Leigh

Beautifully written and so compelling. It really was “unputdownable.” This is on my list to read again one day. I loved the addition of the WPA photographs in the back.

Overall I enjoyed this book, though I struggled with listening to it as an audiobook. While there are quite a few serious moments, I think the narrator overdid it on the emotion she regularly injected into her delivery. Sometimes it made the main character feel more immature and overwrought than I think was intended. Solid, believable story that made me flash back to my feelings in my early college days (in an embarrassing way), that at the same time was also very far away from any personal experience I could relate to - it made me think about a few things and do some self-examination.

I struggled with the first third of this book. In the first third, the text is dense and the graphics aren't particularly engaging which made me question the graphic-style for this narrative. Everything picked up in the last two-thirds or so. I became more interested in most of the content and there was more engaging imagery. I think I would have learned more or felt more engaged if the graphics better supported what was being communicated in the dialogue, instead of having panels that were mostly people talking. I regularly listen to almost all of the radio shows featured in the book, so it was nice to learn more about them. Overall, I enjoyed the content but I'm not sold on the format.

I really enjoyed Jenny Colgan's Bookshop on the Corner, which I now feel is like the better final draft of this book, Little Beach Street Bakery. While the location and the main character's occupation were different, there were too many other similarities in plot and characters for me to really enjoy this book so soon after reading Bookshop on the Corner. There was also some random and distracting head-hopping that I don't remember being part of the writing in Bookshop on the Corner.

I really enjoyed this book, especially the interesting premise and characters. It was a fast read, and I think that was my only real disappointment with it - I would have liked to learn more about the world and the characters. I will definitely be looking for other books by the author.

Cute illustrations, but overall a predictable story that didn't offer much to make it unique or memorable.