47. The Bookstore Family by Alice Hoffman - a short story

listened on Audible

42 pgs.

copyright
Adult contemporary fiction
Finished 10/28
Goodreads rating: 4.22
My rating: 3.5
Setting: Paris and an island off the coast of Maine, contemporary

My comments:   Depressing short story about a young woman who has spent five years in France since leaving the small Maine island that she grew up on and loved until she returns home because her mother is dying.

Goodreads synopsis:  New York Times bestselling author Alice Hoffman takes her sweet bookshop series to Paris with an emotional short story about chasing your dreams—and finding your passion where you least expect it.

Growing up, Violet was so busy helping others realize their dreams, she found little time to pursue her own. But five years ago, she took the chance of a lifetime, leaving the family bookshop on Brinkley’s Island, Maine, to attend culinary school in Paris. Now she’s working her dream job as a pâtissiere in an upscale Parisian restaurant—yet all she can think about is home.

Feeling unmoored, Violet finds herself still searching for something…Connection? Maybe. She hasn’t made any real friends in the city. Inspiration? Possibly. Her desserts are lovely, but they’re definitely lacking something.

After her aunt Isabel urges her to keep on looking, Violet finally gets a taste of what she’s been missing in the café at the Museum of Romantic Life. But just as life begins to come into focus, she’s abruptly called home to Maine. Like her aunt before her, Violet soon learns that family could hold the key to discovering what she truly needs.

46. Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone

listened on Libby

373 pgs.

2025
Adult rom-com.  No steam at all until very near the end.
Finished 10/20/2025
Goodreads rating: 4.12
My rating: 4.25 
Setting: Contemporary upper west side, Manhattan (with quite a bit of time spent back-and-forth on the Staten Island Ferry)

My comments: I love it when you wait and wait for an audio book to arrive from your library waiting list and the moment you start it you know you've found a winner!  This was a winner.  Even with the heaviest of heavy themes: grief - the light touches, humor, character development and great writing helped it stay more-or-less light-hearted all the way to the end.  You always knew what was coming, but the surprises about how were super-delightful.

Goodreads synopsis:  Grieving the loss of her best friend, a young woman’s life is turned upside down when she meets a grumpy stranger who swears he can help her live again, in this heartwarming, slow-burn romance by the author of Ready or Not

Lenny’s a bit of a mess at the moment. Her best friend, Lou, recently passed away after a battle with cancer, and her death has left Lenny feeling completely lost. She’s avoiding her concerned parents, the apartment she shared with Lou, and the list of things she’s supposed to do to help her live again. The only thing she can do is temporary babysitting gigs, and luckily, she just landed a great one, helping overworked, single mom Reese and her precocious daughter, Ainsley. It’s not perfect: Ainsley’s uncle, Miles, always seems to be around, and is kind of... a huge jerk. But if Lenny acts like she has it all together, maybe no one will notice she’s falling apart.

Miles sees right through her though. Turns out, he knows a lot about grief and, surprisingly, he offers her a proposition. He’ll help her complete everything on her “live again” list if she’ll help him connect with Ainsley and overcome his complicated relationship with Reese. Lenny doubts anything can fill the Lou has left behind, but she begins to spend more time with Miles, Lenny is surprised to discover that, sometimes, losing everything is only the first step to finding yourself, and love, again.