‘The city never sleeps, and neither does Stella’s.’
Libby Page’s followup to 2018’s The Lido, The 24-Hour Café, is full of heart and love – and the perfect book to curl up with on a cold wintry morning.
Taking place over the course of 24 hours, with each hour of the day representing a new chapter of the book, it packs a lot into just a single day.
Best friends Hannah and Mona are the driving force of the story. Both of them are working double shifts at Stella’s, while Hannah is a singer and Mona is a dancer.
And since they first met, the pair have been basically inseparable. But over the last 12 months leading up to that one life-changing day, things between them have changed – and Mona and Hannah are forced to figure out if they can fix their problems, or if things are broken forever.
And while the friendship between Mona and Hannah is one of the focuses of the story, Page makes sure that the reader cares – and becomes deeply invested in – every single character that walks through the doors of the café.
From the opening lines of The 24-Hour Café, the reader is almost immediately dropped into the heart of Stella’s – and with that, is introduced to a whole cast of characters.
Each and every one of the customers feels real and relatable, and it’s hard not to care about their outcome. And I will readily admit it: the story of Martha and Harry had me bawling by the end of it all (Joe and Haziq’s story, too…and Dan’s).
The 24-Hour Café is beautifully written, uplifting and makes you feel like visiting the café ASAP. And, while it is an easy read, will totally immerse you in the world of Stella’s.
Overall, it’s a definite must-add to anyone’s (and everyone’s) must-read list this year.
