REVIEW: The In-Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill 3.5

Darby is an almost 30-year-old transgender male living in New York City. When he loses his job and cannot afford rent, his mom offers to return to Illinois to help her move. Coming home means seeing his former best friend and the place where Darby doesn't feel like he belongs. When visiting his high job, The In-Between Bookstore, Darby is transported to 2009 and sees his teen self. Can he change the falling out with his best friend?

The In-Between Bookstore is a magical, realistic book in which the main character, Darby, realizes he can visit his past self when entering the bookstore. The mystical elements were done well; they are still fantastical but believable. Edward Underhill describes everything throughout the book, so you feel right there with Darby. I liked the general message of your identity and discovering who you are, especially in a small-town setting. The audiobook's narrator was great, making you relate to the characters. Shaan Dasani narrates the story of a transgender award-winning actor, writer, and producer.

I didn't quite like some things. Much of the book moved very slowly, and it never felt like much happened. I also questioned some of Darby's choices when visiting his past self. Things could have been handled better, especially since he is 30. Lastly, the ending didn't do it for me. It was very bittersweet, and it felt like it could have shown more growth from the character.

Overall, I enjoyed The In-Between Bookstore, but it didn't quite hit me as I hoped.

Thank you, Netgalley, Avon & Harper Voyager, and HarperAudio Adult, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for providing me with an advanced copy to review!

This was such a heartwarming tale of self discovery, featuring our main character Darby and his childhood friend, Michael. The magical realism aspect in this novel is “time travel” and I found it interesting that it isn’t used as a tool to change his future, but instead as a way to better understand his own journey. It is used to gain clarity on unresolved feelings and explores what it means to grow from our mistakes. Honestly, what an intriguing premise for a book and I think it was written with what felt like such a genuine voice. A very fun and introspective listening experience!

3.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for the advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review!

Non-spoiler synopsis:
Have you ever wished you could go back in time and tell your younger self something that would make the rest of your life easier? The In-Between Bookstore is a whimsical, heartfelt queer story about self-discovery, friendship, (found) family, romance, and second chances. Darby is a trans man who grew up in rural Illinois and couldn’t wait to move away from home as a teenager, find a community who understands him and people who accept and affirm his authentic self. And so he does – he moves to NYC for college, finds a job and a solid group of friends, and plants himself there. As he nears his 30th birthday, he finds himself out of a job and unable to afford his absurd NYC rent, so he goes back home – a place he never envisioned moving back to – to figure out his next steps. While home, he discovers the Bookstore he worked at as a teenager is a portal to the past.

Review:
I really enjoyed the premise of this story, but there are a few things I found myself longing for that made this bump down from a 5- to a 4-star read. For one, I wish there was a bit more description to help visualize the setting, especially of the bookstore. There was some, but I just found myself wanting more. I felt like I really wanted to imagine myself there and be able to transport myself back in time with Darby, but it was difficult for me to do. I also felt like the ending fell a bit flat. Maybe I was just hoping for more and that clouded my judgement?
But, nevertheless, I found the story very sweet and cozy and enjoyed it the whole way through. I really enjoyed how dynamic Darby and all of his relationships were – there was a lot of growth across all of the focal characters. I loved the way younger Darby and current Darby were able to learn and grow from each other, the increasing self-awareness and the repairing of relationships throughout.
As for the audiobook itself, I felt like the speaking was honestly a bit slower than most audiobooks I listen to, to the point where I could put it on 2.5x speed and still understand clearly. That said, that isn’t an issue for me whatsoever. It’s nice to have a slower 1x speaking speed and be able to increase the speed to exactly where I like it! Otherwise, the audio was clear and sounded great!

Please read The In-Between Bookstore if you like magical realism, The Butterfly Effect, and heartfelt stories that center queerness; it publishes on January 14, 2025!! I’m interested to hear what you think of it if you do!
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TW: gender dysphoria

Darby, a trans New York man turning 30 and just laid off, heads home to small town Illinois to help his mother move, and more vitally come to terms with his pre-transition past.

