"No two persons ever read the same book." This book is a love story, in its own way, about stories, readers, and books. Switching points of view in each chapter, there is one book that ties the characters together across time. There were little pieces of each person's story that made me want to stop, set the book down, and sit with the feeling they invoked, yet at the same time, I wanted to fly through the book because I enjoyed it so much! I can't wait to read it a second time and relish it again. Books have been important to me for as long as I can remember and No Two Persons really hit that feeling for me of the impact books can have. I was provided an advanced reader copy of this book by Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

" No two persons ever read the same book, or saw the same picture"
No Two Person's is such an unusual book and I really enjoyed it. One person writes a novel that touches many different people in a different way. Each chapter is a different person who we learn a little about, and how the book came into their life, and how they were changed because of it. The stories are heartwarming and I loved how the author was able to write her book this way. So unique! I always tell my book club that we all read the same book but get something different out of it, some of us like it, some don't, and I love hearing the discussions. Sometimes I'll be listening and think, wow, I never thought of that! Such a great book!

We are all caretakers of the story- the writers are just the lucky ones who get to know them first."

Did I manage to squeeze in a last minute 5 star read?? YES!! 🙌

This book is really 10 mini stories in one. Longer chapters allow an in depth look into the world of readers, all focused around the same book. A truly unique perspective that pulled on my heart strings.

How can one book be so many things at once? Stories live in a readers head in a particular way to them. No Two Persons celebrates that idea. Also, the cover...perfection!🤌

Thank you to Netgalley for this advanced read. I will be raving about it everyday.

These deftly linked, gentle but vivid stories of estrangement and transformation are held together by the writing and reading of a fictional book.

Whether the main character in each story is a homeless teenage girl, a once-famous actor, a frazzled new mother, a grieving widower, an artist, a diver, or a 76-year-old woman at the end of her successful career, each story follows an arc of uncertainty, understanding, and growth.

The stories span 2010-2019, and travel the US coasts, from Maine and New York to California, and Washington State to Florida. The reader can feel a quiet pleasure as the main character of an earlier story turns up as a small player in a later one.

As the epigraph says, “No two persons may read the same book,” but in this author’s hands, the same book can impact all readers.

I absolutely adored Bauermeister's No Two Persons. I sped through it at breakneck speed and was devastated when there were no more vignettes--though she ended it full-circle and I appreciated that. The plot is basically a series of stories, loosely connected, about how a single book can affect all the people who engage with it--not always as readers, even. It was just so good and, in tune with the themes of her book, I just want to go back and live in it. A rare five-star read.

This was a fascinating novel… I don’t believe I’ve ever read anything quite like it before! As a writer of fiction myself, I appreciated reading the different readers’ stories about their response to one novel called “Theo”. It made me stop and think about the people who read my novels and how it may affect each person so differently. I enjoyed all of the stories but Nola’s was my favorite. I also appreciated how the stories came together at the end.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Such a fun premise - No Two Persons tells the story of how’s different people’s lives are impacted by one book. We first meet the author and then are introduced to nine readers, loosely connected to one another.

I enjoyed reading this though I found it a bit too sentimental. Would recommend it to book lovers looking for a heartwarming read!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

This book is comprised of several short stories that are interwoven and related to one book. This shows the power of a story and how.everyone views it differently. This book is worth the read. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

I wanted to like this but I overall found it pretentious, much in the way I could THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY pretentious.

No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister
Absolutely LOVED this book, I did not want to put it down to do other things. This book was so different from what I normally read and I just didn't want it to end. I must say this is one of my all time favorites from the books I have read. I will be buying this book for my family and friends. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press and a huge thank you to the author for allowing me to read this ARC.

No Two Persons is one of those delightful books about books that remind readers how integral stories are to our lives. Encountering a story at a particular time in your life brings new perspective or makes new paths possible that weren't before. Reading this felt like rediscovering that awareness and appreciation for literature. As someone who also reads for escape, this was a powerful reminder!

Each chapter could be a standalone short story, yet the sum of the whole is rich. These are very different narrators with a wide range of experiences and conflicts, all of which were interesting and well-researched. My only critique is that the end felt tidy--perhaps too neat. For a book that revels in the ambiguity of meaning for different readers, I think I would have liked more loose ends.

Thank you for the ARC, NetGalley!

I had to DNF this because I thought it was super cheesy and I couldn’t connect to the writing style at all. The premise sounded really interesting, but there was no depth at all to any of the characters and I just kept rolling my eyes while reading.

No Two Persons
Today I finished one of the best books of 2023 titled “No Two Persons,” by Erica Bauermeister who I recently did a Q&A with. “No Two Persons,” is about the power of books and how their stories change and impact each of us in different ways. Alice always wanted to be a writer and her stories remain detached but then a tragedy happens that has her open up again and she writes her debut novel. Alice’s novel helps multiple people some of which are a teenager hiding the fact that she’s homeless, an artist angry at the world, a bookseller searching for love, a grieving widower and a diver pushing himself to the brink.

Pros
I love all the characters and their back stories and how each of them was changed by one novel in different ways. My favorite character though, had to be Alice the author. I liked her story the best and the literature professor who helped her. Erica Bauermeister has a way with words and turning it into a magical story. I loved “No Two Persons,” so much I bought myself a Christmas present by buying her previous novel “The Scent Keeper”. Books about books and their power have to be some of my favorite books in the world.


