DNF @ 15%

I loved the idea of this, but couldn't get past the main character who I found quite annoying. This also read a lot like YA - which I often read, but the characters were 30 so it felt really disjointed to me. Knowing that a huge part of the book is about the main character conversing with his teenage self, I realized it definitely wasn't going to be for me.

Thank you HarperAudio and Edward Underhill for letting me listen to this ARC on NetGalley.

Genre: Fiction
Vibes: 📚🕰️🌈💫💖
Rating: 3.75 ⭐
Tropes: time travel / lgbtq+ / self-discovery / second chances

While I did not mind the LGBT trope (and there wasn’t any open door romantic scenes), I can see some people not wanting to read it for that reason. I would have to be selective with who I recommend this book to. I listened on 1.5X speed and the narrator’s voice was still super easy to follow.

As for the story, it was very relatable to me (as someone who identifies as cisgender). I know it won’t be for everyone. Darby moving away from home after high school because he doesn’t feel like he fits in at home really hit me hard, even if not for the same reason. I never really felt the urge to move back home or visit during college, similar to him. I loved the conclusion that he came to in the end that he belonged in NYC — even if it meant not having a romantic relationship with Michael. At least their friendship became stronger. The idea of the bookstore being a portal to the past felt like it should have played a bigger role than it did, which is why I docked some points off my rating.

The In-between Bookstore is a bit of a somber story about Darby, trans man figuring out his life and coming to terms with who he was in high school and reevaluating friendships.

The story itself was promising, but there really wasn't an awful lot of character growth and some really stupid decisions were made. Darby 'helps' their younger self with absolutely no pay off and leaves their love interest at the end of the book, a love interest, mind you that there was really no build up to the romance aspect. This wasn't labeled as a romance book, so that subplot really wasn't needed.

Take this review with a grain of salt, it's still a nice story about self reflection, but that's about it.

2.25 * (on storygraph)

Mr Grumpy was not featured enough to save this book for me.

Mostly because this was Queer Lit. Awkward 'discovery of self' Queer Lit. Not a Fantasy, lowkey Romance, with bookstores and magic, book.

There is no actual character growth until 91% of the way through the book, and even then, it comes (shockingly) sudden. The MC is an unreliable narrator to himself, proves to be unreliable (in a number of ways) to others, then obsesses about the past to the point he nearly ignores the present. While I understand that some obsession would occur (how often does magic seem to happen to you?), the MC takes it to dangerous, toxic, and borderline harmful levels. Multiple times. If they'd had more time spent on their own internal development and less on them compulsively checking the door of the bookshop, I would have enjoyed it more.

TW:
-Graphic. Body Dysphoria and Teenage Angst. Specifically, that the two intertwined in the MC's past.
-Minor. There are discussions of deadnaming in this. No one is deadnamed, but the concern about it is raised.

After losing his job, Darcy, a trans man, finds himself back in his hometown. He visits the In Between Bookstore where he’s transported back in time and meets his 16 year old self. As Darby drifts between this weird jump in time, we see him come across his past relationship with Michael while also struggling to understand the connection to the past. This story felt more slow and heavy though I enjoyed the topics of friendship, identity, misunderstandings, and the touch of magic. I was hoping for more exploration / depth though I still enjoyed it.

Thanks Netgalley and Harper Audio for the copy!

A poignant and enchanting novel about a magical bookstore that transports a trans man through time and brings him face-to-face with his teenage self, offering him the chance of a lifetime to examine his life and identity to find a new beginning.


For an adult debut I did feel this read very young adult. Which was fine, I very much enjoy young adult. This was a well written story about getting a second chance to make a past mistake right. A story about thinking you want to just escape when you're young only to realize you really wanted to be back where you started all along.


I loved the "supernatural" aspect of The In Between Bookstore and that's what drew me into this story. And although I understand where this story ended I do wish it had taken a different route.

This book was just not for me. I did not finish this book as I could not get attached to the characters. The writing was fairly well done. This was just not for me.

3.5 stars
This was an interesting and unique concept of “time travel” it was more along the lines of multiple dimensions or realities all centered around a bookstore the MC used to work at when he was young. I also enjoyed the ending and felt it was realistic instead of a happily ever after. It was meaningful and about finding yourself and learning that you can belong anywhere and being open and honest about yourself and trusting your friends with it is very important to growth!

I really liked the meaning in this book especially at the end and how it wrapped up. Ill be honest I was very confused and wasn't the biggest fan of where it was going, but the way it wrapped up honestly hit me hard. I love me a good meaning that you can sit and think about for awhile.