This book has lots of things that work for me, most of all the touching, heartfelt, and yes awkward meetings and conversations with old friends and acquaintances; I also loved the flashbacks about growing up queer in a small town, then awkwardly coming out in college, and going back as an adult to reconcile with your past; how you can be homesick for a place where you never really felt like you fit in?

So what didn't work? The magical bookstore where today Darby travels back in time to guide teenage Darby. It’s really just a devicel for Darby reflecting on his life before transition and before leaving his hometown, and it was a distraction for me (and for someone coming to this book for the science fiction element they may be disappointed in how underplayed it is).

While the writing is vivid, often funny, and always touching, this is the first adult novel by YA author Edward Underghill, and it still feels Young Adult - ish to me. But It’s well worth reading for the insightful emotional journey Darby takes you on, and I am very curious to see what this writer does next.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. It publishes January 14th.

The premise of the book was intriguing, but it ultimately fell short of my expectations and the surrounding hype. It felt very much like a YA novel, which isn’t surprising given that this is the author’s first adult book. The time travel storyline was underdeveloped, and while I expected it to be an emotional read, neither the story nor the characters resonated with me. Readers seeking more depth or stronger sci-fi elements may want to skip this one.”

I was so excited to get my first audio book to review so
right off the bat thank you so much! Now, on to the main feedback! I’m usually an immersion reader who reads along with the text but, in this situation I didn’t have that. Audio only didn’t take away from the experience. The narration was fantastic as was the writing. Will definitely go back and read more from this author once I have the time in my schedule again 😅

This is my first Edward Underhill book but will not be my last. This was an extremely interesting read. I went in blind assuming a magical bookstore, which I was somewhat correct but I ended up getting a diverse time travel bookstore with growth and humor. Underhill’s writing was engaging, the pace kept me reading despite not to much happening, the characters were likable and diverse, and the story was fresh. I was lucky enough to get the audiobook early and the narrator did a wonderful job. I like Darby would continue to go to a bookstore that transported me back in time to see my high-school self and view the struggles I was facing throughout time. If you like books about growth and reflection this will be a good book to pickup!

3.5 ⭐️
If you could tell your teenage self one thing what would it be?

This is a beautiful story of self discovery in your late 20s which I absolutely relate to and enjoyed that the main character was at this stage in their life.

This was the first book I’ve read where the main character is trans and I absolutely loved that perspective more than I expected as well as all the queer representation. Darby was a little selfish and unlikable in the beginning, but I believe it added to his character development. By the end I was happy for him and just wanted him to feel as much love and acceptance of himself as the other characters showed him.

I probably would not suggest the audio version of this, the narrator had a very nasally voice, and that got even worse for certain characters voices that really made my skin crawl. We don’t hear from those characters as much after he leaves NY so it got a little better after the beginning part.

First, thank you HarperAudio and NetGalley for allowing me to read the as an ARC read!

Darby goes back to his hometown after years of living his true self in New York City. Amid his complicated feelings surrounding the next steps of his life, he finds himself talking to his younger self. Why is he here? What is he supposed to learn? Is anything supposed to change?

I listened to this book on audio and I am glad I got past the first 3 chapters. The voices are extra nasally and pretentious, like someone tried to write all the stereotypes of New York Queers and it shows. I like the overall idea them, but the voices almost ruined it for me. I found myself cringing and bracing myself when NYQ dialogue was coming.

The story though?? Loved it! I found myself binging it just to get to the end. There were times I thought I knew exactly where it was headed and then, Darby does something I wouldn’t have expected. Darby goes through an internal transformation in this book. One that has you so frustrated with him it’s not even funny. He’s stuck in his past. Stuck like that teenage Darby, with wounds he hasn’t healed, but now he’s turning 30.

Reading this as a 25 year old with some of the same “what if” questions had this book hitting deeper than I expected.


