At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities

Sweet (but not saccharine) Southern story about change and transformation. Ava is from Cincinnati, OH, but is headed to Driftwood, AL on a bit of a whim, answering an ad that comes to her under mysterious circumstances, to be a caretaker for a peculiar old man. Prior to this, her life has been nothing but safety and carefulness and fear. She is immediately pulled into the charm of the small town on the waterfront and its quirky community where everyone knows everyone's business, but support each other steadfastly. The old man, Des, is not in need of care so much as his daughter Maggie wants a spy to figure out what is up with his determination to get rid of all his stuff (he's a 'collector'), lose weight, and possibly sell the coffee show more shop that Maggie runs. They are both haunted by their missing mother/wife, Penny who got caught in a rip tide, but was never found. Not only does Ava enact change for herself, but she is Mary Poppins-ish, bringing luck and new opportunities for others, like Maggie who gets re-connected with a high school sweetheart, Sam and his dog Norman who have eluded the gossip to hold on to a secret, and various other characters. But Ava has a secret of her own, though first she needs to trust her new friends and neighbors. Very likeable characters and a little touch of magic made this thoroughly enjoyable. Thanks to Libro for an ALC. show less

Happy Publication Day!
August 1, 2023


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 show more why?

“Everything you’ve always wanted is only a job interview away.”

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 how the shop is operated – a fact that frustrates her father who is rumored to be considering selling Magpie's, much to Maggie’s dismay. Her coffee 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 Curiosities most often acted as reminders of something that once brought joy that might be missing from that person’s life. Then they sparked a desire to seek that happiness again.”

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 first page and would have loved to stay with these characters a little longer. This is my first Heather Webber novel and now I’m eager to explore her backlist.

Many thanks to Forge Books/Tor Publishing Group for my gifted hardcover copy.

I paired my reading with the incredible audio narration by Hallie Ricardo and Stephanie Willis, who made the setting and characters come alive, making for an engaging immersion reading experience. Many thanks for Macmillan Audio for the ALC of At the Coffeeshop of Curiosities.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

“Hard times could be overcome, given time. Given heart. Given determination. Life could be rebuilt. Fresh starts were possible.”

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Whenever I see Heather Webber has a new book out, I know I'll need some tissues since I always end up crying while reading her books. The way she is able to combine sweet moments, memorable characters, and magical realism is, well, magic.

At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities does not disappoint in the memorable characters. She had me at, scowling old goth lady with a birdcage veil that seems to always know what is going to happen before it does, and everyone fears. And the endearing characters just kept coming, like a dog and his “quabarks” that only Ava can hear or Maggie’s dad who talks to his little ghost and begins giving up all the numerous treasures he’s gathered through the years.

Not only does Webber’s books always have show more wonderful characters, but there are so many life lessons imparted within the pages, along with things that just make you ponder about long after you’re read the book.

If you’re looking for a sweet story with lots of life lessons, told in a non-condescending way, that will add a touch of magic to your life then look no further. show less

This was a sweet novel of fresh starts, transformations, abandoned fears, and love found. Ava is mysteriously invited to the charming small town of Driftwood. She describes this southern town as “a picture-perfect, perfectly quirky town. A place where someone like me, who has an extraordinary sense of hearing and smell, could fit in. I was a square peg and Driftwood was proving to be a square hole.”

The word ‘delicious’ came to my mind more than once while reading. The yummy pastries eaten throughout the novel, the coffee drinks created and consumed, the descriptive writing that made me feel I was on the coast of Driftwood, "caught on a salty sea breeze" with eccentric characters, enchanting romances, and endearing animals.

Author show more Heather Webber is known as the “queen of magical small-town charm” and this is the second of her novels I’ve read, with more on my TBR list. If you like a bit of magic realism, quirky characters, those who overcome loss and gain self-confidence, you’ll enjoy this layered feel-good story about two women and the little miracles that bring them together. show less

Magical Realism is a genre that I've never enjoyed reading. Heather Webber's new book sounded like it would be really good so I decided to try this genre again and I sure am glad that I did. This was a fun book with great characters that I'd like to have a cup of coffee with. The story line is uplifting and it was wonderful to see the main characters change throughout the book. The little town is full of eccentric people but they all work together to help make each other happy.

Ava has led a very sheltered life due to illness as a child. She is comfortable with her boundaries and doesn't want to try anything new. A month after her boyfriend died, she received a letter that she believed had come from him, encouraging her to apply for a show more job in the small town of Driftwood, Alabama. The job is to be the caretaker of an eccentric man and was posted by his daughter who runs the local coffee shop. Ava decides to get out of her comfort zone and drive to Alabama to apply for the job. One of the first people she meets is Maggie -- the owner of the coffee shop and the person who initially posted the job posting because she was worried about her father and the changes that he was going through. Ava and Maggie are both perplexed about the job posting - Maggie had ripped it off the window and thrown it away but how did a copy get to Ava and was the ghost of her boyfriend responsible? Ava is totally mesmerized by the town and the inhabitants and the ghost that may live in the house that she's moving into. As she and Maggie become friends, they both realize that they have lived their lives with a lot of regret for holding on to the past and refusing to accept new challenges in their lives. 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. Will they both be able to let go of their past mistakes and begin to explore new situations in their lives and find happiness?

I really enjoyed this book. Yes, there was a bit of magic and talk of ghosts. But for me the best part of the book was getting to know the quirky people in Driftwood and to see the friendship between Ava and Maggie change their lives for the best. I'm going to go back and read the earlier books by this author since I enjoyed this one so much. show less

Heather Webber's novel is a cozy mystery, no murders, just fuzzy-warm feelings. While it is overly descriptive and prolonged in getting to the point, the characterizations are intriguingly idiosyncratic and the small-town ambience very evident.

My favourite character was Estelle and as the story developed, I wasn't surprised by the final reveal. I certainly didn't expect the other reveal, involving Ava.

My 3½-star rating (rather than 4) is due to the all-too slow development of the plot. For my enjoyment, I prefer that reiteration of Ava's backstory not be repeatedly visited and the story move forward from the first chapters. There were a few other repetitive scenarios that dragged the story down as well.

However, the paranormal vibes show more were well-wrought and added an enjoyable sense of an 'otherwordly' village populated by fascinating people ~ a story that became very engaging. show less

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

show more

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: show less