This was the definition of short and sweet. The characters had so much personality in just a few pages, and I love that it is quite ambiguous. Isabel Allende is definitely one of my top authors.

"Can you imagine, Inspector. It was destiny. Everything is written in the stars..."- Bibiña; Lovers at the Museum

Two lovers was found inside Guggenheim museum without any trace of them coming inside. This story is mixed with Mystery, Humor, Romance and possibly Fantasy. Trying without spoiling anything- As a reader- I wish the author had extended the story. But on the other hand, I love the writing style. It's great for short stories like this one. As short as it is, the characters are exquisite. You can definitely see who they are in a short conversation between characters.

Now to my unimportant emotional review this is all I have to say to this book:
"....what?"

Lovers at the Museum is a short story that would definitely keep you reading line by line, page after page.

Now why three stars? Three is not bad. It is actually more than fine. But I think this story is more than just a mystery/ romance book. It is personally deeper than it's leading on. There are quotes in the book that I disagree such as being a christian. No, you can't be a christian and believe in reincarnation, zodiac sign etc. But that's not why I gave it three stars. The way the author described the realm they saw is almost like a description of heaven. And them doing it in "heaven" -doing it like angels- is a big disgust to my whole being. But that is just personal.

It wasn't something i read a lot.

Short story about two people falling in love on the first sight.
They are found in the museum on the morning, but how did they get there? There is no evidence. Was it magic? Or something else?


I enjoyed it while it lasted.

A fantasy with mystery elements as you learn how two strangers find themselves inside a museum. It is a short story with a fast pace, and there were times when I became confused with the plot. It was still a fun read with humor, imagery, and kept me entertained.

This short story was magical, but seemed to lack the character development and depth for which Allende is usually known. Perhaps it’s because I read the translation, instead of the story in its original language (seriously NetGalley, why isn’t the Spanish version available?!).

The prose and the description were fantastic as always. However, without the sufficient character development, Lovers at the Museum unfortunately falls a bit flat.

A short story (25 pages) about love and how it can defy all logical possibilities. This was a 3 star read for me: a fun, sweet story with a nice message but no deeper meaning or impact. I was intrigued by the circumstances surrounding what happened but felt unsatisfied by the end as no solid answers were given.

Thanks to Amazon Original Stories and Netgalley for an e-arc of Lovers at the Museum.

I didn’t know what to expect when I picked this up, but for those 25 pages I didn’t know what was happening. I was confusion, and yet I enjoyed it mostly.

Two lovers appear at the Guggenheim museum and a detective is called in to figure out how they got in and evaded all security.

The detective was quite angry the whole time (there were exclamation points almost every time he spoke) which just felt weird to me. I understand being frustrated with the lovers, but the punctuation felt unnecessary.

Other than that I kind of enjoyed that we never got definitive answers to what occurred - it just did.

Super short story, at 25 pages, so even you too are confused… I can’t say it’s a waste of time and you won’t be angry for any length of time.

I’m not usually drawn to short stories, but I am a fan of Isabel Allende’s work. Lovers at the Museum is pure magic and a welcome story after my recent reading of books filled with chaos, crime, hatred and abuse.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve always loved Isabel Allende’s work, she writes magical realism in a way that is rarely matched. However, I feel that this story could have/ should have been a bit longer to flesh everything out. The writing was absolutely beautiful, but I feel like the story ended in the middle of a thought. It was a bit jarring.

In the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, Bibiña Aranda, a runaway bride, wakes up in her wedding dress next to a naked man named Indar Zubieta. As they try to make sense of their predicament to the authorities, they recount how they managed to evade the guards and cameras. This enchanting short story, spanning 25 pages, delves into the mysterious connection between the two characters, leaving readers pondering over their identities and the nature of their relationship. This tale unfolds as a captivating love story that captures the essence of love at first sight.

The vivid storytelling and beautiful prose create a whimsical and unexpected narrative that left me yearning for more! I can't wait to read more from this author in the future!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

Isabel Allende's stories are almost always heavily romantic and infused with indescribable magic. This short story is no exception.

Lovers at the Museum is a quick read of only 20 pages, perfect both for those who want to sample Allende's works or returning fans looking for new content. She story between the main characters is simple yet powerful and manages to get across feelings rather than actions. Readers get immersed in the magical experience without explanations being offered, leaving it to the imagination to decide whether the magic is real.

