Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

Oh this a beautiful hug of a book. I'm very enamored by the type of book that has a precocious child and and elderly person who starts off ad a stranger but becomes family. This book was simply delightful with wonderful characters and relationships.

Carl works for a bookstore and delivers books that he recommends to some of the clients. A young girl named Schascha asks to join him and even though he tells her no she tags along. Schascha helps Carl connect with his clients in a way he couldn’t have before and she and Carl become friends. Their friendship ends up helping many people in the town.
This was an unexpected story for me. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was getting into when I started reading it but I was quickly drawn into the story. It gave off some major A Man Called Ove vibes and my emotions while reading it were very similar. I loved the way that Schascha came in and started ruffling Carl’s feathers and his grumpiness didn’t deter her. I loved how the clients stories all started to connect and I loved the eventual happy ending (I was worried about the outcome of Carl for a bit). If you like a found family trope with some heavy emotions then this book is definitely for you. Even if that isn’t your go to, I would recommend reading this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

Oh my goodness! It's the sweetest book ever! The quirky and colorful characters on the Book Walker's route and how sweet nine-year-old changes them all for the better have to be excellent; add in all the literature and true-to-life drama, and the book is a masterpiece of a story. I savored every minute! Please read it and believe in goodness, karma, and positive change!

This book reminded me of a man called ove.
I enjoyed reading this book but at times I found myself bored at times.

Carl Kollhoff, an elderly male works for a bookstore in a small German village. He loves books, can recommend the perfect book and semi-famously known for offering the service of delivery books to customers after hours on foot. He walks the same path, carefully wraps each book and has named the customers in his head after known characters and connects with each in a personal way. His life changes when a 9yoa little girl, Schascha, starts following and joining him on deliveries. She believes he should bring them books they need and not what they request…. She throws everyone life of out it’s normal, boring (and for some a sad and lonely) lives upside down.
You could feel the omen that it gets worse before it gets better (you hope it gets better) and no good deed goes unpunished, feeling not unseen (but seen when needed). I do wish the author had wrote about Schascha’s dad reading the book Karl gave to him, instead of him admitting it to her after their fight. I could feel Carl’s loneliness and sadness… and I loathed Sabine even more.
Thank you NetGalley and Carsten Henn for the ARC

Rating: 3/5 Stars
The Door-to-Door Bookstore was first published in German back in 2020.

I have only read a few books that have been translated from a different language into English and for the most part I like them. I do notice with books written in other countries, they tend to have a different tone and feel to the story than what we American's typically read, but honestly that is my opinion, and I am sure not many people would agree with my thought process.

I do wonder because of the translation and how our cultures differ made the story to be less enjoyable for me. By being less enjoyable, I just really mean that I struggled to really connect with the characters and felt like there was a block between the characters and me. Also, the pacing was a bit slow for me.

I really did like the overall theme to this book with the kinship that books can bring to one another, and I like the point this book makes of having different people in our lives can change the outlook on our lives as well as the world around up. Plus, I really do love the found family trope a lot.

Overall, I did not hate it, but I did not love it. A ton of people will really enjoy this book a lot.

If you enjoy stories about books and about found family, then this book is for you! Translated from the German, this is a tale of Carl Kollhoff, a seventy-something man who delivers books for City Gate Bookshop. He has a regular route of people who, for one reason or another, don't leave their homes to purchase the books. Carl is a bit of a loner, and when nine-year old Schascha befriends him and begins to accompany him on his route, Carl's world and the world of those he delivers to gets a bit wider and brighter.

This is a beautiful novel about the power of books and friendship to change and impact lives. I smiled so many times while reading this book and grew to care for the characters. I was rooting for them to have positive outcomes and loved how Carl and Schascha were able to connect them despite obstacles in the way. I adored how much Carl cared about books and connecting them with the right readers.

Such a lovely read, highly recommended!

Happy contented, grateful, thankful Wednesday!

Happy Thanksgiving Eve for those of you that celebrate!

