This group of stories felt different than the previous books. I am not sure why but perhaps it is how much I look forward to them? And that I have come to realize that instead of being a book to sit down and read cover to cover, I should instead read a story at a time, maybe over a cup of coffee, and view each one on its own. The repetition of the rules and such aren't as stark when you do that. And, I noticed that instead of being annoying now, I like the repetition, the ritual. I look forward to each group of stories and am now waiting for #5.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think Kawaguchi’s stories get better and better and this book proved that. Before We Say Goodbye is another great collection of stories. The stories as usual were fairly short and easy to read, but very emotional and bittersweet. This is an excellent addition to the series.

Another set of heartbreaking trips to the past: one pet mama wanted to see her dog one last time, one daughter regretting saying things after tsunami hit Japan post earthquake, one girl friend regretting saying no, one dude wanted to feel the curse of the ghost... We had an eclectic bunch as we did in previous 3 books.

I don't know if this book it the last one of the series, but I hope it is not. Every year having another installation of this series keeps reminding me there is more to life than work, and there might be a day that I will regret spending all the time at work. This is a good book to feel grounded.

“Not having any regrets might actually be my biggest regret. I wish I was capable of feeling regret.” - This is such a loaded quote that I marked. Because on one hand you would want to live a life without any regrets, but on the other hand what would be the meaning of life without having those regrets. Kawaguchi left me wondering again...

I enjoyed this collection of stories. Just like the previous books, all of them are emotionally thought-provoking and resonate in their own way, although my favorite was definitely the third story. While the pattern does become repetitive, these stories are comforting in their familiarity and deliver the expected emotional payoff. I am wondering if we will ever read the ghost's story and if the current ghost will be replaced.

I would recommend this book (or series) to anyone who enjoys short stories that have an emotional, reflective feel to them and anyone interested in the turning points in relationships (both familial, romantic etc.) and how one pivotal moment or event can change an entire life.

I was so excited to read this! The Before the Coffee Gets Cold series always manages to go by quicker than I’d expect: short and sweet.

Absolutely adored Tales from the Cafe and was able to read Before Your Memory Fades earlier this year. Before We Say Goodbye follows a similar dynamic as the other books: focusing on new characters, with familiar faces explaining the rules of the cafe. It’s a solid formula to deliver these hearty stories.

(Thank you Netgalley for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!)

This will probably be an unpopular opinion, but I think I'm over this series. It's a great concept -- the impact going back in time can have on someone's life even if they can't actually change anything -- but I feel like I've read the same book four times now.
*
If you've read this series from the beginning, the process of explaining the time travel rules also has gotten really repetitive. This book had four chapters, so that meant four separate times a character had to learn they couldn't change the present, ask why, debate if they still wanted to travel, and finally decide to. I know these are all individual stories but there were pages I'd start skipping over.
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In this particular book, I found the main character in two of the stories (The Husband and The Proposal) absolutely insufferable, and the lessons they learned didn't truly make up for that. I did enjoy the premise of the other two stories though.
*
If you haven't read this series, the message is still good. But if you haven't read this series, go back and read the first one!

In the magical Café Funiculi Funicula, there is a seat inhabited by a ghost. She sits and drinks coffee and reads all day. She gets up once a day to go to the toilet, and while she is gone, a single patron will have the opportunity to sit in that seat and go back in time for just a few short minutes. There are rules that must be followed:
This person must have visited the café before,
You cannot get up from the seat
You cannot change the past
You have to wait until the ghost of a customer gets up to use the restroom
You must drink all of your coffee before it gets cold.
If you follow these rules then you can spend the time it takes for a cup of coffee to cool with someone you wish to see again, but if you don't drink your coffee before it gets cold, then you become the ghost.

In this fourth book in the series, you will read about:
The husband who has regrets about all the time he spent away from his wife and wants to go back to a time before she had her accident and went into a vegetative state
The woman who wants to go back to when her beloved dog was still alive to tell them how much she loved them
The woman who wants to go back and re-visit the man who's proposal she turned down
The woman who wants to go back and see her dad who died in an earthquake three days after she had a blow-up with him and said a lot of things she didn't really mean.

These books are so good. They are a quick read, but the impact on you is so strong. They never fail to make me cry. Even though this is a series, each book can be read as a standalone. This is the type of book that will make you want to discuss it with others. It will also leave you pondering - if you could go back in time for just a few minutes, who would you would you want to see again, and why?

Thank you to the publishers for this eARC! I absolutely *adore* the "Before the Coffee Gets Cold" series and own/re-read the previous 3 installments often— I'm so happy to be able to add this one to my collection and I was definitely not disappointed! I love Kawaguchi's style of prose, as well as short stories that focus on these "slice-of-life" type of moments. Whenever I read one of these books, or even just one of the stories within them, I'm always hit with this wave of nostalgia and longing for times long since passed. I would definitely recommend this book out to others!

An odd book about a coffee shop where you can travel back in time to one day for a limited time. A grieving husband wants to go back and see the day he and his wife had coffee at the shop before she passed away. there is a gentle discussion among the patrons of the current day about how this work.
This book is #4 in the series and I think it would be beneficial to read them in order. Reading this I felt I was missing something which made it seem really odd. I did enjoy it.

