Jo Waterstone has honed the skill of sizing up a person and recommending their next book in the decades she's worked at Bruebaker's Books. When the store's elderly owner suffers a stroke, his daughters and the CEO think it's time to close for good. Suddenly, Jo's perfect job is on the chopping block.

Not willing to go down without a fight, Jo and a few other employees decided to barricade themselves in the store to buy time until Mr. Bruebaker could speak for himself. It was a spur of the moment decision that had them having to make things work in the best way they could.

Along the way some employees left and the remaining ones faced challenges as they came. Threats to be shut down by the mayor, protests by supporters and detractors, dicey situations with other characters, and it all felt like it could fall apart at times.

It's in these moments that Jo had to evaluate what exactly she was fighting for and what was worth saving. I loved that this unlikely band of people worked together towards a common goal no matter the outcome.

The narrator did an awesome job on the audio. Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the Audio ARC! Who doesn't love a story about saving a book store?! This was a feel good story about bookstore employees coming together to keep the store open and in the process learning more about themselves and others. The employees also help a young mother and her child. While I thought it was a good story, I didn't find any of the characters relatable. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a lighter/feel good book.

Fifty-year-old Jo Waterstone has been working at Bruebaker’s Books for over two decades. Suffice to say that Jo’s life revolves around her work. Bruebaker’s Books has been a fixture in the community for decades and Jo takes pride in her position managing the bookstore and is confident of her ability to help people find the right book for themselves. Managing the bookstore has its fair share of challenges, but Jo takes it all in her stride.

When the news of the owner Mr. Bruebaker’s stroke and subsequent hospitalization reaches her, needless to say, she is distressed. Not only does she share a close friendship with Mr. Bruebaker, but her immediate boss informs her that Mr. Bruebaker’s daughters want to shut down operations and sell the store as soon as possible. Jo believes that Mr. Bruebaker would not agree to the sale, but his family isn’t allowing anyone to contact him. To save the store, Jo devises a plan to barricade herself within the premises, keeping the doors closed but fulfilling all online orders until she can contact Mr. Bruebaker. She is joined in her endeavor by a small group of employees. Jo finds herself navigating her responsibilities of managing a small group in a closed space with both positive and negative group dynamics at play and the upkeep of the store, public support and the influx of online orders and the protests and the obvious displeasure of her boss and her employer’s family, all the while hoping for good news from Mr. Brubaker’s end. The narrative follows these characters over the next few weeks as they make themselves at home among the stacks in their own “city of books.”

An ode to independent bookstores, City of Books by Nicole Meier is a heartwarming story that revolves around teamwork, friendship, community and of course, how our love for books can bring people together. As an avid reader and bibliophile, it would be a dream come true for me to actually live in a bookstore! Naturally, I was intrigued by the premise of this novel and I was not disappointed.

The narrative is presented from Jo’s perspective and flows well. Jo is an endearing protagonist and I admired her resolve, her dedication and her loyalty to the bookstore and her employer. I loved the vivid descriptions of the bookstore and enjoyed getting to know the characters. I thought that the author has done a great job of capturing how the dynamics shifted between the characters over the course of their stay and how their experiences allowed them to not only get to know one another better but also allowed for moments of introspection and self-discovery. Though I did feel that a few of her actions might have been impulsive (and a tad misguided, but that’s more me than the book), there was no reason to doubt her intentions or the fact that heart was in the right place. There was one sub-plot that I felt was unnecessary, but overall, this did not detract from my overall experience. I also liked how the author chose to end this story on a bittersweet yet hopeful note.

I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook (8 Hours, 46 Minutes at 1x speed), narrated by Cindy Kay, who has done a wonderful job of breathing life into these characters and this story.

Many thanks to Dreamscape Media for the ALC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

"City of Books" by Nicole Meier immerses readers in the enchanting world of Bruebaker’s Books, where protagonist Jo Waterstone faces the daunting task of saving the beloved bookstore from closure. Meier masterfully crafts Jo's character, portraying her as a passionate advocate for literature and the heart and soul of the store. The novel's premise of barricading oneself in a bookstore adds an intriguing twist, highlighting the power of community and the importance of standing up for what one believes in. However, while the book captivates with its premise and charming setting, some aspects of the plot may feel predictable or formulaic. Overall, "City of Books" is a delightful read for book lovers and those who appreciate stories about courage and resilience in the face of adversity.

