This was a cute story. I liked how Darby was able to come to terms with who he is and what he wants. I liked the talk about our different decisions creating the way our life turns out. I liked most of the characters, but wish we got a little more of them. The ending fit the story well. Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook.

The In Between Bookstore was a captivating and heartwarming read. I loved how, despite Darby turning 30, the time travel element made it feel like a coming-of-age story. As a fan of time travel narratives, this one did not disappoint. The deep and meaningful friendship between Darby and Michael beautifully illustrated how the bonds we form in our teenage years can profoundly shape our adult lives. I also appreciated the touching and supportive relationship between Darby and his mom, which added even more emotional depth to the story. Overall, this book was a delightful and engaging read! Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book!

Thank you to Harper Audio and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this audiobook! All opinions are my own!

I have such mixed feelings about this book because on the one hand, it ended perfectly, but on the other hand, I was screaming wanting a different ending to it all. This is a book of self-discovery and forgiveness of past mistakes that your younger self has made. This is a story of learning your place in the world while also learning that not every place that isn't home won't hold an important piece of your story.

I really enjoyed Darby and his journey to understanding who he truly is and what had gone wrong in his life. His journey to accepting all of that was so relatable and healing. The fantastical aspects of this story were just a piece that added so much of Darby's heart and soul.

This is a timeless story of love and self-exploration that will resonate with people for years to come.

Thank you to NetGalley for this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. Magical realism involving a bookstore? Sign me up! However, I was left disappointed.

Darby is a trans man turning 30, and his life is turned upside down with an unexpected layoff. In an attempt to find himself, he returns to his small hometown to regroup.

Darby stumbles into his old workplace, In Between Books, and is transported back to his senior year in high school. He runs into a younger Darby.

The time travel rules were not clearly explained. While the book was billed as a New Adult, it reads as a YA. Darby experiences very little character growth, which makes the book feel unresolved

"The In-Between Bookstore" tells the poignant story of Darby, a young transgender man navigating the complexities of identity, nostalgia, and the weight of past decisions in his small hometown of Illinois. After losing his job in New York City, Darby returns home to help his mother downsize, marking the beginning of a bittersweet journey filled with self-reflection and unexpected confrontations with his past.
The narrative beautifully captures Darby's quarter-life crisis, shedding light on his struggles with self-acceptance and the challenges of coming home. The writing is rich and evocative, immersing the reader in Darby's world as he revisits familiar places and faces. The unique premise of the 'In-Between Bookstore'—where time seems to pause and he encounters his younger self—adds depth to the story, inviting contemplation about the passage of time and the impact of our choices.
While the character development is strong and Darby's relationships, particularly with his childhood friend Michael, are compelling, the plot feels somewhat stagnant at times. The heavy melancholia lingers throughout, leaving the reader yearning for more action or resolution. There are moments of heart-wrenching clarity, but the overall pacing may leave some feeling underwhelmed by the lack of significant events.
The audiobook format enhances the experience, with a talented narrator who brings Darby's emotions to life, drawing listeners deeper into his introspective journey. If you're drawn to character-driven stories that explore themes of identity, regret, and the longing for connection, "The In-Between Bookstore" may resonate with you, even if it doesn’t deliver the excitement one might desire.

read the arc provided by netgalley 🙏

the pjo references throughout made so much sense bc the main character voice read so much like a rick riordan book lol. i really enjoyed this type of voice when i was younger, but it definitely does not read like an adult novel. honestly, i kinda forgot this was supposed to be adult til i got to the nsfw-ish scene.

i was rly interested in the story til around 50% - and then i realized that the time travel component didn’t add anything to the story beyond the mc learning more about himself. from there, it was really giving coming of age and not much more than that

I was really looking forward to listening to this book, and found the premise compelling — bookstore, time travel, and a trans MC all in one! Unfortunately, although the prose was mostly great, the MC started off angsty and stayed there for the entire narrative, which frustrated me to no end. Darby in the present day was supposed to be turning 30, but sounded and behaved more like a teenager throughout the novel. I ended up liking every other character better than Darby, even the lady with the penguins that his mom was always on about for some reason.

Without giving any spoilers, I also have to say that the time travel element was kind of a letdown. Since present-day Darby was so emotionally immature, the chance to visit his past self was wasted on him. Perhaps the author’s intent was to demonstrate that it’s not worth dwelling on the past if we can’t change it? If so, then the whole “talk to your teenage self” part of the book was a missed opportunity for a much better story than the one we got.

