A review by booksbydorothea
The Bookstore Family by Alice Hoffman

emotional funny hopeful sad
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

5.0 stars
HIGHLY recommend

I must confess that I love anything Alice Hoffman writes. This short story is no exception. It was a nice surprise to discover that she had written a fourth short story in the Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories series.  I hope for a fifth short story in this series (fingers crossed).

This book focuses on Violet, a pastry chef in Paris. She meets Remy, a fellow pastry chef, before she gets word that her mother, Sophie, has had a recurrence of her cancer. Violet leaves Remy and Paris to return home to her mother. 

This is another lovely book in this series. It is exactly what I needed. Somehow, Alice seems to know exactly what I need!

One caveat: read the other three short stories first!!

For a more detailed review, check out my blog - booksbydorothea: 
https://booksbydorothea.blogspot.com/2025/05/review-bookstore-family-ebook-short.html
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