Thank you, Netgalley for this Arc.

The bookstore family follows Violet on her journey to find love and happiness. This is a very short novella, about 30 pages long. So, the pacing had to be quick, overall, about halfway through my attention span finally kicked in and I was more intrigued. However, the beginning took some time.

This is the fourth book in the Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories, these short stories were all so wonderful to read. I am not sure if it is the last one, but it wrapped up the story of this family so well and I have to say, I loved these stories. This story was about Violet, who left what was expected of her and went to follow a dream, to be a pastry chef in France. Five years later she is working at a good job, but something is missing in her life. She seems to have lost her knack for adding something special to her cooking. After a vist from her Aunt, she starts to see things clearly. She is then suddenly called home and soon realizes that that is where she was meant to be after all.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publshing house, Amazon Original Stories and the amazing author Alice Hoffman for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this shortstory in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

Thank you to Amazon Original Stories via Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Growing up, Violet was so engrossed in helping others achieve their dreams that she barely had time for her own pursuits. However, five years ago, she seized an extraordinary opportunity by leaving her family bookshop on Brinkley’s Island, Maine, to enroll in culinary school in Paris. Today, she works her dream job as a pâtissière in an upscale Parisian restaurant, but all she can think about is her home. Does she go home to be with the family she loves and misses or does she stay in Paris and pursue her dreams?

I devoured this entire short story. I thoroughly enjoyed all four books and the journey of getting to know Violet as she grew up. This beautiful story is filled with both ups and downs that deeply resonate with you. I only wish it were a full-fledged novel so that we could delve deeper into the past and present. I also hope for another book that will allow us to witness Violet’s future and explore her family dynamics. I am an avid fan of this author and all her books. Her writing style is truly exceptional.

If you’re seeking a lighthearted and uplifting read or a palate cleanser between books, this is the perfect choice for you.

The Bookstore Family was a lovely story about family and love. If this is the last novella in the series, I think it would be a nice way to close the story. It was sad, though, and part of me feels like it wasn't necessary, but I also know that Violet's characters needed her story too.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Bookstore Family is a short and cozy read. To be read in one sitting when you want a story that’s uplifting and beautiful. The prose is stunning and draws you in. I loved the characters and the setting. Most of all I loved the idea of chasing dreams and what’s really important in life. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

The fourth and maybe the final book in the Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories series

It was lovely to meet up with the family again although this book begins in Paris where Violet is working as a pâtissier in a restaurant. Despite herself she meets a man she could love but then she has to return home where her mother is battling cancer.

So it is a story with sad moments and happy ones too and it effectively ties up all the loose ends for everyone concerned. I enjoyed it very much.

A sweet quick read about a woman who goes to Paris but finds love only upon leaving it to go home. I enjoyed the story and the bittersweet ending.

Five years ago, Violet left behind tiny Brinkley Island, Maine, to attend culinary school in Paris. Despite her dream job as a pâtissiere, she still feels like something is missing. When she returns to Maine for a family emergency, she finds that the place she was looking for all along was right there at home.

I’m in awe of how Alice Hoffman can pack so much emotion into 30-ish short pages. Each installment of the Once Upon a Bookshop short story series is sweet and heartfelt, and The Bookstore Family is the most poignant of all, moving me to tears multiple times. This little story is brimming with themes of love, grief, and finding oneself. I’m not sure if it’s the final book in the series or not, but if it is, it ends on a perfect lovely note of hope.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Great addition to the little stories about this family. Wish they were longer and more detailed. Still a fun quick read.

The Bookstore Family
Author: Alice Hoffman
Source: NetGalley
Publication Date: May 13, 2025

I am a devoted fan of Alice Hoffman and eagerly read her books. The Bookstore Family is the fourth installment in a series of short stories about two sisters, Sophie and Isabel, who own a charming and magical bakery in Maine. Violet, Sophie’s daughter, the youngest of the ladies, lives in Paris, where she is trying to improve her culinary skills, but she’s called back to Maine to help her mom, whose health is failing. Paris has disappointed Violet, plus she needs to support her family. Sometimes, when we venture out into the world in search of our place, we unexpectedly find our way back home, and as a delightful bonus, we might discover love. This particular book might have been my favorite among the four. I believe Hoffman possesses a talent for crafting sweet, loving, and sentimental stories that linger in our hearts forever.

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This is a short story from Amazon Original Stories featuring a sweet romance about a young woman who follows here dreams from her family bookstore in Maine to become a pastry chef in Paris only to realise that something is missing from both her pastries and her life. Touching and satisfying!