As for the narration, I think it was well done despite the challenge of voicing so many characters. A couple of the NYC friend voices were caricaturish, but luckily were just a minor portion of the story. Overall, a good production.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperAudio for the opportunity to listen to this audio ARC and provide an unbiased review.

This book was absolutely a darling to listen to. Sweet and heartbreaking, it captures a transgender man encountering his younger self inexplicably in a bookstore. Beautifully performed.

I fell in love with this book, 4.5 ⭐. The first half was all story building and getting Darby's backstory. Not a ton was happening, but right about 50% is when things got much more interesting and for me anyway the emotions kicked in. The first part of the book I felt like the story was just being told to us. I wouldn't say I felt immersed in it or especially wrapped up in it up to that point. I thought it was just going to be so-so. But when Darby, his high school friend Michael and some other friends went to a HS football game things happened that made Darby much more relatable for me. Darby described seeing people from HS, how it felt back then when they had made fun of him & things they had said when he was still a girl, but now they just acted normal. I could really identify with this because I was made fun of a lot as a kid. Something pivotal also happens that I was like finally, now we can finally get into the meat of the story!

I was so rooting for the romance. It's complicated by the history of friendship, misunderstanding each other during a time when they were both also focused on figuring out their own identities. Darby is still trying to find his place in the world. I enjoyed the magical realism aspect of the story. The ending was a little bittersweet and maybe just wrapped up a little too nicely. I thought a lot of the Midwest and small town references were accurate & I enjoyed them although there were maybe too many of them. I also enjoyed Darby's relationship with his mom, although she was a little overbearing at times. It goes without saying that the LGBTQ representation was outstanding!

Thank you to HarperAudio Adult & NetGalley for this ARC! You can see my review on Goodreads and Amazon.

I liked the story a lot but felt the 30yr old mc came across more like a teenager and the narrator didn’t separate the different characters very well.

This is without a doubt my favourite Edward Underhill book. A lot of a self discovery, a dash of romance, and the magical realism of your local bookstore being a portal to your past, all wrapped up in a queer character trying to figure out their life. There was something so grounding about reading about an established trans character navigating life, not necessarily figuring out his identity as a queer man, but friendships and life and what the hell you’re supposed to do with it? I can’t say I related to everything, but it felt like something I could just kind of immerse myself in as I move on from the part of my life where I think about my gender identity and move into the fact that I have to like, get a job.

My own personal crises aside, I think that this book, and the audiobook narrated by Shaan Dasani especially, is just generally enjoyable to read. It’s a funny story at times, and I loved seeing Darby finding love in community after returning to his hometown, while also confronting bigger moments from his teenage years. I think we get to see this sort of realistic growth that is so satisfying in the payoff. And I have a soft spot for highlighting queer community in smaller towns. I think this is a great read whether or not it’s relatable, and a fantastic audiobook that just immerses you with that tiny bit of magical realism throughout. I highly recommend!

3.25 Stars
Is it possible for a book to have a lot going on while simultaneously feeling like not much is happening? That’s how I felt while reading this story about Darby, a trans man on a journey to discover his identity and place in the world. After feeling lost, he returns home, seeking comfort and some kind of resolution. However, his unexpected encounter with his former best friend from high school, who is now openly gay and still grappling with their unresolved issues from senior year, adds layers to his search for answers. The twist of time-traveling in a bookstore, where Darby meets his own high school self, further complicates his internal and relational conflicts. The interplay between these two relationships really kept me engaged in this cozy adult-finding-yourself narrative. Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Audio for the gifted Audiobook.

I loved loved loved this book! I think it's going to be very influential and I think that many people will be able to relate to this one. As someone who wants to be a strong ally for others in the lGBTA+ community, it's important to support authors, creators, artists, HUMANS, and the best way to do that is to read their works.
Shaan Dasani did an amazing job narrating this book, and it's HUGE that the publisher was able to get a trans individual to narrate this. I feel like so often in media/works/movies/etc, people just choose based on other attributes or the popularity of someone to play a role, but we forget that representation is key. and boy did this book have it.

I loved how real all the characters felt. I loved that the characters are all older, made them so much easier to relate to. The fact that he's jealous of what others have? check. but recognizes he is also super lucky to have things? double check. LIke it's just so REAL. a slice of life. a life that many live.

Thank you so much to the publisher for the physical arc of this book, as well as Netgalley for the audiobook. It was refreshing and easy to read, while still having a strong impact.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC of the audiobook!

This book was a poignant letter to trans youth, and it couldn’t come at a more important time than the world we are in. Determining who you are is hard enough, throw being a teenager into the mix? OOF.

