I enjoyed spending time in the small coastal town of Driftwood and I would love to have a coffee shop like Magpie’s near me! Not only is this a story about two hurting women, with special gifts forming a friendship - but it is interlaced with magic, wonder, and healing.

A charming setting, quirky characters, sparks of romance, and just the right touch of magic make this an absolute delight. Grab your favorite drink and curl up with 𝐀𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬.


Thank you @forgereads for a gifted copy.

Thank you @macmillan.audio for a complimentary audiobook.

This was such a sweet book. I read Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by this author last year and it was a favorite, so I was excited to read this one. It didn't disappoint!
I haven't read very much magical realism, but Heather Webber seems to have found her niche with this genre.
1 love how she keeps you guessing throughout the story…..Are ghosts real? Are there really magic powers?
Is the town kook really all that kookie?
Beautiful story, and I loved how it wrapped up
I got both the audiobook and ebook formats for this, and I loved the audiobook. The narrator was great!
Thank you @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for allowing me to review this book!

I took a chance on this book even though I'm not a huge fan of magical realism and am so glad that I did! I thoroughly enjoyed the alternating narration of Ava and Maggie - two women in small town Alabama who have slight magical senses and are learning to navigate themselves through life with broken hearts and slight medical issues. The town was charming, the characters were charming, and the narrator was amazing. I will recommend this book to anyone looking for a cozy story. A big thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the early listen in exchange for my honest opinion.

A heartwarming novel by the author of Midnight at the Blackbird café that sees two women drawn together by a mysterious letter. Full of small town charm, a cast of quirky, loveable characters, romance, second chances and a unique family mystery that brought things nicely round circle by the end. Good on audio narrated by Hallie Ricardo and Stephanie Willis and perfect for fans of authors like Karen Hawkins. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars

Our story takes us to Driftwood, Alabama; a town full of Southern charm and a cast of quirky characters. The dual POV is made up of Amy and Maggie. Amy is brought to the town by a mysteries letter after the death of her ex-boyfriend. Maggie runs a coffee shop that was started years before by her mother. Maggie is still struggling with the loss of her mother decades before and in addition managing her aging father and his eccentricities. The two women form an unlikely bond and realize that they may have more in common than they knew.

I loved the Southern charm, cozy feeling of the story, and small town gossip/feel. The ending was a bit predictable and some of the story dragged for me in the middle. I was hoping for more magical realism, but it was still a fun audiobook.

Thank you to MacMillan audio, NetGalley, and the author for an ALC of the title in exchange for my honest review.

Like a caramel latte, this book is meant to be savored and enjoyed over and over again. Even when I wasn’t listened to this book, I was thinking about it. The characters are now a part of my life. And the ending? It broke my heart just a little, and put it right back together again.

"At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities" by Heather Webber is an Interesting Blend of Magical Realism and Paranormal Fiction!

Twenty-seven-year-old Eva Harrison receives a letter with an enclosed job posting for a live-in caretaker in Driftwood, Alabama. She's always been fearful of taking off on her own but somehow this sounds like a chance she wants to take. A new normal and who wouldn't want to live in a small beach-side community?

Thirty-eight-year-old Maggie Mae Brightwell runs Magpie's, a coffee shop with a collection of curiosity offerings in Driftwood, AL. She's always full of cheer and busy as a bee on the outside, on the inside she's full to the brim with quiet worry and loss.

As Eva and Maggie become better acquainted, they find their lives are similar in many ways and discover that taking chances and making changes can be almost magical...

"At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities" is exactly what I needed. It's like a Hallmark Channel movie on steroids type of listen but it fit perfectly at the time and I enjoyed the heck out of it.

And, what's not to love about this story?

"At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities" has wonderful characters, both human and otherwise, a gorgeous Southeast coastal setting, quirky small-town life with beautiful writing and creative storytelling. There's Magical Realism, which I love, and the magic that happens when all the stars align and life begins to feel right for the first time EVER.

And it's all between the covers of this book!

The feel of "At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities" and the sound of the audiobook is reminiscent of Karen Hawkins' "The Book Charmer" and the "Dove Pond Series" which also depicts small town Southern life with sprinkles of Magical Realism. The narrators Hallie Ricardo and Stephanie Willis do a fine job right down to the Southern accents, however, I do wish more brightness would have shown through in their voicing of both Eva and Maggie. Also, the story and audiobook felt a little long at 12H 10M. Just two small quibbles.

"At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities" is the first book I've read by this author but it won't be the last. When I'm looking for another feel-good read, I'll know exactly where to find it. I love this one and definitely recommend it!

3.75⭐ rounded up!

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Heather Webber for an ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.

This was an enjoyable audiobook filled with quirky characters. Themes of stepping away from fear and embracing your true self abound.