A great novella by the fabulous Alice Hoffman- if you love her work this book will remind you why, if you’ve never read her work, this book is a great place to start.

The 4th installment in this hauntingly beautiful collection. I feel so deeply for all the characters. This was just as lovely as the other 3. Sad but sweet

“Every time a book is reread, it’s entirely different, depending on who the reader has become.”

The fourth installment in The Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories continues the story of sisters Sophie and Isabel and the family bookstore as Violet leaves Brinkley’s Island to chase her own dreams and find her passion.

These are perfect one sitting short stories that all fit together to become a beautiful narrative of familial connections. The love, losses, triumphs and heartbreak that make up family relationships. I was so impressed with the way the author was able to fit so much depth and feeling in so few pages.

I am a HUGE fan of these short stories about a bookstore family, and I was excited to catch up with them all. This time around was a bit bittersweet. I was happy to see Violet finding her way back to herself and her passion by revisiting the children's stories that brought her so much joy and comfort in her youth. In fact, all the bookish references delighted me. But I was especially glad that she was able to open her heart up at which would prove to be a vital time.

I won't lie, this installment was filled with heartbreak for me, maybe because it hit too close to home, but Hoffman navigated it all beautifully. The love shared between these people buoyed me. I also adored being reminded of the magic of their island, their store, and the magical baked goods. The ending was hopeful and left me feeling happy about the future that was in store for Violet.

Short, cozy and sweet with likeable characters. This was the perfect short story to read in one sitting on a rainy day. Tackling grief and loss while finding love and yourself along the way is no easy feat, but Alice Hoffman did it beautifully in this short story. Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories for the opportunity to read and review this eARC.

An interesting continuation of this short story series. An emotional story captured in just a few pages, including plenty of drama, coming of age, and some romance.

[1.5 stars rounded down]

Opening with too many overly-long paragraphs of exposition just explaining where Violet is in life right now <i> The Bookstore Family </i> is not off to a good start. This is a short story about Violet, a pâtissière from Maine who is working in Paris and her struggles with the lack of love and happiness in her life. Her Aunt visits her to encourage her and, just as she begins to fall in love, her mother becomes extremely ill and she returns home. She sends postcards back and forth to her lover in Paris as she tries to decide what will make her happy.

I did not enjoy the narration style. Written in the third person, the narrator feels very detached from the characters. We are <i> told </i> things about each of the characters instead of learning them naturally through dialogue or actions. <i> “But even in her hometown, Violet had been something of an outsider, as if she was in constant mourning for the father she had never met.” </i> and <i> “Violet had never cared much about outward appearances, and on evenings when women on the streets were decked out in spring dresses and sandals, she wore the same austere white shirts and black slacks that she wore to work.” </i> This narration is not done in a fun <i> The Princess Bride </i> sort of way, but rather the most basically presented exposition to catch the reader up to speed.

The worst of it is only in the first quarter of the book, as a lot more dialogue fills the remaining pages, thankfully. The dialogue was still forced and cliche, but there was a rhythm to it that broke up the meandering descriptions. I enjoyed reading the short postcards that Violet and her lover exchanged. I thought that the dialogue between those flowed better and was very nicely done. There was also a few sweet lines here and there, but few and far between the slop that makes up the rest of the story. I liked the paragraph on page 7 that talks about how Violet had learned to bake all of her grandmother’s recipes and how she adapted those into Parisian desserts. I think the cutesy cafe names listed next to the formal descriptions was a charming moment. I also enjoyed Violet’s newfound penchant for children’s stories. I think that this was a good way to show herself trying to find happiness again, as well as a strong lead up into her inevitable move back home.

Anyways, this was not a story for me. If you enjoy fluffy, low stakes stories and a cute cast of characters, then this is an easy one-sitting read that would be worth picking up. I will never think of this story again.

🌸BOOK REVIEW🌸
The Bookstore Family by Alice Hoffman
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ebook
Short fiction
-the fourth short story in Hoffman’s bookshop series
-This short story is a love letter to the magic of reading, the love of family, and the pain of loss.
-It’s also a story about coming home and the healing power of family recipes.
-Though this story was only 30 pages long, it packed a punch. I love short fiction for this reason- every word is written thoughtfully considered, and every action must propel the plot forward.
-I love Alice Hoffman’s work, and her novel The World That We Knew is my favorite.
-This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you @netgalley and Amazon Original Stories for this advanced reader copy! The Bookstore Family will be available May 13!
🌸 Em