At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities
By Heather Webber
ISBN: 9781250867261
Website: heatherwebber.com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Summary:
A mysterious letter. An offer taken. And the chance to move forward.
When Ava Harrison receives a letter containing an unusual job listing one month after the sudden death of her ex-boyfriend, she thinks she’s being haunted. The listing—a job as a live-in caretaker for a peculiar old man and his cranky cat in Driftwood, Alabama—is the perfect chance to start a new life. A normal life. Ava has always been too fearful to even travel, so no one’s more surprised than she is when she throws caution to the wind and drives to the distant beachside town.
On the surface, Maggie Mae Brightwell is a bundle of energy as she runs Magpie’s, Driftwood’s coffee and curiosity shop, where there’s magic to be found in pairing the old with the new. But lurking under her cheerful exterior is a painful truth—keeping busy is the best way to distract herself from the lingering loss of her mama and her worries about her aging father. No one knows better than she does that you can’t pour from an empty cup, but holding on to the past is the only thing keeping the hope alive that her mama will return home one day.
Ava and Maggie soon find they’re kindred spirits, as they’re both haunted—not by spirits, but by regret. Both 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. (Goodreads)
Review:
Where do I start? Such a captivating tale. At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities by Heather Webber drew me in right at the beginning and held my interest throughout. A story with depth of emotion, connections – both new and old and a bit of magic perhaps? It was just the right book at the right time. Uplifting and showing that there is hope in this world that things do turn out as they should.
The main character, Ava Harrison, receives a letter in a mysterious way which contains a job offer. Thinking this is possibly from her recently deceased ex-boyfriend, Alexander Bryant, Ava decides to drive all the way to Driftwood, Alabama to attend a job interview the next day for a job as a caretaker. Way outside of her comfort zone, but isn’t it about time that 27-year-old Ava stretches herself? A bold move for Ava. I must say – that is what drew me in, the protagonist stretching herself to just “live” her life. And the journey she embarks upon is both magical and uplifting. Okay – a few snags along the way, but all in all, an enjoyable journey.
In Driftwood, Ava encounters many unusual individuals. Many of them have suffered loss (as has Ava). A few of them are looking for new beginnings (as is Ava). I particularly enjoyed one such character, Sam and his dog Norman. Their back story percolated slowly and did eventually come out to Ava. Their attraction was palpable and it was nice to see the progression of their relationship slow and steady as they both healed from their individual past trauma’s. And Norman is a cute dog with lots of personality J.
One particular Monarch butterfly (I think it was the same one) kept making an appearance throughout the story. Ava wondered if this was Alex? His way of keeping in touch? An interesting thought, which I pondered throughout many times during the reading of this book.
Ava gets a job and remains in Driftwood. She works part time in a coffee shop. The owner, Maggie, of the coffee shop has suffered a great loss at the age of eleven, (losing her mother) and has never really gotten over it. But as this is a story of growth and acceptance, maybe now Maggie can gain acceptance and move on. Maggie’s dad is acting strange and she wants to know why. Loved this storyline – it provided me with some mighty fine chuckle worthy moments. And why does the coffee shop have “curiosities”? That was an interesting offshoot, which I shall leave for you to discover yourself as you read the book!
I found that the author Heather Webber created a world where it seemed like magic abounded, but in reality, I think it was the magic of humans interacting in a positive and accepting manner. Living life well and to the best of each person’s ability. It didn’t hurt that the setting seemed so special. I must say – I am certainly going to explore more titles by Ms. Webber.
The cover art captured me interest. I am fond of Monarch butterflies and it just seemed so magical to have the butterfly on the coffee mug.
A favorite quote from the book:
“Life is too short, too fragile, too precious to hide in the shadows of what might have been. If continuously looking behind, you risk missing the possibilities that lie ahead.”
At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities is a wonderful read that delves into the process of recovery from loss by those grieving. It also shows the reader the process that one takes to change their life (with great inner strength, fortitude and faith in oneself). Lastly, it is about family – both born into and those which we include as “chosen family members”.
An enjoyable read which you will not want to miss.