If you enjoy reading about time travel, be sure to check out this series! Before We Say Goodbye is the fourth installment in the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series. A new set of customers comes to Cafe Funiculi Funicula to go back to the past. Even though they cannot change the future with their time travel, each customer learns something new that they weren't expecting. There are four chapters, and each is set up like its own story - although the cafe regulars stay the same. It is sad, happy, inspirational, heartwarming and magical. Thank you to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for the eARC

I absolutely loved this series. This is the fourth installment of it and it does not disappoint. If you enjoy stories about time travel, be sure to read this whole series. This coffee shop is truly magical. The book is divided into four parts, each customer wants to go back in time. This book will tug at your heartstrings. Thank you to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for the e-arc. 5 star

If you enjoy reading about time travel, be sure to check out this series! Before We Say Goodbye is the fourth installment in the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series. A new set of customers comes to Cafe Funiculi Funicula to go back to the past. Even though they cannot change the future with their time travel, each customer learns something new that they weren't expecting. There are four chapters, and each is set up like its own story - although the cafe regulars stay the same. It is sad, happy, inspirational, heartwarming and magical. Thank you to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for the eARC.

As with every entry in this series, I adored Before We Say Goodbye. The series revolves around the concept that you can travel to the past and visit dead loved ones or friends for closure and healing. As you can imagine, this premise brings forth a lot of emotions and fantastic character moments. In this volume, we have a story of a less than perfect father, a woman who refused a proposal from a now deceased partner, a young woman who can't forgive herself for the mistreatment of her father, and for the first time in the series, a woman who can't overcome the passing of her dog.

Each of these stories was crafted beautifully and left me gutted. Particularly, the story of the dog hit me so hard I was wiping away tears and handing out extra pets to my own pups. While I know I'm biased, I can still see that this series can feel semi-repetitious with characters constantly learning the rules of the cafe, and coming to terms that the present will not change no matter what they say or do in the past. Despite that, I can't help but be engrossed and enamored by every book in this series.

This is book 4 in the Before The Coffee Gets Cold series. I think it's better to read them in order to make sure you understand the backstory behind the characters at the magical cafe where you can go back in time to meet someone.

There are rules, however. This person must have visited the cafe before, you cannot get up from the seat that takes you back, you cannot change the past, you have to wait until the ghost of a customer gets up to use the restroom, and you must drink all of your coffee before it gets cold.

The book has four short stories that will pull at your heart, that all deal with loss/grief/regret. One of these does deal with the death of a pet. These are stories that tell you to go out, live life, tell people you love them, etc.

I really enjoy these stories and seeing the time travelers grow as they tell their stories. These characters are Japanese, so don't expect them to act yhe way we do here in the west. The stories are a little repetitive, but to me, it's not bothersome. The rules must be shared with each traveller in each story. If you want something to pull at your heart, this book and series is for you! I can't wait for the next one!

My thanks to Hanover Square Press, author Toshikazu Kawaguchi, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

If you ever need a book that will make you cry. Check out this series. Every book in this series is a collection of 4 short stories that take place in a coffee shop in Japan. In this coffee shop you can time travel but the rules of time travel are so restrictive very few people choose to attempt it. Everyone who does time travel does it for the saddest reason and I can't stop crying.

A few notes on this series. This is written by a Japanese author and translated. The actions of the characters in this book don't fit western culture. Don't project your behaviors or beliefs onto the characters in these books.

The 2nd story in the book is about a dog who passed away from old age. If you cant handle that I'd recommend skipping it.

This series has be in such a serious chokehold . I absolutely adored this book and I am hoping this is not the end !

Thank you NetGalley for this arc

The fourth book in the "Before the Coffee Gets Cold" Series, "Before We Say Goodbye" brings us more stories of time traveling coffee patrons looking for closure and healing in the midst of tragedy. I have loved each of these books and this one is no exception. The rules are simple; going back won't change the past. The terrible thing, whatever it is, will still happen. So why go at all? As we find in these new stories, it's often about last chances or righting a wrong. But this gets harder with the other two rules. You have to sit in a specific seat and stay there. No leaving the cafe or even your seat. And you only have the time it takes for the coffee to get cold. Limited time, limited space and no chance of changing any events. That is a pretty stacked deck to say the least.

Yet, Kawaguchi succeeds in reminding us that it is the little things that matter the most. He reminds us that what it means to love and be loved can look very different to different people, and that you never know how impactful a single small decision can be to a person. While each story may feel a little repetitive with the predictable beats and reading of the rules, each is also unique. I recommend reading 1 story a sitting, which will only take you maybe 20-30 minutes. Its a great reminder to take advantage of the time we have with those we love, while we have the time.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advanced reading copy of this book!

If you had the opportunity to go back to the past would you? You must leave before the coffee gets cold in this magical cafe…

I adore this series! I always have and always will. This is another heart warmer to add to the Before the Coffee Gets Cold collection. This book tells the story of 4 people with unique struggles who need to go to the past for closure, regrets, apologies, and more. It’s a super quick read but has so much depth to it.

I loved this book. I have been a big fan of all the books in this series and will continue to read more if more is ever published.

The book is split in to four sections, each telling the story of one individual who wishes to go back in time at the cafe. Each person's story tugs at the heartstrings and I wanted to wrap all of them up in a hug. This is another soft, gentle addition to the 'Before the Coffee Gets Cold' universe.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with an eARC of Before We Say Goodbye in exchange for my honest review!

Having enjoyed the first two books in Before the Coffee Gets Cold series (I still need to read the third entry, Before Your Memory Fades), I'm glad to say that Before We Say Goodbye satisfied my desire for a touching and cozy ride. It doesn't beat the first book, of course, but it's quite good nonetheless, with the second chapter, "The Farewell," being my favorite out of all the tales here. They're heartfelt stories that offer up simple yet profound messages about treasuring the loved ones in your life, being able to understand them, and the importance of getting closure. It helps that I'm a big time-travel fan, too, although you shouldn't expect anything too timey-wimey out of this series. It focuses on keeping the mechanics fairly simple.

Overall, I'm officially rating Before We Say Goodbye 3.75 out of 5 stars, which I'll bump up to 4 stars. I'll look forward to consuming more of this snuggly series.