Rant and Rave: ‘Table for Two’

Coffee shops are definitely not just a place for coffee, not even just for a slice of blueberry cheesecake. It is also a place where law and med students go to pore over the almost endless pile of books and where business deals are sealed over cups of cappuccino.

It is also a place where love can happen. The latest book from the author of the Every Girl’s Guide series, published by Summit Media, proves just that. In Table for Two, young author Marla Miniano explores the possibilities of love witnessed by a small table at the corner of a quaint coffee shop.

The book is about the intertwined stories of a long-time college love going sour, a young teacher accepting her younger brother’s dare to ditch the dating scene for two months, a wedding photographer convincing his male best friend not to get hitched (No, neither of them is gay.), a boy meeting up with the one that got away, and that girl patiently reading romance novels hoping for the day when she wouldn’t leave that coffee shop alone.

Now don’t think that this book is as cheesy as that slice of blueberry cheesecake. Table for Two’s characters are real. They are people readers can easily relate to. They get hurt and endure the awkward silence that ensues after breaking up. They get humiliated and blush to the roots of their hair. They get hangover after a drinking spree. They partied and danced to Black Eyed Peas’ “Tonight’s gonna be a good night…”

The way the author weaves together each story is quite clever and unpredictable. It is a story of love after all. The characters and the events in the book could use a bit more development but perhaps that is the charm of a 140 page-novelette─it is short and sweet.

Be warned though. This is not a book that will make you think or will play with your head until you get confused. This is not a passion-filled love story either. This is the printed version of a feel-good movie. It’s the kind of book that will remind cynics of the possibilities of, well, love. It is perfect for an afternoon of reading at a corner table in a quaint coffee shop.