The audiobook is narrated by two narrators for the main characters Ava and Maggie. Ava receives a mysterious letter to apply for a job as a caregiver in a small beachfront town. She takes a risk and goes to apply. When she arrives she meets Maggie, the proprietor of the local coffee shop who is worried about her elderly father. She had considered trying to find him a caregiver, but changed her mind and is shocked when Ava has the only copy of the advertisement that she distinctly remembers throwing away. Both Maggie and Ava have things in their pasts that they are unable, unwilling, or otherwise too stubborn to reveal and confront.

There are some subtle "found family" elements here, although the characters have families, the residents of the town become like family to each other as well. There's a great deal of humor, some really lovable animals, and just an all around feel good message of embracing your true self because life is too short to do otherwise.

Some lessons we could all afford to learn! Recommended.

Right out of the gate, my interest was piqued. I thoroughly enjoyed listening in as Ava decided to make a break, take a risk and improve her life. The ancillary characters were also a joy to get to know and their stories reminded me of what life might be like in a small southern town filled with young and old, the boisterous and the quirky folks who together represent the best of small-town life. The story represents transformation after loss and does so while engaging the audience with a spectacular cast of characters.

The audio narration by Hallie Ricardo and Stephanie Willis made the setting and characters come alive. I easily fell in step while listening to this narration. Many thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC of At the Coffeeshop of Curiosities. All opinions expressed in this review are authentically my own.

In a Nutshell: A heartwarming story set in a small town. Found family plus magical realism combined with relatable and likeable characters. Enjoyed this.

Story Synopsis:
When twenty-seven year old Ohio resident Ava receives a mysterious letter advertising the position of a caretaker for a cantankerous old man and his cat, she decides to take a risk for the first time in her life, travelling all the way to Driftwood, Alabama.
Thirty-eight-year-old Maggie has run Magpie's, a little shop of coffee and curiosities since a long time. She keeps herself overly busy to forget her increasingly strained relationship with her father Desmond and also her health issues. When Ava arrives in response to her advert, the two women become good friends, and without knowing it, begin a journey of healing in each other’s lives.
The story comes to us in the first person perspectives of Ava and Maggie.


Bookish Yays:
😍 The book gets the small-town vibe perfectly, right from the closeness of the people to the nosiness of the characters to the helpfulness in times of need. I loved how the beachside elements were used to add a further touch of atmosphere to the picture-perfect location.
😍 The central characters are really sweet and loveable. Ava and Maggie struggle with their personal and health issues, and this inner dynamic is carried over in their external interactions as well. Both of them are strong characters and carry the story capably.
😍 The secondary characters are also amazing, whether they have extended roles or limited ones. My favourite of all was Estrelle, the scary old lady who owned the sewing store. A special shoutout for having a gay couple in the cast of characters, not a common occurrence for a story set in a Southern small town.
😍 Even beyond the above, we have Norman the endearing dog, Molly the free-spirited cat, Cluck-Cluck the marathoning chicken, and little Juniper – the most charming baby ever. Talk about cuteness overload!
😍 I loved the way Ava’s struggles with epilepsy were written in the story. Her problem with being constantly mollycoddled by her mom, her wish to live life on her own terms, her constant fear about having an epileptic attack and yet not allowing that fear to constrain her activities – the whole presentation felt authentic.
😍 There is a lovely thread of magical realism throughout the book through strange events, unexplained predictions, paired curiosities, and odd butterflies. While some of these are explained away with a more rooted reason later in the book, they still add a lovely surreal touch to the plot.
😍 If you ask me what were the key events in the book, I will struggle to answer because the book is more like a series of small events than a couple of major ones. Yet, the story just whizzes by and I never felt like it was lagging or dragging. I liked how plot simplicity didn’t lead to boredom.
😍 There are multiple potential and new romantic relationships in the novel. Though the two main ones felt rushed and overly saccharine at times, they still matched the tone of the book and were totally steam-free. This might be among the very few times when I have no major complaints about the love stories in a novel. Sometimes, cutesy still works.

Bookish Nays:
😟 While Maggie has a college-going son, she is just 38. Yet, somehow the writing seems to portray her as a much older woman, not by outright calling her ‘old’ but by having frequent references to her age. It felt quite odd and didn’t gel with her actual age.
😟 It is a touch too goody-goody. If you are looking for more realistic small-town vibes, that won’t happen as there’s not a single negative character. The conflict in the plot comes more from family dynamics than from any external source.

🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, clocking at 12 hrs 10 minutes, is narrated by Hallie Ricardo and Stephanie Willis. I appreciate the decision of having two narrators for the two first-person povs. However, I only liked the narrators and didn’t love them. They had nice voices but it took me a good while to get into the book because their somewhat subdued performance kept causing my mind to wander. I wasn’t a fan of their voices for male characters, nor did I find them expressing the right emotions while reading. I liked the Southern accent of the narrator voicing Maggie as it brought a genuineness to the experience, but after a few chapters, her Southern accent seemed to disappear. This also meant that I kept muddling between the two characters after the initial chapters as both narrators sounded quite similar. The fact that I still enjoyed the book so much is a credit to the author and the story.

