rebeccasreadingrambles 's review for:

The Convenience Store by the Sea by Sonoko Machida

5.0

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 What a delightful story full of delightful characters. I am such a sucker for a book that centers around a simple or innocuous location, but where all different types of people have chance encounters that change their lives (in big or small ways). It was adorable how this store strove to be a real community center, not only by having an eating area, but also by having the lunch system set up to check on all the seniors and provide them with social interactions and friends. I love how all the stories seem to span out and then come back again to the store in such meaningful ways. I loved all the quirky characters who come into each others lives in different ways, but all related to this store. This made me laugh and some people's stories had me tearing up and then later making me smile. There is so much human compassion and human nature spun into this book that I could not stop reading.

Note: I listened to the audiobook and the narrator has the most soothing voice that really makes you feel warm, fuzzy, and welcome in the story.

Thanks to the publisher for a free copy; my thoughts and review are my own.