"Before We Forget Kindness" is a poignant exploration of memory and human connection. The novel’s strength lies in its beautifully crafted prose and deeply empathetic characters. The narrative unfolds with a gentle yet compelling rhythm, drawing readers into its emotionally resonant story. The author skillfully navigates themes of loss, love, and the impact of our actions on others. While some plot points may feel predictable, the heartfelt execution and reflective nature of the book more than compensate. This is a moving read that will leave you contemplating the nature of kindness long after the final page.

In the fifth installment of the 'Before the Coffee Gets Cold' series, Kawaguchi takes readers on another emotional journey through time and memory. 'Before We Forget Kindness' explores the complexities of family relationships and the power of forgiveness through four interconnected stories.

As always, Kawaguchi's writing is beautiful and poignant, drawing readers into the lives of his characters and the magical world of the time-traveling café. The stories are deeply moving, exploring themes of regret, loss, and redemption with sensitivity and grace.

While the overall structure of the book is similar to previous installments in the series, 'Before We Forget Kindness' feels heavier and more emotionally intense. Kawaguchi delves deeper into the emotional lives of his characters, exploring their pain and vulnerability in a way that is both heartbreaking and uplifting.

Overall, 'Before We Forget Kindness' is a powerful addition to the 'Before the Coffee Gets Cold' series, offering readers a moving exploration of family, forgiveness, and the power of kindness.

Before We Forget Kindness, may be my favourite in the best-selling Before the Coffee Gets Cold series to date! I found the various viewpoints quite engaging, especially with the introduction of a new time travel loophole. It was also exciting to see time travel to the future make a comeback, as it was a welcome change from the common theme of traveling to the past. Overall, these four tales strike an excellent balance—neither too melancholic nor excessively sweet. Five books in, it’s intriguing to observe how these stories have evolved to reflect the slowly changing societal norms in Japan regarding family, love, and relationships!

I love this series by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. I have read all of them now and they still haven't lost their magic. The stories of family, forgiving, and reconciliation are always touching and comforting.

Such a great read! Highly recommend this one.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I am so honored I was able to get the ARC for this book. I know a lot of people enjoy this series and are looking forward to this book coming out so getting to read it was very nice. Thank were some spacing errors where a letter or two in a word would have a space that shouldn’t be there, or words wouldn’t have space between them but other than that I did enjoy this book. Much like the first one I got a little lost in the writing from it being translated but I thought the stories were very nice and I think this is a great addition to the series!

Before We Forget Kindness is the fifth book in the Before the Coffee Gets Cold Series, and I’ve enjoyed it just as much as all of the other books in the series. In this book, characters can still travel in time if they follow the cafe's rules. Even with the cafe and the rules remaining the same throughout the series, the stories are still heartfelt and feel unique.

Thank you, NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Hanover Square Press for the ARC.

*Before We Forget Kindness* by Toshikazu Kawaguchi is a tender and introspective novel that beautifully captures the fleeting nature of time and human connection. Kawaguchi’s gentle prose and profound reflections on kindness and memory create a deeply moving and heartfelt story. It’s a poignant reminder of the power of compassion in our everyday lives.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

Another sweet book in the series, this series sort of reminds me of Chicken Soup for the Soul -- I picked this up, recognizing the title layout from a book my friend had recommended me. Though I haven't read any of the prior books in this series, I imagine they're all similarly sweet, a little bit sentimental, and perfect to read on a winter day cozied up with some hot chocolate. Not my usual go-to, I'[ll be honest, because I feel as though I rarely know that I'm craving something emotional-- but I'm always glad to have picked it up regardless.

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

Before We Forget Kindess is the fifth book in the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series, and it is just as good as the previous four! This book was heartwarming and very sweet and I’m so glad I had the chance to read this advanced copy! I hope Kawaguchi continues to add to this story!

Before We Forget Kindness is the fifth installment in the Before the Coffee Gets Cold book series. This series was written in Japanese and translated into English so some things don’t always translate. I came upon this series by accident and immediately fell in love with the wisdom gained by each beautifully told story. Whether you identify with the main character or you glean something else from the tale, each story is unique. This book was no different. Our first story, The Son, we meet a young boy trying to put on a brave face amidst his parents divorce. He wants to go back and let them know he was happy if they were happy. Next, we have a woman who wants to go back in time so her husband can name their baby, because in the present he is no longer alive to do so. Or the father and daughter who just couldn’t seem to connect until it was too late and lastly, a story of hurt feelings and a broken friendship that one friend would live to regret.

Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s stories tug at the heartstrings but also leave you a little bit wiser, thankful and more thoughtful.

“If you could go back, who would you want to meet?”
― Toshikazu Kawaguchi, Before the Coffee Gets Cold #1

Time travel from a seat in a cafe named Funiculi Funicula in Japan being the common point, one might question what is special about this fifth book “before we forget kindness” in the before the coffee gets cold series.

