I was swept away by the story telling in 'Before the coffee gets cold' earlier in the year while in Japan and so have continued my read of the series into the year. 

Here's what I liked about the book:
-The structure of the story is really familiar now and easier to sink in to, I do find you need to have larger chunks of undivided time to pick up the novel though for this reason. Just when you think nothing is happening and it's waning a little a twist happens that shakes and moves you a little. 
-Reoccurrence of some story lines, eg Nagare and why he wasn't at the cafe when Kei visited. This did become a little repetitive throughout the novel this time though. 
-New setting (Donna Donna cafe in Hakodate) but with some familiar and unfamiliar characters. 
-The focus on how holding on to the past can impact our future happiness.

Here's what I didn't like:
-I got really muddled again between the characters especially those with similar names (eg Saki, Sachi and Yukika, Yukari) and some of the ages of the characters were unclear so it was difficult to imagine them while reading. 
- You really have to read the novel within a short period of time.
-There was love but also a lot of loss and grief that underpinned the stories, not much light with the darkness this time. 

Overall, I have similar sentiments to this book as the second in the series, it was lovely to be back with the characters but also and a little heartbreaking. With two more books to go in the series I think I'll try and finish them by the end of the year. 

Key quote: "Things you put off saying until tomorrow are sometimes never said"