As many of you may know, I do not read book summaries before I read books. I like the surprise, and I like to start reading a book and just let it take me on the journey. This book was very different from my expectations. I definitely did not expect the story that unfolded before me. That’s what I love about reading; I love the different places it takes me and the surprises along the way. Ms. Zevin had me hooked from the start. I loved her writing style. Her descriptions are very well done, and her character development is so good. I liked Amelia from the start. I did not, however, like A.J. at the beginning of the book. What an ornery and rude man! I felt bad for Amelia because she seemed so nice and was just trying to do her job. I loved her quirkiness and her eccentric personality and dress. The descriptions of the bookstore and the island were well done and drew me in. I love bookstores, have I ever mentioned that? I would love to go see A.J.’s if it were really there. I also fell in love with Ismay and Lambiase. They were great supporting characters. I also liked Maya. She was so smart! The growth of the characters throughout the book was one of my favorite parts. I really enjoyed watching them as they grew and evolved. A.J., especially, grew into a character that I could actually like. He still had some stubborn and frustrating moments, but overall, I liked him as a character at the end of the book. I wish I could go to Lambiase’s book club. As a reader, I enjoyed hearing about all the literature. Although, there were times I felt dumb because I hadn’t heard of a lot of the books that were mentioned. I had read some of them, so that gave me hope that I’m not completely uninformed. I liked the hint of mystery in this book; it added an interesting turn of events. I laughed and I cried. This book has something for every reader. I ended up really enjoying this book. I felt like Alice Island was my home, and the people there were lifelong friends.
Unfortunately, I didn’t love the last page of the book. It wasn’t too pertinent to the story, so I still enjoyed the book as a whole, but I didn’t think it really fit. I found it to be mildly offensive, and it seemed like it was thrown in more for shock value, or something. I’m not sure, but I wish she had left a bunch of that last page out. There is language in this book, especially the “f” word. Yes, there are a bunch of them. Boo. There is other profanity, but not a ton. There are “intimacy” scenes, innuendos, and discussions about it. There is a character who cheats on his wife, and it is discussed. There is also a suicide.
Rating: R (Not appropriate for younger readers) Language, especially the “f” word, and “intimacy” scenes, innuendos, and discussions, along with a man who cheats on his wife. There is a fatal car accident as well.
Recommendation: Adult
Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
