The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson

The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson– 338 pages

Book Blurb:

Nothing is as permanent as it appears . . . Denver, 1962: Kitty Miller has come to terms with her unconventional single life. She loves the bookshop she runs with her best friend, Frieda, and enjoys complete control over her day-to-day existence. She can come and go as she pleases, answering to no one. There was a man once, a doctor named Kevin, but it didn’t quite work out the way Kitty had hoped.
Then the dreams begin. Denver, 1963: Katharyn Andersson is married to Lars, the love of her life. They have beautiful children, an elegant home, and good friends. It’s everything Kitty Miller once believed she wanted—but it only exists when she sleeps.
Convinced that these dreams are simply due to her overactive imagination, Kitty enjoys her nighttime forays into this alternate world. But with each visit, the more irresistibly real Katharyn’s life becomes. Can she choose which life she wants? If so, what is the cost of staying Kitty, or becoming Katharyn?

My Review: 3.5 stars

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The Bookseller came into my hands just when I needed a book like this. First of all, I love books about books and especially about booksellers. As an added bonus there was an odd mystery at play that focused on chances taken, missed opportunities and forgotten moments, and how they play a role in our life.

I admired Kitty, the main protagonist in the book, who took pride in her single life status, her job, her friendships and her family. I actually took a liking to her more than to Katharyn who seemed a bit too “cookie cutter” for me. It’s good to know how far we’ve come with autism treatments and diagnoses since the 1960s.

The premise of this book was excellent and like many inspired ideas, the execution needed a little support. A few places called for better editing and perhaps the plot could have flowed in a more succinct way.

Overall however, I think it’s an interesting read about what is versus what could’ve been.

Quotes I liked:

True companionship? Yes, we have that. But that doesn’t mean we need to spend every waking moment together. And that is how it ought to be. You want a companion, yes. But you’d never want someone to be you whole world, Kitty.”