This was a lovely, magical realism-type story about revisiting your past, healing old wounds, and finding your place in the world. Adult Darby’s struggle to find your purpose, your place, and your people is an incredibly relatable one. The time travel and interaction with his past self was an interesting way for him to literally revisit his teenage years and look back on that previous life as someone who lived through it, survived it, and eventually found his true identity as a trans man. And he’s able to literally give his teenage self advice – who hasn’t wanted to do that at one time or another? It’s not out of any selfish desire to change the past, but just to try and help his younger self hurt a little bit less. He’s also able to gain perspective on the place he grew up and realize the ways in which it’s not the place he grew up in, and the ways in which even a small town like his can grow into somewhere LGBTQIA+ people can find a place for themselves. I liked the parts where he reconnects with his mom, whom he rarely calls anymore, and the way that he and Michael are able to re-establish their relationship and finally heal from their falling out.

All in all I really enjoyed this book. I listened to the audio and found it really excellent! The narrator did a fantastic job and had the perfect narrative voice and tone for the story. Four stars.

Representation: LGBTQIA+ characters, POC characters

I like sci-fi and fantasy books, and this one feel into it so I wanted to give it a listen. I liked the characters in this, they seemed very real to me. No one was perfect, they all were a little messy in some way, just like any person should be! And I thought the ending was appropriate, if a bit sad.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this audio ARC! :)

Tone/Vibes: emotional, hopeful, lighthearted, reflective, sad, and medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Rating: 4.5/5.0

This was such a nostalgic and heartwarming read! From the curious magical realism of the story to the excellent narration, it felt like Darby was actually recounting his experiences to me first hand. It was realistic, but only to a point.

The time travel and the bookstore experiences that Darby had were endearing, and having grown up in the Midwest (in Indiana), the little nods to what most call “midwestern-isms” was intensely real for me. And I laughed out loud a few times!

There is a bit of romance, but I believe this is more Darby’s story of knowing he can belong where he wants to and that he’s not a “messed up weirdo” like he thought he was for the majority of his life. Overall, I felt as though the story was bittersweet in all the right ways and that the author tied up the ending nicely. It’s a must read for those wanting to read more about trans-masc MCs, found family, self-discovery, lost love, self-love, and staying true to yourself.

Thank you so much to HarperAudio Adult for the complimentary ALC!

This book is out now!

I read Edward's debut back in 2023 and really liked his writing. After reading this one, I now want to go back and read Everything Has Changed before his next book comes out.

I'll be honest I was a little apprehensive starting this because I had seen mixed reviews and I really don't know why. I thought this was really enjoyable! I was invested pretty much right from the start. Darby is at this crossroad in their life where he is about to turn 30 with no job, no love interests and in an apt that is small & costly (yay New York). So what does one do when they just want to reset their life - go back home to Oak Falls, IL. Luckily for Darby, using the excuse to help his mom back up his childhood home was the perfect excuse. What he didn't expect was running into his former best friend whom he did not know was still in the area. Darby isn't sure if New York City is still for him but also not sure if being in Oak Falls is where he should be either.

I thought Edward did such a great job with creating this backstory for Darby in New York. We got to meet his friends and see how they interacted with one another. And how he truly has this group of people in New York that has become his family. As much as Michael tried to include Darby in with his life and into his world with former classmates, Darby just felt so out of place. I think between the house party and the football game, I had this sinking feeling that IL was not for Darby.

As someone who is edging closer to 40, I could still relate to Darby's feeling of not being one way or another. And even though they may have been secure with themselves, there were still aspects of his life where he thought he would be further along in. The incorporation of the bookstore and seeing himself as a teenager has to be SO trippy! Especially when he was still a female, before he even realized that he was trans. I love Darby's relationship with his mom. She was so supportive and sweet. I found myself chuckling a few times at their dynamic.

"Don't assume you're too much or too weird or too new. I know not everybody is safe, but...but sometimes it's worth taking the risk. You'll know when it's worth taking the risk, and then...And then you have to, because the only alternative is to be alone, and that's so much worse."


I was advised early on that this book was not a romance but that didn't stop me from rooting for Darby and Michael to be a thing. I loved their relationship and that they were able to reconnect again as adults. I know the miscommunication trope is not well liked but I felt like it does make things a bit more believable. Because humans and even adults have a hard time communicating especially when it comes to feelings. I was glad that they were able to resolve their tension and Darby was able to get closure on what had happened.

We don't get any reason as to why the bookstore is magical or if Darby's interference causes any sort of ripple effect. I was okay with that because there were just so many other things happening. I am more curious if this occurs to anyone else in the town at their prior work place.

