I loved this so much! The concept is brilliant - taking the ever-popular concept of the "coffeeshop au" and making it a literal coffeeshop in another universe is pretty much guaranteed to be great. This is the second book of C.B. Lee's that I've really enjoyed, and one of my favorite cozy novels.

Brenda and Kat are both loveable and easy to root for. They have great chemistry and it was such a joy to watch their excitement an they learned about one another's worlds.

Brenda's friend group are fantastic and fit seamlessly in with the couple as they work to save both of their worlds. The idea of taking a DnD party and informing them that, hey, magic is real in another universe, is highly entertaining.

I had the biggest smile on my face the whole time I was listening. It was great.

The audiobook narrators did an excellent job bringing the characters to life. I'm not usually a fan of Emily Woo Zeller, in fact I spent years actively avoiding anything she narrated, but I didn't mind her voice here, and actually think she did a great job. Maybe because I have since learned that I can speed up the narration until the voices sound natural to me.

Absolutely 100% recommend, especially if you love stories involving DnD friend groups and/or fanfiction aus.

*Thanks to Feiwel & Friends and Brilliance Audio for providing an early ecopy and audio copy for review.

DNF. Not really in the mood for modern, cozy fantasy at the moment, and the two worlds don’t feel all that distinct.

4.5 stars

On an important deadline when the internet goes out, Brenda stumbles into a coffeeshop she had never seen before. A coffeeshop that just happened to have a cute girl, Kat, and the two form a connection. But when Brenda goes to find the coffeeshop again--she can't. Turns out that Kat and Brenda are from different universes. And in order to go on another date, they'll have to find a portal.

Thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for an advanced copy of Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by CB Lee to review! Always on the lookout for new cozy fantasy; bonus for fantasy that is set in a coffeeshop. Who wouldn't want to accidentally find out there's another magical universe out there when they stumble into a coffeeshop?

The world building in this book was fantastic. Both Kat and Brenda's worlds parallel each other in ways that were just similar enough that it took a little bit to figure out the mystery at the beginning. And then the magic system was so fascinating! I am always here for an interesting magic system, especially when it means a non-magical character discovers magic. Brenda's friends also discovering it was so entertaining. One of my favorite scenes was with the dragon and the cat. You'll know when you get there.

In addition to such a wonderful world, the character development is on par with it. Brenda and Kat are wonderfully complex, in addition to their friends and family. All around, there are a lot of great characters to love in this book.

If you like D&D, I think this is a book you'll also love! Especially if you were to suddenly find out that some of the magic in D&D was real. If you like queer cozy fantasy, definitely check this out when it comes out in July!

with an adorable love story, a twist on the chosen one trope, and a mystery that spans two universes, this was a fantastic, adorable, cozy read! for anyone who loves CoffeeShopAU fics, this is the novel for you! the Coffee shop is literally an alternate universe, but so is the Target! with two young girls exploring love for the first time, as well as struggling with where they fit into the world, what they want to do with their futures, and figuring out the mystery that is afflicting both their worlds with terrible natural disasters. between the meet cute, the first date, and the working together to alter both their fates, this is a fantastic cozy fantasy, Sapphic, YA romance for anyone who likes the cozy ghibli films.

this had that fantasy elements that I was hoping for and enjoyed from this type of book. It was a unique concept and worked with the world that was going on. The characters had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from this type of book. I was engaged with the romance and how it was used in the fantasy world elements. C. B. Lee wrote this well and left me wanting more.

A soft sapphic cozy fantasy about two people who find a way to fall in love in a magical coffeeshop despite being frmo two different universes! This was a very cozy sapphic romance that was an easy read. I do think that this could be a easy read with low stakes for fans of cozy books. This was definitely very YA and I do think younger YA readers who want a sapphic cozy romance can have fun reading this one. I might have wanted a bit more, but that's just me.

Release Date: July 1, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for sending. mean arc in exchange for an honest reiew*

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! So darn cozy and so darn cute, this warmed my cold sad heart

This cozy, queer YA fantasy was equal parts soft romance, magical adventure, and thoughtful storytelling. Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe blends heart, humor, and a dash of chaos into a sapphic love story that’s both whimsical and deeply grounded.