Cons
There wasn’t anything I disliked. I only wish the story didn’t end. To paraphrase Jane Austen, When I really enjoy a book it seems as though it’s too short.


Overall
Overall I sped through this book in a few days. I was so happy Netgally allowed me to read the book early. If you are not a blogger and get an early copy, or if you don’t have the Netgalley app to request it, pre-order “No Two Persons,” now which comes out May 2nd 2023. Thank you Erica for this gem of a novel!

No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister is one of my favorite reads of the year!
The way this story came together was heart warming and so unique. I was left wanting more and could not put this one down!
Do yourself a favor and buy immediately. You will not regret it! I look forward to buying my hard copy in May.
Thank you!

A love song to books, an unusual ode to readers.
In No Two Persons we meet Alice very early on. Her dream has been to be an author. After many obstacles, she creates her first novel, but that is just the start of the intricately designed reading journey. What follows next is a series of stories of how reading this first novel alters the readers life. Each in very different ways.

I just loved this concept and enjoyed the execution very much!

If you have tried to make your best reading buddy enjoy a favorite book, then you know, no two persons are impacted in the same way when reading.

This is a fabulous read and a great present for a reading friend ! If you love intricate books, connected stories or just love reading (which is why you are here!) then No Two Persons is for you!
#StMartinsPress #NoTwoPersons #EricaBauermeister

I loved this book so much I can still feel
it in my chest. This is one of those stories that you want to sit in each word. Every page has something to say. Every character captures your attention.

This is a book for story lovers and a story for book lovers. As tempting as it was to binge read this in a day, I didn’t want the writing to end. I slowed my pace, stopping after a few chapters and stretched it out for a week.

What a story. I already miss it and look forward to reading this book again someday.

— Thank you St.Martin’s Press and Net Galley for an early read.
—Erica Bauermeister, thank you for the inspiration. Amazing.

Erica Bauermeister wrote one of my favorite but not particularly popular books, The School of Essential Ingredients. I am happy to have the opportunity to review this upcoming Spring release, No Two Persons.

No Two Persons is all about the impact that a singular story can have on different individuals across time. The fictional novel Theo is shared with an assortment of characters. There are threads that run throughout, but the reading experience feels like viewing a series of vignettes.

I am rating this book 4 stars. While it did not give me the magical feeling that has kept her previous book on my shelves for many years it is a unique and interesting story. No excerpts from Theo are shared, which I find a little frustrating, but the essence of the story can be gleaned through the reading. Her writing style is beautiful and descriptive.

This is a book for book people-those who love and read books for either professional or personal reasons. Just as no two people stand in the same river (as the saying goes), no two people can experience a transformative book in the same way.

Many thanks to the author, NetGalley, and St. Martin's press for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's press for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

If I could give a book 10 stars, this is the one! This story is about the beauty of books, how they draw in the reader, how they transport you to a different place, and how they touch you in such a way that it helps you with your own situation and circumstance. It highlights the impact a book can make upon a life.

This is the story of one author that finds a boy whose story she will tell. She describes the process she goes through telling Theo's story, and the effort to get it published. While Theo is fiction, I was completely drawn in by the chapters of other characters who touched the book and made it become a reality. You have the literary readers looking for that next great read, the publishers, the actor who will record the audio book and then various readers. The book touches 9 different readers, each having a separate chapter and voice. Each character is struggling with their own sense of purpose in life when this book is handed to them. Even the author of Theo's story is faced with that dilema...will she find another boy or person who also needs their story told? Will she be a one hit wonder or publish another best seller?

I love how the 10 lives are not only intertwined by the reading of a story but also through the path of the book through its publication, and that it comes full circle in the end. It is interesting that we do not even get to read Theo's story but I could glean a general pictures through the snippets. I loved how that story touched each of the lives. The character development through the connections was well done.

This book will be published May 2nd....looking forward to that and highly, highly recommend!!

No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister is an absolute winner!
Erica Bauermeister's writing is just stunning. No other words to describe it.
This is a beautifully written story, full of warmth and heart.
I was so intrigued and hooked once I started reading.
The way she brings this story to life is phenomenal.
Such a unique, clever and thought-provoking read.
That had me reading like a crazy lady and then towards to end slowing down to savor every last word.
This is a must read y'all! You'll love it!
I would love to read her previous books.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Erica Bauermeister's "The School of Essential Ingredients" is one of my favorite books, so I always approach each of her books expecting that same magical reading experience.

I didn't get that in "No Two Persons."

Nope. Instead, I got a book that reached into my chest cavity and reminded me that I'm not the only one who feels deeply affected by a great story.

In "No Two Persons," Bauermeister crafts a story built of seemingly disparate chapters. Characters change. The years creep by with each installment. The only constant is a book that speaks to each of our characters in a way unique to them.

It was riveting.

Folks who enjoy reading will recognize at least a little of themselves in some part of this novel. We all tend to identify with our fictional characters. "No Two Persons" gives us plenty of opportunity to see the various ways one book can touch people.

Of course, I recognize that my experience reading this book is uniquely my own. As the saying goes, "No two persons read the same book."

This review has been shared on Goodreads and on Facebook groups: Girls Who Love Books: Sixties Plus Reading Room; and Books & Brews and Blanket Forts Too.