Can't Wait Wednesday!

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I am combining CWW with Books From the Backlog hosted by Carole at Carole's Random Life in Books. This will allow me to feature some newly "rediscovered" books, which I plan on reading, alongside a new release.

This week I can't wait for

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Second Chance Season by Emily March
Published by Forever on November 5, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fiction
Goodreads

Return to "a brilliant writer you'll love" (Susan Mallery) in this romantic women's fiction novel, where an unexpected wedding reveals family secrets, rocking the lives of the Prentice family! When young bride-to-be Zoey Hillcrest chooses the newly refurbished Inn at Mirror Lake for her destination wedding, life in the small Rocky Mountain town will never be the same for Genevieve Prentice and her sister Helen McDaniel. A chance run-in after Zoey’s arrival turns the sisters' worlds upside down as they discover a family secret and a niece they never existed.

What follows is nothing short of a broken engagements, family betrayal, a secret baby, and second chances at love. Blindsided by revelations that no one had anticipated, Zoey, Helen, and Genevieve must make peace with the past—and one another—in order to reach for the dream the future has to offer.

It was the cover that caught my eye with its natural beauty and tranquil feel, but the synopsis had me hooked. Family secrets being revealed is a big yes-please for me. I love a little drama as long as there is the promise of some healing which is what I think will happen here. Families are complicated, and I always enjoy the exploration of the dynamics within families, and second chances are my cat nip. Sounds like a winner to me. 

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The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki
Published by Ballantine Books on August 20, 2024 
Age/Genres: Adult, Fiction
Goodreads

Translated from the Japanese bestseller, this charming and magical novel, inspired by the myth of cats returning favors to those who care for them, reminds us that it’s never too late to follow our stars.

In Japan cats are a symbol of good luck. As the myth goes, if you are kind to them, they’ll one day return the favor. And if you are kind to the right cat, you might just find yourself invited to a mysterious coffee shop under a glittering Kyoto moon. This particular coffee shop is like no other. It has no fixed location, no fixed hours, and seemingly appears at random to adrift young people at crucial junctions in their lives.

It’s also run by talking cats.

While customers at the Full Moon Coffee Shop partake in cakes, coffees, and teas, the cats also consult them on their star charts, offer cryptic wisdom, and let them know where their lives have veered off course—because every person who visits the shop has been feeling more than a little lost. And for a down-on-her-luck screenwriter, a romantically stuck movie director, a hopeful hairstylist, and a technologically challenged website designer, the feline guides will set them back on their fated paths. After all, there is a reason the shop appeared to each of them…

I know, you are wondering why I have this as a backlist book if it was published in 2024. Well, because it was originally published in 2020, so I am including it. With that out of the way, I have been vibing hard with these translated book by Asian authors. They tend to be on the quiet side but are all so charming and cozy. And, let's be honest, the way to my TBR is to have a cat on the cover. No lies told here, but why wouldn't I want to read a story about talking cats who run a coffee shop? Intriguing, right? All these little bits add up to something that sounds like a great fit for me. 

What are you waiting on?
Let us know in the comments!