Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC of Lovers at the Museum by Isabel Allende.

This 22-page short story is a mesmerizing blend of ethereal romance, biting humor, and magical realism. Set in the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao—one of my favorite places in the world—it captures the beauty and wonder of love in a way that feels both surreal and deeply human.

A runaway bride, a naked man, and a night full of inexplicable magic are at the heart of this tale. The sharp humor, particularly in the exchanges with Detective Larramendi, balances the dreamlike romance perfectly. It’s a story that feels like stepping into a painting—rich with emotion, mystery, and the kind of love that defies all reason.

Despite its short length, this story will stay with me. It was such a fun departure from my usual reads, and I can’t recommend it enough for anyone who loves their romance with a touch of the extraordinary.

Thank you to Net Galley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Lovers at the Museum by Isabel Allende!

scandalous!!!!! this was really well written, and the scandal behind the story with a runaway bride and unknown lover draws the reader in immeadiately. well done!

I got it to get a glimpse of Allende's writing and I enjoyed it. It's extremely short (it took me less than half an hour to finish it) but also enticing and magical.

I love how Isabelle Allende writes - so poetic! This was another dreamy and amazing story, she really does excel at taking you on a magical adventure.

This short story is… too short? The main character seems to be not the lovers but the detective, as he gets slightly more backstory than either of them. There isn’t really a plot, even for a short story. I requested it because I’ve liked the authors books in the past, but I would recommend picking up a full length novel instead.

Need a simple short story? Lovers at the Museum will fit the bill perfectly. A woman wakes up next to a man she doesn't know in the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. The pair have to explain themselves to a detective, but can their far-fetched, fantastical story be true?

This was a great short story. The storyline kept me interested, and I wanted more when I finished it (does anyone else have this problem when they finish a short story?). I think that's one of the most fascinating talents an author who writes short stories has...they dive right in and keep you entertained and wanting more by the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories, for providing an advanced e-copy for review. All thoughts and opinions written in this review are my own.

An interesting short story, Lovers at the Museum is written with strong doses of surrealism and mystery. Unfortunately this was a little too short and a little mysterious to feel sensical by the end of it.

A sweet little story and super quick read. A runaway bride, a magical museum that seemingly exists between worlds, and love at first sight.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

This was a short and sweet story! I've always wanted to read something from this author so I was excited when I was given access to this short story. I really enjoyed the magical realism in this and it's definitely going to push me to read some of this author's full length novels. Somehow in 25 pages this author created a flushed out characters and a magical setting that leaves you with much to be desired. My only complaint is that I wish it was longer!

I quite enjoyed this book. It was a fun quick read! I’m usually not a fan of short stories because I always find myself wanting more but I found that this story was just enough.
This book is perfect if you’re behind on your reading goal. I

They said something about museum turned alive once the night comes.

★★★★☆

Lovers at the Museum is a short story about a lovers who were found in a very unusual attire—shreded wedding dress for the woman and nothing, absolutely nothing for the man—inside the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. God who knows how they went inside the museum that strictly guarded, heavy watched through CCTV?

The story represents love at first sight and how it was inexplicable how one person could so much get attracted to the other person only from the first encounter. It was proven that love is not a concrete form that everyone could understand. Every sentence even every statement they gave to the authority about that night in the museum feels whimsical. It made readers kept wondering about what truly happened. What an enchanting fascinating story!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

I love her books, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this short story. I highly recommend it because she is one of my favorite Latin authors of all time.

Isabel Allende is an amazing writer and all her books are full of meaning and feelings. This novella was not the exception. Very easy and quick to read.

A sweet little novella that was a fun read for an afternoon at the pool. A fun little investigation of a couple who end up in the Guggenheim in a compromising situation but no one can figure out how or why they ended up there! It was a fun little adventure that made me giggle and it was just the right amount of story, for a fun little story.

A very satisfying short story with elements readers familiar with Allende's prior work will love returning to, blending the fantastical with the real, and her trademark brand of honesty and (often dark) humour.

I've been reading more and more short stories for the sake of time and a feeling of accomplishment. Isabel Allende's writing and doesn't disappoint in this oddball story. A woman in a wedding dress fornicating with a naked man are found in a museum....from there the short but intuitive plot thickens. Enjoy!

This was a quick, lovely read. The characters were charming, the questions I still have for them are burning in my mind, and the ending was beyond sweet.

This one is hard to resist, it is fun, quirky and completely illogical – a whole lot of fun.

Allende has created a great little story that is the perfect thing to fit between two meatier books.

The back and forth between Bibiña Aranda and Indar Zubieta paints a picture of passion and reckless abandon that is hard to resist.

Could this story have been longer ? No, she captured everything that needed to be there.

*4 Stars