Sunday, June 22, 2025

Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald

 

I had the chance to read this novel thanks to Dutton/Penguin Random House and it was a delightful, sweet read heading into summer.

Read the Room is an independent bookstore in a cozy Seattle neighborhood. Full of quirky booksellers and customers, it's the kind of bookstore where you can relax and browse to your heart's content. 

April is one of those customers, and she's got a bit of a crush on Westley, the very handsome but shy bookseller who takes care of the used books that are dropped off and resold at the store. She's decided the easiest way to connect with him is by leaving a note in a book she's bringing to him. Sounds simple, right? What could go wrong?

Well, things go wrong and Westley never sees the note, and the book is bought by Laura, who finds the note and thinks the handsome man at the bookstore must have left it for her. 

A correspondence begins between April and Laura, who each think they're leaving notes for Westley, who remains absolutely clueless--and he's got his own mess to deal with--a movie is being filmed in the store. Westley is the quintessential Seattle dude, complete with beard and flannel shirt. Perfect for an indie movie about a bookstore. He's reluctantly pulled into the film as a back up to the star. 

This novel is really about lonely people. It's about waking up one day and realizing your life has somehow taken a turn you weren't expecting, and what seemed at first as protecting your space and mental health actually turns out to be isolating and lonely. Making friends as adults is hard, for sure. Making lasting friends as adults is hard, absolutely. 

April and Laura, and Westley are surrounded by a colorful cast of characters, and it was fun to see each circle of friends inch closer to connecting and growing into a big circle of friends who support each other and enjoy each other. Part of the enjoyment is anticipating the "aha" moment when April and Laura realize Westley isn't the one who's leaving notes-they're leaving notes for each other. 

This book is for fans of bookstore novels, women finding friendships, and novels where characters realize they are the key to their happiness--but it takes courage to change. 

Big thanks to Dutton and Penguin/RandomHouse for an enjoyable read!

Out now!



Sunday, June 1, 2025

May Reads and I've Selected My Big Summer Read of 2025

 May flew by--I finally went on vacation, and it involved getting on a plane, which is usually the best kind of vacation--far away from work and responsibilities for a bit. Of course now I'm back I've spent the last week digging myself out of the giant pile of stuff at work, and quickly getting my outdoor spaces ready for the summer. 

It's going to be a busy summer for me, but I still always start out optimistically planning on reading oodles of books and catching up--which never happens, but I still go into June feeling like it will happen.

This summer I decided to pick one book I really want to read and make that my summer read. I'll read it in between all the other books I'm picking up. That book is:

I've had this in a pile of books at home for months. I resisted buying it for a long time, just because it's a BIG book. But I caved and bought it but never read it. Now is my time to read it, so I'll be digging it out and starting on it this week. I love a good King Arthur Era novel. I'm giving myself until the end of August to finish, and yes, assigning myself a certain number of pages to read every week so I keep myself on track. I've never done that before, so we'll see if I listen to myself and follow the "rules" I've created. 

May reads were an older Nora Roberts Trilogy, the first in an older fantasy series set in the Old West, and a really great historical fiction novel that was a happy surprise. And a few more I read:


My brother dropped this in my hands during vacation so I started reading and couldn't put it down. I immediately ordered the rest of the series when I got home. Just wow. Seriously amazing. Old West meets an evil older than God, ready to break free of its prison underneath the mines of Golgotha, a bizarre western town full of strange characters. 



The Inn Boonsboro trilogy starts with Beckett Montgomery and his love for Clare, a widowed mother of three boys. The Montgomery men (all three brothers) run a construction company with their mother and are working on opening a B&B in a historic and haunted old inn. 


The second in the trilogy centers around old friends Owen Montgomery and Avery McTavish, who suddenly realize friendship isn't all they want. But can they take that big step from friends to something more?

The final book in the trilogy centers around Ryder Montgomery, the surliest brother, and Hope Beaumont, the inn keeper. There's plenty of spark, but can they just remain lovers or will they fall for each other? 

I started this book months ago, and just wasn't getting into it. I finally picked it up again and zipped right through it, and enjoyed it very much. Iris and Archer have plenty of heat with their undeniable attraction, but she's the nanny for his young daughter Olive, and neither of them plans on falling in love. Between late night pancakes and living in the same house, it doesn't take long before the two just can't help themselves. Will Iris stay, or run away from her feelings?

I really enjoyed this non-fiction book about changing, growing, accepting when things don't work out, and finding joy in friendships. Yes, she may come from a place of privilege, but it was interesting to read about her insecurities, her admiration for her father and the lessons he taught her, and her unwavering friendships. 


Tildy is head curator at a small library/museum in San Francisco, and money is tight. Finding a hidden room with miniature dollhouses in the library leads her on a quest to discover who created the dollhouses and why. This was a fantastic read, taking you  back and forth between contemporary Tildy and the amazing artist Cora in the early 20th century. Just fantastic and a sure winner for anyone who loves historical fiction with strong female characters. One of my favorite reads this year. 

I read more than I realized in May--yay! Four novels that weren't on my radar at the beginning of the month; just goes to show books will pop up when you need them. 

Happy summer everyone! Off to read outside for a bit.