BEFORE WE FORGET KINDNESS

𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗪𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 
𝗕𝘆 𝗧𝗼𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗸𝗮𝘇𝘂 𝗞𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗰𝗵𝗶
𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿: 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗿
𝗣𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸: 𝟐𝟎𝟒
𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱: 𝟏𝟗𝐭𝐡 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒
𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗙𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
𝗝𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿: 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓





As the fifth instalment in the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series, this book takes us once again to the enigmatic café where visitors can revisit their pasts—provided they return before their coffee gets cold. This time, we get to know four new characters, each navigating their poignant journey: a boy eager to share his smile with his divorced parents, a father grappling with his daughter’s marriage, a mother cradling a nameless child and a woman who never gifted her Valentine’s chocolates.
Each story explores themes of regret and longing for closure, beautifully encapsulating the series' essence. The book delves deeply into the characters' sorrows and hopes despite its brevity. It’s short yet meaningful—true to the series' signature style.

The writing style and tone will be familiar to those familiar with the series. However, as much as I appreciate this consistency, I yearned for something new. The repetition of the café’s rules, its ambience, and even the foundational details of the café setting felt a bit redundant, especially for loyal readers. While I understand the author’s intent to make each instalment accessible as a standalone, this choice slightly diluted the experience for the readers following the entire series .Of the four stories, I found the two stories 'The Son' and 'The Father' particularly moving. However, the characters in this volume lacked the depth and resonance of those in previous instalments, making this entry the weakest in the series for me.

That said, I still found enjoyment in its slice-of-life essence. While it doesn’t surpass its predecessors, it offers moments of quiet reflection and emotional depth. For those following the series, it’s worth a read. I rated it 3 stars—not due to any glaring flaws but rather the sense of repetitiveness and a lack of fresh perspectives. The final story, The Valentines, didn't resonate with me due to its writing style, which was another factor that influenced my rating.
While I can't say I fully enjoyed the book, I wouldn’t go so far as to say I disliked it either. I appreciated two of the four stories, but the weaker characterization in the remaining two made them less engaging for me. I recommend this book to readers following the series and wishing to complete their collection. I suggest exploring one of the earlier instalments if you plan to read it as a standalone.

My Rating:

3/5

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