The Butterfly Cafe

By Diane Hawley Nagatomo,

Book cover of The Butterfly Cafe

Book description

Set in modern-day Tokyo, The Butterfly Café tells the story of American Jessie Yamada. When her emotionally-abusive husband suddenly dies in a traffic accident, she is overcome with guilt because while making plans to leave him, she had often thought how much easier it would be for her if he…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

2 authors picked The Butterfly Cafe as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

The characters in this book felt like people I know, except they were in an entirely different setting--in Japan! I loved the setting as well as the characters.

Despite the complexities of the main character’s situation—raising a daughter alone in Japan, and having to make ends meet on a tight budget—Jessie is not only assisted by friends, but also a couple of kind strangers, when she decides to re-open the Butterfly Café—a café she has inherited.

I kept wondering what was going to happen next. At first, I thought the tone would be serious, the gravitas overarching, but it curiously wasn’t. Jessie manages to provide a loving home to her daughter.

The dialogue is credible, and the pacing—perfect. The book also paints a good picture of modern day…

Want books like The Butterfly Cafe?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like The Butterfly Cafe.

Browse books like The Butterfly Cafe

Book cover of The Guest Cat
Book cover of Tokyo, Form and Spirit
Book cover of Scandal

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,187

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Japan, Tokyo, and cats?

Japan 516 books
Tokyo 92 books
Cats 207 books