The Bookstore Keepers follows two sisters and their families in an isolated community. Together they run a bookstore built in their family home and they have found a life of peace after turmoil has struck both of them. This is a very short read and it wasn’t clear in the blurb that you probably need to read other books first. I think my main issue was that all of the characters were surface level because I haven’t met them previously. I think the author relies on the existing works in this universe and fails to breathe life into The Bookstore Keepers.

I also didn’t like that the author relied on an old faithful tear-jerker to make this short story memorable because there wasn’t a lick of emotion to be found otherwise. One of the male characters views were also pretty gross.

Quick, enjoyable read that is the third in the series. You must read the other two first or you will feel a bit lost since the author doesn’t have enough time to really explain the back story. It definitely left me wanting more, so I can’t wait to read the fourth installment.

I love these novellas. They are never long enough and always make me cry. As always this author has left me wanting more of the bookstore and not only the sisters but the whole family.

Alice Hoffman does not disappoint. I love reading her insight, writing, and point of view. Even though it was not my favorite by her, it was still a solid and worth it read.

It's the first time I've encountered Alice Hoffman's writing style, and it's super sweet, but I feel this is too short. I'll definitely check some of her other works.

This was a sweet short story ARC I got as a read now on Netgalley. I didn't realize until I started reading that this was #3 of a short story series written by the author for Amazon kindle originals. I didn't feel like not knowing the backstory was a hindrance though as I was able to acclimate well to the setting and the characters. Alice Hoffman writes beautifully and the characters even for such a short story were really dynamic and I found myself aching with them and feeling the same feels they were experiencing.
At its core, it is a story about two sisters who run a bookstore out of their old cabin on an island off the coast of Maine. I wanted to visit that fictional bookstore in the worst way! Their story in this installment is tried by grief and loss and letting go which seemed to be the theme. Themes of sisterhood and friendship and motherhood and partnership also run throughout.
This is more "women's fiction" than I tend to enjoy, and there weren't really any traces of Hoffman's signature magical realism but I did enjoy this sweet story and am interested in reading the first two to get the background. Alice Hoffman really does stand the test of time and still writes things that are relevant and beautiful. I will keep reading anything she writes.

Set on a small island off the coast of Maine , this beautifully written short story is about the endurance of love, family ties and the art of forgiveness. The Gibson sisters, Isabel and Sophie have been estranged. With Isabel Irving in New York and Sophie remaining in Maine, Violet, Sophie’s daughter contacts her aunt to ask for help with the family bookstore which now belongs to the sisters following the death of their parents.

Very short and very sweet I listened to the audio version of The Bookstore Keepers and enjoyed every minute of a this lovely tale. I label this a good for your soul enjoyable addition to the books Ive savored by Alice Hoffman. Four stars from beginning to end for this one. My thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Original stories for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review. It was published on February 18 2025 and is available now.

The name Alice Hoffman rang familiar, but I couldn’t come up with any title I’d read. Turns out, I actually read 2 books by her, The River King and A Probable Future, in 2008 and 2011, so it’s been a while! This novella is the proof that there’s some truth in the proverb “three time’s a charm”. While I had been moderately enthusiastic about the two novels, I enjoyed this one a lot more!

The story is set on a Maine island, with a bookshop managed by two sisters. One sister has a growing daughter, the other has a partner who recently lost his father. There’s love, family, grief… I cared about them all. There’s lots of emotions, but as it was just a short story, I found it was rather contained and not too overwhelming. I read that there are other stories with the same characters, and I would love to read some more about the bookstore keepers!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley. I received a free copy of this book for review consideration.

I thoroughly enjoyed all these short stories and really wish they'd been full length novels.
I am a huge fan of the author and her writing and can't wait to see what comes next.

Alice Hoffman books are always a good time. I do think this series needs to be read together and would be great as a weekend read to allow for the full depth of story and plot. I will never skip a read from this author.

I don’t know where I’ve been hiding, but I didn’t realize this was a short story (very short) to finish out a series. I really felt the lack of not having read the others. Even though I could follow along easy enough, I had this feeling that there was sub-plot or hidden connections that I was missing. Even with that feeling, I could appreciate the depth of the author’s writing.

A short story about Isabel and Johnny and their navigation through grief, family bonds and hope for the future. This was an enjoyable read although as the third in a series (I didn’t know this before reading), I would have liked to read the other two books first for some more of the backstory, Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Originals for this arc.

A sweet short story about grief and new life and how to love your family in the middle of it all. Best if you read the first two in the series because they definitely build on each other!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing company for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Bookstore Keepers by Alice Hoffman!

Well written and an easy read, I wish it was longer! I did not realize this was part of a series. It read well as a standalone.

Alice Hoffman once again showcases her mastery of magical realism in The Bookstore Keeper’s, the third short story in a series of three. Although I didn’t read the first two, I had no trouble understanding the essence of this beautifully woven tale.

At its heart, this is a story about sisterhood—the unbreakable bond, the love, the conflicts, and the deep-rooted connection that transcends time and even reality itself. Hoffman’s signature blend of magic and emotion is on full display, creating a world that feels both enchanting and deeply human.

The prose is lyrical, the atmosphere is immersive, and the themes of love, loss, and destiny are handled with the kind of delicate, bittersweet touch that makes her work so special. If you love magical realism and stories that explore the complexities of family, The Bookstore Keeper’s is a must-read.

I've read a few books from Hoffman in the past and I have always enjoyed them very much. This is not an exception. The plot is doing it's thing and making me question things, cry, laugh and not making me want to put it down. Hoffman is talented as few and her writing is on point!

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was excellent! Alice Hoffman does so well with her short stories- they pack a mighty punch despite being so short. I've loved each and every one of the short stories in this mini-series. The characters are complex and well written, the scenery is easily pictured based on the descriptions, etc.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC for an honest review.

This is a lovely addition to Alice Hoffman’s Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories! It’s just as lovely as the previous two. It’s full of happiness and sadness and such an immersive experience.

Three stories are beautifully connected with characters dealing about letting go, moving forward and the things that connects us. Thank you to Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for sending me this ARC.