What makes this a special read is the diversity of emotions and situations that are portrayed throughout the book. There are four chapters in this book and each chapter is sort of a small story that revolves around some characters.

These stories of a wife with nameless child, a father and daughter, a woman who couldn’t give chocolate to their loved one and a child with divorced parents are an experience in themselves. Ranging from the themes of care, love to jealousy, grief and regret, each chapter here is a whole human experience in the form of a book.

The chapter that touched my heart the most was the one between a father and his daughter. It was such a precious and heartfelt experience.

The rules to visit the past are explained in each chapter so they might feel repetitive to some readers.

Overall, this book kept the magic of the series intact. The central premise that the way some chances or moments if visited can bring solace to aching hearts is what makes the experience of the book and series a special one.

I would totally recommend this book to the people who want to enjoy a quick yet cozy read.


Many thanks to @netgalley and the publisher Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC.

This is the 5th installmnt in the series by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, and a wonderful addition to the series! IT was lovely to go back to Cafe Funiculi Funicula, and to see Nagare, Kazu, and Miki again. The stories of all of the cafe's visitors are just as touching as before, and just as emotional. I always love way that Kawaguchi-san is able to create such depth to his characters even though the amount of time they visit the cafe is so short.

This book had some potential, but it missed the mark for me. Chapter 1 kicked off with a long, drawn-out explanation about failed marriages, which just felt unnecessary. The idea behind it was interesting, but it definitely needed to be shortened to keep things moving.

One of my biggest issues with this book—and honestly, with every book in this series—is the constant repetition of the café’s rules. They get explained not just at the start, but also in every single story within the book. By the time I finished, I’d heard the same rules at least four or five times. It was overkill and really dragged the story down.

On the plus side, the book did manage to pull at the heartstrings with its emotional storyline.

Overall, while there were some touching moments, the repetition and pacing issues really took away from my enjoyment. It’s a decent idea, but it didn’t fully come together for me.

Thank you so much for the arc

Overall the book was sad much more than I expected. It creates an illusion of how we portray family and how we can’t change little things from the past that we think will sway the direction of our future life path. There was four different stories and as heartbreaking as this was I couldn’t connect to the story or the characters. We still have the same premise of going to the cafe and coming back before the coffee gets cold but maybe being the fifth book the plot of the cafe could change like a switch up of rules.

this series took me by surprise how much i adored every second! every time i hear there's a new one i instantly need it! the story and writing is just gorgeous and i love it

I was THRILLED to find out this series wasn’t finished!

The Before the Coffee Gets Cold series is one of my favorites. It is a whimsical story of a coffee shop that is rumored to allow you to travel back in time or to the future. There are several rules you must follow if you want to travel back in time:

1) you have to wait for a mysterious woman to vacate her table
2) you have to stay in your seat. if you stand up you will be stuck in the seat
3) you can’t change the past or future
4) you have to finish your cup of coffee before it gets cold

This book, like the other 4, contains 4 heartwarming stories of people who want to travel to the past or the future for whatever reason. They visit cafe Funiculi Funicula full of grief, anxiety, regret, or hope. I found this story to be much more emotional and in depth than the previous ones, even though they are all 5 stars for me.

Sweet stories that tug at your heartstrings and make you think about how you view your own relationships.

I did find the number of characters a little confusing but still enjoyed reading it.

Toshikazu Kawaguchi is back again for another installment in the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series. I didn’t know I needed this book until I got it - and boy, am I glad we did!

In this latest book, we return to Finiculi Finicula to time travel with a few new faces and stories. In these short stories, we encounter an estranged father and daughter; a woman unable to give a Valentine’s Day gift to a loved one; a child who wants to make his divorced parents happy; and a wife deciding what to name her child.

I have loved all the books in this series, and this one certainly doesn’t disappoint. Like with each of the others in the series, I finished reading this one feeling all the emotions. I love how Kawaguchi is able to convey so much raw human emotion of loss, sadness, regret, and guilt into such few words. I feel like I connected with each of these stories more than in some of the previous editions, all in different ways. All were beautiful in their simple yet carefully crafted storylines. Overall, I cannot recommend this book - and series - enough to anyone and everyone!

Thank you Harlequin Trade/Hanover Imprint and NetGalley for the ARC!

I've read every installment in this series so far because it is such a comforting joy to return to Funuculi Funicular, the cafe that serves coffee and closure. In the last book, I was beginning to find the story elements repetitive and bemoaning the focus on the cafe owner family's stories. However, this installment came back with some really refreshing POVs for the time traveling clientele. A small child of divorce, a new mother with a baby, and a father/daughter missed connection turned double time travel -- the first three stories capture some really tende and nuanced stories about modern parenting and young parenthood. The fourth one, however, finally broke some new ground and brought a story of sweet but tragic young queer love. Halfheartedly tempted to knock off a star for taking this long only to predictably bury the gay, but I almost can't be that mad because how well fleshed out the character dynamics of two nerdy teenage girls, navigating love and identity. I couldn't be more delighted that a comfort series like this still has something new to offer.