Thank you to HarperAudio and NetGalley for the ALC of The In-Between Bookstore!

This one took me by surprise! Yet, at the same time was a teensy, teensy bit disappointing. Any time I see the word "book" in a title, I just expect things. I expect lots of cozy book and bookstore content. Other than the bookstore serving as a conduit for the main character, Darby, slipping back and forth between the present and her younger self timeline, there wasn't much going on in the bookstore. Sadly.

Darby was very much on a mission to find her place in the world. He's a trans young person, newly released from his job, and finding everything about New York a little overwhelming. So Darby takes himself back to his midwest Illinois small town with no real plan in mind. What we get is a journey of self-realization, reflection on the impact of past choices and the importance of family and family roots.

I LOVED how this book ends. It ends in a way that most authors are afraid to take. It was refreshing and endearing and made my time with Darby all the more meaningful. I love when a character comes full circle and makes real self-discoveries. I'm going to use the word "refreshing" again, but it is so refreshing when an author makes the best choice for the character and not the easy choice that the reader might be expecting. The ending was completely perfect and I will be looking for more books from Edward Underhill just for that fact alone!!! I can't stress it enough! Way to go!

Initially, I did not like the narrating by Shaan Dasani. The narrator has a very nongender sounding voice. HOWEVER, whether intentional or not, the voice began to make more sense to me and actually fit very well (in my mind) with the storyline. The way that Dasani voiced Darby's mother's voice was very perfect.

First and foremost I would like to thank Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for sending me an audiobook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was drawn to read The In-Between Bookstore because I love the concept of being able to go back to a time where a younger version of oneself is struggling and helping to reassure them that things will be okay. I am happy to say that Edward Underhill took a great concept and turned it into something wonderful. I really enjoyed my reading experience with this one.
I was quickly drawn into the story. Darby is instantly likable and a bit complicated. His mind is always going a mile a minute simultaneously looking back and analyzing why things are the way they are in his life and being vigilant of the ways things could fall apart. I think the personality traits that Darby possesses gave the author a lot of room to explore the kinds of experiences that could lead to someone developing these traits.
I love that we followed a lost in life Darby exploring what it is they want in life moving forward in a magical realism setting with the time traveling bookshop back to where young Darby is working, also during a crossroads moment in his life. It allows the reader to consider how Darby feels about himself both in the present day and back in high school.
The formatting of pov paired with time jumps was well crafted. I never thought to myself that the magical realism elements weren’t believable or impactful. I was always looking forward to young and older Darcy’s interactions because the self empathy for Darcy’s younger self was impactful and so sweet to witness.

The audio narration for this book was incredible. I really appreciate the fact that a trans narrator was used for this. There’s a decent sized cast in this book and there was enough differentiation between characterizations.

This title has a unique storyline with relatable characters and steady pacing. Readers will find themselves within the story and root for the main character as they navigate their feelings about past and present.

The In Between Bookstore is the story of Darby, a young transgender man who goes home to help his mother move. While there he visits the bookstore he worked in while in high school only to go back into time and meeting his younger self. He runs into his estranged best friend while in town meeting Michael's friends and realizing that his town is not as close minded as he once thought.

It was a fun concept into looking back into one's past and reflecting how situations could have been handled differently, I really enjoyed the lighthearted approach to informing the reader on what it is like to live life as transgender. That gender does not define a person, but is only a part of who they are. It was very informative into the mind of how one transgender man dealt with life and the changes by exploring the reactions of those who knew them before, who knew their deadname. It was a sweet love story. A love story of long time friends, the love we have for ourselves, and the place we grew up. A rekindled love of place, family, and friends. I found this heartening as someone who moved around so much and does not have a sense of place.

I listened to the book and really enjoyed the narrator. The voice matched the character and I appreciated that.

I was given an e-ARC and am giving my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley for this opportunity!