I paired my reading with the audio and Shaan Dasani was fantastic!! I have listened to a few books where he has done narration and I enjoyed those. He really was able to bring out the characters, especially Darby. There was a lot of internal monologue and Darby trying to not only make sense of himself but what was going on at the bookstore and I thought Shaan was able to convey that really well. I saw he is going to be doing the narration for Edward's next book and I will certainly be listening!

Overall I just really enjoyed this and recommend this if you are looking for something light but with a lot of heart.

A heartfelt, emotional narrative that celebrates queer community--urban and rural. I am really enjoying this trend of contemporary stories with speculative twists, and this was no exception. I found myself rooting for Darby in both timelines and wishing for a happily ever after of his own choosing.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for providing me with a copy of this book! I voluntarily leave this review!

When the company Darby works for shuts down, he’s left wondering what to do next. Despite finding a great group of friends he still feels as if he doesn’t belong in New York. Darby decides to take a break from the city and go back home to the small town of Oak Falls to help his mother move. The same town he left because of their attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community. And Darby will find more than just the town he left behind, but his high school best friend as well.

The In Between Bookstore has a wealth of representation and a beautiful portrayal of transgender identity. From the path to discovering your true identity, to finding a group of friends who are supportive. Darby’s mother is also a hoot. She is proud of Darby no matter what and will be there for him. And the way Edward Underhill portrayed the tension between Darby and his ex-best friend Michael was so well done.

There is a hint of magic in this novel, as Darby discovers the old bookstore, In Between Books, where he used to work. Strangely enough, he sees a younger version of himself behind the counter and soon realizes he’s travelled back in time. But to what purpose? Caught up in the moment we so often can’t see certain signs from those we care about. However, when you have the ability to gain an outside view, quite a bit can be revealed. One single miscommunication can cause a snowball effect.

The characters in this novel are a joy to read. They will inspire a range of emotions and become familiar friends by the end of the story. The In Between Bookstore is for those who enjoy stories about self discovery and friendship with a hint of magic and romance.

Darby is a young trans man living in New York, but life isn't going so well. He's been fired from his job and can't afford to live alone in New York City. He could move in with friends, but his mom is downsizing and selling her home back in the small Illinois town where he grew up so he decides to move back at least long enough to help her with the move. As he pulls into town, he drives past the bookshop where he worked in high school, prior to his transition. When he steps into the bookshop, it's as if he's gone back in time. The books and magazines are from his high school era and the clerk looks eerily like his pre-transition teen self. The town outside of the bookshelf is living in current times. Darby's former classmates are all surprisingly accepting of his transition which is a nice surprise. Still, Darby can't help but wonder if changing his past could make his present-day life even better.

I am not normally a fan of magical realism, but I enjoyed this book packed with trans representation, friendship, and romance.

Thanks to HarperAudio for a review copy of The In-Between Bookstore.

I was so excited by the premise of this book. I love speculative fiction books and I was so excited about the time travel element but unfortunately the plot of this book let me down. I really wish the time travel element had been explored more and while I really liked a lot of the side characters and younger Darby, older Darby felt too self-centered for me. I still feel bad for his mom- she is such a loving and supportive mom and he seemed to take that for granted. I would still read another book by this author because he seems like a very talented writer.

How I wanted to love this book. The concept sounded incredible and I love being able to support a novel with LGBTQ+ representation. The first half - the set up of Darby leaving NYC after their start up job went under and heading home to help their mom pack their childhood home up and move her into a new condo - was honestly wonderful. The pacing of Darby leaving the city, their friends, of returning to their childhood home town and noting all the changes, etc. I love the realization of "oh, that IS me!" midway through the book, but then the repetitive visits to the bookstore without much if any progress began to really slog the book down insofar as pacing is concerned. It felt like Groundhog Day - a repeating story with little difference for the last half of the book. Add to it the endless little bits with Michael, their lost best friend turned crush turned situationship for practically three and a half days where they never had meaningful conversation but ended up hooking up? None of it felt sincere and honestly felt a little sad.

And then, in the end, the last chapter or so felt so incredibly rushed. It was a very dissatisfying ending. At the end of the day, I'm glad Darby found what home was to them, reconnected with their mother, and moved on from there, finding a support system they needed, but I'd have loved an epilogue to really tie it all together. I think Underhill has some great concepts and a decent voice as an author and I'm excited to see them continue to develop as an author. I must also really give the narrator of the audiobook kudos. They were lovely to listen to and I'd seek them out again in other audiobooks!

Thank you to Edward Underhill and NetGalley for this ARC to listen to first!

The In-Between Bookstore was a good coming-of-age novel about self discovery. I would recommend this book for an older age group (college+).

This was a great book to listen to., very clear and concise of what the story was and how it progressed