I fell in love with this book, 4.5 ⭐. The first half was all story building and getting Darby's backstory. Not a ton was happening, but right about 50% is when things got much more interesting and for me anyway the emotions kicked in. The first part of the book I felt like the story was just being told to us. I wouldn't say I felt immersed in it or especially wrapped up in it up to that point. I thought it was just going to be so-so. But when Darby, his high school friend Michael and some other friends went to a HS football game things happened that made Darby much more relatable for me. Darby described seeing people from HS, how it felt back then when they had made fun of him & things they had said when he was still a girl, but now they just acted normal. I could really identify with this because I was made fun of a lot as a kid. Something pivotal also happens that I was like finally, now we can finally get into the meat of the story!

I was so rooting for the romance. It's complicated by the history of friendship, misunderstanding each other during a time when they were both also focused on figuring out their own identities. Darby is still trying to find his place in the world. I enjoyed the magical realism aspect of the story. The ending was a little bittersweet and maybe just wrapped up a little too nicely. I thought a lot of the Midwest and small town references were accurate & I enjoyed them although there were maybe too many of them. I also enjoyed Darby's relationship with his mom, although she was a little overbearing at times. It goes without saying that the LGBTQ representation was outstanding!

Thank you to HarperAudio Adult & NetGalley for this ARC! You can see my review on Goodreads and Amazon.

I liked the story a lot but felt the 30yr old mc came across more like a teenager and the narrator didn’t separate the different characters very well.

This is without a doubt my favourite Edward Underhill book. A lot of a self discovery, a dash of romance, and the magical realism of your local bookstore being a portal to your past, all wrapped up in a queer character trying to figure out their life. There was something so grounding about reading about an established trans character navigating life, not necessarily figuring out his identity as a queer man, but friendships and life and what the hell you’re supposed to do with it? I can’t say I related to everything, but it felt like something I could just kind of immerse myself in as I move on from the part of my life where I think about my gender identity and move into the fact that I have to like, get a job.

My own personal crises aside, I think that this book, and the audiobook narrated by Shaan Dasani especially, is just generally enjoyable to read. It’s a funny story at times, and I loved seeing Darby finding love in community after returning to his hometown, while also confronting bigger moments from his teenage years. I think we get to see this sort of realistic growth that is so satisfying in the payoff. And I have a soft spot for highlighting queer community in smaller towns. I think this is a great read whether or not it’s relatable, and a fantastic audiobook that just immerses you with that tiny bit of magical realism throughout. I highly recommend!

3.25 Stars
Is it possible for a book to have a lot going on while simultaneously feeling like not much is happening? That’s how I felt while reading this story about Darby, a trans man on a journey to discover his identity and place in the world. After feeling lost, he returns home, seeking comfort and some kind of resolution. However, his unexpected encounter with his former best friend from high school, who is now openly gay and still grappling with their unresolved issues from senior year, adds layers to his search for answers. The twist of time-traveling in a bookstore, where Darby meets his own high school self, further complicates his internal and relational conflicts. The interplay between these two relationships really kept me engaged in this cozy adult-finding-yourself narrative. Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Audio for the gifted Audiobook.

I loved loved loved this book! I think it's going to be very influential and I think that many people will be able to relate to this one. As someone who wants to be a strong ally for others in the lGBTA+ community, it's important to support authors, creators, artists, HUMANS, and the best way to do that is to read their works.
Shaan Dasani did an amazing job narrating this book, and it's HUGE that the publisher was able to get a trans individual to narrate this. I feel like so often in media/works/movies/etc, people just choose based on other attributes or the popularity of someone to play a role, but we forget that representation is key. and boy did this book have it.

I loved how real all the characters felt. I loved that the characters are all older, made them so much easier to relate to. The fact that he's jealous of what others have? check. but recognizes he is also super lucky to have things? double check. LIke it's just so REAL. a slice of life. a life that many live.

Thank you so much to the publisher for the physical arc of this book, as well as Netgalley for the audiobook. It was refreshing and easy to read, while still having a strong impact.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC of the audiobook!

This book was a poignant letter to trans youth, and it couldn’t come at a more important time than the world we are in. Determining who you are is hard enough, throw being a teenager into the mix? OOF.

I loved the relatability of the main character’s story as someone who didn’t feel comfortable in their hometown because they didn’t feel like themselves. That being said, I think the romantic element got in the way of the friendship and family storyline and the repair that needed to be done there. It felt like the characters were on two different tracks and the romance brought me out of it. Seeing Darby confront his teenaged self and hear what they said was heartbreaking and reflective in such a beautiful way, but the “magical” element of the bookstore didn’t quite explain how that was possible.