This is my first experience reading a Heather Webber book, and I am quite happy with the outcome. The novel reminded me of Ruth Hogan’s works, and I am keen to explore more by Webber.

Definitely recommended if you want to read a beautiful small-town story that is sugary-sweet in plot and characters.

4 stars.


My thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of “At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.

Thank you Netgalley for the most heartwarming book I've read in awhile. At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities is told between two differ perspectives with a huge gap in age but more in common then you would expect. This is a magical story that can't help but to make you smile.

So heartwarming. At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities reminds me a lot of Gilmore Girls. A small town with lots of well meaning, but nosey townspeople. Ava and Maggie switch POVs throughout the book to tell their stories and heal their hearts. With just a pinch of magic realism, this book is a cozy escape in a breezy beach town with lots of hope and a bit of self discovery for everyone.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan audio for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5⭐

Twenty-seven-year-old Ava Harrison has spent most of her sheltered life tethered to her fear of new experiences on account of a health condition that restricted her activities throughout her childhood and early adulthood. Though she has been in remission for two years now, the fear of falling ill again keeps her from enjoying everything life has to offer. But when she receives a mysterious letter written by her deceased former boyfriend with a job listing in the coastal town of Driftwood Alabama, she decides to take a chance on herself and step out of her comfort zone. Ava can feel a change in herself the moment she arrives in Driftwood but is also curious about who sent her the letter and why?

Ava’s trip to Alabama brings her to Magpie’s, a coffee shop run by thirty-eight-year-old Maggie Brightwell who had briefly advertised for a caretaker for her father, sixty-eight-year-old Desmond ”Dez” Brightwell, whose increasingly erratic behavior has her concerned. Maggie, takes a liking to Ava and employs her, dividing her work between helping Desmond and helping out at the coffee shop. Maggie, a single mother whose son Noah is away at college, hides much pain and past trauma underneath her cheerful demeanor. The shop belonged to her mother who is presumed to have died in a drowning accident years ago – a loss that has haunted Maggie who finds it difficult to acknowledge her death. In memory of her mother, she keeps everything the same and is resistant to initiating any kind of change in the running of the coffee shop – a fact that frustrates her father who is rumored to be considering selling Magpie's much to Maggie’s dismay. Her shop is the heart of the town and caters to its quirky residents, with each of whom Maggie shares a special rapport. Maggie’s coffee shop also houses a “Curiosity Corner” – a collection of odd items collected by Maggie over the years from which she matches items to those whom she senses need them the most.

The narrative follows Ava and Maggie as they both embark on a personal journey of grief, acceptance, and catharsis and open their hearts to change and new opportunities with the help of their friends, neighbors and a little bit of magic.

Combining elements of magical realism with a touch of intrigue, humor, romance, and small-town drama, At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities by Heather Webber is a beautifully – penned novel. The narrative is presented from the first-person perspectives of Ava and Maggie and flows well at an even pace. Both Ava and Maggie are well-fleshed-out characters and I absolutely adored Dez and his quirks as well as the enigmatic Estrelle whose gift of “knowing” keeps everyone on their toes. I also enjoyed getting to know the supporting characters (including Norman, the “quabarking” dog, Molly the cat, and a very interesting chicken by the name of Cluck Cluck) and loved how the author describes the small-town dynamics – the rivalries, love stories, the gossip, the camaraderie and the local customs. Grief and fear of the unknown can often consume our lives and this story is one of how one can find courage and support in oneself and in one another to move forward. The symbolism of the butterfly was beautifully incorporated into Ava’s journey. This is a heartwarming read that revolves around themes of found family, belongingness, hope and healing. I was invested in this story from the very fort page and would have loved to stay with these characters a little longer. This was my first time reading this author and now I’m eager to explore her backlist.

I thoroughly enjoyed the incredible audio narration by Hallie Ricardo and Stephanie Willis, who made the setting and characters come alive. Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC of At the Coffeeshop of Curiosities.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The novel and audiobook are expected to be released on August 1, 2023.

I absolutely adored everything about this story! A sweet beach type read (listen, as it were), filled with ghosts, a spooky old woman named Estrelle who seems to know more than she should, second chances and fresh starts, and lost and found love. I cannot recommend this book enough.

An easy, feel good novel with "Good Witch" vibes. A cast of characters stuck in the past, trying to find a way to move on. The magical realism was well done and seemed believable.

