Reviewed by Wendy Lipke
When longtime arts critic for the Seattle Times, Moira Macdonald, decided to write her own novel, a popular bookstore, Read the Room, became its own small universe. At the centre of this story are three characters who would love to change their circumstances by expanding their social circle and hopefully find someone special to share their lives.
Thirty-five-year-old Westley is an employee of Read the Room. He has a lovely personality but is quite shy. People are drawn to him because of his looks, and this frustrates him as he believes no one sees him for himself. He unwittingly becomes the focus of two women who visit the bookstore regularly.
April is a smart and lonely working-from-home tech worker who decides to do something about her situation. She is thirty-three and the solitude of her life has become boring. She writes a note and leaves it in a book at the bookstore. The note is found by Laura, a busy single mum. She has been a widow for a few years, and these notes have had her reassessing her life. They continue to write to each other through notes in the book believing that they are communicating with the nice-looking guy who works in the store. The notes are signed by a single initial and neither of these women know the name of the person they believe to be their correspondent. This process is dragged out as neither wants to rush things and they find this an exciting process, especially in today’s society where letters are rarely written.
There are two other employees who also have their eyes on Westley.
While this is going on, the bookstore has become the set for several scenes for a film and Westley is the only employee asked to be an extra. The bookstore runs normally during the day but closes early for filming. The people belonging to the film crew and their association with the owner of the store add much interest, sometimes making the central storyline fall into the background.
These stories unfold chapter by chapter mainly through the three main characters. However, there are a couple of segments featuring others. Texts, emails and notes are included in the storyline in a different font.
As well as a love of books, these characters are drawn together through clothing. Laura works as a personal shopper at a large department store and is often called upon for her fashion wisdom. The film crew have their racks of clothing for the different scenes and Laura’s assistant is also very fashion conscious.
Through their personal storylines these characters are gradually drawn closer together until the true situation is revealed to be so different from what they first imagined.
This is an amusing story of mistaken identities and serendipitous encounters. It takes several lonely individuals and draws them together through their love of books. After all the confusion of the notes and filming in the bookstore the end of this story leaves the reader with a lovely warm feeling.
Storybook Ending
(2025)
by Moira Macdonald
Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN:978-1-5266-8379-3
$29.69; 320pp