It's refreshing to read a love story that doesn't hinge on big drama. Instead you come to know the characters so well and they dig into your heart. I also appreciated the view of New York in the late 1960s from the point of view of someone who wasn't famous.
1968 New York CityNews about the war might be keeping Patrick up at night--news in general might be keeping Patrick up at night--but he's doing fine. He's sure of it. He gets to spend his days selling books in the gayest neighborhood on the East Coast and his nights merrily sleeping his way through the rare book community. But when he takes in a drifter who seems to be hiding something, and his best friend and her newborn move into the apartment upstairs, his life gets turned on its head.A sleepy little bookstore should be the perfect place for Nathaniel…
I loved the way Kuang intertwined language and the history of words into the plot. I learned so much while being drawn into the world and the characters.
It was so emotional and evocative without being schmaltzy or over the top. I learned about octopus intelligence while being drawn forward by the characters and their stories.
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK
'Full of heart and humour . . . I loved it.' Ruth Hogan
'Will stay with you for a long time.' Anstey Harris
'I defy you to put it down once you've started' Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night cleaner shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. Ever since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat over thirty years ago keeping busy has helped her cope. One night she meets Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium who…
Welcome to The Smiling Dog Café, where lost souls find their way home, guided by mysterious dogs and comforted by the scent of perfectly brewed coffee. This collection of two interconnected novellas brings the Japanese tradition of healing fiction to the streets of Brooklyn, where an unassuming café holds more magic than meets the eye.
In "Code of Silence," Jeff Hodges has spent his life afraid to speak his truth, until the day he loses everything and follows a golden retriever to a café that seems to exist between worlds. There, proprietor Betty Martinez serves coffee that tastes like memories, while her wall of dog portraits holds secrets that could help Jeff finally find his voice – if he's brave enough to face what he's been running from.
"A Mother's Heart" introduces us to Sophia Greenwood, whose young daughter has just been diagnosed with the same heart condition that claimed Sophia's mother. As she grapples with this inherited legacy of both loss and love, Sophia finds herself guided to The Smiling Dog Café by an Irish Setter who seems to know exactly what her heart needs. There, surrounded by Betty's gentle wisdom and the café's subtle magic, Sophia discovers that some inheritances are stronger than fear.
Drawing on the Japanese tradition of healing fiction while grounding itself firmly in American soil, The Smiling Dog Café explores how we heal from past wounds, find courage to face our futures, and learn to trust love again. Through Betty's carefully crafted coffee blends and the watchful eyes of her painted dogs, these stories remind us that sometimes the path to healing requires a little magic, a lot of courage, and the perfect cup of coffee.