I went into this unsure of what to expect. I honestly didn’t even know that the main character was trans until I started reading, which was a very pleasant surprise. As a transman myself, I’m always interested to read other trans people’s experiences, fiction or not, and this book in particular was incredibly immersive and different than others I’ve read. Throughout the book, the main character, Darby, is traveling into the past through a local bookstore in his home town (where he is visiting after he was laid off). He travels specifically to when he was a teenager, about to go to boarding school (and excited about it), but he was still unsure about his gender identity. There are two main objectives Darby is navigating: finding out why he and his best friend fought and then stopped talking and helping his past self to learn about what being trans is, and that it even is a thing at all. We never are in younger-Darby’s POV, although it is always in first-person. Instead, we see younger Darby through older-Darby’s eyes. Darby when he is about to turn 30 and having lived through what younger-Darby is looking forward to. Has grown into himself, realized things about himself. It was so interesting reading how older-Darby was so shocked by his younger self’s behavior and seeing things differently in hindsight. It reminded me of my childhood and how it translates to who I am today vs who I was when I was younger. It really makes me think of how far I’ve come, and was such a lovely reminder of my strength. Traveling with Darby to and from the past and how he used his time in the past to help him in the present. It was very cathartic and so well written and done.
The narrator did a fantastic job of portraying Darby’s inner monologue. They really brought the story to life in an incredible way.

If you could go back to a key moment in your youth, what would you try to change?

Darby is in the midst of his 29-going-on-30 life crisis. He just got laid off and can’t afford his crappy New York City apartment anymore. Like any young adult in his situation, he decides to go back to live with his mom. The caveat is that Darby grew up a girl, and everyone from his small town Knows. Darby fled Oak Falls as a teen because he felt he’d never fit in, yet upon his return he finds the reality of the town different from the reality in his teenage self’s head. And most shocking of all, Darby finds his teenage self working in the bookshop he worked in before leaving…

I feel this book is touted as a fantasy with the magical bookstore theme too much. The story is character-focused and we as readers get to see the way Darby’s own perspective towards his youth change as he interacts with his mother, former peers, and the rest of the town. There’s an infinite number of stories like this one, but not nearly so many that include a trans main character.

Sometimes the best way forward is to take a chance to step backwards and reevaluate yourself. While I did feel that parts of the story were repeated too many times (ie Darby and his mom mentioning that Darby rarely calls or comes to visit) I think that sometimes we do need some things hammered in before making the decision to change or not. As a queer person I am also obsessed with getting far away from my past and the people who think they knew me. So it was an interesting twist to see Darby’s return to a small gossipy town where everyone knew him as a kid, and know that he transitioned after moving away.

Overall this was a relatively cozy read, though it did seem to struggle with pacing so sometimes it was a relatively fast read. It could do with either less or more of the “magical” bookstore plot, there was simultaneously too little use of the plot device and too much extrapolation on it. But it made me emotional so I liked it.

Slow start, disappointing ending. Unfortunately I didn't really feel a connection to Darby and found the whole premise that he had a huge falling out with his best friend and has no idea what it was about pretty unbelievable. This book definitely reads more YA which is strange as the MC is 30. I didn't find the time travel element added anything to the story except for at the very end when Darby and Michael talk about there being infinite parallel universes and what they might be doing in those worlds. I really liked the narrator and the hopeful note that the story ends on but I felt like Darby didn't really grow across the story. Instead of being satisfied that he is going on to find something bigger and better, I felt like he was going right back to where he started.

I love magical realism, and this book delivered. The story was heartwarming, tender, and full of emotion.

After losing his job and the rent on his apartment going up, Darby goes home to help his mother move from his childhood home. It's then that he faces his past while trying to figure out what he wants for his future. He's given a unique opportunity to visit himself before he knew who he was while entering the Bookstore he worked at as a teen.

Read if you like:

🩷 Trans representation
🩷 Second Chance
🩷 Finding yourself
🩷 Magical Realism
🩷 Found Family

I really enjoyed this story. It's such a gem of a book. Thank you, NetGalley and Edward Underhill, for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

THE IN-BETWEEN BOOKSTORE is a wonderfully touching and tender story about self-discovery and identity. Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the advanced copy!

It was a cute book. I was really rooting for the main character. I draw a lot of parallels to the main character, also being from Illinois and moving away. I liked the combination of romance and time travel. Overall a really cute book. Thank you!

