The Bookshop of Yesterdays

By: Amy Meyerson

Narrated by: Ann Marie Gideon

Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

A woman inherits a beloved bookstore and sets forth on a journey of self-discovery in this poignant debut about family, forgiveness, and a love of reading.

Miranda Brooks grew up in the stacks of her eccentric uncle Billy’s bookstore, solving the inventive scavenger hunts he created just for her. But on Miranda’s 12th birthday, Billy has a mysterious falling-out with her mother and suddenly disappears from Miranda’s life. She doesn’t hear about him again until 16 years later when she receives unexpected news: Billy has died and left her Prospero Books, which is teetering on bankruptcy, and one final scavenger hunt.

When Miranda returns home to Los Angeles and to Prospero Books - now as its owner - she finds clues that Billy has hidden for her inside novels on the store’s shelves, in locked drawers of his apartment upstairs, in the name of the store itself. Miranda becomes determined to save Prospero Books and to solve Billy’s last scavenger hunt. She soon finds herself drawn into a journey where she meets people from Billy’s past, people whose stories reveal a history that Miranda’s mother has kept hidden - and the terrible secret that tore her family apart.

Bighearted and trenchantly observant, The Bookshop of Yesterdays is a lyrical story of family, love, and the healing power of community. It’s a love letter to reading and bookstores, and a testament to how our histories shape who we become.

©2018 Amy Meyerson (P)2018 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited

Good but not great.

While I enjoyed the story and great narration, I just didn't like the characters. There wasn't one I could warm up to and start really caring about their outcome. I finished the book thinking, "meh", kind of glad it's done.

Quirky family and friends

This is not what I expected when I started listening to this novel. I thought it would be about old books and memories of older events. It does have a touch of this because it is about a book shop, but it has modern themes and characters. The characters are well developed and I gradually grew to like all of them. For me to say this is a compliment to Ms. Meyerson. I am a detective procedural and mystery nut. I needed something lighter for a change. This hit the spot. That being said, this is not all lightness and joy. There are some serious, very touching moments in this story, and I found it all very believable. It is also beautifully written. Ann Marie Gideon does an excellent job with all of the different characters. Obviously, this book is a winner and well worth the read. Enjoy!

Beautiful story

This book was recommended to my by a friend. I enjoyed it immensely!
Love, trials, grief and pain. Overcoming.
5 stars, 100% recommend!

predictable and dragged on

I finished the book but it was painful. It was at least two hours too long. It is a sad story that has lots of hatred in it.

She dislikes her parents. She doesn't forgive easily. She is self centered and everyone around her is also. She has strife with everyone.

It has too much detail about things that don't matter and not enough of what does.

Great book!

I thoroughly enjoyed the story; the narrator was excellent. It was an easy listen and surprising revelation well into the story.

A book lovers dream

When I first saw this story, I had a feeling I’d enjoy a classic, Hallmark style treasure hunt. After finishing, I can this definitely one of the best books I have ever read, Amy Meyerson did a splendid job of interweaving so many classic novels that I grew up listening to and showed me a few new titles I should check out as well. Add in a narrator like Ann Marie Gideon, plus the characters they both bring to life, and I could see this becoming the next heartwarming movie of the year!

Predictable

I enjoyed the reading and the story, but I guessed what the secret was early on.

A good story…

I enjoyed the story as a whole but the POV the author chose was odd. Told in first person, the narrator ends up telling the story rather than showing it. It’s a bit confusing when Miranda is relating a story she has been told as if she were there when it happened. There are things that it is inconceivable she would know. Just jarring in those places. On the plus side, the characters are well-developed, if a bit predictable.

Engaging read

I found the storyline engaging. Enjoyed the development of the various characters. Reader was excellent and I enjoyed the setting of the Prospero Bookstore. I did figure out the twist early on but still enjoyed this book.

frustrating (spoilers)

I "read" this for my bookclub and was able to finish my homework. It was obvious to me where this plot was going and Miranda should have been smart enough to not drag out this clue game. Granted she's a history teacher and not a historian but even an amateur knows to find out the date of a death without pulling a birth certificate would go back to the cemetery gravesite. Death dates are typically engraved on headstones. If I were reading a physical copy of this I would not have finished and thrown it against the wall. Instead I found myself driving at night alone and yelling at my radio.
Narrator was average. She was not strong on voices and if the structure was flashbacks in the text it was awkwardly either read or edited so a listener has a bit of trouble.