I love magical realism, but I really want authors to be sure they understand and explain their magic system before using it as a simple plot device. It’s becoming a pet peeve of mine 😂.

All in all a lovely listen.

The In-Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill, is a cozy love story written from the perspective of Darby, a trans man, who after loosing his job in New York City, moves back to the Oak Fall, Illinois, the town where he grew up. When visiting the In-Between Bookstore where he worked in high school, he is transported back in time, interacting with his former self. Through these interactions he feels he is given the opportunity to change his past and reunite with a former friend.

The plot is similar to that of The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley, as a book that more romance/magical realism set with a time travel backdrop. The language is not complex nor is the time travel concept (as the science of the time travel is not even addressed). The Narrator Shaan Dasani voice and the lack of complexity gives this book a Young Adult feel.

Thank you to HarperAudio Adult | HarperAudio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

Thank you Harper Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book! I want to start by saying the narrator, Shaan Dasani, did an excellent job bringing this story to life. I felt like I was there with Darby, the main character, facing his struggles and confusion.
In this story, Darby, a trans man, faces the loss of his job and apartment in NYC on the eve of his 30th birthday. He returns to the small town in Illinois that he left as soon as he finished high school. Upon visiting the bookstore he worked in as a teen, he discovers it is a portal through which he can meet with his teenage, pre-transition self.
This book raises a question that almost everyone has contemplated: “What would you do if you could advise your teenage self?” I found this to be a really interesting concept. However, I think the story suffers from trying to do too much, and yet not enough, with this idea. I felt the story could have ended an hour before the end of the book and had a satisfying conclusion. I felt the actual ending lacked the support to really cheer for Darby’s choice.
I also felt this book read very much like a young adult novel. There was some great advice and counsel that would be good for any teen and especially for those that are queer or questioning. However, there is a bit too much adult material to put it in a YA category.
I would recommend this book for anyone who likes to contemplate how their life would have been different if they had made different choices as a teen. I also think this book has an excellent depiction of what it is like to discover your true trans identity.

The In-Between Bookstore follows the story of Darby, a 30-year-old trans man who loses his job and moves back to his small town. One day, he walks into a bookstore where he used to work as a teenager and encounters his younger self. I really enjoy time travel stories, and this one is written in a unique way. I found Darby's story to be incredibly emotional. The story’s message is also important. I also enjoyed the audiobook. The narrator did an amazing job bringing the characters to life. I highly recommend the audiobook as well.. Thanks to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a great book that focuses not only on the LGBTQ+ community but about finding yourself! It has some “magic” aspects.

The narrator was good but I don't think the audiobook format serves the book well. It's very slow-paced and I think it's better read at one's own (probably faster) pace.

The central conceit of meeting your own younger self when you return to the town you grew up in is such a perfect metaphor, made even more powerful by the split between pre- and post-transition.

Unfortunately, most of the book is not actually about that. It's mostly about Darby just kind of hanging around and feeling repetitively guilty about having been totally out of touch with his extremely supportive mom, and crushing on Michael while they both either fail to or refuse to actually communicate about either their present feelings or what went down between them as teenagers. (Darby literally can't even remember what their fight was about, but when he tells Michael this, Michael gets mad and stomps off without telling him.) When Darby finally does actually talk to his teenage self, he's mostly interested in trying to stop his teenage self from getting in that fight with teenage Michael.

This would be kind of okay if the book was a romance, where things are centered around the romantic relationship, but it isn't. It's a coming of age story, but it's only in the last two chapters that any actual character growth happens. Up until that point, Darby is kind of maddening. He's 28 but acts at least eight years younger. That's the point - he's a case of arrested development - but it was so annoying to read. It doesn't help that Michael acts way more mature than Darby except when it's necessary to keep them from communicating about anything important, and then he just refuses to talk like an adult.

I found this book frustrating. The author is obviously talented but the book needed at least another draft.

Poignant and relevant for right now. Loved the queer rep and the twists and turns of the intricate story telling. Excited to read more form this author

I’m smitten with this YA romance with a touch of magical reality. It has deeply moving character growth and development with a backdrop of multiverse musing. What would we say to our younger selves if we met them now? What would that have changed? That’s really the question. And boy does this novel made you think. But the romance definitely outshone the existential plot line and took center stage. 4.5 stars, fantastic read, rounded out to 5 stars for hiring a trans voice actor for the main trans character! Excellent choice! I HIGHLY recommend this read for anyone 13 and older.

