City of Books - by Nicole Meier (Paperback)

About the Book

Inspired by the temporary shuttering of Powell's Books in Portland, Oregon, City of Books charmingly explores a bibliophile's fantasy: moving into a bookstore to stop it from closing.

Book Synopsis

Jo Waterstone knows what you should read next. She's honed the skill of sizing up a person and recommending their next book in the decades she's worked at Bruebaker's Books. Her life has been shaped by the store, the bustle of customers exploring the stacks, and managing the eager staff. She can honestly say it's the best job she's ever had.

Then the store's elderly owner, Mr. Bruebaker, suffers a stroke, and just like that Jo's perfect job is on the chopping block. Mr. B's daughters and the bookstore's icy CEO think the time is right to close for good, and they order Jo to lock up. But she doesn't know what she would be without Bruebaker's--and besides, the place is an institution. So instead of following orders, she decides to take a stand: along with a few brave team members, she barricades herself in the store, trying to buy time until Mr. Bruebaker recovers and can speak for himself.

Living in a bookstore has a certain magic to it, but the quiet hours among the books throw the choices Jo has made in her life into sharp relief. As supporters--and detractors--start to voice their opinions about her actions, Jo will have to decide what, exactly, is worth saving.

Review Quotes

"I adored this moving story about a band of unlikely heroes who take drastic steps to save their beloved bookstore. Meier expertly draws a varied cast of characters--including the city of Portland, Oregon--who are all lovable and flawed and struggling with timely, relatable issues. In doing so she reminds us that it is never too late to find love and family."
--Tracey Lange, author of New York Times bestseller and Goodreads Choice Finalist We Are The Brennans

"At its core, City of Books is about the magic of books, bookstores and, best of all, book people. What a beautiful reminder that the book community is one of the most powerful resources on earth."
--Lucy Gilmore, author of The Lonely Hearts Book Club

"City of Books is a love letter to indie bookstores and the people who adore them. In this warm, charming novel, the booksellers themselves are the heroes of the story. Nicole Meier captures a corner of the world where books, the family you create at work and doing the right thing coexist. And who wouldn't want to live in a City of Books?"
--Lian Dolan author of The Sweeney Sisters

About the Author

Nicole Meier is an author and certified book coach living with her family in the Pacific Northwest. Her novels include The House of Bradbury, The Girl Made of Clay, and The Second Chance Supper Club. You can visit her website at www.nicolemeier.com or on Instagram @nicolemeierwrites.