Pages: 372
Released On: 03/11/2025
If you could rewrite the story of your own life, would you be brave enough to take a chance at true love?
When writer Aurelia Lyndham inherits a London bookshop from her beloved aunt, she assumes the whispers she hears late at night are nothing more than her imagination—or a talkative burglar. She never expected that the shop was home to characters who could step straight out of the pages of classic novels and into her life.
Spending every night with the cast of Sense and Sensibility, Little Women, and Anna Karenina may not ignite her personal life, but it certainly unlocks her long-standing writer’s block. As she sets out to rewrite a character’s tragic ending, Aurelia discovers that she just might be on the path to crafting her own happy ending, too.
*****
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
This reminded me of an adult version of Anna James’ Tilly and the Bookwanderers… series, which I love. And it’s a book about books and bookshops, which makes it an instant win for me.
It’s got 60 chapters which makes each one roughly 5-6 pages long, which is a good length for me.
It really shows the magic of a bookshop. Literal magic, in this sense, but also how books can soothe the soul and can help in grief. That the world is a much richer place with stories in it.
Aurelia was a good main character. I thought she might be a bit…I don’t know, a bit of a doormat, but she won me over. She’s struggling but doesn’t want to admit it. She’s trying, trying to keep her loved ones’ legacy alive. But she’s grieving and in over her head. She felt very real and I cared for her. I would have liked her grief explored a little bit more but that’s a personal view rather than a criticism of the book itself.
I do have a complaint about the pacing though. It’s not a huge complaint, but it bothered me enough to mention it. It started quite quickly and ended well, but in the middle it sagged slightly and felt a bit stuck, like the characters and the plot weren’t moving much.
For all its difficult topics, it is a very cosy, comforting, warming read. It’s easy to read, not too taxing, it’s not full of surprises and won’t thrill everyone. But it’s the perfect read for a cold Winter’s evening. I do think it’s got something for everyone. It’s a contemporary piece yes, with historical elements, fantasy, and romance – although in my opinion I didn’t think the romance was needed and felt forced.
I think this his her debut; it’s not perfect, but it’s an enjoyable book, and a promising debut and I am interested to see what comes next.
Books By Your Bedside 