C.B. Lee has brewed up something magical in Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe—a sweet, sapphic love story that’s equal parts cozy, clever, and delightfully chaotic. It’s the perfect read for fans of soft magic, science nerds, and destiny-defying romance with just the right dose of multiversal mayhem.

Brenda is the kind of overachiever you wish you had in your lab group—fiercely focused, passionate about saving the planet, and absolutely not here for magical nonsense… until her Wi-Fi dies and she literally stumbles into another universe (and a magical coffeeshop) just in time to meet Kat: effortlessly cool, low-key magical royalty, and secretly the reluctant Chosen One trying to ghost her own fate.

Their chemistry? Instant. Their worlds? Literally colliding.

What follows is a wildly charming mix of flirty banter, awkward science-fueled swoons, chaotic magical disruptions, and a romance that feels as inevitable as gravity—but far more fun. Lee beautifully balances the sweet and the strange, wrapping big themes—like identity, purpose, and the burden of expectations—in a soft, glittery package that never loses its heart.

💖 Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe is like a warm latte on a rainy day: comforting, sweet, and a little bit otherworldly. A love story for anyone who’s ever felt caught between who they are and who they’re supposed to be.

Perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli, Rainbow Rowell, or anyone who wishes Heartstopper had more pocket dimensions.

What would you do if the world unknowingly split in two and you happened to stumble into the alternate universe, meet the girl of your dreams, and realize another way of being exists? Well, these two had to figure that one out.

This is a fun cozy book with a bit of mystery and suspense attached. It follows two girls, one who lives in a magical universe and one who doesn't. Things are similar but also SO different and after trying to find how to see each other again, they realize something bigger may be at play when others things/people start coming through the portals as well.

I really enjoyed this one and the concept was very interesting and I know this one is on a lot of y'all's radars. You won't be disappointed.

I had high hopes for this but it just wasn't for me. It was cute but boring. The story was all over the place and the characters annoying.

Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by C. B. Lee is cozy, but thankfully not too cozy, after all, the fate of the world is in the hands of two high school seniors. Brenda, the queen of extracurriculars who lives and dies by her to-do list, and Kat, the genius slacker, who puts way more thought into her mind-bending pranks than any college application. The unlikely pair meets at Kat’s father’s coffee shop on a hot Los Angeles afternoon. And what starts out as adorable becomes world-altering.

While technically the stakes could not be higher in this meet-cute romance, Lee skillfully makes the inner lives of these two teens the star of the show. Brenda, with her toxic, goal-driven life, and Kat, with her aimless slog through terrible grief, pull the reader's attention away from magic spells and mood-altering potions. In some ways, Brenda’s choice to go on a date is more surprising than her ability to stop a wyvern in its tracks.

Drawing heavily from Dungeons and Dragons, fans of the game and newbies alike will be swept away by first kisses and awed by spells that break through the very fabric of reality. I am not sure if my favorite scene was Brenda and Kat taming a dragon or the description of them getting ready for the prom. Lee creates the perfect balance of action and sweetness. I especially appreciate how the author represented the culture, food, and people of Los Angeles. I highly recommend anyone who loves a warm drink and a portal to another dimension.

Although it was a cute premise it felt like it took a bit for the story to get going. I found it more difficult to fully connect with the characters even though I thought the plot was interesting. For me the pacing was off and a bit too slow but that’s probably just me. It’s a cute story that others should check out.

A heartwarming portal fantasy that blends cozy romance with imaginative world-building and well-researched history and culture.

I appreciated the cozy fantasy premise but I felt like the author was trying to do too much and not enough at the same time. The author reviews track with my experience -- it was just so SLOW. I wasn't engaged by the characters or the plot and couldn't handle sticking around for things to pick up. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC but this is a DNF for me.

This was such a cute story!!
I love how cozy fantasy is starting to make a name for itself and these will definitely be one of the titles I tell people to checkout.
If your a fan of YA and witty humor, I'd say give this book a chance.

I really liked this. It wasn't exactly what I expected, it was quite a lot more. it had romance but also politics and twists and a great villain. I just had a lot of fun with all of it. It was so silly at times and so deep and layered at others. I really really enjoyed it. However, it took me quite a long time to get through it, I felt like it could have been shorter. The romance didn't feel really flushed out too. It happens quite fast I think. But I really loved the main characters and their friends and the concept and the plot. It was such a good read. I really need to read all books by C.B. Lee.