SPOILER:
I saw a few people that didn’t enjoy the ending but I LOVED IT! Darby finally chooses his next step out of acceptance, love, and understanding. He’s not running away from his past anymore. He’s finally running TOO his future - one that connects his two selves. Maybe he didn’t end up with his high-school best friend. I don’t think that’s a bad thing, I think that shows just how much he understands himself. To not lean into the “what ifs” of the past but to make new “what ifs” of the future.

This is a 3.5 star read for me. I really enjoyed this story. I loved the time travel aspect, along with finding space to belong.

The ending of this story was not what I expected, and honestly, I loved that! The characters in this were not my favorite, though. They all seemed to be so absorbed in their own worlds that it was hard to see a lot of character growth. Overall, I enjoyed this story and always love some magical realism in what I read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper audio for my advanced reader copy.

3.5 stars

For some reason, I found Darby to be quite unlikable which made it challenging to want to root for him. There were so many parts of his story and wanting out of a small hometown because you felt different that made me want to like it more than I did. Maybe I just have a hard time with a non-traditional "happy ending".

It was probably just the wrong moment in time for me to be reading it, because I'm sure this will impact so many others out there.

Thank you @avonbooks @netgalley @harperaudio for the complimentary ARC & ALC.

Unfortunately this was a miss for me. Very slow paced. It felt very YA, the MC came across as selfish. I know he went through a lot but didn’t understand why he distanced himself from his mother when she had been nothing but loving and supportive. I was intrigued by the time travel, but by the end wondered what even was the point. Also didn’t love the ending.

When 29 year old Darby unexpectedly loses his job at the same time that his rent gets raised, he decides to take a break. He goes on a trip back home to his small town in Illinois.

Feeling out of place, he visits the bookstore he worked at when he was in high school. Darby is astonished to see his past self working the register- the person he was before his transition. But it’s not only that- he soon realizes that whenever he steps foot in the store, the world has been rewound to 2009.

He decides to use this extraordinary situation to try and figure out the mystery of what caused the monumental rift between him and his childhood best friend Michael, the pain of which reverberates to this day. In the present, he gets to know the adult Michael and realizes that he and the town are a lot more LGBTQ+ friendly than he’d ever imagined.

Underhill deftly utilizes the magical element of time travel to tell a tender story of growing up, self-acceptance, forgiveness, love, and found family.

Rating:

Review: On goodreads, you'll see this book described as "The In-Between Bookstore is a stunning novel of love, self-discovery, and the choices that come with both, for anyone who has ever wondered what their life might be like if they had the chance to go back and take a bigger, braver risk." And that is exactly what it is. There were so many moments while I was reading and listening to this book that I was like "oh, it would be so cool if the message or lesson here is this," and then it was. This book is a book that reminds you that love doesn't have to be romantic, and it doesn't have to external. Figuring out your place in the world doesn't have to mean you feel nothing for another place too. Just because a scenario could work out doesn't mean it should. Something ending differently that you expect doesn't mean it was a failure. Some time success comes from what we learn about ourselves along the way. I absolutely loved this book. This was my first book by Edward, and I'm so glad I have another one in my personal library to immediately pick up.

Synopsis: When Darby finds himself unemployed and in need of a fresh start, he moves back to the small Illinois town he left behind. But Oak Falls has changed almost as much as he has since he left.

One thing is familiar: In Between Books, Darby’s refuge growing up and eventual high school job. When he walks into the bookstore now, Darby feels an eerie sense of déjà vu—everything is exactly the same. Even the newspapers are dated 2009. And behind the register is a teen who looks a lot like Darby did at sixteen. . . who just might give Darby the opportunity to change his own present for the better—if he can figure out how before his connection to the past vanishes forever.

The In-Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill - 3.5 rounded up

I absolutely loved the premise of this book and the exploration of queer identity and chosen family. The narrator for this audiobook was fantastic and I enjoyed listening to this story.

As much as I loved these elements, it ultimately was a bit disappointing. It felt like the central question for the character started with quite a lot of gusto but by the end it had dissipated in severity, making the entire back half of the book feel flat.

I wish the author had explored the chosen family a bit more; it was there but was very subtle. In terms of the actual plot, not a lot happened and the time travel element really didn’t impact the story much at all besides providing the main character insight.

