Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Hero archetypes
Heroine archetypes
Synopsis
An Amazon Charts bestseller From New York Times bestselling author Alice Hoffman comes a heartfelt short story about family, independence, and finding your place in the world. 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.
Is The Bookstore Sisters (The Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories) appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 13 and up.
A gentle contemporary story about family reconciliation and self-discovery. No concerning content; explores themes of grief, estrangement, and healing with emotional depth suitable for mature readers.
What to know going in
This book has no graphic violence, no sexual content, and clean language. Content notes include death of parent, grief, and estrangement.
Publisher ages reflect reading level; our rating reflects content maturity — they can differ.
Who'll love this
Adult readers will appreciate this heartfelt story about returning home and mending broken family relationships.