This was a cute and fun read! While I’ve been pulling away from YA lately, I still found it enjoyable. It’s a fantasy romance with an intriguing concept—two parallel worlds colliding—which definitely had potential. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to what I’d hoped for. Still, a light and entertaining read overall!

Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe is an immersive and beautifully rendered alternate universe YA fantasy by C.B. Lee. Released 1st July 2025 by Macmillan on their Feiwel & Friends imprint, it's 400 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.

Alternate universe speculative fiction is rightfully very popular, and this is a good one. The characters are three dimensional and believable, the background settings are immersive and complete, and the author uses the chosen one trope to good effect.

Two Earths, one with magic, one without, connected by unstable portals. One nexus is located in a coffee shop and the two MCs meet without realizing that they're (literally) from two different worlds. The author uses the confusion to good effect (one's a gamer and the other one is absolutely gobsmacked that she faced down a dragon and lived to tell about it). It's nice to see female nerds/gamers get some positive representation. Both the MCs are female, and from SE Asian families, and the author does a good/sensitive/respectful job with all that as well. The romance plotline is sweet and gently written too.

There's a mystery involved and seeing them team up to save the world is satisfying and fun.

Four stars. It would be a good choice for public or home library acquisition, or for a nice sapphic buddy read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, but sadly it fell a little flat for me. I'd seen it marketed as a fun and cosy book, but I didn't think it felt very cosy at all, so I kind of went in with the wrong expectations. I love the concept of this of two parallel worlds colliding, but the execution felt a little slow to build up, a little chaotic at times, and not as fresh and original as I was hoping. That's not to say I didn't enjoy this at all, but it didn't live up to my expectations and I didn't feel as emotionally invested as I'd like.

i like how relatable this is. the scholarship search is so real. as a college student who has lots of loans. i need scholarships. also win for band kid representation

also it’s cute to have fanfiction mentioned in a book, makes it real to me. normalize teens being nerds in fiction.

a lot of this humor is based on dnd which is so cute, but kinda alienates the audience that doesn’t know, but i still kinda like it bc i can appreciate nerd things (even though i know jack shit abt dnd.)

the magic systems were very well thought out.

“As the use of Western pre-made spells rose exponentially, original spell development around the world decreased.”

I had such a great time with Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe! The book is deliciously geeky and cozy –and queer– but it’s also so much more than that!
I loved the many references to geek culture, from Doctor Who to DnD, and how the universe was built around that but also completely original. How the author uses earthquakes as a major element was super interesting, as much as their interpretation of “Magic is everywhere”. As an example “The” scene in Target might be among my fav’ scenes… ever. That created a mirror effect between both words in the book (which book is its own AU? This one!), but also between the book –and, more generally– pop culture and our reality. All the parallels and interconnections are fun and never ending, always full of clever findings.
Both characters are complete opposites, yet they get lost into each other at first sight. I loved their evolutions, who they reassess their lives, goals and prejudices during the whole story. I don’t want to go too in depth about the MCs or their relationship to avoid spoilers, but I truly enjoyed that part. I also loved Brenda’s friends, how supportive they were, and their full geek-attitude.
But this book also introduces more deep subjects, like the cultural erasing at the benefit of a globalized hegemony, to enrich only a few at the detriment of the majority. I loved how the author presented that and integrated it to their magical system and politics, and how they used all the mystery elements to keep the reader engaged.

Thank you to the author, Feiwel & Friends and Colored Pages PR for the access to the eARC on NetGalley. My opinions are my own.
4.5/5

While this is definitely a YA level book, it was still a fun and enjoyable read. It reminded me a lot of "Legends and Lattes." Cute, cozy, full of sweet characters.

Brenda is a geeky overachiever with a multi-step plan to save the world. Step 16 is to obtain a great scholarship so she can pay for the amazing school she chooses. But moments before her most important application is due, her internet goes out. Desperate for WiFi, she stumbles into a cutesy coffeeshop that is owned by Kat and her dad. Kat who lives in a universe fueled by magic, and which she is the prophesied chosen one of. A destiny that she vehemently fights against. Unaware of the portal that has made this meeting possible, Kat and Brenda have an instant connection. But how will they find each other for their next date?

