on new experiences and learn to move on from the past.

the plot as a whole was super intriguing and I found the writing and the way that the town was depicted to just be so charming! driftwood and the people in it was so wonderful and filled with all sorts of humor and small-town drama with a blend of quirky side characters as well. told in dual POV, it was fun getting to see both ava and maggie's perspectives and getting to know each character a bit better.

one thing I loved was how this story mixed a bit of everything together - romance, discussions of grief and loss, small town gossip, mental health, and more! the main drawback for me was the pacing of the story as I just felt it was a bit slow at times due to the more laid back and cozy vibe of the story. I also wish the end would have been elaborated upon a tad bit more considering the prior build up to this big moment. additionally, I was in a major book slump while reading this and didn't have much time to read so it took me super long to finish :(

overall, I would recommend this book to others though because it had the perfect mix of small town charm meets women's fiction meets magical realism. covering themes such as loss, forgiveness, friendship, and more, this would be the perfect cozy read, especially as we transition into fall time!

All the books I have read by the author usually have a magical realism spin to it. I am fond of it in the way that the author tends to use it. In the ones I have read, there are no witches or vampires, just regular people with magic in their lives are actions. The magic translates to something positive or negative in their lives that they deal with, and that also forms the basis of the narrative.
This story focuses on two women of differing ages and different stages in life. One of them has never moved from the shop her mother left behind when she supposedly drowned, and the other has never been allowed as much freedom as she has now for several reasons.
Maggie has made no changes to the cafe since her mother died/vanished. She wants it to be just as the latter remembers if she finds her way back. This has recently become a point of contention between her father and herself, and she hopes that looking for a nurse-like person for her father might help. She has the special power to connect people with one random item on her shelf, something that helps them channel their energies appropriately.
Ava has been given a direct sign to apply for a job. She lies to her mother about both the location and the contents of the position when she moves to the strange town with even stranger people. Her power is to sew and having heightened senses.
Both of these possibly mundane 'powers' come together to help the people in their small town and to heal the hurts that have been years in the making for the two ladies themselves. As I might have mentioned earlier, these stories are not for people who do not like light magical coincidences or situations in their stories. It is heartfelt and helps carry the story forward, but one needs to be accepting of them in order to see the beauty of the plot.
I enjoyed the read and did not see a lot of events occur. The characters are older and more settled in their lives than I am used to in such plotlines, but it did not feel odd. It does feel (initially) like we have entered an already established world, but slowly and surely, we get to know everyone in the town and champion each one towards their respective happily ever afters.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Well Ms. Webber didn’t disappoint with her latest novel. I want to know what curiosity Maggie would match me with. I loved Estelle and her eccentricities but they always came from a good place. The whole town truly cared about each other and even Molly, the persnickety cat found someone she loved.

Ava has recently suffered the death of her fiance' and she becomes determined to overcome her grief and regret to start a new life. Without letting her very protective family know, she answers the strange job ad that arrived in the mail from a small town in Alabama. Stepping out into the unknown is something very new to Ava as she accepts the job as a caretaker for a grumpy old man and part time work at his daughter's coffee shop. Ava discovers new friendships and builds confidence in herself.
Maggie the manager of the Coffee shop is also trapped by grief over the death of her mother and by regret over opportunities she let pass her by. As Ava overcomes her problems she helps inspire Maggie to move on with her life.
I enjoyed this story, but not as much as I enjoyed previous books by this author.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read an advance copy.

Wonderful, sweet read. I liked the story and the characters, but the setting was the true highlight. I'd recommend this to other readers for sure.

This opening was hands down one of my favorites from this year. The set up is interesting, it's extremely readable, and it should go over well. I stopped after chapter 1, but easy 3 stars, and 4-5 for the right readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the advanced copy of At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities.

3 - 3.5 stars

Hang in there for the second half of this book!

I liked the story concept of the character moving away from home (and out of her comfort zone), discovering herself, finding her niche, and realizing Driftwood is where she belongs. In true Webber fashion, this book is chock full of quirky, small-town southern characters. As with her other books, you can envision these eccentric folks in your mind. However, in this book so many secondary players enter the story in a very short amount of time, making it hard to keep them all straight. I had to go back and re-read a few times when they were re-introduced later on. The main characters didn't seem as well-developed as the ones in some of Heather Webber's previous books. This could be why I wasn't able to immediately connect with any of them. As the storyline becomes more cohesive in the second half, the characters begin to show more real emotion and become more relatable. This will make you glad you hung in there with this book!

I have been a fan of Heather Webber's books since I read MIdnight at the Blackbird Cafe several years ago. I'm always eager to read each new book she writes. This one was a little off the bullseye for me, though. I liked the concept, but the storyline was loose and meandering for the first half of the book. When it finally pulled together, the book was almost over. If the entire book had read like the last half, I would give it a 4-star rating.

Such a cozy spooky mystery. I just got into the mystery books and this one did not disappoint. Highly recommend this for you Halloween month read!

Such a wonderful heartwarming read. This gives huge cosy vibes and the magical realism in this book really works well. In addition it is full of whitty humour.

Joining Ava on her coming of age story, with her illness entering into remission is comforting. And the cosy small town setting creates a wonderful atmosphere.

A truly pleasant read.

What a great novel about love and life. The setting takes place in a coffee shop that will make you want to visit and see the characters at the shop. Maggie Brightwell runs the coffee shop and she is trying to find love and deal with her father. Ava shows up to help with her dad by saying she received a letter inviting her to town. It turns out that Maggie’s dad is in love and ready to move on. Maggie finds a way to own the coffee shop and begin a relationship with an old friend. The book is so good.

This was such a cozy, magical, comforting and fun read. This is my first reading Heather Webber but it won't be the last. Although I've only read a couple of magic realism books I'm always surprised with how the author manage to create a magical atmosphere in a mundane setting. This wasn't the exception.

From the first page I was transported to a small town where I got to meet so many different, quirky and memorable characters. I loved the found family aspect in this story, the connection the characters shared between them was so wholesome.

This is written in two POV's, Ava and Maggie, I never once dreaded reading from one of their perspectives. Getting to know both of them made the plot more interesting and the pacing flow. Both of them went on a journey that I was happy to follow, I was rooting for them. There's discussion on grief, discovering oneself and moving forward in life.

Thank you to Netgalley, Tor Publishing Group and Heather Webber for the digital ARC. All opinions in this review are entirely my own.

“If you continue to let yourself be haunted by your past, if you continue to allow fear to run your life, you will never have the future you yearn for, the happiness you’ve dreamed of. You must make peace with your past in order to move forward. Stop hiding from your pain. The only way out is through.”

I never thought I would be a fan of magical realism. Heather Webber is changing that. I really enjoyed her book Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe. Recently, I was given the opportunity to read and review her newest book At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities.

The small town setting and charming cast of characters make these books a warm and cozy read. I’ve pulled fabulous quotes from both of these books.

At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities is the perfect cozy story for fall. It is a story of healing and found family. I definitely recommend it!