When 28 year-old Swedish bibliophile Sara
Lindqvist loses her job in her hometown bookshop, she travels to Broken Wheel,
Ia., to finally meet and visit with her book-loving pen pal, Amy Harris. Upon
her arrival, Sara is heartbroken to learn that the 65 year-old bibliophile has
recently died.
Encouraged to stay on by the good-natured
residents of the struggling rural town (population 637), Sara takes up
residence in Amy's now vacant house.
Sara and Amy shared a belief that books are
better than real life. But once Sara settles amid the charms, rhythms and
personalities of Broken Wheel, she begins to wonder if the stories of those who
live in this small town might be as compelling as books.
Friendship and kindness are offered to Sarah via
a colorful cast of characters including owners of the local diner and bar, a
reformed alcoholic mired in grief, a buttoned-up churchgoer living a double
life, the standoffish owner of the hardware store, quirky members of the town
council and a dreamy-looking, long-time resident, set in his ways, who may
actually hold romantic feelings for the Swedish newcomer.
When Sara decides to honor the memory of Amy by
setting up a makeshift bookshop featuring all the books she and Amy
loved--classics from Little House on the
Prairie to Bridget Jones's Diary--she
draws townsfolk to the neighborhood hub. Might Sara's quest bring Broken Wheel
back to life? Katarina Bivald's feel-good first novel explores how books and
reading have the power to reinvigorate stagnant lives and communities.
Sourcebooks Landmark, $16.00 Paperback, 9781492623441, 400 pp
Publication Date: January 25, 2016
To order this book via INDIEBOUND link HERE
Note: This review is a reprint and is being posted with the permission of Shelf Awareness. To read this review on Shelf Awareness: Reader's Edition (1/16/16), link HERE
Note: This review is a reprint and is being posted with the permission of Shelf Awareness. To read this review on Shelf Awareness: Reader's Edition (1/16/16), link HERE