Before We Say Goodbye (Before Coffee Gets Cold #4) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi – heartwarming yet not the strongest in the series

Before We Say Goodbye is not the strongest entry in the series, but it was still a touching and heartwarming collection of time travel stories.

Previous Books In The Series –

Book 1 – Before the Coffee Gets Cold

Book 2 – Tales from the Café

Book 3 – Before Your Memory Fades

Synopsis

The fourth novel in the internationally bestselling Before the Coffee Gets Cold Series, following a new group of customers in a magical time-traveling Tokyo café.

The regulars at Café Funiculi Funicula are well acquainted with the whimsical ability it grants them to take a trip into the past—as well as the strict rules involved, including that each traveler must return to the present in the time it takes for their coffee to get cold. In Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s previous novels, patrons have been reunited with old flames, made amends with estranged family and visited loved ones. Now readers will once again be introduced to a new set of visitors.

The Husband with Something Important Left to SayThe Woman Who Couldn’t Bid Her Dog FarewellThe Woman Who Couldn’t Answer a ProposalThe Daughter Who Drove Her Father Away

In Last Chance to Say Goodbye, which is translated from Japanese by Geoffrey Trousselot and features signature heartwarming characters and wistful storytelling, Kawaguchi once again invites the reader to ask themselves: What would you change if you could travel back in time?

Review

After reading Tales from the Café, set in Donna Donna on the hillside of Mount Hakodate, I expected this fourth book to continue in the same café. However, all the stories in this collection once again take place in Café Funiculi Funicula.

Before We Say Goodbye seems to take place between the first and second books—Nagare’s daughter is only a year old, and Kazu remains in her usual indifferent, nonchalant state as she has yet to come to terms with her mother becoming the café’s ghost that occurred at the end of the second book.

Like the previous books, this one contains four interconnected stories, each unfolding chronologically. Every tale follows a café patron’s journey through time, allowing them to reconnect with a loved one, whether living or deceased. The familiar time travel rules are repeated, as they are explained anew to each traveler.

Alongside these personal journeys, the book continues to offer cultural insights, small details about places, and reflections on the mechanics of time travel- This time it was about the chair and where it was placed that relates to the magic of the time travel.

The emotional impact of these stories felt weaker compared to the previous books-

The Husband lacked the emotional depth that often makes these stories poignant. Monji Kadokura had no real regrets about his life, which lessened the emotional weight of his journey. That said, I still enjoyed his eccentric character, his fascination with time travel, and how he asked all the right questions about its rules. The hopeful ending for him was a nice touch.

The Farewell carried more emotional weight, touching on themes of infertility, loss, and grief. Mutsuo’s unwavering care for his wife was heartwarming, and I particularly loved the human-animal bond in this story, which added an extra layer of depth.

The Proposal felt like the longest story in the collection and it was my least favorite. I struggled to connect with the characters, though I appreciated Hikari’s journey of overcoming regret and finding happiness again after traveling back in time.

The Daughter ended up being my favorite. Initially, I thought I wouldn’t care for Michiko, as she treated her father poorly. However, as her story unfolded, it became much more emotional, particularly in its connection to the devastating 2011 earthquake in Japan. Even though she couldn’t change the past or save her father, her heartfelt conversation with him and the way she acknowledged her mistakes made for a touching and hopeful resolution.

Overall, Before We Say Goodbye isn’t the strongest entry in the series, but it was still a touching and heartwarming collection of time travel stories. Each tale brought a sense of closure, hope, and peace to those reconnecting with their loved ones, offering them the courage to move forward and live their lives with renewed purpose.

What to Expect –

Japanese Time Travel Fiction
Same Café, Different Timeline
Four Chronological Stories
Repetitive Time Travel Rules
Lower Emotional Impact
Bittersweet but Hopeful Endings

Book Links

Goodreads | Amazon.in | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk
(Free on Audible Subsciption)

Have you read this or other books in this series?

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