I loved the relatability of the main character’s story as someone who didn’t feel comfortable in their hometown because they didn’t feel like themselves. That being said, I think the romantic element got in the way of the friendship and family storyline and the repair that needed to be done there. It felt like the characters were on two different tracks and the romance brought me out of it. Seeing Darby confront his teenaged self and hear what they said was heartbreaking and reflective in such a beautiful way, but the “magical” element of the bookstore didn’t quite explain how that was possible.

I love magical realism, but I really want authors to be sure they understand and explain their magic system before using it as a simple plot device. It’s becoming a pet peeve of mine 😂.

All in all a lovely listen.

The In-Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill, is a cozy love story written from the perspective of Darby, a trans man, who after loosing his job in New York City, moves back to the Oak Fall, Illinois, the town where he grew up. When visiting the In-Between Bookstore where he worked in high school, he is transported back in time, interacting with his former self. Through these interactions he feels he is given the opportunity to change his past and reunite with a former friend.

The plot is similar to that of The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley, as a book that more romance/magical realism set with a time travel backdrop. The language is not complex nor is the time travel concept (as the science of the time travel is not even addressed). The Narrator Shaan Dasani voice and the lack of complexity gives this book a Young Adult feel.

Thank you to HarperAudio Adult | HarperAudio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

Thank you Harper Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book! I want to start by saying the narrator, Shaan Dasani, did an excellent job bringing this story to life. I felt like I was there with Darby, the main character, facing his struggles and confusion.
In this story, Darby, a trans man, faces the loss of his job and apartment in NYC on the eve of his 30th birthday. He returns to the small town in Illinois that he left as soon as he finished high school. Upon visiting the bookstore he worked in as a teen, he discovers it is a portal through which he can meet with his teenage, pre-transition self.
This book raises a question that almost everyone has contemplated: “What would you do if you could advise your teenage self?” I found this to be a really interesting concept. However, I think the story suffers from trying to do too much, and yet not enough, with this idea. I felt the story could have ended an hour before the end of the book and had a satisfying conclusion. I felt the actual ending lacked the support to really cheer for Darby’s choice.
I also felt this book read very much like a young adult novel. There was some great advice and counsel that would be good for any teen and especially for those that are queer or questioning. However, there is a bit too much adult material to put it in a YA category.
I would recommend this book for anyone who likes to contemplate how their life would have been different if they had made different choices as a teen. I also think this book has an excellent depiction of what it is like to discover your true trans identity.

The In-Between Bookstore follows the story of Darby, a 30-year-old trans man who loses his job and moves back to his small town. One day, he walks into a bookstore where he used to work as a teenager and encounters his younger self. I really enjoy time travel stories, and this one is written in a unique way. I found Darby's story to be incredibly emotional. The story’s message is also important. I also enjoyed the audiobook. The narrator did an amazing job bringing the characters to life. I highly recommend the audiobook as well.. Thanks to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a great book that focuses not only on the LGBTQ+ community but about finding yourself! It has some “magic” aspects.

The narrator was good but I don't think the audiobook format serves the book well. It's very slow-paced and I think it's better read at one's own (probably faster) pace.

The central conceit of meeting your own younger self when you return to the town you grew up in is such a perfect metaphor, made even more powerful by the split between pre- and post-transition.

Unfortunately, most of the book is not actually about that. It's mostly about Darby just kind of hanging around and feeling repetitively guilty about having been totally out of touch with his extremely supportive mom, and crushing on Michael while they both either fail to or refuse to actually communicate about either their present feelings or what went down between them as teenagers. (Darby literally can't even remember what their fight was about, but when he tells Michael this, Michael gets mad and stomps off without telling him.) When Darby finally does actually talk to his teenage self, he's mostly interested in trying to stop his teenage self from getting in that fight with teenage Michael.

This would be kind of okay if the book was a romance, where things are centered around the romantic relationship, but it isn't. It's a coming of age story, but it's only in the last two chapters that any actual character growth happens. Up until that point, Darby is kind of maddening. He's 28 but acts at least eight years younger. That's the point - he's a case of arrested development - but it was so annoying to read. It doesn't help that Michael acts way more mature than Darby except when it's necessary to keep them from communicating about anything important, and then he just refuses to talk like an adult.

I found this book frustrating. The author is obviously talented but the book needed at least another draft.

Poignant and relevant for right now. Loved the queer rep and the twists and turns of the intricate story telling. Excited to read more form this author