Thanks so very much to NetGalley and HarperAudio for this ARC of The In-Between Bookstore. It is a privilege to read and enjoy this book in exchange for my honest review of the book.

This book was alright but was not what I was expecting. I felt like it read very YA for an adult book. The audio narration was good as was the readability but the story itself I felt was a little more on the naive side. When reading the description I was hoping for a bit more whimsy with the bookstore but it didn't really come across that way. I liked the points of introspection but not that it took so long to actually get too or that nothing seemed gained from it.

I am about a decade older than the MC but almost felt a bit too old for this book if that makes any sense.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

What would you do if you went back home to help your mom move and find yourself in the bookstore you used to work at as a teenager seeing the person behind the counter is in fact you as a teenager? Well that’s what Darby is about to figure out. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Honestly how Darby reacted I believe I would’ve reacted. I do wish I knew what became of Darby and Michael in the end but that’s okay, I believe it is part of how life like this novel is. I’m straight and my sister is gay, her and I have discussions however I will never understand what she went through and still goes through. I love when I find a book that is in the lbgt+ community because I feel it helps me better understand. Going through this with Darby as he grows and learns, I feel you get to go through it yourself. A truly good read.

The In-Between Bookstore is a standalone queer friendly fantasy coming of age novel by Edward Underhill. Released 14th Jan 2025 HarperCollins on their Avon Books imprint, it's 272 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

The author has a good grasp on the technical aspects of writing. The scene settings, descriptive prose, and storytelling themselves are all competent and well wrought. The idea of being able to timeslip and go back and maybe change our future selves, is powerfully attractive. This is a well told story about precisely that. Darby gets the chance to go back to interact with his 16 year old self when he accidentally time-slips into 2009 in the bookstore he worked at as a teenager.

It's a wistfully told story and not always a happily-ever-after (though the denouement and resolution are fully developed). The characterizations are a trifle two dimensional and trope-y, but overall, it's a solid novel and a satisfying read.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 9 hours 23 minutes and is capably read by Shaan Dasani. He does a good job delineating the various characters and doesn't get tripped up on any of the rapid scene shifts/time shifts/dialogue. He has a warm upper midrange neutral male voice without strong regional accent (maybe central East USA, but nothing openly identifiable).

Three and a half stars for both print and audiobook.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Pub Date: 1/14
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“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.” This is the opening of the synopsis of this book and it sums it up perfectly.
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This was such a phenomenal debut. I adore magical realism books and I also adore rediscovery and books that really focus on that “what if” question. This book tackled those tropes so beautifully. I cannot express how much I loved Darby going into the bookstore and ending up back in time to talk to his younger self, to guide his younger self and seeing the changes that it made.
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I was captivated by this story. I loved this journey and I cannot express how much I loved the ending. It’s just under 300 pages, so a shorter read but one that really packs a punch! Underhill is most definitely an author to keep an eye on!
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I listened to this one via audiobook while reading along with my ARC. Shalan Dasani is the perfect Darby. I was sucked right into this audio like Darby in the bookstore. If you want to read this one - definitely give the audio a shot!
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Any fans of magical realism should give this one a shot. Its fantastic. Huge thank you to NetGalley, Edward Underhill, Harper Audio and Avon Publishing for the ALC and ARC in exchange for my honest review.

*Thanks to Harper Audio and Net Galley for copy of audiobook*


While for the most part the story was okay my main problem was that Darby was not that likable and felt very immature and chose to solve his problems by running away. He continuously blames his friend for a fight that happened that ruined their friendship. Also he's very surprised to find that there was other queer people in his hometown which of course happened because he kept himself closed off from everyone. Luckily some of this gets rectified by the end of the story. The speculative element was handled okay, but did not bring enough to the story.

I would recommend this to an older teen to read, because their is a life transition in it that they may relate to even if it's different in the story.

The In-Between Bookstore is a story about rediscovering home while figuring out one’s place in the world. The main character, Darby, is sick of New York City and decides to move home in order to help his mother move. While there, he reconnects with his childhood best friend, witnesses a community that he never knew existed, and discovers a time slip at his local bookstore that allows him to interact with his teenage self.

I found Darby both relatable and frustrating, which is probably a sign of a well written character (we aren’t lovable all the time, after all). I appreciated his character arc throughout the course of the book and the growth he experienced. While it ended on a bittersweet note, it felt like both he and Michael experienced some needed healing in their relationship.

Many thanks to Avon and Net Galley for an audiobook ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.