Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this ebook, free of charge, from NetGalley, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it
Synopsis: Brilliant, idealistic Esme Garland moves to Manhattan armed with a prestigious scholarship at Columbia University. When Mitchell van Leuven— a New Yorker with the bluest of blue New York blood—captures her heart with his stunning good looks and a penchant for all things erotic, life seems truly glorious . . . until a thin blue line signals a wrinkle in Esme’s tidy plan. Before she has a chance to tell Mitchell about her pregnancy, he suddenly declares their sex life is as exciting as a cup of tea, and ends it all.
Determined to master everything from Degas to diapers, Esme starts work at a small West Side bookstore, finding solace in George, the laconic owner addicted to spirulina, and Luke, the taciturn, guitar-playing night manager. The oddball customers are a welcome relief from Columbia’s high-pressure halls, but the store is struggling to survive in this city where nothing seems to last.
When Mitchell recants his criticism, his passion and promises are hard to resist. But if Esme gives him a second chance, will she, like her beloved bookstore, lose more than she can handle? A sharply observed and evocative tale of learning to face reality without giving up on your dreams, The Bookstore is sheer enchantment from start to finish.
Review: This is one of those books that either grabs you immediately, or doesn't. In my case it was the latter, and I had to restart it 3 times, before getting through it.Not to say it was bad- I just didn't connect to ir right away (it really too about one third of the way in, before I felt invested in the book- which is very odd for me). I loved how literary it was (literally- pun intended!) and how the references kept the reader thinking, but the Esme and Mitchell just didn't hook me like I thought they would when I read the synopsis. maybe because I felt she should have seen through Mitchell, and that Mitchell was just not likable to me? then there was the abrupt ending, which you all know I detest. After struggling to get through the book, it REALLY aggravated me! Yet, the book isn't bad (especially for a debut novel), I just think it needed more editing from a story line and character perspectives Others may find it to be a wonderful Fall read!
About the Author: Deborah Meyler was born in Manchester, read English at Oxford University, and completed a Master of Philosophy thesis on American fiction at St. Andrews University. She eventually moved to New York, where she worked in a bookshop for six years, sold paintings, and had three children. She now lives in Cambridge and is working on her next novel.
Determined to master everything from Degas to diapers, Esme starts work at a small West Side bookstore, finding solace in George, the laconic owner addicted to spirulina, and Luke, the taciturn, guitar-playing night manager. The oddball customers are a welcome relief from Columbia’s high-pressure halls, but the store is struggling to survive in this city where nothing seems to last.
When Mitchell recants his criticism, his passion and promises are hard to resist. But if Esme gives him a second chance, will she, like her beloved bookstore, lose more than she can handle? A sharply observed and evocative tale of learning to face reality without giving up on your dreams, The Bookstore is sheer enchantment from start to finish.
Review: This is one of those books that either grabs you immediately, or doesn't. In my case it was the latter, and I had to restart it 3 times, before getting through it.Not to say it was bad- I just didn't connect to ir right away (it really too about one third of the way in, before I felt invested in the book- which is very odd for me). I loved how literary it was (literally- pun intended!) and how the references kept the reader thinking, but the Esme and Mitchell just didn't hook me like I thought they would when I read the synopsis. maybe because I felt she should have seen through Mitchell, and that Mitchell was just not likable to me? then there was the abrupt ending, which you all know I detest. After struggling to get through the book, it REALLY aggravated me! Yet, the book isn't bad (especially for a debut novel), I just think it needed more editing from a story line and character perspectives Others may find it to be a wonderful Fall read!
About the Author: Deborah Meyler was born in Manchester, read English at Oxford University, and completed a Master of Philosophy thesis on American fiction at St. Andrews University. She eventually moved to New York, where she worked in a bookshop for six years, sold paintings, and had three children. She now lives in Cambridge and is working on her next novel.
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