I listened to the audio book. There were 2 POVs with 2 narrators, making it easy to tell them apart. I found that there was lots of fluff. This made it easy to allow my mind to wonder. I felt that the romance between Ava and Sam was forced and moved way too fast. The unexpected pregnancy seemed like an unnecessary plot device. I loved the book until the last 20% when it fell apart into the completely unrealistic, and not in terms of the magical realism.

The narrators did a fantastic job of conveying the emotion of each of the characters.

I want to thank Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced audiobook.

Super cute, fun read! It’s like a found family, mystery ish, cozy book. I loved this extra because of the curiosity corner in the coffee shop! I have a soft spot for coffee and curiosities so to have this book basically be a living dream for me, love!

Duel perspectives can be kind of hard to follow at points. I got lost a couple times, but found my way back. And Estrelle, definite witchy vibes, which I also love!

At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities is a story that will sadly fall into my forgettable pile.

When a mysterious letter with a quirky job listing attached finds it's way to Ava Harris her life is propelled to small coastal town. There she will meet a cast of interesting and unique townsfolk that push her to see life through a new lens.

This is my third book by this author and my least favorite of the three. I personally struggled to find the ultimate message within these pages. Many characters where introduced that I was genuinely interested in but the net was cast so wide that I felt each story-line was under-cooked. In the past Webber's characters are what has captured me. They typically feel uniquely flawed and multi dimensional, I didn't find that to the case with this read. I also found this particular book feeling a but formulaic set next to her other books...nothing felt unique or exciting for me.

I hate to be all doom and gloom. This Author has wowed me in the past, sadly that just wasn't the case with At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities.


Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio and Tor Books for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

At The Coffee Shop of Curiosities is the perfect cozy, feel good book for summer. I listened to this book on breaks at works and on my commute. It was an escape and made me want to run off and visit myself. The magical realism, interesting cast of characters, full relationships that Ava finds, and her sense of home was enchanting. Just as Ava falls in love with her new life, you will fall in love with this book.

Ava Harrison has barely been hanging on since the death of her ex-boyfriend the month prior. Then, one day, she receives in the mail a mysterious letter. It is a job posting for a live-in caretaker for a peculiar old man and his cranky cat in Driftwood, Alabama. Convinced the posting was sent by Alexander's ghost, and desperately wanting to get away from the memories of everything there in Ohio, Ava packs a bag and hits the road. When she arrives in Driftwood, she goes to meet Maggie Mae Brightwell , who runs the local coffee shop, Magpies, and was also the one who wrote the ad. Maggie was confused when Ava showed up though, because she took down and threw away the ad less than an hour after she posted it in the window. She had only written it in a fit of anger and frustration with her father, Dez, who had been acting so strange lately and worrying her. Ava dejectedly starts to leave when she realizes there was no real job, but Maggie decides to take her to meet Dez, and Dez is so charmed by Ava, that he proposes that Ava stays with him, and works as his housekeeper part-time, and works and Magpies part-time. Ava is overjoyed, and soon is fitting right into this quirky little town. Ava and Maggie soon find they’re kindred spirits, as they’re both haunted—not by spirits, but by regret. They 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.

This book was absolutely delightful. I loved all of the quirky characters, the message that sometimes the best families are the ones you make not the ones you are born into, the mystery of the "ghost" that Dez had in his house, as well as the one who sent Ava the letter, the white butterfly that kept following Ava around everywhere, the love stories that were unfolding all around town (both expected and unexpected), the customer who came in daily to order a "fancy" drink that wasn't on the menu only to get a black coffee in return, Cluck-Cluck the chicken who was walked on a leash, Norman the dog who "qua-barked"....and so much more. This book is perfect for anyone who has found themselves looking for a place to fit in, for someone who wants to be enchanted, for anyone who just wants to be told a really good story. This book is perfect for anyone really. I loved it, and I think you will too.

This wonderful book makes me want to uproot my life and find a small seaside town with a close-knit community where everyone feels like an extension of your family. This book was so comforting and heart warming and was exactly what I needed at the exact moment I needed it.

Ava receives a mysterious letter with a job offer. After living a sheltered life due to severe epilepsy and a tragedy she is eager to gain distance from, she takes a chance and moves to a small seaside town in Alabama. She ends up with two jobs, as a live in caretaker to a man that really doesn't need the help, and the towns coffee shop which is owned by Maggie. Maggie and Ava become fast friends and Maggie takes Ava under her wing and care almost as a mother figure.

The town is full of interesting and endearing characters, including pets, making it easy to see why Ava falls in love with the place so quickly. She almost immediately becomes a part of the landscape as if she was always meant to be there. Maybe she was. Full of magical realism we come to see there is more to this town and its residents than there first appears. Life can sometimes be too hard, but with the found family Ava now has, she believes she can face anything life wants to throw her way.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of the E-book.