I was pleasantly surprised by how much attention was placed on the magic system and world building. When I heard this described as a cozy fantasy, I assumed it wouldn’t go much deeper than a glancing overview. However this had a lot more adventure and mystery than I originally assumed. Brenda and her friends’ absolute delight around magic leads to their geeky curiosity around learning magic themselves. There are moments when they brainstorm theoretical magic application. I found it funny how in Kat’s world spell craft is treated like math. Something most people feel ambivalent too despite it being a necessary part of their world. Seeing the ways Kat and Brenda’s worlds diverged but also closely mirrored each other was really interesting.

The romance between Kat and Brenda was really sweet and wonderful. The way they both felt misunderstood and like nobody cared about the true parts of themselves. And then in one conversation they got each other so easily and appreciated the parts that everyone usually overlooked. They fit together so perfectly and I really liked watching their bond grow deeper.

I do wish the side characters were a little more developed. Since D&D was a big part of Brenda’s life and friendships I wanted more from her party. I didn’t feel like we got to know Erica, Jenn, Ryan, and Adib outside of Brenda. They were more like stand-ins, just really hollow despite there being so many opportunities for them to shine.

The ending was definitely a little cheesy but I think it fit in nicely with the vibe of the story. The power of friendship and love being the answer in the end played well with the geeky D&D inspirations. So despite it being a little eye roll worthy, it was still cute. I had a really fun time with this!

I ended up putting this book down at the 40% mark. Not because it was bad, it wasn't. It was really cute. But, I'm an old lady and just had a hard time relating. I'm sure there are lots of people who will absolutly love this book. Especially, if they like alternate universes and D&D. Very cute story. Well written. 3.5 stars, cause I'm not completely heartless. Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I’m on a roll with excellent YA reads. I enjoyed this author’s Not Your Sidekick story and picked up their new book because even the blurb made me smile. Brenda Nguyen plans on saving the world and I mean she practically has a PowerPoint presentation of what she needs to do to be this hero but with the understanding that prom and getting into a good college should happen first. Then one particularly frazzled day in LA, Brenda stumbles into a coffeeshop and is dazzled by the cute barista, Kat Woo. What neither of them knows is that their alternate universes have somehow crossed wires.

Brenda and Kat are incredibly cute and charismatic. They both have backstories that include the grief of missing parents and the weight of heady expectations. The world building is fun and whimsical, a mix of modern pop culture and nerd visuals like wyverns, magical spell casting, and steampunk fashion. Plus, some super funny shenanigans, quirky twists, and a dash of danger. Meanwhile, Kat and Brenda are falling for each other in the midst of battling the evil adults of the world. But what I like best about the story is seeing how the love of family and friends empower Kat and Brenda. They never were never alone and that’s something beautiful for them to learn. Lastly, Kat is of Chinese heritage and Brenda’s family is Vietnamese. The story is infused with the countries’ histories, cultures, and food. So much food. I’m already missing Kat, Brenda, and the magic filled Los Angeles. A cat called Fancy and a dragon named Ana might have stolen some scenes.

Thank you to publisher and Netgalley for the ARC and for having my on the promotional tour for Coffeeshop In An Alternate Universe!

What to expect from this novel?
💕 Sapphic romance
✨️ Magic portal between parallel universes
💕 A girl who wants to save the world
✨️ A girl who wants to escape her destiny
💕 A cozy coffeeshop
✨️ Interesting magic
💕 D&D references

This standalone fantasy novel is really enjoyable, with its lighthearted tone and intriguing twists as the situation evolves! Coffeeshop is a blend of fun, teenage romance with some of the ups and downs of high school life, and a fantasy adventure trying to figure out portals and parallel universes. I loved getting to know the two very different, yet so compatible, main characters, their families and their friends. And their blossoming romance was absolutely adorable!! It was also fun to follow them in the discovery of each other's world, and the development of their plans.

The author created an interesting world (or two!), based on the real Los Angeles and added fun, unique twists to its magical counterpart! The fantasy plot woven into it was also really catchy, although some things felt like they happened a bit too easily.

If you enjoy cozy fantasy and parallel worlds, you should definitely check this book out.

4.5 stars
A cute Sapphic fantasy about getting a girlfriend from an alternate universe and saving the world.

I really enjoyed the way Kat and Brenda complemented each other. Their lives were similar enough to easily see how they related to each other but different enough to have that point of contention and growth. I think the stakes (save the world high) are a little too high for cozy, but it makes for a great story. Also, Ana has my heart, completely.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.