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The Bookstore Keepers

The Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories

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The Bookstore Keepers

By: Alice Hoffman
Narrated by: Jennifer Jill Araya
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About this listen

From New York Times bestselling author Alice Hoffman comes a deeply moving short story about the love of family and the power of dreams.

The Gibson sisters weren’t expecting to speak to each other ever again after Isabel ran off to New York and left Sophie alone. But here they are, years later, running the family bookstore together on Brinkley’s Island, Maine. Isabel also thought she’d left Johnny Lenox behind, but whether or not she knew it, Johnny was always going to be there for her.

Five years into their happily ever after, Isabel and Johnny are making the most of their second chance at love. Then one night, Johnny awakens from an extraordinary dream…and their world is irrevocably altered. Isabel does her best to give Johnny space as he struggles to accept the new chapter life has opened for them. But Johnny can’t do it alone—no one can. As the whole family is soon to discover, seasons change, but love never does.

©2025 by Alice Hoffman. (P)2025 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Anthologies & Short Stories Family Life Genre Fiction Short Stories Small Town & Rural Dream

Critic Reviews

“Series narrator Jennifer Jill Araya continues her top-notch narration of a heartfelt story of family, love, and independence.… Hoffman's insightful prose sounds like poetry, and Araya delivers full-bodied flesh-and-blood characterizations. Because the family backstory would make character motivations clearer, listeners are encouraged to hear the other two excellent short stories in the series.”—AudioFile Magazine
All stars
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Isabel Gibson’s husband, Johnny Lenox is struggling with the loss of his father and evaluating his life. He puts a proposition to Isabel but it’s one she’ll have to think hard about. Meanwhile, Isabel’s niece, Violet, is getting restless feet and wants to go live in Paris but Violet is worried about breaking the news to her mother, Sophie.

Another chapter in the lives of the Gibson sisters who live on Brinkley’s Island off the coast of Maine. These are easy feel-good short stories that feel a little rushed at times, I would have enjoyed the books more in a longer format to give the themes more breathing space. 🎧 Jennifer Jill Araya gives another warm-hearted performance on the audio.

Times change with new milestones!

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