City of Books follows a group of bookstore employees refusing to leave the bookstore when learning that the store is closing.
As a kid I always wanted to live in a bookstore and this was an exciting way to live in a bookstore as a protest.

I listened to the audiobook. The narration flowed well and character were clear. The narrator captures the protagonist, Jo, well. Jo begins the stories with a lot of preconceived ideas about her coworkers and her community. Through out the book, Jo works on this and takes the first step to seeing people a little better. Definitely an interesting piece is Jo noticing how and if people like books and how that impacted her perception of them.

Being set in a bookstore the descriptions of the set up and books on selves was woven into the story. I would have liked more book references.

This was a nice story and a fast listen. I struggled to connect with the characters.

Talk about heartwarming! This charming book was endearing from beginning to end and I loved that it wrapped up with a happy ending. (It’s usually a pet peeve of mine when books end with everything wrapped up near and tidy, but in this case, it felt right!)

Jo joins together with other employees to save Brubaker Books and along the way she experiences more than saving her job. A very feel good book, indeed.

Advance reader copy provided by Sparkpress Books + NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book is so boring! Nothing happened for 8+ hours on an audiobook. The main character was immature and needy, not relatable at all. I would definitely skip this one and read a better book

I had high hopes for this one, described as a love story to books, but it fell short.

I think this was, in part, due to the narration, which was very sleepy. It made it more difficult for me to focus on the book.

But even more so, with a large cast of characters, there’s an expectation that the reader will connect with someone. Unfortunately, there’s no spark here. The characters are as sleepy as the narration.

——
Bruebaker’s is the preeminent indie bookstore in Portland, offering floor after floor of books — over a million of them. And Jo Waterstone has been there for decades, making sure things run smoothly. In fact, somehow, at fifty years old, she looks around and realizes the bookstore has become her whole life.

So when the famed Mr. Bruebaker suffers a stroke and his daughters, disinterested in the family institution, decide to shutter the store, Jo and her ragtag crew of employees decide to stage a sit in.

Barricading themselves in the store, they decide to do their best to save the store they love.

There’s a subplot involving a young homeless girl and her daughter and Jo’s inexplicable need to save them by pulling them into the store, too.

The ending wraps up too cleanly and quickly and without any real satisfaction.

I have no doubt there’s an audience for this one, it just isn’t me.

Thanks to @netgalley, @dreamscapemedia for the audiobook. This will be published May 28, 2024.

This was such a wholesome, sweet read. I enjoyed the flow of the story and the narrator was easy to listen to. I loved the theme of found/chosen family.

I had a hard time connecting with this book, I think mostly because I found it hard to emphasize with the protagonists when the “antagonists” were daughters trying to take care of their dying father. I understand the protagonists thought that’s what the dying father would have wanted, but to add stress to the most stressful time in those daughters’ lives wasn’t a compelling story line to me. Thank you to Netgalley for providing an advanced readers copy of this audiobook.

‘City of Books’ is such a charming book! With an interesting cast of characters fighting to save their beloved place of employment, ‘City of Books’ truly showcases the importance of books and places of belonging. I quickly grew attached to Jo, and I so envy her bookstore career! It was delightful to see her grow in her confidence that the bookstore truly was worth fighting for. The other characters all had fairly distinct personalities, and it was intriguing to learn all their reasons for participating in the lock-in.

It was also fun to see Jo coming to know her coworkers. It's so easy to think you know the people you work with every day, especially when you, well, work with them every day! Jo quickly discovered, however, that there was so much more to her fellow bookstore workers. It was fun watching them form new, stronger relationships with each other. They all had more depth as the story went on, and I was eager to root for them. Found family is one of my favorite tropes, and Nicole Meier crafted a wonderful version of that.

The narrator, Cindy Kay, did an excellent job capturing Jo’s voice. She was very believable in the role!

All-in-all, ‘City of Books’ by Nicole Meier was a cozy, satisfying read that captures a reader's love of books (and, of course, bookstores) beautifully.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

If you love books, this book is for you! This is a book about books and made me want to visit Powell's books in Oregon! The characters were fantastic and it reminded me a little of 'The Reading List" which I also absolutely adored. Jo was such a wonderful character and felt very developed. She had such a connection with the other characters and the books she was picking out for customers. You could tell she really had her heart in it.