Brenda, a science-loving overachiever with a 19-step plan to save the world, meets Kat, a rebellious Chosen One trying to outrun fate, in the most unlikely of places, a magical coffeeshop tucked between universes. Their chemistry is instant, but their circumstances? Far from simple. Think: parallel worlds, ancient prophecies, and interdimensional dating complications.

The romance between Brenda and Kat is tender and affirming, the kind that makes each of them more fully themselves. I adored how their relationship stayed soft and nurturing even as things got increasingly chaotic around them. Their connection felt authentic, full of trust, vulnerability, and a touch of awkward teenage charm.

And this book isn’t just a cute love story with a side of magic (though it is that too). It weaves in themes of identity, grief, choice vs. destiny, and the courage to rewrite your own story. There’s also a bit of mystery, some clever world-building, and a seamless mix of magic and sci-fi that really makes this alternate universe come alive.

Even though I saw a few twists coming, I was never bored, the emotional depth and the characters kept me hooked. And the LGBTQ+ rep? Fantastic. It felt natural, inclusive, and joyful.

If you’re into cozy-but-complex sapphic romances, multiverse shenanigans, and stories that balance lightness with meaning, this book is absolutely worth the read.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC of Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe.

The synopsis and cover of this book are so engaging, and I was surprised that I really couldn’t get into this book at all.

The first chapter left me rather confused and not caring all that much for Brenda. That opening paragraph should be scrapped to be honest. Opening chapters are so crucial to the storytelling, and it takes a while for Brenda to find herself in the coffeeshop. That was the most interesting part of that chapter, so I would have started things there instead of providing all of this filler context for what Brenda is doing or what her goals are.

Kat was a bit more interesting to me, but I just couldn’t get into this story and found myself with a DNF for this one.

This book is an adorable sapphic contemporary YA cozy fantasy where two parallel worlds collide and the two main characters are from each world-- one magical and the other similar to our world. They meet on a chance encounter when one of them accidentally crosses into the other world and then when they try to set up a date without realizing they're from different universes, shenanigans ensue! It was a very cute read and quick overall and I had a lot of fun. Definitely recommend if you're in the mood for a fun and fast paced cozy YA adventure. A huge thank you to Netgalley and Fierce Reads for the opportunity to share my thoughts in exchange for this arc!

I really enjoyed this book. The characters are interesting and the concept was fun, especially at the end. Their flaws are relatable and it was also culturally educational at times in a way that isn't hard to understand or detract from the story. Absolute winner of a book.

DNF at 20%.

Things were developing much too slowly for me and I just got bored. I'd read a good bit of it and the leads had only been together once, which was just too slow when the romance was supposed to be a main focus.

Also it called itself cozy, but the things the characters were dealing with at the beginning were quite heavy. I started reading this book during a time where I wanted the comfort of a cozy read and it just upset me more, leading to me DNFing. Maybe if I was in a different mood I would've enjoyed it more.

I unfortunately have decided not to finish this book at 53% I was hooked from the beginning, and this book had everything to make me love it: cli-fi, sapphic romance, magic. So why was I having such a hard time getting through it? How does one make a magical multiverse, well, boring?
For one, there was too much fluff. The story was starting to drag. And I felt like the author was telling rather than showing. Too many adjectives.
The concept of an alternate reality should have been mind-blowing, but everyone was so casual about it. Everyone was so blunt and just word vomited all the time. And the romance was kind of cringe. I know they're sapphic, but it felt like it moved quickly. Kat had self-proclaimed commitment issues, but jumped right in. Also, why is everyone wearing skinny jeans in our universe? What year does this take place?
Lastly, the world building in the alternate universe needed to be fleshed out more. All that was described was what was different from our world. It was confusing and left holes. Brenda's friends asked a few questions, but they didn't even get answered.
I wanted to love this book, so I am disappointed. The premise was great.

4.5 // This was so fun! This book was so CREATIVE. I've become less of a cozy fantasy fan over the years, because I just find a lot of them kind of slow-moving, but I found myself quickly invested in this plot. I LOVED the way these worlds were parallels of each other and the differences and similarities between them. The romance was really sweet and I loved how queer-normative these worlds were: there were so many sapphics! The setting of a coffeeshop and the romance gave this book a cozy feel, but there were real stakes that kept the plot moving forward. I enjoyed this so much and definitely recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-ARC.