This is the exact book i needed this January. The audiobook narration is done so well. I found myself easily getting lost in this. The In-Between Bookstore is laced with hope & self-discovery. I adored Darby!

Read if you’re looking for…
LGBTQ+ Characters
Found family
Magical realism
Time travel

For fans of…
Before The Coffee Gets Cold
The Midnight Library

A major thank you to the publisher, the author, & to NetGalley for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I don't even know where to start.

<spoiler> The ending gutted me. I knew it wasn't a romance going into it but I had so much hope that they would end as something beyond just an ambiguous state. Also, how did they do the deed and then nothing? I needed details of if Darby and Michael found each other attractive and all of that. Just something to give me a flicker of potential romance. </spoiler>

I adored the writing of this and the audiobook narration was great and added a nice tone to the story. Darby's mom is adorable and I really wish they spent more time together throughout the story. Although the focus was on the past, specifically the rift between high school Darby and Michael and their present day selves, it hurt to see him and his mom separate on the same note which is close but not close enough (although Darby promised to call more). But, she got a condo with a second bedroom just for her son, which made me tear up.

Going back to your hometown and reconciling childhood trauma right before your 30th birthday is indeed a plot line I adore. The magical realism was done well and didn't feel to overdone. Although, all the what-if's killed me inside.

Not a lot happened but the story left me nostalgic and made me reminisce on my own past and journey. While I was wishing for romance, it feels really realistic that Darby went back to New York, their home, where they had been for a decade with their found family.

Thanks so much to Edelweiss for the DRC and NetGalley for the ALC! I had issues finishing the e-arc and was grateful to try it out in a different format. I immediately binged it and finished in two days. If you're looking for an introspective story that has a somewhat realistic ending, I highly recommend. Solid 3.75 for me.

On the cusp of turning 30, freshly let go from his job, and feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of NYC, Darby decides to take a break and go home to help his mom move out of their Midwest home. Whether it’s temporary or a permanent move isn’t decided, whether Darby is making a healthy decision or running away, yet to be determined. But what Darby does know is that he is nervous to see his former best friend, Michael, a person who used to know Darby better than anyone until the abrupt end of their friendship their senior year in high school. To find solace in his emotional return home, Darby goes to the bookstore he used to work at only to be greeted by 14 year old “new releases”, a store that hasn’t changed a bit, and his pre-transition teenage self behind the counter.

The In-Between Bookstore has so much going for it. LGBTQ+ rep, found family (my favorite thing!), romance, a bookstore, magical realism, a gorgeous cover, and time travel. There are myriad fun factors at play here and I wanted so badly to love this book. However, most of the charming parts were too subdued and overall the story fell flat. I wanted better developed characters, a more considerate and kind MC, and for the supernatural aspects to be showcased better. I wanted to be enchanted. I could absolutely see people enjoying this story, it just didn’t give enough for me.

When Darby’s life in New York City starts to fall apart he decides to visit his small Illinois hometown for a bit and help his mom settle into her new place. But he hasn’t been back home since he fully transitioned and he isn’t sure of the welcome he’ll get from the small community or his former best friend.

When Darby visits the In-Between Bookstore he worked in at 17 he finds… his 17-year-old self. When he enters the store alone he’s transported and he has a different view of why his friendship with his friend may have ended. Can he go back in time to fix it?

This was a beautifully written story about the choices we make and the consequences we live with after. Ultimately hopeful, this quiet story has more questions to offer than answers.

A novel about self-discovery and love. Underhill writes a story that makes readers ask "if I could go back, would I change what I did/said?"

Darby is turning 30. He lives in NYC and has great friends, but is struggling with what is going on in his life. He recently was let go at his job because of a start-up failing, so he is questioning if he can afford to stay in New York or if he even wants to. In the weeks leading up to this big birthday, he decides to go back to his small hometown and help his mom move. While home, he runs into former high school classmates that have his head reeling. What happened back in high school to make his best friend no longer speak to him? While questioning what to do, he stops back at the In-Between Bookstore, where he is transported back to 2009, literally. What will Darby learn about himself before he transitioned? Will he make big changes?