If there was an embodiment of "no plot, all vibes", this story definitely qualifies. If you're into strong atmosphere rather than stories packed with action, you might really enjoy this one.

✨ Disclaimer ✨ I received a free copy of this book and this is my honest review.

Beautifully-written short story by a masterful storyteller. Isabel Allende is known and loved for her magical realism, and stories like this show why. It's a love story inside a straight-forward mystery that defies logical explanation. Enchanting tale filled with likeable characters, detailed imagery, humor and whimsy [in just 18 pages]. And I loved the conclusion of the story.

This is a short story that promised intrigue and romance. As an eARC from Net Galley, courtesy of Amazon Original Stories, this was my first encounter with Allende's writing, and I was eager to experience it with so many of her books on my TBR. The story initially intrigued me with its premise, but I wanted more. Despite the lack of a satisfying payoff in the plot and unanswered questions lingering, the writing was captivating. The characters were compelling, with their distinct personalities and interactions. While it left me craving more depth and resolution, I appreciate the opportunity to sample Allende's writing. I'm in no hurry to seek out another short story and I don’t recommend it.

It is always nice to read stories that remind us the magic of pure love! Thanks to Net Galley for the book! I felt pretty captivated by the story cause it’s very touching, it’s about the power of spontaneous love, of dreams and fantasy and how some memories are completely mixed in our minds, to the point of not having a “logic” answer to some complicated questions. I really enjoy the Isabel Allende’s writing style, because she writes with honesty and a characteristic humor and some latin characters with strong emotions and clear minds.

In general, I think it’s a cute story that makes me think about the existence of love out there, it is actually everywhere, it is also here.

This short story is lyrical, whimsical, slightly magical and such a wonderful example of Isabel Allende's writing. I started reading her books in the 90's (Eva Luna and The House of the Spirits are two favorites) and this had the same other-worldly feel. Lovers are found in the Guggenheim and an inspector is trying to detemrine how they got in and why they weren't caught. It's a quick, lovely read.

Thanks to the publisher for sharing a copy with me. All opinions are my own.

A pretty fun and interesting short story, but nothing really more than that! I liked the ideas that were being played with, and the annoyed detective. Beyond that, it did feel like it needed a little bit more for it to come out with any real meaning to be derived.

This is a short story that was beautifully written. The story is told from the perspective of a detective who is stuck trying to figure out how two people managed to make love all through a museum without being caught by the guards or setting off a single alarm. I think my favorite part was when the detective determined this would never be solved to his boss's satisfaction and placed the file next to four others and I would love to know what other mysterious and mystical cases he has investigated. The story itself did feel finished, but I would love to know about that detective.

"but in this case it was the vice of love, easy enough to forgive"

short, simple, but sweet. This was the perfect length to convey the characters, setting, and overall tone while being just generally nice to read like a sweet, little daydream.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions within are my own.

---

Allende's prose is lovely and very readable, but the story itself felt like it had no point. The characters were drawn in extremely broad strokes and I found every single one of them idiotic and incapable of basic human communication. Possibly this means I lack whimsy. I also wish the rumors about supernatural goings-on at the museum had been introduced sooner in the story and thus better integrated into it.

having never read anything by Isabel Allende, I went into this completely blind. this reminded me of david lynch's short What Did Jack Do? (2017) where a monkey is being interrogated. my film teacher had mentioned it and i had watched it because it was short and available on netflix. however, i was confused the whole time. Lovers at the Museum was a similar experience. it contrasts the logic of our real world with the fantastical, as a pair of lovers are found in the museum by a cleaner - a woman in a wedding dress and a naked man in an embrace on the floor. what follows is an officer trying to find a logical explanation, but the stories of the two young lovers, as well as the confusing lack of evidence, makes this a fruitless endevour.

i liked some of the imagery and the setting of the case, as i'm quite a fan of art and art galleries. even the building this is set in (guggenheim bilbao) with its modern architecture seems to contrast with the whimsical nature of the story.

i was just a tad bit confused at some points so i wouldn't call this the most enjoyable read for me, but it was short. the heavy use of dialogue also fell a bit flat for me, but i would be interested in reading a full novel by Isabel Allende to see her ideas fleshed out more.

thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the free review copy. Lovers at the Museum is now available to read on Kindle Unlimited.