This time of year always makes me a mushy mess. I look for books with that captivate me. Books that make me feel. That make me inspired and my heart full. That bring goodness to my days and introduce me to characters I won’t soon forget. That make me thankful for my friendships and family, and all the little things that make my life have so much meaning.

Both of these books left an impact. They made me smile and also made me cry. This time of year always makes me reflect on so much and I am filled with so much contentedness. I can’t express enough how much being a part of this amazing community means to me. I may never have been introduced to these stories or had the courage to recommend these books to others if it weren’t for all of you amazing humans.

I think if you celebrate, you should spend Thanksgiving reading one of these amazing stories. They will make you feel and that's always why I recommend the books I do.

As with all my favorite reads, here are a few of my favorites quotes. I hope they make you feel something magical in your heart, like they did for me.

Both 4.5 stars

The Door to Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn

“Those books which lie closest to our hearts are precisely the books we should give away, so that they may bring others happiness.”

“Within each book lies a heart that begins to beat when someone reads it because it makes a connection with the reader.”

“Carl understood people who collected books like others collected stamps: people who loved to let their gaze wander along book spines, who gathered books around themselves like a community of friends. Inside books lived the characters to whom they felt a connection, with destinies unfolding in which they shared, or wished they could.”

What a delightful story! I know that often times we can feel disconnected, especially when we stay in our little corners of the world. This is all about how important we are, especially when we bring the world to others. As a public librarian, I felt a kinship to all the characters involved, even the daughter of the bookstore owner. It's who we are at the end of the day, that matters. I wholeheartedly recommend this one!

Truly a magical read! It took a while for me to get into it but as soon as I did I was totally immersed

I loved the characters in this book and how they ultimately banded together to help each other. The author does such a great job doling out characters and slowly giving the reader more information on each. This was a good book and I think fans of reading would appreciate this story.

This was not the book for me. The blurb seemed very interesting.
Dnf at 14%
Very slow moving. I did not like the MC

Recently I have read a number of books about books, bookstores and readers. This may become one of my favorite sub genres. This novel, The Door-to-Door Bookstore, is a a love song to those who care about books, reading and friendship.

Carl, who is in his early seventies, has worked in a bookshop for many years. In addition to his daily job, Carl delivers beautifully wrapped books to a number of customers. He knows what kind of book each of these customers craves. Carl also thinks of each as a fictional character and book lovers will very much enjoy this aspect of the novel. For example, one is Mr. Darcy.

Carl has led a somewhat solitary life. Watch what happens when a precocious nine year old, inserts herself in his life.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own. This book really felt special to me and I highly recommend it.

Such a beautiful book. I loved Carl so much! Carl has a set of customers that he hand delivers books to when they order them. The bookstore he has always worked for has been taken over by the daughter of the original owner, however. She does not like that Carl goes out to deliver these books and she is determined to put a stop to it. Carl diligently continues his job and finds himself accompanied by a 9-year-old girl who decides that she is going to help him. This girl is the beginning of the change of Carl's life. But is he going to be able to handle all the change?

This was so beautiful. I loved all of these characters. I loved getting to know Carl and Schascha along with all of the book readers. I even loved getting to know the antagonists. Carl's growth was so satisfying. This book also really emphasized the importance of books. But also the importance of the relationships between other people.

Book lovers will enjoy this story about an old bookseller who personally delivers books to people's homes. Follow him as the bookstore changes and he becomes closer to the people he delivers to and one curious and persistent 9-year-old.

What a great feel good story. Very likable characters that you feel for as soon as they open up and we get to know them. Love that we root for these characters and for their friendships.

I had a good time with this story. It took me a while to get through, but once I got hooked I couldn't stop reading.

This heart-warming story made me laugh and made me cry. It’s the story of a beautiful friendship between a 9 year old girl and an elderly man. Together they do so many wonderful things for each other and for their friends. It’s about the importance of books and of friendship. A definite feel good book!

"You see, there is no book that can please everyone. And if there were, it would be a bad book."

The Door-to-Door Bookstore was such a heartwarming book to read. I absolutely loved the characters, and it is one of the most joyous found families I have ever encountered. I think this would be perfect for fans of Backman.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Hanover Square Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.