The Bookstore Keepers

• Author: Alice Hoffman
• Genre: Contemporary (short story)
• Publication Date: February 18, 2025
• Publisher: Brilliance Publishing/Amazon Original Stories 
• Series: Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories #3

Thank you to NetGalley, Brilliance Publishing, and Amazon Original Stories for providing me with an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

The Gibson sisters weren’t expecting to speak to each other ever again after Isabel ran off to New York and left Sophie alone. But here they are, years later, running the family bookstore together on Brinkley’s Island, Maine. Isabel also thought she’d left Johnny Lenox behind, but whether or not she knew it, Johnny was always going to be there for her.

Five years into their happily ever after, Isabel and Johnny are making the most of their second chance at love. Then one night, Johnny awakens from an extraordinary dream…and their world is irrevocably altered. Isabel does her best to give Johnny space as he struggles to accept the new chapter life has opened for them. But Johnny can’t do it alone—no one can. As the whole family is soon to discover, seasons change, but love never does.

I’m a huge Alice Hoffman fan, so I jumped at the chance to read this one. What I didn’t realize, however, is that it is the third book in a series. I’ve read a few other Amazon Original Stories, but I haven’t read any of the previous books in the series, and might have gotten more invested in the story if I was already familiar with the characters.

Short stories are a hit or miss for me, but I was willing to give it a shot for the chance to read Alice Hoffman’s beautiful writing. And I wasn’t let down. She writes gorgeously, painting a visual picture of the story that made it simple to feel like I was right alongside the characters. Narrator Jennifer Jill Araya is perfect for this story, with a beautiful narrating voice that made it feel like the characters were talking directly to me.

I found it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story, since it was short and I didn’t fully have a grasp on the characters or their lives. Even without being fully invested, I still found myself empathizing for these characters with their family dynamics. We are given the basics of the dynamic between Isabel and Sophie, but earlier books have a lot more information. Even without having read the previous books, this was still enjoyable.

Overall, Hoffman uses this short interlude to depict one character going through the worst of the grief process, and demonstrate the supports and love given in the most beautiful way. I loved how they were able to show their enduring love for each other no matter what, and the beautiful way of supporting a loved one through their challenges, regardless of what it was. It makes me curious about reading the rest of the series, this time, starting from the beginning, to learn more about the characters who managed to capture my heart in a short half hour. This one might be a good fit for you if you like Alice Hoffman’s writing, can empathize with people experiencing grief, and especially if you like books featuring bookstores, or depictions of realistic characters experiencing grief together and in a supportive way.

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