BOOKS ABOUT BOOKS YOU’LL NEVER READ

Book Lovers
By Emily Henry

For New York City literary agent Nora Stephens, spending time in North Carolina is not a getaway – it’s the one that got away! This successful dealmaker has lost every one of her recent boyfriends to a meet-cute not of her making. There is no way this stylish hot shot with the regimented skin care routine and strictly scheduled calendar will ever make it through the month in oppressively sunny Sunshine Falls. But Nora promised to spend time with her younger sister Libby before Libby’s next bun is out of the oven. With wonky WiFi, Nora quickly hunkers down in the local bookstore to get some work done and learns, much to her chagrin, that her New York nemesis, top-notch editor Charlie Lastra, is not only in this godforsaken little town at the same time, but his family owns the adorable shop and B&B where she is staying. Many rom-com moments later, the two cannot deny the unlikely circumstances that brought them together and unquestionable chemistry they share. Sisterly connection, book obsession, enemies to lovers … this laugh-out-loud summer read is a small-town romance for some real city slickers.

WATCH TIP: Stream this hidden gem, “Book of Love 2022” (Amazon Prime). An unsuccessful English writer finds fame when his Mexican translator puts a steamy twist on his humdrum story.

Bloomsbury Girls
By Natalie Jenner

In 1950, as the world adjusts post-World War II, London is slowly coming back to life. The women hold it together, as many men have not returned. Centered around a charming old shop called Bloomsbury Books, three women search for their place in this strange new decade. Vivien is a beautiful, talented writer whose wealthy fiancé went missing along with her future. Grace is married with two boys and a husband who is an angry shell of his former self. She would rather be at the bookshop than at home. Evie, one of the first females to graduate from Cambridge, is a shy, brilliant woman who discovers first love and a literary mystery that can change their lives. As they work among the men, they realize there is more to life than fetching tea and working the register. These women want to rock the literary establishment by changing the way books are sold. This small, quirky cast of characters wrap their lives around books, publishing and the literary salons of the time. As they befriend some famous figures, the women garner the confidence they need to carry on with their plan. A heartwarming story of history, friendship and books.

The Woman in the Library
By Sulari Gentill

One day, four strangers are sitting at a table in the Boston Public Library. They hear a piercing scream. The library room is cordoned off and closed. A murder has occurred and these unlikely characters quickly form a fascinating friendship. Handsome Man is a published author working on his next big novel; Heroic Chin is purposefully trying to fail Harvard Law School to exasperate his socialite parents; Freud Girl, a brilliant tattoo-covered beauty, is working on her graduate degree in psychology; and Freddie, an Australian writer on scholarship, deems this scene worthy of chapter one in her latest mystery. The strangers learn about each other as more dead bodies are discovered around Boston and fingers are pointed. The police begin to investigate and alibis become crucial. With unexpected twists, readers find themselves in a fictional funhouse, never quite sure where the story begins and reality ends. Writers, books and murder mystery rolled into one, this wholly original tale is a must-read for summer.

Karen Newfield is first and foremost a reader, she has reviewed hundreds of books on her blog www.readingandeating.com. And, more recently, this new Keys resident has also begun writing.