I adored this novel. Its worldbuilding, characters, and relationships were a delight to read. Kat and Brenda have a genuine attraction to one another, so I was able to believe in their romance. Most of the time, authors who write about teenagers rush the attraction and romance, which ruins the writing quality. In this book, there's a meet-cute between Kat and Brenda where they bond over motivation and exchange contact information. When the numbers they shared don't get a response (whether as a text or rune message), both girls doubt the others' feelings and try to solve the problem. This entire scenario is also brought about by their two worlds colliding, giving this story a creative flair!

Thank you so much to Macmillan Children’s and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this book. All thoughts are my own.

This book was an absolute delight from start to finish. I am obsessed with this.

It follows Kat and Brenda, two teens from alternate universes who have a chance meeting in Kat’s dads coffeeshop when a portal briefly opens between their two worlds.

I was really glad so little of this book was spent on them trying to find their way back to each other, in all honesty. Their chemistry was immediate and I loved them together so much right from that first meeting.

The world building and plot here are absolutely fascinating. The way magic works and the history of it in Kat’s world versus the complete lack of magic in Brenda’s world was really well done. The gradual collision of these two worlds and their intertwining history had me absolutely hooked.

There’s some really solid side characters in this book, all incredibly loveable and warm and welcoming.

This book balances cosy and exciting plot really well, in my opinion.

This book was absolutely delightful. I admit I came into it with low-ish expectations worried that I was going to encounter more same same cozy fantasy with YA lust thrown in and I’m glad that that isn’t a fair description of this book. Is it a cozy fantasy? Yes. Is it YA? Yes. Do the characters sometimes exclaim about how cute someone is? Yes, but it’s no let us talk at length about someone’s thighs while the world is literally on fire nonsense, thank goodness. Is the Villian predictable? Yes, but that doesn’t make the book less enjoyable. It really is quite fun and feels fresher, perhaps it’s the bit of sci-fi? It works. It’s a very lighthearted cozy celebration of nerds and yes, it’s also a love story about two teen girls.

Thank you, #netgalley for my review copy!

Coffeeshop in an Alternate University was a fun, cozy, queer fantasy with stakes just high enough to be believable without diminishing the atmosphere. I very much appreciated the author's careful balance in ensuring this. It managed to keep me captivated while also being something I could read to honestly de-stress, which is very much needed in my life and the world right now.

Not only did it have excellent queer representation and overall diversity, the characters felt true to their ages and their interactions with each other and their family members (as well as with their respective societies and worlds) felt real. The connections were complicated, loving, and sometimes disappointing in all of the ways that any kind of close relationship can be.

I liked the entire concept of the story, the mechanics employed to explain magic, natural disasters, and the differences between the two universes in question (as well as the similarities). I also truly appreciated how the story highlights how history can be rewritten depending on who is telling the story, but how lost stories from our histories can be reclaimed. Overall, a delightful read and one I would highly recommend!

I'm loving the moment that cozy fantasy is having and was very excited to see it enter the YA space! I really enjoyed Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe!

I loved that we got both Brenda and Kat's POVs'. Both characters felt like flushed out individuals and it was fun seeing both of their thoughts and perspectives as they fell in love. I also loved Brenda's friend group- D&D nerds that get to actually live in a fantasy world and use the things they learned from D&D to save the world is actually the dream. They were also so supportive and jumped right on board when they found out about magic being real. Kat felt like a unique Chosen One- she didn't just question why her but she actively went against the Chosen One expectations.

I really enjoyed learning about the different worlds- at times the worldbuilding felt a little like info dumps but I also get why it had to be that way in context. I love the imagining of an alternate world developing with magic and how that impacted other aspects of society.

Overall, this is a cute, fun, and sweet book that I highly recommend for anyone looking to read a cozy fantasy that feels like a hot cup of coffee.

4 stars...first off thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC of the book. I enjoyed this one a lot. I loved the story between Brenda and Kat. This is a YA/fantasy about two world kind of overlapping each other and causing chaos and magic surges. I thought the plot was great, loved all the characters. It has everything I enjoy in a book; magic, fantastical creatures, alternate universes, D&D, a group of friends that would do anything for each other, a little romance, and a whole lot of adventures. I liked how it ended too. Yes I would recommend readers to read this once it comes out. Great read!