This book had a lot of delightful pop culture references, which I 100% enjoyed. I struggled however with the romance and its influence on the depiction of Nina’s mental illnesses. I am seriously tired of - and find it the height of misleading - seeing characters with serious anxiety/OCD etc be miraculously treated in media without actual medical help, whether that’s therapy or medication. It was a disappointing let down to an otherwise charming book,

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill talks to all the bookworms of the world. Nina is such a fun character and I couldn’t help to feel so connected to her and not just for the bookworm thing but for all the quirky things she does and that make her great.
The book is super funny, and it made me laugh a lot, making it an enjoyable experience. I thought the characters were great, and even when there were lots of them they added to the story and were interesting. I particularly liked Peter and Polly, and of course Tom (<3).
I liked that the book talks about anxiety and the way it deals with it. I have read reviews saying that the way it portrays anxiety is not realistic but I have to disagree on that. Because I suffer from mild anxiety and I can socialize and be extroverted with people I know but I might close completely with new things. And reading about someone that goes through something similar was nice.
I enjoyed every part of the book. The fun and romantic parts, the bookish and family parts. I loved the characters and quotes (I love quotes) and I’m sure this book will make it to the top 5 this year.

I loved, loved, loved this book! It's like it was written just for me. An enemies-to-friends storyline, books, introverts, bookstores... what's not to love?! I've been recommending this to everyone.

What a delightful read!! I love Nina Hill. I am Nina Hill - a lot less smart, way less witty...but just as inelegant and semi-neurotic. I chuckled my way through the pages, completely charmed. With all her awkwardness, Nina was comfortable in her own skin. I found Tom to be irresistable. I thoroughly enjoyed the crazy family Nina found herself a part of. Her friends were perfection. I just had a great time reading this!!

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman was one of my most anticipated reads for this summer, and I am so thrilled to have finally read the book! Just judging by the summary for the book, I knew I would love it, AND I DID!

One of the things I love most about this book is how much I related to it. The main character, Nina, and I have SO much in common, and it was interesting to see so much of myself in a book character! (Though I am definitely a bit more introverted, especially around people, but I totally get it, Nina.) Nina was great, and I very much enjoyed reading the story from her point of view. Also, I love her love of books as well!

The storyline for this book was super cute as well, and I was hooked as I flew through the pages. I love that Nina participated in trivia nights, and was in so many different book clubs. (I would totally do this if any were available in my area, but alas, I have yet to find one.) This also made the story relatable, and I loved it. Through in some great secondary characters, and this was just an around fun book!

Overall; The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman was just the book I needed to read at the moment, and I’m SO thrilled to have read it and added it to my collection! I loved the characters, and the storyline, and being able to relate to so much in the book, and it was all really great. I definitely need more books like this in my life, and I will most definitely be keeping my eye out for more books by Abbi Waxman in the future!

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill is an enjoyable story for audio book lovers. Why do I mention audio when I usually don't? I think it's because if I'd read this book, I'd notice many of the grammatical issues. This book had a lot of "he said, she said", which happened ad nauseam. Interestingly though, I still liked listening to this story of the every peculiar and sometimes lovable Nina.

The host of relatives were a hoot and the romantic element was sweet.

Four Stars: A cute book with a quirky heroine who must deal with the fall out when her quiet, bookish life is upended.

Nina has a great life. She works in a bookstore where she gets to hang out with friends and be amongst her favorite things in life: books. Then her quiet bookish world is turned upside down when Nina learns that she is not exactly an only child anymore after her absentee father dies and leaves her as a beneficiary. Nina discovers that she has half siblings, aunts, nephews and nieces. Even worse, they live close by so she will have to come face to face with them. Then Nina is confused even further when her kick butt trivia team goes against another team and they lose. Nina can’t believe that she finds herself drawn to Tom, her trivia nemesis. How can she be attracted to a man who smells like wood and doesn’t like books? How can Nina right her bookish world?
What I Liked:
*Abbi Waxman is an author who knows how to make you laugh with her likable, quirky characters. This time Ms. Waxman brings us Nina Hill an introverted bookworm who loves to make lists in her planner, avoid people and read. If you want a laugh out loud contemporary book this is one to read.
*I adored Nina. She is easy to understand and like, especially if you are an avid reader. Curling up with warm socks and a good book is Nina’s idea of the perfect evening, as well as mine. I could totally relate to Nina. I adored her quirks and her tendency to talk to her cat, Phil, but what I enjoyed the most was watching her grow and adapt. It was truly delightful to see Nina creep ever so slowly out of her shell and transform. She is an absolute joy!
*I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the complicated dynamics of Nina’s new family. It was hilarious to watch Nina try and learn to deal with her instant family after years of being an only child. There were instant connections, some head butting, and then in the end understanding as strangers with the same DNA learned to call one another family.
The romance was adorable. I loved that it started out as an attraction. Then there was lots of awkward stumbling, hilarious moments and growing and changing and then connection. It was cute!
*I adored the humor. There are so many funny moments in this one. I especially enjoyed Nina’s lists and her quirky behavior. She made me laugh.
*If you have read Abbi Waxman’s debut novel: The Garden of Small Beginnings, I highly recommend it, you will enjoy reconnecting with the characters from that book. It was delightful encounter these fun characters again, especially Claire.
*The ending was cute and satisfying. It made me smile.
And The Not So Much:
*I was disappointed that there wasn’t a bit more exploration into Nina’s family. I enjoyed the complex relationships, and I especially liked watching Nina find her place. I just wish there were more.
*Parts of the story were completely predictable, but that didn’t cause my enthusiasm to wane.

