That cover! and the swoon-worthy premise behind the title drew me right into this one. Plus, I'm on one of my books-about-books and books-featuring-bookstores kicks. This is a lyrical, slightly melancholy, character-driven time-slip tale tinged with mystery and peril. I had a few issues with the story and the resolution (both of which were just satisfying enough to bump my 3.5 stars up to a Goodreads 4), but the writing is beautiful (the dual timeline is handled well) and the setting and characters feel real. If you're reading it as a romance, you'll get your HEA (or happily-for-now at least), but it reads more like general fiction, leaning toward literary fiction to me. You'll find themes of second-chance romance, but also coming of age, learning to trust, friendship, the long-lasting effects of trauma, the corrupting influence of power, and the power of story and connection and forgiveness and the mysterious spark of life.

Content notes: drinking in excess, car crash, teen relationship age disparity (15yo girl, 18yo guy), brief perceived threat of partner violence, discussion of suicidal ideology in a secondary off-scene character, violence against elderly woman, loss of parent