“Abbi Waxman is both irreverent and thoughtful.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Giffin
“Meet our bookish millennial heroine—a modern-day Elizabeth Bennet, if you will… Waxman’s wit and wry humor stand out. She is funny and imaginative, and “Bookish” lands a step above run-of-the-mill romantic comedy fare.”—The Washington Post
“Abbi Waxman offers up a quirky, eccentric romance that will charm any bookworm…. For anyone who’s ever wondered if their greatest romance might come between the pages of books they read, Waxman offers a heartwarming tribute to that possibility.”--Entertainment Weekly
The author of Other People’s Houses and The Garden of Small Beginnings delivers a quirky and charming novel chronicling the life of confirmed introvert Nina Hill as she does her best to fly under everyone's radar. Meet Nina Hill: A young woman supremely confident in her own...shell.
The only child of a single mother, Nina has her life just as she wants it: a job in a bookstore, a kick-butt trivia team, a world-class planner and a cat named Phil. If she sometimes suspects there might be more to life than reading, she just shrugs and picks up a new book.
When the father Nina never knew existed suddenly dies, leaving behind innumerable sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews, Nina is horrified. They all live close by! They're all—or mostly all—excited to meet her! She'll have to Speak. To. Strangers. It's a disaster! And as if that wasn't enough, Tom, her trivia nemesis, has turned out to be cute, funny, and deeply interested in getting to know her. Doesn't he realize what a terrible idea that is?
Nina considers her options.
1. Completely change her name and appearance. (Too drastic, plus she likes her hair.)
2. Flee to a deserted island. (Hard pass, see: coffee).
3. Hide in a corner of her apartment and rock back and forth. (Already doing it.)
It's time for Nina to come out of her comfortable shell, but she isn't convinced real life could ever live up to fiction. It's going to take a brand-new family, a persistent suitor, and the combined effects of ice cream and trivia to make her turn her own fresh page.
As soon as Nina avowed her love for books and for being alone, I knew I found a kindred spirit. I feel like a lot of people will relate to Nina in some way. She's just that type of character.
There was just something about Nina, that made me want to get to know her better. She was witty and sarcastic, and her inner monologues provided an incredible amount of amusement for me. I found myself so charmed by this unapologetic introvert, that I just had to inhale the book whole.
But, it wasn't just Nina, who won my heart. The book was packed with a slew of quirky and fantastic characters. Her co-workers, her quiz teammates, and her new found family all contributed to the my overall enjoyment. Their rapport and interactions kept a smile on my face, and I just couldn't get enough of their antics.
Things I loved!
• The book shop was such a wonderful and fun place. • The quiz nights made me eager to test my own knowledge • Phil was a fantastic pet sidekick for Nina • I had nothing but love for Peter. He pushed Nina a bit, but was always there to support her. • Tom was a doll, and I easily shipped him and Nina • Waxman overtly and secretly worked so many amazing references into this book. There were quite a few sly ones that made me smile.
This book kept me smiling and happy from the beginning to the very end, and that's an experience that is priceless to me. To sum it up in three adjectives: fun, heartwarming, and endearing.
