Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe weaves a cozy, heartwarming story you'll want to wrap around yourself like a blanket. With themes of homecoming from both Natalie and Anna Kate's perspective, we see small-town Wicklow through the eyes of one who is returning to her childhood home, and one who has been kept away by her mother. They also both have to grapple in their own ways with grief, healing and the pain of secrets. But while their troubles are sincere, the tone of the book isn't going to drag you down - an undercurrent of hope, family and friendship runs throughout the story, even when that friendship is coupled with the small-town exasperation of everybody knowing everyone's personal business. The dash of magic from the blackbirds and the cafe's pie adds a fun twist to Wicklow's lore, and this fantasy element doesn't override or undermine the poignant story. Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe is a beautiful book about honoring family and heritage, healing from the past, and making a conscious decision to step into the future.