Jo Waterstone has worked for decades at Bruebaker’s Books. An iconic independent bookstore in Portland, Oregon. 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.

The store’s elderly owner, Mr. Bruebaker, suffers a stroke. 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. 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.

I loved listening to the characters sort through their problems, concerns with moral issues, and develop a family of choice through their experience. Jo grows and finds her voice. Many of the other characters confront their past and explore their future choices.

I agree with other reviewers who mentioned that this is a love letter to indie bookstores and the place they hold in our communities.

When Mr. Bruebaker, the owner of the local bookstore has a stroke, his daughters immediately call Jo and tell her to shut the store down for good. Jo isn’t ready to say goodbye to her favorite place, and neither are several of the other employees. So they gather supplies and lock themselves in, fulfilling online orders as they go. They just need to wait it out until Mr Bruebaker is better enough to stop this closing the store nonsense….

Live in a bookstore? I mean, give me a closet for a real bed, but other than that, I’m in! Let’s go! This book truly brings you into the life of the store as well as the characters. I felt like I was living in the store with them, and fighting their battles with them. Jo’s love is picking out the perfect book for everyone was just perfect, I love sharing my faves too! Overall this was a great feel good book that had me smiling the whole way. @thesaltybookworm -sleepover at @thunderroadbooks ?

Thank you to @dreamscape_media for my gifted copy of this book!

4.5 Stars from Me!

Jo Waterstone loves her job as the store manager of Bruebaker Books.
The city of Portland loves Bruebaker Books, which is so much more than a local bookshop; the store is the heart of it's community, a gathering place for book lovers and friends, and the workplace of some very dedicated, distinctive employees.

When Jo finds out that the owner of the store (also her cherished mentor) Mr. Bruebaker has suffered a stroke and is fighting for his life, she is crushed. What makes this news even harder to swallow is the directive from his daughters to immediately cease store operations and shutter the store. Mr. Bruebaker is the closest thing to family that Jo has, and she takes it upon herself to see that (what she believes are) his wishes for the store are carried out.

The team decides they will follow the order to close the doors, but they will not leave. Instead, they all move into the store, fulfilling online orders and attempting to show the Bruebaker family just how important the store is to the local community, and in turn, how much the community will show up to support the store in its hour of need.

While living in the store with her team, Jo realizes she has severely underestimated the work family she has had all this time, and the importance of caring for one another in ways big and small.
This was a great feel-good read, and a good reminder that family can include more than just the people we are biologically related to. I enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the outcome of this book. I listened to the audiobook and found the narration to be well done.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

When Jo gets the news that her boss is incapacitated and his daughters insist she close down the bookstore she manages immediately, Jo and a group of coworkers decide to set up camp in the bookstore to keep the store operating until she could speak to Mr Bruebaker himself about his wishes.
What worked was the realness if the characters, the situation including small business flailing in the wake of commercialism and big box stores, and how even good intentions can lead to bad consequences.
As a reader who needs romance in every book I love, regardless of the genre, there wasn't enough of it. Just a sprinkle of relationship building, even the obstacles in the main characters way seemed contrived and not altogether thrilling. All in all, this was a 3.5 star read for me.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgallery for the advanced copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.

This was just okay for me. I loved the premise but there was no spark. The characters weren't interesting, and the story itself wasn't particularly interesting, or believable. The narrator was good.

I love books about books! So of course I had to read this one. Plus it takes place in Oregon and is inspired by one of my favorite indie bookstores! This book felt very spot on for Portland. Everything from the description of the people to the occupation of the bookstore, screamed Portland to me!

I thought this book had a lot of heart. The narrator did a great job portraying Jo and her emotions so well. I could really feel Jo’s connection to the bookstore and the staff she worked with. I liked how the author gave each character some depth and personality. It felt more than surface level, which I really enjoyed!

Read if you like:
📚 Books about books
📚 Character driven stories
📚 Portland, Oregon
📚 Found Family

I love books about books and book stores. The iconic independent bookstore in this book was an added bonus - - a place I could clearly picture and would love to visit. The Portland setting was perfect for this story. Jo was a wonderful and relatable character - - extremely dedicated to her job to the point of sacrificing other aspects of her life. This book was a good reminder of how quickly our lives and circumstances can change and also what a blessing found family can be.

Engaging and entertaining. A recommended purchase in all formats for collections where bookish women's fiction is popular.