Book Blurb:
Love lives between the lines.
Years ago, Rachel had a crush on Henry Jones. The day before she moved away, she tucked a love letter into his favorite book in his family’s bookshop. She waited. But Henry never came.
Now Rachel has returned to the city—and to the bookshop—to work alongside the boy she’d rather not see, if at all possible, for the rest of her life. But Rachel needs the distraction, and the escape. Her brother drowned months ago, and she can’t feel anything anymore. She can’t see her future.
Henry’s future isn’t looking too promising, either. His girlfriend dumped him. The bookstore is slipping away. And his family is breaking apart.
As Henry and Rachel work side by side—surrounded by books, watching love stories unfold, exchanging letters between the pages—they find hope in each other. Because life may be uncontrollable, even unbearable sometimes. But it’s possible that words, and love, and second chances are enough.
My Review:
4 Out Of 5 Stars
Genre: Teen--
Ten months ago Rachel's brother and best friend, Cal, died, something Rachel can't stop thinking about or moving on from. Her family sends her to the city, away from the ocean that took her brother, and back to the people she left behind three years before. Henry feels like his world has ended since his soulmate, the only girl he has ever wanted, Amy, just dumped him. When fate, or busybody families as it may be, bring the two together after three years apart, they are not sure how to act. But something they can agree on is that the bookstore is the most important thing to focus on, and maybe life will work it's self out among the shelves full of books.
When I found out that this is a book pretty much set in a bookstore, with characters that love books and can use them to help explain life, I knew that this was a story I needed to read. Well, this was a really emotional, sweet tale about dealing with grief in all its many forms as well as how to move on and make life worth living again, and maybe possibly find an unexpected love- all while having an old bookstore as a backdrop. As someone who loves books, loves bookstores and spent a chunk of her life working in a bookstore, this book really spoke to me.
The story is dual narrated by Rachel and Henry, two characters who have so much history, and yet are so different and so perfect together (regardless of them seeing it). This more than anything is character driven, making you care more about the people than any kind of plot or action.
Rachel's character is the same kind of reader that I am, reading the ending first, asking for spoilers and googling things to check for answers or information- I can relate to her, and the negative response she gets from her other reader friends. I thought both characters were good people and likable. Rachel brought out my empathy and I wanted to help her in any way I could to heal so that she could be herself again. Her heart was such a fragile thing with wings and hope, and she surprisingly was willing to give it to Henry again and I so wanted to protect her.
Through the course of the story, Rachel healed from her debilitating grief in a large part due to Henry who really grew as a person, learning what is really important in his life and what he should stand up for. I was a little miffed at how self-centered Henry seemed, his every motivation to get back his "soulmate" Amy, who was a terrible person to begin with. The fact that he is just fine being with a girl who only wants him because someone else might want him is ridiculous. He was so oblivious to how perfect Rachel was for him and how great they were together, stuck on his pursuit of a girl with no morals or backbone. But then I realized he just had no experience with real grief that he couldn't see the big picture, he wasn't trying to be a jerk he just didn't understand and he was a genuinely nice guy with an upbeat attitude, just poor decision making skills.
This was a sweet story overall, but so much of the plot was based on miscommunication (which is something I am not personally a fan of, but I know tons of people love it)- Rachel was mad at Henry for his lack of response, but Henry was convinced she forgot him, and George is in love with a boy she has never met (or at least unsure of his identity) and can't have while a real live boy is pursuing her. Gah, I just wanted to shake all three and make them have an open, honest conversation.
I did really enjoy the between the chapter reading of the letters left in the pages of the old books (aka the Letter Library), some were random strangers, others were important to the development of the plot, but all such secret, intimate moments that the reader got to experience with the writers of those notes. It was really a neat idea, and kind of sweet, making me wish this was a real place near by me so that I could also become a part of this epic library with my random words. I previously thought writing on a book was a desecration, but now I can appreciate the relationship people can have this way.
Overall this was a super fast read that I really enjoyed and highly recommend to pretty much everyone. There were so many take home messages and feels littered through the pages, some so sad I wanted to cry, others so loving I wanted to cheer, but all so realistic I could feel them right along with the characters (Martin and his never-ending cheer was a for sure mood lifter!). I am excited to see what else Cath Crowley wants to write because I will for sure pick it up.
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