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill is a delightful, feel good read perfect for bookworms and for those who want something light and fun. This book made me laugh. I loved the quirky characters, the list and all things bookish. If you haven’t picked up a book by Abbi Waxman, I urge you to try one. This book was a lot of fun!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

I loved this book! Nina is totally my sister from another mother. I was not as fond of Tom, in the end, I felt he acted really childishly.

Full review coming on my blog, will update this space when I have that link.

I loved that this book focused on a younger protagonist. Oftentimes, it seems that "bookish" reads are focused on the older set and this middle-aged reader was glad to see some younger blood featured! It was a bit of romance, some whimsy, and a splash of the magic of books and learning. Loved it!

I felt at moments this was a charming read, especially since I identified with many aspects of Nina's personality (aspects outside the obvious book lover traits). I also felt at moments that this book was boring, and not amusing. Moments when I felt the book thought it was funnier than it actually was. Though, there were moments that I don't think were meant to be amusing at which I chuckled. So I guess it's just the trickiness of humor. The major pull of this read for me, and which kept me turning the pages (not at a rapid pace, because I was able to put the book down and forget about it a few times) was the characters. Nina's family, her friends, acquaintances she works with, and a few precocious kids made this experience a significantly more positive experience than negative one. Nina as well, even though at times she felt a bit like a caricature.

Most recently I finished reading “The Bookish Life Of Nina Hill” and the entire time I was thinking how is this notttt a movie yet!
This book would make the perfectttt next RomCom. It touches on so many important subjects, such as mental health and stereotyping, along with family diversity and single parenting, and it floats around with romance in a way that is light and airy and perfect as a romantic comedy.
And let’s not to mention all the amazing references to Harry Potter.... when @nerdybooknurse lent me this book and said I’d love it strictly for the HP references alone she wasn’t wrong!

This book got me right out of my reading funk and sent me straight into reading “Waiting on Tom Hanks” by @kerrywinfrey which I have been SO excited to read for so long! I have a feeling when I finish that book I’m going to be saying that one needs a movie adaptation too.... (maybe with a guest appearance by the man himself?! @tomhanks)

A fun and quick read. It was an odd, though not displeasing, combination of literary references and old-fashioned aesthetic (for example, the chapter headers) and casual writing style.

I received this book as an arc. I have enjoyed reading about Nina who reminds me of my Asperger son who loves trivia. Nina's life revolves around trivia until she has to let other people in her life including her step-family that she didn't know existed. I would recommend this book to people who like chick-lit books.

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman is a 2019 Berkley publication.

Sweet, witty, clever and whimsical- my kind of people- in my kind of book!

By some standards, Nina may seem a bit eccentric. But, truly, she just likes her job and her books and a solid routine. She may be a classic introvert, but she hangs out with her friends and competes in trivia competitions.

However, her quiet, ordered life turns topsy-turvy when she is informed that her father, a man she never knew, has passed away, and she has been named in his will. Suddenly there are lawyers, and a slew of relatives invading her life- none of which fit into her carefully constructed day-planner.

Nor, does dating, it would seem, although there is an interested party- except it’s Tom, her main competition on Trivia Nights. If this weren’t enough to rattle her, her job at the bookshop is in jeopardy because her boss can’t pay the rent.

Although, Nina does her best to avoid the lawyers and new family members, and genuinely tries to pencil Tom in for a date night, she isn’t having much luck on either count. Will Nina ever be accepted by her new family? Will her day planner ever make time for poor Tom? Will the bookshop sink or swim?

I new I would love this book!! The characters are easier for me to relate to than the ‘loudest person in the room’, voted most gregarious types- and of course, who doesn’t love books about books?

I’ve never been to trivia night, but it certainly sounds like a lot of fun- although I’m not that knowledgeable or competitive. Everything about this book is executed perfectly- pace, dialogue, characterizations, and tone. It’s light, but has depth, is poignant, but mostly it’s a fun, feel good story anyone can enjoy. I loved Nina’s life so much, I felt a bit wistful, wishing I could find fit into the mix of work, family, and friends that make up her charmed life. The ending was the cherry on the cake and left me grinning from ear to ear!!

