for a short story i thought this was a lot of fun! it was funny, interesting, and raised some questions. but it also suffered from how short it was i think, because it did feel choppy and hard to read at some points. i wish this was more like a 100 page novella or something tbh but i'll def have to give this author a try now!

thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an arc!

I truly enjoyed this novella! It was refreshing to read a story that included so much detail in such few pages, and was actually entertaining. I laughed out loud from some of the comical and witty dialogue and banter. I only noticed one grammatical error, which was when the female protagonist was speaking and said ‘a’ and not ‘at’. The cover is beautiful, and goes very well with the lovely descriptive imagery that were written throughout this novel, placed here and there to enhance the reader’s immersion experience of being there in the museum with the lovers whilst also trying to see what happened from the detective’s viewpoint. I loved the magical realism aspect to the story!

A literary short story from Isabel Allende, of magic in the universe, a spellbinding love that transcends words and names, an instant recognition, as if they had known each other in another life, escaping the rain and entering the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, where there are all the signs of lovemaking in the art galleries, everywhere, the inescapable presence of the lovers, and a tattered wedding dress in the morning. How did they bypass all security, and not register on the CCTV cameras? Inspector Larramendi, nicknamed the hound of Bilbao, interrogates Bibina Aranda and Indar Zubieta, hunting for logic, although there are rumours of bewitchment, strange happenings at the Museum in the past. This is all beyond his experience, transcending all that he knows. Perhaps he should just find peace by rejoicing, appreciating the beauty and mystery of the heart, and joy of the unknowable. Many thanks to Amazon Original Stories for an ARC.

Lovers at the Museum is a (very) short story about a wild night of debauchery. I enjoyed the whimsy and questions raised, but this story was almost too short and as a result very choppy with characters that read like caricatures. I recommend this if you'd like a really quick read that is thought-provoking and ethereal.

Thank you to Amazon Original Stories for gifting me with an ARC to review! All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC! This book was about a pair of lovers and misadventures in a museum. It was very whimsical and silly and fun. I enjoyed the lightheartedness even if the content wasn’t overly long or plot heavy. It was very short but I thought that added to the vibe.

This was a sweet little mystery. I always want more when it comes to short stories. Were there others who experienced similar experiences? Did the museum offer a place of magic for individuals who need it? Can this universe be accessed from other locations? I would love a longer dive into this world.

Night at the Museum...

A short story, wherein a detective must suss out what happened between a runaway bride and a nekkid man. They swear its love at first sight. He thinks it is way shadier. A mystery to solve. Or, not.
Its Isabel Allende, folks.
Recommend.

A detective trying to puzzle out the mystery of a new couple that found themselves in a highly secured museum overnight.
This short story packed quite a big punch with its whimsy and ethereal look at love and art and a dash of magic in the midst of a grounded, technical world. I would have preferred this work to be a bit longer, but I know I'll be thinking over this story for several days!

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.

This was a good book. I really love the world building and the characters. The pacing was really good and it was an interesting story to read

Lovers at the Museum - Isabel Allende

Two sleeping lovers are discovered in the Guggenheim Museum in Bilboa - a man, stark naked. And a woman, still in her wedding dress.

Nobody - the museum cleaners that the discovered them, the security guards who claim there is no way they could’ve broken into the museum with the security measures in place; and especially Detective Aitor Larramendi - has any idea how they got into the museum undetected.
Desperate to find any sort of answers, Detective Larramendi interrogates both the man and the woman to find any slip ups in their love story. They both retell the night before, that they did not know each other before (or even each other’s names until told by Larramendi), and that they waltzed into the museum without any trouble or tampering with any security measures, for a night filled with love and magic.

Though short in length, Lovers at the Museum has readers locked into these stranger’s story and wondering - what do you believe?

This is the first Isabel Allende that I've read, and let me tell you it will NOT BE THE LAST. I was enchanted, what a strange and consuming story.

An amusing and briskly-paced short story, 'Lovers at the Museum' follows the whimsical tale of two unexpected lovers discovered amidst the halls of a museum. Despite their bewildering circumstances and fuzzy memories of arrival, the narrative unfolds with charm and humor. Although brief, the story captivates with its swift pace and offers a delightful introduction to the allure of an Allende narrative.

Lovers at the Museum is a short story written and translated by Chilean-American novelist, Isabel Allende. When a cleaner finds a young couple asleep in a gallery of the Guggenheim Museum, security summon the police, and Detective Altor Larramendi, the hound of Bilbao, arrives to investigate.

What he finds is very puzzling: a drunken young woman in a bridal dress who didn’t marry her fiancé, ran from the church and went to a bar; a sober but naked young man who doesn’t even know the woman’s name, swears they did not break into the museum, but admits to smoking a joint; evidence of their lovemaking in several of the galleries; security who claim that after-hours entry beyond the electronically-locked doors is impossible; and no sign of forced entry.

These strangers, who claim they met in a bar and fell instantly in love, who tell him the museum is enchanted, what can he charge them with? Utterly delightful!
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories.

I didn't really find this book to be either bad or amazing - it just sort of happened, and I found myself reading it. I didn't feel particularly strongly about any of the events in the book, nor about the mystery of how they got there. I will say that I did like the author's writing style, and will be looking to see if she's written any longer works to see if those capture my emotions a bit more.

One thing I can say is that the POV character chosen was not what I expected after reading the blurb - however, I kind of liked the choice.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

This is a short sweet story of two lovers who share a magical night together in a museum. I enjoyed reading this story, which was chaotic and hilarious in a way. Would’ve liked it more if the story was a bit longer, but it was still a good read!

This quick read was absolutely quick. I read through it very quickly. I enjoyed the banter between the police officer but I was lost on the plot a little.

Generally speaking Lovers at the Museum by Isabel Allende seemed devoid of direction or purpose but at least it was quick!

I really enjoyed this short story. Picture entering an alternate world where you and your newfound love spend an enchanting night together. It's magical and mysterious, passionate and tender. Did it really happen or were the lovers intoxicated? Detective Larramendi is on the case. Lovers at the Museum left me smiling and imagining all the additional amazing things that could happen with this story. Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the digital ARC.

I actually really enjoyed this! 'Lovers at the Museum' by Isabel Allende is a short but delightful read. The story follows Bibiña Aranda, a runaway bride, who wakes up in the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao wearing her wedding dress and wrapped in the arms of a naked man she doesn’t know, Indar Zubieta. Together, they embark on a dreamlike journey through the museum, experiencing a transcendent night of love at first sight. Allende's prose is whimsical and dreamy, perfectly capturing the magic of their encounter. While the characters may not linger in my mind for years to come, the story itself left me with a warm feeling, reminiscent of the early stages of romance. It's a lovely and heartfelt reminder of the beauty of love.