THE BOOKSTORE by Deborah Meyler (Books & Wine # 7 - ARC #review)

THE BOOKSTORE

Author: Debora Meyler

Published August 20, 2013 by Gallery Books (Simon & Schuster)
eBook, 352 pages

Genre: women's fiction, chick lit, romance, contemporary novel, New York

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Add it on Goodreads

Buy it on Amazon

"...the reassuring smell of paper, new paper, soft old paper, recalling each person to the first time they really did press their nose into a book."

Blurb - "A witty, sharply observed debut novel about a young woman who finds unexpected salvation while working in a quirky used bookstore in Manhattan. Impressionable and idealistic, Esme Garland is a young British woman who finds herself studying art history in New York. She loves her apartment and is passionate about the city and her boyfriend; her future couldn’t look brighter. Until she finds out that she’s pregnant. Esme’s boyfriend, Mitchell van Leuven, is old-money rich, handsome, successful, and irretrievably damaged. When he dumps Esme—just before she tries to tell him about the baby—she resolves to manage alone. She will keep the child and her scholarship, while finding a part-time job to make ends meet. But that is easier said than done, especially on a student visa. The Owl is a shabby, second-hand bookstore on the Upper West Side, an all-day, all-night haven for a colorful crew of characters: handsome and taciturn guitar player Luke; Chester, who hyperventilates at the mention of Lolita; George, the owner, who lives on protein shakes and idealism; and a motley company of the timeless, the tactless, and the homeless. The Owl becomes a nexus of good in a difficult world for Esme—but will it be enough to sustain her? Even when Mitchell, repentant and charming, comes back on the scene? A rousing celebration of books, of the shops where they are sold, and of the people who work, read, and live in them, The Bookstore is also a story about emotional discovery, the complex choices we all face, and the accidental inspirations that make a life worth the reading."

My review -  Well, I managed to do with this book something I haven't been able to achieve in a very long time...read the whole thing in one uninterrupted sitting. Yes, it was that good and engaging. And it's a debut novel, so kudos to this British author for finding her distinctive voice and her way to my 'bookworm heart' at her first release. The Bookstore had several features that appealed to my reader's sensitivity: the introspective tones, the numerous literary references, the heroine's personality (sweet, naive, and yet smart and articulate), the vivid characterization of  supporting cast (extremely likable, humane, and memorable characters, well drawn with all their quirky nuances), strong sense of space (New York City) and loving portrayal of a community (The Owl bookstore and its patrons) that shields and supports Esme throughout her heartaches and some life-altering decisions. I think that labeling Deborah Meyler's debut novel as 'fluffy chick lit' doesn't really do justice to the graceful and intelligent outpouring of emotions that the author delivered in quite an effortless way: The Bookstore reads easily and pleasantly. It's light without being fluffy, and emotionally nuanced enough to please those readers who enjoy a little bit of angst in their romantic reads. You can expect chick lit books to be 'shallow' most of the time, albeit entertaining. This one has a different caliber of quality and depth. I recommend it. Not every reader will immediately connect with Esme (those who like spunky and self-asserting heroines may not warm up to her right away), but I relate to this gentle character on a  personal level. Like her, I left my native country behind to study and work abroad; like her, I've always been fascinated to no end by books; like her, I wore my heart on my sleeves and got it broken in a way that seemed irreparable; like her, I found in myself a resiliency I had no idea I possessed...could this be the portrait of every woman? Yes, it could. Esme is an extremely relatable character. Had the author pulled the strings of her emotional resolution a little more tightly at the end, it would have been just perfect. I will certainly read more from this author. A very promising debut.

                                                             

***eGalley ARC generously offered by the publisher in return of an unbiased and honest opinion.

BOOKS & WINE 

Italian wine connoisseur Andrea Mussone blows me away every time with his wine suggestions...always spot-on. This is his "The Bookstore" wine pairing. Cheers! "A meditation, special wine balance between sweetness and bitterness is Barolo Chinato. Made in Piedmont, a region in the North-West of Italy, originally it was served warm just as mulled wine for medicinal purposes against colds and fevers, or offered to friends as a sign of hospitality. Nowadays it’s a great, superb, mediation wine, perfect after dinner, and unbeatable with bitter chocolate and chocolate desserts in general. It's produced by using Barolo DOCG wine (a Nebbiolo grape variety), infused with calissaja quinine bark, Red China root, Rhubarb root, gentian and a blend of aromatic herbs and spices (including scented cardamom seeds, cinnamon, coriander, iris flower, mint, and vanilla), aged for about one year in oak barrels and then laid down for length maturation. Every producer has a different secret recipe, but the first one to develop and promote Barolo Chinato was Giulio Cocchi, starting from 1891 in Asti, Piedmont. Honey and bitter notes with roasted orange, cloves, cherries, eucalyptus and dried figs at the nose. On the palate Barolo Chinato is definitely aromatic, smooth, a battle of bitter versus sweet characters with spices, rhubarb, date, sultana and cloves. A long, intense, unforgettable finish." (Guest blogger Andrea Mussone, Italy)

Andrea Mussone, Italy