On the small island of Alice, off the coast of Massachusetts, everyone sees bookshop owner A.J. Fikry as a loner and a bit rude. He doesn’t engage with the townspeople and is very much set in his ways. As a widow who lives off frozen meals and wine, Fikry knows he lives an unhappy life but has no motivation to change until a few people enter his life and he reluctantly lets them in. Slowly, he grows a heart but keeps his sharp wit.
I am being intentionally vague about the plot because I feel like when I describe it, it sounds corny and been-done-before. But it is beautifully written and filled with subtle hope. It is a book for book lovers without being snobbish. You don’t need to have an opinion on “literary classics” or even know their plots. If you love to read and love the smell of bookstores, this novel is a celebration of you.
5 out of 5 stars.
Peaches to Apples 