Coffeehouse Angel
Grade 8 Up—In quaint, Scandinavian Nordby, WA, orphaned high school sophomore Katrina Svensen lives above her grandmother's struggling old-world coffeehouse. College applications are due, and she's desperate to discover a true talent, like best friends Vincent, a trophy-laden swimmer, and Elizabeth, an artist, have. Opening the coffeehouse one morning, Katrina discovers a young man prostrate in its alley. Assuming he's homeless or on a bender, she leaves him day-old pastries and fresh coffee, then locks herself inside and calls Vincent. The next time Katrina sees the handsome vagrant, Malcolm, he's declaring in school assembly that he must reward Katrina's unselfish deed with her greatest desire. Malcolm's a messenger angel, but his several attempts to grant the girl's heart's desire go awry. Naming this desire proves difficult for her as she wonders whether she should choose to keep the rival coffeehouse's owner away from her grandmother's business and his daughter away from Vincent, find her passion, or perhaps keep the handsome Malcolm around. Readers may relate, but may also lose patience with Katrina's constant self-criticism. Sometimes this more-tell-than-show book fluctuates between frothiness and weighty drama. The adults portrayed are often pliable, unrealistic, homophobic, or otherwise inappropriate. But a G-rated supernatural romance with interesting twists at its neatly tied up conclusion will appeal to readers looking for light chick-lit.—Danielle Serra, Cliffside Park Public Library, NJCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.