Storied Life of A. J. Fikry

I adore books about books! Once a bookseller, always a bookseller.

I'm not even sure what to say about this book because I don't want to give away too much of the plot. A.J. Fikry is a widowed bookstore owner on Alice Island, living a lonely existence above his shop and drinking too much in the evenings, until something happens in his shop that changes his life. Peppered with literary references, smart dialogue, and interesting characters, the community of Alice Island, Massachusetts comes alive (and yes, it's a real place, and yes, I would like to visit it, but only in the summer).

I will admit, I got a little teary-eyed at the end. Don't tell anyone, but I'm sometimes sappy about love, life, and books. And this novel has all three.