Small town life. Books required!

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend

By Kristina Bivald

Paperback: 400 pages

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (January 19, 2016)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 149262344X

ISBN-13: 978-1492623441

Approximate Lexile: 930

 

Publisher’s Blurb:

Broken Wheel, Iowa, has never seen anyone like Sara, who traveled all the way from Sweden just to meet her book-loving pen pal. When she arrives, however, she finds Amy's funeral guests just leaving. The residents of Broken Wheel are happy to look after their bewildered visitor―there's not much else to do in a dying small town that's almost beyond repair.

 

You certainly wouldn't open a bookstore. And definitely not with the tourist in change. You'd need a vacant storefront (Main Street is full of them), books (Amy's house is full of them), and...customers.

 

The bookstore might be a little quirky. Then again, so is Sara. But Broken Wheel's own story might be more eccentric and surprising than she thinks.

 

A heartwarming reminder of why we are booklovers, this is a sweet, smart story about how books find us, change us, and connect us.

 

My Thoughts:

This is a book about reading books. The author has obviously read a lot of books, and loves them. It shows.

 

The plot is a little bit predictable, but the characters are lovely. The protagonist, Sara, might be my least favorite; although she grows and changes, she is still a little bit passive in how she allows events to happen to her. The secondary characters, however, are a lot of fun! Grace, Caroline, George—each is unique and, while quirky, a believable part of small town life.

 

The book reminded me somewhat of The Guernsey Potato Peel Pie and Literary Society as well as another book that I just can’t put my finger on. (I, too, have read a lot of books.)

 

The writing is unremarkable, although honestly, at the end, I felt like there were some pages missing from the advanced reader e-book I have. The resolution just suddenly happened. Or had happened, without my really seeing it happen. I had a distinct “Huh?” moment.

 

Overall, it’s a fun, quick little read, perfect for those times when you don’t want to feel challenged.

 

Possible Objectionable Material:

The town has a gay couple; bisexuality is also discussed. One f-bomb, other minor cursing. Some characters have children out of wedlock. Drinking. Sex, but not described in detail.

 

Who Would Like This Book:

Those who love to read, especially those who have read widely. Chick-lit fans, although it doesn’t really read like, say, Shopaholic. People who like strong characters and small towns. Probably mid-teens and up.

 

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.