This is one of those books that if you love books, it's hard not to like. Characters who love books are endearing to me, even if they are "quirky". A.J. owns a small book store in a small town. He lost his wife and unborn child to a car accident and he has been on his own for awhile. He is definitely not talented in "marketing" his books. He is very particular in what types of books he will stock at the store. I guess you could call him a "book snob", although he does invest in some best sellers for the summer season/tourist season.
Amelia is a rep for a publisher who develops a relationship with A.J. over time as she visits his bookstore, Island Books, seasonally to show him the new books. They very slowly fall in love with each other. Or rather, it takes them a long time to each acknowledge they have feelings for each other. Meanwhile, one night A.J. takes his prized possession, an extremely rare book of poems by Edgar Allen Poe called Tamerlane, out of its locked, climate-controlled case, gets drunk and leaves the book out on the table after he passes out. Unfortunately, it's stolen. Since the book was his "life insurance" and "retirement fund", he is devastated by the loss. (So was I!)
When it seems like A.J.'s life cannot get any worse, something amazing happens. A woman leaves her two-year old in Island Books with a note attached to the child's Elmo doll, asking A.J. to raise her. Shockingly, A.J. feels attached to the child, Maya, almost immediately and petitions to be her foster parent. I say shockingly simply because he is a grouchy childless widower! We do find out who Maya's birth parents are, but I won't share that information here since I had no idea myself until it was spelled out for me. ;)
So, A.J.'s depressing, small world is suddenly expanded upon the arrival of first Amelia (who does not actually live on the island) and Maya. Although the book was referred to as "marvelously optimistic", many things that happen to A.J. are certainly not optimistic. Even though A.J. discovers some joy and happiness again, it's unfortunately short-lived in the big scheme of things.
This book is definitely endearing. I really loved A.J., Amelia and Maya. It just doesn't have the happy ending I was wanting.
Wendy's rating: ****
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