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Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by C. B. Lee just dropped on July 1st and it is a total gem for fans of cozy magical realism, sapphic romance, and multiverse shenanigans. There's a coffee shop that exists across parallel worlds, a meet-cute powered by magic and caffeine, and a romance between a science-minded girl and a magical guardian.
With tiny dragons, enchanted lattes, and themes of found family and geek culture, this book hits that sweet spot between heartwarming and otherworldly—perfect if you love your fantasy soft, nerdy, and full of feels.
🌱 Featured in my Summer Reading Syllabus list on Bookshop.org (Disclaimer: I earn a small commission from purchases through my Bookshop affiiliate link at no additional cost to customers)
Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe by C.B. Lee
Young Adult Magical Realism, Fantasy, Romance
July 1, 2025 from Feiwel & Friends
A geeky overachiever determined to save the world through science and a troublemaking chosen one lashing out against her destiny meet and fall in love in a magical coffeeshop as their two very different universes begin to collide in Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe, C.B. Lee’s fun, sapphic, cozy fantasy YA romance.When Brenda’s internet goes out right before an important scholarship deadline, she stumbles right into Kat’s family’s coffeeshop. Brenda is swept away by cool, confident Kat, who actually cares about Brenda’s 19-step plan to save the world through science. Meanwhile, Kat can’t stop thinking about Brenda, who is smart, passionate, and doesn’t seem to care that Kat is the prophesized Chosen One.The only problem? Kat and Brenda are from different universes. Like need-to-find-a-portal-to-go-on-a-second-date different universes.As their universes collide and things spiral out of control, can a girl who is determined to save the world find love with a girl determined to outrun her destiny?
Setting
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
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| [Photo credit: Unsplash] |
Reasons to Read Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe
♡ Multiverse meets magical realism, exploring parallel realities
♡ Science vs. magic (it's giving Marvel's Ironheart)
♡ Features rich and whimsical worldbuilding 🌏
♡ It evokes cozy coffee shop AU vibes ☕
♡ The family dynamic is a nuanced portrayal of immigrant parents' expectations
♡ Authentic Chinese-Vietnamese cultural representation
♡ Soft slow-burn sapphic romance bridged by mutual nerdiness feels like a warm cup of tea
♡ Queer joy without the trauma 🏳️🌈
Themes/Tropes
☾ Meet-cute
☾ Magic meets science
☾ Grumpy x sunshine
☾ Multiverse/parallel universe
☾ Hidden magic
☾ Geek culture
☾ Found family
☾ Slow-burn romance
☾ Subverted "Chosen One"
Representation
☀ Queer Chinese-Vietnamese American MC
☀ Sapphic MCs
☀ Queer characters
☀ Neurodivergent-coded character
☀ #OwnVoices author
Comparable Titles
About C.B. Lee
CB is represented by Thao Le of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency who can be reached at thao@dijkstraagency.com.
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Coffeeshop in an Alternate Universe Discussions
🌱 How does the idea of parallel worlds reflect the choices Brenda and Kat must make about who they want to be?
🌱 How does the book explore academic pressure, overachievement and mental health through a cultural lens?
🌱 What does the book say about creating your own family (i.e. found family) when your biological one doesn't fully understand you?
🌱 Queerness is normalized in this story - why is it important to center queer joy, rather than trauma, in speculative fiction?
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