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Soyangri Book Kitchen

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What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

Welcome to Soyangri Book Kitchen, where a woman leaves her busy life in Seoul to open a bookshop café in the countryside where guests can stay overnight.

Perfect for fans of Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, celebrating the power of books to heal.


In a peaceful village in the countryside, far from the bustling heart of Seoul, lies a book lovers’ paradise. With its wafts of delicious food and book-filled shelves, Soyangri Book Kitchen is managed by its plucky proprietor Yoojin. Her aim? To create a sanctuary for weary souls like herself.

But the book kitchen is more than just a place to eat or read – it’s a place which offers its guests a true escape, not just inside the pages of its many books, but in the warm embrace of an overnight bookstay.

Over one year, seven people at a crossroads in their lives find their way to Yoojin’s book kitchen. Among them are Da-in, a singer grappling with an identity crisis, Sohee, a promising lawyer confronted with a daunting medical diagnosis, and Soohyuk, a young musical director whose dreams have been stifled.

As they arrive in Soyangri, each of them will find their life subtly transformed by the magic of its books and the kindness of its people.

© Kim Jee Hye 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

Critics Review

A heartwarming and soothing journey… ideal for those who need a respite from the chaos of contemporary life
5* reader review
One of the best books I’ve read in a while… A beautiful book
5* reader review
A must read for anyone at a crossroads in their life
5* reader review
This book held my heart… profoundly deep and inspiring
5* reader review
Perfect for fans of cosy fiction with heart and delicious detail
5* reader review
Your feel your anxieties melt away… By the end, I actually felt really inspired and hopeful, like I grew with all the characters
4* reader review
An inspiring story of overcoming life's struggles and finding peace and happiness through the love of books
4* reader review
If you enjoyed Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop, Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, Yeonnam-Dong’s Smiley Laundromat, this one will be right up your street
4.5* reader review
Author Kim Jee Hye
Narrator Sofia Jin
Duration 6 hours and 15 minutes
Release Date
ISBN 9781529942569
Format Audiobook
Publisher Random House
Genre Fiction in translation, Modern and contemporary fiction, Narrative theme: Love and relationships, Narrative theme: Sense of place
Availability AU, GB, IE

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