Amazon.com: Customer reviews: The Bookstore Sisters: A Short Story

Top positive review

Returning to First Loves

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 25, 2023

A lovely new short story. I think it was about returning to first loves: the boy, the sister, the books she read in the bookstore attached to their family's Red Rose Cottage.
The protagonist's journey begins after years of shutting out memories of Maine. "She could even forget that she had once been considered the girl most likely to become somebody, when she’d turned out to be nobody in particular."
She walks dogs, and rescues one neglected by her divorce lawyer. She responds to an urgent call to return home. She meets her niece.
It ends with her remembering everything, and recognizing love for the first time, in the people and places waiting for her. Plus the bookstore is a nice touch.
I thought it was perfectly complete as a short story.

One person found this helpful

Top critical review

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Engie

It's ok

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 24, 2023

For a short story, it's ok. It's interesting enough to not be a difficult to get thru read but for me, it lacked character connection.

35,479 total ratings, 2,243 with reviews

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From the United States

sea spicer

Returning to First Loves

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 25, 2023

Verified Purchase

One person found this helpful

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D. Peterson

???

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 6, 2023

Verified Purchase

This seems like the beginning of a book. This is not a short story. There is too much missing. A story has a beginning a middle and an end. This is just the beginning , no middle, and a bad ending. This story has the bones of a great story. Its as if the author was on a deadline and waited too long to figure out what to say and by the time she figured out what to say she ran out of time . I know some authors do this to make the reader think for themselves about what wasn't written but I like to know not wonder. Just irritates me. Finish a story you start. Whether writing a reading make it worth the time invested. And now I'm frustrated too! If you want a whole story, this is not it.

34 people found this helpful

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MA Skiles

Rating

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 19, 2023

Verified Purchase

Enjoyed this short story...well written. Plan on reading all this authors books...I find them very relaxing reading before bedtime or a nap

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Cheryl Pompilii

Isabel

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 26, 2023

Verified Purchase

This short story is so well written it brought tears to my eyes. This shows how grief can affect each person differently while bringing out the love and memories in your life. Good read.

Helpful

SandyJ21

A family drift

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 3, 2023

Verified Purchase

EXCERPT: The letter to Isabel Gibson arrived on a Tuesday, which had always been the unluckiest day of the week. Tuesdays were meant for accidents, disappointments, and bad news. Long ago, the day was considered to belong to Mars, the god of war and blood. Now it just meant trouble - it meant your past could come back to haunt you.

ABOUT 'THE BOOKSTORE SISTERS': Isabel Gibson has all but perfected the art of forgetting. She’s a New Yorker now, with nothing left to tie her to Brinkley’s Island, Maine. Her parents are gone, the family bookstore is all but bankrupt, and her sister, Sophie, will probably never speak to her again.

But when a mysterious letter arrives in her mailbox, Isabel feels herself drawn to the past. After years of fighting for her independence, she dreads the thought of going back to the island. What she finds there may forever alter her path—and change everything she thought she knew about her family, her home, and herself.

MY THOUGHTS: Honestly? I loved this short story, but it left me wanting more. There's enough material here for a full novel.

I love stories based on family relationships in all their manifestations - rifts, secrets, deceptions and reconciliations - all these things are grist to my mill.

Hoffman, as always writes with great heart, empathy and humour. She has a great skill at detail and the minutiae of life. I loved the Hoffman has Isabel, who is a professional dog-walker, pack up the dog she was walking and take it with her when she heads back to Maine.

Violet, author of the 'help' letter, is a great character. She is smart and sassy and not afraid to speak her mind. She knows what she needs and will pull out all stops to get it.

I believe that the print copy of The Bookstore Sisters includes the old family recipes that Isabel discovers and makes. Unfortunately these are not included in the Kindle edition. A pity.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.1

66 people found this helpful

Helpful

Life is a Beach

Great short read

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 24, 2023

Verified Purchase

A terrific short story for a quick read. Even though it was short, the story is full of emotion and powerful lessons about love, life, family and hope.

Helpful

Jwls Mac Ray

recommend

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 16, 2023

Verified Purchase

A short story about conflict between two sisters who lost each other in life because of loss. Their mom, then dad, and then one sister lost her hubby. They own a bookstore on an island that was their dad's. Sophie stayed to run it while Isabel ran to the city and forget family. Sophie's daughter wrote to Isabel needing help because her mom broke her leg and no one to run the store. Isabel went and got Violet, who is like her, to learn to read, while fixing up the store and baking their mom's favorite things which became items to sell in the bookstore. Family became close and Isabel found love again with her old boyfriend. She had a dog that she kept from her walking dogs in the city. Excellent story and characters. I check out her other books.

13 people found this helpful

Helpful

Wishing

Easy to read short story

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 19, 2023

Verified Purchase

This story had an expected ending but it still put a smile on my face. Shows that no matter what yo never give up on family or love. Prince Willis and Harry should read this.

3 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

Cute sister love

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 2, 2023

Verified Purchase

I wish I had a sister. My whole life I have been jealous of that bond, even when strained. This story didn't make me any less jealous!

2 people found this helpful

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Daniel P. Stanfill

Well read

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 2, 2023

Verified Purchase

I think the story quite charming. Love, loss,being afraid to feel, but doing it anyway,and rediscovering what you had missed. Home and family.

2 people found this helpful

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5 star		57%
4 star		25%
3 star		13%
2 star		4%
1 star		2%

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The Bookstore Sisters: A Short Story

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