The surprise romance came out of nowhere and didn’t add to the story, instead it created this other element that pulled away from everything else that the character was struggling through.

The narrator for this audiobook was fantastic and I enjoyed listening to this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins (HarperAudio) for this advance listening opportunity!

I frankly just think this book was awesome. The characters were beautifully flawed, likable, and compelling — even when I wanted to scream at them to make a different choice.

Thank you NetGalley for the ALC of this novel.

I have mixed feelings about this.

I love the overall plot and subject material. I will always love a LGBTQ+ story about self acceptance. I love the fantasy elements that this story brought to the table, and of course loved the fact that it focused around a bookstore.

On to the things I didn’t love about this. It felt unfinished at worst, disjointed at best. I was expecting some growth from Darby! He was doing all the leg work and somewhere along the line it just… didn’t click? I also felt like the ending was so rushed. I listened to the audio and actually had to rewind to make sure I didn’t miss anything.

The audio was great! No complaints here. No variation on accents from the narrator but ample timing indicators of who is speaking during dialogue. Narrator was enjoyable to listen to.

Overall, wish this would have dove a little deeper. 3.5 stars from me. Had the potential to be more!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an audio copy of this book. I really enjoyed it. The characters and message were so sweet. I loved the journey of the main character finding himself. This was the perfect new year read. I will definitely be recommending this to one of my book clubs in the future!

4.5 stars rounded up
Time travel queer romance- although Darby the main character is turning 30, this reads like more of a YA romance, which is sweet and follows along with the main theme. And all of us can relate to this concept-- what would you say to your younger self if you could? Would your younger self recognize you? How would it change you now to be reunited with your younger self?

Darby is a trans man living in NYC with a vibrant community of friends, although he worked for a start up that has gone belly up. Darby is originally from a small town in the midwest, and his mom called to let him know she is moving, so Darby is going to visit.... and maybe stay... in the same small town he grew up in. His one time friend and crush Michael still lives there and goes to all the football games, in fact, a lot of the people Darby grew up with are still there. And can you go home again? The age old question?

I don't want to give away any spoilers here, but Darby does experience a split in the space time continuum to be able to visit the bookstore where he worked as a teen, and is able to access the bookstore and his younger self in 2009, when he still thought he was a girl, albeit a broken one. Darby didn't change his name when he transitioned, which eliminates any literary issues of how to address his younger self without deadnaming him.

Has anyone given this book to Hollywood producers yet, and obviously Elliot Page can please play Darby?

Audiobook is well acted and easy to follow. I appreciated the narrator and the vulnerability and innocence the narrator gives to Darby.
Darby is insecure and a realistic and likable lead. Michael is a compelling love interest. But Olivia and all of Darby's friends (as his mom says, "your gay friends" and Darby says "all my friends are gay, mom.) (lol) are fantastic minor characters.

I like time travel and time slip romances quite a bit, it was nice to have a trans character, nice to see a "back in my hometown" romance and I don't want to give away the ending, but it ends differently than it usually does at Hallmark. The ending was not what I expected and I had to sit with it for a few days to realize that I loved it.

Highly recommend for fans of Casey McQuiston and Ashley Poston. Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the ARC. Book to be released January 14, 2025.

This an interesting book. It was a lot of melancholy and honestly not a lot happened. I liked the writing and the main characters quite a bit, but I wanted something more. Our main character is Darby, a young transgender man in New York City that isn’t sure where he’s going with his life. He’s lost his job and can’t afford his apartment anymore so when his mother mentions she is working to sell her house and move to a condo he decide to go back to his small town. When Darby visits the bookstore he worked at in high school he sees a kid who weirdly reminds him of who he was in high school. When he visits again he is shocked to find that bookstore seems to be in 2009 and it is his younger self in the bookstore. He also bumps into Michael who was his best friend until the end of high school where their friendship crashed and burned for reasons Darby never understood. The book was well written although definitely bittersweet in the end. It was a good book, but I wanted something more to happen. I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator did a great job.