I felt like this book flew by. It was giving me The House on the Cerulean Sea vibes with a bit of the Midnight Library mixed in. The ending felt a tad rushed to me and a little lackluster, but I really loved the premise of this story. If you like Less, I think this would be a good read for you.

Thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Before I dive into what didn’t quite work for me with this book, let me say what did: Audionarrator Shaan Dasani makes a great Darby - neurotic, self-conscious, anxious and very, very human.

Now onto what didn’t. I really wanted to like this more than I did. But it doesn’t quite live up to the promise of its intriguing premise. The magical realism element of the book is grossly underused. In the end, it didn’t achieve a whole lot. I was hoping to enjoy a good cathartic cry reading this book. I was hoping to catch some warm and fuzzies - but the story left me uncomfortably cold. Again, I’m not really sure what I was meant to get out of it. It seemed like an incredibly personal story to Underhilll, but he leaves the reader on the outside looking in.

BOOKSTORE is quite light on plot. Indeed, 98% of the story is us in Darby’s head as he tries to figure out a path forward for himself. Now, I might have been down for a tale like that, but I have to be engaged in the character’s journey. Instead, I found it rather frustrating that most of Darby’s self-actualizing is just… running away. From Michael. (Who also does his fair share of inexplicable bolting.) From his younger self. From New York. From his friends. After a while the book just starts to appear avoidant. And that has the unfortunately effect of repelling a reader. All of Darby’s growth happens in the last fraction of the book - and it doesn’t feel earned. Nothing about his self-discovery in the end comes off triumphant like it should.

I also wonder about the intended audience for this book. It’s billed as an adult narrative, but it feels quite YA. Darby may be 29, but he behaves like a young person. It wasn’t just his constant running away, but also his blatant refusal to have any sort of non-surface-level conversation. Every problem in this book could have been solved by folks just having a simple talk, but they couldn’t. And while I might expect and welcome that from a YA novel, a repeated lack of basic communication quickly grows forced and stale in an adult one.

I love anything queer and add a life affirming time travel storyline??? SAY LESS! I loved Darby and the internal struggle he has throughout the book. When he moves home to help his mom he hot us the bookstore he used to work at and unknowingly goes back in time and meets his highschool self before coming out as trans or as queer. This was a wild concept and I thought the author did an exceptional job showcasing the character in 2 timelines

The pacing was a little wonky and the miscommunication of Darby as an adult was frustrating but otherwise tis hit me in all the feels and really puts things into perspective about the way we judge who we were, who we are and who we become.

*Special thanks to NetGalley, Avon, and HarperAudio for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I truly enjoyed this read. I was delightfully surprised to find out our MC is a 29 year old, almost 30 year old trans man working through a crisis and ends up finding a way to heal his inner teen.
As a 29 year old also queer person it was really cool to feel so seen and find our MC’s inner thoughts so relatable.
I loved that we got a small love story plot line that was not the main focus and that it wasn’t a necessarily “happy ending” in the way a fairytale might be. It was the ending that needed to happen for the story, and open ended enough that I am hopeful for a sequel where we find an even older Darby and a love story where he ends up with a partner and madly in love and life is good.

I found myself easily engrossed in the story and not wanting to put it down. Finding myself listening to it into the wee hours of the morning instead of sleeping. It made me VERY excited to read more from this author.

I received an audio version of The In-between Bookstore by Edward Underhill. The narrator was perfect for this story.

Heartbreaking and healing. So many emotions all in one book. I can see what the author was trying to do with this story.

Unfortunately, the ending and even character development were a let down. Also, my interest in this book was because of the time travel aspect, but it wasn't really a part of the story even though it was.

Overall 3 stars because I felt let down.

Time travel in a book about a bookstore ... um, yes, please!!

This is my first Edward Uphill read and I have to say I love his writing. The characters in this book were believable and well built. I enjoyed the idea of the story , but the execution and connections between the characters and the story fell a bit flat for me. I wanted more emotion and desire/drive. So, instead of being in the story, I felt like I was floating above it.

That said, though, I did give it 4🌟s - the narrator was wonderful (I read the audiobook), and while I got lost in the story, the ending gave me joy. I would definitely read from this author again.