Disclosure: The Bookstore was provided by the Publisher for Review. All opinions are my own.
The Bookstore by Deborah Meyler
Goodreads.com Synopsis: A witty, sharply observed debut novel about a young woman who finds unexpected salvation while working in a quirky used bookstore in Manhattan.Impressionable and idealistic, Esme Garland is a young British woman who finds herself studying art history in New York. She loves her apartment and is passionate about the city and her boyfriend; her future couldn’t look brighter. Until she finds out that she’s pregnant.
Esme’s boyfriend, Mitchell van Leuven, is old-money rich, handsome, successful, and irretrievably damaged. When he dumps Esme—just before she tries to tell him about the baby—she resolves to manage alone. She will keep the child and her scholarship, while finding a part-time job to make ends meet. But that is easier said than done, especially on a student visa.
The Owl is a shabby, second-hand bookstore on the Upper West Side, an all-day, all-night haven for a colorful crew of characters: handsome and taciturn guitar player Luke; Chester, who hyperventilates at the mention of Lolita; George, the owner, who lives on protein shakes and idealism; and a motley company of the timeless, the tactless, and the homeless. The Owl becomes a nexus of good in a difficult world for Esme—but will it be enough to sustain her? Even when Mitchell, repentant and charming, comes back on the scene?
A rousing celebration of books, of the shops where they are sold, and of the people who work, read, and live in them, The Bookstore is also a story about emotional discovery, the complex choices we all face, and the accidental inspirations that make a life worth the reading.
My Review: 4 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed this book. I did feel that there were parts that were a bit over my head (as far as her art history doctorate), but didn’t feel that it took away from my experience of the book. I was a bit disappointed in the ending. I wanted the relationship/friendship between Esme and Luke explored a bit more. I loved how the story was weaved in and out of a secondhand bookstore. And I thought the name of the bookstore, The Owl, was a perfect fit.
Lowcountry Boil by Susan M. Boyer
Goodreads.com Synopsis: Private Investigator Liz Talbot is a modern Southern belle: she blesses hearts and takes names. She carries her Sig 9 in her Kate Spade handbag, and her golden retriever, Rhett, rides shotgun in her hybrid Escape. When her grandmother is murdered, Liz high-tails it back to her South Carolina island home to find the killer. She’s fit to be tied when her police-chief brother shuts her out of the investigation, so she opens her own. Then her long-dead best friend pops in and things really get complicated. When more folks start turning up dead in this small seaside town, Liz must use more than just her wits and charm to keep her family safe, chase down clues from the hereafter, and catch a psychopath before he catches her.
My Review: 5 out of 5 stars. I loved loved loved this book! Read it in 2 days. I love the sassy Private Investigator, Liz. This story has got it all. Murder, mystery, romance, humor, sticky situations, ghosts, the beach. I mean what else can you ask for?? Highly recommend! Looking forward to the next book!
What are you currently reading??
Low Country Boil looks like a great book, I’m so glad you gave it 5 stars!
Both books sound like something I’d love to read. “The Owl” is an adorable name! Too cute. I’m currently working my way through a box of books that I bought a library book sale. I’m hopeless. 😉