Content levels
Trigger warnings
Heroine archetypes
Themes
Synopsis
In this star-crossed short story from New York Times bestselling author Alice Hoffman, timing is everything as two sisters learn to let love follow its own path. Isabel, the long-lost Gibson sister, is finally back home on Brinkley’s Island, Maine. With Sophie and Violet, her sister and her niece, she’s got the family bookstore—and with Johnny Lenox, she’s got something even more special. But even as life settles, not everything is falling into place. Isabel and Johnny have set the date three times, baked three wedding cakes, invited the whole island to three parties, only to have each attempt at matrimony fall apart at the last minute. Disasters seem to be conspiring against their happy ending, and Isabel is starting to wonder if their love is meant to be. When family history comes back to haunt the Gibson sisters, Isabel knows that if she wants to make it down the aisle with Johnny, first she and Sophie will have to face the pain of their past and their present, and decide what it means for their future.
Is The Bookstore Wedding (The Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories) appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 13 and up.
A sweet, clean romance about overcoming family trauma to find happiness. No explicit content; focuses on emotional healing and relationship commitment with a magical realism undertone.
What to know going in
This book has no graphic violence, mild sexual content, and clean language. Content notes include abandonment and family trauma.
Publisher ages reflect reading level; our rating reflects content maturity — they can differ.
Who'll love this
Adults and teens who love heartwarming family stories will enjoy watching Isabel fight for her happily ever after.