Book Review: The Bookstore by Deborah Meyler

 If I worked at the Owl, I would go mad with the books being so disorganized.

Love doesn't always go by the book

Ardent and Idealistic, Esme Garland has arrived in Manhattan with a scholarship to study art history at Columbia University. When she falls in love with New York blue-blood Mitchell van Leuven, with his penchant for all things erotic, life seems to be clear sailing, until a thin blue line signals stormy times ahead. Before she has a chance to tell Mitchell about her pregnancy, he abruptly declares their sex life is as exciting as a cup of tea, and ends it all.
Stubbornly determined to master everything from Degas to diapers, Esme starts work at a small West Side bookstore to make ends meet. The Owl is a shabby all-day, all-night haven for a colorful crew of characters, such as handsome and taciturn guitar player Luke and George, the owner, who lives on spirulina shakes and idealism. The Owl becomes a nexus of good in a difficult world for Esme—but will it be enough to sustain her when Mitchell, glittering with charm and danger, comes back on the scene? 

 This was nice, quick read with annoying romance. This won't leaving you swooning. Maybe that it's charm. I did get so frustrated at Esme at lot, I just wanted her to stand up for herself at lot more. She blames her Britishness, I say it's her southern Englishness. The rest of Britain are not lay down and take it communities.

This book is weird because the Americanism is used for things when she talking to herself/reader. I mean colour is spelt without the 'u' and she fondly reminisces about Jell-o instead of Jelly.

 I spent most of time feeling sorry for Esme and not because she was pregnant. She has this attachment to Mitchell that I cannot understand at all. This might be a bit of a spoiler, but I think it comes petty clear in the first scenes with Mitchell is that he doesn't really care about Esme at all and it's just really sad that she can't see that. I would have liked to have seen why Emse "loves" him instead of being told he's charming. There is hint to another romance but it never developed which does work in with the book.

So this book is set in a Bookstore and New York which sets a lot of people drooling. They feature alright. There is a lot of book references in this book to enjoy. There is also sub-plot/issue of homelessness in the book as three homeless men work at the bookstore.

The dialogue in this book is quite good and there are a lot of funny lines just throw in during conversation with the other characters. The Owl is just full of characters (which is a sentences that works in so many ways. Three ways actually). 

Overall, I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars for L. Frank Baum gays. I don't feel that strong towards this book but it was enjoyable read. If you find the summary intriguing then you should definitely check it out.

I got this book for review off Netgalley. Its published by Bloomsbury Reader and is out now.