A sweet, fun, smart and comforting romance with a tiny twist of the supernatural.

In a small town in Alabama two women become close friends and support each other and their town filled with family and friends. This town welcomes Ava, making her feel normal despite a disconcerting health condition.

The town also provides the backdrop for a number of love stories.

What a magical beach town, and a lovely cast of characters. A relaxing, very enjoyable read!

Ava takes a leap of faith when she applies for a job as a caretaker for an elderly man in Alabama, far from her home. After the sudden death of her ex-boyfriend, she needs a new start. She is hired, but she also must work part time in a coffee shop. Maggie, the owner and daughter of the man she is going to help, has a collection of curiosities that she pairs up with people. If you’re lucky enough to get one, it might just change your life. Ava and Maggie soon discover they have a lot in common, more than anyone could have guessed. But the mysterious old woman dressed in black and wearing a veil is the character that steals the show. This highly entertaining tale has just the right amount of magic and romance to give readers a warm feeling of hope. ( )

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 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. ( )

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 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.”

Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph ( )

As I was listening to an audiobook version of this novel, I was a little confused by the alternating characters at the beginning of this story. I went back, started the book again and once I had the characters sorted in my brain, the story took off. I love that so many characters found themselves and started speaking and listening to the people in their lives.

Hallie Ricardo and Stephanie Willis did a great job narrating this novel. I will look for more books narrated by both of them in the future. ( )