This is just an all-around great story about the truly important things in life and staying true to oneself while adapting to life’s inevitable changes. Of course, us bookworms and introverts will find this book highly relatable, maybe seeing a bit of ourselves in this story, which makes it even more charming and touching!!

All the stars for this one!! (Did you ever doubt it?) That's makes three for three for Ms. Abbi Waxman

Nina Hill lives an extremely bookish life, with her bookstore job filling her days, her planner with scheduled reading time filling her evenings, and her trivia hobby on the side. She's perfectly happy in her little bubble, but then suddenly this only child of an absentee single mother finds out that she has been named as a beneficiary in her unknown father's will - and that she has a huge family she knew nothing about. Getting to know this family, along with a potential love interest in a rival trivia team, means that Nina might have to finally come out her shell... but can she be convinced that this real life can live up to the magic of fiction? The tone reminded me a lot of The Garden of Small Beginnings, the previous book by Abbi Waxman that I have read - a mix of quirkiness and wry humor and self-deprecation that makes for a fun read but sometimes starts to wear on me a bit with the constant clever turns of phrase. It almost makes characters feel less real to me somehow. I also found that this one was almost too full of things: the bookshop and literary references, the trivia stuff, the long-lost relative stuff, the romance part, the frequent pop culture references. Chock full, but I guess that is in keeping with Nina's character and life - and I also can't deny that it's hard not to get drawn in when I find a character who likes books and office supplies as much as I do. Overall, a fun one for readers who love books about readers, or introverts and type-A people who will enjoy seeing things they love reflected in Nina.

By the time I was a third of the way into The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, by Abbi Waxman, I already knew it was going to be one of my favorite books. From that point I was torn between wanting to consume every delicious word, and wanting to savor it for as long as I could. It will definitely be a book I re-read.

The main character, Nina Hill, lives a quiet life working in a bookshop, and filling her spare time with bookclubs, trivia nights, and planned evenings alone to read. She lives in a quaint neighborhood in LA with her sweet, quirky cat named Phil. She likes her own company, and her life, and isn’t looking for more relationships. But they find her anyway.

While I’m in love with Nina Hill, the supporting characters are completely wonderful as well. The dialogue throughout the book is hilarious and real and I could picture myself being part of the conversations.

The book is all-round a joy to read, and if you haven’t read it yet, you should definitely add this one to your ‘to be read’ list! If ever I wished there would be a sequel to a book, this would be the one.

The audiobook is also completely fantastic, with narration by Jessica Preddy.

I enjoyed this book - it was a fluffy diversion, but unfortunately it seemed like a fantasy, the situations seeming pretty unrealistic (can a bookstore clerk really afford a cool old carriage house in LA?) Nina reminded me of myself in many ways, which is why a few times I really wanted to shake her, but all in all I enjoyed the book.

Nina Hill is the girl we all wish we could be - she does what she wants and when, no matter what others think of it, never upsetting or angering friends and family in the process. Not comfortable at a family gathering with the members feuding amongst themselves, get up and leave. Done with a conversation that is going nowhere, walk away. Others are throwing ice cream at each other in the middle of a protest, join in and throw your ice cream. Nina is enjoying her quiet life, reading books, working at a bookstore, and playing trivia with her team, when her life is upended with startling news that her father (whom she never met or even knew existed) dies and leaves her with a large family who want to meet her. Add to that, the guy, Tom, she has been secretly crushing on, suddenly becomes part of her life. It's all quite overwhelming for Nina and she doesn't know what to do.

I tend to like to be alone, with my small family or reading, so I can relate to Nina well. She is a social introvert which caused some fairly hilarious scenes in this book. All of the family members are endearing in their own way, and Nina learns much about herself through meeting them. It proves the old saying, your can pick your friends, but not your family. Great light, easy read!

I finished The Bookish Life of Nina Hill in a single sitting and it was cute, quirky, and all-around adorable. Nina was such a relatable character and I loved seeing her figure out how to interact with the giant, slightly dysfunctional family that she inherits.

Plus I loved how Nina didn’t have to “fix” her anxiety to find her happy-ever-after. The romance itself was so fun! There were a few things about the plot that were over the top but they all worked so well. This is the type of book that leaves you in love with the characters and with a smile on your face.

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill is an absolutely charming and uplifting book that I would recommend for any reader looking for a fun romantic comedy.

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I loved this novel. Who doesn't love a quirky, bookish, main character? Nina is a bookseller, who is witty, sarcastic and has a penchant for trivia. I basically want her to be my best friend. One day a soliciter informs Nina that her father she never knew has passed away and Nina has a family she never knew. Nina has to navigate this, along with a little love story. This book was so charming and I laughed more than few times throughout the novel. I would definitely recommend to all.