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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
I fell in love with this story and it has a bit of everything - love, loss, family, small town bookshop, friendships. It goes back and forth between past and present with the stories of Valentina and her mother, Eloise. Sarah Jio made me really care for these characters and I felt so deeply for what was happening until the very last page. I had been in a fiction "drought" lately, only reading nonfiction, but this one pulled me back! I definitely recommend if you want to be moved!
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
This sweet tear-jerker tells the stories of a mother and daughter during different eras. Very enjoyable, but the ending was somewhat rushed.
And I always love Brittany Pressley's narration, but honey, it's pronounced Barkeley Square.
And I always love Brittany Pressley's narration, but honey, it's pronounced Barkeley Square.
I absolutely loved this book! I'm always drawn to books about books as well as stories with dual timelines, and this one had both.
The current day story of Valentina, who after the passing of her mother (who she hasn't seen in decades) is left with a bookstore in London, coupled with the mother's story in the past, told a wonderful story of love, friendship, parenting, and the strong power of books.
While I did see the ending of this book coming about half way through, I enjoyed reading how it unfolded. This was a perfectly enjoyable read with strong characters and I was sad to see it end.
Thank to Ballantine Books for my gifted review copy.
The current day story of Valentina, who after the passing of her mother (who she hasn't seen in decades) is left with a bookstore in London, coupled with the mother's story in the past, told a wonderful story of love, friendship, parenting, and the strong power of books.
While I did see the ending of this book coming about half way through, I enjoyed reading how it unfolded. This was a perfectly enjoyable read with strong characters and I was sad to see it end.
Thank to Ballantine Books for my gifted review copy.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Two stories - a mother's and the daughter's. Why would a mother leave her daughter and never communicate again until after her death? Can the daughter ever understand? Or forgive?
Beautifully interwoven and yet separate. The daughter and the mother's best friend meet and start to work together to save the mother's legacy - a bookstore.
Other characters give a fully diverse cast to this sweet novel about misunderstandings and love.
Beautifully interwoven and yet separate. The daughter and the mother's best friend meet and start to work together to save the mother's legacy - a bookstore.
Other characters give a fully diverse cast to this sweet novel about misunderstandings and love.
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Eggplant. She kept using the word eggplant...in England. I would be be able to let it go if it was the American saying it but a born and raised British citizen said "I know this place know for it's eggplant". Ma'am the word you are looking for is aubergine. It was small things like this that made you realize the author is an American trying to write British characters but didn't do much research into the language of the British. (She had a professor mention an "end of semester paper".... they don't call them semesters in England.
This book was a little too unrealistic for me. The reason why her mom wasn't in her life, just doesn't really make sense. And the magic last minute hail Mary that saved the shop? I mean really.
This book was a little too unrealistic for me. The reason why her mom wasn't in her life, just doesn't really make sense. And the magic last minute hail Mary that saved the shop? I mean really.